{"id":42298,"title":"MAKE. THINGS. SIMPLE.","description":"Another Sketches in Words story and mixtape","content":"

I\u2019m sat on the floor in his bedroom, unhelpfully throwing things at him as he packs for university.<\/span><\/p>

I do it partly to wind him up\u2026but mostly, because I want his attention. I knew this was coming, every parent does, and I thought I\u2019d been preparing.<\/span><\/p>

I am not ready.<\/span><\/p>

\u201cCome on then Dude\u201d , (he has been calling me that since he was 11, and I don\u2019t mind one bit), \u201cWhat great words of advice have you got to send me out into the big wide world?\u201d<\/span><\/p>

Bugger.<\/span><\/p>

I told you I was unprepared.<\/span><\/p>

I remember an old acting teacher offering these sage words before our final acting showcase, \u201cDon\u2019t be shit.\u201d<\/span><\/p>

Good. But not right.<\/span><\/p>

\u201cMake.Things.Simple.\u201d<\/u><\/span><\/a><\/p>

\"p9lp7ud81vm26mksebcgiuj6orzlkkza5zsqmxkpzz8oeenw.jpg.jpg?w=1140&v=2\"<\/p>

\u201cEh?\u201d<\/span><\/p>

\u201cDoes what it says on the tin, son.\u201d<\/span><\/p>

He\u2019s not impressed.<\/span><\/p>

\u201cA night out \u2013 make it simple. That\u2019s why so many New Years Eves fail.<\/span><\/p>

Drinking \u2013 Make it simple. Don\u2019t mix.\u201d (He will)<\/span><\/p>

I\u2019ve talked myself into my flow now.<\/span><\/p>

\u201cTravelling \u2013 Make it simple. Don\u2019t rob yourself of the joy of discovery by overplanning.<\/span><\/p>

Mates \u2013 Make it simple. If you have an argument, get it out and get over it.<\/span><\/p>

Career \u2013 Make it simple. Do something you want to, if you don\u2019t want to don\u2019t do it. You\u2019re a clever lad, you\u2019ll figure something out.<\/span><\/p>

Love \u2013 DEFINITELY make it simple\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>

I stop mid-sentence.<\/span><\/p>

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

I don\u2019t know what to say. Well, I do\u2026but he\u2019s gonna have to find that out himself.<\/span><\/p>

\u201cKn0bhead\u201d he says.<\/span><\/p>

\u201cYou too\u201d I reply.<\/span><\/p>

\u00a0<\/span>\"2yxbfiblpqure0yltjcixjw01vo27jsyyyuvfry49jjiiafa.jpg.jpg?w=1140&v=2\"<\/p>

Anyway, here\u2019s a <\/span>silly soppy mixtape<\/u><\/span><\/a> from a silly soppy dad. Who makes <\/span>silly t-shirts.<\/u><\/span><\/a><\/p>

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Make Things Simple \u2013 Zola Mennenoh<\/span><\/p>

Beautiful Boy \u2013 John Lennon<\/span><\/p>

Island Song \u2013 Ashley Eriksson<\/span><\/p>

The Children we Were \u2013 House of 909<\/span><\/p>

Kooks \u2013 David Bowie<\/span><\/p>

Old Man \u2013 Neil Young<\/span><\/p>

La-La Means I Love You<\/span><\/p>

Father and Son \u2013 Cat Stevens<\/p>

The 59th<\/sup> Bridge Street song \u2013 Simon and Garfunkel<\/p>

Take it Easy \u2013 Eagles<\/p>

Wouldn\u2019t it Be Nice \u2013 The Beach Boys<\/p>

Song for my Father \u2013 Horace Silver<\/p>

Song for our Daughter \u2013 Laura Marling<\/p>

My Father \u2013 Judy Collins<\/p>

Who Knows Where The Time Goes \u2013 Fairport Convention<\/p>

Grown Ups are Just Silly Children \u2013 Roy Harper<\/p>

Little Boy \u2013 SAULT<\/p>

Simple Man \u2013 Lynyrd Skynyrd<\/p>

O-o-h Child \u2013 The Five Stairsteps<\/p>

Still Fighting it \u2013 Ben Folds<\/p>

Slipping Through My Fingers \u2013 Declan McKenna<\/p>","urlTitle":"make-things-simple","url":"\/blog\/make-things-simple\/","editListUrl":"\/my-blogs","editUrl":"\/my-blogs\/edit\/make-things-simple\/","fullUrl":"https:\/\/sketches-in-words.teemill.com\/blog\/make-things-simple\/","featured":false,"published":true,"showOnSitemap":true,"hidden":false,"visibility":null,"createdAt":1725556717,"updatedAt":1725557921,"publishedAt":1725557920,"lastReadAt":null,"division":{"id":87451,"name":"SKETCHES IN WORDS"},"tags":[{"id":3547,"code":"stories","name":"Stories","url":"\/blog\/tagged\/stories\/"}],"metaImage":{"original":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/x3t2uj5a7qq69m2ajgjpajuj9elarge0h6liyx1fbrfn05ns.jpeg","thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/x3t2uj5a7qq69m2ajgjpajuj9elarge0h6liyx1fbrfn05ns.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/x3t2uj5a7qq69m2ajgjpajuj9elarge0h6liyx1fbrfn05ns.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"metaTitle":"","metaDescription":"A story about a father and a son. That inspired a t-shirt and a sweatshirt. Make things simple was the advice from father to son.","keyPhraseCampaignId":null,"series":[],"similarReads":[{"id":41822,"title":"YOU KNOW IT\u2019S A COVER RIGHT? - A sketches in words story and mixtape","url":"\/blog\/you-know-its-a-cover-right-a-sketches-in-words-story-and-mixtape\/","urlTitle":"you-know-its-a-cover-right-a-sketches-in-words-story-and-mixtape","division":87451,"description":"It\u2019s Summer 96. 3 am Sunday morning. You play \u201cStep on\u201d. As the piano riff kicks in, she walks over. \u201cPlease don\u2019t ask for the Spice Girls\u201d you say to yourself. \n\u201cYou know this is a cover right.\u201d\nShit. You didn\u2019t.","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/iwbysz0w6olobelxa4zx5tunt9ukbqhu868u3feamkql2wm1.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/iwbysz0w6olobelxa4zx5tunt9ukbqhu868u3feamkql2wm1.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0}],"labels":[]}