Who Wants To Know?

Who Wants to Know?

I wonder when I’m writing, “who wants to know”? and the conclusion I’ve come to is I don’t know. Maybe someone who’s time happens to align with seeing this post and somehow it means something to them. Maybe it helps them on their journey just as I’ve been helped on my journey by things I’ve read. Speaking of which just to name some of the things I’ve read that have helped me or at least got me thinking…

1. The Bible (of course) specifically Song of Solomon and Revelation. As a favorite teacher of mine said “the Bible is not boring, you’re boring”

2. David Copperfield- why I don’t know, but the imagery in this book captured me. Especially the boat by the sea where the family lives. It makes me want to write my own stories.

3. Joan of Arc by Mark Twain- his best unknown book. I look up to Joan of Arc and this book really does her justice.

4. Any biography. I’m a sucker for country singer’s biographys. One day they live in a shack in Appalachia the next they are in their own tour bus singing at the Grand Ole Opry.

5. Chronicles by Bob Dylan. He’s just the man in every way. Doesn’t follow rules and doesn’t care what you think. I like that. His vocabulary is amazing and in a very non “I’m trying to sound smart” way.

6. Daylight by Joan Baez. In this book you realize why she became a protest singer- through the simple stories and experiences of her sensitive childhood, we see she’s always hated injustice.

7. Jayne Eyre. Everyone loves this book for a reason- it’s great. It’s about a girl who can’t be bought, works hard, does things her way and ends up winning in the end for it.

Ok I went on a slightly different path than I wanted to when I sat down to write. I want to write about my journey in music, life, spirituality. I guess this is the process my mind needs to take first in asking “well who wants to know”.

I’m happy to say this next year is going to be an interesting one and I want to write about it. Interesting in that I seem to have finally gotten a hold of the right way to view music and it’s becoming “playing” again. That’s what they say right? You “play” music. 

There’s also a lot of activities that accompany the music like taking photos, designing packaging, dreaming up music video ideas, meeting with creative people and sharing ideas. Coming up with a plan to get the music out. I find it all challenging but enjoyable. Right now it works for me to be an independent artist because I can make the final call on this, my opinion matters and I get to have a say in how I make the music, how it gets heard, when it gets released. Of course there are drawbacks, but freedom is worth a lot to me.

I’m grateful, thankful, no one owes me anything, my talents or offerings don’t assure me a spot at the table but if I get invited then I will be glad. I don’t think I deserve to win, but I’m playing, I’m in the game and I’m trying my best.

I will share more later.

“A man is a success if he gets up in the morning and gets to bed at night, and in between he does what he wants to do. ” -Bob Dylan

“Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?” -Ecclesiastes

The War of Art: Resistance

The War of Art (Resistance)

My good friend Faith and I come to a local coffee shop almost daily. That’s one of the things I love about Nashville. It’s like Seinfeld only not in New York. I see my friends everywhere and there are always coffee shops full of people reading or working on their laptops. Anyway, the other day she brought a book someone gave her called “The War of Art”. I read the first part of it and found it to be talking about what I’ve always felt but was not able to articulate as well as this book does. It’s all about Resistance.

If you are an artist or really any person trying to do something unusual, or expressive or spiritual you will meet Resistance. It’s what makes 99% of artists give up painting, writing, singing, performing. I’m not talking about fear or discouragement, because that stops people too, but those are the symptoms of the greater problem of resistance. I used to call it the devil because I see the world spiritually and also because my art is in direct opposition to his agenda. But I can’t give the devil all the credit for trying to thwart, slow and stop me from doing what I was put on this earth to do.

I was talking to someone today who’s been trying to write a book for the past 8 years, I know a friend who’s been trying to start his business for the past few years, I meet people everyday who are just on the brink of giving birth to their purpose but resistance is keeps them from delivering.

I don’t know what your passion, purpose and expression is but I’m willing to bet you aren’t participating in it nearly as much as you think about starting to participate in it but just never get around to it. Resistance is keeping you from it. And you must learn to face Resistance head on, know how to deal with it and get around it and sometimes just even hold it off with one hand while you work with the other. That is if you ever want to look back on your life and see that you did do that thing you always knew you were meant to do. Don’t let resistance keep you paying bills, cleaning the house, organizing papers, watching tv and playing games on your phone instead of just doing the darn thing you were made to do.