Hello from Southern Indiana! I'm just across the muddy old Ohio River from Louisville, KY.

I never learned to play any instrument or read music, but always had a decent ear, an appreciation for music, and a desire to learn guitar. Tastes run toward rock, blues-rock, progressive, hard rock, with a smattering of country, Bluegrass, Celtic, and a few others thrown in for variety.

6 years ago, picked up used electric guyitar and practice amp, noodled around, tried books and YouTube and eventually a month of in-person lessons at a friend's music store. Never really got comfortable with the gear or learned very much. Sold those, got a deal on a better electric, amp, and an acoustic/electric. Daughter's high school events, especially band(s) and marching band, and then starting college, took over for about 5 straight years, leaving me no real time for guitar.

Then came pandemic, lockdown, wife and I working from home full-time, daughter working part-time and school full-time from home, rearranging schedules and the house to accommodate...you know the story.

So here I landed, hit 55 years old and fighting some arthritis in my hands, joining GuitarTricks.com in 'use it or lose it' mode. And I've lost most of the last two months to holidays, a weight loss/nutrition program, work, and other excuses. :-)

I've started the beginner lessons with Lisa a couple of times, but haven't progressed past warm-up exercises that I can't seem to manage on electric or acoustic. Chords? Nope. I'm struggling to stretch super-stiff fingers and clearly play basic, single string notes. I am definitely worse off now, in terms of skills and motivation, than I was about 5 years ago. Any suggestions to move past this would be greatly appreciated.