A Sense Of Adventure

Reading a book all about challenging yourself to start something new “The Doorstep Mile” I was asked a question. By the author, Alastair Humphreys. Not by the imaginary voices in my head, you understand.

The question was: why do you want to live more adventurously?

And that gave me pause for thought. Do I really want to live “more adventurously"? In actual fact I like a quiet life. I like to observe from the outside. I like the familiar. Sometimes I just like to curl up in a ball.

”Adventure” … going into the unknown , whether that be the physical world, or habit challenges, or learning new skills, is uncomfortable for me. As it may well be for you. These are not things that I have a strong urge to do. And yet I still finding myself doing, or trying to do them, sometimes.

So yesterday, as I read the question, I didn’t have an easy answer. I do know that when I’ve tried to do anything that extends me, I’ve usually come away with a sense of achievement. But that was all I could think of at the time.

Today, reflecting about it a little bit more, I realise that even though I don’t have the urge for adventure, I do really want to have the urge. I don’t want to always have to push myself really hard. Even though there will always be some amount of “push” involved in leaving The Comfort Zone.

So really Adventure, in every sense of the word, is for me simply an act of faith.

The belief that it is possible to change. To become the sort of person who relishes new challenges. The sort of person who possesses A Sense Of Adventure.

These days I’m a little bit more of that kind of person than I was. Which is a step in the right direction as far as I’m concerned.

That Kind Of Faking

We’ve all got the ability to forget a thousand kindnesses when the sequence is broken by some slight or hurt administered by the previously kind dude.

In fact that one hurt, hurts so much more, BECAUSE it came from them.

Maybe they were faking all along.

And maybe they were.

But if they were gonna fake anything, credit to them for faking a GOOD thing.

The world could do with a lot more of That Kind Of Faking.

The Great Healer

Misunderstanding.

It happens even if you’ve tried to be clear. If you’ve tried to be kind. If you’ve tried to be honest. And if you’re happy to acknowledge that you never manage to do all of that perfectly.

But it won’t change the fact that we will all be misquoted, misconstrued and misunderstood.

And it can be hard to take, especially if someone you like is unnecessarily upset.

First thing to realise is that we might sometimes do, we probably do, the same thing to others on occasion. And if we’re upset by being misunderstood, it’s probably better to wait, listen and reflect before reacting.

And though it is often good to try to talk things through, that won’t always work. It won’t always solve the problem.

Sometimes we have to live with being misunderstood, make sure we don’t pour the salt of self pity on our own wounds…and then simply let that water pass by under the bridge.

Time, as they say, is the great healer. And in the meantime, breathe.

I’m With Gary, Jack

According to Wikipedia - “"I'm alright, Jack" is a British expression used to describe people who act only in their own best interests, even if providing assistance to others would take minimal to no effort on their behalf.”

It’s not a healthy attitude really. Having an “I’m alright Jack” attitude might benefit our pockets in the short term, but it will undoubtedly shrink our souls. Sometimes you can watch it happen in real time.

And doing the opposite of this, is not a bad place to start when we are deciding how to make personal and political decisions from a position of relative wealth and security.

It’s especially important to do this when the people in power, and the people who have the Big Microphone, are not doing so.

The world feels like it could go in all sorts of scary directions. But for some people the things many of us merely fear are a present reality.

So I’m with Gary, Jack.

ps. If you don’t know the story in the UK news at the moment, the above might seem a little opaque. All you really need to know is that it’s about football, and not music.

Every Single Day

100,000!

That’s what my pal Gary Carey told me. And I just checked with Mother Internet and she says he’s right. Not that I ever doubted him, you understand.

That number is the amount of songs which are released EVERY SINGLE DAY on Spotify and other digital music streamers.

Gary also just asked me if I wanted to come down and write another song. (I think I’ve mentioned that I’m on a songwriting retreat). I told him that on this occasion I had this blog to write, but that I might come down at the very end just to add a word or two in order to get in there for the royalty cheque.

