General Music Chat

I know some people hate new year resolutions because they feel that they're just empty goals with nothing ever being accomplished. I used to feel that way myself, and of late, never made them at all.

However, as impulsive and living in the moment as I am, I've found new year resolutions to be a wonderful tool to help us stay on track with ourselves, to make much needed changes in our lives. After all, we can't successfully run a business without a business plan (even though I hate to admit, I have been).

New year resolutions are nothing but our plan, just as most businesses create a plan for their new year, along with an economic forecast. So I cut out the weight loss, the working out, the sign a record deal, the make a million dollars, and other stupid goals my friends and I used to set.

Last year, I kept it simple. I just said "f**k it." That meant, I was letting go of all my preconceived ideals, my beliefs about success and my holding on to old b.s. from my past. I have mostly cleared out my closet, dusted off my skeletons then hung them back in there. In the past couple of months, I've seen things get a lot better for me and my family. I'm getting opportunities that I've never had before. It took a while, but my "f**k it" really started to take off around September.

So with that said, my new years resolution for next year is "kickin' it up a notch."

With my "f**k it" resolution from the past year, I threw all the pieces up in the air, so now next year, I will be organizing my pieces - seeing which ones I need and which ones I need to chuck. The ones which I need, I will be focusing on working and polishing them. The beautiful thing about all this is "allowing" myself to move to the next level.

This is all part of my big 5-year plan I've made for myself. It will work, because it's working now. Last week, I sat up in bed and I did a little Reiki on myself then I announced to all my spiritual peeps who hang out with me that I would be "allowing" myself to do all these great things. The things I used to tell myself I "wanted" to do. But "wanting" isn't "doing" or "getting." It's only a desire. Also, in my state of "allowing" it's also about thinking reasonably and small for the moment. Such as, rather than dreaming huge and saying I want to be "Lady Gaga" or I want a million dollars, I can say, let's just get my foot in the door of that next level. I don't want to be Lady Gaga anyway. I've defined what the next level means for me, but I prefer to keep that to myself for the moment. Sometimes, we just simply don't know and we can "allow" the Universe to show us something we haven't thought about before, instead of holding our plans tightly in our fist.

So I'm excited for the first time in a while. It's by no means easy. There are pitfalls, there are the unexpected little things that catch us by surprise. But like working a tent or navigating a ship through stormy and rocky seas, we pay attention to all this, we stay on our guard, we stay focused on our goal, and we simply do it, the same way we feed ourselves and accomplish all those other annoying day-to-day things like paying our bills.

So what are your plans for the new year?

Chaeya

My five-year plans always turn into fifty-year plans when real-life steps in.

Trying to resist the temptation to plan too far ahead. K.I.S.S.!

Somehow, we'll get some gigs ready when the weather warms up... as a duo, a trio, a quartet, or orchestra....I dunno.

I really need to put something more concrete together to give to people. It is becoming clearer that I can't count on others to contribute to our band in shaping our sound. I'm just going to have to make some decisions, put it together myself, and look for people who fit what I've already created. That sucks. It also means changing arrangements in material I've been working on. There goes the drum solos! The result will probably be more minimalistic and subdued. Some ideas are just going to have to wait on the back-burner altogether.

Any other New Years Resolutions? Um, TRY to alienate fewer people. Don't die homeless. Try to stop the monthly "ten-day starve" and get our finances in a better position. Finish modifying my damn guitar that's lying in pieces. Get the car fixed. Clean this apartment. Sort through and discard unnecessary junk. Find a new psychiatrist or the whereabouts of the old one.

That should be good for at least a few months.

I have an ongoing resolution -> Be a good dad.
and
Keep on keepin on.

yup.... that about does it.

oh... and money, getting more.

so I can play more bass
so I can make more money
so i can buy more bass gear
so I can play more bass
so I can make more money.....

Mike, my favorite line from Constantine - "God's a kid with an ant farm, he's not planning anything."

Music is definitely undergoing a major, major change. I had to tell my husband it isn't just us when it comes to finding musicians to play. I hear it from young people, middle aged people, old people. I think we're just going to continue our search for the right musicians, but in the meantime, I got a cool little camera, so I'm gonna make some creative videos and put them out, see if we can get some attention that way. I'm not going to moan about it anymore. I figure if we just keep recording and adding to our storehouse of recordings then, something could happen. There's a video editing class on Tuesday nights at the college. I think I'm gonna take it, just so I can learn some tricks.

Yesterday, I was driving the truck and forgot that it had a cassette deck under the CD player. I dug out my old cassette tape from the 80s and listened to my old songs I wrote. They were weak as all get out because I'm not that great of a songwriter, but heck if I couldn't pound out some interesting lyrics. I played them for Cisco this morning and he was impressed because I'd never played them for him before. He said I could recycle them into new music. Now that's gonna be fun.

Way to go, Bassman!!! Do that dad thing and do it good!

Chaeya

C make your plan and work your plan!

Good Luck in the New Year meeting your goals.

I dont guess I have any musical goals in the new year, hell Im already a rock star in my mind, LOL.

I do have a few personal relationship goals and a couple of business goals that I will be pursuing. I got a big big monkey off my back a few monthes ago and things are really started to click on a lot of levels for me right now, so So Far So Good!

Promote the band.
Reduce the family debt.
Play it like a stole it.

( Do want a new amp though )

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I am getting a new kickass flute in March ( ish ). I will schedule my practice and composition time. and stick to the schedule.

I enjoy New Year's resolutions. I find them refreshing and they do improve my life. I write mine down. THey're never too demanding ANd they are achievable. Well, I better go practice, Chay let me know when you're going to be in Orange.

I just had a dream 2 nights ago that Patti LaBelle agreed to have me do a recital at her house.. That alone is telling me I better go practice.

I miss seeing Calvin and Hobbs.

Mary, I'll let you know.

Chaeya

I miss seeing Calvin and Hobbs.

Mary, I'll let you know.

Chaeya

I look forward to it.

I don't think that I will get a badge but I plan to see you up at the Marriot or Hilton.

2010 was a good year for me, both musically and non. The highlights for music were playing live at the Metro, Double Door and Martyr's. Also, achieving my goal in becoming better at my instrument with a lot of practice. Last but not least.... joining the original band System SOL has been a very exciting experience. As for life outside music, I have been lucky enough to make enough money to pay off my bills. Debt free is such an awesome feeling. I hope 2011 is just as fruitful.

my goals for this coming year:
1) Write more original music with the band.
2) Enroll in a certification class for sound engineering/recording.
3) Continue to better my skills on my instrument.
4) lose weight and exercise
5) Be more loving and appreciative with the people in my life.

Happy New year my Friends!

2010 was a good year for me, both musically and non. The highlights for music were playing live at the Metro, Double Door and Martyr's. Also, achieving my goal in becoming better at my instrument with a lot of practice. Last but not least.... joining the original band System SOL has been a very exciting experience. As for life outside music, I have been lucky enough to make enough money to pay off my bills. Debt free is such an awesome feeling. I hope 2011 is just as fruitful.

my goals for this coming year:
1) Write more original music with the band.
2) Enroll in a certification class for sound engineering/recording.
3) Continue to better my skills on my instrument.
4) lose weight and exercise
5) Be more loving and appreciative with the people in my life.

Happy New year my Friends!

Great goals indeed.

I haven't made any plans beyond New Years Eve, which is when I traditionally spend the festivities hiding under my bed.

This year, though, I suspect many things will be different from previous years...though prolly not on Dec 31st!