I’m still here. I’ve yet to record more than a few half-assed demos. I’m putting it off, really. I want to focus more on the songs themselves this year – I want them to be fully fleshed-out ideas as opposed to sketches. Goodness knows that I’ve got the time, at least at the moment. The last six days have essentially been: Get up. Make tea. Pick up instrument/turn on keyboard and noodle around while tea cools. Drink tea and peruse job postings. Apply for one or more job. Shower (maybe). Work on lyrics while eating lunch. Look for more jobs. Watch MST3k on Netflix while resting brain/doing dishes/tidying. Depending on day, go to Historical Society and catalog dead people’s letters. come home, attempt more composing. Open GarageBand, think about recording something, sometimes ACTUALLY record something. Eat dinner. Maybe go out for drinks with friends, possibly dance. Come home, review compositions of the day. Red Dwarf (or suchlike). Sleep. Repeat.

It might sound relaxing, but the whole being unemployed thing got old back in October. I’ve been temping a little. I had a job at a cafe – the polite thing to say is that “it didn’t work out”, and I’m trying ever so hard to be polite these days – and I’ve had a few interviews. I try to remain positive, but it is getting harder. I never ACTUALLY wanted to be a starving artist. I STILL don’t regret moving to Maine in a down economy… but hoo boy. I’d love to collate the SHIT out of something right about now, and I have no idea what that means.

RPM is a great outlet. It gives me a sense of purpose – other than sending out resumes and cover letters and generally BEGGING people to give me some kind of work. I’m sure the nice guys up at the comic shop, and pretty much any one in ANY shop at this point, dread my visits. Someday when I am “comfortable” I will look at this period of my life fondly – like the way my grandparents talked about the war. Except the way they talked about the 1940s it seemed like everyone banded together for the greater good. People looked out for one another. Kindly shopkeepers didn’t take advantage of their inexperienced young workers who… There were Victory Gardens! And parades!

The point is, when this month is over, I’ll have something to show for it. Yes, I hope more than anything that I can find work – that’s the most important thing on the agenda right now. But having ten new songs – that’s also something to feel good about. Great about, even. I’m glad for this project.