I haven’t slept in my bed since 6th May. That’s almost a month. I’m kind of missing my bed, even though it’s only about 20m away at the moment, but my dog is sleeping next to me and snoring (loudly), and that’s actually quite nice.
Photo set of The Temper Trap @ The Opera House for Vivid Live Sydney, 31/5/12
I know we all focus on the lead singer, but let me talk about the bass player, Jonathon Aherne, for a moment. This guy moves like a maniac, has incredible stage presence, and is pretty much the reason my favourite song when I saw them live in 2010 was ‘Down River’, because he had some decent vocals and got a bit of attention.
edit: Also, how cool is it when lead singers get to play a drum for a bit?
What happened?
About to watch Temper Trap on the Vivid Live stream and try not to feel too bummed I’m too sick to be there
He’ll say I’m making things awkward. I’ll say that he was the one that made them awkward when he came to visit and made me laugh and smile and grabbed flowers off trees as we walked by. He’ll say that was all friendly. I’ll remind him he doesn’t do that for anyone else. He’ll say he doesn’t feel the same and maybe we should take some time and not talk for a little while. I’ll say that someone will crack after 2 days. He’ll say he’s in love with his girlfriend. I’ll say that’s ok, it’s what I expected to hear. He’ll ask why I brought it up then. I’ll tell him that it’s because the only regret I have right now is not kissing him that one time when we both stood in the rain at the station and he gave me that look. He’ll ask why I didn’t, and I’ll tell him that it was because 6 hours earlier he mentioned a girl who had cold toes and I was far too insecure and wound up in wondering just how he knew her toes were cold and what exactly was going on between them to let myself take that extra step forward and change the world as I saw it. He’ll be silent for a while, and it will get awkward. Then I’ll move on with another topic, and everything will continue as though the discussion never happened, except maybe I’ll feel as though a weight is gone.
And if it doesn’t work out like that, then maybe it could be a beautiful story at the very least?
Even when you’re barely surviving, you’re still alive.
It’s ok to be sad for a little while. It’s even ok to be sad for a longer time. It’s not ok to be sad forever. You may say you’re a writer, an artist, you feel things more deeply than other people, you feel the sadness of the world. But it’s not ok to be sad forever. We were made to know joy, to be in relationship, in friendship, with other people, and to know what happiness is.
You may have bad days. You may have a whole series of bad days that you can’t see ending. Maybe music will help you. Maybe slam poetry, or books, or painting, or screaming into your pillow, or writing out your thoughts on paper so someone else will find them and finally understand, will help you. That’s all ok.
If none of that works, though, it’s also ok to ask for help. No-one who really cares about you will want you to be sad forever, even if sadness is your muse.
This is why I love Sydney alleyways
I think from this we’ve learnt that Mike Rosenberg, aka Passenger, is basically me.
Jesus had a big weekend
Bit of a personal post here:
Apologies for the terrible blogging I’m in hospital and my queue has also almost run out. Stick with me and we’ll be back in a week or two.
Cameras @ Manning 2/3/12
The Grates and those fantastic leggings @ Manning Bar 2/3/12
