Putting on the Persona

I've been blogging in this space for over a year now. My intent has been to keep a "record of one mind." I have tried to write in the moment, putting down my thoughts, observations, the history of my days, putting things down quickly, "off the top of my head," without editing, or preconception.

If I go back over some of my previous entries, I'm suprised too by what was in my head on a particular day. I have thought of "killing" this blog off, but instead, I've started a "private blog," for my creative work. I realized, I needed to have a safe place for my creative output that was not ready for the light of day.

In both blogs, I realize I have assumed a persona, this one (sunny/dumps) is close to the bone, kind of reflecting the duality of my existence. The other blog has started as a complete "alter ego," built on fiction. I assumed one of the names that Bob Dylan has used when he chooses to be anonymous. I believe that this persona is the prime voice for my new play, novel, or whatever it eventually turns out to be.

This is all very liberating. There's me, walking around day to day, there's the sunny/dumps persona, and now there's what I'll call "Mr. Las Vegas." I think we are all more than we think we are. There's mind, body, spirit, in a dance with the universe, everything in movement, changing, evolving; each of us with our own unique path, our own unique energy and genius.

Last night I brought out two old music books (Neil Young, Bob Dylan) and I learned some new songs on my guitar ("Oh Sister," "This Wheel's on Fire," "Acapulco," "Needle and the Damage Done"). It was a real kick, to play those chords, to sing those words. In a way, I felt like I was conjuring another persona out someone else's genius. I played these songs alone, in the kitchen, the words and chords bouncing off the appliances, the walls. I put on the mask and opened new doors to new possibilities.