Bored

In keeping with the theme of Luke's most recent post, this week's selection comes from a song written at the age of sixteen. Things for most high schoolers appear in black and white;t his is certainly true of this song. It comes from an off-hand remark made by a friend. Back in my high school sophomore year some Monday at school, a few of my friends were talking about what they were doing while hanging out the weekend before, something that I had not been at. A friend turned to me and said, "Paul, you miss all the good things!" That comment inspired the following song.




Life could be better
From my point of view
Down here on the floor
with nothing to do

If I had a life
I'd have somewhere to go
But I know no one
So I'll stay here alone

Bored, and tired of living like this
Thinking of everything good that I miss
Bored, and wishing that I could just leave
Because around here it's too hard to breathe

Another great day
For me to forget
All these missed chances
I'll later regret

Just when did I let
My life pass me by?
I'd be out living
If I felt more alive

Bored, and tired of living like this
Thinking of everything good that I miss
Bored, and wishing that I could just leave
Because around here it's too hard to breathe

I watched some TV
But nothing was on
So I just sat there
For way too long

Wait by the phone
To see if it'd ring
Just a waste of my time
'Cause no one's calling

Bored, and tired of living like this
Thinking of everything good that I miss
Bored, and wishing that I could just leave
Because around here it's too hard to breathe

A friend - a different one than the one I mentioned before; I have more than one friend -- once told me that this is my best song and the only good one that I'm ever going to write. I certainly hope not. This song comes from a time in my life when I was not very cognizant of the world around me. I thought that my thoughts and feelings were paramount to all others, and my struggle to discover who I am and what I want was worth recording in a song. These false ideas are reflected in the lyrics: there is too much telling and not enough showing. By telling the listener exactly what I want them to realize about my situation, I am taking away any sort of intrigue or artistic merit to the song. Stating a fact does not involve any creativity.

But more importantly, this song does not define my current view of the world. It portrays too much passivity. A life unhappy can be changed -- but you must make the change. "Bored" assumes that we're stuck in our crummy situations on the floor. Yet we are capable of escape, even if it is only in a shifting of mindsets. Once you decide to cast off the shell of dismal gloom, you're capable of immensities.

This is especially prescient for me right now. My past three weeks with The Compass have been done with minimal preparation and I've scrambled to get something up. During the weeks preceding my week, I think about preparing but instead push the preparations aside to do other work that I claim is more important. But in for this blog to grow and for me to feel accomplished and satisfied, I need to break out the guitar and do some songwriting.

-Paul