Blind Man Blues

So it's Friday, and those watching closely will have noticed that I've not posted for a few days.

I went blind on Tuesday.

Okay, so that's a lie... or at least an exaggeration. Somewhere along the line I managed to pick up an eye infection in my left peeper which started off on Monday night with itchiness and pain, then slowly got worse over the course of Tuesday up to the point where it was agonising to even look sideways at my computer monitor. Since I literally could not work and was in serious pain I figured a quick trip to A&E was in order! As a contractor it totally went against the grain to leave before the end of the work day, but, y'know, eyes are kind of important.

I'm glad I went, though. After a remarkably short wait to be seen, I was sent home with a tube of anti-inflamatory, anti-biotic eye ointment and a leaflet on eyelid hygene! Ordinarily I'd have been mortified at the merest suggestion that my eyelids were anything less than pristene, but since my left one's a bit dodgy due to ptosis anyway, I simply thanked the doctor, took the leaflet and went on my merry way. Getting home was a trip, I can tell you. Pain, nausea and tunnel vision on public transport. Hey, sounds like the end of a good night out, eh?

The good news is that the ointment is working its magic and I can (mostly) see again. I'm back at work, rather enigmatically wearing sunglasses in the office. Things are still a little scratchy and blurry, but hey, better that than the alternative.

The other bad news was that as I couldn't stand to look at computer screens I had no choice but to take 2 days off work. I spent the time avoiding all things bright and shiny, drinking copious cups of tea, ointmenting myself and, much to my surprise, writing a song... or at least starting to.

Much like my other unfinished masterpieces, I have the entire song mapped out in terms of chord progressions for the verse, chorus and bridge and I even have a melody. I've also been through several strumming pattern iterations and I think I have one that works pretty well. The big problem I have is that I've become fixated on the work-in-progress title: "Five Minutes Of Summertime" and I can't think outside that box at the moment.

The concept was that the song's either about someone who's saying that he wants the object of his affection to give him a chance and he'll show them the world OR it's about how he gave someone everything but only got 'five minutes of summertime' in return. Not sure which...!

I recorded a demo with some freestyle lyrics (which I can't remember at all right now, but they weren't good) and the melody really meshed well with the chords. I was definitely pleased about that. I wasn't pleased that my lyrical muse was playing hookie, so I got nowhere fast on that front.

In other news, I phoned another contact from Partysounds. He's a guy who's been playing jazz/blues piano for a couple of years and is starting to look at playing with other folks. Supposedly he's very local to me, which'd be handy. Looks like I need to bone up on my Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers! I told him that I'd hook up with him as soon as my eye perks up a bit. He seems keen, which is a good thing considering the luck I've been having lately with getting together with people. Jazz wasn't where I planned on starting out this process, but I have enough of that stuff in my 'influences' that I have no problem having a crack at it for a laugh and to get me going. Another 'watch this space' moment.