Everything goes round in circles as it is the simplest shape in nature. Every circles’ end always leads to a new beginning. Fittingly, it is in this spirit that I will attempt to harmonise my wavelengths with the greatest circle of all, the cycle of life.
Through acknowledging my inherent tendency for rebirth, I am free to let the chains go as change is no longer a foe, for now I know; I can live through it all.
Fully aware that if I am to develop and find my better self, then I need to take my own advice as I focus in on my own real life development and not just the concepts of developing.
For this reason and the fact that I am my own boss, I have decided to make some changes around here. First of all, I need some ‘Me’ time. The type you find right beside the seaside when the sun is gleaming and the breeze is sublime like an evening ice cream. Indeed, once the mind is rested then rejuvenated, you can be sure, I will rise again.
We all go round in circles,
And of course circles go round in cycles, Sounds fun!
But seriously have you ever seen,
A bicycle without one?
No! So I guess what goes around,
Comes around,
But how come?
Turns out it’s just the Circle Of Life,
With one of its,
Certainly uncertain outcomes,
Turning the knife,
And that’s certified,
Even if you’re alert and bright,
Sometimes life,
Simply must slice your face,
Other times it cuts you a break,
Either way seasoned souls,
Take it with a pinch of salt,
That’s all it takes,
Don’t just trust in lady luck,
Or you won't learn much,
From your mistakes,
Embrace the pain of the past,
For the future is at hand,
Otherwise fate will not wait for that man...”
Posted (10/12/18)
Everyone knows games are good for the brain and more specifically, the mind. They teach the young as much as they maintain the old. For this reason, whatever your age, there’s always a good excuse to play a game and have some fun.
With an immense variety of styles and forms to choose from we are clearly spoilt for choice like never before. From Sudoku to Solitaire to Monopoly to Mario Kart to name but a few. In my case, I’m very lucky, as I find the work required to craft my rhymes to be as much a series of fun games to be mastered and enjoyed, as say the old school classics of Tetris or Chess.
However, when words are not enough, I escape with the help of the App Store. I used to throw Angry Birds about before going onto crush a trillion candies. Nowadays I’m all about clashing with my friends at golf.
Whatever your flavour happens to be, just for fun or to satisfy a primal need to win, remember to savour the time, for these are the moments that will recharge the soul. It’s worth bearing in mind also, that you will quite likely still find many of those games you used to play just as fun today.
So the question remains, why not pick up where you left off all those years ago? You never know, eventually, it could become essential to your continued wellbeing, also knows as your health and happiness.
The principle is simple,
Give it a go,
Not, I don't know,
Because in time you'll find your soul,
Don't fight alone,
Write a poem,
You'll find that knowing,
Is over rated,
Since every flow is so creative,
Don't debate it,
Embrace your imagination,
Face it, If you know words that rhyme,
You know the basics..."
Posted (15/11/18)
If you want your interests to grow and evolve over time, then you will need to nurture them. This goes for every aspect of life that means something to you. You can be sure to benefit from doing so, especially since you’ve already agreed with yourself that you’re interested in the first place. As you feed your intellectual desires, you will seek the knowledge and wisdom that inspires you most.
It was the book ‘The Road Less Travelled’ a gift from my Mother when I was a teenager, that ultimately sparked my desire to seek out my interests. The subtle yet profound life lessons I found in that book was just what I needed to get back on track and believe in myself again. It enabled me to appreciate the pain and suffering of life for the guidance it provides, if you’re receptive that is.
I have to admit I always resisted attempts from those around me to read more. This was because I found it hard most of the time, having been taken out of school and moved to Spain (more than once). Without the academic training of my peers I found school work incredibly frustrating and intimidating. As a result, reading was far from the joy it is today.
Given that my two main passions as a kid were football and computer games, it is surely no surprise then that my reading developed predominantly thanks to those interests. I collected every Shoot & Match, both football magazines as well as every daily sports section I could get my hands on. I still have the first 10 issues of Nintendo magazine, they reside proudly next to the first 10 issues of Beavis & Butthead. Say no more.
My fascination with space and science has since led me to read more challenging texts. I would have to say that awe-inspiring puts it mildly, as I find the universe an endlessly profound entity, so much so that my longest standing ambition is to one day publish a book, titled: ‘The Universe In Verse’ - A journey through space in rhyme.
