Saving Yourself from Yourself

Last night after some complimentary drinks at my favourite pub, a fellow musician and producer explained to me two things. First, why his output of great tunage is so high despite working 25 hours a day, and second, why I am a complete dumbass for not also following his process.

His typical day consists of waking (sometimes baking; he loves brownies) and sitting directly in front of his home gym equipment. After heading to work in a sweaty kitchen all night, he saunters home and is met at the front door by both of his guitars. They hang inconveniently enough in his path that he usually has to pick one up on his way to shedding his coat and boots, which usually results in at least a few minutes of playing. Minutes turn to hours, and soon he's laying down tracks instead of laying down on the couch to play Halo. He even tells me he unplugs his gaming systems when he leaves the house so its really an effort to veg out and thumb away.

In my case, however, these smart tricks would be less handy. I have very little to do in my apartment at present besides play tunes, and this, it turns out, is why I have been slacking.

So you got a new man, with a swanky place to live, and working heat, and he's all cute and cuddly and fun to hang around, so you decide to maybe toss twice the food in the cats bowls and spend an extra night hanging with said fella. But maybe every now and then I should be unplugging him, so to speak. Making time, putting music in my way so I can't avoid the process.

That said, I wonder how easy it will be to explain to him that, much as I love spending time, his company distracts from the things I've been doing. And the great irony (which is absolutely my favourite part of this) is that my feelings and thoughts, and the content of the music I will be hopefully soon back into writing, are mostly related to this new person and our new relationship.

I love the man, he makes me want to sing. I love the music, but the man has just ordered another round. Do I want to be drunk off this love? Will it pull out some Joplin miracle and make the resulting tunes even greater? Or do I step back a minute and get myself some time with the first love for a while?

I pledge on this page here to come back within a week and have some new words and music. My process isn't quite the same as my friend, but the principal stands. I made this blog to get in my own way and stop me from avoiding the scary things I'm trying to get done. So if I promise it to the internet, maybe I will try to keep it.