Florda musician
Posted: August 6th, 2011, 3:08 am
Hard to know just what to say but here goes. My name is Ted, I'm 60, white male living in Florida with loving wife and two cats. Plenty of experience being depressed but moderately well managed with Prozac and Lamictal. LSD-induced psychotic break in my distant past. Living within my means but often wishing I had done more with my potential, like a lot of people I've heard on the podcasts.
Music is crucial to me. I don't write originals but I take pride in knowing and playing a huge repertoire in many styles. The economic downturn has reduced my gigging to near-zero (from a high of 100 dates a year on top of my day job as a bookkeeper) so I have returned to church music, and have promoted a couple of pro bono things with friends who are similarly disinclined to sit home just because no one has money to hire us. Music is crucial because it can put me on the wave, in the zone, the place I think we assume all supposedly normal people spend a lot of time but which mysteriously eludes us. Although truth be told, IMO it eludes most of us most of the time, and some people all of time. They're just wired differently so as not to need it so desperately for respite from depression.
Service is crucial too. As I hear at 12-step meetings, and can vouch for from my own experience, when I am trying to connect with and/or help other people (like our lovable choir members) I mostly forget to wallow in my own shit. I've been able to help a homeless guy, and donate my stage announcing skills to an outdoor fund-raiser (I was in radio for 20 years) and other stuff like that.
So far, it's working for me. Your mileage may vary.
Music is crucial to me. I don't write originals but I take pride in knowing and playing a huge repertoire in many styles. The economic downturn has reduced my gigging to near-zero (from a high of 100 dates a year on top of my day job as a bookkeeper) so I have returned to church music, and have promoted a couple of pro bono things with friends who are similarly disinclined to sit home just because no one has money to hire us. Music is crucial because it can put me on the wave, in the zone, the place I think we assume all supposedly normal people spend a lot of time but which mysteriously eludes us. Although truth be told, IMO it eludes most of us most of the time, and some people all of time. They're just wired differently so as not to need it so desperately for respite from depression.
Service is crucial too. As I hear at 12-step meetings, and can vouch for from my own experience, when I am trying to connect with and/or help other people (like our lovable choir members) I mostly forget to wallow in my own shit. I've been able to help a homeless guy, and donate my stage announcing skills to an outdoor fund-raiser (I was in radio for 20 years) and other stuff like that.
So far, it's working for me. Your mileage may vary.
