Tuesday 26 August 2014

They think it's all over...

and I agree...

My holiday time is over - nearly a month - and I am now back at it again.  No more days of waking up and wondering what to do with the day, no more drifting into consciousness, going for a slow stroll with the dogs, grazing for breakfast, etc.

No.

Summer has gone, and work has returned.  Life can be so cruel  :-)

But at least today's weather has not got me thinking that I could be sitting in the garden, sipping beer, chatting to Mrs RC and painting toy soldiers.  No, from just before I got to work it has been raining more or less constantly.  Sometimes as a fine drizzle, sometimes like it is suggesting that we all build big boats and start loading up the wildlife, but it has not stopped as far as I can see.

Just wondering if it will stop before hometime....



Funny how much confidence affects what we are able to do, isn't it?  Doubt yourself for a second and you are likely to fail.  Is this why there are so many over-confident idiots in positions of power?  I point to most of the UK government as an example, posh people from posh schools, most of them have never been allowed to fail at anything, and are now failing to notice that what they think is good for the country is appallingly bad for a lot of the people who live here - not to mention those who are overseas and are affected by the choices they make...

Anyway, back to the point - for years I have not been able to sing.  I knew I couldn't do it and every time I tried I sounded awful.  But recently something changed in me.  It was while on the isle of Lundy, there was a lot of discussion about all sorts of stuff, and I came away feeling subtly changed.  On the island I wrote a short song and sang it to the group.  It wasn't great but I felt that it was not as bad as it used to be.  Then the singer of our band went on holiday and I stepped up to the mic to cover for him, after the guitarist had declared that he could not play and sing at the same time.  OK, I am not claiming to be Sammy Hagar, but given that I only had 3 rehearsals as singer, I don't think I was bad.  Might even have some audio later in the week for you to listen to!  And I loved doing it too!  All comes down to confidence, standing up to the mic and singing from the heart.  Confidence...

7 comments:

Abby said...

Oh, DO share your new found singing ability!

Funny, as a side note, I had the radio on earlier and a Sammy Hagar song came on and I realized what a BAD singer he is/was... I'm sure you're much better :)

I guess it's good that the weather isn't conducive to being on an aimless break. Hope it clears up for your ride home, we are in similar ark-building mode.

Shammickite said...

Rain in the forecast, but 30C and HOT today. I agree with your remarks about confidence. I was a shy child, an even shyer teenager, and still find it hard to be really confident. But as I get older it's easier to stand up in front of people, or challenge something that isn't right. Or sing!

ShadowRun300 said...

I know first hand what confidence can do for a person, mainly since I see what a lack of confidence can do.
So hooray for you! I'm bettin' you sound better than what you think you do. I'd love to hear it!

agg79 said...

Sometimes you just have to step up to the mike and let fly. All it takes is that first opportunity and a bit of confidence and you could be the next phenom on the X Factor.

Honestly, I couldn't sing if I tried. That's why I played the drums.

Rock Chef said...

Abby - So you want me to be better than Sammy Hagar? OK....

Shammickite - Age? What has that got to do with it? Aren't we both 19?

ShadowRun300 - Hm, I had better find a good recording...

Agg79 - X-Factor? I think not - I don't fancy prancing around on the stage in a suit singing "Fly me to the moon" or something similar, which inevitably happens, no matter who it is...

terri said...

Interesting concept - how confidence affects our ability to do just about anything. I have been experiencing a shift in my thinking recently... consciously striving for the same thing - to have faith. Everything seems less scary when you believe it is possible. What a strange concept that your mind alone has so much control over your own circumstances!

See? We're never too old to learn new tricks!

Rock Chef said...

Terri - I saw a guy on TV the other night - a successful business guy - who says that he believed that whatever he wanted to do would inevitably be successful, he had no concept that he could fail. So far he has been right!