Showing posts with label SAD. Show all posts
Showing posts with label SAD. Show all posts

Friday 24 July 2020

A Box of Pearls and Earth, Wind and Fire


Yesterday I put my contact lens in and one popped out onto the floor. I spent an age to no avail looking for it. I then looked at something and realised that the vision in the eye where I thought I'd lost the lens was fine, the lens obviously hadn't dropped out although I thought it had.

Today is very grey and quiet and I feel I am getting hit with SAD but that will pass , though it does make me worry for people who feel like this all the time. I am glad that the first link that came up was an NHS one rather than Wikipedia.

Anyway to the point of the post, since my return to listening CDs I have been working my way through various box set and yesterday I finished Janis Joplin's (with Big Brother & The Holding Company) set "Box of Pearls" which is 5CDs but are quite short , from 20 minutes for the five song rarities to sixty minutes for the "Kozmic Blues" album. All high quality blues and soul with some extras. Some of the brass arrangements are really good , and Janis' voice , is well , you know what it is. we will use "Piece of My Heart" as the song for this post , but there could have been so many more.

The next box was "The Eternal Dance" by Earth, Wind and Fire , which is , like the "Box of Pearls" , a beautiful Sony Legacy box set , and while Earth, Wind and Fire are great musicians and very impressive on stage, most of the music is bland faceless soul in my book , with the odd decent song , but the live cuts get an amazing response. It may be a while before I hit this three disc set again, but for fans it should be a must have.

Today I dug out "Irish Ways" by Ron Kavana , and this is the first time I have listened to this , and it is an eductional history of Ireland with dialogue , song , poetry and music, almost a five hour documentary to listen to while I work. I would highly recommend it to anyone if you have the time to take it all in. I discovered a hell of a lot I didn't know about Ireland.

I still have many boxes to go through so expect more similar posts while I am working from home.

Tuesday 6 November 2018

Fadely Grayley


Well today is another totally grey day, there's fog on the Tyne and the sky is just a uniform singularity of non colour. There's moisture in the air and thi sis the sort of day where SAD kicks in and there seems to be nothing to inspire you. You don't want t walk, because that's all you are doing, it's unlikely that you will see anything worth taking a picture or video of, and the weather seems to vreate that uniform winter silence.

CHAT Trust Phoenix
I did submit an image of the CHAT Trust Phoenix to MyTownPhotography  just because of the general positive vibes it creats in everyone, although taking a photo today would not have been good, so I'll include an earlier one to your right.

I've also got my House of Love / Thousand Yard Stare ticket so tomorrow night will be the first time that I have been to a gig at the Boiler Shop in Newcastle.

Yesterday I did manage my first #cookamealinaminute video which you can see here. It's for Jack Monroe's Chickpea and Peach Curry which will appear in her next book I believe.

I'm not sure which song to share with you, I was thinking something by Pearls Before Swine but couldn't find the song I wanted so we will go with "Grey Day" by Madness., which suits the weather.

Wednesday 21 March 2018

Complete Demotivation


On Monday, after a great weekend I really couldn't motivate myself to do anything. I don't know if it was the overcast weather and the fact that the footpaths were iced up, but I couldn't even be bothered to walk very far and so caught the bus home and into work (not in that order obviously).

Work is fairly pressured but it's the work that is causing the pressure and normally that is a great motivatorm but not on Monday. Of course the other factor was that it was Monday and combine that with potential SAD then you have a fairly toxic situation. I got home and couldn't be bothered cooking or even getting a takeaway so made a tomato sandwich, swithced on the TV feeling really drained and tired, watched fifteen minutes of The Simpsons then went to bed .... and slept all teh way through to six o' clock Tuesday morning.

The weather is still grey skies and not great but after a busy day yesterday dealing with some exasperating people I have come up with a solution to part of a project at work which I expect to get completed today.

The thing is that how I felt on Monday must be a small part of how people suffering from Depression feel all the  time magnified God knows how many times with lots of additional dark feelings. I am lucky, on Monday I knew that I would feel better soon. If you suffer from Depression you do not have that luxury.

Anyway it is now Wednesday and yesterday I was listening to "Ritual De Lo Habitual" by Jane's Addiction and thought it was a time to listen to a different band, which contains among others the brilliant "Been Caught Stealin'".