Yes, you’ve got to laugh.

And you might well ask - why add another drop of water to an infinite ocean?

But if you do have to ask that, then maybe songwriting’s not for you.

Big G

Over the last 3 days we’d known that my step father in law was going to die soon. My wife Ineke was particularly close to him, and managed to get across yesterday to be with him in Rotterdam. He was a true Rotterdamer. It’s not a sad story, because he lived a long and good life. But we’re still sad because he died last night at 11pm.

Gerrit has been an inspiration to all of us, and I had already written a song about him a couple of days ago. Here’s the lyric below:

Big G
Big G made things out of wood
Did what he could
Stood taller than a tree
Laughed at the storms
And that comforted me

Big G he never complained
“Just put on a coat
And you can handle the rain”
Called a spade a spade
No make belief
               
And ain’t it the way of the world
To make things complicated
Ain’t it the way of the world
To fake the news
Ain’t it the way of the world
To sow confusion
But hey
That’s  the same world 
That made you…Big G

Yoo hoo, yeah heh!
Yoo hoo, yeah heh!

Big G was a generous guy
Like there was only one life to live
Under this sky
Didn’t hang on to anything, for too long
And if that man ever fell off a bike
He’d me back in the saddle
Like a lightening strike
You couldn’t stop him
He was strong

And ain’t it the way of the world
To make things complicated
Ain’t it the way of the world
To fake the news
Ain’t it the way of the world
To sow confusion
But hey
That’s  the same world 
That made you…Big G

You hoo, yeah heh!
Yoo hoo, yeah heh!

So I don’t pay and any heed to the Social Media
There is nothing here to see
If I want to find out the true story
I’m better off listening to Big G

And ain’t it the way of the world
To make things complicated
Ain’t it the way of the world
To fake the news
Ain’t it the way of the world
To sow confusion
But hey
That’s  the same world 
That made you…Big G
Hey, that’s  the same world 
That made you…Big G
Hey, that’s  the same world
That made 
You hoo, yeah heh!
Yoo hoo, yeah heh!

Unfinished Song

I’m on a songwriting week with friends. I’m so lucky to have this, and it’s always a great blessing. The friendships are even more important than the songs these days. But we do still write songs.

And below is an Unfinished Song I prepared earlier. Not prepared it well enough yet obviously, because it isn’t finished. But I can’t really come to a blog about songs and community, while I’m on a songwriting week without something to show you. Don’t know if this is a keeper yet, but we’ll find out.

Don’t Forget To Breathe
For the very first time
You find yourself there
Standing on the edge of the edge at the end
Of the universe

A journey through space and time
Oh you struggled for air
But now you’re standing on the edge of the edge at the end
Of the universe

Don’t forget to breathe
Don’t forget to breathe
Don’t forget to breathe
Don’t forget to breathe

And the milky way
Is a distant memory
Like the way she held your body when your body was
The only thing there

And when the light of day
Was a lifetime away
But here you are standing on the edge at the end of
The universe

Don’t forget to breathe
Don’t forget to breathe
Don’t forget to breathe
Don’t forget to breathe

You Might Never Know

You sing a song.

And that song you sing expresses exactly how someone is feeling on this particular evening. The perfect balm for a needy soul. Beautiful.

And it really doesn’t matter whether it was destiny, serendipity, or simply just a nice coincidence. The person can take it how they will.

One thing is certain though. They are glad you wrote the song and that you were brave enough to sing it. They were glad you were there. But through shyness or some other reason they may never tell you that personally and so You Might Never Know.

But I’ve heard your song. And it could do that.

To Be Used

The exercise bike gazed out of the window, as she watched yet another Real Bike glide past on the street beyond the front garden. The monitor on her handlebars blinked sadly. How wonderful it must be to breathe fresh air and to see the world outside of these same four walls.

But most of all, how wonderful it would be, simply to be used.

