Getting My Sea Legs Back

Hi.

Been a while.

I can’t believe it’s already the end of January.

Two months came and went in the blink of an eye. The last thing I shared with y’all was on November 22 when I told of my transition.

I sailed for port after I sent that letter out. Docked the ship and went ashore.

On one hand, a part of me feels bad for how seemingly unproductive the last two months have been (at least toward the ideal I highlighted in that letter); but, on the other hand, I feel content with this last period of rest.

A lot has happened in the last few years and perhaps it’s good to really slow down after a season of labor – gives me space to prepare my mind for what lies ahead.

Our culture rarely allows for rest. Often shames us for it. Every second of our life has to be a means to an end.

Productivity is a religion now.

Goodness. Am I just cynical? Maybe a little insecure? Likely both.

I have baggage.

Anyways, I wasn’t entirely unproductive.

I read a lot. Played guitar. Touched up some new songs.

I read The Socratic Method, A Farewell to Arms, Arthur Miller’s All My Sons, and The Hobbit between Thanksgiving and New Years.

This’ll be a good year. I’ve got some great things to focus on.

Charting a Course

I’m ready to get back out to sea.

Music

I met up with Brian (the man who produced my last record) the other day to get the ball rolling on another record. More on him and his studio in this letter.

We are shooting to make a record.

It will be titled The Trail.

If the last EP was more of a live band performance, this upcoming one will be more produced, so we can take a few more creative liberties with the overall sound (though not so far out that it can't be performed in some stripped down form).

With Wilco and Hiss Golden Messenger in our ears we will try to weave some kind of supernatural element throughout the EP from start to finish.

The subject of the record lends itself to the supernatural, too, as all the songs share some sort of perspective from the 'ole dusty trail of life. We’ll consider a mixture of Cormac McCarthy's darkness with Wendell Berry's hopefulness.

The song titles are:

1. Singing in the Sycamore

2. Jimmy and Julie

3. John Khan

4. Free As a Bird

5. The Trail

These are songs from the last year or two written either on my own or with my friend, Will (who co-wrote California Eyes).

Brian and I are scheduled for a pre-production session at the end of February.

We agreed, given the incompleteness and flexibility of the songs, that it's best to get together before getting in the studio. Not to pour any concrete, but more to draw out a map that can be veered from if the music calls us off the trail.

This should also give us more of an idea on what to expect for studio time, musicians, etc. to establish a budget as well.

Reading

I’m slowly working my way through a Humanities reading list curated by The Honest Broker, Ted Gioia. In short, he’s a music historian and cultural critic, as well as an avid reader. He’s a smart guy. I also thought that going back and reading all these old texts would provide a deeper well to draw from for writing. I expect the reading to provide more perspectives – more windows through which to look at reality.

Join me on this reading journey if you’d like. I’m taking my time on it. No way I could read all this stuff in a year. I just finished Week One from that list – Plato’s The Final Days of Socrates and The Republic Books I and VII. Took me a month to get through it.

Started The Odyssey. It’s actually so epic.

I’m thinking about writing little essays on these texts to help me retain the information. Stay tuned on that. If this stuff is super lame to you, don’t worry, I’ll spare you from the bore and upload them to a different section where you can choose to sign up to receive them or not.

Another reason to do this is it’ll keep me writing and sharing something.

I’d also like to read all The Lord of the Rings trilogy this year. I jumped straight into the Fellowship of the Ring from The Hobbit, which might’ve been a mistake. Middle Earth is such a big world. I need to take a minute to let Bilbo’s journey sit in my mind.

So I picked up Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman.

I really enjoyed reading All My Sons. There’s something about reading a story that takes place on a stage.

Untying the Dock Lines

Well that’s all I’ve got for you for now.

I now untie the dock lines and head out across the sea’s broad back.

I wobble as the waves pass beneath me; however, my sea legs swiftly return to me to catch me before I fall.

I won’t forget to write you.

Sincerely,

CLO

Catch Up

It’s been a little bit, so I thought I’d refresh your memory with some links below.

Music:

Spotify

Apple Music

Journal and Website:

You can poke through my journal, Sunshine Daydream, at caswell.substack.com.

Website

Boy’s Story (the story behind Feelin’ Fine):

Part I: Boy Goes West

Part II: Boy Catches Up with Friend

Part III: Boy Meets Girl

Part IV: Boy Loves Girl

Music Videos:

YouTube