I decided to choose Pink Floyd's "Atom Heart Mother" which was co composed with Scottish eccentric avant garde composer Ron Geesin. It features some amazing melodic brass, and this giveds me an excuse to share this wonderful live cover at Théâtre du Chatelet somewhere in France. I'm not certain but I think Ron Geesin is on keyboards on this. It is is nearly half an hour and is and uplifting and exhilarating piece and maybe contributed to my good mood yesterday.

It is Wednesday  so enjoy yourself everyone.

Saturday 6 January 2018

Twelfth Night


Today is the date of the Epiphany or revelation of Jesus to the Magi according to the Bible , which has gone through so many rewrites we can't be sure any of the original text is still in there and the first one was probably compiled about half a millenium after the supposed event.

It's also the date of the twefth nigh (isn't twelfth an odd looking and sounding word) t of Christmas so decorations and Christmas Trees should be deconstructed and put away or thrown out to bring life back to normal.

Today we have so far seen rain and hail and the sky is still very grey and it's total SAD weather.

I do apologise for the lack of content in my posts, as I've not seen or done anything worth writing about apart from walking, but I haven't been able to take any photographs for instagram , if you follow the link you see the last few have not been that good, but I am still walking and still exploring my record collection. To take decent photographs you do need decent light to take the and the curent weather is definitely not conducive to that, but hopefully I should be back on track within the next week. One has to stay p[ostive and as I am looking out of the window there is a little bit of unclouded sky, almost blue.

I found this great Saturday Night Live clip which is appropriate for the occasion, so I will leave you to pack up your decorations and enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Thursday 4 January 2018

Early To Bed


I thought that the older you got the less sleep you needed. I've never gone for afternoon naps but this week I am enjoying going to bed relatively early after watching some catch up TV, and ending up in bed between nine and ten. That will happen tonight, and it's quarter to nine as i start to pen this particular post.

I have to admit work has been particularly intensive (mainly due to Excel 2016 being particularly tedious and lost of new projects coming up)  and maybe that has something to do with it. It's been another grey and uninspiring day weather wise, the sun didn't come out at all today. Despite that I've still managed to hit my step target so that's a little positive news for me anyhow.

Tomorrow is Friday and we can look forward to the weekend, it's also Fiona's birthday on Saturday so we shall be having something celebratory then, so definitely a weekend to look forward to.

As I said this is just a very short post mainly about me going to bed early every night so far in 2018. For some reason "The Sun Has Got His Hat On" came to mind and I found this version remixed by DJ Electro Swingable with the offensive word removed. I don't know if you can buy it but the are several takes on the song here

Right I'm off to bed, see you tomorrow.

Tuesday 26 December 2017

Ice,Ice Baby


I was out for a walk about 6pm tonight and noticed my neighbours and others cars seemeingly iced up. I checked the windscreen of one to make sure it wasn't just condensation, and it was definitiely ice. It has been cold today and is obviously getting much colder. I'm not sure what walking into work is going to be like tomorrow, but I am not looking forward to have to walk on iced footpaths while dealing with cold wind.

At least it's not raining or snowing yet, but who knows what might happen. It has been grey and this sort of weather does bring out the SAD in me, sapping positivity and good feeling. I don't know why but it just does, although I won't let it get me down, and writing about it is one of the ways I actually deal with it.

Anyway the main aim of the break has been to relax, and that is what I have done. Actually I wish I was off for another week, but I know I need to do something that gets me out of the house, and work is a good way of achieving this. I am sure that the werther will improve, and I know the days are getting longer, so there is that to look forward to and that will help kindle the positivity in me.

I've included a short fascinating National Geographic documentary about ice instruments, including some familiar songs , but not "Ice,Ice Baby". Enjoy it , it's very interesting.

Tuesday 10 October 2017

Dark Mornings

I always try to be positive, but can't get away from the relentlessness of nature, this time the fact that as summer fades it's darker and colder in the morning. The good thing is that the light usually eventually comes but it brings with it more instances of the aptly named TLA, SAD. My only worry about this is that it may affect my target to keep up my rolling three month million steps following completing the Million Step Challenge, which I have to thank Fiona for getting me into (with first the 15K challenge then pointing out the Million Step Challenge) as it has improved my diabetic situation no end, so even for that one fact it is essential that I keep doing it.

