The Afterword

Musings on the byways of popular culture

Menu

Navigation

New stuff from Daniel Tashian

by 5 Comments

Anything new from Daniel (Silver Seas) Tashian is always a joy, so it was lovely to get some new music from his project, Skyline Motel, in my inbox. A new EP, 5 tracks of Country-flavoured songs with Sarah Buxton, Ian Fitchuk and Kate York. Add them to their original EP, back in 2014, and the first single (Champagne Makes Me Cry) and you have an album’s worth of solid gold sunshine.

It’s all on Spotify.

You should be proud of yourself.

by 54 Comments

Four months.

I suppose it’s actually longer than that. Let’s see. He died on the 14th March. So that’s 163 days to yesterday. But the breakdown happened the weekend before the funeral, in a Birmingham hotel, when I found myself at 6 in the morning, sitting on the side of the bath, shaking and staring at the floor, tears shining on the black tiles at my feet.

28 hours later I was sitting in my GP’s surgery telling him that I had spent 44 years hiding this, fighting it, dealing with it and getting nowhere.

Finally, I put my hand up and said, out loud, “I can’t do this anymore.”

Citalopram and therapy followed, quickly.

So, four months have passed.

Yesterday, two sessions earlier than expected, I was signed off the therapy. “You’ve come so far since that day in April when I first met you.” The therapy started with a face to face session but, after that, it was a series of workbooks and phone calls.

“Your voice was quiet and timid. Your body language was withdrawn, inward looking, defensive. You couldn’t make eye contact.”

“Now, your voice is bright, engaging. I can hear your eyes » Continue Reading.

It’s a Good Sign

by 12 Comments

My car-loving wife drove her new Honda CRV off the forecourt today and I couldn’t be happier. She gets so attached to her car and it broke her heart to leave Sid, her 5 year old model, at the garage. Her car brings her so much pleasure, makes her so happy, that I just have to grin.

But it’s more than that.

When she’s happy, I’m happy. It means that life is going to run smoothly for a while which, for a depressive, is vital. I adore it when she can focus on something that lights up her world. She is the centre of my life so if she is happy, the world is a brighter place.

As we drove the new car up to Brum to take her elderly parents out for lunch this came on. It’s from the wonderful new Silver Seas album, which is a sun-filled joy of a record.

What’s the point of this post?

The fact that my wife’s happiness makes me so happy is a good sign for my mental well being.

A Good Sign.