It was the best of times, it was the blurst of times
(I've been re-watching some classic 90's Simpsons episodes recently so this scene popped into my head as soon as I had settled on a subject for today's article...I feel ya monkey!)
The first three months of this year have passed so quickly! I never really meant for there to be such gaps between the publication of articles, but it's been a busy few months. There's a lot of turbulence and layoffs in the tech world right now, and therefore, there has been a lot going on at work that has drawn my attention. I was also pretty focused on studying for my CompTIA Security+ certification exam (which I am very happy to report that I passed!) so I haven't had time to dedicate to sitting down and organizing my thoughts into words on a page.
I've been making notes lately about what topics I want to write articles about. I've also been thinking about just how hard it is to get started. Not in a motivational sense, but to actually put your thoughts and feelings on a subject into coherent sentences and having it all making sense. I guess I am just out of practise. Back when I was in primary school, I loved to write stories. I had a spare notebook (many, in fact) that I used to fill with short stories, and thinking back on it, I was generally much more in touch with my creative side then. These stories were just something I used to do for fun. I used to look forward to actual creative writing assignments at school because when we were given free rein to write some fiction or an essay, I used to write so easily and freely without any inhibition.
Anecdotally, I can somewhat recall one story that I wrote on the prompt, "What I would do if I won the lottery?" -- and I proceeded to describe, in great detail (and many pages), the wildlife reservation that I would build and an exhaustive list of every kind of animal I would put in it (then, like now, I was pretty enthralled with the natural world). I was asked to read my essay in front of the class. Considering it ran quite long, I can assume my classmates were only too happy to listen since it meant deferring whatever lesson was next on our agenda!
In the present day, the majority of my writing has to be quite structured and technical: emails with step-by-step instructions to users of the software products that I support, evidential reports to software engineers about potential defects, and knowledge base articles for colleagues. I don't get much opportunity to flex my creative mind or write for fun. I am hoping, as I keep writing more articles, that I'll also be able to rekindle that sense of enjoyment I once had from writing and maybe exercise that creative muscle again.
I've always thought of these articles as a way to keep bringing me back to the website, so that I can continue to improve my web development skills, keep sharing music, and just write about things that I am interested in. I feel I express myself better via writing than I do vocally, so it will probably help me practice articulating my thoughts and feelings more coherently. Another positive is that it may give anyone who reads these words a little more insight into who I am as a person, because, admittedly, I'm probably hard to read sometimes. With some practice, I'll have plenty to write about, and then you'll never shut me up!
La Música
Please note: All song links shared below will bring you to Spotify. You'll need to create an account to listen.
Nina Simone - To Love Somebody
This is just an amazing song that I've been listening to a lot recently! It's a beautiful arrangement, and I just love the buildup to the chorus. Nina Simone has such a unique voice. We watched the documentary "What Happened, Miss Simone?" recently, and I was never really aware that she had such a tough story behind her music and her success.
Lloyd Price - Just Because
Beautifully paced, with great vocals and some well-timed saxophone, this Lloyd Price song has been on repeat!
Maurice & Mac - You Left The Water Running
Listening to the lyrics again, this is clearly a break-up song. But it's just way too happy and funky to believe he's all that cut up about it! I like the metaphor used to compare crying and leaving the water running.
Solomon Burke - Let Me Wrap My Arms Around You
Solomon Burke - Cry To Me
Solomon Burke is the man! I love both of these songs; they are just really well put together! "Let me wrap my arms around you" has some fantastic little instrumental elements and a great beat. Amazing, powerful vocals on "Cry to Me".
The Band - When I Paint My Masterpiece
I listen to a lot of The Band's music, but I had never heard this song before. It plays as the opening music to the Seth Rogan movie "Observe and Report", which is where I heard it for the first time. New music can come from unlikely sources!
Kevin Coyne - House On The Hill
I recently discovered the music of Kevin Coyne, and I really like him. He worked as a social worker while trying to make it in music, and he writes a lot about the marginalized in society. This song has a pretty sad tone, but I think it's beautiful.