Category Archives: history

When To Run Away And When To Stand Your Ground

Tricky one that. Run away is looking a pretty solid option at present. But where to? There is no further shore where the land is calm and bountiful and the weather temperate. Or if there is I haven’t seen it yet.

Winter is not fully hear yet, we are in that strange nether world, between and betwixt at present. Interesting light and colours abounding until the dark comes down suddenly and very early or so it feels to me at least. the abrupt change to the dark evenings is always hard going for me personally. Though its a good time for working on music and recordings and related stuff with less distraction. on my of my website music outlets I have on their stats listings:

3 top 1
109 top 50
648 songs
91.2K plays

If I total up all my music plays over all of the places its available I have I guess around.
250,000 plays. Not bad as it means I do get people listening to what I do. So that’s fun.
Of course it doesn’t make me much money at all maybe about £400 a year from everything I do including recordings made with other people as well as my own. I don’t make a living from being a live performer these days like I did when I was in the Delta Ladies though. But nothing stays the same for ever But considering where I started in life it could be a lot worse. Would I have liked to be a Super Star? 😂 Might have been fun I guess though it sounds like a lot of hard work really.

Below is me singing an old song, solo with piano. I may do a few versions of my songs this way to Facebook and TikTok, Instagram and so forth in future.

I asked a machine to tell me about forgiveness and the concept of “turning the other cheek”.
This is what it said. These embody a profound resilience and compassion in the face of conflict. Turning the other cheek is a metaphorical expression often associated with responding to aggression or offense with non-retaliation. It emphasizes the transformative power of forgiveness, encouraging individuals to break the cycle of negativity and choose understanding over revenge. Perhaps we need to be ruled by the machines after all. Perhaps our new cyber overlords would be kind and indulgent with us even though they might see us as merely pets?
We seem to be in need of forgiveness now.

The machine spoke to me again today. What is love?

“Love” is a complex and multifaceted concept that has been explored and defined in various ways throughout history, literature, philosophy, and psychology. It encompasses a range of emotions, attitudes, and behaviors, and its meaning can vary depending on the context and the individuals involved. Generally, love is often described as a deep affection, attachment, or strong positive feeling towards someone or something.

But of course humans programmed it, though sometimes you wouldn’t think so.

Mind how you go.

You Won’t Get a Second Chance

Or will you, maybe in a quantum world you get infinite goes in the multiverse or is it just time for my meds again? Could be I guess. I am aware that as time passes I think much more about the why of existence and the further I feel from it having any meaning I can decipher from it.
Perhaps the point is simply that there is no point? Yes but your mama said it’s rude to point didn’t she? Now if I feel the urge to stare into the abyss I reach for the wine. Best I can do really. That and radio 4 on a quiet day when your intrusive thoughts are just a little too intrusive.
its raining and it’s dull and my creative hat is in the wash at present and I am wearing my slightly anxious one instead. As I write this it’s July 4th and my latest release goes live on spotty Amazon and most other streaming services.

Its called “Is It Falling On You”

https://music.apple.com/us/artist/1564328495

https://open.spotify.com/artist/7m1KORirDEpH1IzIKGdQsa

And other streaming services …

https://music.amazon.co.uk/albums/B0C8M656ZW?marketplaceId=A1F83G8C2ARO7P&musicTerritory=GB&ref=dm_sh_PdvZm4Um6iHLqaMwYznzmG2kE.


Diana Stone Playing My Old Harmony Acoustic
Diana Stone Playing My Old Harmony Acoustic

Its weird, things are OK ish in the main. Musical opportunities’ are increasing but I feel a bit jaded. It’s not logical. A slight air of grumpiness developing today. Not sure why as things are mostly OK at present? Weird how moods just drift in like a sea mist from nowhere? Ok it is a rainy day too, but we need rain so much now.

Am I crazy. possibly by some peoples standards I am. A raddled old hag perhaps with only the ghost of a chance in the frenzied life dance. I have a friend who says the world is going to wrack and ruin but I tend more to think its already got there for some folks in many respects. I am still feeling a bit fragile mentally today to be honest. I roll along feeling ok for a few days then I get hit with a dose of existential dread almost. Weird. Nothing materially changes but the the mood hits out of nowhere. So for me normal. Hoping to will wear off as I am out doing a guest spot at a pub on the eve of writing this. I am slightly dubious about it to be honest and on this occasion would frankly rather not. We have had about 24 hours of rain but it the suns out now finally. I was listening to some of my back catalogue and also that of the Delta Ladies. I was surprised at how “gothic” it sounded and very dark and mournful. I can see why it made an impression. I also listened to a few recordings by other artists from the 60s and 70s and in particular the sound of those albums. Then I came back to listen to some of my own tracks and thought actually not too shabby after all. But I have now formed an idea or two to try something a little different going forward now. I just need the resolve to actually get on and do it. In between the creaking and groaning noises that my body makes like a sailing ship as its timbers swell and then contract again which is now often a part of the soundtrack of my daily life.