School Nights

Best. Lunch-break. Ever.  I work 6pm til 3am and my lunch break usually consists of sitting around at my desk bludging (with no descriptive difference to normal hours); walking around the city for 20 mins before getting bored; or working through the hour and calling it even...  Tonight was different and something that, realistically, could be done each night with a bit of spare cash.  I saw a gig at The Forum.

Before I explain the gig I have to explain The Forum.  I don't remember the first time I went to The Forum but I do remember the best.  Faithless, 2002-ish.  Dead sober and I wanted to start a riot.  No doubt Faithless had a huge part in that but the venue suits particular bands very well.    I think it's the best venue I've ever been to.  I've been to bigger and more historical venues but this is the best. Best for band/ audience interaction, best for ambiance, best for sound and proximity.  It's great. 

Tonight's gig, however, could have gone either way.  Carla bought tickets to Garbage and only after that did she ask if I wanted to go.  I have never bought a Garbage record and never been to a gig, but I cannot say I've never liked a song.  Plus, they inadvertently had a major part in the soundtrack of my youth.  If I could treat myself as a cheerleader or high school quarterback, my finest years were in the late '90's.  To display my naivety of Garbage's back catalog I'd suggest theirs was too.  I was wrong.

The gig was incredible.  There are records from 2005 and 2012 which I was introduced to tonight and they sound fantastic.  I'd like to leave the 90's where they lay but I could see myself buying the most recent record.  I wouldn't suggest Garbage have taken a different direction; they still have the grungy power they always had, but the last two records just seem different- a good different.

I haven't seen many 90's bands play recent gigs without looking like they are here for the cash.  In fact if Garbage were trying to re-live their (relative) youth then I'd pay a lot to see them in 1996.  Tonight would have given so many bands in their prime a run for their money.  I have never seen them previously but I would be surprised if they haven't improved.  There was a great connection between the band- the type that is formed from years of playing together for the fun of it, rather than anything else.  This was particularly evidenced by Shirley Manson screwing up the words to one of their biggest, yet my least favourite songs: 'When I Grow Up'.  The fact that they made this playful was a breath of fresh air for me as I'd pay $100 to see a $20 band jam rather than play a structured gig.  Kinda helps that anything Butch Vig does, musically, I'll listen to!

It may have taken me 19 years to come to this conclusion but I'm now a fan of Garbage.

Lunch is now over but it makes my 'afternoon' a lot easier...

Motivation

My drive is heavily fueled by motivation.  It comes and goes and for some tasks I'm happy to work when the motivation is there and let it fly when it is not.  For others, however, I have to keep working regardless of whether I am motivated.

I thought everyone needs motivation but now I'm wondering if that's true.  It's not necessarily a matter of driven people needing it and lazy people not; I know some very dedicated people who simply don't search for motivation.  They just plug away regardless.

I know I thrive off it, though.  Especially before a habit forms or before I can see progress in whatever it is I'm doing.  Sometimes it will come in the form of admiration; a kind of respect for someone who has done it before you.  It could be revenge or to show someone up: 'You said it couldn't be done...'  Sometimes it will be just the challenge of the challenge- which is the case for me meeting my targets at work, 'cos it certainly isn't the piss-weak bonus I'm going for!  Either way, it burns bright and burns rapidly so it's often short-lived for me and I'm constantly searching for new motivation.

Here are a few things that are getting me fired up to work harder at the moment:

Parko winning the world title.


Brian Mackenzie's 'alternative method of training'.


If you're in a slump, find something that inspires you to break out of it.  If you're the type to thrive off this, make sure you keep looking because I think inspiration is a starting point and motivation is a continuation of that.  Hopefully beyond that your progress will be all you need to keep pushing you along.