Like many of you, when I first saw this uke and heard some soundclips of maui music ukes, I was just itchin to have it. I asked MGM if it would be ok to send my entry to him via email, instead of by forum post, because I thought it was a little too personal for comfort and I was afraid. But I have seen all of you post your essays and I feel its only fair you see mine! I think this will help me in my pursuit of betterness (is that a word?) and I was being a little silly, because I can't imagine a better place to share this kind of information with than my friends here at UU! You didn't know it, but all of you helped me a little bit =)
Here is my entry for the contest that I sent to MGM, and I stand by it proudly, you're all wonderful people and I have no reason to hide from you guys.
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The ukulele has quite literally changed my life. This instrument is what really got me involved in music, it’s where everything started. I have made many different friends from all parts of the world who enjoy this instrument and music in general as I do. From my one single ukulele I have also learned to play guitar, and harmonica, all of which I love very much, but I still find I play my uke the most out of all of them. (It’s an Ohana TK-35g that I bought from you, I named it Peanut Butter Chocolate, the neck looks like peanut butter next to the chocolatey rosewood fret board)
For the last 5-6 years I have suffered from severe depression, among other things related to it. The ukulele and music have helped me more than I can say in overcoming this problem, it is still something I struggle with every day, but it is minute comparatively now to what it used to be, and I am getting better every week. If I am ever feeling down, or self-destructive, I always have my ukulele. No matter how angry, or upset, or sad I am, it always seems to bring me back to a happy state of mind. This has helped me in many areas, such as my classes, my social life, and my physical health and well being.
This little instrument has something very special and magical about it, and I have tried to explain to people the way I feel about it and how it has helped me, but they really cannot understand until they hear it, or play one themselves. I have already got a few people turned on to the uke, and they have been very thankful to me for doing so.
I’m sure you will get many essays about how people will donate the uke to a charity or how they will teach children with it. And I would say that there are many more worthy people for this uke than me. But I will try my best in convincing you. If I were to receive this uke, it would mean a lot to me personally. I have been trying to save up my money for a new ukulele for quite a while now. But it seems like every time I get close, something brings me back down (The last was a street-sweeping parking ticket) I love the look of koa grain, and more importantly I love the sound, and that sound of super-concerts. I have never imagined a custom worked hawaiin-made solid koa uke in my near future, let’s face it, it’s expensive when you can’t even hold on to enough cash for a middle-of-the road uke. It sounds a little silly to some people, but I think there is something very special about instruments that are made by hand with love and care, it seems to stay with the instrument, you can feel it and hear it when you play, and surely I would play it with the same love as the man who crafted it.
It is raining here right now, it’s very peaceful and quiet, and I think I will curl up next to the heater by the window with my uke and play with the rain (You have to try it if you never have)