All Star Thursday at the Listening Room

It's All Star Thursday at Henry Turner Jr's Listening Room, where I'm sitting at a table as Kelton Nspire raps about "Mayonnaise Sandwiches" and the need for spiritual renewal, gratitude and personal responsibility in a harsh world.  We're celebrating Marcia Groff's birthday, Marcia being Henry's long time publicist and general right hand woman.  This is my regular gig playing my own songs accompanied by my own backup tracks.  It's a bit surreal playing to the same small group of people, mostly Henry's other "All Stars" and helpers, week after week. The show is live streamed on Henry's Facebook page but very few people watch it. I've been doing these 30 minute sets here for, what, 3 or 4 years? I'm not sure but at least that long. It's been difficult to stay motivated although I know it's worth my effort.  I've gotten a lot of practice performing my original songs which has helped me to improve. I usually video my set on my smartphone and review it afterwards. I put my best recordings on my social media pages and YouTube channel for friends to enjoy. I'll continue to do this now. If I stopped, I'm sure I would succumb to apathy. The Muse would not be happy with me. But I have to work at maintaining my interest and effort.

Leaves are definitely falling

Leaves are definitely falling/

falling all around my head.

Dressed in all their special colors/

 yellow orange green and red.

Sweep them up and even more come down/

faster than the words that I just said. 

Leaves are definitely falling/ pretty soon we'll all be dead!

That's a nonsense song I made up in my head yesterday while working outside removing leaves and vegetative matter from the steps and brick walkways around our house. The first line was a spontaneous thought, quickly followed by "falling all around my head."  I even made up a happy tune to go with the lyrics, almost all in the span of a minute or two. The lines about colors took a bit longer but not much. I find the silly song amusing like others that have come to me over the years. 

I had one of those dreams this morning after going back to sleep around 5am. It involved being at our old house in Athens which was in a state of chaos and disarray. It was my responsibility to sort it out causing me to feel anxious and overwhelmed. As always, I was relieved to awaken and realize things are OK in my life.