So, I played guitar for about twelve hours straight through. I was playing with another guitarist, which is a rare treat. We were "in the zone"...which, as any guitarist understands, is a state of being that renders one nearly powerless to put the guitar down.
The problem did not arise because I played for twelve hours. No, It arose because I played for twelve hours after having NOT played for nearly two months. My fingers were defenseless. I had completely lost my callouses.
Not playing for two months? How could it be? I had traveled to northern California on a trip I had expected would only take about two weeks. I had chosen to leave behind Charlene (my guitar) because traveling with her is always a risk, and I just really didn't expect I would have much opportunity to play.
I ended up staying for two months. Guitarless. Without my guitar. No guitar in sight. Unable to play. Total guitar deficit.
When the opportunity arose to sit down for an extended session with my guitarist friend, and to borrow his beautifully balanced Ovation, I jumped at the chance. And...when my fingers started to sting? I ignored it.
We were collaborating, and the music was taking on a life of it's own. So, when my fingers started to feel like they were actually on fire? I ignored it, and played through the pain. Soon enough they would numb again.
He had plugged us in through both his Vampire amp/effects processor, and his Carvell cabinet. The sounds we were making were heavenly, and different, and we were in a co-creative, collaborative groove. It was if the muses themselves were whispering directly into our ears. It was magical. Wyndham Hill would have loved what we were coming up with. I'm serious. I almost lit candles and took a bubble bath, we were so ON.
So, when my fingers turned white, and felt as if I had dipped them in a deep fryer? I ignored that.
And when I finally, reluctantly, set the guitar down for the night (because it was morning and time to eat waffles)...well...I kind of knew I might have overdone it a bit. It wasn't until I had taken a nap, and woke up to my fingertips looking like E.T. that I understood how MUCH I had overdone it.
My fingers were blistered, and squishy...little water balloons on the ends. They were yucky, and weird, and scared small children, My guitarist friend was impressed (and a little worried). That prompted me to show off my hard earned guitar injury.
I couldn't play for a week, as I dared not risk popping them and possibly getting an infection. One morning I woke up, and the biggest blister had turned into the most amazing robo-callouse I had ever seen! It was SO thick that the guitar string created a groove in it, and it actually got in the way. Then, as suddenly as the callouse had appeared, the entire thing just came off. And my poor fingers were once again defenseless.
So...unless you want a really cool guitar related injury that you can photograph, brag about (LOOK HOW DEDICATED I AM), and alarm your loved ones with (OH MY GOD YOU'RE GOING TO DIE! CAN I POP IT?), don't be a total dufus, like I was. Don't you DARE go two months without playing guitar.
I mean, REALLY!
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