Let’s play a quick game of make-believe, young rock and rollers!
It’s time to update your Facebook status, but that darn Mark Zuckerberg and his evil minions have “improved” your FB experience with yet another change. Now they will only allow you to enter one word – beginner, intermediate or advanced – to describe yourself…as a guitarist.
No song lyrics. No complaining about your neighbor, your co-worker, or what a bad day you’re having (honestly, no.one.cares. There, I said it.) No provocative one- or two-word phrases to make everyone ask, “What’s wrong? Hope you’re okay!” Just straight-up, honest guitar assessment.
So what level guitarist are you? Are you a beginner or intermediate? Have you graduated to advanced status?
Good questions.
As with most things, people have a hard time clearly and accurately assessing themselves and where – exactly – they stand. Folks often think they are:
• Stronger or weaker than they really are.
• More or less talented than they really are.
• More or less attractive than they really are.
• Cooler or nerdier than they really are.
As for me, I’ve come to realize that I am way cooler than I usually think I am. But I digress.
Granted, some of the above characteristics are subjective (like attractiveness or cool factor), but I think you get my point. Bottom line: we have a hard time keeping perspective when we are talking about ourselves. Our filter is a little out of whack. For instance, that guy over there is clearly an idiot, but that thing I just said/did = stroke of brilliance! See? Lack of perspective.
So where do you rank on the guitar scale? Are you still a beginner, even after 5 years? Or have you gone straight to intermediate in 9 months? More importantly, how do you know?
Thankfully, Dr. J is here to shed some light on the matter, while throwing down thunderous dunks with my crazy-cool ‘fro. (If you get that reference, you are at least 40 years old and I like you already.) Continue reading “Status Update: Beginner, Intermediate, or Advanced?” »
