SELF-MEDIA ANALYSIS, inhuman behaviour and how some things affect the mood.

The following lines I wrote as soon as I got in from a 1.5 hr cycle and still had not eaten while re-listening to Leo’s address again on fecking YouTube. 

I made an ink and watercolour in my kitchen last night, but I only sort of pleasantly surprised myself because we are in the middle of a Pandemic and apart from the lovely much-needed urban silences that now have been thrown upon us – life is much the same for me – as an artist I have been diversifying my entire life in order to try to exist – you should see the lists of jobs I have done – this is not a time to be precious. Prescience. Can you believe that on that usually filthy canal I actually saw a little mouse eating some lettuce. It definitely was not a coypu. It was a cute little field mouse and I heard so many birds singing this morning. Spring is coming to help us all through this. Here’s hoping the weather stays this crisp and bright and sure if it doesn’t…. we’ll deal with that too. I Hope you enjoy these beautiful colours and this beautiful little weaver bird.

TOTALLY NUTS right?

The following lines I wrote after eating my evening meal and sorting out some more cool #selfisolation tricks – like opening the front door randomly pretending someone has called over, ah no seriously,  I actually started writing these words below as a Facebook message. I’ve always found the interface of FB so luxurious and welcoming to write in but, wo, wo, what did I say in yesterday’s post? Ah yes, curtail, curtail curtail only Twitter and your own Website. You’ve just got to curb your enthusiasm for the anti-social media, the anti-home school – no more lockdown luddite here. I’ve got to get with the  program and figure out teaching online and stop piss-arsing around. I managed to hook up my laptop to my TV so I’m practically euphoric. Now I can work from the living floor and eat on the living room floor because my table is full of lots of other crap I do not wish to notice. 

Say herro to my little weaver bird that appeared by magic in my messy kitchen last night. It sort of came out of the stress of thinking about the entire world having to communicate only online and always indoors and trying not to think about #zeroselfemployment while #selfisolating (which, by the way comes second nature to a very extroverted introvert!) Yes, indeed when life throws you lemons – give IT the finger, not the lemons (sure they’re only feckin eejits) Looks like we will have to learn to channel the rage – I’ve been at it for years…it gets easier folks! It can sometimes be frustrating, other times highly rewarding and believe it or not, in a patchy way, it might eventually even become lucrative……so today I ignored the pandemic and went to the phoenix park, how beautiful, how sweet, the pope’s children alright, jaysus!

In Dublin city centre. We stay away from each other like the viruses we are……….
I question myself all time but the funny thing about this horrendous time – I am learning to trust my gut. Take my own advice. So I’m self-isolating and SELF-ADVISING. I turned off notifications on my WhatsApp groups as the funnies at different times of the day and depending where I am in the city, on my bike or walking and what and who I am looking at are not so funny and seem trite and smug and oh, everything is just mad, mad, mad.

I didn’t listen to or watch any news today. I worked from home. I took breaks. I went outside and basked in the joy that is colour.  I worked. I walked. I talked. I chatted to another neighbour. While it is worrying, very worrying what is happening or could be happening in the world, we have to trust that the leaders, health service workers, the shopkeepers, the drivers will all mind the less fortunate than ourselves.

Time for a well-earned glass of wine and lo, just another lovely message from a friend abroad. #TechnologyHelps even though it does suck too. #PhotographyHelps too. Tomorrow’s self-isolation lesson will be photo-related.

Here is the Little Weaver Bird song by Molly Drake – I think I would probably interpret this more comically…..you better to fall down the rabbit hole with Molly. I’m listening to Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol right now thinking about a special chap who hopefully isn’t full of crap (insert favourite emoji)

TAKE YOUR PICK OF HASHTAGS  #staysafestayhome #wearestrong #wehavethevirus #ourimmunesystemsarefightingit #wegotthis #protectchildren #protecttheelderly #protectthesick #meditatemyownway #ImStillHere #awarenessiskey #takeabreaktakeaquickcrap #hopefullyourstoolswillberegularsoon #eatwell #drinkenough #read #library #librarysonline #borrowbox #supportindependentbookstores #write #hum #move #walk #run #bike #seaswim #slowadventure #beaware #beawareofrabbitholes #bewareoftoomuch #alittleofwhatyoufancy #iamlove #iamgod #nolitemere #wearewarriors #weareleefeckingmarvin #litslunchtime #latelunchisbetterthannone #desklunchisforwimps

The i in ILLNESS is ISOLATION and the crucial letters in WELLNESS are WE

DRAWING birds for all ages – take your pick of links – and try not to fall down the rabbit hole that is You Tube and focus on the lesson plan – ha ha ha ha. One fine day I will modernise and make short YouTube videos on my phone but for now I will just ‘make do’ cos that is what I am used to doing for so long (insert favourite emoji here).

1. This 1st link to how to draw a bird doesn’t automatically embed on my site and I’m not arsed to figure that out today. That is probably how I will start learning to draw my weaver bird.

