03 Nov 2018, 9:32 pm
04 Nov 2018, 8:25 am
From age 21 til 35 and counting, I have been similar to what you described
No children, no significant other,
A couple of minimum wage jobs that fired me
No job skills that all the other ghetto lil riffraff do not also know how to do
Do not know how to do anything, except extremely simple things.
Do not know how to cook, parallel parking, whatever
It's like every day is a question of how to waste it in the least wrong method
No job, hobbies, goals
Failure
Social rejection
04 Nov 2018, 10:44 am
Fifasy, I posted a long post this morning about me and music and so on and it seems to have disappeared. This happens to me from time to time. I had really worked on it. 
I will try to redo the jist of it before the end of the day. Am in the middle of something now.
04 Nov 2018, 2:45 pm
Trying again. 
I don't think you are naive, Fifasy. I just don't post much about feeling bad. I am a pattern learner and I have learned this pattern very well. I will go down for a day or three days or 10, but I do come up eventually again. I have no idea why I go down, nor any idea why I come back up, although I do have various practices that probably help. It is like bad weather, or the flu. You can get so awful sick. Fever, achy all over, vomiting, etc. etc. to the point that after a few days you just hope the lord takes you because this is just too awful. You know you aren't going to die from the flu (at least most don't) and you know you will get better, but when you are in the middle of it, it really s*ks. And just so you know, when I am down, I need a lot of naps, eat junk food, and am totally unmotivated even by music or canoeing or the things I really love.
Back to music. I am familiar with Dylan, of course; some of his songs are very powerful. I don't know the other two you mention. Some of the songs I play that you might know: The Water is Wide (covered by many artists), English artist Ralph McTell, probably before your time. I've been playing "Streets of London." From elsewhere in GB, some of Christy Moore (Sixteen Fishermen Ravin and So do I). Canadians Gordon Lightfoot and Stan Rogers. Australian John Williamson . Have you ever listened to Kate Wolf? She has a lovely voice and style. Tom Paxton and Phil Ochs.
A new twist on The Water is Wide, an essentially very sad song about love, is changed to positive love by Mustard's Retreat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=96CVhI8_Y4k
What Dylan songs are you working on?
04 Nov 2018, 3:50 pm
That song has a sweet melody.
I've been learning Mr Tambourine Man and Blowin' in the Wind by Dylan. I like Streets of London by Ralph McTell, I'm also fond of Roger Whittaker's cover version. I'm not familiar with most the musicians you mention but I like Phil Och's song When I'm Gone and Kate Wolf's Close to You.
Do you spend a long time practicing? I'm aiming to get more practice in soon now I've had the guitar set up better. Before it got done I was doing about half an hour a day. I should be able to manage 45-60 minutes now at least, since the strings are less painful to press and strum.
No children, no significant other,
A couple of minimum wage jobs that fired me
No job skills that all the other ghetto lil riffraff do not also know how to do
Do not know how to do anything, except extremely simple things.
Do not know how to cook, parallel parking, whatever
It's like every day is a question of how to waste it in the least wrong method
No job, hobbies, goals
Failure
Social rejection
You never know what's around the corner though. I often find inspiration searching random YouTube videos.
04 Nov 2018, 4:32 pm
04 Nov 2018, 5:24 pm
04 Nov 2018, 6:00 pm
I've been learning Mr Tambourine Man and Blowin' in the Wind by Dylan. I like Streets of London by Ralph McTell, I'm also fond of Roger Whittaker's cover version. I'm not familiar with most the musicians you mention but I like Phil Och's song When I'm Gone and Kate Wolf's Close to You.
Do you spend a long time practicing? I'm aiming to get more practice in soon now I've had the guitar set up better. Before it got done I was doing about half an hour a day. I should be able to manage 45-60 minutes now at least, since the strings are less painful to press and strum.
No children, no significant other,
A couple of minimum wage jobs that fired me
No job skills that all the other ghetto lil riffraff do not also know how to do
Do not know how to do anything, except extremely simple things.
Do not know how to cook, parallel parking, whatever
It's like every day is a question of how to waste it in the least wrong method
No job, hobbies, goals
Failure
Social rejection
You never know what's around the corner though. I often find inspiration searching random YouTube videos.
Your statement is correct.
The best case scenario is that, what is around the corner, is
whooptie do 
The worst case scenario is that what is around the corner is, subject to imagination
For example, if someone gets hit by a car, it takes a lot of time, money and energy and skill to fix
But something good, is often temporary and insignificant
05 Nov 2018, 9:50 am
05 Nov 2018, 10:12 am
05 Nov 2018, 10:24 am
05 Nov 2018, 6:13 pm
I think you'll probably find those two Dylan songs quite easy, I'm trying to play them with arpeggio chords instead of strumming because I think they sound more moving done like that.
Let Me Down Easy has a pleasant melody. Hesitation Blues makes me smile. From Clare to Here strikes a chord too (forgive the pun) because I've moved from different areas far away a few times.
Do you ever upload files of yourself playing? It would be good to hear you.
The Dylan songs have easy chords, but that doesn't mean its easy to make them sound good if you (me) can't do much with them. If a song is in 4/4, then I am pretty much on the beat and, for example for a G chord, I am playing the notes: G. B. D. B// and so on. So for Blowing in the Wind, this does not sound too bad. But for Mr. Tambourine Man it is deadly because of all the repeats. I do not know how to make that kind of song better (by me.) I run into songs that I like all the time that I can't make sound good due to my limited knowledge. But I keep working on it and little by little something new comes through.
Let Me Down Easy - a country/western sound. I did like the first stanza lyric and the melody is pleasant I agree. Hesitation Blues is, well, Blues...why does it make you smile? From Clare to Here. I need to look more into McTell's repertoire. I may purchase the first and third for my own listening.
I don't record and upload. And I really am not much for listening to for a bunch of reasons. One is that I have a sequencing dysfunction of some kind and I cannot play the simplest piece without a mistake or many. Plus I have trouble getting musicality into my playing. In retrospect, I think this has something to do with the aspie stuff, but also I had such terrible childhood instruction,...as in...P.L.A.Y.T.O.A.M.E.T.R.O.N.O.M.E.
However, if you have sometime I can listen to online, please let us know.
I am guessing, are you looking to play like McTell in From Clare to Here?
I am so glad you are feeling better.
06 Nov 2018, 5:33 am
If I ever get any good I'll upload something. To play like McTell would be a blessing. I don't see it happening though. You never know.
Hesitation Blues seems to be a paean to procrastinating in parts of the song. That's why it makes me smile, also the jaunty style sounds like good ol' American raucous fun.
06 Nov 2018, 6:32 pm
06 Nov 2018, 6:43 pm
06 Nov 2018, 10:18 pm
But do find some time to play like fifasy, too!
There's nothing wrong with striving for a good rendition, nor being inspired another player's rendition, of course; but I'd advise you to be wary of striving too much to play like anyone else. It can become a fool's errand, as there will always be a difference if you look close enough - and that's the whole reason that listening to cover versions, or even a different performance by the same artist, can be so satisfying.
Whatever technical exercises you do, or songs you write or cover, try to make a little time for just messing around. I find that this particularly helps with fingering and timing, as you can get your muscle memories trained without the distraction of constantly comparing the result to your intent. It's amazing how many bass playing techniques I've picked up through sheer serendipity when messing around during a warm-up or wind-down from serious practice.
Always remember, you don't "use" or "work" a musical instrument - you "play" it!
