Next Challenge...

Day 46. Over the past month I have been getting a bunch of suggestions as to what the next challenge should be. I have received everything from a thumb-war challenge to male dancer challenge (looking back, I hope he was joking.) You don't have to worry about the dancer thing, because JOAMOO (Jack Of All, Master Of One) is family friendly. There have been some suggestions that are worthy of "The Board" so I have logged them on the dry erase board behind me. I hope to attempt as many as I can and hope to find the one thing that I can master. So for my next challenge....
 

Ladies and Gentlemen! May I have your attention? The next Challenge has been selected by the JOAMOO panel (mainly consisting...only consisting of my wife and I...and the cats) and the new Master Challenge is........BAGPIPES! Was that a powerful announcement? I kind of felt like the Chinese guy from Iron Chef. You know where you feel like two martial artists are about to fight and the master is about to announce what weapon to use. "today's secret ingredient....(long drawn out pause).....EGGPLANT!" Eggplant doesn't have quite the impact as if he would have yelled "NUNCHUCKS" or "FIERY SWORDS."
 

Bagpipes?  That is right people, Bagpipes. In this adventure I will dive into this with all that I have. I will do everything, but visit the Highlands themselves to see if I can become a Master of the bagpipes. I will interview professionals, get advice from musicians, take lessons, practice endless hours, learn the history of the instrument and the craft of playing the bagpipes. In the end I will have a judged performance that will determine whether I have accomplished what I set out to do. I hope that in the end I can mark this in the Master column and do a silly dance. 

Let me fill you in as to what sparked my interest to even attempt this challenge. Bagpipes are a huge part of the Scottish heritage. I am Scottish on my mother's side. We are part of the Fraser clan from Tweedale, which is dated as early as Sir Simon who was an ally of William Wallace. Together they defeated the English at Roslin (I know you've seen the movie.) My Gran and mother have always made sure we had the tools to learn the history of our family and even made us clothes with our family plaid. Even in my thirties my Gran sends me Scottish gifts - not to force it upon me, but to instill the importance of family history. Well this Christmas she sent me a present and it was an authentic Scottish chanter. A chanter is a wooden pipe that has several finger holes and a reed. (Kind of an advanced recorder similar to the ones we played in grade school) She sent me this present months after a phone conversation we had that in her own "old lady way" explained to me that she would love to have bagpipes played at her funeral. 

Creeped out yet? Try being me (and at Christmas!)

So I called Gran to thank her for the obscure but thoughtful gift. She, in her "old lady way"...again, explained how she wanted a family member to learn to play the bagpipes and if any of the kids could do it, it was me. Is this her way of telling me to play bagpipes at her funeral? As she was saying all this to me on the phone the only thing I wanted was to be Brandon or Sarah. So contrary to wishful thinking, I am not going to play at my Gran's funeral and it is not my motivation for this challenge. Two big reasons for not focusing on the whole "funeral" thing: One, Gran is great people and I will be upset when that day comes, too upset to play bagpipes (maybe I will act like I'm playing and play a CD behind where I am standing...is that called bagpipe syncing or bagpipe karaoke) and Two, Gran is going to outlive all of us, so it is a moot point. Either way I need to take first things first, learn to play. Gotta crawl before you walk, walk before you run.

I have been practicing the Chanter for a couple weeks now and I am not good. I have been practicing the proper way to hold the instrument, the manner in which to blow, but for some reason I am not getting any better. I need to seek professional help. So for now, I am off to find a Great Highland Bagpipe professional for some tips and tricks as well as get fitted for a kilt.

Stay tuned for what should be a pretty interesting challenge.