St. Patrick’s Day 2020 in our Post Truth Era
I listened to Leo last night. And I have made a few decisions about how I plan to work and manage myself for the next while to keep myself afloat. First, music. I stumbled across a lovely tune yesterday called Little Weaver Bird and that is the inspiration for today’s lesson which is above. I have also decided to post on @ActTheMaggot on Twitter only. I am personally trying to avoid FB and Insta as I’m so fecking hooked on my phone.

What a different day it was. But that was yesterday and today is today. I often listen to music to help calm myself down but when I am quite stressed I like to listen to music with no lyrics at all so my mind is free to hear the notes and the melodies. But I also know how to Press Pause or to turn down the volume on our inbuilt biases towards others and that is what we have to try to do. Let us see this fecking Virus as a golden opportunity instead of running scared or having knee jerk reactions to matters that are in the grand scheme of things, rather inconsequential.

I self isolated, with my friend. So I guess you could say I bio-isolated. One of my bug bears is when the media latches on to a new phrase but sure I will return to that, I always do. Anyways, we walked, talked, stayed local. When she heard the song The Weaver Bird, she actually knew what the weaver bird looked like and told me and described it – take a peek here – they are so cute and bright and cheery – they come from Africa.  I love birdsong, I love nature. We chatted briefly to a couple of neighbours. We chatted briefly with my neighbour Mairead and later we watched the news in her living room. After the news we all decided to go home to our beds. I also messaged with my family spoke to some of them. I spoke to my older sister who lives abroad. It was great to hear her voice. One friend in particular I am thinking about today is in hospital. May the force be with her. Another dear friend is living with M.E. and has been for over 20 years so I hope he is safe and being minded well or is minding himself well.

So many of us now have to change the usual way we do things. We will do our best. We will lie of the couch or the floor and weep and laugh and escape into our favourite activities but we will dust ourselves off and buck up! We are horses. Time to put my music back on as ye old neighbours’ dog behind me is barking again, how bad? Stuff like that used to bother me ALOT but it’s amazing what a little perspective can do. Speaking of perspective, I might do a little drawing this afternoon. My old teacher, when I was a kid used to say that becoming good at something was 99% hard work and 1% talent.

My friend and I cut up the rug in my tiny living room doing a couple of dance moves. We listened to the Gotan Project on Spotify (cos that’s how I roll – insert emoji of your choice here) – I love Tango music, here  are links to The Gotan Project and a favourite Tango musician of mine Astor Piazolla

Choose Your Own Recipes
In fact, we actually danced for only about 5 minutes as we needed to stop to eat the beautiful food. A saag paneer which I made myself but I sometimes order locally and a sweet potato curry which I also made myself using the very cool easy book I bought in India (Tasty Dishes by Naushad (#ISBN 978-81-264-6427-2). Then I was telling my friend about my new friend Lynn and lo and behold there was the zap ringing – her ears must have been burning. It was great to hear her voice. I find cooking also relaxes me instead of being online and watching ALL the news on ALL the channels, now that’s a total pain in the ass and requires a milliion miles of toilet paper and gallons of coffee – whose gut can take that abominable consumer-driven crap? Some other people I guess but not me. I don’t buy online when I don’t need to. I support local businesses if and when I can afford to. I weigh things up, I decide. Enough of the damn tango music now! Time to get out my pencil and attempt to draw a Weaver Bird. Sure amn’t I full of great ideas. Clap on back. Time to have lunch and then meditate my own way for 30 mins. Today, I’ll chat to a sister and go for a cycle in my ferocious attempt to not kill my neighbour’s dog. (Insert favourite emoji here). God, I’m bloody starving now!!! 14.20 is far too late for me to have lunch but guess what, I just remembered that I forgot to have breakfast today. Oops. Maybe I will do better tomorrow.

Listen to The Weaver Bird
Read The Weaver Bird 

TAKE YOUR PICK OF HASHTAGS  #wearestrong #wehavethevirus #ourimmunesystemsarefightingit #wegotthis #protectchildren #protecttheelderly #protectthesick #meditatemyownway #ImStillHere #awarenessiskey #takeabreaktakeaquickcrap #hopefullyourstoolswillberegularsoon #eatwell #drinkenough #read #library #librarysonline #borrowbox #supportindependentbookstores #write #hum #move #walk #run #bike #seaswim #slowadventure #beaware #beawareofrabbitholes #bewareoftoomuch #alittleofwhatyoufancy #iamlove #iamgod #nolitemere #wearewarriors #weareleefeckingmarvin #litslunchtime #latelunchisbetterthannone #desklunchisforwimps

The i in ILLNESS is ISOLATION and the crucial letters in WELLNESS are WE

An Evening of Theatre and Song Showcases

We are descending upon the Wild Duck, We are descending upon the Wild Duck, We are descending upon the Wild Duck.
Yiz are all invited to raise a cheer, a glass, your voice, to the current Level 2 ensemble of maggots who have been working hard on this extra special showcase, which just so happens to coincide with International Women’s Day! So we decided to jump on the ol’ bandwagon and salute our sisters. All of this done fairly, on the fly, we are grateful for the excellent variety of original writing and two wonderful musicians.

