Drumstick Anyone?

This could be another post about the Bradley...And now that I mention it, why don't I give an update on that!

Must say that I think I'm in love with the Bradley Smoker. Simple, controlable, great food, and yet it still provides everything a classic smoker does (mouthwatering cooking smells). Over the summer we easily used the Bradley twice as much as the grill. Cheese, roast, corn, steak, chicken, and ribs have all gone in plain and come out delicious. I'm still a huge fan of finding the cheapest meat possible and turning it into something beautiful! And, with our high temperatures this summer, the challenge has been to not overcook the food, as opposed to my experiences with the vertical water smoker.

But I digress, because this post is about drumsticks!

No, not the kind you eat. I mean, sure, hickory smells nice if burnt at low temperatures, but these things have paint and varnish on them.

That's right. I took up the drums over the summer. While D was spending way to much money on concert experiences, I was spending to much on a new musical instrument hobby. I'm sorry to say that my Breedlove has stayed in its case for quite a bit of the summer as I've wielded sticks instead of picks.

I personally think I'm showing a bit of aptitude with the drums. Guitar has always been a bit of a struggle. Even after a few years of playing, I'm still not able to simply pick up the guitar and play a song flawlessly (except something like "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" or "Wild Thing"). The drums, on the other hand, I can plug in my Zune, and instantly start playing along with the songs. The rhythms and stick patterns just come into my hands. And, while I'm definitely not good, I at least can usually mimic what I'm hearing by the end of the song. For the ability to simply sit down and start playing along with a band, I can't beat the drums.

Of course, a drumline on its own sounds like...Well, kind of like a looping pedal. Drumming is terribly repetitive, so playing by yourself (with no Zune) is somewhat boring after a few minutes. Add a backup band, and it's extremely fun!