[TPIN] Bad Days/Good Days

[nickmondello at optonline.net]

"Bad Days," now THERE'S a subject worth sendin' around the campfire.

Are we, as trumpeters, possibly so arrogant and naive to think that these demons
do not occasionally rise up and render us humble? And, are we so insecure in ourselves and our playing abilities as to think that good and GREAT playing days are not also coming in the cards?

Like some "Twilight Zone" script, we are blessed to be given the talent and desire to play the instrument, yet, at times it is a demanding, at times thankless, humbling mistress. Yet, we ask for her hand daily when that horn comes out of the case.

As someone who has played the horn professionally for over 50 years and who has been a competitive athlete for most of my life, I have convinced myself that trumpet "Bad Days" are, for me, more often either a lack of preparation ("Why shed that? Heck, I can play that in my sleep - and have!"), arrogance, or lack of confidence and focus. Tiger has bad days, so did Jack. Vax has been known to have a VERY rare bad day on the links, too, but then he goes home and plays his trumpet mah-velously and all is forgiven!

We trumpeters suffer from the same "Diseases of Excellence," as author and running guru George Sheehan called them: overuse, pushing too hard sometimes. But, we perservere: we take the horn out tomorrow and roll it all up again. ANY day you can do that can only be a GREAT day!

As I heard Marv Stamm say once: "I'm blessed that the trumpet picked ME."

So much for "Bad Days." Now off to shed: the mistress calls.

Nick