As I have said I don't do regimented stuff, but walking gives me the opportunity to dynamilcally change what I do while still benefitting from actually doing the exercise to benfit myself however slightly. The problem is if it's dark , cold , windy and raining it might get a bit difficult, although since I started this I have only had one day where I have walked less than 3K. Apparently the average person walks about 5K steps a day , so that means a lot of people do a lot less than that as I do 11-12K a day, and a friends of mine over the last year has been averaging 30K a day (my most ever is about 24K).

As I've said before I cannot recommend Pacer highly enough to track my steps, which since I installed it has not had any problems.

Anyway tonight I am going to see Nadine Shah at The Sage, am tempted by a Cure tribute (Liquer) at The Doll at The Black Bull on Thursday and am going to see Nick Helm at The Stand on Saturday courtesy of my great friend Jon Raine.

It's still dark, but time to set off for work, so will leave you with "Seven and Seven Is" by Love, a raucous slice of garage punk (maybe not what you would expect from Love) which just came on the 6Music now, and I thought I know that that song , but what the hell is it. Now I know.

Friday 3 February 2017

SAD and Bittan and Karma Kitchen


The title includes neither spelling mistakes or bad grammar ..... read on ...... dot dot dot


Yesterday I got hit by SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) which is defined as a type of depression. While I felt down I do not suffer from depression, and I knew what the cause of it was. Grey weather, low light, being unable to motivate myself at work, and even going out at lunchtime I couldn't raise my spirits. It's just like a total big nothing. I still managed to do my job and chat with people agreeing that the weather was awful. Rain or snow would have been preferable because they provide something away from the norm, but no it was almost warm and totally featureless. If it was magnified a million times and permanent I imagine that would be real depression and I am so lucky I don't have it because I always find something to look forward to.

Firstly a friend had recommended Karma Kitchen Vegan Indian who actually do deliveries. Follow the link to see their menu. I asked if they could knock together a Bombay Aloo and they said yes, and the delivery would be £2.50 for a delivery under £20. I ordered a chick pea curry and waited.....

..it came m, with a double portion of Bombay Aloo, and basically it was gorgeous. The lady was lovely , delivered quickly and my first meal from them was absolutely excellent. It was very filling, so I couldn't finish it, but I will definitely be ordering from them again and recommending them. They have a Facebook page here.

I'm just reading Bruce Springsteen's "Born To Run" and he mentions the importance of Roy Bittan's piano contributions to his songs. The number of notes that pour from his fingers and the incredible melodies they weave are on a par with Mozart's "Overture to The Marriage of Figaro" (the Emperor's reaction is absurd as you can see in this clip from the film Amadeus)


..so when I got home I stuck on the DVD of Bruce Springsteen at The Hammersmith Odeon in 1975 (it's on the Born to Run 30th Anniversary edition here), loud which opens with "Thunder Road" which is basically Roy Bittan and Bruce as a precursor to the band coming on for their first gig outside the USA. This is what was watching while I waited for my Karma Kitchen curry, and when it cam I enjoyed watching the rest of the gig. It features the song "Rosalita" which is the song that got be into Springsteen, but I suggest you listen to Springsteen's early albums to listen to Bittan's amazing work (check out this box).

Here's the thing , music does lift my spirits and my friends who suffer form depression are all music lovers. So here's a live version of Rosalita from the late 70's , there's about two chords, it goes on for ten minutes and it could go on all night for me.

It's Friday, It's the weekend, Enjoy



Sunday 15 November 2015

Don't Be Sad Be Happy - ONE - #49 - 2005 - Jem - They


Hello , hope your Sunday is going well , though its just coming up to 9 am here. The weather is very grey , not raining but it has been. I want to do something positive today , something just to make me feel good. This is my 999th post on this blog , the next one will be the thousandth, and the music choice will be limited by the year , and it would be nice to have something positive to report.

It is too easy to fall into lethargy and to look for things to complain about, but there is so much to actually do and discover I don't one to be in that position , however the current weather is one that brings on the seasonal affective disorder (SAD) also known as Winter Depression , and I know if the sun were shining I would feel differently , so I am going to look for sunshine in one form or another and if you feel a little down then do the same . Even going for a walk can help , phone or meet a friend , talking to people is great fun too.

Anyway I will post the thousand the post this evening rather than rush it tomorrow morning. The song will be from 2006 , that is the only certainty.

