Thanks, Lanny! My reasons for taking a hiatus seem ridiculously “vain” compared to what you are dealing with! I don’t really have words to sympathize adequately with what you described, as they can only feel hollow… I mean, I wasn’t anywhere near anything that can even remotely compare to what you have experienced!
No matter what cross we bear, I am convinced that music (actively or passively enjoyed) can make that weight seem lighter 
Well put… and still, I get these bouts of FOMO when not looking for a while 
You seem to have cracked the formula, @Vik - you seem very much OK and accepting with what you can and can’t do, in this moment and generally speaking! That is what we would call a “life artist” (not sure that expression exists in English!?) 
I changed my user name as part of my “Run Silent, Run Deep” operation… It was the only way I knew that would totally provide the stealth that I knew I needed throughout that month. Gotta admit, once I surfaced and opened that hatch, things certainly took on a new meaning…
And @Vik, I do agree with your analysis as far as not being a beginner anymore and how that may have an effect on our involvement here on the forum…
Oh, and I am still “Lanny” to those I have “grown up with” here on this forum, and also to anyone new who begins to realize, learn, and understand who “Griff” really is…
Keep on Thumpin’!
Lanny
@joergkutter if you are interested in talking 6string jazz chord progressions tritones etc I am all ears. I am about to bite the bullet on a six string to expand my love for jazz and jazz fusion.
I do as well, @LesterH! I would say I came from melodic rock that developed into prog rock, and from there to jazz fusion (and straight jazz occasionally also). Note, these are my interests - I can’t play all of that on a bass yet - but I want to!
I used to play drums in a prog rock band, and saxophone in a jazz combo and a jazz bigband, but all that is more than 20 years ago and stopped when I moved away because of my job. Until I picked up the bass two years ago, I was mainly a listener/consumer…
So, yeah, jazz rock/fusion is probably my main interest, but I like a lot of different stuff. Typically, metal-based genres were not amongst my favorites, but the folks in here have widened my horizon also in this direction (a tiny bit at least).
Cool! I can’t say the 6-string is my main axe (or likely ever will be), but I got it mainly to challenge myself and to learn more about chords (in general and on bass) and perhaps also to get started on soloing making use of the high F string. What type/make are you looking at?
I tried to start a thread for 6-string players a while back, but so far not much has happened See here: Sixers unite!
Again, I am at the start of a journey here, but it would be cool to have someone else interested in some of these topics to exchange experiences and ideas!
Thanks for reaching out, @LesterH!
@joergkutter I grew up playing metal writing and recording but on the guitar. Then went to study blues, then classical, and finally jazz. I have been fascinated by jazz fusion for years. It is where I want to be with my bass playing. I have been working on creating original chord comps and melodic bass lines over a drum track then doing some improve over top nothing great but I will share some with you. I love the 6 string for these purposes. The tonal range is what impresses me the most after playing lead guitar for all these years. I will check out the thread you started and we can collaborate on some stuff. Great minds think alike
Please do, @LesterH! I can’t say I have ever “studied” any genre of music, but this time, I definitely want to dive deeper into chords and harmonic analysis and such. I had “neglected” that while playing sax in a jazz combo (mostly standards) - it is quite embarrassing looking back 
Here you should be able to find a little bit of what I videotaped until now: Joerg Kutter
It ain’t fusion so far, but that is because I can’t play that yet on the bass 
@joergkutter I loved the Vimeo channel. I will get you a link to some of the stuff I have been working on. I have to upload it first.
Aw, shucks! I just realized I had seen a number of your covers before, Lester! Sorry, hadn’t immediately made the connection!
Anyway, you are quite accomplished already… I guess 32 years of guitar playing shows 
Looking forward to hearing your original material!
@joergkutter This is just me playing around a few minutes ago no mixing etc just having fun. I want to get more involved with something of this nature. Stream Bass improv (Unfinished) by Lester Harper Music | Listen online for free on SoundCloud
hopefully this doesn’t make me look to much like a fool.
you may want headphones to listen since it is just bass and drums
Not at all! I dig it! This is quite in line with what I dabble with (and I have unfinished bits and ideas lying around as well). One of my challenges is often the drums… how to make them interesting…
But, before we continue… I think we need to move this to another, more appropriate thread now! We are way off topic 
Either perhaps the “Post your practice fragments” or a new one with loose original ideas for songs and improvs!?!
