Sunday, December 17, 2006
Kindness
It has been a long while since I actually sat down and wrote a song, in fact it's been a very long time since I even felt motivated and creatively inspired to do so.Fortunately, I recently had the opportunity to put some motivation and creative inspiration to good use and write some music for a very specific and worthwhile purpose.
I will add very little more about it, aside from saying that it was very enjoyable and inspiring to contribute music and animation to Pam's words. I wish to thank Pam for inviting me to do so.
Without further ado, here is a link to what Pam has called The Kindness Movement. Please visit, listen, read and hopefully think about the message behind this project:
The Kindness Movement
Thank you.
Posted by Jon at 11:02:56 PM in Musing (23) | Comments (0)
Monday, December 11, 2006
To err is human...
It's part of the human condition that we know we make mistakes - our fallibility is around us and within us all the time as we go through life, joining up with its cousin mortality to make us truly human. As Alexander Pope's quote suggests, making errors is very much human, but it seems that in some senses to me that we do not deal with this very well.On the one hand the notion of fallibility (technically the idea that absolute knowledge is impossible) is very rarely encountered in public life.
Politicians, sports stars, celebrities etc seldom acknowledge in any direct way that they made a mistake, and yet it happens all the time. A mistake can take many forms, of course, and doesn't necessarily indicate anything other than perhaps a poor judgment in the face of available information or perhaps a misjudgment based on prioritising the importance of an end result. It's not often that we hear an acknowledgment of this, even when it is blatant to all concerned. So much so that it appears that when we do hear it, it stands out precisely because it is not the norm. Perhaps we should ask why that is? Is there something in our culture or society that makes it difficult for people to stand up and say "I made an error" and feel comfortable doing so?
On the other hand, how we deal with our own misjudgments is crucial. Do we acknowledge them, do we move on from them clearly and with learning, do we hang onto them as mistakes we return to? How we interact within ourselves on these matters is part of how we then reflect back to the outside world and deal with other people's flaws and fallibility.
Admitting "I was wrong" is still a big hurdle for many people. If you unhook that expression from associated feelings of regret and guilt though, I think there is potential to forgive oneself, and then freely and openly admit to one's misjudgments. Whether other people can unhook their own feelings in reaction to a mistake, of their hurt or their disappointment, is another matter. But, that is outside of one's control and should not undercut the value of admitting one's fallibility, which is ultimately to acknowledge that we are not perfect, but that in recognising imperfection we are more aware.
So, forgive yourself, and own up to a mistake today. You know it really truly is the most human of things to do.
Posted by Jon at 10:02:04 AM in Musing (23) | Comments (2)
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Like Lazarus...
Yes, rather like Lazarus, I return to life from my absence. Of course, my story is not quite as dramatic as our revived colleague from the New Testament and it could hardly be said to be miraculous. The connection with Lazarus becomes even further tenuous when one considers that Lazarus probably did not have to deal with hundreds of spam comments for online poker, drugs and porn when he came back to life."Sorry, I'll be with you in a sec, Jesus, I just need to deal with this damned graffiti first .."
Whatever happened to Lazarus? You'd think he'd have gone onto big things after such a feat, after gaining such notoriety - but as far as I can tell he's not mentioned again.
One might think he'd feel so indebted to Jesus that he would hang around, you know, as a sort of show of gratitude for the person who gave him life. Or at least you might think he would go off and do great things on his own account, inspired by his miraculous experience. But no, alas, it seems not. He lived. He died. He lived again. He descended into obscurity, perhaps a late-night slot on Satellite. Or perhaps he just settled down and decided that was enough excitement for a lifetime. Or two.
More such meanderings to come... in the meantime let me know your ideas for what happened to Lazarus.
Posted by Jon at 1:03:43 AM in Musing (23) | Comments (0)
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Some random links to some nice people
I do keep some very varied company which is something I celebrate -
further, please visit the following people who I would like to consider
friends and colleagues:
Nerve Filter -
this is the side project of Assemblage23's Tom Shear and the first CD
"Linear" is mightily good too. Tremendous production, captivating
textures and sound palette. Highly recommended for fans of
A23 and anyone who likes thoughtful electronic music.
Maha's Blog -
the interesting linguistic and spiritual thoughts of a very kind and
creative soul called Mahalene Louis who I recently had the pleasure to
meet and work with.
SubZeros - the website for the band SubZeros, featuring long-time friend and all-round "geezer" Paul Miles.
