It's not the only instrument that I managed to snag this week, but this one has been a long time coming. I finally have my own drum kit. Minus positioning and readjusting things so that they're comfortable for me to reach, here it is. The good ol' Pearl Forum.

It feels so surreal. I want to burst out in thanks to the people who made it possible, but another feeling also seizes me.

Twenty years ago -- when I was merely six years old -- I remember the first instances of me playing by ear. It wasn't on the piano, despite me being trained in it first. It was on the drum. I didn't have a kit; I didn't even have a proper drum for that matter. It was a toy drum. It sounded quite deep for what it was, and I remember just copying what I'd heard and transferring it onto that drum. I picked up that instrument, not because it was cool, or because I wanted to look awesome doing it. I picked it up because I loved its sound, its tremors and aftershocks. I would beat the drum over and over again to hear its voice, then the silence, then its voice again.

I feel a bit misty-eyed. It's so surreal. This thing has been a long time coming. I'll be setting it up in a practice area of sorts -- I believe Seán has found one for me and my friends -- and now, I don't have to beg for practice time or even just a bit of a play. I don't have to be at the mercy of people who were so protective of their equipment that they wouldn't let a struggling drummer play. It's finally here.

Tagging for interest: @EDM364 @Akuaitance @Mich @RealFaction.