[Music] there is no one perfect way to paint a
there is no one perfect way to paint a
there is no one perfect way to paint a picture or to write a song indeed
picture or to write a song indeed
picture or to write a song indeed because we and our world exist in a
because we and our world exist in a
because we and our world exist in a constant state of change nothing can
constant state of change nothing can
constant state of change nothing can ever be said to be perfect
ever be said to be perfect
ever be said to be perfect nothing is ever complete nothing is ever
nothing is ever complete nothing is ever
nothing is ever complete nothing is ever finished this idea is at the heart of
finished this idea is at the heart of
finished this idea is at the heart of wabi-sabi a Japanese aesthetic concept
wabi-sabi a Japanese aesthetic concept
wabi-sabi a Japanese aesthetic concept that embraces imperfection typically
that embraces imperfection typically
that embraces imperfection typically featuring an intentional crack a rustic
featuring an intentional crack a rustic
featuring an intentional crack a rustic particularity
particularity
particularity similarly a deliberate error or
similarly a deliberate error or
similarly a deliberate error or asymmetry is often applied in intricate
asymmetry is often applied in intricate
asymmetry is often applied in intricate Islamic geometric designs on the grounds
Islamic geometric designs on the grounds
Islamic geometric designs on the grounds that only God is perfect
that only God is perfect
that only God is perfect the rage on this page is my own
the rage on this page is my own
the rage on this page is my own reenactment of a picture drawn by my
reenactment of a picture drawn by my
reenactment of a picture drawn by my then seven-year-old daughter regretfully
then seven-year-old daughter regretfully
then seven-year-old daughter regretfully the necessary permission for display of
the necessary permission for display of
the necessary permission for display of the original work was not granted by the
the original work was not granted by the
the original work was not granted by the artist forget it mum
artist forget it mum
artist forget it mum also she’s thrown it in the bin
also she’s thrown it in the bin
also she’s thrown it in the bin this picture is hated by the artist who
this picture is hated by the artist who
this picture is hated by the artist who is now no longer an artist when I saw my
is now no longer an artist when I saw my
is now no longer an artist when I saw my daughter’s picture I realized how very
daughter’s picture I realized how very
daughter’s picture I realized how very much I have failed at this point to pass
much I have failed at this point to pass
much I have failed at this point to pass on the wisdom of the great Japanese and
on the wisdom of the great Japanese and
on the wisdom of the great Japanese and Islamic artistic traditions
Islamic artistic traditions
Islamic artistic traditions veggies were pretty good with
veggies were pretty good with
veggies were pretty good with teeth-brushing but that complete Zen
teeth-brushing but that complete Zen
teeth-brushing but that complete Zen self-acceptance we’re still working on
self-acceptance we’re still working on
self-acceptance we’re still working on that
the intensity of her frustration and
the intensity of her frustration and self-criticism also brought back to me
self-criticism also brought back to me
self-criticism also brought back to me my earlier self I began my career as a
my earlier self I began my career as a
my earlier self I began my career as a musician with a very similar mindset
musician with a very similar mindset
musician with a very similar mindset recording four albums and not releasing
recording four albums and not releasing
recording four albums and not releasing them
them
them they don’t even seem that bad to me now
they don’t even seem that bad to me now
they don’t even seem that bad to me now but at the time my inner critical pit
but at the time my inner critical pit
but at the time my inner critical pit bull was so rabid even listening back to
bull was so rabid even listening back to
bull was so rabid even listening back to the tracks was excruciating and the idea
the tracks was excruciating and the idea
the tracks was excruciating and the idea of putting it out to the listening
of putting it out to the listening
of putting it out to the listening public seemed a sure way to a quick
public seemed a sure way to a quick
public seemed a sure way to a quick death
death
death I suffered what psychologists call
I suffered what psychologists call
I suffered what psychologists call maladaptive perfectionism in which one
maladaptive perfectionism in which one
maladaptive perfectionism in which one takes healthy conscientiousness the
takes healthy conscientiousness the
takes healthy conscientiousness the natural drive to develop to work hard to
natural drive to develop to work hard to
natural drive to develop to work hard to make good work and twists it into a
make good work and twists it into a
make good work and twists it into a debilitating neurosis the ingredients
debilitating neurosis the ingredients
debilitating neurosis the ingredients are a toxic blend of lack of basic self
are a toxic blend of lack of basic self
are a toxic blend of lack of basic self esteem fear of failure and the result is
esteem fear of failure and the result is
esteem fear of failure and the result is that once productivity is strangled by
that once productivity is strangled by
that once productivity is strangled by vague fuzzy unrealistic and yet
vague fuzzy unrealistic and yet
vague fuzzy unrealistic and yet disastrous imaginings
being a maladaptive perfectionist was a
being a maladaptive perfectionist was a real lousy gig and happily I’ve lived my
real lousy gig and happily I’ve lived my
