Wherein She Introduces You to Bob Parins

Summer is fully upon us, and the GoGoGuitarGirl has not, as you might have thought, melted into a puddle of goo on the hot Brooklyn sidewalk. No, in fact, she is still alive and kicking, not to mention toiling away at her guitar, learning a host of new exciting ways to drive her neighbors to drink.

In fact, July brought with it the fruition of a dream I've had since, oh, January: real-live guitar lessons with a real-live guitar teacher. Said teacher is Bob Parins, of the Wisconsin Parinses. As far as I can tell after three lessons, Bob is remarkable in many ways. First, his apartment--conveniently located across the street from the Key Foods on Grand and Lorimer--is actually a former storefront. By "former" I mean "immediately prior to his moving in." Or so it seems, as the front wall of the apartment is a full window with one of those metal grates pulled down over it. I worry for Bob Parins. I fear someone will take a good heavy hairpin to the grate's lock and next thing you know we'll find his glockenspiel for sale on the corner of 34th and 8th.

But Bob is also remarkable because he is 27 and he makes a living teaching guitar; he finds ways to say "Now, what the heck is that?" and "Well, darned if you aren't right!" in casual conversation; he is actually getting me to enjoy music theory, something I managed to avoid learning during the three long years I spent in the 1# concert choir in the state of Indiana. (Shout out to the Counterpoints!)

Ah, Craigslist. You have done me wrong in the past (need I remind of my eeky former roommate Roland?), but this time you came through.

Visit Bob Parins at http://www.bobparins.com.