As is the case with all of us, new insights and understandings fuel our intellect and vocabulary. I am driven these days to gather as much knowledge as possible, but rather than for personal gain, I am educating myself as a prerequisite of the career path I have chosen, which is ostensibly to share my consciousness with the universe. I find perceiving reading as an obligation is a wonderful perspective as I now have no choice but to fuel my mind as much as possible.
It’s true to say this saying son,
That two brains are better than one,
Enabling great men and women,
To fuse the wavelengths within,
As they make anything win,
Without even blinking,
In the wink of an instant,
It’s the ether that wills it,
Communicating meaning to millions,
While teaching pilgrims to be kings,
These things and much more,
Are the reasons we speak and write,
As we keep in mind,
Our love for breeding life...
Posted (25/10/18)
Writing is like talking, just with more thought behind it, and most of us if not all are very good at talking. Good from all the practising we do from constantly communicating with one another, when we’re not glued to our smart-phones that is. In truth all communication is beneficial for those involved, however, I believe only the carefully considered written word can truly express the deepest essence of our being.
It’s only when we write that we really begin to understand the nature of our thoughts. The very process forces us to shape our ideas, sometimes from scratch. Once written down, a basic premise can be expanded on and enhanced through further editing as we hone in on the arrangement that best expresses what we mean to say.
I can confirm as much from experience. This time last year I would have freaked out if I had to write half as much as I do now. Somehow I have found the tools to grow into this current version of myself. I can remember vividly, it all began (for all intents and purposes) about a year ago, when I first put pen to paper as a writer rather than a lyricist. In that time I have explored many of my interests while gaining a few more in the process. Writing down my thoughts has ultimately enabled me to discover a great deal about myself and my place in the universe.
A mind cast with a bright spark,
Lives life like a Tsar,
Even when times are harsh,
They find a path,
Inside the park at dusk,
They sit beside the vastness,
And start laughing hard,
As their hearts are sparked,
By the enchanting dancing stars,
Prancing and arching past...
Posted (25/09/18)
Some of us are lucky enough to be born into families that regularly speak more than one language. I say lucky because it is certainly easier to learn new languages when we are young. Having said that, whatever your upbringing happens to be, it is never too late to learn. With enough persistence and dedication, a great deal of progress can be made in a relatively short space of time.
Thanks to being part of the EU, my fortune lay in moving to Spain as an infant. At different times and with different family members I spent the majority of my early years in Andalusia. This chance move on my parents part has resulted in being able to speak Spanish to a reasonably high standard and with a local accent to boot.
In response to feeling really awkward every time I went skiing in Austria (and I love skiing in Austria), I decided learing some German would be a good idea. I had heard of the app Duo Lingo from different friends so gave it a go. Its genius is in continually exposing you to all the terms and tenses of a particular theme. It does this by testing your writing, reading, listening and speaking all at once and in any order. It turns the whole process into a game, in this way the learning feels like play rather than hard work.
A mind is defined by what is inside,
It derives its shine from insights,
That cause its sublime life force,
To create thoughts in kind,
And guides this great force,
As it talks and scribes its souls,
This of course gave rise,
To the tribes of old,
That crossed divides to find advice,
From the likes of all...”
Posted (15/08/18)
My first memories of playing creatively with words date back to receiving a life changing small book at the age of 13. I opened my Pocket Zen Companion randomly and as I flicked though I was immediately transfixed by the powerful truths and wisdom found on every page. They were concentrated nuggets of genius delivered with perfect simplicity. I remember vividly scribbling down any and all haikus I could come up with. At best they were clever plays on words or simply suggestive sayings that left a great deal to the imagination. They set the tone for what was to come, so it’s fair to say that as a wordsmith, I hit the ground running.
I wrote my haikus down on lined paper before cutting round the text and sticking them all over the walls around my bedroom. Back then there was no better way of jotting down my ideas. Sticking them to the walls around me was a matter of keep them in mind so I could continue to be inspired by them.
More than 20 years on from that period and things have changed dramatically. I no longer write my rhymes down anymore. Instead I type them out on my best friend (my iPhone). The Notes app is the modern digital equivalent of an old school classic, and for a number of reasons I would say it is vastly superior.
