Currently I’m in the process of updating my editing software. My old computer’s hard drive died last week and I’ve found myself without the ability to “dance” with my images. I should be up and running with photographs soon though, possibly sometime next week.
In the mean time, I’ve been exploring myself within the context of music. I am a music fan. Most people are. I’ve never met a person who didn’t love music of some form. Music is the universal language of emotion, passion, creativity, and freedom. I’ve heard time and time again that in order to become a better artist that sometimes one must cross into an area that they do not necessarily excel in. Much like with exercise, cross-training advances you in the endeavor of your preferred sport by helping to make you a more rounded athlete. So it is with art. I started as a writer, mostly a memoirist, and then I crossed over into photography. My focus the past couple of years has been mainly photography which has pushed my writing to a far away back seat. I struggle to write, as of late. That muscle seems to have atrophied. Not really what I wanted to happen. One of the areas I’ve always wanted to try is songwriting. I’ve always been amazed at this ability, feeling as though there was no hope for me to be able to write a story from beginning to end within three minutes. I don’t even know the basic foundational set up of a song. Does it need to rhyme? Make sense?
I’m such a detail oriented person, I feel like I need to say a lot to say a little. That is a problem. I need to say a little to say a lot. Oh the fine art of it all. I am a fan of great songwriting. I am amazed by the very process of words put to music put to voice. I’ve never delved into this area because of being intimidated by my lack of knowledge and understanding. I’ve also been avoiding the challenge due to just not being talented or gifted enough with the ability. Like sometimes you think, you must flow in a thing to be good at it. I forget that practice is a very major predictor of greatness. I have a dear friend who is a songwriter. It’s her thing. I’ve always been respectful of her thing. She is good at it and has been doing it for years and years. She’s a musician and a teacher of music here in our community. She and her husband have recently started an event called Collision Night. Singers and songwriters come together every Tuesday night to share new music and take part in songwriting challenges. Somewhere in my brain, “that’s her thing.” I sort of get caught in that. But last night I went and found such inspiration to write again. I was amazed at the local talent involved and the sheer number of participants, 29 to be exact. And what was really interesting was the demographic. Mostly teens, but also some local adult musicians who play out with their band.
I decided to participate in the songwriting challenge where each person/team/band is given a theme to write about, the time limit is 10 minutes. My theme was: What are you waiting for about living life now. I laughed when I got this challenge which was chosen by a blind number pick. How appropriate for me.
Anyway, I’ve never written a song before…I think my words are more poetic than song, but anything can be put into a song. I had to go onstage and share it, and because it was my first time I got to sign the stage. It was a very encouraging night and everyone there was open to share and be vulnerable. It is a great environment to explore yourself in. So I wanna say thanks to my dear friends Gina and Lonnie for being great mentors to a host of creative, passionate, and hungry musicians.
Here is my first “song”…
“Praying for a change but the evening grows dim.
Praying away a life that always seems too grim.
‘Cause fear is a like a thief, and a thief wants all the gold.
Ya gotta live this life before you get too old.
Normal is a virus that screams satisfy.
The comfort zone of easy is like a simple lie.
Nothing comes from sitting, except a numbing mellow way–
Break from the middle–break it, bend the wave.” ~Cindy Knull
Collision Night is every Tuesday evening. Visit the link for more info.
by Cindy
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