Ellie Mae

Ellie Mae
Beautiful Ellie Mae

Freddie, the French Bulldog

Freddie, the French Bulldog
Lazing on a sunny afternoon

The artist

The artist
Ollie Mac

Ollie and Annie

Ollie and Annie
Azorean grandmother

Acrylics and watercolors

Acrylics and watercolors
Cannabis and sunflowers

Papa and Ollie Mac

Papa and Ollie Mac
Priorities, Baby

Acrylics and watercolors

Acrylics and watercolors
Hollyhocks

Mahlon Masling Blue

Mahlon Masling Blue
My friend and brother.

Mark's E-mail address

bellspringsmark@gmail.com

Monday, July 25, 2016

In Good Company

In Good Company

Normal: ordinary, regular, typical, standard, conventional, run-of-the-mill, average, commonplace, routine…

I’m searching through this list of adjectives for one that describes me, but I am having no luck. After all, what is “normal,” besides a setting on a washing machine? What defines normal? Are actions performed when there is no one else in the arena, evaluated the same as when you do something in front of others?

Take dancing, for one. I see the posts on social media that go like this, “Dance as though there is no one watching,” or “Dance like toddlers; they don’t even need music.” It would seem that others share my affinity for kicking up the old heels, and letting it all hang out, as we used to say…a long time ago.

I do go through life these days plugged in. I listen to contemporary pop, I listen to reggae, I listen to just about anything that has a quick pace and a lively beat. I need everything going my way if I am to have the best shot at getting any work done.

As I made my way through two solid months of soil-prep back in March and April, that is working with a pitchfork, the music was fuel for my soul. It’s hard to dance while turning soil, but it’s not hard to get yourself motivated to make steady progress.
Ear cushions long gone, electrical tape in abundance...do I care?
What seems like an endless task is made more palatable if there is endless music, especially if one has a good sound system. I invested my life’s savings back in 2011, prior to going to Ireland, to buy a set of quality headphones, and have gotten my two hundred dollars’ worth, ten times over.

The ear cushions are long gone and I have had to use electrical tape to keep the exposed wire covered up, but the quality is stellar.

So the question is, when I walk Dozer early in the morning, and I am listening to the song “Karate” by the band, Kennedy, and I am gyrating to the beat of the music, is that normal? Others obviously “do it.”

Does it become abnormal, if there is someone to observe my actions? Is it a case of, “Oh, don’t worry. He’s harmless-just likes to get involved in his music…?” I guess there are worse classifications than “harmless.”

Is it normal that I arise every morning-after no more than four hours of sleep-and ponder the universe from my own personal tilt-a-whirl? I drink one cup of coffee, wait a couple of hours, and then have another. I limit my intake of the “black death” to three cups, or maybe four on a particularly tumultuous day.

I listen to my music, I write letters, I pour over my photography, I write about the Giants, I post on my blog and I visit face/book and connect with some my many social media friends. No one else is around and Annie says she never hears a sound that I may make.
I took a pic of the sky...and found this.

When “Kelly” by Van She came on a little while ago, I drifted outside onto the front deck, reveling in the cool seventies-plus temperature that will soar into the nineties later on. Once the front door was closed, I turned up the volume on my headphones to almost the maximum, for just the one song.

Interestingly enough, with this particular song, there are several versions, none of which has a whole lot of personal interest, until we get to the “cut copy, remix” version, and then I go into a quasi-trance…when I am alone. There is something about the term, "cut copy remix" that intrigues me. Maybe that's what I need: a remix!

I press the two speakers against my ears and allow the music to cascade over me like white water on the Colorado River. It’s free, it’s cathartic and it’s harmless. 

But is it normal?

My father used to have an expression that seems to apply. He’d say, “Do whatever blows air up your skirt.”

The Divine Bette Midler had an even better one, “Fuck ‘em if they can’t take a joke.”


The Divine Miss M on my left and me own father on the right? I’m in good company, even if I am by myself.

7 comments:

  1. I'm with you! Music gets me through my day for sure! Plugged in when I am running, over my little speaker when I am in my car or at work. Helps make my day more enjoyable for sure!

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    1. As a musician, you are an inspiration to me!

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  2. I agree with you Mark. Music helps get me through the day, and if I don't have music, I have an audiobook.
    Either way, I am plugged in and let the sounds take me away.
    This is my normal, as in "it works for me".

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  3. So, I am the odd ball here as I often prefer silence to any kind of noise, including music or audio books. The slightest noise will grate on me at times. There are times when I welcome music. If I am driving up to Bell Springs, having an enjoyable playlist is important but it will usually be of a quieter nature. Sometimes on an early morning long bike ride, I will plug headphones in and listen to some rousing something but on my daily walks? Silence is my music of choice. When hanging around the house? If I am trying to get serious housework done, then a rousing playlist is often helpful. The rest of the time? Silence is my friend. Well, if you don't count the conversations in my head.....
    Am I normal? Sure. Just normal in my own way.

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