I've just been to my first-ever harp lesson. After some looking a few weeks ago, I finally found Ismahni, a professional harpist who takes private students. So today I went to the Royal College of Music to see her.

Visually, she's almost exactly my opposite. I'm a tallish bloke with long, blonde hair, pale skin and all-black clothes. She's a not-tall woman with not-so-long black hair, darkish skin and all-white clothes. She's also nice, friendly and as far as I can tell a competent teacher. As well as, obviously, a very good harp player. I got answers to my questions, some practice and exercises to do at home (after doing them a few times there, so I know how to do them right).

And now I want to go home and practice. I still like my harp, even though the big-ass concert harp at the College sounded considerably more impressive. One might think that it costing about 25 times as much makes a difference, or something.