theSideWalking

School is out for the summer, and I have just finished my freshman year of college. I can't say I am disappointed, nor can I say I'm thrilled. As lovely as it is not to have to write papers and juggle work with school, I am going to miss learning in the classroom setting this summer.

Taking a year off school was probably the best thing I have ever done. It gave me a taste of freedom while also showing me that learning is necessary for success. Through this year, I've fallen in love with learning. I hate that college has to put a grade on my learning skills, but I have yet to figure out a more efficient way of measuring those skills, so I can't complain too much.

Now that school is out, however, I've taken up a hobby. I've never really had a hobby other than reading, watching tv, and surfing the internet (I don't really count those as hobbies). I'm learning to play the ukulele. In the past weeks, I've been astonished to learn how many people don't know what a ukulele is. My demographic comes from a small population (the people I work with), but I was still surprised. I thought everyone knew what a ukulele is.

Apparently not.

Borders and Barnes & Nobel don't even carry books on them in their stores; you have to order them. The WilCo Library doesn't have anything either. I know I can use the internet (which I have been) but I hate sitting in front of the computer all of the time (especially now that I'm confined to a desktop since my laptopm is not cooperating). But so far I've learned the chords for Israel Kamakawiwo'ole's Somewhere Over the Rainbow, The Shirelles' Will You Love Me Tomorrow, The Beatles' I'll Follow the Sun and Here Comes the Sun, and The Sherman Brothers' I Wanna Be Like You (the Jungle Book). I've mastered none of them, but it's fun to practice. It is only my first week and a half, so I think I'm doing alright even if I get frustrated because I don't play like brudda Iz. Maybe when I'm confident in a song I play I will post it up here. We'll see.