Do It Again

Introduction

The second first time is a weird concept because to me, it is usually a time, that is like the first time but this time you now how a bit of a clue about what yu are doing, so if you didn't make it the first time, then you may recall the pitfalls and put them right for this time.

The second first time is a fine-tuning exercise in life. I have said that starting a new job or a new relationship fits the criteria, but for this one, I will concentrate on two things, which for me have made me think I was doing this for the first time.

Performing Live On Stage

I don't know if this is the same for everyone, but it is for me, and Nogel Blackwell of Half Man Half Miscuit feels it too. Extreme nerves before you go on stage. Nigel says if you don't get that feeling, then you are probably bored with it and should give up.

I know a lot of people who perform regularly, so maybe they are used to it. I knew a guitarist with a Thin Lizzy tribute band who was always sick before he went on stage. That has never happened to me (yet).

I have no video of me performing on stage, but I can share a slideshow of me performing and singing for you. I performed this at my friend Jim's sixtieth birthday party on a very big stage to a lot of people.

I got the nerves and was scared I would forget the words, but once I got up on stage, it was over in an instant. It does amaze me that despite having what I think is an awful memory, I can remember the words to so many songs, as long as the first line is in my head.

When I get up on stage again, it will be a second first time again.

I have only done one live poetry reading, but the likelihood is that I will do more, and I will be nervous again, because, ironically, I can't remember the words of my poems, so I need printed copies of them.

Joining And Rejoining Vocal

I have ket a blog for a very long time and it's focus changes over time. While it gets a lot of visits I don't think many are real people, but it is a great way of keeping a diary.

Then Vocal came along with its big prizes and promise of success, so I thought I would give it a try. I know it was like starting again, another second first time, and I used a blog post for my first Vocal story, and it went nowhere, virtually no reads. It had 128 visits on my blog and now has 72 reads on Vocal. This was it:

No one was reading my stuff, even the new stuff, and my off Vocal friends seldom go further than giving me a thumbs up on Facebook.

So I dropped off Vocal, I was paying money and getting nothing in return, or virtually nothing.

Then I discovered some Facebook Vocal groups and made a few frinds and then this happened to my reads

This is last month

So my second time on Vocal, I was armed with new knowledge and friendship from others who like to write creatively, and as such, I now have a wonderful friend circle and a great audience who read my work here. Oh, and this is where I am up to this month:

Thank you so much for reading this, and I am glad I did a Vocal second first time.