My Happy Mess?

Reading the chapter 'The Detective of Despair' in Matt Haig's book 'Notes on a Nervous Planet' brought to my mind all sorts of pop-cultural mashups, particularly Elvis Costello's song 'Watching the Detectives', as after buying and reading a few books like Matt's I'm starting to think that by reading these books I'm watching the detectives who by investigating their own life shed more light on my life and the other readers own lives, too.

They may not realize it, but they are like some kind of modern shaman journeying within their own mind and life to come back and help us readers deal with our own messed up lives.

I didn't know that Matt was into Carl Jung, which is kind of a synchronicity to me, as I bought a book about Carl Jung when I purchased Matt's book.

I like how Matt opens his chapter by writing, 

"I think the world is always going to be a mess.
And I am always going to be a mess.
Maybe you're a mess, too.
But - and this bit is everything for me - I believe it's possible to be a happy mess.
Or at least a less miserable mess.
A mess who can cope."

I couldn't help thinking of' changing the 'Powderfinger' song 'My Happiness' lyrics to "my happy mess" and singing along to the video.

My Happiness?
[Pre-Chorus]
So you come in and put your bags down
I know there's something in the air
How can I do this to you right now
You're over there when I need you here

[Chorus]
My happy mess is slowly creeping back
Now you're at home
If it ever starts sinking in
It must be when you pack up and go

[Bridge]
I know, I know, I know what is inside
I know, I know, I know what is inside
I know, I know, I know what is inside
I know, I know, I know what is inside
I know, I know, I know what is inside

[Chorus]
You're over there when I need you here
My happy mess is slowly creeping back
Now you're at home
If it ever starts sinking in
It must be when you pack up and go

Cuttlefish are the Rockstar Aliens of the Sea?

"Powderfinger frontman Bernard Fanning wrote the lyrics for “My Happiness” as a reflection on the time the band spent touring to promote their work, and the loneliness that came as a result.

It was inspired by his love of gospel and soul music.

The rest of the band are co-credited with Fanning for composing the track.

Despite its melancholy mood, “My Happiness” is considered by many to be a love song, a suggestion Fanning regards as mystifying."

I just saw on Matt's Twitter feed that he has been having a happy time in Hong Kong, so I should probably include one more Elvis Costello song here that features Hong Kong (or at least some kind of homage to Hong Kong) and the old-style phones used in the era that the song was written in -  Oliver's Army.

I couldn't help noticing Matt's Grand Canyon analogy in that chapter sounded a lot like something Liz Gilbert wrote in her novel 'Eat, Pray, Love', which Matt has mentioned reading before.

I bought the book 'Eat, Pray, Love' after Mark Holden mentioned the book pulling him out of a depressive mood when he was recovering from cancer.

When Matt mentioned "panic disorder" in the chapter I couldn't help but think of all those "don't panic" memes featuring the flying smiley face with its tongue hanging out and hands waving from its ears, out of the 'Hitch-hiker's' books.

Not to mention that smiley face used in the RUOK? Day campaign.

I guess you can never have too many towels around the place.

Who knows when you'll need one to clean up a "happy mess"?-)

Happiness is a journey, not a destination I feel:-)

Matt Haig

Mark Schwarzer
 (goalkeeper)

Reading Matt's chapter after the detective one titled 'Notes to Self', where Matt just writes a series of short sentences starting with the word "keep", like in "keep calm, keep going, keep focus, keep a space and put a [de]fence around it".

I couldn't help thinking Matt looks a bit like Aussie goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer:-)

Just keep doing what you are doing Matt ... and Mark.

No Point in Stopping?
"Everyone has a limit - a point at which they can't take any more - and I had reached mine."

Matt Haig quote from his chapter 'Fear and Shopping' from his book 'Notes on a Nervous Planet'.

Probably no point in shopping either come to think of it;-) 

From Samuel Maguire's book
'No Point in Stopping'

And another great little book dealing with similar life problems is 'No Point in Stopping' is a tale of family, and one young man’s journey to find himself in a haze of bipolar, meds, weed, magic and backstreet Brisbane share-house parties.

Matt Haig being interviewed by
  Sarah Kanowski at the BWF

Matt Haig on the anxiety of modern life