Chrysalid Katrina Relief CD - a compilation CD in aid of Katrina Relief, contributed by the good, the bad and the insane of KVR
Posted by Jon at 12:45:52 AM in Musing (23) | Comments (0)
Saturday, March 11, 2006
Another doodle
Another Project Dogwaffle doodle
Posted by Jon at 1:56:50 AM in Musing (23) | Comments (0)
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
A doodle...
Just a quick doodle using Project DogWaffle...click for larger version:
Posted by Jon at 11:55:06 AM in Musing (23) | Comments (0)
Sunday, February 12, 2006
Doru RIP
Doru, thank you so much for all you did and all you were. It was so typical of you to try to give something to me when I wanted to give something back to you!
Wherever you are... peace and much music.
Posted by Jon at 1:19:09 AM in Musing (23) | Comments (0)
Saturday, February 11, 2006
Is it time for me...
...to give up on the notion and practice of making music as a "serious" pursuit?
I can't remember the last time I really sat down and was productive
with my music. I still enjoy dabbling with synths and sounds, and
have particularly enjoyed my guitar again lately (especially with the
Line6 TonePort I recently got), but it's struck me in recent days that
perhaps
I need to give up on the notion that it's something I can (should?)
devote serious amounts of time, energy and money to. Time is
something I don't have much of. Energy levels often fluctuate in
the short-term into lows and have been low in the general sense for a
long while now. It's been a rough couple of years, what with one thing
or another. Money is always an issue, but it is even more so now,
in what is probably the toughest time I've had since going
self-employed more than 7 years ago.
It's a big decision and one I won't take lightly. If I do take
the path which removes music-making as a significant part of my
environment, I am sure it won't disappear completely. I will hold
on to a skeleton array of equipment. Some of that will be forced
on me as there are items which are not re-saleable, but I will keep a
core set-up just so I have something in case I need that avenue or
outlet in the future or if I find some creative sparks igniting in the
future.
I need to do some thinking about this question....or at least find some space to assess what all this means.
Posted by Jon at 9:26:25 PM in Musing (23) | Comments (2)
Thursday, February 09, 2006
In other news...
Well, I have been literally inundated with requests that I update my blog. So, thanks to both of you for your interest ;)If you missed the last thrilling episode, here's a quick catch-up:
Mike's on-off affair with Lisa has become complicated since her ex-husband returned after being presumed dead following the aircraft accident in which the entire stock of "Marshmallow Bites" was destroyed. Tim is still in a coma despite the best attention of nurse Sylvia - who co-incidentally rescued him from the burning wreckage of the Foreman Grill, performed CPR on him in situ, did the brain surgery and is his lost twin sister. Meanwhile, surely it's only a matter of time before the panto season starts and several of the cast go on holidays - probably to Queensland - or find themselves sent to a prison resembling a strange cross between a Travel Lodge and a PortaKabin (hey, wait, isn't that the same room with just a few things moved around? Of course, their time in the clink will not be very long, and ultimately it was for something they didn't do, which they will later prove - probably with the help of a small child or an animal - with much relief all around..
In other news, I'm still here.
Posted by Jon at 9:40:55 PM in Musing (23) | Comments (0)
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
A picture masquerading as an update
Posted by Jon at 11:40:53 PM in Musing (23) | Comments (0)
Friday, November 25, 2005
Georgie R.I.P.
Well, I suppose we all expected it to happen. But now that it
has, and George Best is no longer with us, perhaps he will be
remembered for all the right reasons. Of course, Best's name was
made before mass pop culture really came into force and before
television induced and produced mega stars like a production
line. Best was part of an era where football was played in shirts
minus sponsors logos, on muddy pitches in an uncompromising fashion
during a time of relative innocence and naivety. A far cry from
the cynicism and commercialism of present-day football.
Best was a true genius when it came to the playing of the game of the
football. Greats like Pele thought so, as did many other luminaries
from the beautiful game. Admired and respected and feared by his
fellow professionals and honoured by them, Best truly was the first
sporting superstar.
Let's hope that the partisan and cynical nature of football gives
way to a genuine appreciation of a footballing legend. It's time
to appreciate the joys and triumphs that Georgie Best provided rather
than chart the decline of his career and his becoming a casualty
of fame. ...
Addendum:
It's upsetting to see some reactions to news of George Best's passing.