Homer Did It First
In the musical Odyssey we have reached year 49. The choices have been fairly arbitrary , apart from the fact that every song on the journey is one that I love and They by Jem is no different almost ghostly in it's sound , sounding at first quite normal but with an unknown edge of menace . I don't know if that's what she meant but nearly ten years on it has lost not of it's pull for me.


Have a brilliant Sunday and do something to make you smile. I definitely will do and will be thinking of you , all my friends spread across Australia , New Zealand , Italy , Africa, the USA , Brazil , and of course UK.

Sunday 14 September 2014

Thunderstruck By Bagpipes... another installment Fighting With My Left Hand

Its's been a SAD day, that's SAD as in Seasonal Affected Disorder, as you know I seldom let life get me down, but today's weather has been mostly grey skies and not exactly warm, just one of those days where things don't really inspire you to get up and go.

This week I have two hospital visits, the first of which I'm not looking forward to because it will cause discomfort (and related to the cirrhosis diagnosis a couple of weeks back) , the second will be fine because it's the end of an observational period on my liver that has included two biopsies, but the consultant and nurses I've had looking out for me have been brilliant. I love the NHS.



The same consultant, because he is so good , spotted that I may have nerve damage in my left arm that resulted in the op and that seems to have majorly improved my control and strength in my left arm. I'd set my sights on learning to play AC/DC's "Thunderstruck" until I checked out the tab and found that's it's all played on the second ('B') string m so after ten minutes I'd made a decent stab at that on acoustic guitar (with a lot of buzzes and clicks) , so I need something a little more challenging, though I still think the Red Hot Chilli Pipers version on bagpipes is well impressive.



Uneasy Listening
Then I found a friend who with her husband has gone through traumatic times recently, but her little girl has started school , he husband's band (Omnihility)have released a new album and she is going for a dream job so lot's of positivity there which is brilliant.

I've done lots of walking about today, so have got some exercise, and actually had an enjoyable day.

U2 and iTunes gave us their new album whether you wanted it or not and it's playing at the moment and is fine, if just another U2 album, but really it's just a marketing exercise.

I've got another three weeks before a holiday in Ampleforth and have some gigs coming up , including GOAT, which I am really looking forward to.

Anyway enjoy what's left of the weekend , I certainly will


Sunday 8 December 2013

SAD


The current weather certainly makes you feel that SAD (Seasonal Affective DisorderDisorder) is very real and unless you have something good happening can make you feel very down. SO if the lack of daylight and gray clouds are getting you down, put on some music to lightedn your heart or call a friend or just go out for a walk.

It's days like these when maybe the tropics start to look appealing, lots of sun and light to just make you feel good.

Today#s seasonal song is Holly Golightly's excellent Christmas Tree On Fire, both funny and brings a smile to your face. And then of course there's always Simon's Cat! Have a great day

Friday 27 September 2013

(not so) SAD



See Serpent #tabletart
No I have nothing to be sad about, but it is amazing how the weather and lack of light and sun SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) can bring on negative thoughts and just bring you down. There are easy ways to combat this, find something, however smal, to just spark a smile. So I got up and did a bit of #tabletart which I published on instagram and hopefully others will like it. It's not going to change the worlsd but already i feel much better for the day ahead.





I'm looking forward to the weekend and sure that lot's of fantastic things will happen. I have to get off to work, so this post will be short, but I will include today's #tabletart picture and I'm sure you can find my others on Facebook and Instagram , and there's only one song to describe my mood at the moment, one of my favourite Rolling Stones' numbers , "Happy"!

Thursday 6 June 2013

Life is just a TLA and Iron Maiden

It's the sixth of June already. We're half way through 2013. Another work day. And need a piece of music for today's June's Tunes. It's funny how sunny weather is quite uplifting but when it's grey you can easily feel down . It that what they call SAD (Seasonal Affected Disorder) . Yesterday I was told I may have had a TIA , and the doctor spoke as though I should have known what he meant . It's a sort of mini - stroke that leaves little or no trace barring the damage it does. So in theory you could have one and not be aware of it. TIA stands for Transient Ischaemic Attack which would have disturbed me even more if he'd come out with that !

Still it's just another TLA (Three Letter Acronym) , anyway here's today's tune ,ad it's the sixth we'll go for Iron Maiden's 666 - The Number Of The Beast:


 
 
Oh by the way Maiden England are playing The Doll at The Black Bull soon . Check here for details.