I think 2020 will be the year known as what wasn’t, rather than what was. So many of people’s plans have been cancelled. Of course we all understand that it is essential and that keeping safe is the most important thing.
On Wednesday 13th May 20, the UK Government relaxed lockdown. Just in time for my birthday! This meant I could now meet a friend for my birthday, maintaining social distancing and go for a walk in Rivington with them. So the day after, on my birthday, that’s exactly what I did.
It was a lovely walk. The sun was out and was warm. The birds were singing. The stream flowed making a gentle gushing sound. All combined sounded like a nature meditation CD.
The 1975, one of my favourite bands released this song, which I’m absolutely addicted to. I’ve been listening to it on repeat since its release:
That’s how I spent my birthday. Take care and be safe. Write soon,
Antony
Madonna recently performed at the Eurovision Song Contest. Here’s a video of her performance:
Edit: 20/05/19, 08:45 – I had to change the video as the user had removed the original. There was a Vevo video, uploaded to Madonna’s official YouTube channel however it appeared to have been altered to make her performance sound better than it was during the original broadcast. So I went for this video that is more reflective of the original performance.
Madonna has had criticism since, with many calling it a disastrous and possibly career ending performance. People have described her voice as flat or off key, her outfit and the Christian heavy iconography controversial and unappealing.
I must admit that cringed watching it. But I realised something from it: We’re all human. Even Madonna.
We’ve all had times when things have gone disastrously wrong for us. I don’t know much about Madonna to be honest, but I once did see an interview where she described herself as a perfectionist. So I imagine that Madonna is currently in a mental state of self-denial, or one of rumination with her critical inner voice in over drive.
So here’s some mental health advice to Madonna, from my book Mental Health Wisdom:
Rumination is thinking the same thoughts or replaying memories again, again and again in your mind. Nothing good ever comes from it. It’s like having a song that you hate on full ear-bleeding volume and stuck on repeat. Rumination makes you feel like you are losing your mind.
When it comes to replaying memories, they are usually memories that are emotionally traumatic. Our memory of events is never accurate and always has a negative bias. What you need to remember if you find yourself ruminating is that the event has happened. It’s in the past. It’s gone. You can’t change what’s happened, no matter how many times you replay the video. It’s time to accept what’s happened, how it made you feel, so that you can let it go and move on.
Rumination is a waste of time, energy and effort. Rumination and the Critical Inner Voice go together. The critical inner voice is that voice inside your head that says things like:
- You’re not good enough.
- You don’t know what you’re doing.
- Just who do you think you are?
- You’re worthless.
- You screw everything up. You are a screw up.
- Nobody cares about you.
The critical inner voice is abusive and says things that we wouldn’t dream of saying to our worst enemy. It never says anything useful, nice, good or kind. It tends to get louder and louder if we allow it to. Managing the critical inner voice starts with the choice not to put up with the things it says to you.
I manage my critical inner voice in two main ways. First by imagining a volume control knob. I imagine it being turned down and hear the voice go quieter and quieter until it is silent. Second, I repeat positive affirmations that I know are true. I say things to myself like:
- I am good at my job. I have a lot of specialist knowledge and thirteen years of clinical experience.
- I offer a lot to people around me, including humour, compassion and kindness.
- People value my opinion. I know this because I am often asked for it by others.
- I am doing the best that I can and learn every day.
Having difficulty coming up with positive affirmations about yourself that are true? Ask people who are close to you: What is positive about me? What do you like about me? Others often see things that we don’t spot in ourselves.
(From: Mental Health Wisdom by Antony Simpson, 2019, pages 97-99.)
So Madonna try not to be too hard on yourself. Learn from the performance, then let it go.
Write soon,
Antony
They say that sharing is caring. So today I wanted to share with you my recent media absorption, which includes a book, three albums, two TV programmes and a game.
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The Last Days of Magic by Mark Tompkins The Last Days of Magic mixes mythology, magic and fantasy wonderfully. Ireland is the last stronghold of magical beings. But it is under threat. From King Richard in England and the Vatican. The Vatican is determined to wipe out all creatures and men with magic. All creatures and men with magic came from fallen angels mating with humans. The Vatican believes that this is against God’s will. There’s a wide range of compelling characters, a gripping plot and it is an easy and enjoyable read. It is the perfect example of a great fantasy novel. |
Percentage Complete: 95% I will write a review of this book when I’ve finished reading it.
