All these posts in a row... I think that despite all the innocence portrayed, you're a stone cold player!
Thank you for the compliment, my observations are partly what I've heard and seen, partly my perception of my reality. My guitar ability is far from pro level, I don't think the study one does is ever completely done; my personal ability is mostly limited to noodling occasionally to background playlists, or trying to sing a guitar part out loud that I hear.
For some background, there was a time some years ago when my rhythm playing supplemented a house band's leads at a local jazz & blues jam, and my choice of guitar rhythm was like that of Steve Cropper. (The only guitarist I can think of whom might closely resemble my style of rhythm)
From several people I've recently enjoyed listening and speaking to, the consensus is, "It isn't what we are on the surface, it's what we are underneath that counts." I've understood that partially that as students of guitar, we are essentially like little fish in a much bigger pond. And that for any of us to learn correctly, we must set aside our egos before trying to answer questions we may think we know, but essentially do not. Most folks who went to college can attest to this. Like others so did I, but could not answer many of the questions educators asked because I needed to do the work and put in the hours required first. Students of guitar (I audited a jazz course once myself, and studied with some local guitar teachers for a time) need to put in the hours of study and/or work...otherwise they're just along for the ride until it's their stop.
Life is to be enjoyed, and sometimes when you get a little taste of it, you want more. The illustration I find helpful is like asking friends over and serving them a meal. A 7-course meal. Or if perhaps you've ever experienced fine dining at a fancy restaurant or local club, you might hear conversations that represent "players" on the stage or comments from the audience that compliment the performers.
By contrast, the worst scenarios occur when some drunkard (male or female) gets aggressive and begins goading on other hardcore partiers. That's when one needs to bring in the bouncers, and/or call the offender a cab so they can make it home safely, instead of folks ending up in the ER, jail, or worse.
Fortunately, small fish typically do not pose as much a threat as big ones do, and it must be remembered if one is a bigger fish, one must work with a sense of purpose, or potentially be caught up as the pros who are "looking" for big fish may think you would "taste good with tartar sauce."
Just my experience with people (be careful whom you speak with sometimes) who say they are "looking" for something but aren't sure of what they truly desire, just that they'll take what they can get, and be happier with that than nothing at all.
The discrepancy most people experience is when they anticipate an expected response, and don't receive it. Allow me to shed some light on the musical "connection"...
You remember perhaps during the 70's when CSN was popular? Now you know.
