Shaw also said that the ‘unreasonable’ man is the one who changes the world – possibly because he won’t sit down and take that shit (paraphrasing more than slightly here).

Do you know what makes sense? Rather than worrying about what people think of you as a bit player in their stories focus on your own story, take responsibility for it, make it the greatest story ever told by owning that you are its author, its only informed critic and its greatest audience.

Yours is the big story so waste no time on little vignettes that require outside approval for their meaning. Your story is real and it is yours. What could be bigger than that?

I’ve got a show coming up. I need to write some stuff
And long-long roads – it’s all been said
But don’t be too impatient when awaiting inspiration
It’s never just a light bulb in your head

I hit a deer – oh dear – she suddenly appeared
In the headlights two feet from the car
The picture freezes – just time to think, “oh Jesus!”
Then Bang!
And there you are

They say you get what you ask for
But does a deer have to die
And a car get mangled
So I can write?
The world is made of particles
But life is made of stories
And they meet in Pennsylvania on a January night

I hit a deer – oh dear – she suddenly appeared
In the headlights two feet from the car
The picture freezes – just time to think, “oh Jesus!”
Then Bang!
And there you are

The play she writes appeals to the director. He assembles his cast of actors and back stage crew and prepares to stage a physical interpretation of the writer’s story.

The producers, understanding all this, create the real world circumstances that can bring the play and the audience together.

The audience observe what is presented to them. They fill in the gaps with imagination, relate the character’s experiences to their own and create in each of their individual minds an end product. They walk into the streets influenced, possibly completely altered, by the experience – there they are observed by the writer, still watching life – and she wonders is the point of the mystery not so much to solve it as to share it?

About “Not the Life I Ordered”, a musical by Dezy Walls.

Then John Lennon asked the same question and a torrent of guilt burst forth – what had I, in fact, done? Even though his song would be played to about a billion people each year, it felt like it was picking on me – ‘another year older’ – twenty-six already and never had a hit record! Oh dear God, the Lord Lennon had seen right through me. Then I calmed down.This year, when they play that song I reply, I’ve been digging – that’s what I say – digging snow and digging for opportunities.  Did you know that clearing a two hundred yard driveway of two-foot deep snow with only two shovels is similar to carving out a hit musical? Both take a lot of digging. Every now and then you look up to see where you are and you’re a bit closer to your target – then you get back to digging, digging, tossing snow, banging the shovel to dislodge the bits that have stuck, picking up a stick and throwing it for the dog and watching him swim through snowdrifts to retrieve it, rubbing the other dog because he is shivering and has no interest in sticks – and then digging, digging, digging before looking up again and saying to your co-digger, “hey, we’re getting closer!”

That’s also how you work towards a hit musical – which is what I’ve been doing all year.
And you?

To listen to a song from my musical ‘Not the Life’ – click here or click on the play button below. 

Have a good one,
Love Dezy and Clare

Wishful thinking! We have been placed in an exasperating world with infuriating companions and impossible situations and our justifiable anger is everywhere to be seen. Of course, it’s obviously misdirected. While we are blaming each other the supposedly all-powerful source of everything is just sitting back and laughing at its shoddy workmanship.

That was my thinking on Monday. Tuesday something strange happened. I turned around a corner and spotted a notice that said, “gratitude creates happiness – the opposite may not necessarily be true”.

So I tried for an hour or so being grateful for my cup of coffee and a few other things. The anger passed along with the doom and gloomy feelings that had accompanied it and the sun was now shining rather than glaring in my eyes and the kids in the coffee shop were cute rather than irksome and then the truth dawned on me. An absolutely omnipotent creator is, by definition, all creation creating itself. This includes me.

And my part in creation is simple – change my perspective/change my life!

I learnt that gratitude leads to happiness. The reverse – waiting for satisfactory results to trigger gratitude only results in extreme frustration. I am thankful for this lesson and most obliged to you for reading my piece.

Dezy Walls is the creator of “The Stress Management Song” – listen to it in a quiet place with the windows closed. For maximum benefit, listen through to the end. Then in an extreme mode of gratitude pass it on.  

Dezy is also the author/composer of “Not the Life” – the musical, which will play in a few select theatres and playhouses across America in 2013. 

