When Are We?
Day 47
That would be day 42 straight with the kids at home full time. The days just keep adding up, and honestly, I really don’t know what day it is. There are good days and not-so-good days. Most of the not-so-good days stem from the stress of trying to be all things to all people in the truest sense of that cliche. That is, trying to raise and take care of really small children, maintain my day job, and be a decent husband all at the same time. We’re surviving, but it’s taking a toll. I try to constantly remind myself to stay positive. It works, but sometimes the results are short-lived. One plus is that when things do get me down, I still seem to be able to rebound from that mood fairly quickly.
Hobbies and Bloodflow
Being in stressful situations like the one we’re living through right now, I find myself spending more time reflecting on my mental state at various points in the day. If I’m in a good mood, what do I think caused it? Conversely, if I’m feeling like shit, what caused it and what can I do to turn that around? I think I have identified a couple activities that really lift my spirit, and if all else fails, it’s time to lift some spirits if you get my meaning!
First, exercise / some form of physical activity seems to work wonders on my overall mood, especially if I can get that done early in the day. I feel like I’ve accomplished a major task, and still have the whole day to accomplish more (or kick back).
Second, spending some time with my main hobby, electronic music making can really get me going in the right direction. Even if the output isn’t very good, getting some time to play around and jam is just plain fun. I don’t get much time for hobbies these days, so I really dive in and savor the moment. I often joke about making crappy music, but I may have to quit that kind of talk soon. I actually think I’m developing some skills and muscle memory for the gear that I have. I might be… getting better! I am working on a new tune right now for a sample pack challenge, using only the Octatrack. I’ve been really energized working on this project. A lot of that comes from trying new techniques (novelty), and having several productive (albeit short) sessions in a row working on this tune. I’m planning on live jamming the recording, so it’s still going to be pretty loosely structured. However, I have some exciting ideas and maybe a trick or two up my sleeve that I’m really looking forward to trying. Here’s hoping I can pull it off successfully!
I hope to get the recording done in the next few days, so I don’t lose momentum. If so, I’ll make sure to post it up in the next blog post. Until then, cheers.
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