Cocky Squirrels, Rock ‘n’ Roll -101 and Food Waste
Brooklyn, October 18th, 2017
“So you wanna be a rock ‘n’ roll star? ” – The Byrds
This morning I awoke from dream where Liam Gallagher accidentally burned down my childhood home. It involved him goofing around with a large metal pole with a flammable brush tip during a lightning storm. Later in my dream, my brother and I started working on a rap project, ostensibly to raise funds to rebuild after Gallagher destroying our home. I actually woke up with some fairly awful rap on the tip of my tongue. I will try not to repeat.
Do you think I might have some residual stress about the storm that hit Ireland on Monday, Dr. Freud?
I went for a quick run in the park on a beautiful crisp October morning in Brooklyn. I sat down by the artificial lake and wrote a “to do” a list and some morning pages. Down by the lake, if you take a moment you will notice that nature is louder than the hum of rush hour traffic. The sun climbed up above the trees spilling orange light across the lake with utter disregard for the modesty of bathing geese. A lone swan gliding by as if to challenge me to write a dire poem. (To add to my dire dreaming rap?) In the exact moment of peaceful contemplation I was startled by a cocky-fuck-of-a-squirrel. Presumably confused by my stillness s/he came a little too close for comfort before leaping past me on to a branch and hanging out directly above my head.
An asian woman was gathering acorns in a plastic bag. She was doing it yesterday too. I politely asked her what she was doing with the acorns. She looked at me in much the same way as I had looked at the squirrel and went back to bagging acorns.
Rock ‘n’ Roll – 101
Back in the kitchen. A rock ‘n’ roll 101 lesson. I’ve spent the last 3 hours submitting gigs and radio plays to IMRO. It is amongst the most tedious work you can imagine. It also is essential. I think aspiring musicians should be taught how to type and do spreadsheets. I am entirely serious. Now that the industry is , well whatever it is, we need to be our own industry, and my life would be so much easier if I was a better typist.
I also think aspiring musicians should be taught how to lift heavy objects in confined spaces. And of course the old adage of “hurry up and wait”.
Hurry up and wait, and while your waiting, learn how to type.
Big City Folk is 10 Years Old.
Tonight we have our first ever song club at the Way Station. My good friend Chris Mills’ new band Fond Farewells and the excellent St. Lenox are the features. I’d really love if you could make it.
Tomorrow we are at Fawkner and Lara Ewen and David Shane Smith are the features. It will be fun. You like fun. Don’t miss it.
Fil-um -Tip: Wasted
Did you know it takes 25 years for a head of lettuce to decompose in landfill?
We went to see ‘Wasted’ a documentary about food waste the other night. I highly recommend you check it out. It is distressing but also largely inspiring as it offers lots of practical tips.
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