Tag Archive for: David Bowie

Stuck in time

Benefits of music in Brain-Rewiring.

Music is one of the main markers of time.
We all have a special song in our heart associated with the happiest time of our life.

I thought to myself, a beautiful memory, until I was challenged by a musical programme hosted by a middle-aged musician.

I was very touched, since my music-idol, David Bowie, happens to have died in 2016 with my heart s tracks.

Needless to say, music is my medicine.

The radio guest commented that music is in constant evolution and we must evolve either with dead or active musicians.
Fans tend to identify with an artist and are unable to rewire their brain musically.
It is scientifically proven that music can wire up neuronal circuits.

That has dramatic consequences on the music industry and the consumers:
older generations don’t listen to new bands, in turn, new bands have a hard time building base-listenership with teenagers.

I hear all the time from the middle-aged that today s music means nothing to them.
I put myself in between by acknowledging the painful generational divisions.

That said, what is the solution?
Social Interaction.

We didn’t have these generational issues before the social media bubble.
In the 80/90 s we met people by chance in the parks, pubs… we didn’t care about age but sharing, last but not least, music.

I’ll never forget a vibrant 70 years old Beatles crazy I befriended in London Hyde Park in my 20s! He would tell me about the 60’s and I would enlighten him on Bowie.
Guess what: I developed an interest in 60’ society and he started listening to Bowie.

Those were the days!

Media are destroying us.
We re just starting to understand it.
About time.

R. I.P. Jim

I wish I was Jim in 30 years in England talking about Bowie to young people in the park whilst learning about new bands.

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Perfectionism in neurodiversity

Perfection is not humanly designed. Perfectionism is a Mental Disorder underlying other conditions, most commonly ADHD and OCD. The healthy definition of Perfectionism is “Doing the best of your ability.”

Perfectionism is a Delusion.
The human brain is not set to Perfection.
In neurotypicals, the pseudonym “perfect!” refers to “well done!”
“Well done” doesn’t mean “perfect”, it means “good job”.
“Perfect” is just a misused, lazy term.

Unfortunately, the neurodivergent take Perfection to the letter with due consequences: since humans will never achieve perfection, the struggle is real and time consuming. The quest for imaginary perfection takes its toll on Timing. 
This pattern translates Perfection to Failure.

Our society is timely. Everything happens in a Time-setting.
We can’t stop Time because we are mortals.
We can only virtually stop Age as in a  ‘time setting’, “Age is a number…”, a personal attribute, some people feel 85 at 65, others feel 20 at 65…
I feel 30 at 50, nonetheless.

Time and Age are not the same concept: Age is the Result of time, Time is the natural cycle of the planets and depending stars, what astronomers call Orbits. Technically, Time started with the Big Bang for humankind, although latest evidence suggests the existence of a pre-Universe. Anyway, let’s not get into astronomy, knowing that the Earth is 3 billions years old and the Sun has sufficient energy for the next million years, is what matters to humankind.

We can’t sacrifice time for perfection.
Knowing our abilities will keep us on time by giving our best either at work or study. Giving the best will always account for ‘Good Job’ !
Every good educator or boss will acknowledge one’s best effort regardless the score, unlike 30 years ago when only the grades counted, sadly.

I’m not saying that scores don’t count, nowadays, what I mean is that low scores generated by best practices can be implemented, they are never a failure.

One of the greatest visionary musicians of the last 50 years, David Bowie, used to rehearse one time only, no matter what, Perfection was composing a song within 3 days for him, and all his music was a success despite “not perfect”, in his own words. He was no genius, he knew his limits and abilities.

With that quote, I’ll conclude that Time is Perfection in human nature.
Don’t be late…


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Reminiscences

Reminiscences are afterthoughts of memories. In most cases they are of traumatic origin.

Reminiscences are deep memories that leave a mark, either good or bad.

Memories come and go at any time.

Reminiscences are mostly common from mid-life and stored permanently.
That explains why the elderly better recall the past vs the present.

Another way to look at it, is seeing reminiscences as an afterthought of memories.

It’s virtually unlikely having reminiscences in our teens, those would account for trauma.

Trauma must be treated accordingly thus belonging to an independent category of mental illness, most likely PTSD.

Reminiscing is not a mental disorder.
We all do past 40/50.

I reminisce the late musician David Bowie who passed in 2016 at 69.
I grew up with his music in the 80s.
He s deemed the most influential glam-rock artist of the 70/80s.
His legacy will never end.
There are hundreds fan-groups dedicated to him on all social networks.

Up until his death, I had beautiful memories of his.
After his death, those memories turned into sad reminiscences.

I question myself if it is correct to make departed celebrities live eternally on this earth…
David Bowie withdrew from the public sphere long before his death in 2004 at 57.
He stated of wanting to spend his last years with his family.
He had not stopped touring since the 70s.
He gave enough, he desired some time alone.

In his last track ‘Lazarus’, he sings 

 ♪Look up here, I m in Heaven, everybody knows me now!

