The Joys Of Summer

It is well known fact that Seasonal Affective Disorder (or SAD) affects a great number of people around the northern part of the globe where winter days are short and gloomy. This lack-of-sunshine malady is not always appreciated by inhabitants of the warmer climates, but can be devastating, particularly for those countries where the rate of suicide is already high. I have always openly admitted to suffering from this affliction with various degrees of strength, depending on the severity of the winter. Today is the first day when the appearance of the sun has affected me in a delightfully positive way. I can feel a lighter disposition of the spirit, a wonderous sweet temperament enveloping the mind, a convoy of happy emotions. Friday afternoon will mark the beginning of a ten day long break from the intrinsic tediousness and stress of office work. I shall be rejoicing at the prospect of spending more time with my loved ones and the ability to work on the latest recordings in a stress-free environment. Summer is my friend.

Next Gig

Quite looking forward to this Saturday night's gig in the Glenmore Arms. I am going to introduce more of my own songs this time, as having to do covers pains me so much. I do understand that drunks in a pub want songs to sing along to, but I feel like a performing monkey sometimes. Never that much fun reworking other people's material, seriously.

That Long Black Cloud...

Sometimes I feel like I'm I've been immobilised with a shot of banality.

Trying so hard to be creative and prolific. Instead, I pick myself up only to step even heavier into the quicksand of self-doubt, being constantly pushed further down by something I cannot see or understand.

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Pain In The Backside

I have lived with what I call The Evil That Lives Within for a long long time now. It strikes when least expected, but rears its ugly head more frequently when I'm tired. Which I am.

It tends to start with the lower back and backs of the knees both feeling incredibly weak and strangely numb. Then the dizziness, breathlessness, indigestion and long sleeping sessions. Lasts a few days and then back to normal, if I can ever be described as that.

The world is falling apart, and my body's not much better. No, not old age, just me.

Dark Skies

My continual obsession with perfection hinders attempts at creativity. Nothing is ever good enough. The trouble is that I know it isn't and therefore don't see my obsession as that.

Rare are the days when I feel satisfied with my artistic output or otherwise. I crave those days like a madman searching for a glimpse of the sun in a permanently cloudy sky.

Soapy

I have just realised that in my first post I have promised not to get the soap box out and rant about anything I happen not to approve of. But guess what? I'm human and therefore prone to changing my mind.

A lot that I call injustice plagues my mind. If it weren't for the likes those that try to fight for a good world, we would all still be in the Dark Ages.

"Wake up and smell the coffins, Rob, in many ways we are" - I hear you say.

Degrees Of Delusion

How often do people get caught out thinking that their case is special? Businesses, or any organisations in need of some kind of advertising for that matter, need to make the customer feel like they are the only one worthy of attention. Make no mistake, this is simply a ruse, albeit a necessary one that keeps businesses afloat and organisations in people's minds.

The only thing I ask is that when the customer is in that moment of glory, treat them how you would like to be treated yourself. Yes, they may have made the purchase already, but not only will they come back and get their friends to be customers for you, but it makes life just that little more bearable for all of us.

Riding The Waves Of Despondency

It is a rather sad fact of life that depression hits everyone - some more often than others admittedly. Without the occasional reality check, majority of us would have remained inane idiots incapable of controlling our emotions.

I have made no secret of my tendency to spiral inwards. What makes it difficult to accept is that I do not always have a reason. Perhaps it will forever be the cross I'm destined to bear. Perhaps it makes me more human, perhaps less so. I do not understand it nor can ever accept it fully, but have definitely learned to live with it, however painful.

Now one thing must be made absolutely clear: I do not for one moment believe that it is solely my singular predicament - this is precicely my point. We all are sufferers in some degree. And the only credible medicine for this illness of the soul is real love of another human being, but do I really need to state that?

Moving Ahead

OK, so there are more gigs coming up at the Glenmore Arms in Welling. One on Sat 19 Feb 11 and one on Sat 02 Apr 11. Hopefully, I can create a little following. No groupies yet... or ever... In the meantime, the new album is coming along very nicely. It will be called Songs Of Freedom and I am planning to release it sometime at the beginning of the summer this year. The previous album (entitled The Evil That Lives Within) should be available on Amazon and iTunes in February, as long as they don't hate it too much. My two best presents this last year were the new acoustic guitar and Mischa the kitten.