by on

A few weeks ago I saw a call for applications for the use of a recording studio. The application form was not very complicated, but I had to write a description of the project. Since I had not come up with a name yet, I started thinking about a good one that would convey what I wanted to express.

When I finally managed to think of a title that I liked, something that truly resonated with the theme I was aiming for, I opened the application page with a sense of anticipation, only to discover that all the positions had already been filled.

A wave of disappointment washed over me and left me with a harsh (and not exactly new), but valuable lesson that I should never forget (again): if you wait too long to seize an opportunity, you may miss it. And how much time I wasted looking for the perfect title, which will now be shelved until a new opportunity arises! It wold for sure have been better to send a less perfect title that could had been modified later, but now it was just too late.

Time, relentless, marches on, urging us to act decisively. We know what happens when we refuse this call: the more we hesitate, the more we allow our ambitions and passions to fade into the background, leaving us with a sense of regret and what could have been. Every moment we hesitate not only allows our ambitions to fade but also creates a chasm between us and our goals, ultimately limiting our control over life.

The fear of making the wrong choice can paralyze you and it is not hard to find why. After all, making decisions, either big or small, can be very hard for numerous reasons, such as the potential for failure, the expectation of others, or the innate desire for perfection.

However, it is important to recognize that each choice we make, regardless of its outcome, contributes to our personal growth. Our control over our lives is subject to the control of time over all things, including ourselves. Every moment wasted in indecision can lead to lost opportunities, and many lost opportunities are the stuff of which lost dreams are made.

The ability to weigh options and consider consequences is a crucial skill that builds confidence over time, ultimately making the next decision a bit lighter than the previous one, since we begin to understand ourselves, our choices and their potential impacts better.

In the situations that life presents, it is not always up to us to make the decision, but when there is this gap, we must use our capacity for agency to the maximum. As hard as decisions may be, they are our opportunity to assert ourselves; otherwise, it is life that will invariably decide for us, and we may find ourselves being swept along by circumstances rather than steering our own course.

Each choice has the potential to guide us toward opportunities we never imagined possible or to steer us away from our goals. Embracing the potential of our agency allows us to shape our destinies, ensuring that we do not merely react to the tides of life but actively sail towards our desired shores.

Be seeing you!

G.F.

by on

At the end of last month I went into the studio twice to record. I have already talked about the experience of the first day here, and at the end of this text you will find the video of the second day of recording. The track is a samba and is called “Todo Domingo É Assim” (Every Sunday It Is The Same). The next step is to mix and master the material while planning the release strategy.

Recording work, like rehearsals, involves a lot of repetition and preparation, and the final product is a future prospect. The way I see it, the opposite of this situation, the moment in which you deliver the product is the moment of the live performance. And talking abou live performances, last week I had a delightful experience at a concert by the great master of the harmonica Mauricio Einhorn.

In a very inspired evening, four musicians had great fun on a small stage and entertained us even more with impeccable performances and fantastic improvisations. The fact that the band leader was about to turn 93, in top form, made the night even more memorable.

And how beautiful it is to see the affection of the audience for the musicians! But of all these exciting aspects, nothing compares to watching the musicians perform on stage. If there is a face for a blessing, for a state of ecstasy and transcendence, it is the ones of performing artists doing their thing: dancers dancing, painters during the act of painting, writers during the act of writing and so on.

When it comes to musicians performing, each performer will have their own way of experiencing the bliss: some will close their eyes, immersing themselves completely in the music, allowing the melodies to wash over them like a warm wave, while others will contort their faces in a vivid reflection of the emotions stirred within.

There are also those who seem so intensely focused, as if the only thing present at that moment were the instrument itself, and in this trance-like state, they create a connection that transcends the physical realm. Others may even mark the time with subtle movements, tapping their feet or nodding their heads, creating a rhythmic pulse that echoes through the space, and for me, it is a spectacle in itself to watch them, as each performance tells its own story, enveloping the audience in a shared dreamlike aura, which not even the forty-degree Celsius heat outside and the wobbly air conditioning can disturb.

