The trick was...

This blog title was inspired initially from The Trick Is To Keep Breathing, a Garbage single from their 1998 album, Version 2.0. A great soulful song, full of echos of Portishead and the Twin Peaks soundtrack - a song that sounds like a moment of reflection, remorse and self-loathing but with a sweet offer of forgiveness - all wrapped up with that sexy Manson voice and a scratchy orchestral lilt. (I can't believe that Version 2.0 came out over 10 years ago... There are rumours of a fifth studio album this year, but I don't how Manson's acting gig in the Sarah Connor Chronicles is going to effect that).



But Garbage in turn borrowed the title from the 1989 novel The Trick Is To Keep Breathing by Janice Galloway, (ISBN 9780749391737, published by Minerva). Considered to be a contemporary Scottish classic, this book is an achingly beautiful tale of grief, the descent into depression, anorexia and the breaking of a heart.

Both of these creations are works of art.

This blog is not. But I love the sentiment - just focus on each breath, each word, and just keep going until it gets easier. Or until you get stronger. Or better.

It’s a good trick to learn.