Lunch and High Tea

Sometimes I wish for something a bit simpler in life. The life of a musician couldn't be more complicated. It's not like we can just be a musician and get away with that as an income. I think most musicians I know that sustain themselves on their own means have to at least teach their instrument, play gigs, struggle, take odd jobs and generally be particularly resourceful. I don't know how we put up with it. I think it must have something to do with a pure love for the subject - noone would sacrifice all that for something they didn't truly believe in - and most of the musicians I know are passionate to the point of obsession. It was said recently that playing in an orchestra was one of the most stressful jobs one can take, due to the high demands on the performer - workload and such - and the extremely low pay scale.

That's why I thought I'd write an album and release it. It seems like one of the only ways to really get noticed.

Late one last night. I got back in about 4.30, an wasn't quite sure where the time went. I only really meant to go out for coffee, but you know how it goes: coffee, chat, more coffee, transcription of Rachmaninov song, Chinese takeaway, film, cocktails, more coffee and discovering how time has flown. I bumped into a drunk girl who was mumbling about being accosted by random men asking her to come back to their apartment. She asked if I could accompany her home, and offered for me to come and play acoustic guitar. I kindly declined as I thought probably both I and her could probably only do with one thing at that time - sleep. So I walked her to Great Western Road and she assured me she only lived on Cecil Street so I bade her good night and went on my way home. Earlier on in the evening I did quite a lot of talking about life, circumstances and outcomes and realised it's just really important to have fun whatever you're doing, and not worry too much about the future if it's not going to directly affect its outcome.

On Sunday night I purchased roughly £100 worth of travel. I think I got quite a lot for that. I blogged about the end of May being a nightmarish time, but now it seems quite straightforward as I've purchased the tickets, although the end is still open. I'm off to Manchester on the 19th, staying there over the weekend with a friend, seeing a play by another friend from Italy, chatting with him over some coffee about the nature of interdisciplinary performance, the problems and pitfalls, and our own solutions. I'm then going to Holland on Monday for my interview at the Hague, and I'm staying with a very nice friend who used to study here in Scotland, but has gone over for the bright lights and illustrious staff list of the Royal Conservatoire. I'm then coming back on the 24th to London. Now either here I'm meeting up with people from Italy, and we're staying in Sussex or I'm staying there on my own, or I'm coming back to Scotland straightaway. Who knows what'll happen... and who cares. Either way it'll be an excuse to pull affairs together and take Time Out.

Best be off - lunch and high tea for me today with a Thing rehearsal inbetween. Wish me luck.