Spring Sunsest

Annie Dillard on the Daily Schedule

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Penguin Cafe Orchestra

Lately I've been enjoying the music of Penguin Cafe Orchestra. Very cool classical melodies and perfect background music. Here's an interesting quote on Wikipedia from Simon Jeffes about the forming of the group:

"In 1972 I was in the south of France. I had eaten some bad fish and was in consequence rather ill. As I lay in bed I had a strange recurring vision, there, before me, was a concrete building like a hotel or council block. I could see into the rooms, each of which was continually scanned by an electronic eye. In the rooms were people, everyone of them preoccupied. In one room a person was looking into a mirror and in another a couple were making love but love-lessly, in a third a composer was listening to music through earphones. Around him there were banks of electronic equipment. But all was silence. Like everyone in his place he had been neutralized, made grey and anonymous. The scene was for me one of ordered desolation. It was as if I were looking into a place which had no heart. Next day when I felt better, I was on the beach sunbathing and suddenly a poem popped into my head. It started out 'I am the proprietor of the Penguin Cafe, I will tell you things at random' and it went on about how the quality of randomness, spontaneity, surprise, unexpectedness and irrationality in our lives is a very precious thing. And if you suppress that to have a nice orderly life, you kill off what's most important. Whereas in the Penguin Cafe your unconscious can just be. It's acceptable there, and that's how everybody is. There is an acceptance there that has to do with living the present with no fear in ourselves."

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Quote of the Day - Disney

"Don't insult a kid--don't write down to the kid; and don't write just for the adult." 

- Walt Disney to the Sherman brothers, a songwriting duo who penned some of the best children's music of all time

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"Happy Working Song" from Enchanted

Lyrics | Amy Adams - Happy Working Song lyrics

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The Rest

The best jazz soloists know how to utilize the power of space. The notes they play are enhanced by the space that surrounds them.

In the same way, I believe it's important to take time to rest in the rhythm of work. Here are some ways I try to incorporate rest into a busy work schedule:

Daily - take time to read or take a walk outside
Weekly - set aside one day to
Monthly - take one weekend to get out of town
Yearly - step away from creating for at least two consecutive weeks twice a year

With consistent rest comes a renewed enjoyment of creating.

Keep writing (and resting),
Ben

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Would you or someone you know like to go on a songwriting retreat with industry professionals? Visit SongbirdCamp.com for more details!

Take a Bow!

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Would you or someone you know like to go on a songwriting retreat with industry professionals? Visit SongbirdCamp.com for more details!

Studio Snapshots

Hard Drive "What is Love?"

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Would you or someone you know like to go on a songwriting retreat with industry professionals? Visit SongbirdCamp.com for more details!

Productivity Problems

Productivity is often a false currency. It makes us feel better off than we actually are. Productivity sees the present moment as an opportunity to maximize future potential.

"I can really get ahead if I get ______ done today." 

Expectations are often the enemy of joy. What I mean is, expectations are often built on the idea that I will only be happy if a certain outcome is accomplished.

But in reality, how often does life actually go according to plan? Cars break down, people disappoint, rains fall. Only by a willingness to allow for unexpected day-to-day change can we enjoy the moment we are currently in.

Keep writing (and keep open hands),
Ben

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Would you or someone you know like to go on a songwriting retreat with industry professionals? Visit SongbirdCamp.com for more details!