I'm so hard to handle
I'm selfish and I'm sad
Now I've gone and lost the best baby
That I ever had
I wish I had a river I could skate away on
Oh, I wish I had a river so long
I would teach my feet to fly
I wish I had a river
I could skate away on
I made my baby say goodbye
It's coming on Christmas
They're cutting down trees
They're putting up reindeer
And singing songs of joy and peace
I wish I had a river I could skate away on
(excerpt from 'River') Copyright © 1970; Joni Mitchell
Painting is called 'Skaters' also by Joni Mitchell 1994
I just thought I'd send out that rather reflective Joni Mitchell song on this blog ("I make really sad Christmas songs"). I've been trying to learn how to play it on the piano for ages and I can just about do the simple chords. I feel as if I haven't openly quoted Joni enough in these blogs. She is a songwriting genius. Frank, beautiful, a voice that can shatter a heartache and also a painter. I am attracted to people who aren't afraid to take risks with their art, their feelings at the risk of their popularity. What's important to them is the truth.
Anyway, it was at the works Christmas party on Friday when Lee Paddock (whose job title has 'Chief' in it. I've always liked that word, especially when used by streetkids for some reason) asked me to name 3 good things this year and 1 bad thing that has happened to me this year.
Christmas is often the time for reflection over the past year and on the moments spur, over our Thai Christmas Meal (a Metrosafety tradition it seems) I came up with these:
(I would like, all ye you read this, to quickly whack me off a response along the same lines, and you don't have to be as verbose as I have been.)
Three Good Things
1) I became an Exhibited Artist - something that in all my days I have never thought I'd have the guts to do.
2) My blind spot which was diagnosed earlier this year (bottom left corner), is actually due to scarring from the AVM bleed 24 years ago, and not an indication of anything that is about to happen. That was confirmed by in April. By the end of April, I joined The Everest Test as a Trektator.
3) I have met an incredible bunch of people who, over the past year, through some quite testing moments, I am really proud to call my friends. Hopefully friendships that will go beyond April (David Thomson, who sat opposite, said, "Yes, I can see that, and I'm quite jealous of that aspect of it, I'd really like to go up with you, if only just for that. You're very lucky."
One Bad
1) I have realised I've wasted an incredible amount of time procrastinating, that I can actually do things that aren't within my means. Not just this year, but I realised it this year and I've begun to take a deep breath and leap. I regret not doing things. It's worse than regretting the things I've done. I wouldn't change a thing that I have. Well, almost. It's taken me 36 years to learn that.
Anything is possible, you just have to allow yourself to make it happen.
Merry Christmas everybody. I hope you have a great one.
2 comments:
Hmm, okay, here goes...
Three good things:
1) I became an Uncle for the first time!
2) I joined The Everest Test, the most challenging and exciting thing I have ever been a part off, and met some great people.
3) I became fitter than I have ever been as a result of 2) and have completed an off-road duathlon and a half marathon (amongst others)
One bad thing...
It is strangely difficult to think of something.
Here goes - the cost of Guitar Hero World Tour was NOT reduced after Xmas. Gutted.
phloie
Yes it is strangely difficult to think of 1 bad thing. I had trouble when I was first asked. I initially said that it'll no longer be the year of ZOOB as 2008 does look like ZOOB when written down. I had also thought of other things but nothing was really significant. I think whatever bad things that have happened to us, unless they were significantly life-changing to us, the passage of time does soothe for us.
But thankyou for being the first to respond to my blog!
Post a Comment