Well, I learned long ago not to diminish people's compliments - it makes them feel bad, and there's no reason to do that. Just say thank you, and be glad for it. But I also think that people get a bit EXTRA excited when they hear somebody using the same equipment, who's a similar age, etc., do something they like, becuase it probably means they can, too. It makes our goals and dreams somehow more reachable, when just a "regular" person does something inspiring. Most of us look at the great composers as almost mythical heroes, and in a lot of ways, they were. They were younger, they were better, they wrote music that transformed and transcended and is still with us, etc. It's inspiring, but it can also be depressing. You think, "If he was that good at 20, a hundred years ago, and I'm not half as good at 35, what does that say about me?" And this brings me to what I think we are sorely lacking as a community, which is true peer support. There aren't really that many of us; certainly few with any real training or discipline, and music is suffering because of it. So I think when one of us does something the rest like, it just makes the whole thing seem more possible, and more real. I think that's some of what is behind the occasional over-the-top praise. But also, music has a way of bringing out our emotions, doesn't it! Either way, they're compliments, they are wonderful to hear, and they actually make me want to work harder. I practice all the time because I think I'm so far from where I want to be, so I appreciate the support, too. Doing good work is hard for all of us, no matter how much talent you have. So it's all good.
_Mike
