Here it is, as promised...(check out number 4)

1. Technique - my playing is getting sloppy. Haven't hit my full technique routine for most of the month. Starting today, i'm back into the routine. First, I need to slow the tempo back down to get everything clean again. If building up to tempo seems to take longer than expected, i'll do this routine twice a day, morning and evening.

2.  Pentatonics/Modes/Arpeggios - (Alternating Days). Each day, i'll rotate through these three topics and cover weak points (i.e. certain sequences, harmonized lines, inversions).

3. Sweep Picking - my sweep picking blows a mighty wind. After seeing how it can be used tastefully while I was in Nashville, I decided that I need to clean it up and get it up to speed.

4. "Keep up with student" time - I love it when I have students that push me. I've got a couple now that no matter what I throw at them, they have it down by the next lesson. So, i've started challenging students to a "see if you can play it better than me by next lesson" game. This time will be used to make sure I don't lose

5. Chords - Lately, i've been finding some absolutely beautiful chords that are just 1-2 fretted notes and the rest open strings. I've had a few of these in my chord vocabulary, but I really want to add a lot more. I'm going to work on some maj (7/9) and sus voicings during this period.

6. Bass lines - ahh, the thorn in my side. I love playing bass, but guitar seems to dominate my time. I'm going to devote practice time each day to working out my basslines or copping some lines from tunes.

This is my routine for the next 8-9 days. Hopefully my fingers will fall back in line quickly because I want to start working on a Steve Vai tune called K'm-Pee-Du-Wee in September.