Blog Posts

Obsession and Balance

Live as intensely as possible, burn your candle of life from both ends. – Osho

My fault, my failure, is not in the passions I have, but in my lack of control of them.”
― Jack Kerouac

“Your job is to get your audience to care about your obsessions.” Martin Scorsese

“To succeed, work hard, never give up and above all cherish a magnificent obsession.” Walt Disney

There is practically no activity that cannot be enhanced or replaced by knitting, if you really want to get obsessive about it.

STEPHANIE PEARL-MCPHEE, At Knit’s End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/mr-personality/201107/what-makes-your-obsession-healthy-or-unhealthy

https://www.bphope.com/blog/is-this-a-healthy-interest-or-my-latest-bipolar-obsession/

Eric Maisel

One of the cornerstones of my life is bipolar disorder which is a blessing and a curse. Its effects shift and show at varying degrees in my life.

Will McFarlane Facebook Live

Will is featured on the Interesting People page. On the page you can go to past photos, articles, and videos. The below link will give you access to tonight’s Fathers and Sons show at FloBama in Florence, AL (Muscle Shoals) . The band’s other members are talented musicians and dynamic entertainers. Justin Holder, Jamie McFarlane, Janet McFarlane; Will, Kelvin Holly, and N.C. Thurman.

If you watch, leave a comment.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10220672124825913&id=1619599038

The Power of Music

“Music can change the world because it can change people.” Bono

“It was the moment I realized what music can do to people, how it can make you hurt and feel so good all at once.” Nina LaCour

“Can a mere song change a people’s minds? I doubt that it is so. But a song can infiltrate your heart and the heart can change your mind.” Elvis Costello

“Music is a social glue that clearly enhances our mental well being.” Alan Harvey

“Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.” Victor Hugo

“The ’60s was one of the first times the power of music was used by a generation to bind them together.” Neil Young

The drive to share music is strong; so fear not, music is alive and well, even if you can not be surrounded by it as easily as you once could. Songwriters, musicians, artists are creating. Music always finds a way.

As for my circle of creative people, we may be nostalgic and sad at times, but we are following our energy and trusting.

Creators are great with change. In fact, you might say they influence it.

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COWRITERS PERFORMING OUR SONGS

The link below will take you to a video of a Handy Fest show three tears ago with my cowriters Will McFarlane, Michael A. Curtis, Mitch Mann, and Mark Narmore performing our songs.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10100861555818865&id=183400884

What Options Are Open?

Before this pandemic, I was active in the Muscle Shoals music community and felt good about my contributions. I organized and hosted shows – big and small. My living room was the chosen place for writing songs with my close circle of cowriters. A hug at my door, good coffee, and soup for lunch were expected. We wrote what we call the song in the room. Those sessions flowed.

I wrote two or three times a week. Now I know those sessions were precious gifts. I miss those cowriting sessions so much. I miss the little things like handing someone a cup of coffee or a bowl of soup, seeing their smiles, and hearing them comment about how good. I miss our deep sharing of our experiences and philosophies. I miss the spontaneous laughter. Oh, how I miss that. I miss the sound of guitars and keyboards and my cowriters’ voices. I miss them all so much that unexpectedly , I am close to tears.

Then there were the Soup and Songs gatherings at my house with my music and other friends. One time I had reached out to young writers that I did not know personally. I greeted one person at the door with, “And you would be? ” One of my goals was to be sure no one knew everyone. How long before we feel the magic of being together again?

I miss the invitation only Circle of Friends Song Circles that I hosted. I miss it all, the planning, the promoting, and most of all sitting in that circle of twenty or so listening to songs. I miss the break with everyone talking so much that someone with a louder voice than I had to get everyone back in their seats for the second round. I miss the more formal Soup and Song Symposiums that I cohosted.

I miss our demo sessions. Our sessions with songwriters, musicians, engineers and soup at East Avalon studio are hard to describe. For some things, words are not enough

We carry on with Zoom the best we can with cowriting, Song Circle, Thursday morning Circle Round Coffee, and with Facebook private groups.

Muscle Shoals music community is close. We miss each other. I ask myself what now, what I can I do to keep what we have and help it grow? How can I be inclusive and help maintain and deepen our connections. I do not know exactly how, but this blog is part of the answer.

Please, leave comments. Ask me questions. We all need interaction. Let us be community.

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Black Swallowtail

Butterflies are easier to capture in a photo or video than you might think. They will come back to the same flowers after flitting away, which they will do when they first become aware of you and at other times. All you have to do is stand still and wait. Then when they do come back follow them slowly.

I followed one long enough to make this video.

In the West

One reason for this blog is for legacy’s sake. I know that it is presumptuous to assume people will want to know about my life, but if they do, I want them to be able to find an account. I want to leave as much behind as possible. If you are familiar with the Native American Medicine Wheel, you will understand when I say I am in the west, my sunset years. Some think I am being morbid or negative, but I think I am being realistic and positive. Sunsets are often beautiful.

A friend recently asked me how old I see myself or feel inside. I surprised myself by answering, “a woman in her seventies”. I am seventy-six. The surprise was I said it with pride. Oh, not that I have not looked back with longing, but in that moment sitting under a shade tree visiting with a dear friend, I was more than content to be where I was and who I am. Even a year ago, I could not have said that. For years I have corrected people who compliment me by telling me I do not look or act my age. I tell them I do look and act my age – just not their preconceived view of my age.

In my sixties, I went through a doom and disaster worry stage. I dwelt on being single, female, low income, and getting older. I was sure my life would not get better. My focus was on maintaining. None of that has changed, but I do not worry about it, as much.

On this blog, I will share some of my past and present journey in hopes of others feeling a bit better about aging. One of the privileges of being my age is some people think I have surely learned something worth sharing. At one point I thought my best advise was don’t cut your own hair. Now I think i have some good advice. Fight the physical side of aging by taking care of your body, but do not fight against the fact you are aging. We all are. Fight any negative attitude about aging. Do not miss the beauty of any part of your life, no matter your age.

Listening to “Betty Jean” – right side bar or bottom of the blog will give you a bit of my journey.

Co-writing Session – What’s It Like?

A songwriter who does not play a instrument or even sing – that’s me. So, how can I say I am a songwriter? I am a word, image, and idea person with limited melody input. I do not write alone. I write with songwriters who do what I do and what I don’t.

This is the first installment.

Hot Outside Cool Inside

CoCo O’Conner, Cindy Richardson, and I wrote a song today via Zoom. I will write about cowriters and songwriting sessions soon. I promise. Now it is nap time. Zoom writing sessions wear me out!