This Is This

As an afterthought to the thing I wrote about originality. Yes, a lot of it has been done, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it too. Everyone’s wearing clothes - doesn’t mean I shouldn’t too. Believe me, I should. But you can feel free.

So other people have written about stuff and maybe better, it doesn’t mean that I should do it. Other people have also written that.

Singing’s something we don’t do much of in public, because we’re not as good as other people. Well, I don’t write as well as Mark Twain - that doesn’t mean I should hang up my pencils. Also, he’s dead, so I’ve got the edge on old man Clemens.

Ah - The Magnificent Seven by Elmer Bernstein - I love writing with my ipod on shuffle.

So you’ve heard what you’re saying before. How many variations of the twelve bar blues are there? Without influences and refinements and interpretation, there would be no rock and roll and I don’t want to think that.

Other people write. Other people play guitar. It doesn’t matter if it’s been done. Do it anyway, but do it your way. Woody Allen said:  “80 percent of success is showing up.”

Make it you own. Don’t just set up stuff for someone else. There are no statues to Ernie Wise.

Who cares if you’re not going to get much in return? That’s creativity for you.

I said the other day how this blog isn’t hugely popular. I meant I’m not hugely popular. This site will never get me tables or chicks.

Picture the scene -

Taxi driver: ‘Ere - you’re that bloke ain’tcha? The one with the siteblog, yeah? That’s That, That Is?

Me: This Is This.

Taxi driver: That’s the one. Here’s one for you. It’s all been done right, but do it, yeah? But make it yours.

Me: Right.

Taxi: ‘Ow many cabs do you fink there are in West End? Must be faahhhhsands. Don’t stop me, does it? You should stick that in your blog.

Me: Right here’s fine.

Never going to happen is it? Partly because cabbies don’t talk like Victorian music hall cockneys, but also because I’m not going get recognised in the street, but that’s OK.

Blogging’s a simple formula and those doing it expect nothing in return. I write these posts and they get out there and you read them. Simple, but it involves a degree of dedication, although probably not as much as it takes to read it.

The only trick is taking the time - giving until it hurts, and when it does, looking at my sleeves, rolling those puppies up and giving some more and never asking for so much as a rusty fuck in return.

Do what you do, do it well, and never don’t do it if you enjoy it just because someone’s done it better.

Also on This Is This
The Tibetans I spoke to were infectiously humble and friendly and politically charged without being pushy about independence after the Chinese invaded. Some weren’t even born in their home country but hope to die on their home soil one day, which seems to be the exact opposite of a lot of English people.
Read this post...

This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 31st, 2007 at 8:21 am. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed, or you can skip to the end and leave a comment yourself.