Celebrating Occasions

I used to throw a party whenever my birthday came along until recently. Used to do it real good as I recall. I don't do it any more. Seems that I no longer have the desire to celebrate each birthday as a special occasion. I wonder why? Could it be that I am "getting old"?

No, I don't think so. I believe instead that I am becoming more cynical about many things and special occasions are becoming less of a joy and more of a hassle when I get down to it. Back then it was special and bright yet now it feels jaded and worn.

Old age or cynicism?

A bit of both. Though to me it is mostly the lack of desire: I no longer want to do it. At this time I do just about anything I want to do, and I do many things which are productive mentally and physically, largely because I want to do them.

I am convinced that any of humankind who has the desire to achieve specific goals will achieve them ceteris paribus. I live alongside many examples. I am one of them. Still, I somehow no longer want to do Christmas and birthdays, simply because I have no desire for them at this point. 

Someone once said to me "If you wait long enough, everything changes" and I have found this to be largely true.

So what will it be that may bring back the desire to celebrate milestones and traditional occasions?  Why time, of course! Time for change and for healing and learning. Lots of time.

Who knows, maybe when I become old I'll start back really celebrating Christmas and birthdays instead of simply going through the motions as I seem to do these days, but I might be dead by then, so maybe I should enjoy it and embrace it while I have it. What is life after all without a bit of stimulation?

Oh, bah, humbug!

For The Love Of It

People who perform live do it for the love of it. 

There are trials in live performances. You have to get it right the first time, as my old friend Nick told me recently. 

It was Billy Joel who wrote "get it right the first time, that's the main thing, get it right the next time that's not the same thing".

Playing live is always a challenge to any performer and there are ups and downs, and there can be pitfalls.

Playing live starts with performing. There is initially the desire to do the thing individually. Such desire entails practice, over and over, on and on, until the thing is done or is at least is in the doing. When you get to know it, you begin to play your instrument from your heart.

To expand the desire some may turn to rehearsal with others over and over and on and on: the group experience. The whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

Transporting instruments, setting up, sound checking and getting the mix right, are all part of the realities of the  live performance, not to mention the location of the venue and the mood of the listeners .

The true test of the live performer is to do the performance as rehearsed to the best ability, regardless of the circumstances, and if there is joy in the doing, chances are the performance will be good.