Getting Out of the Funk and Into the Rock

I once read somewhere that to be a good writer, no matter what form, you need to read a lot and to write even more. Having my focus on writing lyrics, I've also added into the equation listening to a lot of music. In my quest to keep writing and become a better a songwriter I've done quite a bit of the following:

1. I got myself a library card and have been going book crazy. According to my Books on Facebook application (Yeah, it's bad, I'm even keeping track.) I've read 7 books since September 1st and many more over the course of the summer. I read during breaks at work, I read when I get home, I read in waiting rooms, I read on my days off, and whenever I feel I have nothing better to do. (Which is quite often.)

I'm a little proud of this development, there could be worse things to be addicted to, T.v. or drugs for example. I enjoy reading, it passes time and I'm doing it to improve myself. But I can't help but feel a little pathetic at times knowing there are other things I could be doing. We'll get to one of the most important things I could be doing later.

2. I love music, there is no denying that. Lately, I've been on a new music listening frenzy that is only rivaled by my book reading kick. Many of my favorite bands, and some that I just enjoy in general, have been coming out with new music in the past couple of months and I've been eating it up, hence my earlier posts, "Burn Burn" Burning Up The Car Stereo, Those Are Some "Sick Puppies", as well as posts about Green Day, Hinder, and Three Days Grace. Not to mention dropped albums I haven't mentioned like Paramore, Breaking Benjamin and Thousand Foot Krutch.

It goes on and on my friends. And I can't help it. As Three Days Grace would put it, "At night I feel like a vampire, it's not right, but I just can't give it up." It's great hearing new music because for me it's a little bit of inspiration, which leads to the determination to make something better of what I create.

But lately it's only lead to quite a bit of frustration, too much procrastination, along with unhealthy doses of constipation. Not the kind you're thinking of, more lyrical constipation, constipation of the brain. Which leads me to the one thing I haven't been doing much of at all when it comes to the steps to improving my songwriting chops.

Writing!

The most important aspect of this whole process has been totally neglected and I haven't done anything about it. I rarely put pen to paper or even fingers to keyboard. The pages have been blank and frankly I haven't known what to do to remedy it. Even this blog has seen posts that are way too far and few between. My guitar has been collecting dust in it's lonely corner, the area I like to refer to as the musical black hole of my new apartment.

Am I putting too much pressure on myself to perform? Probably. Am I not going with the flow like I always used to and just letting ideas comes as they come while making sure to jot them down and not take things for granted? Most definitely. Am I full of excuse after excuse why I can't get things done? Absolutely! But is there a light at the end of the tunnel? Yes, there is. It comes in the form of a chorus that leaked out of my brain two days ago.


Once the ball is rolling, who knows where it's going to end up. Keep it rockin', I will!

Weather Matching My Writing State of Mind

We've been spoiled. By the weather that is. It's been a big change moving from the frigid Maine winter climate to the cold, windy, yet mostly snowless Kansas winter. With the random 70˚ days and the bare grass it's been weird. It's been messing with my head as I've mentioned in previous posts "The Weather! Honestly!" and "The Weather! Honestly! Continued".

As spring hit, I was convinced that any trace of winter weather was behind us, until today that is. We didn't get the snow that was forecast but it's been raining and sleeting since last night making one hell of a mess. And you know what, it doesn't really bother me because it's very fitting. It might as well be all frozen up outside because that's how my head has felt for weeks now.

Instead of the ice encased tree I pictured that resides not too far from my front door, I can picture my brain coated with a thick layer of frozen water that just won't thaw and let and my ideas take shape. I haven't been able to concentrate, to put good strings of words together, or even get satisfied with even the simplest of guitar riffs or chord progressions.

I'd have to say that Word Box Wednesday has been doing a little good. It's gotten me to think about words in a different way like it's supposed to. But overall, any ideas that have comes have faltered and left me unsatisfied and frustrated.

Am I putting too much pressure on myself? Probably. Am I being too critical? Most likely. Do I have way too much time on my hands to think about everything going on, music related or not? Definitely!

I don't like to complain, I just like to be realistic and I'm trying to understand this funk that I haven't been able to get myself out of. I know I have it in me. It's time to find it. As the crap outside starts to thaw out hopefully I can get my brain to do the same.

All I want to do is rock.