I used to play the piano a lot but not so much over the past 3 years, so I've decided to bite the bullet and perform next Tuesday! It'll go a long way in retrieving my old life.
This is the song (thanks headway for allowing embedding at last!) youtube.com/watch?v=JXcV6dO...
I can't wait for inevitable disaster 
Go for it! I am sure you will enjoy it and I hope it helps retrieve some happiness. Music is amazingly therapeutic in so many ways
Yeah I'm hoping it'll go a ways to getting different parts of my brain moving
Beautiful piece of music Ben. Hints of Moonlight Sonata in the intro ?
I love, love, love piano music ; it seems to penetrate straight to the heart.
So where are you playing. Is it a Uni concert ?
And that's a cr*p attitude BTW ; I'm sure that once you're in 'the zone' all your innate talent will come into play and it'll be a great success.
Well done for putting yourself out there...................a courageous move. xx
Well done you for getting back in there and giving it a go.I love the music. Good luck. Sure you'll do well!.
X
Thanks Karen! 
I didn't know you had a talent for piano, Ben - a wonderful surprise : )
It's a lovely piece and the video complements it beautifully.
Enjoy your performance, I'm sure you will do a great job : ) x
Very best of luck. I find that music has a wonderful healing effect.
Good for you, it sounds amazing. Thank you for sharing this too, it's a real inspiration for those of us treading the path to an unknown destination that is 'recovery'. Not me of course but my beautiful son. Your story has so much resonance and so hearing about what you have achieved is so positive. I bet your performance will be brilliant and a complete inspiration to everyone who hears it!
It still takes a long time and I'm still on the way to recovery, but I'm doing well.
I hope your son has a rapid and pain-free recovery
Absolutely, he was just finishing his first year at Uni and loving it. He has played the guitar forever and not playing everyday is in itself a form of deprivation. He has a left sided paralysis although the last few days has brought some slight movements in his leg and his arm - with extreme concentration and hard work on his part of course. Such early days but you are right, when you are a young, a year, 2 years is an unimaginably long time. I don't like to talk too much on his behalf, he is a young intelligent adult, but as a mother, frustrated at being so powerless to help, sharing helps me stay whole, so hopefully he doesn't have the added burden of worrying about me - although I am sure he does. Hearing positive things helps me get out of bed in the morning. Don't get me wrong I know things will never be the same again and I certainly think perfection is overrated but knowing that there can be light at the end of the tunnel - in whatever form is incredibly powerful.
Fantastic great to do what you used to, see my Blood thread for myself.
Sure it will go well and be fun!
Hi Ben,
As a drummer I can't comment that I am a musician too and yes I have been the butt of many jokes but I do know what is good and what I like..... that piece is amazing!!!!!
The peace, the tranquility at the start building through to the fully vocal part then fading back to a calming ending. Tasteful eloquent and makes me so bloody jealous!
Being nervous before any gig is normal, or should be, it's what gives any music the 'feel', displaying the emotion of the performer and helps kick in the adrenaline that will put you in that special moment.
Enjoy the gig, it's bound to be a sucess. If you don't mind I might just try and download from youtube for relaxation later.
One VERY jealous drummer (I do play a little bit of guitar and sing a bit as well)
Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.... I did!
Geoff
Yeah it's a great song! Got me through those headaches in the hospital.
Do you perform much?
Not anymore sadly.
Co-ordination no longer good enough and concentration levels too short. I've been trying to play guitar again but can manage perhaps one song and half another before it all goes pear shaped, chord sequences lost or shuffled, lyrics jumbled etc.
Still I'm 60 now and have played a lot up until 2012. Have supported many good acts from Drifters to 10 years after (you'll probably have to Google them, think Woodstock in 60's - supported much later after their prime), British Blues Brothers tour, The Wurzles lol. Biggest audience I aver played to was around 1-2000, the smallest was probably 4, yes 4 two bar staff and two door men lol.
My biggest claim is to have played at Glastonbury Festival in 2000, only the Bandstand Stage in the market square, but hey I was there lol.
Miss it like mad. Gig before last was a disaster sticks flying everywhere, I swear punters were hiding behind tables to avoid being speared lol. Last gig was early December 2012 and was great, went really well despite by then having to be chauffeured to and from gig and get my son to set up and pack down so I decided to finish on a high.
The tumour is in-operable and pretty stable but the effects will only get worse rather than better so we take each day as it comes.
Guitar and vocal just for own pleasure, wife and neighbours suffering only lol.
So I'm really, really jealous of your gig.
Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy. Grab each day as comes and never say no to an opportunity.
Geoff
You go for it and good luck, not that you'll need it xx
They teach dancing to people with advanced Parkinsons...those who can barely shuffle find they can waltz just fine, apparently. It was something my Occ Health consultant recommended as they retired me. I still find the brain work of music tiring (I tinker on the keys but am mainly a singer and choir leader) and I have no doubt it has been a key factor in maintaining mental strength and agility. I may try dancing for my poor old legs yet!
Well done for playing at your gig and for keeping that creative, life enhancing part of you going.
Pip Telephone consultation..I'm struggling.
Hello everyone. Hope I'm doing this right... 
So I'm feeling pretty down today...
