If it's music you want to make...

Yesterday, I decided that I was going figure out how to play the piano. I haven't played because I can't do the foot pedal and anyone that plays, knows how it sounds to play without the foot pedal. I went to the music store and asked the manager if they made something for the sustaining pedal that would allow me to play. He put the foot pedal on the top of the keyboard (you know, the little black plug-in foot pedals) and said "Hey, you can hold the foot pedal with one hand while you play with the other!" I just looked at him and then said "O.....kay. Thank you very much." I am a little surprised that he made it to the manager position in a music store.
So....back to yesterday. I decided that I would play anyway without the pedal and practice my note reading/playing. I decided that I would play the Crown arrangement of My Father Planned It All.

Breakdown of the grand concert:
1. Lets move the piano bench. Problem, my knees are hitting the piano and won't go under. That's okay, let's sit too far back from the piano and lean over. Problem solved!
2. Bend fingers back and forth in dramatic flair to prepare for the grand concert.
3. Start playing the arrangement. Problem - it sounds like chopsticks. Let's hold the keys down longer while trying to maintain the flow of the arrangement. Still sounds like chopsticks.
4. Yell for Briley and ask her to pull up a chair and try to hold the foot pedal for me. Problem - she doesn't know when to go up or down. Tell her to count and lift her foot on the number 4. Uhmmm....now we have a combination of chopsticks and notes that are bunched together and sound awful.
5. Briley suggests that I nod my head at her every time she needs to lift her foot. Sounds simple enough - it's not. My brain is not that complex. I am trying to read these notes!!
6. Tell Briley thank you for her help and ask her to go into the other room with all the children.
7. Calmly take out my frustration by banging all the notes on the piano like a 2 year old and feel much better.
8. Close the piano lid and decided that the guitar is the instrument for me.
9. Get out the guitar and practice.
10. Aww....much better. Problem solved.

Moral of this story -
Life can throw you challenges. We all have them. Sometimes you can figure out a way to do things, and sometimes you can't. But don't stop trying. If it's music you want to make - then find a way to make it!!