54 Comments

love hearing / seeing your bass playing up close. sounds really great. "subject to eternal forces"... love that. "loss"... the fear of "loss" is a biggie. working my spiritual program helps that. staying in the moment helps. the whole idea of loss, i think in america with the puritanical beginnings and the hellfire and brimstone right that permeates so much of american culture, we're not as prepared for loss in the way eastern spiritualism prepares folks for. I have read most of medium allison dubois' books which are really really wonderful. my wife and i have also had readings with her, which is an incredible experience. i recommend her often. spirit never dies. i love "clever verbing" although now that i think of it i think i've done my fair share of clever verbing in my writing! lol another great read here, KV. thank you

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Mar 10, 2023Liked by Kathy Valentine

I'm trying to view these in order, so I see the progression of the song. Looks like it's really starting to come together, in this video! I can't wait to hear the finished product!

Random thought - I used to like those "push bottom toys" when I was a kid - the little plastic toys you push up at the bottom, and the figure bends over in different ways. In a way, they are similar to the inflatable "used car dealer" things that you mentioned. Sometimes I still amuse myself (or maybe also loosen myself up) by pretending to be one of those toys - just bending my body in random ways (as I picture someone pushing up on a platform at my feet). Don't know if I described that adequately enough to picture it. :)

I like the term "behind-the-scenes-itis". Having worked behind the scenes in community theater for several years in my late 20's/early 30's (as a stage manager, lighting tech, stage hand, etc), I do often annoy myself by thinking too much about what went into certain shows that I watch. Now I know I have behind-the-scenes-itis!

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That baseline is shaping up really good!! Reading your latest newsletter has helped me come to a conclusion that it's not so much that I can't focus on things, I focus on the wrong things. Call it a symptom of my PTSD or just my mind as it is, I need to change that as hard as it seems. I spent the last few days being miserable as usual because that's how I am around this time of year. I just have things I need to make peace with and maybe I can move on my focus to other things

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I wanted to suggest two books. First The Last Howlelujah by William Miller (a must for dog lovers) and MARY UNDERWATER by Shannon Doleski, one of my favorites from last year.

Thank you again for this!

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Loved the bit in the UK about being taken by the wind as a small child. Clearly you were en route to Never Never Land, imagine what could have been?

With you on the pile of books to catch up on. Books, books, soooo many books.

I’m off to Amalfi coast in July where my mum was from and hoping to catch up with a few of them.

Cheers Bill

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I am so happy you share your The Direction Of Motion with all of us. :) I love seeing the process in which you make a song from the start. Pretty cool, along with everything your write. ;) I also wanted to say that I have been sharing your The Direction Of Motion on my Twitter. Just shared your most recent. Have a great week, Kathy.

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Thank you for sharing your process! When did you learn to play? Self taught? I’m turning 60 (gasp) in less than a month and have decided to learn guitar. One of my very favorite riffs of all time is yours in Head Over Heels. Have a groovy day.

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Feb 19, 2023Liked by Kathy Valentine

The allure of missing home (England in my case) always makes me think of these EBTG lyrics, *insert current location in place of 'italy' :-)

"So here we are in Italy

With a sun hat and a dictionary

The air is warm, sky is bright

Your arms are brown, you're sleepin' well at night

So, why does England call?

The hedgerows and the town halls

After all, there'll soon be nothin' left at all

If we were born outside of place and time

To make our choice, well this would be mine

To live and die under a sun that shines

But something pulls, something I can't define

Tells me England calls, whatever she's done wrong

Always calls, this is where you belong

I'm lonesome for a place I know."

St Albans / London, although I'm bias as it's my neck of the woods, is THE place - Hertfordshire Rules OK

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Feb 19, 2023Liked by Kathy Valentine

RE: patterns and repetitions in writing. I used to be a huge fan of Stephen King, but he's got this thing where every product he mentions in a story is always referred to by a brand name. It's never soda but Pepsi, never cleanser but Comet, never a car but a Chevy. Specificity helps create a mental image, yes, but after three paragraphs of constantly hearing that this character fueled up the Sno-Cat, and this other character wheeled the Sno-cat out of the garage, and this OTHER character tried to start the Sno-cat...argh. Stephen, you can occasionally just say "snowmobile" or maybe even use a pronoun--you're writing a short story, not a commercial!

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Thanks Kathy! ❤️

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Thanks so much! I look forward to following up on all of it.

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founding
Feb 18, 2023Liked by Kathy Valentine

I loved this - a hint of pulling back the curtain on the wizard of oz in coming up with the bass part, the behind-the-scenes-itis and with the books section. All very entertaining and enlightening. I'm looking forward to the book sequel, no matter what the timing of that is. Thank you so much for letting us see your process.

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Feb 17, 2023Liked by Kathy Valentine

That was a great read. So honest, and generous. Thank you!

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Feb 17, 2023Liked by Kathy Valentine

I really enjoyed reading this, and listening to you coming up with your bass part. I don't understand how you (and others) write or create music, but I appreciate the process and your final products. As a middle-aged woman, I, too, find it difficult to concentrate on reading. Definitely takes me longer to read a book, and retain what I've read, too. Funny your friend gave you a Geraldine Brooks book for your birthday. My friend gave me Brooks' Year on Wonder for Christmas and/or my birthday this year.

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Feb 17, 2023Liked by Kathy Valentine

Behind-the-scenes-itis… YES!! Given my career, it pops up most with photography~ really any form of marketing or production. Art and music, too. Maybe it’s the “artist” in me. Perhaps it’s the curiosity and hunger to learn or my deep appreciation for connectedness… or just the Capricorn placements?

Regardless, I’m grateful. 🖤

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Feb 17, 2023Liked by Kathy Valentine

This had me thinking of one of my favorite memories about my daughter -- three years old, hood tied tightly around her head, and facing directly into a cold and blustery wind with a smile at my in-laws :)

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