Could it mean: “Remember me in Heaven!”…….

R.I.P Starman


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Compensation in Autism

You can reclaim your youth anytime.

The 80s were my childhood years, how cool they were yet not being able to make the most of them: little to nothing was known of Autism/ADHD back then, at least in the school system.

But music helped me.
Although clubs and concerts could be overwhelming, I transformed my room in a state-of-the-art discotheque complete with mixer and psychedelic lights.
I’m not sure of the neighbors response, I didn’t budget on the volume still, they occasionally visited my home-studio.

I became kinda deejay celebrity in my neighborhood.

Despite my particular taste for Glam/Goth rock with David Bowie as role-model, I never refused guests’ requests and they always left happy.

I feel like going clubbing without fear now.
I may be up to something.

I’m not manic, I just want to reclaim my lost youth.

God loves me and knows when the most suitable time for me is. 

Age has lost its societal definition in the digital era.

Bowie said in one of his last interviews that the digital age has just landed, he passed in 2016 ndr… he would be 76 today and had no intention to retire.
I’m sure God wanted him badly. He s believed to have formally converted just days before dying. All his songs contain references to God.
There’s plenty of testimonies on the therapeutic properties of his music.
He was the Mozart of rock.

This whole article is to highlight the autistic ability to carve their alternative compensating spaces.

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Passion vs Obsession

The stigma wants that all autistics think the same. That is correct as in the way we think, though most of us have one specific field of expertise, what Mental Health professionals refer to as  ‘One-way neuronal pattern’.

A blessed new week to all.
I hope…

As you know, I’m still stuck in the weekend on Monday.
As I’m still stuck in the weekdays on Saturday.
Change in routine is definitely an issue in Autism…

Today I’m thinking of a name for my channel.
Ideas are plentiful, but you can’t imagine the unavailable titles! Or is it that all autistics think the same?! 
Well, it is known that Aspergers tend to obsess on a specific subject, David Bowie in my case. His music speaks to me, literally. And I m not alone apparently…

So this is going to be a musical blog I guess.
How does music impact your life?
I can’t live without it, I express myself through music.
There s a Bowie song for each state of mind of mine.
I grew up in the 80s with him.

I’ll continue my discussion on music and David Bowie.

First of all, I want to say that I m a Christian, meaning I don’t worship anybody outside God. I believe God speaks through people and art.

Bowie speaks to me.

However, I love all music.

As an 80s child, I was inevitably influenced by Bowie.

I identified in him and most of today s music means nothing to me. Now, don’t get me wrong: this is not a blog about Bowie, but how he impacted me.

You should know that Mental Illness ran in his family. In one of his lyrics, he sings ♪ I had so many breakthroughs! ♪

His life ran along mine. Bowie would only write from real experiences, from his tragic childhood to stardom and addictions in the 70s.
Although I wasn’t around in the 70s, I did extensive research.
I know pretty much everything on Bowie.

Are we talking of passion or obsession?
What s the difference?

Neurotypicals would talk of the former for themselves and the latter in Autism…but is it not the same???

Again, is Autism a kind of personality or illness?

What we know for sure, is that society values homogeneity and shuns diversity. Unless you’re an artist, ironically.

Bowie was called ‘the Master of transformation’! And sold millions of records!

That being the case , would debunk the whole ‘diversity theory’ for the ‘success theory’: if you re rich and famous, diversity is praised. If you’re poor and unproductive you’re shunned… and when I say “unproductive” I mean different, not lazy!
Laziness is unknown to autistics! Add the co-morbidity of ADHD with Autism and you ll notice immediately the discrepancy… have you ever seen a lazy ADHDer???

The reality is that many people still deem short attention-span as laziness.
Not to mention the 80s when teachers didn’t have any Mental Health training.
I endured all sorts of abuse at the hands of teachers!

But back to music. 
I apologize for the small outburst.

It is scientifically proven that music enhances memory and emotions.
So how does it affect autistics?

Writing in the rain.
The air is so saturated that my brain can’t get the right amount of oxygen.
I’m literally hyperventilating in order to stay focused for writing. My ADHD doesn’t help and so do meds.
I apologize in advance for any mistake.
I’ll discuss Weather and Autism in a separate blog.

Are passion and obsession ‘states of mind’?
They are to me.
And I don’t see anything wrong with it: I can listen to David Bowie all day.

That causes a lot of friction with my wife, a Bowie fan herself… needless to say that s an Obsession to her resulting in arguments.

The following is our stereotypical reaction:

　“What’s wrong with you? You like David Bowie!” Me
　“As far as it doesn’t become an obsession!” Wife
　“I love him! What do you mean by Obsession?” Me
　“A negative State of mind!” She
　“Like what???” Me
　“Loss of interest in different things!” She 

Reluctantly I change music for her benefit although not understanding what a ‘State of mind’ is to neurotypicals.

I’d like to hear from you.

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