What Do Busking & Vodka Have In Common?

Dear Diary,

Have you ever drunk too much vodka?

I don’t know about you, but vodka either makes me very happy or it makes me cry. They say that old potato juice is a mood enhancer; so if you’re already in high spirits then *somebody get the shots in!* but if you’re going through a bad break up, then vodka is probably not your friend.

You might be wondering what this has to do with busking. But, as it happens, busking and vodka have more in common than you might think.

*note: this is not an article about how all buskers are drunks, spending your kindly donated coins on booze. Nor is an advert for Grey Goose. Please drink responsibly.*

Sometimes you go to work in a foul mood, we’ve all been guilty of it. Buskers have to make rent too, and sometimes we put on crocodile smiles and fake it ’til we make it. Maybe you’ll be lucky, maybe you’ll catch a lovely crowd of people who turn your whole day around, but the likelihood is you’ll get back what you give out, and that includes negativity.

I try not to go busking if I’m not in a good mental place. If I’m feeling a bit low or anxious or angry about something then I know that busking won’t fix it, and I don’t want to inflict those feelings onto others. If I can afford to stay at home then I will, to make sure I’m projecting only positivity. When I do go out busking I feel my joy reflecting back at me like a mirror, and I go home feeling  warm and fulfilled. Busking brings me a lot of happiness, but I’ve learnt the hard way that it is not a cure for sadness.

The happiness doesn’t come from busking itself nor can it be found at the bottom of a bottle. The happiness has to come from inside you first, and then it will be enhanced by your surroundings (or by the alcohol.)

Stay safe. Drink responsibly. Busk responsibly.

Cheers,
Charlotte 🙂 x