Category: News

Vacation was great. But I knew I was going to be busy when I got home… Recording, writing, rehearsing, booking, working. I’m back in the full swing of it all. And thus the thought that has occupied me for the last few days:

There’s nothing inherently wrong with looking forward to a* weekend. But I will argue that there is* something wrong with looking forward to the* (as in “every”) weekend – maybe not because something is wrong with the person who thinks it, but because something is wrong with “the system” the person lives in.

Why do people look forward to the weekend? Because they are unhappy at work. Why are people unhappy at work? Because the industrial revolution has brought about company processes which do not require significant, challenging contributions the the company’s success, in mid- and low-level positions. (Or if the positions do, those who hold them don’t know or sense it.) So let’s face it: most of us are just grunts doing the work of a few wealthy, grand planners at the top of our economic food chain.

And so we come to me. I have to ask myself “Am I unhappy?” Answer: no. But then I ask “Am I happy?” Well, now, that’s a tricky one. Because there has always seemed to be this balance between thanksgiving and contentment, on the one hand, and a healthy longing and striving for better. Although I want people to think of me as a happy person, I think this has been, and continues to be, a real struggle for me. And I’m hoping that in these coming months, I get a real attitude adjustment.

Have you ever wondered why life always feels like you’re swimming against the current? Even more mysterious is the fact that this is a universal, life experience. At some point or another, we have all felt this way. But the big question is “why?” Beats me. I don’t have all the answers, but I hope I can share a little bit of my own experience to shed some light on the subject:

Every weekday, around noon, I always hit a wall. In the morning, I’m full of energy, working hard – making phone calls to venues, researching new places to play, staying in touch with friends. But at noon, something changes: I begin to feel the weight of the day, and the uphill battle to stay productive begins. For me, it would be easy to say that the lack of energy is simply related to my physical condition: lack of sleep and the “food coma” syndrome are common for me. But can I say that it’s all physical?

I think there really is a sort of emotional, spiritual “weight” to living. Life itself is not easy – no matter who you are or what your circumstances. And anyone who thinks otherwise is either on drugs or delusional. I find myself often singing a line from a work by the great poet by the name of John Mayer: “Gravity // wants to bring me down.” This is true.

Overcoming the weight. If you don’t like your job, quit. But not just because I say to. A great hero of mine once said, “Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.” –Theodore Roosevelt, Labor Day Address, 1903. Read the whole thing HERE. Every job can have meaning, but sometimes you have to uncover layers of bull to get to it.

And yes, I do think that the number one cause of this weightiness is the “9-to-5-er”. Why do we endure such suffering as corporate puppets? Because we’re slaves to the almighty dollar. Another good way to overcome the weight is to kill your debt. Pay it off. Do whatever it takes. Except for my student loans, I don’t owe anybody anything.

Finally, go to church. Look for deeper meaning in life. Church seems to be a good place to start.