Wishing Buskers Of The World Well

No...the busker in the picture is not me. I've never busked in my life...although I
rsspect and salute those who do. I've never done it...because especially in my early
years of singing in bars and bistros...I got to experience first hand...what seems to be widely accepted in our world...but to me...is nothing less than artist abuse. By that I mean...how it is to be offering something to the world that comes from deep inside you...while people are chattering constantly...walking in front of you...and waiters or waitresses...are calling out orders. When...early on...I was at the receiving end of that...one way I would describe it is...it was like many little hands were slapping me in the face. I shudder as I think of it now...and wonder how back then...I endured any of it. What baffles me when this happens in performance venues...is that I marvel at the insensitivity of the people who let it happen in their venues...and those who engage in it. When it came to busking...I wasn't going to ask for...the indifference and obliviousness...that often thrives around buskers...or
having coins tossed at me...not to mention the loud traffic going by. No thanks...I
wasn't going to expose myself to that. Despite that...I do respect the fortitude and
endurance of those who engage in it. I wish the buskers of the world well............
....................Quester.

Stories To Tell

After I had posted a recent entry..."Why do I blog"...it hit me...that i"d left out
something important. I remember when...giving a workshop...or just because I wanted
to "pass it on"...telling people..."Remember...wherever you find yourself...it is
possible to create a song...i.e. you don't have to go to somewhere exotic to feel...
at last I have something I can write a song about". For one thing...the imagination can soar to distant places any time...but what is as important is that wherever there are human beings present...not to mention in all of Creation...there. are "stories to tell"...in song...or by just focusing in on them...and writing them down. A blog is
actually a wonderful medium...for the mini-stories...that happen in your life...
probably...every day of your life. The thing is...to know that they are there...and
it's up to you to develop your knack of telling them. I am thankful also...for the
way a blog allows you to redeem yourself...by simply making another entry...about
something you forgot to say...in a previous one............Quester.

A Sudden Reminder

This morning...getting ready to make my first drink of the day...no not that...
actually a cup of coffee with the caffeine removed...one of the first things I did...was put out a large cup with a Pisces design on it. These days...I find myself sometimes recoiling at the thought of the number of steps I have to take to get myself in gear...from the first moment of rising up to greet another day. Perhaps that's what too much repetition of the "same old same old" does to you over time. Perhaps there are invisible forces nearby...observing our little "oh no...not again" thought rebellions...that sometimes like to throw in some variety...to help make things a bit more interesting. After starting the boiling of the water and having placed the cup at ready...I turned around to get a spoon...an action otherwise known as step 3 in this morning ritual. As I did so...my right hand brushed my Pisces cup. I've always prided myself on my lightening reflexes that have rescued many a falling object. Not this time...faster than you can say Humpty Dumpty...the cup went crashing to the floor. Forget what swear word came flying out...but whatever it was...it fulfilled it's function of taking me quickly to acceptance of what had happened...and the sweeping up of the debris...that "same old same old" thoughts...can bring down on you. Here's to the peacefulness of routines!...
..........................Quester.

Innate Malice Of Inanimate Objects

In long gone days...I remember sitting around with other young wags...who had gotten
to know each other,,,moving around in folk song circles...trying to see if we could
"out wag" each other. One of us present had stepped on a rake left carelessly in
his yard...and as a result...had been whacked in the shin,,,by the abandoned rake.
A bearded friend,,,who always seemed to have a "far out" explanation for things...
contributed to the person with the bruised shin..."i guess what you experienced there
was the "innate malice of inanimate objects". I've always remembered that penetrating
observation. There have been many occasions since that day...when I have experienced
evidence of that "principle" at work...like the time in a hurry to go out...I pulled
on the string controlling the shutters on my window...and the shutters came down...
bopping me in the head. That was one of several examples of the said "malice"
manifesting...and sending you the message..."not so fast". As for the two heads in
today's picture...one whispering to the other...that triggered this piece...
all they were doing was planning a malicious action for later that day. I am glad I was not around when it came to pass..................Quester.

Reasons For Things

Just a day or two ago...I took a walk through my forest of videos on YouTube. I came
upon a video that I'd almost forgotten I had in there..."September Rain". I felt that
given the time of year...I should bring it on to my main channel page. I love far
fetched reasons for doing things...but this time round...I was being as predictable
as you can get...September?...so up goes September Rain. Up to yesterday...the sun
kept September shining...and I was wondering about my choice. Today...I need wonder no
more...as the sky is overcast and it looks like overnight there has been quite a bit of
rain...must have been like this when I wrote this song. Reasons why you do things vary...
from the impulsive...to the whimsical...to the well thought out. So...why today's apple
picture...given we did "Fruit On The Vine"...only a few days ago?. How is this for a
reason...I happen to like this picture a lot...and on a grey day...I think I need a
splash of colour to keep me keepin' on.....................Quester.

The Carver And The Log

My song "The Carver" says..."like a carver at the cedar of your soul...you chip the
surface wood with your knife...and after a long time...a shape begins to grow...
rising from the log of your life". We each have a way of working out a model or
metaphor for living life. The metaphor of the carver chipping away at the log before
him...helps me to understand what I have to do on my own journey. It has also given
me a read of what could be called the "unconscious behavior" that I observe...
manifesting itself in my world. Even with some who behave badly...you could use
this metaphor...to help you to understand them. One obvious reading this metaphor
offers...is that they simply haven't done their "carving"...and are still mired in
what you might call "log consciousness"...or should that be "unconsciousness". The core
reason this metaphor works for me...is that I do believe...we each have a "shining
sculpture" inside of ourselves...but it is our job...to cut away the "surface wood"
that keeps it hidden away. I feel we each have that in us...even the "bad behaved".,,
and I have heard of...or met...enough people who have lived inspiring lives...
moving from the dismal lives their "bad behavior" brought them...to turning around...
some of them even becoming outstanding role models. When that happens...it uplifts
me...although it doesn't surprise me...because I've known...what is inside of each
of us...and that if we seriously engage in the job of carving...it will finally be
liberated...............Quester.

Why Do I Blog?

I've been posting entries to this blog since 2005. In 2007 I started my YouTube channel
...now thriving...where 300 videos...mostly of my songs...reside. If I were to judge what I put online based on the number of viewers it attracts...my blog would be long gone...[I've never publicized it...no wonder if it's still a secret.]...but that's not what I let define my work...or me. Why have I persisted with it?. First of all...although song making is my first love creatively...writing...[as a poet and prose writer]...is at least my "first concubine". I've always loved language and the way it can be used. So...exercising my "writing chops"...on my blog and long hand journal...is a good starting reason. As a creative artist...I am always looking out for new tools with which to express myself and what a gift...having a blog online is. Being able to upload photographs to it with my writing...has given a large boost to my entries...with many of the photos...except today's...triggering what I write...[good practice for a writer...working off triggers]. There's more...but for now I'll just add..."there's something about a blog" ...with words and a still picture...that slows me down...in a world spinning around
...much too fast...................Quester.