PERMISSION FROM EMM

3 min 28 sec read

In my story “Only of Earth”, the main character Trynn is a young woman who has to overcome countless obstacles to find peace within, to find a home for a living creature, to find a home for herself. It might sound like every other sci-fi epic you may have come across…pictures of Sigourney Weaver fighting for her life come to mind…and damn, she did in her underwear. But as you will learn soon, whatever we think is normal…has already been done, is always unique because we can see ourselves in the books we read, the music we hear….the paintings we look at…..and in my case sometimes, I can see myself in the very substandard baking that I do. 

But don’t worry. This diary isn’t about baking. Maybe the next one will be.

In every corner of my life I come across people who are constantly fighting a battle. 

For sure, I have been too but careful not to dwell on too much. 

There seems to be a fine line between wallowing in your own struggle, and owning it. A very fine line between giving in…and pushing forward. 

Lately I’ve been thinking about the power of music.

As I prepare for some of my upcoming shows, I've been digging out songs from the past. And goodness gracious (I don't think I’ve ever said “goodness gracious" before….) some songs are coming in very handy…as places to put my unmet needs…my turbulent emotions. Suddenly some of the notes I've received from you, about how music has helped you, ring true.

Acid for example…is hard to get through these days because it is as though i wrote it last year.

Math Wiz…a song I wrote to merely have a tune with some numbers in it, has brand new meaning.

This Mad…I almost pulled it out at a recent show and in some ways, glad I didn’t because that song is a little like a slippery slope. I really have not ever been this mad! Perhaps some of the songs I wrote as a teenager or a 21 yr old…were unintentional gifts to my older self.

And then there’s the other side of music…the tunes you can just crank to mask all the hurt…to just lift you to a slightly elevated place, where you might be able to start dealing with things. That’s when I turn to the unabashed unforgiving over-produced loveliness of 80s music. Maybe you want to try this yourself today…or next time you’re in the car, just surrender to some orchestra hits…some really massive snare drums…and some very ridiculous guitar solos. 

Put in a guilty pleasure and watch the sparks fly.

This seems like a day where we all need to give ourselves permission to just enjoy something…just shirk your duties and do something you deserve…think about the victories instead of the failures. 

If anyone gives you trouble, tell them Emm said you were allowed to indulge.

Top top top top secret track. A sneak peek of my writing with Joe Elliott. To all my victory kids…keep battling the monsters…keep deciding you’re just gonna win…love Emm