It’s been a few weeks since I last posted …
It’s been a whirlwind this summer and, like most people, I’ve been busy ::
Gigging, rehearsing, writing new songs, co-writing, teaching, meetings (I start a new teaching gig this fall), more meetings, basement renos, more meetings, and, oh yeah, I caught this little virus called the ‘summertime blues’.
You see, the blues has been my friend for years now. It comes, it goes, sometimes it stays for quite a while, other times leaving after a few days. Sometimes there is a trigger (stress, doubt), sometimes not. Sometimes it just happens. I wake up and boom – I FEEL LIKE SHIT. I can be a real pain in the ass to be around and often I don’t feel like being around anyone, so I isolate myself. If I have to be somewhere, I go, but that can be a stress. I put on my ‘It’s so great to be here face’, and grin through it. In reality I’d rather be at home.
There are times when the ‘blues’ get to me so much that I don’t know what to do until I realize that I’ve bottled it up inside my little head, which makes it worse. So I have to talk about it to get some relief. I never used to talk about my troubles, didn’t think anyone cared, didn’t want to bother anyone with my self doubt or my worries about hurting people’s feelings or my neurotic decision making. We ALL have our down time, and we all have our own way of relief whether it be exercise, meditation, a good TV show, movies, etc etc .. Along the way I discovered that talking about life’s stresses puts me in a better state of mind.
Other relief methods include a good old-fashioned walk, HAMBURGERS, Kronenburg and listening to Led Zeppelin’s “Houses of the Holy” cranked up in your car with the window rolled down with passers-by glaring at you and YOU DON’T CARE. Zeppelin is freeing. LOUD Zeppelin is downright theraputic.
So maybe there is a cure for the ‘summertime blues’. Maybe Eddie Cochran never heard the ripping guitar on “The Ocean” or the rippling keyboard on ‘No Quarter’ or the roaring drums on ‘The Crunge’ or the soaring vocals on ‘Over the Hills and Far Away’. Or maybe he just never tasted a delicious homemade BBQ’ed burger.
Happy summer everyone (or what’s bloody well left of it ...)
Thanks for reading, see you next time.
CRAIG ROBERTSON 
Thanks for sharing. your words will help others know they are not alone.
Thanks for your kind words Jill, hope all is well!
Great post.
I call it the “black dog” and my wife knows to leave me to my thoughts. In a strange way I embrace the solitude and lonliness. “I have never found a companion as companionable as solitude.” Thoreau
As the previous poster said it is important others know theyare not alone.
Thanks Al. Nice to see your name here and yup, the ‘black dog’ it is. My wife sounds like yours – leaves me well alone and knows I’ll eventually snap to my senses. She’s a strong woman …Cheers buddy, Craig
Ray Miller
It was great reading your post about Tbusintac Robertsons. Duncan is my great,great, great grandfather on my mother side. Duncan, James, John, James my mothers father. I will be in Tabusintac next month visiting my 93 year old aunt.
Hi Ray
That is quite awesome! I was in Tabusintac with my father about 10 years ago or so and we met Frank Robertson. He, at that time, had the Robertson crest or shield of some sort? Have your heard of this before? Can you tell more about Duncan that I already don’t know? Cheers and thanks Ray, Craig