Swozza Speaks

When will I write?

I’ve been playing music and performing at the Shakespeare North Playhouse Itch spoken word and at Liver Bards in Liverpool and as a consequence I have written little lately.

I’ve been reading. I have been using AI to generate songs for a while and have lost interest in that now. The novelty wore out. I’ve been socialising and attending a men’s group weekly and going for walks. I’ve been with my partner Joan and her chihuahua Tuppence. I’ve been reluctant to write. I’ve not felt the need nor the motivation to write although I have been journaling daily for the last six months or more along with my morning meditation. It has become a habit now.

So I have written something now. Maybe I will write a bit more again soon.

It’s 3.40am in the morning and I will just say enough for now.

Discipline or Health Fad?

Who drinks water these days? I prefer milk, tea, drinking chocolate, chai latte, coffee, pepsi, yerba mate, herbal tea, fruit juice, cordial or beer to water, so what is the problem?

I’d forgotten how good pure water tastes and I had become lazy by giving in to my taste buds. It is similar taking a cold shower. It is more of a discipline than a health choice. Tap water has additives and cold showers aren’t necessarily good according to the scientists.

What is the point of discipline you might ask? To expand our comfort zones. It can make us stronger and more comfortable with change. If we refuse to discipline ourselves we become weaker with each passing indulgence and become flabby, fat, unattractive and boring. In a word we die prematurely giving up on life because it has become too painful for us.

So I will substitute water for my preferred tipples from now on without going to extremes. Moderation is the key and yes I will continue to take cold showers.

Enough for now.

The Art of Amusement

Without amusement mankind would not survive. Amusement is a balm for boredom. Too much amusement can be tiring. Amusement takes a certain amount of concentration.

Inventions can be born out of amusement and yet can prevent further invention as a quietness of state is necessary to birth the new.

We are all capable of creation if we really want to be. Anything worth creating is worth putting effort in.

Enough for now.

Who Are the Villains?

I got four tickets to Jonathan Pie’s Heroes and Villains Tour from a friend from the men’s group I attend; thank you Rob 😀.

Me, Joan and friends at the Liverpool Philharmonic Jonathan Pie opening tour last night.

Who are the villains? Are they the Tories or ourselves or even Jonathan Pie? At £27:50 a ticket JP made quite a bit of dosh last night and that was just the opening night. He’s on tour for quite a few weeks and he even admitted that he was a hypocrite as we all are.

We went with the compliments of a friend who couldn’t make it. I enjoyed it. Some of us thought it was a bit crude and gutteral not having heard of Jonathan Pie before. It was Joan’s birthday yesterday and she wasn’t too impressed with JP. At least we had a nice meal in Concert Square.

Enough for now.

Small is Better than None

I’ve recently upped my ante regarding my artwork. However there are days when I don’t want to do anything and then I revert to my morning routine and knock out a 3 minute doodle on my digital tablet and post it to TikTok.

It is the same with my writing. Persistence gains ground. Effort produces talent. Failing is the stepping stones to success. Constructive criticism is more valuable than empty praise. Rather than being upset when criticised ask for feedback. Then you can learn.

Enough for now.

Selective Algorithms

What determines how popular a post is? The above artwork received only a handful of viewings while the one I now show below received average viewing.

I’m not sure what determines the viewings although I have a good idea that the bots are anti computer generated content yet neither of these were computer generated. When I published Delayed Momentum on my blog I used a computer generated image and received less views recorded than the actual number of people who had visited my post. I know that posting AI on TikTok is also a no no!

So, yes this is my own artwork and prose. I am posting it at 4am GMT and I am aware that timing influences views.

I suppose I should be indifferent to the number of people who read my blog and yet if no one reads it is it worth continuing? And I will need to update my bio as my cockatiel Bob crossed the Rainbow Bridge just before Christmas last year.

Enough for now

Delayed Momentum

Why can I motivate others but not myself? I am willing to help others and find it hard to help myself. I can serve others and find it hard to serve myself.

When I stay at my partner’s I get up early, cook her breakfast and wash our dishes. When I am at home I get up late and leave the dishes in the sink. I’ll help her with bills and paperwork and I procrastinate when on my own.

Motivational speakers emphasize the importance of setting goals. I don’t know what to aim for and I know that I will leave everything behind when I die. I’m content with what I am and with what I have and that’s enough for me.

Moods and levels of energy fluctuate. That’s life. I’ve put into practice Stoic philosophy for many years and have recently been reading the works of Albert Camus the French Absurdist philosopher. The Myth of Sisyphus asks us to consider Sisyphus happy.

Enough for now.

When Life Becomes a Doodle 😂

When life becomes easy to live it becomes a doddle while some people prefer to think of it as a doodle.

How can we make life a doddle? Simply by creating the opportunity to doodle so often that our creating doodles becomes a doddle.

Enough for now.

What is Life?

What is life? Is it simply what we perceive it to be? Do we have ultimate power or no power or something which fluctuates in-between?

How do we stay sane? Is it possible to be creative whilst being sane? If we are content with life will we produce anything?

Rather than trying to be happy we are more likely to be happy when we have a sense of purpose.

Enough for today.

Creativity is a Muscle to be Exercised

Creativity can be focused. Creativity is a muscle to be exercised. What one focuses on becomes magnified. Be sensible in what you choose to focus on. One cannot be a genius at everything. If you spread yourself too thinly your results will be weakened. That’s fine. You might be content being a jack of all trades and a master of none. But whatever you decide you need to put the work in. And don’t work so hard that you forget to rest or burnout will make sure you get the necessary rest.

I’ve said enough for today. I’ll just conclude by saying that it is snowing here this morning. Have a great day.