Continuing along

Daily exercises:

(1) The five-minute beginner pad warmup.  It's interesting enough that I don't mind practicing it again and again.  Today, played once at 75% speed, looking for accuracy over speed.  Later, a second go-round at 90%, with just one stick click and a slight stumble as the only beginner-level errors.  Everything else is more like weakness that is less obvious but wouldn't be acceptable for an expert, like slightly dragging or rushing, or not hitting in the sweet spot every time.  

(2) 16th-note play-along, Method 2.7.  Not going to move on until I've got this one ready from beginning to end.  Focusing on the beats, the fills, and the transitions between them.  Played tonight at half-speed of the instructor's 110 bpm, once more emphasizing accuracy.  Should be ready to speed up to the standard 80bpm in a day or two.  

(3) 30-day independence.  Just 10 minutes a day for the lesson.  After just eight months of lessons, it's more than I can be expected to do, so no pressure.  Anything I do right is a plus.  I've already learned something from watching the expert.  Noticed how he keeps his hands separate when hitting open-handed vs hitting left hand on the right side and right hand on the left side.

In a couple of weeks, I can be ready to begin level 3 of Method.  Patience and Repetition.