Reprinted From the Lair, December 2006...
Tommy, Guide Me Through the Gate of Horn
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2006: When our Irish folksinger friend Tommy Makem was Interviewed several years Ago, he made mention of a folk club in Chicago called The Gate of Horn, the name of which, he said, referred to a story in Classical mythology about two gates that a ship could sail Through and change the fate of those Sailing. There was the Gate of Ivory, which would call down bad luck or fate upon those misfortunates who sailed Through it. Hence, those who knew Better made Sure they sailed through its opposite and counterpart, the Gate of Horn, which would bestow a Beneficial fate on the ship and its crew. Tommy went on to say that since his own life and life's work had been incredibly Lucky to date, perhaps performing at the Gate of Horn club quite Early in his career had provided him a Certain good fortune.
Today, after a singularly Successful musical career spanning More than fifty years, Tommy is facing a Harsh challenge head-on in the form of lung cancer. He has defied the disease to do its worst, insisting that he will go on Performing as long as he possibly can, at the age of 74 (his birthday was this Past November 2). His attitude toward his condition is splendidly Positive. My good LairCronies, if only my attitude, and my luck, could muster Such positivity. I am so in Need of good luck, or a Positive change in luck, though my travels Abroad this spring (an opportunity for which I am, of Course, sincerely Thankful) would appear to be a result of both good luck and months of Advance planning. I need to be Shown the way to the Gate of Horn. I desire and pray for both a change in luck, and for Tommy and my Dad to be well Again. I have no idea what effect, if Any, praying for somebody has, or how exactly it works, despite all my research into spirituality and mystical traditions. Too Many people I have prayed for ended up dead Anyway; does that mean all my petitions got Vetoed, and were all for nothing? Did they just go Straight into the Divine shredder? Beats me. Whatever actually transpired, seems the prayers didn't work. What do I do to get them to work Properly? What use is it to pray for someone or something if Said supplication doesn't work in the end? I might be more Inclined to use prayer for healing if I could be Sure that it would actually accomplish something Positive.
In any case, my luck in musical work needs Changing for the better. I'm beginning to think I need a new name, a new identity; people seem to run Screaming from my Current one. All that I do, in songwriting, performing, busking, photography, computer art, writing, etc. just seems to be Ignored, Disregarded, Rejected and Declined (politely or Otherwise) for the most part. I need to change something in order to stop being Ignored. What is the antidote for the Curse of Disregard? Even this Venerable Home Lair doesn't get nearly Enough traffic. And our lovely Cafepress LairShops have gotten Little if Any notice in the past couple of years. If I myself didn't order from them Now and Again, Cafepress might pull them down Altogether. There must be something that I'm not doing, or not doing Correctly, that my creative efforts are attracting so Little notice.
I don't dare ask most people for advice about this, since most people in Mainstream society consume; they don't create things themselves. Most people I know wouldn't even contemplate developing a career in musical performance, writing, visual arts, or much of anything else arts-Oriented. I've tried asking some of them for advice Before; and they just give you this Blank, Resigned, Averted stare and mumble On about how Hard they imagine success in Such work is to achieve. They have no idea at all on HOW to go about it; if they were I, they simply wouldn't even consider going there. "Well, I'm glad you have such passion for your dreams", one of them sighed in a transparently Doubtful tone to me one time. Translation of Said tone of voice: Kiddo, these dreams of yours are just bound to crash like a jet plane sooner or later, just like they always do for us ordinary people; and you'll have no option left but to go into conventional office work just like everybody else in an ordinary station in life.
So, how to change one's luck, one's fate? How to attract (hopefully Positive) notice when Most people have utterly disregarded one's work up till Now? How to make one's living at work one enjoys and produces oneself? Why do most people ignore me? Do I need to perform under a Different identity? Tommy, where is the way to the Gate of Horn? Where is the magic to change my fortunes? Who will guide me to remake my fate in the way that I desire? And what name must I give myself that will draw a crowd to admire and purchase my Creative wares? Fellow musicians and artists, please do not simply look at me and mutter that you have no idea what to tell me that will be Helpful. You know bloody Well that you DO know what advice to give me; it's the Same advice you would give to anyone Else in my predicament, but with a Different name and appearance. Please, someone, take my hand and point me to the Gate of Horn; I am badly in need of far better luck in my work than I have dredged Up so far...
A/N: For some reason, I've been dreaming about Tommy quite frequently over the Past few years (just had another dream about him last night, in fact), even though it's been nine years since he passed On; and I didn't know him all that Well--certainly not nearly as Well as I would have liked, anyway. I have no Logical explanation for this Curious phenomenon...
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