I got given my own Irish throne... really.

I think I've eaten more Easter Egg than should be legal but Stu did buy me the most gorgeous cookies and crème egg so if I'm found in a diabetic slump in a few days...blame him. It's been a beautiful Easter weekend, I've been to the gym, taken long walks on the beach with the boys and watched just the right amount of crap on the telly. I stocked up on art supplies for the weekend just in case I fancied doing some art but to be honest I've just been too busy. Plus I am still getting over the shock of paying £17 for a sketchbook!! When did they go up in price? I mean, what the HELLICOPTER?

I've got a nice healthy amount of clients this week and a healthy amount of writing to get done. My fantasy/folklore novel is coming along nicely but I can't seem to shake the feeling that I'm catching up with myself constantly on it. I want it done already, so begins the wrestling of getting a book out of my head and onto the page. I'm sure it will all come out of my noggin sooner or later. Are writers ever “still” in the process of creating a book or is it a case of being perpetually uncomfortable? I feel like I'm being told the story rather than writing it, I think because I spent so long writing songs I can now only write in a way that flows that way. Every time I get too in my head about writing, or music or art for that matter it always comes out crappy. So, I'd best sit my ass down, shut up and listen! I think I'm going to get a lot done on it this week PLUS I found a whole bunch of canvases that I haven't used so hopefully I can squeeze in some studio time too to do some painting and making.

Oh, I forget to tell you all about Dublin! I had a lot of fun there seeing things and doing stuff BUT a stomach bug put me TOTALLY out of action for the whole drinking part which, let's be honest, is a big reason for going to Dublin in the first place. I did manage to get a Guinness in me before we left but that left me clinging to my own personal Irish throne for grim life at four in the morning. I swear I had a contraction at one point! Stu loved the Zoo and I loved the Wax museum but it's totally sods law that I got better on the day we were leaving. I did make the most of it and Stu was super sweet looking after me while I was a sickly, sweaty mess! We were there to celebrate our 4 years of being together ( I know it's flown right? ) and the whole point of the holiday was to have fun, laugh and spend time with my Mr which we did get to do I just wish I hadn't been ill is all. Ah well, Paris and New York are next and I am determined to have a better time there!

Catch up with you soon,

Big Love

RJ

I love trees.

On days when I feel crappy theres just something about being out amongst the trees that makes me feel better.

Howdy doody!

 It seems like every time I start writing a personal blog it begins with “it's been too long” and it's always the case. I go through phases of wanting to share on here and wanting to keep it all in my paper diaries, but, for today I felt like it. I kind of went blog-crazy for a while and ended up with about seven of the damn things but I've finally wittled it down to two. One for work and one for play. I've had this blog for years and I just love having that space to share thoughts and ideas that just don't fit into my work stuff so here I am again, prattling on!

The biggest news recently is that my new album is finished! It is my latest offering and I hope all of those who find it love listening to it as much as I enjoyed creating it. Ray and I have worked hard over the last 20 months to pull this together. I can honestly say I think I drove Ray nuts and he has learned to decipher what I mean when I say I want a “doof” sound on the drums and the icing on the cake is that he hasn't killed me in the process. Creating another album with him has just been an awesome process and I'm so happy with what we have come out with. As you have probably noticed I haven't gigged in over a year. I just don't really see the point of it for now, there just aren't enough bums in seats for me to warrant lugging my drums and kit all over the country. I might gig again but I'm just not feeling it for now.

I've not been doing much art BUT I have been doing a lot of writing. My creative books are coming together slowly and I hope to have one or two of them done by the end of this year. I'll keep you posted on how it all takes shape. For this week I am off to Dublin to celebrate my four year anniversary with my boyfriend and I am looking forward to proper relaxation and to have a good nose at new things and just generally do holiday stuff. It's only a small get away but we are both desperate for it! I'll post some pictures when I get back!

Well I think that's a good small catch up! Enjoy the new album and I shall speak to you soon!

Big Love

Ryan James  

https://soundcloud.com/mrryanjames

New Album Ready to Listen!

https://soundcloud.com/mrryanjames

New Art

Illustration Friday:- pattern

My Artwork

Here's my art and drawings ( in no particular order ). If you want a commission or just a natter send me an email!



New Song: Your Touch is Cold.

It's been ar too long since I posted some of the new music I've been working on so here's a new piece for you!


Big Love


Ryan James

Outlaws and cake!

Today my wonderous mother in law turned up with a home made cake that I argue is actually proof that heaven exists and we spent a family day dog walking down the local Caswell Beach. It's a lovely little beach and the beautiful rocks and twists and turns are the perfect setting for dreamy conversations and big thoughts.

I thought a lot about the ridiculous nature of pressure and the need to be defined by success. It's been something of an undercurrent in my life for so long that I am having trouble shaking the remainder of it. What if I am enough, as I am? What if I can truly value myself as a success, as I am, right here in this moment? When I think about the bigger picture I see how insane my mental garbage truly is. Of course I am already a success! I am in bliss and five years ago I opened my heart just enough to allow peace. Because of that action I am incrementally becoming a silent observer as this unrelenting wave of peace takes over my life. But there are times when I am very human and I judge myself. I think about what others are doing and play the dangerous game of stacking their “accomplishments” next to mine. I am grateful that these moments are now extremely rare in my life but they do still show themselves. They serve as a reminder for me that I must reconnect with peace. That I must remind myself that I am good enough and complete enough and loved enough and whole enough right here, right in this moment.

On the beach today surrounded by family and love I became so immersed in the bigger picture that I could see my small concerns for what they were. They were fragments of memories of who I used to be. I remembered that success is the feeling place of life itself and there I was feet in the water, boyfriend chatting away, dog chasing the ball, I felt SO loved. How can success be defined as anything else? No amount of money, cultural approval or external observation could have improved that moment or created it. It is life and loving and being loved, that is the nature of success.

Big Love

 

Ryan James

x

 

 

I swear to god....

I am totally in love with this man.