The Bobby Rock Newsletter #61 (6-4-22) - In Praise of a "Normal Day"
The Bobby Rock Newsletter #61 (6-4-22) - In Praise of a "Normal Day"
Hey Everybody -
Checking in from backstage at Hard Rock Live in Gary, Indiana this afternoon, waiting to soundcheck shortly. Hope everyone is thriving large. Let’s jump into it…
In This Issue:
- Cultivating appreciation for the blissfully uneventful day
- Update on the "warrior status" of all Lita Ford camp members: we are getting it done out here.
- Another (potentially) life-changing contemplation exercise… if we can get beyond the contemplating and actually “do the work."
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In Praise of a "Normal Day"
We talk about mindfulness a lot around here. And why not? It is the art and practice of living fully in any given moment, which is largely achieved when we pay attention to our breathing, suspend all judgments, and proceed through our days with real intentionality.
Additionally, I believe gratitude is an inextricable part of a mindfulness practice, as well as that ever-present, unspoken ambiance that, ideally, would follow us around each day. We just have to remember to feel it… to consciously activate it.
On that note, I recently ran across an interesting piece of prose (circa 1970) that really rang true for me. It’s essentially a statement in praise of the normal day… and, as I see it, how its breezy simplicity can be so easily taken for granted—until we have to encounter a not-so-normal day of struggle, strife, or loss.
Here’s an edited excerpt from that piece:
Normal Day
Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are. Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow. Let me hold you while I may, for it will not always be so. One day I shall dig my nails into the earth, or bury my face in the pillow, or stretch myself taut, or raise my hands to the sky, and want more than all the world your return.
Mary Jean Irion
Ain’t this the truth? Whenever things go upside down and life suddenly becomes complicated and arduous, we would, at that moment, do anything to be able to return to our baseline normal. I find this to be especially true with regard to matters of health, as they relate to family, friends, or even our companion animals.
Recall that beloved dog or cat, unwell, and those trips back and forth to the vet. All you want in these moments is that normal day, when they, in their supreme innocence, are curled up on the couch, or pestering you so soon again for food, or nestling their head against your leg as you work. Normalcy, please, in the midst of the abnormal.
A normal day with these three
Is anything but “normal" to me...
(Clockwise from upper left: Ruby, Juju, and Jackson)
(Clockwise from upper left: Ruby, Juju, and Jackson)
And this, of course, may be magnified even further when we ourselves, or our beloved human counterparts, are dealing with health issues—to say nothing of the transition of a loved one, when everything goes grey and we hit survival mode… awaiting that inevitable return to normal life.
Yet, when things are normal, we tend to daydream about that “extraordinary” day that lurks somewhere out in our near future, all shiny and hopeful. Nothing wrong with such aspirations, of course. But how many normal days in a row must we click off the calendar, without acknowledgement of the perfection of life at its most uncomplicated?
The Normal Day. Bring it on, I say. And let’s savor it fully in all of its naturally exquisite flavors… realizing that we are not guaranteed another tomorrow.
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Lita Ford Update
Friends, as many of you may know, it’s been a time of abrupt change and even life transition within the Lita Ford camp. As detailed in last week’s edition, we were dealing with both a member change and a member loss, all at once, as we were stepping into our first show a bit wobbly, yet strong in our resolve to carry on. This weekend, we are in the middle of two more shows (and with two other crew family members out until next week), so I figured I would give you guys a quick update:
Sandusky, OH
The Cub-Man is baaaaack… at least for this weekend. It’s been 34 years since we first started working together way back in the Vinnie Vincent Invasion days. However, Cubby finally went into “semi-retirement” from the road a couple years ago, bringing in my new guy, Jesse Davidson, as something of a permanent sub. But with Jesse not being able to make it this weekend, it’s now the legendary Cub-Man doing the subbing for the youngster. Full-circling this bitch, for sure!
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Here’s a candid shot of the band (with new bassist, Marten Andersson), moments before we hit the stage last night for our second show together, and first full headlining set.
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I snapped this one just before the drums kick in on “Close My Eyes Forever.” Big ol’ rowdy-ass crowd, just like we like it. Outdoor set, perfect weather. Show went killer!
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Gary, Indiana
And today, we are about to step into this vibe....
From soundcheck today at Hard Rock Live. Nice place!
Hope to see some of you out on the road this summer. As always, click here for our continually updated schedule: https://www.bobbyrock.com/tour-dates
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Journal Exercise: Add One, Delete One
Okay, kids, been working on this one myself lately. So let’s break out those journals for a potentially life-altering exercise. It’s a three-part contemplation:
1. What is one new habit you could add to your daily regimen that would have the most possible impact on your life?
Likewise….
2. What is one existing habit that you could delete from your daily regimen that would have the most possible impact on your life?
And finally…
3. What would be the net possible result if you did BOTH?
PS. Both #1 and #2 can be equally difficult, for different reasons. But again… we must actually "do the work" to get the kick-ass results! Just a reminder (for myself, mainly!)...
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