I seem to be working again. My sketching has evolved into a full fledged little piece. Working title: “You must be the animal.” So far it seems to be sort of a musical tribute to Zappa. I worked on it several hours yesterday. Including setting up the keyboard as a midi so I could enter it into notation software.
Eileen came home and I told her I been working on my composition. She asked me if I was satisfied with it. I replied, “Not at all.” Thus it ever is. One is rarely satisfied with one’s own work. Always tweaking if not rewriting.
I also began giving thought to tunes I could do on the street as soon as it warms up. I keep thinking about the one guy’s comment to me. He said something like, Don’t play stuff I can hear anywhere, play me something I can’t hear anywhere else. I like that. It is an astute listener comment. A good musical performance is a unique one. Original material makes it more unique I guess.
I’m pretty happy with my abilities on the Electric Piano. I can split the keyboard and kick bass with left hand, play licks and accompaniment with the right hand and sing. What I’m not so happy with is the sound quality of my EP through my little amp. There are some very fine portable PAs available these days. They are prohibitively expensive however at this point.
No matter.
I was thinking once again yesterday about my belief that money is not real.
I know this is an easy thought for someone like myself living in the richest country in the world. Also enjoying the privileges of a white male with education. I can sort of skim a living off the largess of this privilege.
And if I don’t have a fancy PA, I do have most everything I want. Including time to compose and practice and perform. Ahhhhh.
The trick is not getting bogged down in the trivialities of everyday life. Especially but not only economic ones.
And of course the important things in life like living with someone I love and having a brain that still works and a body that is not completely worn out yet are still going for me.
Hey fuck the duck. Life is good.
Wealth is real. Money is not. Doesn’t matter where or when you live.
I wonder how wealth relates to the concept of ownership. I always had trouble thinking of myself as the owner of a lot of the stuff that is supposedly mine. Is the beautiful tree in my back yard part of my fiscal wealth? Or is it an extension of a mysterious something that predates me and probably will be there long after I am dead? Or is it mostly collateral for the loan I have in the bank? Does one factor its profundity and beauty in wealth?
As usual I find that a certain difficult suspension of disbelief is in order for me to think about these ideas in economic ways. It’s mostly about my own inability to see things clearly and as many others seem to. Dang hippy.
I like your art,whether it’s music or writing or drawing. But that does not mean much to others unless they are exposed to it. If that equates for you to a measurement of wealth through monetary means or by a subjective element of perception, they are all relevant. Art is a perceptional equation and is subjective to the eye of the beholder. But it is the commonality with human perception is what increases it’s perceived value. After all ART is communication as is music and drawing. You have the ability to communicate and that struggle to create effective communication is the really the challenge. Some people use money as a measurement tool. I have never valued money, because it is for me merely a tool to do something else. That is probably why I have made and lost a lot of money in my life time. A couple of fortunes down the tubes as they say. However, I do consider myself wealthy.
I hope it’s obvious that I consider myself extremely lucky and well provided for.