Finding the “off” switch

Power is constantly running

I lamented in a previous post (CF And a bit about writing…) that writing is subversive to my personality, my method of madness. I don’t listen to drum n’ bass because I like it, I just like doing a lot of things in a hurry – it’s the soundtrack to my life. Other people’s montages are real time for me.

New toy

I am often asked how my new book is coming along. I often reply, “Oh, it’s been stalled because of [insert miscellaneous activity].”

My new six-month activity is learning the drums. Earlier this year it was metalwork, last year it was motorbike riding, the year before was papier-mache. I think a pattern is emerging: my attention span for interests drips and drops into a beautiful mosaic formation. [Ooh! My new activity for next  month!]

Drum kit - $900

Drumsticks, metronome, practise pad – $100

Cost of bond forfeited after being kicked out of unit for noise pollution – $1500

Downloaded songs and beat sheets – free and illegal

Keira becoming typically distracted by something shiny or another activity despite being broke and homeless – priceless.

Old habits…

I was training my ear the other night and I realised I can’t shake the writer out of me – I applied a literary creative approach to the musical creative process.

I prefer seeing the notations on paper, akin to words on a page. A few drummers have told me they can’t read music [Dave Grohl famously can't read music: "I learned to play by ear. I wasn't trained and I can't read music. What I play comes straight from the soul."] and play by ear. This is a skill I would love to fine tune [oh, the pun was most definitely intended].

Training my ear has been going well. I can listen to a very simple rock beat and play along to it, picking out the hi-hat (open and closed), snare and bass. BUT I also feel the urge to write the drum notations on sheet music. I feel more comfortable writing and seeing a story of the beats, and understand the flow of the beat much better because of it. [Perhaps, though, this "literary" approach is more a "retentive" approach.]

…Die hard

But I have noticed I do apply a literary approach to most encounters in my life. Most notably, I view the people in my life as characters [many of whom I have killed three times in my "mind script". I'm willing to accept that not everyone who thinks leggings are pants or couples who buy a pet and call themselves its "mummy" and "daddy" are moronic, but I haven't yet seen evidence to support this theory].

So while my activities/passing novelties take time away from my book writing, I am pleased that some sort of literary process is occurring. And just like that….the guilt melts away.

Now, to justify how I can equate book writing to shopping…