Busking

Tuesday, December 8th. 

Farragut, TN

Last night, I went to sleep dreaming of playing the Gerudo Valley music on a vast steppe, so that the music could carry for miles across the land. I woke up this morning with an itch to perform.

I drove to Costco and restocked on some tuna cans, granola bars, bananas, and milk. After guzzling a load of protein out of the gallon milk, I staked out a grassy spot in the parking lot to pitch my flute stand.

Before I set up camp, I felt I needed to explain myself better to my audience. Like before, I brainstormed some lines in my notebook. But this time I stole a discarded cardboard box out of a shopping cart, to use as a small sign.

This is what I wrote on my sign:

"I am Depression.

No house, no income, living in my car.
I am on a journey across the country.

This is my will to live
Music, writing, science and philosophy
Alchemytheory.blogspot.com

"Infin che'l veltro verra, che la farar morir con doglia. Questi non cibera terra ne peltro, ma sapienza, e amore, e virtute. E sua nazion sara tra Feltro e Feltro" - Canto I, Inferno"

Eh, it reads kind of corny (in hindsight). But it matches what I'm doing, so it's appropriately corny, I guess.

More writing I'd like to put on cardboard signs:

• Life: the source and solution to all our problems. 

• This is a scam to take your money. 

• "By the waters of Leman I sat down and wept. Sweet Thames, run softly till I end my song,
  Sweet Thames, run softly, for I speak not loud or long. " - Fire Sermon, The Wasteland

• What would you be doing if you someone could pay you to do whatever you wanted?
  This is where I'd be.

Some other thoughts I wrote down in my notebook:

I have to work everyday - not for money, but to be happy.

Just because I don't follow a regular schedule, doesn't mean I'm undisciplined or lazy. It just means I don't follow a regular schedule. I don't like to be told what to do or when to do it, and I don't follow arbitrary rules. When I set out to do something, I stick by the rules I set and I stay on task. I'll work the entire day, but I won't toil as a slave.

The performance

Today many people came up to me, offered donations and complimented my music. I had conversations with a few individually and told them my story. I remembered to plug my blog this time, so people may keep some connection if they wanted. I still feel nervous like I'm an impostor pretending to be homeless, but I am doing my best to represent who I am and what I'm doing honestly.
 

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0Bzr3HgEucNIRR2JPX3FpNU91TUU



The store manager came out to make an inspection after a few hours. He was a cool young man. He said having a sign up would not be acceptable, but if I was just playing music that would be alright and he let me stay.

So maybe no more signs... : (

Encore

Around 3 pm, I had played through my whole repertoire a few times and was feeling hungry, so I packed it in. I got myself a hot dog in the Costco food court with the money I'd scammed from my generous audience, and I loaded that dog with all the condiments that he could carry on his back.

Next, I drove to a nearby library to print some more sheet music. I wanted to add some Christmas music to my setlist and practice in the park adjacent. It was around 4 pm when I camped out the library park.

I played some songs, but they sounded worse. After a while, however, my flute and my embouchure warmed up and I was able to sing through First Noel, Little Drummer Boy, Away in a Manger, and some of my old songs without much struggle. The colder air, however, was difficult to contest. I had to wipe the inside of my flute frequently to clear away moisture. My fingers also moved slowly in the cold.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0Bzr3HgEucNIRcVZvT2ZMSDFibGc




People with kids walked around the park; joggers, elderly, and dog walkers too. Nobody came up to me or handed me cash this time. It's interesting how perception changes with the venue. Well, another reason could be this audience wouldn't carry around cash for an evening stroll.

That was fine, I didn't expect another round of donations at a park, but some excitement about the music would have been nice. After all, I was excited to come here just to get some Christmas tunes. A few people said nice things about my music after I warmed up and could carry a melody a little. But for the most part, people pretended like I wasn't there, which as Holden Caulfield would say, felt crummy.

The park itself was pretty. I retreated into the warmth and WiFi of the library at sundown, about 6:30 pm, and began this post.