My phone is always with me or close by. This means whenever I feel like it, I can easily amend and edit any words I’m currently working on. Thanks to the folder system it is possible to arrange my notes according to personal preference. This allows me to take my entire life’s library of words with me wherever I go, thanks in large part to the fact that the written word takes up very little memory on any given digital device.
Quite simply if you like jotting down your ideas, doing so on a mobile device is the wise choice. Over time it will allow you to develop those thoughts much faster and easier than any other medium would.
Writing your thoughts is a must,
It’s like guiding a force,
That’s hiding in all of us,
Every word we scribe or type,
Serves to shine a light,
On the kind of life we live,
From whiney nineties kids,
In shiny cribs,
To grimy teens fighting for kicks,
In a pile of bricks,
Every type of life exists,
And as I admit,
That’s the gift from type we get,
Every time we write our light,
And give life to it...
Posted (15/07/18)
My schooling was badly broken up by traveling back and forth to Spain throughout my early years. I would end up leaping into boarding school a whole year before getting the chance to finish primary school. Subsequent years were full of disappointment and missed opportunities due to a combination of inexperience, dyslexia and homesickness.
My time at King Edward the 6th school in Surrey was incredibly challenging for me not least because I was and would continue to be deeply troubled by my time in Spain, namely the three years spent with my alcoholic father in a remote village up high in the mountains of Granada.
I would continue to struggle academically in college and university alike. My difficulties remained painfully slow writing speed as well a terrible grasp of spelling and grammar. Reading was a chore that I had to battle with. Regardless of these obvious disadvantages I developed an interest in zen haikus, this in turn led to appreciation for poetry in the form of rap, namely through two legends of the game, Nas and Eminem.
Without the confines of academic structure and the need to meet anyone else’s expectations, I was free to explore and develop a form of expression that has allowed me to grow in confidence and in turn enabled me to become much more than the sum of my parts.
How did this dyslexic word fiend,
Wait until his thirties,
To murk it at working at dreams,
Well I had to grow an aversion,
To hurting from me,
Eventually the lessons learned,
Tend to lead to better words,
They’re the seeds,
That let us turn these deserts,
Into heaven sent pleasant scenes,
Then again,
Just cos I could rhyme tight,
Didn’t mean it was time to shine bright,
Had to get my mind right,
And relieve my mind’s eye,
Of the knife crime,
Actually it’s like a tragedy,
As if I quite liked stabbing Jack,
In the back with a lack of belief,
Thankfully,
I managed to manage me,
Eventually,
Now what’s meant to be,
Seems to present to me,
The pleasure of being,
A sentient being,
Feeling free,
In an endless immensity...
Posted (08/06/18)
Being able to freestyle lyrically is an awesome skill indeed, however for me the most impressive aspect has to be setting your mind free while riding the wave of creativity. I genuinely believe everyone should try freestyling at some point in their lives because once we release the hand break and just let ourselves go, something really cool happens. We discover that our "style" (whatever style that happens to be) can greatly entertain both ourselves and those around us.
To clarify, by freestyling I mean speaking your mind at the speed of sound while trying to rhyme. Don't worry about sounding stupid, of course your going to sound silly you're probably going to end up talking rubbish, but that's not the point, the process teaches us so much about ourselves.
As with all worthy activities in life it's the taking part that counts. Consequently, every motion of doing feeds the next round of happenings. I wouldn't say practice makes perfect, but it certainly makes you a lot better at whatever that might happen to be. They also say talk is cheap, whereas I happen to think it's priceless.
Some MCs love to be loud,
As they beat down,
On the street sounds,
Just to be proud,
Meanwhile they're slowly going senile,
See now,
I'm the type that likes to bus a freestyle,
For 33 miles,
Just to see how long I last,
Before I freak out,
It's not a farce,
I'm on a path to speak out,
And teach crowds,
How to follow hearts,
From the very start,
Then before I leave town,
Teach how to fill the hollow parts,
Of the weak valves,
With honor fast...
Posted (03/05/18)
At the time of writing this article I have completed 367 verses. Some better than others naturally but they have all reached a status in my mind at least worthy of sharing. As impressive as this number may seem I have barely scratched the surface of my lifetime goal, a colossal 4950 verses.
