the golden voice

You know what they say, we all are singers. It's true: I grew up with it, so I guess I was lucky, having that kind of musical background where it's just natural to be a musician. Singing was always part of our life.

On the other hand, it's a lot harder to get noticed when everybody else is doing it, too: where I come from, being a singer – a good singer – is nothing special. People have told my I was talented, and it would be a nice and modest thing to say here I was just another hard-working musician.

But I don't want to lie: It's true. I am a genius. I'm so talented … it's never been much work for me. I just have this incredible voice, I can't stop listening to my songs myself. I have this huge collection of records – but you'd have a hard time finding anything in it that's not one of my own countless recordings. They're just outstanding! So, It was just a matter of time until someone discovered me.  It might have taken a bit longer due to the fact that we all sing more or less (did I say that already?), but well, it's obvious, that I am doing it on a whole different level. It's another world, a higher dimension. I don't mind all the others warbling along, let them have some fun, but if you want real art, you don't get past my work.
And, I hate to state the obvious: I have the looks.

This is very important when you perform:  The looks. Cool, sexy and a bit dangerous. Intense presence on stage. Beautiful skin tone and a body like a statue. Charisma. Like me. This is something that comes naturally, it is just impossible to learn it. Either you have it or you don't.
Obviously, I do.

Due to all these facts, I always knew I was bound to end up at the very top. It's just my destiny to be famous - and my duty, too. Don't I have to see to it that as many people out there as possible get the chance to experience my extraordinary gift? Wouldn't it be unfair to not let the public share the bliss of being enchanted by my golden voice? Everybody knows that fame soon came to me – it had to, after all – and I was ready to take my chance.

The rest is history. So yes, I think I deserve to be what I am today.

And yes, I feel offended by you asking my name. What do you mean, you never heard of me?

Enrico with the golden voice

on the side

In the autumn, i'm usually very busy (being a deer, that is). Not so much time for posting in this blog. But in my few spare moments, I like to play with the chestnuts.
Life is not all work and belling, is it? Got to be a bit silly from time to time.
I find this is a nice way to let the mind travel.

I thought, I'll just share this here between the usual stories.
Have fun watching!

totem

The plesiosaur's story kept on bugging me. Do you remember the plesiosaurus?
First I just thought he was just a quirky guy. But what if he had a point? I did, like most people, I suppose, lead a life based on decisions I had never really thought about. Did I become someone who wasn't I? Who am I anyway? What am I all about? The true self?
These were the questions that started to work my mind.

I knew, sooner or later I needed to go on a quest for myself.
So I tried different things. I ate substances I don't want to talk about here. I attached my head to weird technical devices nobody could explain sufficiently. I froze and sweated, attended several courses about several ways to find several sorts of truths and spent a fortune on it; I even found a horse that didn't bear a name and we travelled through some really, really barren landscape for a few days. (I didn't sit on it of course. Honestly, how would that look?)

Then I met that shaman.
The shaman told me about the totems.
He said, we all have our totem. An animal or being that represents where we originally stem from.
Not like grandpa, more like the primary root of our soul. Meeting my totem would reveal what I am all about.
Now that sounded more like what I was looking for.  The shaman agreed to help me find it.

Again I froze and sweated and went through more uncomfortable things. I began getting used to this, still I don't know why it helps. But that's the way to do it, said the old man.
I followed his advice, since I really wanted an answer to my question.
In the end I was back to the desert (without the horse this time). This time I was prepared for all I knew, there was nothing left to do but wait for my totem to appear. The shaman affirmed that it would come for sure, but I might need some patience.

First I was excited. Then I became calmer. Bored. Tired. And very thirsty. I sweated. I was cold. Days went by.

In the end I gave up.

That was the moment my totem appeared.
I was very surprised, I must say.
I got my answer now. I'm just not sure what to make of it.

The answer to my questions.

not so alone

I don't see any reason to freak out like this. Calm down and think what it really means, you'll see it is a good thing.

First of all, this probably isn't new, it's well possible that it has been going on like this forever. Did it bother anybody before we found out?
Not really. See?

Next, they are not doing anything as far as we know. I mean, they don't seem to interfere. So where's the problem?

One may be inclined to ask what they're up to. Well, I can assure you, I've been told that they definitely have got their reasons to be here and do what they're doing, but it really doesn't matter much to us. It's best to keep calm and mind our own businesses, we wouldn't understand anyway, so I've been told. Why should we assume there is any danger?  Personally, I think it is an improvement.

Why?
Well, there are times in life when things don't work out that well, we feel down and depressed and all bad – and that is when we tend to think that nobody cares for us and we're all alone in this cold, not-at-all-caring world and that nobody is interested even if we live or die or what. You know that. Everybody does. Don't you, too, wish for somebody to be aware of you when you're down there in that dark hole? But now you know, they are there. Interested. Aware. Taking notice of everything.
It means we're not so alone.

And they don't interfere. But some people, sometimes, forget who they are and where they belong. There is a temptation to try crazy things, become all wild and mad and unreasonable. This is dangerous, it threatens the order of things. Bad things can happen. Now when they know there are these observers, that all we say or do is being noticed – I am sure it will make them think twice about trying things that are not normal.

Personally, I feel safer this way.

So, just because we don't fully understand what is going on and why, we don't need to be afraid. This is just fear of the unknown. Silly.

We should be happy to know that there is someone watching over us.

just watching.

between the bubbles

Let me tell you why I'm doing this. There is a story to it, believe it or not.

At one point in my life, I looked at myself and found that  I was stuck. I just couldn't go on like this, maybe you know how it is. (I imagine I was not the only one who lived like this.)

