Band of Broads.

About 11 months ago I started taking djembe drumming classes. They were every Friday evening for 2 hours and it was one of the most entertaining and fun things I've ever taken part in. I don't look like the typical djembe playing person...I don't have dreads, I'm not a hippie and I don't have any African roots. I just love the sound of a bunch of djembe drums being played, the rumbling beat that moves through the ground and the happiness that everyone feels while listening to them. I figured I would give it a whirl, and I was right. I loved it.

I was the only girl in the circle with 9 guys. Ha! High five to me, I looked pretty awesome and courageous coming in for my first lesson with a bunch of people that had been there before. I was extremely nervous and the fact that the teacher is a beautiful, tall, beautiful, black, beautiful man from Guinea didn't help. He was intense too...no kidding around, although he did crack up when I told him I was in fact a diabetic wearing an insulin pump and not some kind of new cell phone as he thought. I did as he instructed, followed along as best I could, made my place in the circle and learned a hell of a lot. The sound of us all in unison gave me goosebumps and I was grinning ear to ear while tapping away on my drum. This went on for a few weeks and then I got a puppy. My friday night drumming lessons have been put on hold ever since.

While in the lunch room at work today, my little friend S told me that she was starting ukulele lessons. She's small and ukulele's are small, so I think it will be a match made in heaven. This got me thinking about my love of the djembe. I've decided that I'm going to pick it up again, and maybe even buy myself my own drum. I'm sure my roommate and neighbours will be thrilled. I'm going to get back into drumming and I'm going to get good at it. Good enough to join a drumming circle.

My friend S and I are then going to start a ukulele/djembe band. Oh, and her friend plays an instument too, so it will be a trio. Her friend is Korean and plays the electric guitar, my friend S is Jamaican and will be playing the ukulele, and I'm a plain Jane whitey who will be banging on the djembe. Maybe I'll wear some big beaded jewelry or some awesome, flowing, colourful clothing to make myself look a little more exotic, to fit in with the group and all. Don't worry, I won't be braiding my hair.

We're going to be the most eclectic music group around. It's pretty amazing when you decide to step forward and take part in something you've always been interested in but never had the courage to try. A brand new beautifully hand-crafted djembe will be my Christmas present to me. Cheers to trying something new!