Meet Rajan Purcell: Musician, poet, and stay at home Dad

We had the good fortune of connecting with Rajan Purcell and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rajan, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
Well, like so many things, both age and circumstance have altered the details of my work life balance. When I was younger, I worked on demand, days at a time, sleep be damned, health be damned. Thankfully over time I have continued my creative work, while taking better care of my physical, mental, and spiritual wellbeing. This is a part of growing as a person, and finding one’s place in the world, even if the pace stays high or escalates. In my case, physical injuries played a part of my slowing down, as well as switching from music performance to writing poetry. Also, I have two children now, and nothing will change your world in as many ways as having children. I think for the better, and for the “fun-ner”. However, I do think there is an aspect to balance which is overlooked by most. We tend to think of balance as some kind of perfect state, a fixed place, in which there are proportional, if not equal, amounts of needs, wants, and the like. I have never thought this way, or experienced life this way. I have found that balance of any kind, work/life included, is similar to an actual, physical balancing act. One with tips, tottering, and much movement to and fro. In order to be balanced, one must be flexible, be in motion, and open to the unpredictable.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Music production, music composition, lyric writing, poetry writing, these are my current focuses to more or lessor extent. I prefer writing lyrics and poetry due to the flexibility of when and where I can do so. Honestly, I see creative arts as a byproduct of life. I’m not on social media, and I do not promote my work very much anymore. Since I retired from live performance, I have worked for the joy, collaboration, and love of music, poetry, and life. I send my stuff to friends who are web developers, musicians, professors, etc. to inspire them, to bring them to the place of discovery and freedom. I see a lot of the brand of self culture as alien. It doesn’t make sense to me, but I think it is an interesting phenomenon, and I’m sure it will be countered by kids being born recently growing up and rebelling against THAT. My kids will be a part of that, and I am excited to see their perspective on what amounts to my lifetime, and how they choose to live based on 1960’s through 90’s culture. A lot has happened, but no one can credibly claim to know what the hell it all means. Introspective artists have a lot to work with to be sure.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Houston? You can do anything, rub elbows with big wigs who live in palaces, get sweaty dancing with blues fiends, sip wine with intellectuals, the list is endless. When I’m with anyone, friend or first time acquaintance I see quality time not as what we did, but how far did we go? How honest, how vulnerable, how open-hearted were we? Did we find ourselves in the moment, experiencing the eternal now, or were we lost in our own heads. I’ve been on epic frolics through big cities, but none are as memorable as a warm meal in the home of fellow traveler.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
So many, peers mostly, musicians and visual artists predominately. I think a list of names and websites would be similar to a “shout out to my people” type affair. Whereas the message is greater than the details. I had a supportive family, who valued the arts, who took me to concerts, paid for music lessons, instruments, camps, and showed me the value and path forward in the creative arts. My mother was a nurse, and my father a salesman, however writing, music, and a love of BOOKS OF ALL KINDS was a real boon to my development as a person and artist. Without a nurturing environment I would not have the opportunity to start a career at fifteen, and live the life of adventure and fun that I have. Friends and family first, and heroes and transient messengers second!

Website: www.ohhumanity.com
Other: Tip the band, tip the busker, wave and smile at the children, and be kind to the elderly. Good vibes and love for humanity!

Image Credits
Image 1- Noelle J. Purcell All other images- Rajan R. Purcell