Things have fallen apart... No more motivation.

[mebusdriver]

What's up TalkBass? I got some real crappy news this weekend and I wanted to share it with you guys. I'm sure some of you have felt as I feel right now during some point of your music career.

Earlier this year I enlisted in the Air National Guard, a division of the Air Force, as a member of the National Guard Band. The recruiting process was tough as hell and the auditions were fuggin hard. But... After a lot of hard work I did well at the audition and was accepted into the group.

So I went to basic training in late August and just got back two weeks ago. I have been super motivated and ready to rock and really excited to be a really good musician that's a part of a really great group. But this weekend I received an email that said that our whole group is getting de-commissioned in October of next year. Which means that I will be leaving the National Guard as well as all the other members if they choose not to train over to another position.

So yeah..... Two weeks after completing basic training I find out that it was all for nothing and that I won't be in the Air Force anymore..... Talk about a bombshell!! I had a lot riding on my enlistment. Mainly money for college, a second retirement, a big ass signing bonus, supplemental income and health insurance, and a legit reason to continue playing bass. So now all that is gone.

So I'm pretty down about the whole situation. I know that all the monetary stuff can be taken care of and that's not really what I'm so down about. Im really having trouble finding a reason to play music now. To continue taking time away from my daughter and family to practice and try to progress. I just can't imagine sitting in a room practicing or lugging gear for a rehearsal or practicing for a gig anymore. All my motivation just went right out the window.....

I'm thinking about taking up another instrument to find a new challenge or to somehow rediscover a reason to keep playing. Playing bass in my office by myself just isn't fun anymore..... And I'm tired of relying on others for rehearsal and gigs. Idk what to do...... Anybody ever gone thru something like this?

[HeadyVan Halen]

Well son, welcome to Life.

Re-invention-failure-re-group-failure-manage it until it works.


And have a few beers on the way.

[nickbass79]

Welcome to the Military. It can be the best experience of your life mixed with times that are the most frustrating.

[mebusdriver]

Originally Posted by nickbass79

Welcome to the Military. It can be the best experience of your life mixed with times that are the most frustrating.

Yea I hear you... My whole life has revolved around the military. My dad was AF, my brother, my wifes in the AFR, my career is with the AF (C-130 electrician, civil service). I just didn't see it coming. And with all the other crap I've got going on in life it's hard to make time for music. I was excited for the opportunity to HAVE to play.

[fhm555]

As much as you had riding on being in the AFR, why not just train over to something else and continue on with your plan.

Children and family obligations should be more important than a reason to play bass. If you need a situation where you HAVE to play and can't find any reason you WANT to play, maybe you need something besides bass to tickle whatever it is bass is failing to reach?

[mebusdriver]

Originally Posted by fhm555

As much as you had riding on being in the AFR, why not just train over to something else and continue on with your plan.

Children and family obligations should be more important than a reason to play bass. If you need a situation where you HAVE to play and can't find any reason you WANT to play, maybe you need something besides bass to tickle whatever it is bass is failing to reach?

If I cross train I'll have to leave for a long time to go thru tech school. Not really interested in leaving again. I joined the guard so that I wouldn't have to leave GA. I didn't really have everything riding on the guard..... It was just going to make everything WAY easier.

My family and daughter are a lot more important than playing bass. Which is one of the reasons I'm struggling with making time for music. In the guard I was responsible for my part and my position within the group..... Now any playing would be purely for fun. So I think taking piano or guitar lessons would be more fun. Prolly gonna give that a try.

Like I said all the money, and school money, and crap like that I can get elsewhere. I already have a great career. I was just asking how you guys deal with being demotivated and the chore that is getting people together for rehearsals and what not. Just doesn't seem worth it anymore. At least with piano or guitar I can make music with out having to rely on others..... I think I'm finding out that that's the root cause of most I my frustration.

[Roy Vogt]

You're grieving. Grief is not just when someone dies. It's when a plan fails, you get fired, heck, it's even a momentary flash of it when you break your favorite coffee cup! You've just been gut-punched by Life. It happens...
Give yourself a minute (or maybe a week) to process all of this and don't make any hasty decisions one way or another. Be kind to yourself and enjoy your family. Play bass if you want to, don't if you don't.
Catch your breath for a little bit and then figure out what you want to do next. It could be worse, you could have been in a situation where you don't have the exit option and they train you for ground support for Afghanistan. Everything happens for a reason, IMO.
If you're in ATL I'm giving a bass clinic at the Atlanta Bass Gallery on November 19th. Stop in and let me know how things are going.

[neilshane]

Great advice Roy...

[schmig]

Downer as regards the benefits of the position...as someone who has never had any dealings with the military, forgive my ignorance, but an upside might be you won't be playing for an employer whose main business is feeding people into a meat grinder!

Hope it works out for you..

[mebusdriver]

Originally Posted by schmig

Downer as regards the benefits of the position...as someone who has never had any dealings with the military, forgive my ignorance, but an upside might be you won't be playing for an employer whose main business is feeding people into a meat grinder!

Hope it works out for you..

Haha!! Thanks for the laugh!! And thanks Tony. I'm an hour south of Atlanta so I probably make the seminar. Good luck with it! The Bass Gallery is a beautiful place and Jim has always been a great guy.

[Roy Vogt]

Originally Posted by mebusdriver

And thanks Tony. I'm an hour south of Atlanta so I probably make the seminar. Good luck with it! The Bass Gallery is a beautiful place and Jim has always been a great guy.

That's gotta be Autospell on your Iphone or Droid striking again! I get the most creative messages from Autospell! LOL
Roy

[mebusdriver]

Originally Posted by Roy Vogt

That's gotta be Autospell on your Iphone or Droid striking again! I get the most creative messages from Autospell! LOL
Roy

Hahaha!! Auto correct strikes again!!