About Four Non-Sucking Essentials

Post 482:

            Greetings ye magistrates and noblemen. Let’s get on with it. I’m eager to delve. We’re getting into how to create greatness, or at least something that doesn’t suck.

            Oh the time I’ve spent ruminating these many years.

            Step one. Make sure you’re crazy. Now… go easy. I don’t mean full-blown, barking at the silvery moon, but close. Ish-sane is a good word for it. We’re tongue and cheek here humans, but stay with. You are trying to make something be that hasn’t been. Excluding procreation, this is not a normal act. Addendum: We’re not saying that artists and creators are heroes or special. Those titles are reserved for actual heroes and people that are special. Just… Ish-sane: Yeah, I don’t like labels either, but maybe it’s time to take a good hard look. Join the club.

            Step two. Only listen to good advice. What’s good advice? Well, if it’s coming from me, break out the old stamp of approval. I am a writer and musician, after all, non-union and everything. On the real though… this one, a person has to do all on their own. According to a statistician that I just made up, 78% of life is figuring out who is not full of shiz at any given moment.

            Step three. Whatever you’re working on, really try to finish it. Only then will you know if it’s worth something. If you’re recording tracks for an album or writing a book, etc.,  there’s going to be doubts—this part is serious, actually, and can be a paralytic. (Breathe) Just get through it. Something almost done or half-done is not much of anything. If I see a half built fence I at best acknowledge that it exists and walk around, checking Twitter in order to feed my automaton brain. Seriously—give me a finished fence that I can throw crap at or extol for its beauty and brilliance. Other people like throwing crap and extolling too. Don’t deny them.

            Step four: Tentatively decide what matters. If you’re doing your “thing” to obtain mansions and be recognized as a Captain Sagacious, that’s cool. I ain’t judging. Others… simply want to do the best work they can and test the limits of the abilities they were given. This sounds noble. Whatever your reasons, have some, and carry them around in your pocket until they change and you become someone with different reasons. I know that after making five or six records and publishing three books, I’m only in it for the adulation and the dollar bills. Oh… and of course—the hotties.

            That’s it. Technically, there’s a fifth step, but it involves esoteric breathing exercises. We’ll get into that later. Cheers and see you after.