The Rollercoaster week

Phew - what a yo yo of a week!

I like to think of myself as a person who likes a challenge, someone who isn't happy with keeping things as they are if they could be better. In fact one of my least favourite sayings is

"If it ain't broke don't fix it"

Most things can be improved continually, although there are hundreds of household objects in various nooks and crannies of Rhythmic Towers that are indeed broken and not fixed. That's a man thing though.

An introduction is often necessary, to set the scene and give an idea of what's to come, perhaps getting the reader in the mood or just to set the scene. That one was to illustrate that I think of myself as a chap who likes a challenge, one who enjoys the buzz of trying new things and exciting experiences.

But, my week was one of those exciting, adventurous and challenging ones that, if I saw heading towards me with a smile on its face and open arms at anytime in the near future, I'd happily and smilingly give a good few kicks in the bollocks to. Then I'd think again and hug the week, embracing it like and old friend and possibly indulge in a bit of sexual stuff.

For 'twas indeed a week of the tallest Himalayan highs and the deepest "look the bassist has fallen down that deep pit" lows.

I've had a debate with myself for a few days about whether or not to blog about this specific issue. Debates with myself are fun and enjoyable, not least because I usually win. Sadly the only right thing to do is to go for the "don't be so stupid you can't blog about that" option, because it could have repercussions that would be nasty.

What I can tell you is this;

I had a problem with two colleagues at work, two people who I had considered to be my most trusted employees, who have worked for me for a total of almost twenty years. One of those crises that made me think and wonder what kind of, if any, values and principles some people really do hold. It's still going on and I'm still trying to handle things. If it comes to a stage where I can reveal all then I'll happily tell all but, for now, I can only say that these thing things can have challenging and positive aspects to them. I'll be buggered if I can see them right now though.

It may come across as so vague that it's uninteresting, so intangible that it's impossible to portray my depth of feeling about without giving more details and, if that's the case, then I'm sorry. But trust me that I'm so, so upset by the actions of two people and there is no doubt in my mind that I'm correct to be that upset.

What else?

On the low side there was the matter of a death. A chap I know died unexpectedly. Forty five years old and suddenly found dead in his bed. As sorry as I feel for his family and friends he's not someone I knew well enough to actually miss in the way I'd miss a close friend but it's the shock that I feel. Don't think me as cruel or heartless but he was an acquaintance that I would have spoken to once every couple of weeks and had a tenuous business connection with. I suppose that sudden deaths make us all aware of our own immortality.

Let's get this party started. The positive stuff was so exciting that it makes me smile to think about, so much fun that I still haven't come down and so satisfying that I feel as if I've played the biggest gig of my life, which I did. So far.

For months the date January the 25th has been firmly engraved in my mind as the day of the big one, the day that we, Mimosa, play to a theatre full of people on our big funk show. There were three bands on the bill, we were quite clearly the second billed band. The first lot were more of an Indie affair, all angsty guitar riffs, beanie hats and fresh out of music college musicianship. A nice enough bunch of lads, a good drummer, a band name that I've forgotten and an audience consisting largely of their parents.

The last band on were a well known group of local funksters. They're maturer and much more refined. Very polished and slick as you like. I got a lot of valuable lessons from watching their drummer play. He's a top notch player with a great balance of nice groove and chops to match. We drummers refer to the flash bits, the fills, bumps and stops as chops you know. These guys, called Kaldera, gave me that excited "I just love live music" feeling even when I watched them soundcheck.

We were on second.

We were fucking great. That's all you need to know.
I'm going to write a separate post on the gig itself, it was such a big thing for me.

It was one of those huge experiences in my life. The atmosphere, the audience, the enjoyment and so much else all made it so. It deserves a post all of its own and that's coming soon.

That was the rollercoaster week for me. Up and down and fast and slow.

On reflection I'd take a week like that again quite happily. Yes, the lows were and are quite extreme. It's just that the highs were joyous and so exciting that they make the lows worth having. Sometimes we have to have the bad things in order to appreciate the good.

Does that make sense? Or maybe you prefer a middle of the road approach. Many do and they're happy with it. Types who prefer the coconut shy to the rollercoaster. It's not as much fun but you'll usually win a prize.

What about you?