At Year's Beginning
My New Year's resolution of wearing pants all the time has already been broken. Also, I'm sorry for the mental image.
It appears as though I'm going to write a New Year's post on New Year's Day. This, I think, is a first.
As I've said before, it's customary of my blogging to do the obligatory (and viciously cliche) thing and reflect on the last year and look ahead to the coming one. It's cheesy, and I kind of hate myself a little bit for doing it... but, what are ya gonna do?
Last year, I wrote this: twenty-thirteen.
I just re-read that and felt a little bit of pride in that many of the things that I was looking forward to doing did in fact occur.
To start, I have now lived in a tiny apartment in Broadalbin for over a year. I didn't die (despite the giant downsize from a house) and I'll probably stay here for at least another year or so. I mean, it's working out and if it ain't broke don't fix it.
Last year, I wrote:
And it certainly was my year. I started the recording process in May and wrapped up mixing and mastering at the end of the year. I now have the physical copies of the album, which is titled "Stepping Outside," and I've started the process of setting up digital sales. I have two CD release shows scheduled and will be sending out discs and press releases to radio stations, web sites, and newspapers.
I worked really hard on my website this past year and feel that it's up there with the professionals'. I have stickers and I have posters and I'm not afraid to use them.
In June, I played a really fantastic 10th anniversary show at Caffe Lena with a band. I continue to play with guys from the band and will definitely be setting up some band shows in the coming year.
I wrote a handful of new songs this past year. I finished two in time to put them on the album. I also have two others that are hanging out, waiting to be played for people.
One thing that I did not do, but talked about doing in last year's blog entry, was to send out demos to get lots of gigs. The recording process, being that it was new, required a lot of my mental focus. I just did not feel comfortable gigging while I was recording.
I don't have a real plan for 2014, but some of the things that I want to do include: sending my disc out to music festivals that have songwriter showcases, joining the North America Regional Folk Alliance and attending their conference, playing lots of shows and a variety of venues, writing more songs (of course), and getting as many people to hear my songs as possible.
I don't have any resolutions. (The thing about wearing pants all the time was a joke; also, I'm not really naked). I'm just hoping to make lots of music and have lots of people hear it. And that's really all I'm looking forward to in 2014.
It appears as though I'm going to write a New Year's post on New Year's Day. This, I think, is a first.
As I've said before, it's customary of my blogging to do the obligatory (and viciously cliche) thing and reflect on the last year and look ahead to the coming one. It's cheesy, and I kind of hate myself a little bit for doing it... but, what are ya gonna do?
Last year, I wrote this: twenty-thirteen.
I just re-read that and felt a little bit of pride in that many of the things that I was looking forward to doing did in fact occur.
To start, I have now lived in a tiny apartment in Broadalbin for over a year. I didn't die (despite the giant downsize from a house) and I'll probably stay here for at least another year or so. I mean, it's working out and if it ain't broke don't fix it.
Last year, I wrote:
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.
And it certainly was my year. I started the recording process in May and wrapped up mixing and mastering at the end of the year. I now have the physical copies of the album, which is titled "Stepping Outside," and I've started the process of setting up digital sales. I have two CD release shows scheduled and will be sending out discs and press releases to radio stations, web sites, and newspapers.
I worked really hard on my website this past year and feel that it's up there with the professionals'. I have stickers and I have posters and I'm not afraid to use them.
In June, I played a really fantastic 10th anniversary show at Caffe Lena with a band. I continue to play with guys from the band and will definitely be setting up some band shows in the coming year.
I wrote a handful of new songs this past year. I finished two in time to put them on the album. I also have two others that are hanging out, waiting to be played for people.
One thing that I did not do, but talked about doing in last year's blog entry, was to send out demos to get lots of gigs. The recording process, being that it was new, required a lot of my mental focus. I just did not feel comfortable gigging while I was recording.
I don't have a real plan for 2014, but some of the things that I want to do include: sending my disc out to music festivals that have songwriter showcases, joining the North America Regional Folk Alliance and attending their conference, playing lots of shows and a variety of venues, writing more songs (of course), and getting as many people to hear my songs as possible.
I don't have any resolutions. (The thing about wearing pants all the time was a joke; also, I'm not really naked). I'm just hoping to make lots of music and have lots of people hear it. And that's really all I'm looking forward to in 2014.