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Jake Shears by Jake Shears The flamboyantly fabulous and drop-dead-gorgeous Jake Shears is back! Doing what he does best (apart from that ahem) – singing. His self-titled album Jake Shears is packed with original and brilliant songs. I love Shears’ eccentricity and his unique view of life which he expresses in his music. On Jake Shears there’s catchy tunes that stick in your head such as Good Friends and Sad Song Backwards to songs about sex such as S.O.B (sex on the brain) and Clothes Off. An album that I would highly recommend. |
I have found my funeral song on Jake Shears. The exceptional ballet track Palace in the Sky. It gets you right here points to chest.
Percentage Complete: 100% I still have Jake Shears’ autobiography Boys Keep Swinging – A Memoir to read.
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DH00280 by The 1975 I love the upbeat, quirky and sometimes melodramatic music of The 1975. Matt Healy’s (the lead singer) voice is hypnotic and high. DH00280 is a twenty-four track album of the band playing live at The 02 in London at the end of 2016. I would love to see this band live. But in the meantime, at least I can play this album on repeat whenever I want. I’m lucky that it’s a digital version and not a tape, otherwise I’d have probably wore it out by now. |
Percentage Complete: 100% (Repeatedly.)
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M/F by Matt Fishel Fishel’s music reflects the gay community and the Singer Songwriters’ experience of it. All gay men will be able to identify with the lyrics. The music is pop-rock and Fishel’s voice is memorising. My favourite songs on this album include His ‘n’ His, Bored of Straight Boys, and The Gorgeous Ones. I first heard about Fishel when he released his debut album Not Thinking Straight. This album was addictive and played constantly on repeat. Songs that have stayed with me from that album are: Radio-Friendly Pop Song, Behind Closed Doors, Alastair and the Football Song. |
However I was less impressed with his second album Cover Boy. The only track I enjoyed on this album was a barely passable cover of Finally. Cover Boy was thankfully a shorter album than Not Thinking Straight.
M / F demonstrates Fishel’s return to the music of his that I yearn for and most relate to. A fantastic album and one that I would recommend.
Percentage Complete: 100% (On Repeat.)
The Pyramid Code
The Pyramid Code is a five part documentary examining how advanced the Ancient Egyptians were. Interviewing experts, using visual diagrams and models, along with analysis of available evidence to present the case that the Ancient Egyptians were probably more advanced scientifically, architecturally and spiritually than we are today.
A truly fascinating and informative documentary. It’ll make you question what you’ve previously been told and accepted as fact about the ancient Egyptians.
Percentage Complete: 75%
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In The Flesh I recently discovered In The Flesh on the BBC iPlayer. It’s set after a zombie uprising in Britain. The authorities have found a treatment that reverts zombies back to fully cognitive functioning people. They refer to them as individuals affected by Partially Deceased Syndrome (PDS). The story is set around the Walker family. Kieren Walker is a young man who is released from a Detention Centre back to the care of his family and in his zombie-hating community. He has his parents and Jem, his younger sister who is a member of the Human Volunteer Force (HVF). The HVF rose up to eliminate the zombies after the outbreak. This unique angle is very interesting for a zombie genre TV series. I’m only a few episodes in. But I’ll say this: it’s a very deep and dark drama series. |
Kieren has side effects to the medication including flashbacks to things he did as a zombie – including the killing and eating of people. Plus Kieren wasn’t alive at the time of the outbreak. He rose from his grave. So why did Kieren with seemingly all of his life ahead of him end up dead and buried so young?
Although it’s brilliant series, I will admit that I have had to take some breaks during watching due to the level of darkness. I’ve actually found it a bit traumatic to watch at times. I guess it’s good that it makes me feel something, even if it’s something that makes me feel uncomfortable.
Percentage Complete: 33%
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Theme Hospital I bought the original Theme Hospital for under a fiver, for something to play why I wait for the release of the reinvented Theme Hospital called Two Point Hospital. I’m enjoying it and managed to complete half of the game with only getting the game over screen a few times. Percentage Complete: 50% |
Looking ahead there’s loads of media to look forward to. First I’ve got a shelf of books waiting to be read. In addition to that I’ve got:
- A big update for The Universim towards the end of August
- The release of Two Point Hospital towards the end of August.
- A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships album by The 1975 in October.
- Dr Who returns to the TV in the Autumn.
- A possible album from former McFly band member Danny Jones. A couple of weeks ago Danny Jones released an awesome single called Is This Still Love,
What media are you absorbing and enjoying? Leave a comment below and let me know.
Blog soon,
Antony