real lousy gig and happily I’ve lived my way over time into a more forgiving
way over time into a more forgiving
way over time into a more forgiving fruitful and fun creative work flow more
fruitful and fun creative work flow more
fruitful and fun creative work flow more wabi-sabi I’m going to share three
wabi-sabi I’m going to share three
wabi-sabi I’m going to share three principles I lean on in my work as a
principles I lean on in my work as a
principles I lean on in my work as a songwriter that helped me make friends
songwriter that helped me make friends
songwriter that helped me make friends with imperfection and that I hope I can
with imperfection and that I hope I can
with imperfection and that I hope I can pass to my daughter before she throws
pass to my daughter before she throws
pass to my daughter before she throws away more great masterpieces
away more great masterpieces
away more great masterpieces the first principle messing up does not
the first principle messing up does not
the first principle messing up does not necessarily kill you I like this perhaps
necessarily kill you I like this perhaps
necessarily kill you I like this perhaps for the first time when I smashed up my
for the first time when I smashed up my
for the first time when I smashed up my ex-boyfriends dad’s car absolutely
ex-boyfriends dad’s car absolutely
ex-boyfriends dad’s car absolutely completely in an accident that was
completely in an accident that was
completely in an accident that was entirely my fault
entirely my fault
entirely my fault the other driver was covered in bright
the other driver was covered in bright
the other driver was covered in bright blue house paint he’d been carrying in
blue house paint he’d been carrying in
blue house paint he’d been carrying in the backseat
the backseat
the backseat he was not too happy with me nor the
he was not too happy with me nor the
he was not too happy with me nor the police at the scene nor my ex norm ax is
police at the scene nor my ex norm ax is
police at the scene nor my ex norm ax is dad whose car was no longer a car I
dad whose car was no longer a car I
dad whose car was no longer a car I really was a social disgrace and in my
really was a social disgrace and in my
really was a social disgrace and in my life Ledger as a goody two-shoes this
life Ledger as a goody two-shoes this
life Ledger as a goody two-shoes this was the worst mark ever nevertheless
was the worst mark ever nevertheless
was the worst mark ever nevertheless the next morning I woke up the Sun had
the next morning I woke up the Sun had
the next morning I woke up the Sun had risen before me and life did more or
risen before me and life did more or
risen before me and life did more or less go on principle too
less go on principle too
less go on principle too don’t look down we need to create
don’t look down we need to create
don’t look down we need to create situations in which we’re not gazing
situations in which we’re not gazing
situations in which we’re not gazing into the abyss wondering how deep and
into the abyss wondering how deep and
into the abyss wondering how deep and dark that pit of failure may be but
dark that pit of failure may be but
dark that pit of failure may be but keeping our eyes on the work I make
keeping our eyes on the work I make
keeping our eyes on the work I make myself do this regularly in a radio
myself do this regularly in a radio
myself do this regularly in a radio segment called shaken not rehearsed
segment called shaken not rehearsed
segment called shaken not rehearsed writing a bespoke song in an hour fiend
writing a bespoke song in an hour fiend
writing a bespoke song in an hour fiend on ideas called in by listeners at the
on ideas called in by listeners at the
on ideas called in by listeners at the start of the show with my back to the
start of the show with my back to the
start of the show with my back to the wall all the exits sealed and a hundred
wall all the exits sealed and a hundred
wall all the exits sealed and a hundred thousand listeners waiting for the song
thousand listeners waiting for the song
thousand listeners waiting for the song I’ve not yet failed to deliver something
I’ve not yet failed to deliver something
I’ve not yet failed to deliver something not every song is great but the deadline
not every song is great but the deadline
not every song is great but the deadline gives me permission to uni task no
gives me permission to uni task no
gives me permission to uni task no housework no snacks phone calls Facebook
housework no snacks phone calls Facebook
housework no snacks phone calls Facebook and the inner critical pitbull is well
and the inner critical pitbull is well
and the inner critical pitbull is well and truly muzzled by the dire survival
and truly muzzled by the dire survival
and truly muzzled by the dire survival necessity to produce something so
necessity to produce something so
necessity to produce something so because I make myself through this
because I make myself through this
because I make myself through this ridiculous thing I end up with more
ridiculous thing I end up with more
ridiculous thing I end up with more songs written when I do hit the dirt the
songs written when I do hit the dirt the
songs written when I do hit the dirt the songs not so great maybe or maybe the
songs not so great maybe or maybe the
songs not so great maybe or maybe the song is great but I mess it up in the
song is great but I mess it up in the
song is great but I mess it up in the delivery because my shorthand scribbles
delivery because my shorthand scribbles
delivery because my shorthand scribbles look like compost
myself back to principle one check my
myself back to principle one check my pulse yep she’s still there and just
pulse yep she’s still there and just