One decides for a direction, rather thoughtlessly, and then one keeps doing what one's doing. On and on, just because it is what you've always done.
Before you know, it becomes part of you, you are what you do, it seems like we can't help moving in the same direction although we never really made a decision about it. The things we do result in new tasks that keep us busy, and make us do more things and one leads to another.

I found that I kept going but didn't have the slightest idea where to. So I had to take a step back. And another one. And one more.

I needed to get acquainted to the elements, you know? The origins. The core of it all.
We all came from the water at one time.

So here I am, on the sacred quest to my true self. I will not fear any hardships or obstacles to find it.
It may look like I'm merely having fun, just because I'm facing my task with a brave smile on my face.

I hope you understand now, that there is so much more to it. Now if you would leave me alone, please, I find it hard to meditate in the presence of a dry stranger who isn't sharing my mission.

I know this looks like fun.

a jungle

I told you to stay away from these strangers. You've got to know, there's a jungle out there. Really wild. The nice and tidy world you know is only a small part of the whole big picture.
Here, in this cosy place by the river, you know nothing's going to happen to you. This has always been a safe place. But they are out there, exploring, trying to find greenly, simple people like you and me. They are coming closer. There might be danger in this.

I know, you're growing older now and soon you'll feel the urge to explore. I can't do anything about it, and maybe I shouldn't. It's natural when you're young.
But under the circumstances: Please, please be careful. You wouldn't listen to me anyway. Still I have to warn you - I don't know where you did find this … thing … but it looks frighteningly unfamiliar.
Don't think I'm just old-fashioned, afraid of anything that's new. I admit, I am not as young as I used to be.
But I've heard rumors.

And I am concerned.
Because I care, for it was I who hatched you from when you were soo small. (Oh how very small you were!)

You don't like me saying that, do you? You feel so big now, am I right?

Well, you are. But be home before dark.
And I want to know where you found this. Don't forget:

It's a jungle out there.

sir stanley's hat

It started with a tooth

It started with a fallen out tooth: I had to get a replacement. Turned out that the artificial tooth was a lot better than the original, natural one. This, I'm afraid, made the master curious.

And you know him, once he started … You don't know him? Well, never mind.
Just let me tell you: He's the type who can get really, really involved in a thing once he's gotten a hold on it. So he starts making improvements. And more improvements. His assistant, Igor (why are they aways named Igor by the way?) was very much into it, too.
He himself looks like … well …

Oh, you know Igor? Okay, you know an Igor. That's good enough, they seem to be very much alike.

I know it's not a nice thing to say, but look at me. I really think they overdid things a little.
But who am I to complain? After all, I did what the master told me. It's in our nature, of course, but still – they didn't force me.

And they spend a lot of money in the project, that is, in me. 60 Dollars, I've heard.
That's a lot, isn't it? It does look kind of odd, but it hat it's advantages, too. I don't get tired easily, I'm strong and fast and I'm not often cold in the winter.

Just have to stay away from magnets.

the 60 dollar dog

Who is Mr. Trad?

For all we know,  he started his journey in a southern state he often lightheartedly referred to as his "sweet home", heading for the Missisippi delta area. Whether he ever arrived there or got lost on the way, we have no conclusive evidence as of yet. His reputation of general unreliability may suggest the latter to be likely.
We know for sure, though, that the person in question carried on the very joint of his leg an instrument of peculiar shape, feel and sound. From this fact we may assume that he was (and probably is) a musician, either by profession or amateur.

The weather conditions were interesting enough to be mentioned here: Although it was  a dry night on the day of his departure, it rained all the time.
The sun  shone with intense heat, making him "freeze to death", as he would put it. This may be an exaggeration, as he obviously was alive enough to report his travels in a song. Generally, the credibility of his statements may be disputable.

The song gives us a valuable hint as to what the purpose of his venture may have been. Seemingly he intended to meet a person he felt great affection for, and cared about, as the song asks her not to weep in more that one passage of it's lyrics. We even know the person's name, as it made it's way to the title of the song. Not knowing who she is, we decided not to publish it though, respecting the privacy of a stranger. (Even more so as our main source, the song, implies a connection to a person of possibly questionable reputation).

If you have any knowledge of Mr. Trad.'s true identity and/or whereabouts, please contact us through this blog.

A phantom drawing of the mysterious Mr. Trad.

the pensive pioneer

So this is it.
It looks like I am first, nobody else is here … well, a few plants as far as I can see.
Rocks, too.

What next?

Funny how everybody is so excited about who is the first one and we never think about what to do once we are there. Actually, there isn't anything here at all.
I guess that means there is nothing to do, really.

... er ...

Let's say it's a great opportunity to get away from it all, leave all my everyday trouble behind, relax and find a way to my true self. Sounds a lot better when I put it this way. Aaah, so peaceful and quiet.
And now?
My true self - not sure if that is someone I want to be alone with...

They warned me, they said there's no point to it, coming here. It's just not a place to be for our kind, they said. And that it couldn't possibly lead to anything good.
But if there's a frontier, someone must explore what's behind it. That is why I am here. There has to be a first person to do this, there wouldn't be any progress otherwise. Gotta evolve, I used to say. Venture out. Take risks.

Well, here I am.
What a dull place, to be honest.
But if I go back, I'd prove them right. Everybody'd laugh at me …
Does that mean I'm stuck being the explorer now? Is it my fate to be here? Even when I'm wasting my time?

I'll stay a while and see what happens. The good thing is, it's probably not dangerous, as there is nothing here. Could be extremely boring, though.

They are probably right. This will not lead to anything …

to boldly waddle where no one has waddled before