Saturdays/September/Spring/Silence

Autumn sunset, as seen from my garden, August 2009.

Wow! It's been a month since my last blog! (Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned.) Life's been as interesting as ever. My mother always says, "You certainly can't say you lead a boring life, my dear!" Indeed!

During the last week of August, I got the great news that I had the Food Lover's Market gig for September, as well. Same time-slot: Saturdays, 7-10pm.

This is the line-up:
Sat. 5 Sept: Alvin Dyers and I
Sat. 12, 19 & 26 Sept: Wayne Bosch and I

On the one hand, it's hard to believe this weekly gig has entered its third consecutive month, and on the other hand, I have to say: Mind Power works!(believe it!)

I'm having a ball, with this gig! I advertise wherever free advertising is possible, and at every one of the 9 gigs so far, there've been friends and family who've pitched up to listen. It's so cool!!! And it's proof that some people do read e-mails, some even forward them to their friends, and others even arrange their weekends around the info I send out! THANK YOU! DANKIE! ENKOSI! MERCI! DANKE! GRACIAS! OBRIGADA!

On a more personal note, I'm using these performing opportunities to stretch myself, musically. I set challenges for myself every week, and along my own journey I'm breaking new ground. I started playing guitar in 1978, 31 years ago, and it's been one helluva love affair! Going back to lessons in January 2008 made me realise just how much there was to learn, and the way I feel now, I never want the process to end. Juggling my family obligations and my day job with my music is an ongoing challenge, but one I rise to with all the excitement of a child in an ice-cream shop! I'm insatiable, when it comes to my music. I love performing, and the opportunity to go out in public and make music is one of the things that "make me tick". Getting to the end of a week in my very interesting day job (at an English language school for foreigners), I'm delighted at the prospect of the other part of me having its turn to step out and get an airing.

I've always liked being involved in different things at the same time. Many years ago, I taught at a primary school by day and studied at UWC by night. And that went on for years! At the same time, I was involved with aerobics and road running, as well as singing in a band at restaurants and clubs! And at the same time I managed to have a relationship. (In fact, quite a few - one at a time, though!)

And life goes on. I'm feeling stressed by driving 20km in two directions every day in horrendous Cape Town peak-hour traffic. But once I'm in the city centre, I love the vibe, I love working right in the middle of town. Actually, the drive itself is quite scenic, if I take the M3 freeway, with its hills and trees. Staggeringly beautiful in the rain! Even Hospital Bend, with its major construction works, is not as bad as we all imagined it would be. Have you seen those people who are employed to wave the warning flags? How boring is that?! I want to put this into a song one day: "Things could be a lot worse, my friend - you could be waving a flag on Hospital Bend."

Moving along with so many of my goals, achieving big and little successes along the way - such an interesting journey I'm on!

Doing a lot of introspection around areas of my life that work better than others, about how much longer I can fly my flag at half-mast, about freedom and its implications, about commitment, about perceptions, about motherhood, about rest, about time, about money, about tomorrow, about passion, about music, about silence.