pulse yep she’s still there and just keep going ultimately I feel any egg on
keep going ultimately I feel any egg on
keep going ultimately I feel any egg on my face even in a public place is a fair
my face even in a public place is a fair
my face even in a public place is a fair trade for getting more songs in the bag
trade for getting more songs in the bag
trade for getting more songs in the bag overall and just being in the game
overall and just being in the game
overall and just being in the game getting to have a life in music
principle three angels don’t make pasta
principle three angels don’t make pasta this third principle was brought home to
this third principle was brought home to
this third principle was brought home to me recently when I visited this cemetery
me recently when I visited this cemetery
me recently when I visited this cemetery in Italy on the Aeolian island of
in Italy on the Aeolian island of
in Italy on the Aeolian island of tsamina possibly the most beautiful
tsamina possibly the most beautiful
tsamina possibly the most beautiful resting place ever overlooking the
resting place ever overlooking the
resting place ever overlooking the Turanian sea in the company of
Turanian sea in the company of
Turanian sea in the company of exquisitely rendered marble angels
exquisitely rendered marble angels
exquisitely rendered marble angels and then there was something so shocking
and then there was something so shocking
and then there was something so shocking and fantastic someone thought no I’m
and fantastic someone thought no I’m
and fantastic someone thought no I’m going to render non-nut as she actually
going to render non-nut as she actually
going to render non-nut as she actually was pointy nose double chin features
was pointy nose double chin features
was pointy nose double chin features chiseled by life’s actual vicissitudes
chiseled by life’s actual vicissitudes
chiseled by life’s actual vicissitudes rather than an airbrush the animal
rather than an airbrush the animal
rather than an airbrush the animal compromising business of this non er
compromising business of this non er
compromising business of this non er touched me she was not unlike my own
touched me she was not unlike my own
touched me she was not unlike my own honor
honor
honor I could almost smell the pasta and her
I could almost smell the pasta and her
I could almost smell the pasta and her particularity made her so much more
particularity made her so much more
particularity made her so much more powerful to me than all the other
powerful to me than all the other
powerful to me than all the other idealized fantasies flying around the
idealized fantasies flying around the
idealized fantasies flying around the tombstones those angels might be perfect
tombstones those angels might be perfect
tombstones those angels might be perfect but they never fed anyone a steaming
but they never fed anyone a steaming
but they never fed anyone a steaming bowl of pasta maladaptive perfectionists
bowl of pasta maladaptive perfectionists
bowl of pasta maladaptive perfectionists measure their work and worth against an
measure their work and worth against an
measure their work and worth against an ideal that is almost always unrealistic
ideal that is almost always unrealistic
ideal that is almost always unrealistic and that exists only in the abstract and
and that exists only in the abstract and
and that exists only in the abstract and they go very hungry in the process I
they go very hungry in the process I
they go very hungry in the process I hope I can teach my daughter to loosen
hope I can teach my daughter to loosen
hope I can teach my daughter to loosen up on the inner pitbull sitting in
up on the inner pitbull sitting in
up on the inner pitbull sitting in judgment of her work not to be shackled
judgment of her work not to be shackled
judgment of her work not to be shackled to an ideal of beauty of perfection of
to an ideal of beauty of perfection of
to an ideal of beauty of perfection of size or color or shape or sound and
size or color or shape or sound and
size or color or shape or sound and instead to accept and embrace the actual
instead to accept and embrace the actual
instead to accept and embrace the actual humble business of the here-and-now
his song is about a gift from a mother
his song is about a gift from a mother to a daughter and it’s an unfinished
to a daughter and it’s an unfinished
to a daughter and it’s an unfinished imperfect gift just some chords without
imperfect gift just some chords without
imperfect gift just some chords without words that she’s found along her way a
words that she’s found along her way a
words that she’s found along her way a sound that she likes a feeling that she
sound that she likes a feeling that she
sound that she likes a feeling that she wants to pass on and that feels worth
wants to pass on and that feels worth
wants to pass on and that feels worth passing on unfinished and imperfect as
passing on unfinished and imperfect as
passing on unfinished and imperfect as it is
[Music]
[Music] why don’t I give to these balls with
why don’t I give to these balls with
why don’t I give to these balls with them they are talked off from from the
them they are talked off from from the
them they are talked off from from the day I stayed in the wall hung out on a
day I stayed in the wall hung out on a
day I stayed in the wall hung out on a hot streak now I give them over to you
hot streak now I give them over to you
hot streak now I give them over to you keep them all together
keep them all together
keep them all together [Music]
[Music]
[Music] these loves to be yours and they’ll
these loves to be yours and they’ll
these loves to be yours and they’ll serve you
serve you
serve you first they must be burning
[Music]
[Music] Oh
Oh
Oh [Music]
”
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