Archive for the ‘Realizations’ Category

The other day I saw a guy not much younger than me on the sidewalk, begging for change. He held a sign in hand describing his condition. He wore long hair, cut off jeans, and a scrubby t-shirt. Below his left knee revealed a prosthetic leg. His demeanor was solemn.  I wore just the opposite, in attire and spirit, with my necktie, button up, and a semi-sunny disposition. I asked him what his story was; he said it was too long to tell. He would not look me in the eyes. I could only imagine what his story is like, what he’s learned. I gave him some cash, told him I hoped he would start feeling better, then proceeded to walk in the direction I was headed. His destiny I will never know. I wish the best of luck for him.

A day in the life of a gig day for me is an interesting one. I start thinking about the gig the moment I wake up. Even after years of live performance, my nerves go haywire.

Am I a diva on gig days? A Mariah Carey trapped in a man’s body? That’s a funny thought. I’m not that diva-like. But I do abide by odd routines on gig days. I don’t drink soft drinks. I eat healthy. I might take a bath to relax. I’m a little on edge. I only eat yellow M&Ms (that last one is a joke). Thoughts in my head might include: Will this song go well for that particular venue? Does this guitar strap look good with the outfit I’m wearing?  Is my hair in order?  These thoughts may sound vain, but not as vain as you’d think. I just want to present to you a good performance along with a captivating appearance.

Maybe my nerves go haywire due to what can go wrong during a gig day. I could get lost trying to find the place, or get stuck in traffic. I have to find a parking spot, and then carry my guitar and heavy amp to the venue. Once I get to the venue, my nerves start to settle, though other worries might pop into my mind. A speaker could sound distorted. An opening band could not show up. Is the set going to flow properly? Are the bands I am playing with nice people?

Yet usually things turn out okay. I’ve found I have to embrace my pre-show fears. A good metaphor for embracing these fears is this: vision yourself floating on your back in a swimming pool. In order to do it, you can’t be afraid to drown. You could drown. But if you relax, the water always holds you up. Trust the water and it will keep you safe.

Once I get onstage, the nerves recede. I’ve done this hundreds of times. I feel good. And if I feel good maybe you’ll feel good too. The band is playing great. You, the audience, are my cooks. You feed me energy and I love it. Your energy is like a stew (lots of different vegetables, and spice too). I feed you energy too. It’s a symbiotic relationship, the best kind. We are a perfectly in-sync, energizing group, feeding each other spoonfuls of stew. At the end of the show, I thank you for giving me a good time. The venue empties. I pack up and go home, feeling we’ve accomplished something wonderful.

Now is the time to do what you always have wanted to do, to remember your make believe and believe it. Open up your blinds and see! The light is already there for you. Your window is not dirty, but clean! You, yes you, are a diamond to be cherished. Others are diamonds too. You work and work and work and work, and your diamond will chip. Your protection is either ignorance or love. Your love is within. Do you instill it in others? Remember your window is clean, and your blinds should be open. What are you but a feather in the wind? You swoop and sway and fight and dance. You get lice once in awhile. You slow down and speed up and rise and fall, but remember – just like a feather – be graceful while you do it.

While every new technology is created to offer solutions to problems, new problems are created as a byproduct of that new technology. Think of the cell phone. It is great due to it’s portability. If you are meeting people at a restaurant, and you get lost along the way you can call them to say you are running late. However when you get to that restaurant to meet your friends, and they end up  texting other people and ignore you while you are trying to have face to face conversation, the cell phone becomes a problem. 

E-mail is another technology that offers both solutions and problems. The good thing about e-mail is that you can send a quick message to your friend and they have documentation of what you want them to do or where to meet you. However, it can be hard to pick up on sarcasm or meaning because you can’t hear your friends’ voice through an e-mail.

I’ll give an example of an invention that was created long ago to sum up my point: Even the invention of the phonograph record had its pros and cons. When it became popular, it hurt a lot of musicians. Before its invention, all music had to be played by “live” musicians. Even the original silent films had orchestra pits and live music playing along with films. Recorded music replaced many live bands in bars and dance halls. Of course, the great thing about recorded music is that today we can listen to Rod Stewarts’ version of “Maggie May” from 1971, anytime, and anywhere. And that mandolin solo at the end of the song is perfectly executed.

Can new inventions be considered ”progress”? or complications? Maybe both.

pic source

Wrote some thoughts, in poem, regarding the situation in Haiti:

Read a sad piece in the news/ There’s been trouble in town/ Those unfortunate souls/ Us fortunate clowns/ Think about their struggle/ Feel like my hearts in my mouth/ Think about my family, how I’m glad I still have them/ Think about loving you, and how I still have you too/ Forget about the appeal of modern conduct/ Modern comfort and store bought products/ Do I need them now? While so many suffer, so many are crying?

I had a realization while driving through a neighborhood of D.C. this weekend: land developers are the modern conquistadors. Conquistadors were the Spanish “conquerors” of the Americas. They would explore and take over native lands from people who were already living there for many years.  Modern “conquering” occurs in urban areas (often called gentrification), as well as rural areas (building strip malls and suburbanization). No longer are there new lands for Nations to “discover” and conquer. In place are development companies which look to commercialize already discovered lands. In the days of the conquistadors, natives were forced from their homes through the power of weapons. Today, property transitions occur through the power of money. Through development, populations end up moving away from an area, while new residents inhabit the area.