Thanks to everyone who made yesterday's post a success. I appreciate the positive comments, and I've taken them all to heart. . . . But I still laughed my ass off. Still laughing as I write this. Good grief, I hope someone else is enjoying this as much as I am.

Now's a good time to bring up a post that's been sitting in my drafts. It relates to that one about frustration.

A road block is a blessing in disguise. This applies to more than guitar or music. It could be in your career, writing a song, building a structure, etc. The disguise is obvious: your progress is obstructed. The blessing is that once you're through it, things won't be business as usual. You might have a new position in your career, a new outlook on that song, or a new idea for that structure. Whatever your path, surpassing a road block will change you.

Fighting through a road block is when my endeavors are most important. It's a pain when it persists so long, but there's always a hint of excitement about the road beyond. Getting through it is more often like a slingshot than an incremental improvement, and my conviction that this process will have a positive result gets stronger every time I experience it.

Reaching a road block is a time to push through, but patiently. Expecting immediate payoff is exactly what causes disappointment. It's like running blindfolded through a tunnel. There's a light at the end of it, but I can't see how far. I need to trust that it's there and that I'm going the right direction. When I eventually reach it, it'll be obvious. And glorious.

I've seen hints of speed beyond my temporary limit for that lick mentioned in the frustration post. Time to push through it and find out what I can do.