Songstress extraordinaire, Truly Divine will entertain us with jazz numbers and Ealain Fenton will play guitar and accompany Sr. Josephine who has decided to lift her veil (hopefully nothing else).
Our Award-winning writers include:
Novelist & Short Story Writer, Nuala O’Connor (Miss Emilie, Becoming Belle, Joyride to Jupiter)
Writer & Journalist, Aingeala Flannery, Playwright & Content Writer, Joy Redmond, Poet Annemarie Ni Churreain and Fiction wrtier and editor, Ruth McKee.

ACTING ENSEMBLE
Leah Crawford
Katie Daffy
Sarah-Jane Fortune
Eva Hennessy
Aileen Lyons
Ciara Moloney
Aine O Connell
Sophie Van Der Putten

Yup, we are about to make A Holy Show
of ourselves
so do
join us,
stay
for
the
open mic after. You’ll have to come early for that
and find yer one with the clipboard to put your name down as spots are limited.

Where? The Wild Duck, Sycamore Street, Dublin 2
When? Monday, March 9th. Doors open at 7:30pm and show begins at 8:00pm.

During your Aromatherapy Massage, the therapist will choose a selection of healing essential oils to suit you. The massage will last 30 minutes and you will go into a deep state of relaxation. We like to call it an oil dressing more than a massage. So do not be expecting someone to come and knead out all your knots like a sports’ massage! This is the complete opposite. It is continuous touch with light finger strokes – focusing on the back, neck and shoulders only. We also touch the head if clients do not mind getting essential oil in their hair. All oils used are 100% organic from the Doterra range.

Price:
€40 for 25 minutes
€80 for 55 minutes

We offer Friday afternoon sessions in Dublin City Centre
From 3pm to 7pm only

or consider joining our weekend Artist’s Way retreat in May – you can pre-book a slot there.

Enquiries: actthemaggot@gmail.com

Christmas Vouchers on sale

Christmas Shopping can be quite the ordeal. Some people are very organised and buy their Christmas gifts during the year or order them online well in advance of the delivery dates. Why not make your loved one a MAGGOT by presenting them with the gift of creativity for 2020!!

Can I buy a Christmas Voucher for any course?

Yup, you can buy a voucher for any of our courses starting in January and February 2020.

Are these courses suitable for Beginners?

All of our courses are aimed at over 18 adult beginners. Click on the following links to learn about each of our three flaghsip courses. Give someone a voucher for a Beginners’ Course in Acting or in Pencil Drawing or Creative Writing.

What information is needed for your Christmas Voucher?

When you email us please specify, which course you want, the first name and surname of the person who will receive the voucher and their email address which will need to be added to the class list. Don’t worry we will NOT email them as you will want to keep your gift a surprise, we just need to have their email address for the class – it is a busy time.

How do I buy a Christmas Voucher?

Email us at actthemaggot@gmail.com with all the above details and we will send you payment instructions and once you have made the payment online, we will email you the voucher!

Introduce a little mindfulness into your life this week

Greetings everyone this October Monday morning. I am sending you a cool Brian Eno track to play in the background to aid relaxation and hopefully help you get into some meditation. Even just try to slow down at some point today, experience stillness, commune with the power of the world and the power inside yourself. Mindfulness is just awareness. Mindfulness can be as simple as just experiencing your breath. Mindfulness is a way of being. It is hard to begin mindfulness meditation because it seems so alien to us but like everything, with practise it becomes second nature.

Smiling is a Practice says the father of mindfulness

Thich Nhat Hanh has a nice theory about smiling —“Why should I smile when there is no joy in me? The answer to that is: Smiling is a practice. There are over three hundred muscles in your face. When you are angry or fearful, these muscles tense up. The tension in these muscles creates a feeling of hardness. If you know how to breathe in and produce a smile, however, the tension will disappear – it is what I call “mouth yoga.” Make smiling an exercise. Just breathe in and smile – the tension will disappear and you will feel much better.”

Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh is a global spiritual leader, poet and peace activist, revered around the world for his pioneering teachings on mindfulness, global ethics and peace. He is the founder of Plum Village in Bordeaux France. Sadly, he has been ill for some time and most recently at age 92 he has returned to live in his native Vietman where he is comfortable and stable.

Come explore mindfulness and creativity tools in 2020

At Act The Maggot, founder facilitator Amy Redmond likes to introduce simple meditation techniques in all of her courses and coaching sessions. Why not come a long to The Artist’s Way Weekend next year and begin to explore your own creativity and well-being journey.

Keep an eye out for our blog posts. #mindfulmonday, #testimonialtuesday, #Whatsonwednesday, #throwbackthursday @actthemaggot