7 days to go before RFH

Feeling calm and determine. Today's list is to be in touch with friends of friends to help on the show, being 'hosts'.To begin the insurance form, that is now urgent! I have an interview with the EDP local newspaper.I need to send Sal the lyrics to new songs we are including in the show. I need to email the head tech re technician requirement times for the get-in week. The biggest task is gathering the component parts for book finishing. We will be taking with us Butcher of Common Sense books to sell. T-shirts will be printed on Tuesday. Artwork is being made tomorrow and hand-outs will be risographed also on Monday. Thursday we will be visiting a school to thank them for lending us 6 school gym benches. In between time we are learning songs. Last week we had two days rehearsal of the music in the country -side at the Bakehouse in Glandford Norfolk. This was heaven. Just time with the music away from logistics. It gave us focus and space and allowed us to visualise and imagine the sound of the building. We visited the building in between rehearsal days. We laughed a lot. Very lucky, delightful times much work ahead.

Rewiring for calm

I find it helpful for me to remember how it feels and what I'm actually doing before a show or set of shows that in my mind are important. So, stress levels rise. I thought I would be able to steadily plan and write songs, but it comes in waves. Waves of nothing then bursts of ideas and energy to push forward. I am making a mental note of this. I berate myself for not steadily completing stuff that needs doing. Came across an idea of work intensely for 20 hours a week and relax intensely for 20 rather than doing 50 hours full pelt. I have certainly had some days where I can't stop working and I am physically trying to balance them with walking around in the sun just thinking about anything. However, I am 50% relaxed... I think the key for me would be to do something more physical so the brain gets de-fragged. I have some exercises to distract my brain from strategising ( my default setting!) they involve eye movements and overloading the brain with menial tasks of humming whilst spinning my eyes in different directions... so,simple and yet you can feel it work! It reminds me of that fantastic discovery of how gaming immediately after a traumatic incident can stop the brain creating flashbacks. Re-wiring. I have been feeling overwhelmed, but that's just a feeling, so I'm changing the feeling so I can get on with stuff. My personal biggest stress buster is singing practice... which is handy. That's what is happening for me three weeks before the show.