Perhaps this is (another) good definition for art: it is what makes you greater than the adversities of life, a powerful force that transforms our struggles into something beautiful and meaningful.

When facing challenges, art acts as a refuge, allowing us to express our emotions and thoughts, fostering resilience. It is a powerful tool to turn pain into creativity and sorrow into hope, ultimately making it possible to rise above circumstances and connect with something bigger than us.

It is a beacon of light, illuminating our potential for growth and renewal.

Be seeing you!

G.F.

by on

When was the last time you did a serious cleaning of your computer? Deleting not just files, but entire folders of information (images, music, documents) that you simply no longer need and that continue to take up space, slowing down your machine? Actually, this was exactly my motivation to start a real cleaning, which started in my work area and grew and spread to the most hidden corners of folders from more than ten, fifteen years ago.

“Oh, but I do not use a computer anymore, I only use my cell phone,” you might be saying. Okay, so when did you clean up your photo and video files? “But I only use messaging apps,” you insist. But did you know about the existence of a somewhat hidden folder in the system called “sent files”? When was the last time you went there?

Getting rid of old things is not easy and the history of all arts is there to prove it. The music field, for instance, is full of memorable representations of the pain involved in letting something or someone go. The feelings in this process may vary a lot, and hold a vast palette of colors, which goes from the not so gentle avarice to the celebratory affective memory, you know, that warm corner of our minds.

But, as I said, I needed to make some free room and there was not much to negotiate anymore: I needed to delete files, including a lot of concert memories, old videos, photos of performances, audio files of early versions of songs and such. Not easy, I tell you, not easy at all.

Each separation process is unique but they all have a breaking point, a certain moment of no return. In my case, after much negotiation with myself, it finally occurred to me that it was not necessary to get rid of the files, but just to get them out of my way, so to speak, which in practice meant transferring them from my notebook to the cloud, a nice back up. By doing, it I would also finally making good on the monthly fee I pay to the provider and which until now had only been used to share some files with musicians or producers.

But the ultimate argument to finally making the decision of cleaning up my computer was remembering why I indeed needed more free space: because I have other songs to record, shows to record, in short, I have more life to live.

Well, maybe you are not the type of person who keeps unnecessary files in your device, but there is for sure some area(s) of ​​your life where you need more free space. It does not matter if it is in your closet, in your basement or your heart.

The good news is that you do not have to give up the feelings these things once gave you. The feelings remain, but not just left somewhere along the way. Instead of risking falling on them, how about taking them to a safe place where you can access them, if necessary or from time to time, just for old time sake. What a relief that would be, don´t you agree?

Be seeing you,

G. F.

by on

I should not be here when there are so many other tasks demanding my attention, like a show to produce, an opening ceremony for an expo I am taking part with a video poetry, a bunch of paper work and house chores.

And yet, here I am, grappling with the allure of procrastination. It is ironic, isn’t it? You might also find yourself in a similar predicament, torn between meaningful responsibilities and the temptation to procrastinate.

The struggle is real, and it raises the fundamental question: why do we procrastinate?

Perhaps it is a coping mechanism, a response to pressure, or simply the allure of immediate gratification. Whatever the reason, it is a phenomenon that many of us grapple with on a daily basis. But I have a little trick that you might find helpful. Drumroll, please: whenever I gotta do stuff, but do not feel like doing stuff, I… do other stuff!

Take a look at your to-do list and check which tasks you could do sequentially. It is not multitasking, but a sequential movement (o, back-and-forth, if you prefer). It is all about prioritizing the tasks that require similar resources or skills, as this can help minimize the time spent transitioning between different activities.

This approach not only helps to shift the focus away from the initial task, allowing for a mental break and a chance to reset, it also proveidesr a sense of accomplishment as you steadily work through your list.

By engaging in activities that bring a sense of enjoyment or accomplishment, the mind can recharge and return to the original task with renewed energy and motivation. It enables a fresh perspective and renewed determination to tackle the tasks at hand.