Her only purpose in life seemed to be as some kind of modern art - an ironic commentary on the cancerous condition of consumerism perhaps. And occasionally she was A Tea-Towel Drying Stand.

Being able to see the world outside but not be part of it was far worse, it turned out, than being locked into the sweaty, windowless gym where she had once resided, before being ruthlessly replaced by a newer model and sold off on ebay.

And though, at the time, it had been exciting to move from there to her new home in Suburbia, the excitement had not lasted long. For her or for her new owner.

And now she lay abandoned.

Yes, how wonderful it would be, simply To Be Used.

Added Extra

Well, it was such a lovely experience playing, along with others, at a Homesong in Devon last night, at the house of a friend.

And you know what the big difference is between this kind of live musical happening and so many others. It’s the “getting to know you” part which is happening, before, during and after the gig. Talking to people, and actually getting an idea about who they are.

Of course it’s quite likely that I won’t see any of these people again. Yet it still feels like something far more than just turning up and playing some songs.

I like that Added Extra which a small gig in a home provides. I hope we never lose it. And I still recommend trying out a Homesong at some point, if you haven’t already. Either as a performer, or as a host, or simply as an audience member.

It’s lovely.

Happnin’?

Happnin'?

It's another Campbeltown dialect thing, as far as I know. As in "What's happening?" "How are things?" or simply "Hiya!"

In actual fact, everything in the universe is “Happnin’”. If you strip it all down, remove every facade, and get back to basics…it’s all just happnin’. And it always has been.

We can’t make it happen. We can’t stop it happening. What’s happnin’ is happnin’. The big bang didn’t choose to be big or to bang. And I didn’t choose the last thought that popped into my head.

Better ride that Happnin’ Express with our eyes wide open.

There ain’t no second chance, baby!

Preference

My 12 year foster son very recently said that he prefers to hear me playing live than to listening to the recordings that I make. It’s nice that he’s paying attention of course. And he’s not the first person to say that.

I put a lot of effort into the recordings, and work with a very talented fella when I do so. And I often receive very good feedback about the recordings too. But taste is taste.

And I know what he means. I too like a song stripped back to the bare bones, with the singer in the room, and with all the rawness, humanity and emotion that the live dynamic adds to the whole experience.

In fact, as much as I like listening to a polished and arranged recording, I think that for pretty much any song or any artist, live and unplugged is my Preference too.

What’s yours?

In Front Of Real People

I’ve been busy trying to improve my performance skills at home. Putting a lot of work in simply singing the songs, trying to be better, and trying to be consistent.

Hardly any chance to gig though. But fortunately I’ll be able to get a small opportunity at a friend’s Homesong gig down in Devonshire this weekend.

Practising at home is one thing. But the only real test is performing In Front Of Real People…instead of a mirror. It shouldn’t make a difference, but it does.

When I stand up to play though, I’ll be pretending I’m blasting ‘em out at home. Because that is when I’m most relaxed.

If we’re enjoying ourselves, then everybody else will too.

I’m looking forward to the challenge, and I only wish there was more opportunity.

Could Have Been

I’ve heard many songs, written by unknown or relatively unknown artists that, given a different time, different circumstances, different singers, different production, different arrangement, different marketing, or different luck, Could Have Been hits.

I might have even written one or two myself.

Ah, those “what ifs” of life. They would give all of us a different history to the one we’ve actually got.

But then we wouldn’t have the very special and unique possibilities that exist for us right now.

So that was a close call then… ;-)

Work In Progress

Below is an unfinished lyric, a Work In Progress.

Everything is a work in progress really. Some of those works become “finished” songs. But even then, they remain “in progress”. They change during practise. And during rehearsal. They change during production and performance.

They even change in the ears of the listeners.

What’s That About?

