Folks, I'm at my wits' end ...

[Kate Gladstone]

Folks, I'm at my wits' end. Some of you, here, know that I USED to write filks ... years ago ... until the ability suddenly _*died_*, literally between one word and the next, in mid-composition. Because several good folks here (and other filkers, elsewhere) suggested that I might have had a small "silent" stroke, Transient Ischemic Attack, or the like ... well, I've been getting myself pretty thoroughly checked out (MRI and other things that I had to work pretty hard to get the insurance firm to authorize) ... and the verdict from every doctor is that there has been _no_ stroke, _no_ TIA, NO sign of cerebral damage, NOTHING that could have caused (for instance) this. (Therapists, of various kinds, have come up dry with me too: nothing that I've done, or have survived having done to me, suggests a cause or a treatment for this vexing matter ... ) So ... to everyone who so kindly sympathized & offered hope and good wishes & said to, well, literally get my head examined ... I've done that, and remain without a clue as to what happened or how or why. Ideas, please? Has it happened to others: not just a brief "dry spell" but, by now, YEARS ON END?! When I try to get something going (e.g., by listening to/reading/singing the things I once wrote), it is like hearing/reading/singing the works of someone else: being in the audience, and wondering how "she" (the previous Kate) was able to do what I can only _like_ seeing done. <:-C

[Gary McGath]

On 6/6/17 12:37 PM, Kate Gladstone wrote:
> Folks, I'm at my wits' end. Some of you, here, know that I USED to write filks ... years ago ... until the ability suddenly _*died_*, literally between one word and the next, in mid-composition. Because several good folks here (and other filkers, elsewhere) suggested that I might have had a small "silent" stroke, Transient Ischemic Attack, or the like ... well, I've been getting myself pretty thoroughly checked out (MRI and other things that I had to work pretty hard to get the insurance firm to authorize) ... and the verdict from every doctor is that there has been _no_ stroke, _no_ TIA, NO sign of cerebral damage, NOTHING that could have caused (for instance) this. (Therapists, of various kinds, have come up dry with me too: nothing that I've done, or have survived having done to me, suggests a cause or a treatment for this vexing matter ... ) So ... to everyone who so kindly sympathized & offered hope and good wishes & said to, well, literally get my head examined ... I've done that, and remain without a clue as to what happened or how or why. Ideas, please? Has it happened to others: not just a brief "dry spell" but, by now, YEARS ON END?! When I try to get something going (e.g., by listening to/reading/singing the things I once wrote), it is like hearing/reading/singing the works of someone else: being in the audience, and wondering how "she" (the previous Kate) was able to do what I can only _like_ seeing done. <:-C
>

I wish I did have an idea to offer at this point, even an implausible
one. It's good to know that there's no sign of anything physically wrong
with your brain, anyway.

Maybe Oliver Sacks would have a clue, but he's not around any more.


--
Gary McGath http://www.mcgath.com

[Gary McGath]

I just looked at Facebook, where you made the same post. In light of the
discussion there, I'd like to add something: In filk, if you don't write
songs, you aren't reduced to "standing and admiring" in the sense
described there. Many people who don't write songs are active filk
participants. There's helping out at cons, spreading information,
encouraging shy people to sing, etc.

You're still a filker, even if you don't write songs any more.

[Lee Gold XP]

There's also singing along.

--Lee

[Scott Dorsey]

Ironically, I think my wife would be _delighted_ if I could stop coming up
with stupid filk songs. I think I might be too come to think of it.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[Kay Shapero]

In article <ohbdv1$sbb$1...@dont-email.me>, ga...@REMOVEmcgathREMOVE.com
says...

What he said!


--

Kay Shapero
FAQ at http://www.kayshapero.net/filkfaq.htm
Address munged, use kay at kayshapero extension as per website.

[Joe Kesselman]

Everyone goes through slumps, Kate. The obvious choices I'd suggest
would be:

1) Power through. Set yourself homework of writing N songs a week, where
N may just be one. It's OK if they're lousy and never get shown to
anyone else; the goal is to exercise the skills and to stop
self-criticising prematurely. Practice makes better, and helps get you
out of the "I can't do it (anymore)" or "I can only do it when inspired"
mindsets.

2) Don't worry about it. It's been a decade or two since I wrote
anything serious, spend significant time practicing, etc. I will at some
point, but I flat-out refuse to stress about when. There are many folks
who have a burst of creativity followed by a dry spell, no matter what
the field; if you're waiting for the next one, accept that you're waiting.

[Lee Gold XP]

My choice would be -- figure out what things you're interested in these
days.
Shows, books, whatever.
Write a paragraph or two of PROSE about two or three of them.
Write a paragraph or two of PROSE about asking your Filk Muse to come back.
See if any of those paragraphs reminds you of a song tune.
Bash the prose till it scans at least a little.

love,

--Lee