Focusing on related tasks allows you to maintain a higher level of concentration and productivity, as your mind stays in a similar context, reducing the cognitive load of constantly switching between disparate tasks (what I call the “Where was I?” syndrome), and leading to a more seamless and focused working experience.

Sure, it is great when we complete a chore at the first try, without interruptions, but most of us face a different scenario. Usually, a “typical day” means a lot of small interruptions to deal with “urgencies” that must be addressed: preparing the meals, answering messages and phone calls, you know, life.

This constant juggling of responsibilities can often lead to a feeling of mental fatigue, making it even more important to find ways to streamline and consolidate tasks in order to maintain a sense of balance and focus throughout the day. Creating designated time blocks for specific types of obligations can help establish a more predictable routine, offering a sense of control amidst the inherent unpredictability of the day.

In addition to enhancing the quality of your work, this approach can also help in managing your energy levels more effectively throughout the day, preventing burnout and promoting sustained productivity. Understanding and leveraging your peak productivity periods can significantly enhance your overall task management and performance.

For instance, if you (like me) are most alert and focused in the morning, tackling complex projects during this time may yield better results.

When talking about routines, I know it is hard to find a “sweet spot”, that is, a reasonable, yet doable schedule, but identifying your most productive hours and aligning them with the most demanding or crucial tasks on your list can be a good start.

So, what do you say: let us get stuff done?

Be seeing you!

G.F.

by on

Last week a bad cold left me in bed, feeling like I was at the mercy of a relentless wave of congestion and fatigue. It is not the end of the world, I know, but it certainly made the passing of each day feel like a century. In order to find some confort, I kept reminding myself that it was just a temporary setback, and tehre was nothing not do but rest.

During the long days of waiting for the flu to pass, I realized that in these moments of extreme vulnerability, we learn to value the small miracles of everyday life (who would be able to think, outside of the flu state, of the wonders of a decongested nose?). Taking for my own example, we also become much more sensitive to gestures of kindness (or lack thereof).

The heightened awareness of our own fragility makes us more attuned to the actions and attitudes of those around us, whether it is a friend offering to run errands or a stranger showing impatience in a crowded pharmacy. The absence of a helping hand or a comforting word is felt more deeply, while an unexpected act of generosity can lift the spirits to an unimaginable degree.

It is as if the slowing down of our usual routine allows us to truly appreciate the simple pleasures we often take for granted, like a warm cup of tea or the comfort of a cozy blanket. Being aware of both the subtle joys and the shortcomings of human interaction can build a quite profound connection to our environement, shaping our perception of the world long after the illness has passed.

But there is also another connection that strengthens when we are sick: the connection with our own body. Only when we are sick do we really realize all the intricate mechanisms and the amazing processes that keep us healthy and how delicate they are.

Personally, I always considered being sick an alert. It is the way our body reminds us to listen to it and take proper care of it, nurturing and respecting it. A flu, as annoying as it ca be, can also prompt us to appreciate the complexity of our bodies and the resilience of our immune system. It offers us a chance to reflect on the importance of self-care and the need to listen to our bodies.

When we are unwell, we become acutely aware of the numerous small signals and sensations that our body constantly sends us, and that we mostly ignore. We start to pay attention to the subtle changes, the twinges, and the discomfort that we might otherwise overlook in our busy lives. As we navigate through the discomfort, we may find ourselves reevaluating our habits and priorities, considering how we can better care for ourselves.

And last, but certainly not least, going through a cold made me, once more, admire the capacity of this wonderful machine called the human body to heal itself. I have always admired the power of the human body to recover. Even when faced with adversity, the resilience of the human body is a true, yet not completely understood wonder.

It is truly remarkable how the immune system kicks into high gear, working tirelessly to combat the invading pathogens and restore balance within. When it comes down to it, it is all about the immune system, working hard to keep us going strong.

Yes, of course I also thought about all the things I want to do differently from now on, more aligned with a mens sana in corpore sano stance. After all, we cannot avoid catching the flu every now and then, but we can, at least, try to use the experience to become a little smarter.

Be seeing you!

G.F.