Clearly I am going to have my work (or play) cut out. As you can tell however I don't consider this mission I'm on as work at all. This of course is the secret and why I have my sights set on leaving behind such a substantial legacy. Without putting too finer point on it, life is short and I am very mindful of this. That is why every day that passes inspires me to improve and aim higher as I continually pursue my dreams.
If you plan to make your mark in this life then I suggest you should aim as high as possible, because if the sky is the limit for everyone else then clearly the only option left is to reach for the stars. Incidentally, if you're wondering why I'm not aiming to complete a nice round 5000 verses by the time my number's up, well I guess I just don't want to be greedy, Lol!
(Posted 02/04/18)
FATE HATES ME
You know things ain't great mate,
When your 10% pay rise,
Only pays eight eighty,
It's like fate hates me,
Working hard for a half arsed pension,
Really grates me,
Oh and by the way G,
You’ll have to wait till your eighty,
But inside I find that I'm fine,
That's why lately,
I've been baking great things,
Inside my mind,
Making tasty rhymes as I,
Redefine greatness one page at a time...
Seven years is a long time to wait before giving anything a second go, especially if it is something you really enjoy doing. In truth I can not fully explain why I waited so long before getting back on stage but I do know that the wait was not a complete waste of time. I have come to embrace my many mistakes as they have taught me the most about myself...
My mentality now is far more resilient than ever and a lot less prone to self doubt. I am grateful to be able to say that my life is currently on a path of continued growth. Without the difficulties I have faced, it is quite possible that I would have stagnated and therefore delayed the learning of the most priceless lesson, that all time is precious. Indeed, including the moments spent wallowing in past mistakes or missed opportunities, so nowadays I try not to do this...
Instead of looking back, my fixation now is on the future, not a hypothetical point in time, but a sequential version of now. This helps me to connect the choices and behaviours in this moment to all future happenings. It is not as abstract as it sounds, as for me the cause and effect is as clear as day. So I guess in some way you could say, that I have finally seen the light. Well I guess, better late than never eh...
Posted (28/02/18)
WISE MIND FRAME
Come along and see,
That life's a dream,
It's never too late to become,
Who you might have been,
All along you just needed,
To ignite the seed,
And I don't mean,
Light some weed dude,
Just do as you mean to,
And be true to your mind,
As you fight and strive,
To let the light stream through...
Just over 3 years ago my life changed course forever, and in a huge way. I had always aspired to be fit enough to compete in a triathlon, however in truth I had no real plan as to how I was going to make this happen, so it simply remained a dream. That was until January 2015 when I met Will and his future wife to be Becky while skiing in Austria. Will turned out to a very fit and able rugby player who also had his sights set on attacking the swim, bike, run challenge.
You may be wondering why the title of the article is writing block when the whole story seems to be about completing a triathlon. Well the simple answer is the race was just a means to an end. While the achievement sounds good on paper, I was only ever interested in the mental strength and discipline required to succeed. The subconscious ultimate goal was to use the energy and inspiration gained along the way and apply them in other areas of my life, namely my passions and hibernating interests.
As it turned out I did make it to the finish line on race day. Not only that, I also managed to do it with the flu raging through me. I felt both annihilated and exhilarated at the finish line. That I could muster the perseverance and determination needed to complete the race was a welcome surprise. This revelation is the legacy of that day, a pivotal turning point in my life, one where I took back control of my destiny.
I can say this because in the preceding 100 days I wrote and worked on my rhymes each and every day, turning a hobby into an obsession. This immediate positive byproduct of the race is something I now refer to as a 'Writing Block', the term I have coined for a persistent and consistent attempt to rack up as many consecutive days writing as possible.
By aiming to work on my rhymes many days in a row I am actively committing to doing more over less time, much more than I would otherwise manage. Instinctively this already feels like a victory, as I sense all anxieties about my purpose and direction in life simply fade away into the rear view. It is incredible to think that as soon as you set your mind to doing something and doing it as much as possible the results will quickly speak for themselves.
Posted (31/01/18)
GO AND PLAY
The principle is simple,
Give it a go,
Not, I don't know,
Because in time you'll find your soul,
Don't fight alone,
Write a poem,
You'll find that knowing,
Is over-rated,
Since every flow is so creative,
Don't debate it,
Embrace your imagination,
Face it, If you know words that rhyme,
You know the basics...