Trying New Things And Making Bangs

This is my practice drum kit. I don't use it too much these days. But for a year or so of my life it was something I made time for.

​My husband and a couple of our friends have this band. Back when it started, they had a few instruments and some equipment in a garage. All they needed to start making some music was a drummer. They'd had auditions, but nobody could make it work yet. I volunteered to try it out. As it turned out, years of dancing seemed to help me hold a decent rhythm. Since I had a pretty open schedule and could hold a basic beat, I got the part.

Eventually the Kimota Bombs, as this band is still called, found a great drummer who had more experience and could do more intricate patterns. He signed on as a co-drummer and we switched out when he could make it for rehearsals. Eventually we did some local shows, made an EP, and it was all really fun. I cut my teeth on some really fast, wrist-splitting punk rock while hanging out with people I cared about.

​The ultimate goal for the band was to work their way up to touring, but music has never been my ultimate dream, so I dropped out to make room for somebody whose goals were more in line with theirs. Once I left, I didn't touch my drums much anymore.

I have jammed out a few times since then. It's fun to pick up my sticks and let what's left of my muscle memory take over. I don't regret it for a second, even though it was a year of my life I spent doing something that I wouldn't really do anything with in the long run. Making room for experiences like that is important, though. It fills out the big dreams and fleshes out life to have more dimension than if you only have that one thing you do. The memories I made rocking out with my friends strengthened the bonds that were already there and gave me a wealth of material to pull from for my own creative endeavors.

Drumming, dancing, horseback riding, little skills like this may not make me money, but living them out is worth more. Do you have some things you like that don't necessarily line up with your main thing? I'd love to hear about them!