Let me start by saying, I’m not musically inclined. I like to dance, and I love listening to music, especially anything from the Great American Songbook. When it comes to being on the producing music side, though, I’m not gifted. In fact, I come from a long line of very bad singers, and I’m continuing the family legacy.
However, I’m learning to play the ukulele, and that’s a WOW! Moment. My sister bought the cute little instrument a while ago and has been teaching herself to play. I saw a beginner ukulele class offered at my local OLLI chapter. OLLI stands for Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, and the organization offers the most interesting and eclectic group of classes. I told my sister about the class and then thought, Why not take it, too?
“Why not” is an excellent on-ramp to a WOW! Moment.
So far, here are my thoughts on ukulele:
- My sister nicknamed me “Baby Hands Vozza,” due to my inability to lift heavy items. You’d think having what I prefer to call “dainty fingers” would be an advantage. Well, it’s not.
- You can’t have a nice manicure and a ukulele career. Pick one.
- The G7 chord is a bitch.
- Playing a song when it takes a few seconds to shift chords ruins the song.
- Ukelele players fall into one of two camps: those who say “yoo-kuh-lay-lee” and those who insist it’s “ook-kuh-lay-lay.”
- It’s hard to say, “I play the ukulele” with a straight face. Especially if you go with the second pronunciation.
- Overhearing someone say, “How hard can it be? It only has four strings” will make you want to fight them.
- Tiny Tim never got the respect he deserved.
- Does anyone else remember Kukla, Fran, and Ollie? Why did Kukla get top billing? Fran was a human.
- My dad taught me to approach every new challenge by thinking, “How hard can it be?” He never picked up a ukulele.
Now it’s your turn. Get out there and have a why-not WOW! Moment of your own.
Hello Stephanie –
I have been missing you in my Inbox so was delighted to receive your latest WOW moment! Your messages bring a beam of light and lightheartedness to places and hearts where it is needed, thank you. Your work is appreciated.
Heather
Thank you so much, Heather. You have no idea how much your words mean to me.
Hi Stephanie, you’re becoming cooler every day. peace, Robrecht
Since I consider you to be very cool, Robrecht, I take this as the ultimate compliment.
Stephanie, I do remember Kukla, Fran & Ollie – what a blast from the past! I watched them all the time. I recall one of them had one tooth that stuck out and it was not Fran.
My why not moment today was to post a less than perfect video of myself giving a career related tip on LinkedIn.
You are the second person I know who has been playing ukelele lately.
Why not?
Tammy
I love that you posted something you felt was less than perfect, Tammy. I think the need to be perfect stops a lot of us from doing something. I know it does for me. Thanks for the reminder to do it anyway.