Twenty Thirteen
Does anyone really want to read a looking-back or looking-forward end-of-the-year menagerie of my thoughts, feelings, and misadventures? I don't really want to write one either. So, let's just do our best to get through this together. Deal?
It is somewhat customary for me to post the previous years end of the year, New Year posting, comment on it (looking-back) and then go from there.
Well, last year I posted this:
resolutions
Which is not the customary looking-back/looking-forward thing and instead was a brief commentary on what I think about people who say they are going to do something, don't do it, say they are going to do it again, and don't do it again. In other words, it's about liars.
I posted this after the new year:
new-year-not-new-issues
And it's not a looking-back/looking-forward thing either, but is rather hilarious.
So, I can't really comment on what my expectations of 2012 were at the end of 2011. I did make some resolutions for 2012 (from Resolutions):
I certainly followed through on those resolutions. I was definitely awesome this past year. I increased my plaid shirt collections exponentially. I bought two new fedoras and wore them often. And I definitely played a lot of music at open mics. I also had a really wonderful gig at a yoga studio. I wrote a few new songs. The band and songwriter groups fizzled out, but I made up for it in other ways.
In 2012, I got really upset about politics, gun violence, and people who are against women's rights. I posted a lot of my thoughts, opinions, and arguments on facebook and called people out via comments when they were making absolutely false and/or stupid statements. I have decided to keep such opinions to myself more often than not. I was getting very stressed defending my opinions and angry over friends' pigheadedness. It wasn't/isn't worth it.
Twenty Thirteen is the Year of the Snake according to Chinese astrology. I was born in a "Snake Year," which makes this year "my year," so-to-speak. For some reason, perhaps just psychological, I'm energized this year.
I took a big chance with my guitar and tuned it down a whole step. This proved to be amazing, as singing lower is more natural for me. I've opened up a whole bunch of songs that I couldn't sing before. Essentially, I'm giving up on striving to meet some expectation (singing in the original key) and moved the songs down to my terms (in my range). Suddenly, singing has become much easier and more enjoyable than it ever has been!
Since tuning down, I have been getting weekly compliments about my voice "sounding really good" at Caffe Lena's open mic.
Music is fun again!
I sold my house in 2012 and moved into an apartment. The house sale left me with some cash on hand. Not a huge sum. But, I think it's enough to get started on recording. This is another thing that charges me. If I can save a little more, and if I get a raise this year (which seems to be a possibility), I can definitely get this recording project under way.
I'm going to be going on a real, professional photo shoot in the next couple of weeks. I'm going to work toward getting my media and press up to par. I've been doing some updates on the website and it's looking very nice. Once the pictures are up, I'm going to send out some demo CDs of some cover songs that I do, and try to get some paying, bar gigs to help with the recording costs.
I've got a cool showcase gig coming up that's bound to garner some attention.
This is also my 10th year as a songwriter. I wrote Crayons after Mother's Day in 2003 and played it at Caffe Lena on 6.12.03, my first performance in front of strangers, on a stage, under lights, at an open mic, and into a PA system.
I have a show booked at Caffe Lena for 6.12.13, exactly 10 years after my first performance. I haven't worked out the specifics of the show yet, but I hope to have a small band, some special guests, and other interesting things. If I'm able to swing the recording process, I might use the Caffe Lena show as a fund raiser for finishing the recording project.
There's a lot to think about. Should I write more songs? Should I try to raise money? Where do I focus my energy?
Maybe on everything at once.
I think my next step is to look at recording studios... yeah. It's time to get working.
It is somewhat customary for me to post the previous years end of the year, New Year posting, comment on it (looking-back) and then go from there.
Well, last year I posted this:
resolutions
Which is not the customary looking-back/looking-forward thing and instead was a brief commentary on what I think about people who say they are going to do something, don't do it, say they are going to do it again, and don't do it again. In other words, it's about liars.
I posted this after the new year:
new-year-not-new-issues
And it's not a looking-back/looking-forward thing either, but is rather hilarious.
So, I can't really comment on what my expectations of 2012 were at the end of 2011. I did make some resolutions for 2012 (from Resolutions):
Be awesome. (I'm always awesome; can't fail the follow through on this!)
Buy plaid shirts. (In the past three years, I have purchased -- on average -- 4 plaid shirts a year. It's pretty safe to say that such a trend will continue).
Wear fedoras. (I have taken lots of crap from people for wearing fedoras. It hasn't stopped me from wearing fedoras. I will continue to take crap from people and will continue to wear fedoras and verbally assault those who give me crap).
Play music. (Is there really any reason to suspect that I won't be able to follow through on this? I attend an open mic weekly, I am playing in a band, I have joined a songwriters group.)
I certainly followed through on those resolutions. I was definitely awesome this past year. I increased my plaid shirt collections exponentially. I bought two new fedoras and wore them often. And I definitely played a lot of music at open mics. I also had a really wonderful gig at a yoga studio. I wrote a few new songs. The band and songwriter groups fizzled out, but I made up for it in other ways.
In 2012, I got really upset about politics, gun violence, and people who are against women's rights. I posted a lot of my thoughts, opinions, and arguments on facebook and called people out via comments when they were making absolutely false and/or stupid statements. I have decided to keep such opinions to myself more often than not. I was getting very stressed defending my opinions and angry over friends' pigheadedness. It wasn't/isn't worth it.
Twenty Thirteen is the Year of the Snake according to Chinese astrology. I was born in a "Snake Year," which makes this year "my year," so-to-speak. For some reason, perhaps just psychological, I'm energized this year.
I took a big chance with my guitar and tuned it down a whole step. This proved to be amazing, as singing lower is more natural for me. I've opened up a whole bunch of songs that I couldn't sing before. Essentially, I'm giving up on striving to meet some expectation (singing in the original key) and moved the songs down to my terms (in my range). Suddenly, singing has become much easier and more enjoyable than it ever has been!
Since tuning down, I have been getting weekly compliments about my voice "sounding really good" at Caffe Lena's open mic.
Music is fun again!
I sold my house in 2012 and moved into an apartment. The house sale left me with some cash on hand. Not a huge sum. But, I think it's enough to get started on recording. This is another thing that charges me. If I can save a little more, and if I get a raise this year (which seems to be a possibility), I can definitely get this recording project under way.
I'm going to be going on a real, professional photo shoot in the next couple of weeks. I'm going to work toward getting my media and press up to par. I've been doing some updates on the website and it's looking very nice. Once the pictures are up, I'm going to send out some demo CDs of some cover songs that I do, and try to get some paying, bar gigs to help with the recording costs.
I've got a cool showcase gig coming up that's bound to garner some attention.
This is also my 10th year as a songwriter. I wrote Crayons after Mother's Day in 2003 and played it at Caffe Lena on 6.12.03, my first performance in front of strangers, on a stage, under lights, at an open mic, and into a PA system.
I have a show booked at Caffe Lena for 6.12.13, exactly 10 years after my first performance. I haven't worked out the specifics of the show yet, but I hope to have a small band, some special guests, and other interesting things. If I'm able to swing the recording process, I might use the Caffe Lena show as a fund raiser for finishing the recording project.
There's a lot to think about. Should I write more songs? Should I try to raise money? Where do I focus my energy?
Maybe on everything at once.
I think my next step is to look at recording studios... yeah. It's time to get working.