In particular, in mentioning George Best's death to several people
today and reading some internet postings I have come across judgements
about how his transplant was wasted on him or how he should not have
been allowed the chance to live. It's easy to judge such a person
((unknown and unconnected to us as they are) and cast a negative
opinion, especially when tabloid newspapers are inclined to feed that
very viewpoint. I would just say in response, if it was your
father, your brother or your son would you be the one to tell them that
you were going to deprive them of the opportunity of life? Would
you be the person to tell a doctor not to undertake that chance?
If one were to extend that further surely someone involved in a
drink-driving incident would be deprived of treatment, someone who took
part in dangerous sports would be left uncared for, and those who
through any of their life choices put themselves ar risk would be
untreated. I don't think that is feasible. In George Best's
case his alcoholism was an illness and a disease in itself. No
amount of pathetic jokes about it can deny that George Best's
alcoholism was part of his ill-health, physical or mental and therefore
he deserved treatment. . .
Posted by Jon at 2:12:45 PM in Musing (23) | Comments (0)
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Tired...
To say I am tired would be an understatement of a significant
order. Extremely tired would do my feelings some justice, but it
would not be quite the full story.
You know you are really tired (or tired-looking) when people you don't
know well or only meet on a casual basis (e.g. out walking their dogs)
tell you that you look tired - in the middle of the day. People
who never see a person outside of daylight hours probably have
substantial authority to determine that a person is genuinely fatigued,
rather than simply tired. And so it was, as I dragged myself and
Sophie (my black labrador friend) around the muddy lanes and tarmac
pavements of the village, that my tiredness was recognised and pointed
out by a fellow dog walker. It's funny how people close to you
can miss such things, but a more or less complete stranger homes in on
it with laser-guided precision. Sad, though, that the first
follow-up question was a line of enquiry involving a suspected cause of
that tiredness. Parties and socialising. Not quite the case here.
Working up to a tight deadline can be a nightmare for all parties
concerned, but particularly for the person or persons actually "doing
the doing" so to speak. Anyone who works in the design or
publishing business will no doubt concur and shudder with an
instinctitve recollection of such circumstances. It is under such
conditions that I have been working these last few days. Such is
the lot of a web designer, scraping to make ends meet without meeting
an end... [ see what I did there... totally seamless ] .
There are worse occupations, of course. And there are even worse ways
to earn money, full stop. I'm sure a lot of it is down to me,
perhaps I expect too much recognition for jobs well done, or
appreciation for the work I do. I certainly don't expect too much
financially, that is for certain. That is something I need to
work on. When you don't get much in the way of thanks or
consideration or a sense of being valued, somtimes you have to filter
out that part of your brain which responds to those things and
concentrate on providing yourself with the means to allow other parts
of your brain to respond positively. Which means money, so
that the parts of your brain which worry about bills and about getting
some respite are compensated accordingly for the lack of "warm fuzzies"
in the part of the brain that deals with value and
appreciation. It's a bit like telling one part of your
brain to look away whilst you feed another part of it. Or
something like that...
Ah, value and value. Being valued - thanks and appreciation for
efforts, knowledge and expertise. A valued being - the financial
rewards for the same. An internal market of exchange rates and
currency fluctuations. Are there traders in this market I
wonder? What's the current exchange rate between the "being
valued" currency and the "valued being" currency?
I am not sure myself at the moment.... I wonder if my internal currency
market crashed a long time ago a la Black Wednesday. Still, at
least unlike the real traders I don't have to wear a silly
waistcoat. Yet.
Posted by Jon at 10:27:19 PM in Musing (23) | Comments (2)
Saturday, November 19, 2005
A Winter's Walk
Honestly, you can keep your hot Summer days, as nothing comes close
to a cold, bright Winter's day such as we have had this week around
this part of the UK. Air so cold and so still, and so fresh it
feels healthy just breathing it in with gasping mouthfuls. The
perfect medium within which sound waves travel. The perfect
medium also for me to travel. Every sound is as clear as
the light around you. Every slight rustle of a frosted leaf
falling comes to your ears. Each drop of water hitting the
ground, deposited from a thawing tree branch lit by blue and golden
shards of sunlight. Each crunch of the frozen earth and the
cracking of twigs underfoot. Yes, even the sound of distant
traffic or a buzzing electricity pylon is borne swiftly to you on a
cold and crisp day like this. But it cannot spoil the calmness
and serenity of walking - your breath visible to you as you make your
way through dew-laden grasses - through the white-dusted countryside surrounded by the sounds of nature. Nor is
your walk spoiled by the return to civilisation, to traffic and to
noise of a different kind. Instead, as the door closes behind you
on your cold environs, there comes a new feeling of warmth. And
the welcome return of the feeling in the tips of your ears..