I’m a homo-sapien
Got the chance to be happier
Than a frog
A fro-o-o-og
Don’t need to wait
Sitting around
On a log like
A fro-o-o-og

He’s catching flies
But I’m feeling dow-ow-ow-own

What’s that about?
boobaboobooboo (or something like that)
What’s that about?
boobaboobooboo

I’m a homo-sapien
Got the chance to be smarter
Than a dog
A do-o-o-og
Don’t need to wait
To be told what to do
By my boss
My bo-o-o-os

He’s sniffing lampposts
But I’m dumbing dow-ow-ow-own 

What’s that about?
boobaboobooboo
What’s that about?
boobaboobooboo

Just Adjust

It’s blue sky all the way here in Campbeltown.

And it’s time for our usual Saturday walk. About to go for a wander around Lussa Loch. For a change. It’s where I saw my first Osprey a few years ago, later finding out they were actually nesting there. They won’t be back yet though. Ospreys fly over to Africa for the winter to do their fishing, and come here to breed in the spring.

And I imagine that’s a routine that they have followed for many thousands of years. We’ve not been doing our Saturday walks that long, but the usual routine involves a walk up and along the forest tracks of Ben Ghuilean. Routine is the bread and butter of life. For us as well as for the Ospreys.

So what about when the routine gets broken? For whatever reason. All creatures, great and small, need to be flexible. To adapt. To start again, and find a new way to do things. It’s how our ancestors survived and it’s why we are all still here to tell the tale.

And one thing is certain. The routine will break at some point.

So we train our adjusting muscles by trying new things before new things are thrust upon us. Which they always will be. And then, when the moment comes, we Just Adjust.

Recent History

When the last thing went wrong. When we messed up, let ourselves down, gave up, misspoke, acted like an idiot, embarrassed ourselves, didn’t keep our word.

At that moment the failure is all that we can see in our Recent History.

And only the very last word, in the previous sentence is relevant here. Because every moment is a fresh page.

Nailing It

Nailed it!

What a great feeling that is. The nail is in! IT is well and truly with nail. It is attached to that thing which it was meant to be attached to. Let’s not get too carried away here but….DESTINED to be attached to.

No knots messed with this nail. It didn’t bend. It didn’t refuse to go in that final little bit. It did it’s job. And we are happy with the nail.

But mostly with ourselves. Because the nail is obviously an inanimate object with absolutely no say in its final destination. It was we who made it happen.

For a carpenter or joiner though, “Nailing It” is part of the job. No big deal.

If we hammer enough “nails” in, the same can become true for us.

Nobody Like Me

We all have this one lonely privilege.

We get to see the universe in a way that nobody else can or ever will do. There’s no direct “connection” to be had there. Nobody sees anything like you see it. In that sense we are truly on our own.

But this seemingly sad, desperate state of affairs, can actually be a cause for excitement. Like the feeling we all must have experienced when we shot off as little toddling humans without a care in the world, while our anxious parents cried out - “Have you seen Jemima?”

And Jemima was happily somewhere gazing in awe at buttercups, or persecuting worms. Enjoying the separation from her parents. And possibly of the worms too.

We, in our lost moments, when it seems that nobody will ever understand, can choose to enjoy and embrace the privilege and the possibilities of all of that, instead of suffer and endure the apparent loneliness and frustration of the situation.

And we can joyfully acknowledge to ourselves - There really is Nobody Like Me.

- Also, even if you can’t understand what I mean completely here, you get it a little bit. That’s nice too.

Turn On The Inspiraton

Gotta write a song.

I’m still doing the Forest Of Songs 10 week challenge alongside a few lovely people. It’s great to have to chat each week, about songs, and about life. And to present our brand new songs. Songs that almost certainly wouldn’t have happened without the challenge.

But how do you Turn On The Inspiration.

Well you don’t. But if we want to be creative, in whatever way that might be, and we set time aside to allow inspiration to strike…. then inspiration, more often than not, will be obliging.

And though she might strike in the way that we would like to be struck, she will turn up if we turn up. In some form or other.

Trust me. And more importantly, trust ourselves.