Through this busiest period of my life miracles keep occurring. I’m working ninety hours a week for no immediate income. And theoretically I can’t afford to do that. But I will be sending my ‘child’ “Not the Life I Ordered” out to work for the first time in America later this month and it’s getting paid! Unlike most ‘children’ “Not the Life I Ordered” – being a musical play – can ultimately go to work in a thousand theatres at the same time. And it will always send its entire paycheck home. So no wonder I’m willing to work my ass off for it now – for nothing.

Unlike my cash-generating pub playing days, which were the top of the small time, we are now at the base camp of the big time – imminently ready to move on up. But what was I saying about miracles? Each time we resign to, “that’s it, we’re broke” a miracle arrives – from the most unlikely source – from the furthest distance around the globe or out of the smallest pocket in the universe or the kindest heart of a landlady whom we’ve never set eyes on or a talented friend volunteering to do what would otherwise have burst the coffers – it’s all miracles and it adds to more than urgently needed funds – it adds to the inspiration to plug on and do this thing.

Down the road Broadway “angels” will line up to get a slice of “Not the Life I Ordered” and who can blame them – but I won’t call them “angels” – I know what real angels are. Thank you all who’ve helped at each point along the line so far and to those carrying or sending the next unexpected miracle.

All angels will get their reward – and not just in heaven – you who donate are immediate shareholders in “Not the Life I Ordered”. Plus you get the Limited Edition CD “Dezy Raw” – me, my piano, my interpretation of the songs from the show.

We’re talking about my musical play – you will learn in a minute why it’s called “Not the Life I Ordered”.

Since I first conceived it with Peter’s promptings in late 05 it has fought for my full attention. I have resisted – I have diverged my efforts, writing other shows, doing many fun and sometimes even profitable performances – great projects with great people yet “Not the Life” has kept pushing its way back to centre stage screaming, “pay attention to me – I am your redemption”. I’ve answered, “there is no immediate money to be made in pursuing you”- for this I would be punished – I’d find myself going through days of depression a black screen in front of my internal vision until I come to my senses.

After a week of dark soul this morning I am drawn to the piano to work on a powerful new melody for the title song – the minute I sit down the spirit of the show takes hold of me. My passion that seemed to be slipping snaps back as a response to the immediate urgency this entity demands. For hours it holds me slave, drawing from my deepest soul and as I hit the final crescendo battered and bruised, the boxed up emotion of my week breaks through and I cry like a baby – a rare thing for this hardened creature – then my cute little musical looks me in the eye and softly whispers, “I know sometimes you hate me but I am, without doubt – the life you ordered!”

This musical play is relentless. It is powerful beyond belief! It is magnificent! And here’s where you come in … you can be one of my co-producers and help me bring “Not the Life I Ordered” to the world – do you know how much fun it is to be a co-producer?

Those who have run a house concert will know how satisfying that can be. Well being a co-producer on “Not the Life” is like that only a lot more fun. We can use your own house space or the local church basement or a small theatre but those are details to be discussed. Just tell me that you would love this great little adventure and I’ll get right back to you. dezy@dezywalls.com or 1 239 404 9944

FAQ
Q. Where do I have to live to be a co-producer?
A. Anywhere this side of Mars. If you’re oceans away it may take longer but we will get there.

Q. Is there another way I can help?
A. Yes! Send me money. Sorry, I just blurted that out without thinking. Let me put it more delicately. Send me some money!

Q. How much is some money?
A. An amount that parting with it does not give you sleepless nights nor would it greatly alter your lifestyle but you would feel happy to see it supporting an exciting project. You can DONATE here thru PayPal or checks to 555 N Declaration Dr, Carlton OR 97111.

Q. If I send (some) money will it be an investment or a donation?
A. A donation for now – but it will grow to be an investment. Once we have established the show we will set up a corporation and all previous donations I have received will be converted to share holdings equal to double the original amount donated.

Q. If I don’t have the inclination to be a co-producer or a donor what else might I do to help the project?
A. A few possibilities:
1) Spread the word – I will be posting regular little songs (average 30 seconds) online – Dezy’s In Your Face Videos — these songs are not from “Not the Life” – they are short fun things to pass around online.
2) You can bring people to a performance near you.
3) If you have expertise in business, law or any other area where we could use help, your services would be appreciated pro bono or as a credit.

Q. When and where is your first production?
A. Victoria, Vancouver Island, Canada – August 18th will be our first performance.

Q. Who will perform this show?
A. Two of the stars from my Anythingers troupe (Seana and Stephanie) are already in rehearsals. They are superb in the two lead parts.

Q. You surely mean Sean and Stephan not Seana and Stephanie – aren’t the two lead parts male?
A. Ah! Isn’t theatre wonderful?