Posted by Jon at 1:37:53 PM in Musing (23) | Comments (2)
Thursday, November 17, 2005
Paperweight, and wait and wait
"Not much to say today" - quite frankly those are not ideal words to
begin a blog entry with. And a split infinitive is not an ideal
follow-up either. But I am tired - it's been a long, hard day
trying to get a web site prepared for a very tight deadline, so I feel
rather emptied out. I noticed tonight, however, and this is the
reason for writing, that the paperweight I had intended to put on eBay
a couple of weeks ago is serving a good purpose despite its impending
relocation. Put to one side, ready for photographing and listing
on eBay it has found a niche for itself - as a paperweight. Still
in its presentation box, no less. There's something poetic about
that, but then again, I am easily entertained and distracted
particularly when tired. I am looking for the bigger
philosophical meaning which can be gleaned from the paperweight finding
a niche for itself. I am sure there is one, probably involving
intent, purpose and disposal, but for the life of me it cannot be
pieced together . So, for the time being at least, the
paperweight will have a stay of execution in lieu of its beneficial
properties as an unintended paperweight.
So, as I said... "not much to say today".
Posted by Jon at 1:52:44 AM in Musing (23) | Comments (3)
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
Colin McRae Rally - Senior Edition
Just a bit of fun...(click to view)
Posted by Jon at 5:05:37 PM in Musing (23) | Comments (0)
Monday, November 14, 2005
What am I good at?
This question has been bothering me a for a little while. I am
not sure quite what it was that caused this little menace to infiltrate
my brain, but it is there now and it seems to have bought clothing and
supplies suitable for an extended stay in my cerebral region.
So, what am I good at?
Well, actually the simple answer is that I am quite good at quite a few
things. See how deadening and deprecating the use of the word "quite"
was there? You see, I'm not great at anything, it
seems. I'm proficient and logical enough to do some programming -
sort of. I'm dextrous enough to play guitar reasonably well
- passably, anyway. I'm literate enough and nimble enough
to have a reasonable wit and do cryptic crosswords - sometimes.
I'm creative enough to do some design work and eke out a living from it
- just about, anyway. I'm imaginative enough to get some
songs written and recorded via computer. I'm intelligent and
resourceful (or perhaps able to play the system) enough to have gone
through a total of almost 19 years of almost continuous education.
Behind the facade of that simple answer, however, lies a complicated
backstage area inhabited by an answer which is rather more
shadowy. The problem is that I don't feel that I have really gor
any "gifts" or "skills" or "talents" that truly stand out in any
kind of definite way or which I feel are hooks onto which I could hang
some baskets (with eggs in, of course). Perhaps I should be happy
that I don't have
that burden to bear or be relieved that I have avoided some kind of
one-dimensionality. But, at times, and recently in particular, it
has begun to prey on my mind that there is really not a single thing
that I
could honestly say that I have a special capacity for or capability to
do.
Are you in the same boat as me?
(if so, I'm quite a reasonable sailor, but not great at it)
Posted by Jon at 1:32:15 AM in Musing (23) | Comments (1)
Friday, November 11, 2005
Comfort Food...(serves one right)
You will need:- an appetite (healthy)
- cold weather or some kind of difficulty in your life (optional)
- a large baking potato (unbaked)
- some mature cheddar cheese (grated)
- a small onion or half a large one (shredded)
- butter (optional)
Part-bake your potato. I'll rephrase that - put ALL of the potato in your oven (you can start it off in the microwave if you wish, but you'll need it to be crispy when finished not soggy and limp). Whilst the potato is baking, mix up about 90% of your grated cheese with your shredded onion. Don't do anything with this just yet - no, I must insist on that. Now, go and do something else for a while. Not for too long, just long enough to pass some time before your potato is almost done. Tidy your room or something.
