Writing/Music

Starting the New Year With Nothing Original

Just a rewind to unwind from the last 12 months

I’ve been in lock down from Medium for 14 days — a necessary quarantine to regain my equilibrium.

(Funny how Librium crept into the latter sentence, but I really needed a break before my brain crashed, rather than a tranquilizer.)

…

When writing becomes work, devoid of the desire to play with words, it’s time to down tools and switch off.

The pressure to perform, to produce, to maintain a presence, to entertain, to read and respond to other writers’ creations, every single day — all these factors were affecting my mental well-being.

Add to this toxic mix the fact that the ‘festive season’ is my least favorite time of the year, I was in danger of opening the door to despair and depression.

When I’m overthinking, journal entries are not the solution to balancing my mental ledger. They don’t lift the load or shift my perspective.

I knew from my years in therapy that sharing my dilemma with someone outside of my immediate circle could bring relief. So, I shared with a friend how stressed I was. She offered a simple and obvious solution.

Take a break!

I needed her permission because guilt overwhelms me when I want to stop. Those voices in my head point fingers, tell me I shouldn’t give up, I’m a cop out, finish nothing I start — the old tape recordings create an endless loop.

My plan was to enter the writing world again on Monday 4 January.

However, an email notification yesterday prompted me to cut short my leave of absence by two days.

A big thank you to Joe Váradi, who unwittingly gave me the boost to get back in the saddle. His positive response to a parody I wrote in March last year, made me realize I love writing and miss it.

It also illustrates the power of a kind word to lift others up!

I lied a little in the title because this long introduction is original. A practice session to find my way back to weaving words into coherent sentences.

What follows is a rewind of parodies from last year. Unwind and enjoy!

Don’t Go Breaking My Heart — Sir Elton John with Kiki Dee:

Fever — Rita Coolidge:

Summer in the City — Joe Cocker (Curated in Poetry):

Ain’t Misbehaving — Ella Fitzgerald and Count Basie:

Hey Jude — The Beatles:

Thank you for being here.

(Please forgive me if I don’t read and respond as much as I used to — I’m taking this year at a pace I can manage!)