Day 2532: Downs and Ups

Every day has downs and ups, for all of us.

My day included many downs and ups, including

• worrying about performing a Steely Dan song and an original song at an Open Mic last night,
• buying a ticket to see Jacob Collier at Boston’s House of Blues in May,
• losing my lyrics sheet for my original song,
• reconstructing the lyrics as best I could,
• reconnecting at the Open Mic with Nat, who co-led groups and co-wrote a song with me last year,
• feeling empathy for the little girl who cried when she forgot how to play “Jingle Bell Rock” on the electric guitar,
• two people talking loudly during my introduction to and performance of my first song,
• those people leaving before my second song,
• forgetting a chord in “Pretzel Logic,”
• making it through “Pretzel Logic” and my “country” song, “What’s Keeping Me Up is What’s Going Down,” and
• cheering for the little girl who returned with her acoustic guitar and played a great “Jingle Bell Rock.”

What downs and ups do you see here?

Here are the downs and ups of my Open Mic performance last night:

I keep writing new lyrics down for “What’s Keeping Me Up is What’s Going Down.” It’s time to put these up on WordPress:

What’s Keeping Me Up is What’s Going Down

by Ann Koplow

What’s keeping me up is what’s going down,

I’m sleepless and hopeless and wearing a frown.

Problems abound, no solutions to be found.

What’s keeping me up is what’s going down.

In my local and the global news

There’s no quick fix I can find to choose.

No matter what your state or views

There’s no relief, just a belief in booze.

What’s keeping me up is what’s going down.

I’m sleepless and hopeless and wearing a frown.

Problems abound, no solutions to be found.

What’s keeping me up is what’s going down.

As I turn to everyone I see

And I ask if they relate to me.

They haven’t got one moment free.

They seem crippled by anxiety.

What’s freaking me out is what’s rushing in.

I’m tired and helpless, no reason to grin.

Fighting with kin, politicians who spin.

What’s freaking me out is what’s rushing in.

As I try to end this song with hope,

Hope seems to be beyond my scope.

Is the answer just to smoke some dope?

When I’m stoned I’m just inclined to mope.

What’s freaking me out is what’s rushing in.

I’m tired and helpless, no reason to grin.

Fighting with kin, politicians who spin.

What’s freaking me out is what’s rushing in.

What’s keeping me up is what’s going down.

© Ann Koplow, 2019

Feel free to write down any thoughts and feelings about downs and ups in the comments section, below.

Now it’s time to get down with gratitude, which always cheers me up!