Things to do when you dislocate an arm and the world slows down...

Well I managed to dislocate my shoulder the other day after one too many beers and a bit of a ruck.

I have subsequently experienced this very strange phenomenon which people call 'having more time on your hands'.The world moved out of the fast lane for me... Why don't we take things a bit slower these days? I experienced a feeling I decided to call ' the stillness' and was completely freaked out. Is this where so many of our problems come from? We're running running running and when we stop or are forced to stop we don't know where we are or why we are there? Our world moves quick.

Here are some lessons I learned and some things I did in the stillness.

1) LOVE MUSIC . A friend of mine once said 'Music is my Church'. John Mayer said 'Music...It's the last gold circle. And you're standing in it.' Another friend said 'Without music, I'd be really bored.' Joni said 'When I think of your kisses my mind sees songs'. Love music, it's important...... One of the things that I love about music as a language or form of communication or community, is its accessibility. Even if people are tone deaf and can't play an instrument or sing they can still feel a beat, and they can move to it. I can sing and I can play, and man do I love a beat... Charlie Winston talks of a disease called 'The Beats'...I've definitely got that.

Anyway, in the stillness, me and my intact arm have been trawling through my whole cd collection and have been living it up. We travelled through John Coltrane and his favourite things, got our rocks off with Primal Scream, took five with Dave Brubeck, courted and sparked with Joni Mitchell, got stuffed by the MC5, jived to Breakestra, moved to the Meters, got stung by The Black Crowes, freaked and funked up by Parliament, soothed by Harry Connick Jr., bluesed by Bonnie and lifted by Bruce at The Point. And this is just the half of it. We also managed to sort and find every AC/DC album I own (that's all of them) and the rarities, and figure out which ones are lost. I even managed to listen to a couple of albums from start to finish....that is an unusual pleasure. And all this on 'crappy' hi fi speakers, not astronaut grade studio monsters. Priceless....

LOVE MUSIC..... IT'S IMPORTANT.

2) ONE HAND TYPING . Man, in the stillness, I have learned that one hand typing is a real pain in the left arm if you know what I mean. But it has reminded me that we can say things with so many less words and so much more meaning.

3) GIVE PEOPLE A CHANCE . In the stillness, the Mad Masters run around like raging inferno hounds. We are too cynical, why don't we give each other more of a chance...

4) IF YOU WANT PEOPLE TO BE NICE TO YOU, WEAR A SLING . In the stillness I have discovered that human nature is still basically kind and compassionate...but only if you are an invalid. Ordinarily these people would be bumping into me, closing doors on me and generally giving me dirty looks.

5) CUTTING FOOD WITH ONE HAND.... is difficult. I went for breakfast with a friend and we laughed at my efforts. You can't cut a sausage with a fork, you don't get a clean slice, just a mushy lump, which squirts at you. She offered to cut my food up for me. I said no.

6) SIT BACK, CONSUME, LAUGH AND BREATH OUT.  Had a couple of great eve's in the flat with friends and food and music and copious amounts of Lech (Polska lager). That was good.

7) BE PREPARED TO LOSE CONTROL. Because sometimes you will.

8) IT'S ALL ABOUT THE SONG . Not being able to play has taught me that I love playing guitar, but I love songs more. And in the words of the mighty: 'The song remains the same'.

These are some lessons I have learned and things I did while placed in the stillness. Now give me my arm back, I wanna run again...