Visiting my wife in a nursing facility changed my life.

She has been in three facilities in the past two years post retirement. Our lives have been dramatically changed. I wasn’t prepared to be a caregiver but here I am. She’s home now and doing a little better.

I remember her last roommate who was a much older woman that seemed abandoned by her family. I wouldn’t wish that on an enemy. She was angry most of the time. She had lost most her modesty as she rolled around in her wheelchair.  She changed as I interacted with her.
Caring for others helps you. Music helps me. I picked up a guitar and used it to help me get through the blues I feel. I focused on where I had failed earlier as a beginner and pushed myself. I am still pushing. I put myself in a place that I had to get better. I started playing at church with the professional musicians the church hires. Guitar playing is cathartic.  Learning a new skill is helping me through depression, and all the stages of loss.

All this happened during the beginning of the COVID 19 pandemic. We were isolated and the guitar made sense.  I bought several and experimented with tone, and genres. I remembered that I liked this instrument. I had to fight my own fears that I was too old to start again. I had to push past the negative thinking that I am not that good.

Someone is in a nursing home that I can smile at.  Someone is in a wheelchair, able to roll into the common area where I will be playing waiting to be entertained. Somebody’s mother or grandmother might not mind if I sing off key or miss a chord. My favorite aunt cheers me on Facebook when I post a clip of my progress. I am playing for her.

With the help of friends I’ve bought some decent busking equipment. I have pro level instruments above my proficiency level.  I have a branding persona I call Spoon. It’s different from the Black Man With A GunTM brand I have been known for since 1991. I still would love to be a voice over artist, but so far, I have failed at finding entry into that field. I have given up on broadcasting on radio now that the world has changed.  Podcasting since 2007 has scratched that itch, and I am almost done with that facet of my life.

Spoon is the family-friendly, “blues character” I picked for myself. He is complete with a puppet side kick named Lil Spoon that I use to entertain children. I am practicing for the grandchildren I hope to get one day. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCd1P7LN9a1SAZjrKK2OKSqA
Music by Spoon is the culmination of everything. After I got the courage to call a nursing home to ask if I could play for the residents, the event coordinator said she was putting me on the calendar as music by Spoon.

I created the website, and tied the youtube channel to it. It’s all coming together.  Pray for me.