Game Over Bitch

The human condition.

Why is it that we always remember the very best things and the very worst things? Like I guarantee that as you read this, you can remember the best sex you ever had and perhaps a little smile came over you as you flashed back to how it felt. And you can remember the worst sex you ever had too - and that memory probably has you dying with laughter, and maybe even questioning why you slept with that person. You might remember the best meal you ever had as well as the worst meal you ever had. Or the best and worst kiss, hotel stay, movie you saw and more. This can be applied to just about everything.

The funny thing is that as humans when we recall the best of something it’s usually tied to our pleasure center and when we talk about it we talk about it fondly. And when we talk about the worst of something hopefully, once enough time has passed, in some cases we can recall it with humor. It becomes a means or an access point to entertainment.

I recently created a piece of artwork from a memory just like that. Several weeks ago I was pondering this as I was listening to an old mix in my car on my way up to the studio where I paint. This mix was on an old CD (yes I still listen to CDs in my car) that I got from a DJ that I saw spin a long time ago at the Hawaii Electronic Music Festival in 2006. His set was magnificent. His name was DJ Friction and that mix was called Funky See Funky Do. I only saw him once but every time I listen to that mix, I’m transported back to the dance floor and a high vibe feeling comes over me.

As I was listening to this old mix suddenly I had another memory pop up in my head. That memory was from the same festival but a different night - a night that I happened to be gogo dancing. I was in my own world of expression happily dancing on the box when the DJ who was spinning came to a close on his set. When the next DJ came on it was a shock to my system. And it was a shock in a bad way.

It was an instant vibe killer. The music made me feel like I suddenly had ADHD. It was anxiety inducing. I could not for the life of me dance to this crap yet I was supposed to be performing and keeping the crowd and energy high. I looked over at my friend on the other gogo box to see if I could mimic her movements. She looked like she was actually into it. Either that or she was good at pretending. For me personally, I cannot fake a frequency. If I’m not into something you’ll know it.

I was not into this. I was at a loss. I wanted to get down from the box. I felt trapped and like the world was closing in on me. One of my friends who was on the dance floor walked up to my box to tell me something and I bent down so I could hear her. “WTF is this shit? This is horrible.” I laughed and suddenly felt less alone in my perspective. People seemed to be vibing with his sound. I was not.

I got down off the box, and I leaned over to her and said these words,”I feel like I’m in a video game and I want to get out.”

All of a sudden we both started dancing on the dance floor making these moves sort of like Ms Pac-Man eating pellets. We were laughing hysterically and suddenly started chanting our own lyrics…..

I’m in a video game and I wanna get out.

I’m in a video game and I wanna get out.

I’m in a video game and I wanna get out, wanna get out, wanna get out.

Chanting to the beat of the music. Yelling it louder and louder and louder. Humor was saving the day. The music was obscure and not good for my Soul. Yet there we were creating from this madness of a sound.

As I drove to the studio listening to the mix I loved it made me think of what I hated. And then what I hated inspired this piece of art. All I could think of was our lyrics and our dancing and how glad I was that I didn’t have to hear that horrible insanity of noise anymore. And in that moment I knew I had to dedicate the painting in my head to that DJ whose set I hated (I don’t remember his name and even if I did I would never mention it. That’s a bit harsh). But I can dedicate this piece of art to that set and all the worst of the worst experiences I’ve had and that other people have had that are now over.

Game over bitch.

Let’s just laugh about it now.

But really Game over bitch. Your set sucked.

Inspiration can come from anywhere. It can come from an experience that is incredible and high vibe. And it can come from the worst of experiences, when all you can do is laugh or cry. The amazing thing about creativity is it’s power to transform the good, the bad and the ugly into art. It can create connection and make you feel less alone. And years later, once some time has gone by, it can transform a memory.

What’s a memory that comes to mind of something that went badly but that inspired your creativity?

What’s the best thing you ever created from a bad experience?

Interested in purchasing this 16x20 Mixed Media piece? Email me at [email protected]