Category Archives: Musings

The Clocks Go Back, No No No

Musings

I hate the return of the earlier darkness (not the Essex band the other sort). And as I am not a farmer I don’t really do mornings either so for me it’s not terribly helpful to my general demeanor. Ho hum and lack a day. Still grinding out the tunes of course. Right shoulders been playing up a bit today after a lot of acoustic guitar playing but what can you do. “Do or do not, there is no try” is perhaps not bad advice. Just to confuse you though here is a solo piano tune.

Leaf On The Line

So it’s 5pm and it’s dark now. And weird. Perhaps there is magic about, perhaps not. Also I feel a little anxious too again. Maybe lack of activity. It’s the exercise bike season now as not so much walking will be done. But I have to be careful with my arthritis so striking a balance is hard at times.

A joyous meeting with Jon Bickley and the rest of the Invisible Folk Band for a rehearsal for recording session in a couple of weeks 🙂

In a few days the USA will elect a new president.

Here are some lessons from history:

Bishop William J. Barber II is president and senior lecturer of Repairers of the Breach, co-chair of the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival and a Kettering Foundation senior fellow. He is a bishop with the Fellowship of Affirming Ministries, and an executive board member and ordained minister of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). He is also a professor in the practice of public theology and public policy and founding director of the Center for Public Theology and Public Policy at Yale Divinity School. He is the author of five books. His most recent book, White Poverty: How Exposing Myths about Race and Class Can Reconstruct American Democracy, was released in June 2024. Barber served as senior pastor of Greenleaf Christian Church, Disciples of Christ, for 30 years. He was president of the North Carolina NAACP from 2006-2017 and served on the national NAACP board of directors from 2008-2020. He is the architect of the Forward Together Moral Movement that gained national acclaim in 2013 with its Moral Monday protests at the North Carolina General Assembly. In 2015, Barber established Repairers of the Breach to train communities in moral movement building. A highly sought-after speaker, Barber has given numerous keynote addresses and is regularly featured in media outlets such as MSNBC, CNN, NNPA, the New York Times, and the Washington Post. He has 12 honorary degrees and is the recipient of numerous honors, including a 2018 MacArthur Foundation Genius Award, one of the 2015 Roosevelt Institute Four Freedoms Awards (Freedom of Worship), and the 2015 Puffin Prize for Creative Citizenship. Barber earned a bachelor’s degree from North Carolina Central University, a master of divinity from Duke University, and a doctorate from Drew University.

The Nights Draw In Again

Musings

Short days will soon be upon us again. This week I have had disturbed sleep and car problems that have thrown me a little. Hopefully the car can be fixed (a plan is in motion), but the sleep disruption is a real nuisance. I had to miss a band rehearsal today due to my recalcitrant automobile, but perhaps it just needs a rest or is sulking as it has not had a holiday for years. I can’t really blame it to be fair. This week I have been playing a little bit of acoustic guitar for a potential idea that’s brewing up. I feel a little inertia creeping up though. Winter approaching?
Yes, that’s part of it I guess. At this time of year some believe the veil between worlds is thin or lifted and it always feels a little different for a while though I have no particular beliefs. Our bodys do sense the seasons change, so surely our minds must follow? Some days I feel more linked to the planet than others and at this time of year I often feel a little closer for a while.

Sometimes I wonder if I have made the right choices in putting so much effort in to music. I get personal satisfaction from it but maybe my life might have been easier if I have stayed in my lane. Much of what I have achieved is perhaps relatively unsung, but what else would I be doing.

Diana Stone Music 🎶

Cast The First Stone

Musings

Well somebody has to if only to be the scapegoat?

The arts usually require a certain bone headedness to succeed I believe. Change my mind.
Good, so can we all agree on that one I think. people will mostly tell you what you are doing wrong or that you should give up.

I listened to Elephant Shelfs first proper Album from 2010, its held up better than I thought it would! Somebody mentioned it on Facebook today so thought I ought to give it a listen again.
It was the first full band album I recorded/produced (as well as played on, though I had been recording for years) and people loved it at the time and some still do it seems. It’s very different recording a band than recording just yourself on a multitrack. It was mostly live with a couple of instruments added in later. You can’t tell with your own work at the time, you might judge it say as technically proficient but not see its artistic merit or vice versa. Some music I have done in the past stands up very well, but at the time of making it I didn’t think it was anything much at all. Some though is a train wreck.

This week my sister visited for 3 days and we repotted some plants and stuff like that which is not my area of expertise at all, but is hers as a trained horticulturist. It did stretch a few muscles that are not in regular use though. Pleasant enough, then back to the music stuff on Friday again.

Wearing my Jazz/Swing hat here live with Orchard 🙂


My current track I am recording is not inspiring me much as the vocals sounding a bit tired and uninspired. I will try again, but not today as my heart’s not in it.

Another acquaintance has left this mortal realm I discover. Once we get to this sort of age its a never ending stream it seems. A friend of my partners is terminally ill and likely to be going soon. Everything, everywhere at once it seems.

Latest tune.
Wish You Would Let Me

I never was a big fan of Guinness.