Sunday
March 23rd, 2014 – Island Lake, IL
Three months ago, I was
riding sky high on top of the world. I was in a groove like I’ve never been in
ever before, and life was beyond good. I felt exactly like I had always pictured
life to be like in a positive way, and I thought I was finally on my way to
where I’ve always wanted to be.
Today,
after a couple of rough nights this past week and not a lot of work on the
horizon I’m in a big time slump, and I honestly don’t care if I live or die.
That’s a pretty big change, and I’m not exactly sure what has happened. Either
it’s a normal cycle of life, or I am a crazy bipolar maniac.
At one time I may have
bet on the maniac, but I’m not so sure now. I have been satisfied with most of
the decisions I have been making in the last couple of years, and it’s not like
I’m a slave to booze or drugs or anything like that. For whatever reason, I
somehow veered off course again.
I’m not
going to lie, I’m really in the dumper right now. I’ve been here plenty of
times before, and it’s never fun. I am trying to objectively figure out why I
feel this way and/or what has gone on to trigger it and all I can come up with are those two bad shows this week. They
scorched me.
Being on
stage is by far the only thing that has ever given me any consistent satisfaction
in my life. I love to entertain a live audience, and after decades of trial and
error I have finally reached a high level of consistency. I know that far more
often than not, I’ll be able to get the job done.
In my mind,
I see myself working big rooms for big audiences night after night. I know in
my heart I can pull it off, as whenever I have found myself in that position I
have always been able to deliver at a high level. It excites me to think about
it, and after all this time I feel I deserve it.
I guess the
cosmos doesn’t agree, as for whatever reason it’s not happening right now. All
I am asking for is a payoff for all of my hard work. I sacrificed everything to
develop my skill set, and to be in front of 14 people in a sports bar or standing
alone on a dance floor at a wedding talking to myself after all these years
just crushes my dreams and stomps on my self esteem like an ant.
I don’t
think I can try any harder, but apparently I have to. But when I get in these
ruts the very last thing I want to do is get out there and start over again.
I’ve done thousands of shows for tiny audiences and/or non attentive ones. I’m
past that. Going back sucks all the humanity out of me.
One of
those nights might have put me in a minor funk, but both of them back to back
have put me deep in the mental toilet. I feel like hope is completely gone, and
I wish I could just lie down and give my remaining days to anyone who wants
them. I feel like I missed my bus, and it hurts.
All I think
it would take to turn it around is some tangible hope. The hope of reuniting
with my siblings was what gave me the super uptick I had three months ago, and
it ended up going really well in the end. That’s great, but they don’t pay my
bills. I feel great personally, but professional pain is pain just the same.
The stress of the struggle is getting to me, and I feel it. What stinks is I
just don’t feel like fighting it anymore. Is anyone else hurting inside this
badly? I sure hope not.
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| Life is a series of ups and downs. I'm in a down. Am I crazy? Probably, but some hope would be nice. |
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