[Harp-L] my take on SPAH

["scooter" <10hole@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

This past week has been an incredible experience. It was great to finally be 
able to put faces
with some of the names I've known over the years. Reading e-mail has a way 
of assigning a
personality to someone that is usually way off. The one that really comes to 
mind is Chris Michalek
(sorry Chris, you get to be the example). I've always thought of Chris as a 
pretty abrasive and pompous
person. I had the opportunity to meet him and he's quite the opposite (to me 
anyway). Great guy and a great
harmonica player as well, in both his own style as well as typical blues 
(what I seem to gravitate to).
Everyone I had the pleasure of meeting last week was great and I feel that 
I've made some lifetime friends.

The level of playing at the convention was awe inspiring. I find myself now 
looking at what I've been doing for the
past 15 years and wondering how I got stuck in such a rut. I do MY thing 
well enough but there's a ton of
stuff that I never really realized was possible on those little harps. I 
will definitely be expanding my style and
practicing (something that I've never done). That to me I think is the 
biggest thing I brought from SPAH.

Thanks to everyone for making the convention what it was.

Scooter