Good days... bad days...

Sometimes they are the same one... Yesterday I helped out a colleague who has inherited a guitar from his Father-in-Law. He doesn't play himself and therefore was looking to sell it. It is a mid 90s Fender Strat made in Japan, with a large Fender logo but with a small Squier Series on the headstock. An odd mix as it had a vintage sort of look / feel to it but then some non vintage features i.e. 70s like tuners, modern style truss adjuster, skunk stripe on a rosewood fingerboard (odd!), a single ply scratchplate but with '62 position screw holes... yes '62 not modern I checked, a vintage trem but with more modern looking bridge pieces. Anyway it wasn't in bad nick, few worn frets in the lower positions, clearly someone who predominantly played open chords a little rust and some dents on it. I restrung it and did a quick set up, neck relief was ok and intonation close but the action needed a little tweak.

Anyway he has advertised it at work and if that fails then it'll be eBay bound I think.

So it was a laugh and fun to do. Also generally work was an ok day so I got into the evening feeling pretty good. Then I got a phone call with some news about a relationship issue in our family which I wasn't expecting. Suddenly I wish it was like the guitar, put it on the table, quick fiddle with some tools and polish and viola it's all fixed up. Relationships and life isn't like that though is it and I am powerless over these things, I can offer support, advice if asked and "be there" but there's not much else is there. This is the bit of existing in the world I sometimes really find the hardest - I'd love to dive in and just "fix it" but I can't and accepting that and doing what I can is the hardness thing at times.

A very relevant post given my blog title don't you think! Sums me up!

Comments

  1. Anonymous21 January 2010 at 10:45

    you know we've had them all....

    sorry could'nt resist! :)

    I'm a fixer... but am learning that being there is whats needed. hard though.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Saz21 January 2010 at 10:53

    yes that is right down to the core of it, we do just want to fix it....only l wish we could...


    saz x

    ReplyDelete
  3. Suburbia21 January 2010 at 15:10

    I love your thoughtful post. I hope things work out ok.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Liz Hinds21 January 2010 at 15:46

    Especially with our children. We want to make it all right again but they have to learn and manage - with our support. Which is a greatly undervalued thing. By those offering it at least. THose receiving it view it very differently.

    ReplyDelete
  5. DILLIGAF21 January 2010 at 18:07

    'few worn frets in the lower positions'

    I think I've a few of them....;-)

    Hope the relationship stuff works out. As you say. All you can really do is 'be there' for those you care about.

    Good luck old bean and see in a couple of months!!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. JohnJayJay22 January 2010 at 01:35

    Sometimes the strongest thing we can do is not to try and "fix" something. Like you said, sometimes all you can offer is empathy, support and learn to accept...and not try and control the universe, which is such a folly of man. Had an unexpected severe illness in my family very recently that has brought this lesson home in a powerful way.

    ReplyDelete

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