Okay, here's the tricky bit. Take your potato out of the oven, carefully ensuring that the temperature of the potato in contact with any part of you does not cause any ill-effects. Halve your potato without completely reducing it to two parts. I'll leave it to you as to whether you do it longtitudinally or not. Scoop (you don't need a scoop for this, it's just a good verb to use)... scoop out the potato and blend it with your cheese and onion mix. (At this point, you can also add a little butter for that creamier taste or if your potato needs a bit of softening up). Then scoop it back into the somewhat sad-looking shell of a partially-baked almost-halved potato. Mush it in a bit - you'll need to because what you took out is less than what you are trying to put back in now. Remember, you added cheese and onion didn't you? Okay, now garnish the rest of the cheese on top of the two halves. You did take notice of that bit didn't you? Ok, put the whole thing back in the oven and let it finish off baking the potato and allow it to render the top a little crusty and brown.
Serve with anything, really. Coleslaw is good. Beans are good. Both is probably a bit greedy. But, up to you...this is comfort food after all.
Posted by Jon at 7:35:24 PM in Musing (23) | Comments (1)
A slow and painful...
My pack of rolling tobacco reliably informs me that "Smoking can cause a slow and painful death." Undoubtedly true, but it got me thinking what products should have a similar corollary. That is to say, a warning about a slow and painful life?Some suggestions:
D.I.Y products. Reader's Digest. Boneshaker bicycles. Tortoises with feet prone to blisters. Police cars which escort wide loads.
What else? .
Posted by Jon at 12:37:29 AM in Musing (23) | Comments (2)
Thursday, November 10, 2005
Confession Time
Okay, I admit it. I don't know what I am doing. This is not
something that will come as a surprise to some of the people that know
me, as it seems to be a perspective shared by many on me. But in
the sense of blogging, I confess I don't know what I am doing. I
had this problem the last time I started a blog some five or so years
ago. Surfing around other blogs with their extremes of expression
guided by the Muses Polemic and Minutae, I struggle to find a niche and
wonder what it is that I offer and can say. Nothing new there,
either, but perhaps it's important to really have an idea of what your
blog is about? Perhaps?
It's not that I don't have things to say on various topics and don't
think I can't be even a little bit entertaining at times. It's
just that the vast morasses and masses of the blogging community just
about have it all covered, veneered and varnished. My rational
side counters with "Ah yes, but they are not you and your prespectives
are unique because they are yours", to which my cynical, self-critical
side retorts, "Yes, and you think that makes it worthwhile?".
But then I realised that probably someone else out there in BlogVille,
BlogLand has undoubtedly had the same conversation above, posted about
it on their blog, and now I am no longer worried or burdened by it
because let's face it, it's not worth it. [what a waste of two
paras]. .
On a lighter nots, a comedic situation in Wilkinson's today.
Vic and I both needed to buy glue (me for my aforementioned lost sole -
Joy Division anyone? - he for a broken somethingorother) which resulted
in a conversation about how it looked quite bad that we were both
buying super glue at the same time and that it might raise some
eyebrows. My punchline? Well, of course it had to be..."But
Vic, surely they know that friends stick together".
Anyway, more later perhaps after a quick sojourn to the pub...
Posted by Jon at 9:30:42 PM in Musing (23) | Comments (0)
Trickle-down
A strange perversion of the trickle-down effect seems to be
happening around me. Trickle-down being the principle that
actions at a macro level have knock-on effects through a system at
increasingly finer scales. It's a term usually applied to such
grand things as macroeconomics or to environmental systems.
However, it seems possible that the current large-scale troubles and
upheavals in my life have induced their own particular form of trickle
down to the domestic scale. Perhaps it is payback time but
the fates are all out of dramatic events so it's the mundane stuff for
me.
Note, the sole of para boot coming loose when out walking in the mud -
at the furthest point from home, of course, and naturally when followed
all the way home by other people. You try walking when it feels
like you've got a boot on one foot and a flipper on the other.. in the
mud... with a dog...
Note, suddenly proclivity of the bathroom light "pull" not to work when
pulled in the customary perpendicular fashion - oh no, it has to be at
about 25deg from the vertical and away from you in order to work now
and even then it's hit and miss.
Note, desktop light choosing to flicker every once in a while in
poltergesit-style fashion. Not simply going off. Not simply
flickering. But more like a kind of Swan Lake dying scene
routine... and then several moments later, it is back to life again.
But still, I am sure there are rational explanations for all the
abovc, most likely involving the words "old", "need" and
"replacing". Sounds familiar.
On a brighter note, snooker is going well...
Posted by Jon at 12:26:09 AM in Musing (23) | Comments (0)