Category Archives: Delta Ladies

A lot of Anger Pointed At The Wrong People

February 21, 2024Delta Ladies, Diana Stones Songs, glass cage, music, Musings, other, Pianodiana Stone

When I was in my 20s to 30’s I can honestly say I lived a fairly sheltered life. But when a set of circumstances caused me to change to a very different sort of working environment I was slowly but surely exposed to many challenges about how I thought the world was, as opposed to how it actually is or was. My eyes and ears were opened. Even now though I am still stunned by much that I see and hear from supposedly educated people. Times and circumstances changed and new lessons were learned. At least in my case I believe, but perhaps it is not the same for others? And it’s difficult to have any sort of reasoned discussion with anyone quite often now. Also facts are considered to be subjective and mutable now and the thing called alternate truth which apparently exists now. It’s difficult for me to really clearly define what is happening as my vocabulary often feels inadequate when I respond. I am always worried that my comments might be misinterpreted and misunderstood.

There seem to be so many fake profiles on facebook now. I have just seen one with a verified tick but the profile name bears no relation to the url? Bot perhaps or good old fashioned troll.

Due to a set of unexpected circumstances’ I find I have a rather low key week ahead. I will try and make use of it somehow though if I can. I am keeping up the usual routine as much as I can.

Diana Stones Glasscage · Diana Stones latest

Painted Smiles

February 16, 2024Delta Ladies, Diana Stones Songs, glass cage, music, Musings, other, whateverdiana Stone

Especially for winter. The Valentine’s day post. There are a lot of very lonely people about of a certain age it seems.

My muse is battered from overuse. I really need to creatively decompress a bit. I have been busy rehearsing new material for the 3 acts I play with and my brain is just a little fried. Ears get tired two and it’s not always possible to know what one is hearing. I haven’t run out of ideas by any means but I am getting a bit jaded and need a palette cleanser. Possibly a bit more outside influence to spice it up a little? Sometimes having total creative freedom can work against the process. The trouble is If I stop I feel I wont get started again. So I plough on perhaps slightly mechanistically.

I recorded this song at the time of writing.
DON’T NEED MY PERMISSION

Diana Stones Glasscage · Dont Need My Permission

Here be monsters, when I read the news. Its not getting any better. You can it seems die of innocence in many parts of the world. On my drive to rehearsals the signs of an early spring are popping up. Its also very warm again for this time of year. A sign that the world is changing perhaps? Tell me if you have heard this one before. My body complains as ever so no change there. I am finding it difficult to keep up the effort to exercise daily, but hopefully over all I am doing enough.

Currently I am working on a new solo piano tune running through various variations on a theme. I will let it ferment a while.

Talking of ferment. Mostly things are jogging along reasonably OK as in having fun with music and having a bit of regular social contact. Really I can’t complain on that score. What’s going on in the world upsets me greatly. Gaza obviously. Ukraine I saw on a BBC news report is having munitions shortages now which makes me think that Putin “winning” is now very lightly indeed. Even Labour winning a couple of by-elections relatively locally did not give me much chear, as IMO as I feel they one simply by not being as awful as the other lot.

And as I type this:
“Jailed Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny dead, says prison service”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-68316979 Well no surprise there really. They got him in the end though they took their time about it..

I had a quick panic about possible unpaid bills and of course having checked I had indeed paid them on time. What triggered it was having more money than expected. Of course it’s now a year since having a reasonable stable income that is not dependent on music and performance.
My emotional brain has not caught up with my logical one yet it seems.

Confidence and Imposter Syndrome

February 12, 2024Delta Ladies, Diana Stones Songs, glass cage, history, MusingsDiana, Musicdiana Stone

Some days you feel like a fraud. Well I do. Yes indeed. What’s to be done about it? I have got a little lazy recently, not learning things properly. It’s a mindset that is easy to get into. I was very anxious when I arrived at the gig yesterday. Much more than the last time I played there. I did relax as it progressed. Just one of those things I guess. If I was doing regular solo stuff I would be OK with it I think. So its all back to doing stuff locally a bit I guess if I want to try and progress that side of things more. I really do find that I cant learn stuff just for the sake of it. I have to apply it somehow for it to stick. Although I can still learn new tricks I need a reason or an external challenge to spur me on and make it stick. Solo is a rare thing for me and to be honest really a last resort unless I turn it in to a piano bar thing with lots of standards (American song book 30s to 50s) and some originals. I just prefer working with others. It’s a little less intense.My performances are a bit variable at times I feel.

The sun is out as I write today. Another week of rain expected though. I have two rehearsals this week to fit in. But not much else. I looked at a song I have written, and played it. It’s not quite ripe for recording yet though. So in the meantime I have started working on another idea.