I'm having left shoulder surgery on Thursday. The muscles have partly torn away and so has the rotator cuff, and there's other issues to fix. I won't be playing guitar for a long time. The right shoulder needs its own operation later.

I'm still planning to make it to The Ventures show in Bethlehem. It's a full month after surgery so I should be able to sit through the show with my arm in a restraint.

To keep progressing as a musician I'm getting a Yamaha keyboard and will learn sight-reading, theory, harmony and some composition while I learn to play piano right-handed, and then later left-handed.

I've decided to learn the organ parts for Red River Rock, Telstar and  Out of Limits while I'm unable to play guitar. Any other suggestions.

Yes, I WILL be at the 2012 East Coast Ventures Fan Jam. I don't know how much guitar I'll be able to play, but I will try to have those 3 keyboard parts down by then.

It will be a short-term setback to my guitar playing. But Dad always told me to learn to at least sight-read music, and learn some theory, harmony and composition, and do it while learning piano. So fifty years after I ignored his wisdom I'm following his advice. I'll be a much better guitar player in two, five and ten years later this way than if I hadn't taken this forced layoff.

LOL! It better be long enough for me to learn to play the keyboard I just ordered; a Yamaha PSR-E333 and sustain pedal.

I appreciate all the encouragement. I am NOT looking forward to waking up Friday morning. All my shoulder muscles trimmed and relocated, held in place by screws drilled into holes in my shoulder bones. It's cool though. The screws will disolve by themselves.

One poor guy I know had his muscles sewn to the bones. His recovery will be a lot longer than mine. And on top of everything he has to wear an external cage to hold his arm and shoulder completely still. All I'll have to wear is a sling.

Got the haircut on the way home today. This is an outpatient procedure. Six hours turnkey. The guy is a sports medicine surgeon. Has pro-ball players as petients.

At hospital at 7:45 tomorrow morning. I'll be offline for a few days (at least) afterwards.

using the shift key is unwieldy in a sling. shoulder doing fine. pt starts tomorrow. surgery was just in nick of time. somehow after the mri i tore the bicep badly and it could have ripped in half any time and any place. sewing that back together was a huge catch. if i'd waited it would have caused all sorts of problems.

my keyboard is in but i can't get it yet. i also want to try to to learn the sax part to peter gunn on it if i can. not sure how ventures that is, but it will be fun. we'll see.

thats all for now. take care everyone and be well. hope to see many of you in april in bethlehem.