Fool’s Journey
Album Cover Mockup: Matt Smith
Allow me to get a little woo-woo here: When reading tarot the 22 familiar cards of the Major Arcana make up a story known as “The Fool’s Journey.” A story that illustrates the evolution of The Fool - from just naively setting out on a grand journey knowing nothing of what the would has in store for them to having experienced all that the world had to give.
The Fool, at the start of their journey, is often seen as a young, naive, ignorance is bliss sort of spirit. Anytime anyone wants to go out and do something related to the music industry it’s often met with criticism of being very difficult to do anything in or to become famous. Even presenting this idea that I wanted to be a graphic designer in the music industry to my 8th grade teacher responded the same and that I should consider something more realistic. I just changed the industry - marketing. That was more palatable to the adult.
But, like Card 0, I’m kind of stepping into this journey with a sense of “Fuck it, I’ve scrapped away in corporate for 13 years, let’s DIY that!” unsophicatedness! All in the name of exploring the whims of my teenage dream. I can’t say I haven’t thought about it before, but I have a habit of finishing a project up to the point of sharing it. Call it fear of failure.
The past couple of years have been rough. My uncle says I was going through my Saturn Return and that now, at 30, that’s past me and I’m my own person and it’s to be expected “especially of me” that I would start exploring things I wanted to do as a kid with the kind of attitude I do.
But also in the past 2 years I’ve come into some really awesome realizations. I’ve done a few things that lil’ me would be thrilled to hear too! I would yap on about wanting a fluffy black cat with green eyes named Wilbur - got ‘em. To move out of state - did it. That I wanted to live in the Highlands - doin’ it. That I wanted to be a graphic designer .. - doin’ i - wait! That I wanted to be a graphic designer for musicians. Okay, I’ll let myself on a technicality there. I am a graphic designer. I’ve worked in web and marketing for over a decade. But, I’ve not put myself out there to follow my childhood equivalent of wanting to be a singer! Another realization I’ve had was that some of my closest friends that I’ve made just in the past couple of years are musicians; ones who actively pursue their craft and want to make some sort of living off of that passion of theirs. Stars Align, Manifestation is real, Tarot knows all or some other mumbo jumbo that I’m very suspect of whether or not the universe is pulling a fast one on me when I look back on the things I just made happen eventually because I just said I would “one day.”
What was that about me being my own person? Oh, yeah. We'll today’s the day, I’m goin’ for it! Boisterously, I’m going to walk right on this stage and dammit, I am going to try. It’s going to letting go of the perfectionism and being willing to share - because that’s still scary as fuuuuuuuck and I’m still just one of many that have anxiety. But I’m going to do it because if my friends need support to make their dreams as artists come true! Then I’m going to be their biggest supporter by helping them out with the things that can help them get recognized and build a community of fans surrounding their music!
Unlike our Fool, I’m not going in blind by any means. Maybe chaotically! But, not blind. I’m getting out there and trying to just put myself in the community as that green-haired gremlin crawling around on the floor trying to not get crushed by the pit. If there’s anything I’m sure of it’s that there’s a community of creatives that understand what having that DIY scrappiness doesn’t mean we cant DIT (Do It Together).
Mistakes have already been made (I meant and forgot to record a quick photoshop of how I designed the album cover for this blog cover) - but you didn’t even see that! So, why am I fretting - just like music - not everything will be a hit!
Since it’s spring and I just launched my website - I’m taking this season to ramp up on some learnings and batch create some content so I can have a head start. I’m planning on sharing a little more so I’m not in the dark to ya’ll! Ideally, I’d like to ramp up my postings across social each month. Especially since I’m going to be creating content for myself and a couple other people!
If you’re reading this - thanks for being a witness to my debut!
Listening to: 90s Grunge But Lofi Compilation - Volume 1 👽Alien Cake Music