So let’s bring ‘Not the Life’ to your neck of the woods.

Thank you,

Why do we have this great propensity for self-pity? Maybe so that over a period of say, sixty-three years, we can slowly come to realise that it is the most useless piece of shit ever conceived of by man. It doesn’t solve anything. Name one instance where self-pity did one human being one ounce of good ever? Yet! We keep trying it.

Here’s the rationale behind that.
OK! It got me nowhere for the last sixty-three years, four months and two days but I’m going to try it one more time in case those previous experiments were flawed.

I begin by focusing on the weak points of my situation hoping that correcting those will stop the whole thing from falling apart. But often when trying to fix what is beyond my scope I begin to believe that the world is unfair. That’s when the insanity of self-pity sets in.
I’m calling repetitive self-pity insane because, ‘continuing to do the same thing under the same conditions while expecting different results’ is cuckoo land.

Here’s the sad part lest we think self-pity costs nothing. While I’m bemoaning a door slamming in my face I continue to stand outside that door looking at it whilst another over my left shoulder has opened wide – just out of my peripheral vision. That’s the pattern of self-pity.

I am working with some very, very talented people. Very, very, very talented people! Did I mention that they are very talented? Good! I didn’t want you to miss that. This talent is showing big because they have learned to trust what is inherent in them – and so it blossoms.

My duties working with these wonderful people include being the coach, the writer, the producer, the director, the impresario and the worrier-in-chief. You probably have a similar list ending with that ‘inevitable’ worrier-in-chief role.
Here’s a wild but very sane suggestion. Why don’t you and I replace the role of worrier-in-chief with cheerleader-in-chief. We cheer for ourselves and our team like we cannot lose and drop self-pity from the bench, from the squad, from life – it was never on our side anyway. It’s an interloper from the opposition. Send it home. Replace it with that quiet and purposeful player – PATIENCE.

Did you know that ‘infinite patience brings immediate results’? Next time you see me in a self-pitying mode remind me of that. “Infinite patience” has the exact opposite effect of self-pity. And even if it takes all day for me to get that into my head – I’m willing to wait.

Compare that to real life events.
I pull out my words and songs with impeccable timing, my incisive wit whipping up enthusiasm throughout the room, my energetic piano and my irresistible personality imposing on the audience the time of their lives. I am in my element. I glance to the mirror with a wink and say, “boy are you good at this!”
That’s not my confession. I wouldn’t change a thing!

I decided that this year and for the rest of my life I want to pass on what I can to other performers and draw out of them more than they ever realised they had inside.
So I find some wonderful people with great talent. Over three weeks I teach them, coach them, match them up with songs and write new songs to fit their personalities. It’s tiring work but as we go from awkwardness to wonderful breakthrough moments I am again in my element. It’s then I repeat to myself with great humility, “boy am I good at this!”
That’s not my confession. It’s the way it should be!

So I am ready to make this business thrive. I have a pianobike, which is an absolute people magnet. I have learned to record, I know how to tell great stories, I’m ready to make great videos – I know what today’s entertainment is about. I also have a great administrator working for me – one day I hope to pay her. Life shows great promise. So why am I dreaming about serenading cows?

If I were milking them you might interpret the dream as meaning that I should milk my talents for all they are worth. After all it’s a milky white grand piano in the dream.
But no! That’s not it! I’ve been milking my talents for years and the dream still reoccurs. So a dream consultant told me I might need to face some inner demons. I probably needed to confess something.
So here it is, my confession … I CAN’T DO EVERYTHING.
The dream is screaming at me, “for God’s sake, Dezy do what you are good at. Get behind that piano, entertain, teach, coach, organise great entertainment but, for God’s sake let people help you put the piano in the right locations. Let others help you get it out of that field and put it where it serves the world better. In front of lots of people!”

So before I asked anybody else I thought I’d ask you, my friends. Who wants to join me in this show business adventure? The job requires no special degrees. What it mostly takes is a gift for putting things where they belong. For example cows belong in fields; great entertainment belongs in front of large audiences. Which of you is in their element when creating context. I mean that’s all it is. Putting the right things and people in the right places at the right time. Moving pianos from the meadows where the cattle graze to the dinner shows where the people munch and then on to every great theatre from here to Broadway.

There is one other thing you can help me do. Count all the money. And I’m serious.

Click here to hear an exciting preview of my song “Don’t Hide Your Love” by my son Barry !