NOW YOU KNOW - Brittlestar’s Weekly Newsletter - Issue #25
Get your shots, ffs.
NOW YOU KNOW
When I was 14 I was in a band called the Empty Shells.
We played a show at the local bandshell downtown and it was very well attended. About 300 people. It’s true. My Dad took Super 8mm (yes, I’m that old) footage of it.
The following week I was out with some pals and we stopped to chat with some fellow teens. They were more of the ‘heavy metal’ crowd compared to our ‘spinner/new wave’ stylings, but we got along fine.
One of the Metallers (that’s what we used to call them - pronounced ‘Mettlers’) was a fellow bass player and said he had seen me play the show at the bandshell. He then went on to explain that I wasn’t really playing bass properly.
Now, this may come as a shock to some of you but… I had quite a big ego in my teens. I also had a bit of a brass neck. Self-confidence without merit most of the time.
I replied that it was funny he should say that because I was the one on stage playing bass and he wasn’t.
Then I quickly left the scene for fear he’d swing for my adorable face and mess up my supercool yet floofy coif.
It was an early life lesson.
Sometimes the best way to find out if you can do something is by doing something.
I’m not suggesting you jump out of a plane with no guidance or training, but I am saying that we have to be careful we don’t get stuck in the rut of over-preparing to do something and end up never actually doing it.
If you want to do something, within reason, prep for it but then be ready to pull the trigger on it… even if you don’t feel you’re totally ready.
This is wise for a couple of reasons…
There’s so much noise in the world that people most likely don’t even know you’ve tried. Or worst case, they do notice but are immediately distracted by the next somebody trying something.
You’re going to suck the first time anyway. Even if you’re great on the first try, your tenth try is going to be way better.
I can easily get stuck in the over-preparation stage. So I have to push myself to just get things out there and see what works.
Case in point, I’ve been repeatedly advised to create a new show/piece of content that is partly a digest of previous content along with some new original content. So I have.
If you’re looking for a nice listen while you prep and/or eat breakfast, might I suggest my new podcast, Canada Last Week with Brittlestar.
I noticed there was a gap in the market for satirical Canadian news podcasts… so, I made one.
Will it suck? Hopefully not, but the only way I’ll know and be able make it better is by getting it out there.
Feel free to check out the first ever episode here
Stay well. Get your shots. And if there’s something you’ve always wanted to do (again, within reason), don’t wait too long to at least try it.
Backing Singers attempt to remember lyrics while thin boy fights with bass