Make it
I’m interested in the writing process as well. 
Cool! Let me think about a new thread and see what I can come up with
I am definitely interested in this. I love to write (although not very good at it) but I love the creative process
Thanks for all of your concern. I am alive and kicking.
It has been very physically straining on my, fighting this infection in my leg, and dealing with some side effects from the mas amounts of antibiotics I have needed to take to fight it.
At first, I was feeling better about a week after getting out of the hospital on Oct 20, but by the 2nd week of November, I was down for the count, not getting out of bed for much of anything other then to go to the bathroom, get water and go to doctors when scheduled.
It got as bad as it could get without having to go back to the hospital, I was going for weeks without eating anything, or more then 2-3 bites of something, just to have something in my stomach to help with the pills I had to swallow.
Last week was the first time I was able to eat at least one Item, (I wouldn’t say meal), like a sandwich, or a chicken breast, or a bowl of soup, etc… for a full 7 days in a row.
I am starting to feel al little stronger, and as part of my rehabilitation to getting stronger, I am setting some goals, starting today.
I am going to start making it a point to get on my computer at least one time per day, (it has been about 2 months since I even had it on, )and sit in the chair at the desk for at least 1/2 hour at a time, starting for 1 time per day and doing more as I feel up for.
Second, the BIG ONE, I am going to start playing / practicing again this next week, with a deadline if Saturday the 26th.
I am at the point where I need to start doing things to gain strength and endurance, something that is difficult beyond comprehension during the Covid LockDown’s. It has sure made it very hard to get thru this whole thing not having any normal physical contact with anybody but my daughter and her boyfriend who live with me.
It will stay harder the longer I continue to do nothing, and although rest and relaxation is a big part of the battle here, so it building strength and endurance, so as long as I set some small goals, follow them, and not overdo them, I think my full recovery is just around the corner.
Well, getting my knees fixed is going to happen early part of 2021, and it is possible it will be full knee replacements, for each one. Yes, I will need to recover from that, but most people to really well recovering from knee replacements.
Bass Buzz, all you fine people, my incredible instruments, and my strong desire to play, practice and learn again have all been motivators to fight thru this and get better.
since about 10 days out of the hospital, when things started getting bad again, I have had to endure some pretty extreme physical and mental pain, and staying strong to get thru it is hard enough, for anybody, but this one, to me, it felt about 10x harder due to being mostly alone, with little to no other human contact.
I know for a fact, that having all of you guys here has been a shining light at the end of the dark, black, narrow tunnel, and it certainly kept me pushing thru and kept me from giving up.
I am not sure how much I will be online, starting out today, as I am already pretty worn out just typing this one post (which took a long time for me to gather all my thoughts) but I plan to be showing up more often and should be posting at least one post daily moving forward. I hope to be on again later this afternoon, and start trying to catch up with all I missed, and all the new basses you must have all collected over the last 2 months since I was on last. there has to be some new stuff, i mean I even got a new one, and sold 3 in that time, and I have not even been out of bed. LOL I just made the people drop off and pick up.
Thanks for all your concerns, I really appreciate all the kind words.
Welcome back, @T_dub! Sounds like an incredibly rough ride you had… good to hear that things are looking up and that you are making plans (especially about music); And… amazing to hear that you kept selling and buying gear while hanging on for dear life… that’s incredible, but it does sound like you (from what I know about you)! 
Keep us posted!
@T_dub it’s really a relief to hear from you. I am so sorry you have had to go through so much pain and suffering, but it’s good to see you back. I’m glad you are thinking positive and plan to work toward rehabilitation.
Welcome back!
It’s so damn good to hear from you brother @T_dub .
Sorry that you’re going through so much and life has not been treating you so well but great to see you fighting back.
As for the knee replacements I wish you well and must confess to being slightly envious