#ASinghLife

How not to write a song #ASinghLife
Image

Songwriting 101A

Songwriting 101A: How Not To Write A Song

All is Fair in Love and Songwriting

The above quotation (Norah Jones) just made me smile. I’ve recently started sculpting a song, along with my new singing teacher. The chorus melody as well as some of the words popped into my head while driving one day. Paranoid Me was quick to belt it out and record it on my mobile before it disppeared into the night, never to be heard again, or even be dreamt of.

I’ve tried to write songs before. I would write lyrics but get stuck without a decent melody.

Here are some tried and tested ways that will not help you to write a melody:

1) Bashing Your Head Against A Table.

Try it. Have you? Did you write a melody? That’s what I thought.

Ouch.

how not to write a song #ASinghLife

Continue reading →

deranged piano asinghlife
Status

Deranged Piano

Deranged Piano

It’s nights like these that I wish I’d bothered with music theory so that I could frantically play out all my frustration on the piano until 4am.

Play until my head is pounding,
hands are shaking and my neighbours’ ears
reverberate with the buried afterthoughts of their childhoods. ‪#‎deranged‬

 
My Dear Humans,
Please put down your phone, pay attention, and read this carefully:
Never, ever let the opportunity to learn music, music theory, or anything to do with music, pass you by. I’ve learnt <snort!> the hard way. It’s not pretty, realising at the age of 30 that my true passion lies in something that was presented to me my entire childhood, but I really just didn’t put enough work in, and snubbed it as boring or too difficult. Obviously, that is absolute nonsense. I have a real talent with no polish. Hard days and nights ahead!
 
Don’t let that happen to you.
Please.
Image

If you are a Mouse, be MIGHTY!

If you are a Mouse, be MIGHTY!

 

I believe that each person has infinite capacity.

While speaking with a colleague recently, we discussed some experiences we’d had with companies delivering rather poorly on customer expectations. We mentioned pretty standard activities that companies were simply failing to complete properly, one way or another.

Occurrences like those tend to irritate me quite a lot. I’ve always been highly passionate about customer service, and I believe many businesses simply aren’t focusing in the best place or simply don’t give a damn because they already have your money. Before this turns into a post about customer service, let me finish that thought with this idea: Dear Business, imagine your customer spends their money elsewhere. Imagine it. Now feel it. It’s happening, to you… because of you!

So, our conversation became a little negative and we shared some thoughts around whether people are competent and whether all people are capable of growing into a challenging work position given the opportunity.

It crossed my mind that I don’t tend to give humans enough credit, and it’s been viciously milling around in my mind ever since.

Continue reading →

Plotting your way to health

Plotting your way to health

plotting your way to health

Some of you may know that I’m not a big fan of dogma. I do hope that I’ve made it pretty obvious.

However, this one principle that has been described as dogmatic, I find quite useful when trying to improve in any way whatsoever.

I may not subscribe to such ideas when relating to life philosophy, or maybe even in business, but I do believe it makes sense in this case:

You can’t manage what you don’t measure.

Continue reading →

Micropoetry Episode 2

Micropoetry: Episode 2

A draped haze sits loosely around the shoulders of Madame Moon;
my gaze, trapped by Her eyes: bewilderingly soothing witchcraft magic.
Sail busily through days and miss this treasure?
Pelagic tragedy.

28 Nov 2014

micropoetry

The sizzling, glistening Orb
holds all of our bated life-breath.
In less than a second, threatens
to absorb all the World’s Dreams:
left gliding, mistily evaporating
limp and lifeless.
All your days: less concern for others’ views.
Awaken your Heart, don’t live life on snooze…

30 Nov 2014

micropoetry

Continue reading →

Mind over Matter

Mind over Matter

Today as I write, my motivation is pretty low. I’m not superhuman; and I think we all go there once in a while. Things are not going according to plan with a few aspects of life, and here I am, down in the dumps.

I injured my leg (hip, adductor and surrounds) and hence can do basically no exercise without risking further injury. Having become highly reliant on my daily dose of exercise to build energy and decrease stress levels, this “inability” frustrates me immensely.

Having enjoyed a short chat with a colleague a little while ago, I realised that I truly need to listen to my own advice today – I often tell people that when it comes to eating healthily and exercising, and improving your life in general,

Only you can help you – if you need a hero, it needs to be YOU.

What it really comes down to is is one simple decision: be happy, or be unhappy.

Continue reading →

8 Basic Motions to Challenge Yourself

8 Basic Motions to Challenge Yourself

I marvel at human nature. It’s a strange thing. 😀

Have you noticed how we think that people who excel at sport or fitness-related activities are “heroes” or “superhuman”?

I beg to differ. The average human body, if looked after correctly, was designed to perform at least a specific set of motions without too much strain. You know, back in the day, we didn’t have wheelbarrows or cars or chairs. Sure, sportspersons are extremely dedicated, have bucketloads of talent, and spend practically all their time training and often have specialists training them and looking after their muscles etc. So they will clearly be better than one of us ordinary citizens. However, we must not sell ourselves short. We can do extraordinary things too!

I believe there are basic motions that we really should be able to perform – if we cannot, then it’s a sure sign that intervention is necessary.

I’ve tried to steer away from gym terminology/ jargon and relate these back to daily life as much as possible.

Go through the list and see what you can do! You might just surprise yourself.

If any of these make you feel very uncomfortable, stop immediately.

If you read through the list and wonder how you’re meant to do this, it may be time to have an honest chat with yourself about the state of your health.

Remember: YOU are the only person who can help YOU.

Do you want to be average or awesome? Maybe it’s time for a change!

fitness-motivation-quote-im-here-to-be-awesome.jpg

Continue reading →

You think gymming is tough?

You think gymming is tough?

There seems to be a bit of confusion among us humans. Most people think that exercise is the be-all and end-all of becoming healthy/ healthier.

Now, don’t get me wrong – leading an active life, and making sure you are strong, fit and mobile are all key concerns that any person should prioritise.

BUT in a general sense, it’s really not as complicated as we make it sound.

  • Exercise can occur in other places than a facility that you pay for.
  • Exercise can occur in short bursts of time.
  • Exercise can be incorporated into life’s most basic tasks.

Continue reading →