Journal

September 24, 2018 at 15:50 pm (Motherwell, Scotland)

“But I knew that someday I was going to die. And just before I died two things would happen; Number 1: I would regret my entire life. Number 2: I would want to live my life over again.”
— Hubert Selby Jr

That quote by Hubert Selby Jr made a big impact when I first heard it many years ago and it has stayed with me ever since. It’s been rattling around my head recently, thanks to this Chronicle 90 project that we are currently on. I’m sure all 7 of us (our eighth member will join us at the end of the project) have analyzed our lives through this experience and most have realized just how uneventful our lives are. Sure we can all blog about the exciting things that happen once in a blue moon, but mostly it just feels like putting your foot to the floor in first gear while sitting in a carpark full of snow. But I know I will want to do it all again someday.

This week: Kids on holiday, but with plenty of homework, Lots of driving, a trip to the cinema, a storm that caused a fair bit of damage, a notebook that just isn’t filling up as fast as it used to, and of course the X-T3. But now it’s time to hit publish on this post and start prepping my gear for tomorrows shoot.

September 17, 2018 at 17:25 pm (Motherwell, Scotland)

By Derek Clark

It’s been a quick week. Loads of editing in Lightroom for the first few days, then child number two left for an outdoor activities week. This is her first trip away without any family members. She was so excited, she was making weird dolphin squeaks in the back of the car on the way to the bus.

As usual, I’ve been tinkering on the music front, tweaking EQ settings for the saxophone. I’ve also been modifying a new keyboard case that the keyboard and accessories stay permanently inside the base. This should mean less wiring up to do. At least that’s the theory, but time will tell.

August 17, 2018 at 7:05am (Motherwell, Scotland)

By Derek Clark

Every day seems like groundhog day, but different each time. I've been making adjustments to this pedal board for months, ironing out problems by removing pedals and replacing them with solutions. A mic preamp, a monitor mixer, graphic EQ. It always looks so over the top for saxophone and a little bit of guitar, but it's all relevant. I hope it's finished. I'll find out soon.

Then a short intermission in groundhog day to go to the opticians to get my eyes tested. My eyesight has got worse since my last check, but I already knew that. I take a quick look at the kids section because that's where I choose my glasses from, due to my tiny cranium. But I'm not in the mood for change these days and I ask the optician to find me the exact same Ray-Bans I have at the moment.

I format memory cards and charge batteries for a shoot on Saturday and then the kids come home from the first day of school, showing mum the new timetable as they grab the first thing that's edible. It's official, the holidays are over. The recent groundhog day is about to become more like the old groundhog day. Pretty soon dance and music classes will begin again and we'll settle in for the winter.