I don’t have much to share today, but I want to get back in the habit of posting regularly.   

I do have one thought. I’ve talked about perhaps streaming regularly, and while I’m still considering the idea, I’m not particularly interested in doing so. I think I figured out why.  

I don’t care much for watching live streams - with one notable exception, but after the time change, i can’t watch Guy Davis’ morning stream - so why would I do one?  I love live music.  Watching performers I enjoy is one of the joys of life.  But watching online isn’t the same.  Is it better than nothing?  I suppose so.  I’ve also gotten away from watching concert videos; pretty much the same reason.  Part of it may be as I acquired a taste for acoustic artists, I was able to see my favorites in small venues.  The intimacy of these shows is part of the experience.  My last major rock show was Rush in Milwaukee on the Snakes and Arrows tour. I enjoyed the show well enough, but the electric guitar sound was pretty bad (not the norm for them), and the complete lack of intimacy was horrible compared to shows I’d seen from Guy Davis, Chris Smither, Dan Navarro, and Todd Snider.  That vibe and feel just isn’t part of watching online. 

However, I also understand that doing a livestream potentially exposes me to people who’d never otherwise see or hear me, and that can’t be ignored.  So, the idea is in flux.  Right now, my thought is to do something weekly consisting of 4 songs - 3 originals and 1 cover - but I’m not quite willing to commit to it.   

Work on my next book and new songs continues. 

Todd

Not much I feel the need to discuss, so I’ll just start typing and see what happens. 

I’ve been spending more time thinking about live streaming; I think it’s something I’m going to start doing once a week.  Maybe more, depending on how it goes.  I’ll probably bop around Facebook, YouTube, and Reddit.  Not sure if I’ll settle on a single host or if I’ll consistently alternate.  I discussed it some with Dan Navarro last week; he offered some tips.  Thank you sir. 

I think it’s time for a new audio interface.  I’ve been using an Apogee One for years. Like, since 2008.  It still works and I’m still happy with it, but I’d like to be able to record more than a single track and use more than one microphone at a time.  So I’m checking into options.  There are MANY.  My PowerMac is the 2013 model, so it’s a bit dated, but still powerful.  At one point, I wanted an interface with a Thunderbolt connection, but mine is 2nd generation, and the world has moved on to 3rd, and some devices aren’t compatible with the 2nd.  So I may stick with USB.  We’ll find out.  I’d definitely like to upgrade. 

I visited my mother yesterday. I go once a month, but that may change during the summer.  Her dogs and mine don’t get along very well in her house, but they’re fine in the yard.  The last time I visited, my dog chose to stay outside the whole time.  Yesterday, he was in the house because it was about 100 outside.  There wasn’t a problem, but he just doesn’t like being approached by her dogs inside.   

That’s it for now.  Take care.  

I saw Dan Navarro play his first public concert since the pandemic shut everything down last night.  It was a house show, which means it was in someone’s backyard.  We visited before he played, and it was great to see him again.  Dan is also from Calexico, and knew my mother and aunt in school.  His main claim to fame is probably co-writing the Pat Benatar hit, “We Belong,” and he has a catalogue of great songs.  He’s begun a 10 week tour driving around the country in a converted van; the goal was to tour safely and stay out of planes and airports.  More power to him.  For more, visit his website: 

DanNavarro.com 

I have the prologue and first two chapters of my next book done.  Granted, they’re subject to revision, but I like what I have and where it’s going.  I find myself working on the book outside of scheduled times, and that’s a good thing.   

And yes, I schedule time on my calendar to work on my creative pursuits. It’s the only way that seems to ensure I maintain consistency.  I don’t adhere to it religiously, but having the schedule does seem to be the extra bit of motivation I need.  It seems silly.  Why is it necessary?  There is literally no one else in my life who is affected by my schedule. I don’t count my employer; the job comes first.  Duh.  But it helps, so I do it.  I work on music or my book six days a week.  I alternate (for the most part) on weekdays, and do both on weekends. I usually take Friday night off.   

I’m toying with the idea of streaming once a week.  My current idea is to perform four songs on Saturday afternoon on Facebook, YouTube, or Reddit.  We’ll see if that happens. 

That’s it for now.  Stay healthy and safe. 

It’s official.  I’ve begun work on my next book and batch of songs.  In my last entry, I said I’d be writing a book based on one of my albums, “The Life & Times of Snuffy Wilson.”  That’s still the case.  As I type this, I’ve completed the outline, prologue, and most of chapter one.  I shared the material with a book loving friend who enjoys my writing, and she likes what I have so far better than “The Eyes in my Dreams,” which she loves.  I trust her to be honest with me, otherwise I wouldn’t seek her opinion.   

“The Eyes in my Dreams” was, among other things, my learning how to write a book.  I started with an idea, and began writing. I didn’t have an outline, I had some idea of where I thought things might go, and not much else.  The first draft alone took a long damn time to finish, and then the rewrites began.  At the time, I had an acquaintance who is a published writer, and he agreed to have a look.  He enjoyed it, but damn.  He trashed it hard, in terms of editing.  He suggested a book that teaches how to self edit and prepare a book for publishers and/or publication, so I read that, took notes, and applied it to my work.  I think that was the second rewrite, and I believe there was one more before I semi rewrote it again as I recorded the audio book.   

Good times.   

Looking back, I truly cannot remember how long the whole process took. I could probably find out by checking the dates on some older files, but why bother?  I was learning how to do it.  Oh, and of course,I tried shopping it around to agents and some publishers; no takers. That’s fine.  I chose to self publish, and I will again.  If “Eyes” or “Snuffy” find an audience, great. Same with my music.  If not?  Well, I’ll just keep doing what I need to do.   

I also started the next batch of songs, and I suspect I’ll finally address my failed marriage at least once. The last thing my ex said in my presence was “I love you.”  There’s a fucking song in there, and I’m going to write it.  Yes, we spoke after that, but only via instant message, email, and a couple of phone calls.  I don’t hate her or anything like that, so there won’t be any songs about what an evil bitch she is - she’s not.  The marriage ended.  It happens.   

I have the beginnings of one other song, and that’s it.  We’ll see where things go.  My initial inclination is to have each song be just voice and guitar, like #OMOVOY was.  No idea if that’s how the songs will turn out. 

Lastly, I’ll be getting my first vaccination shot tomorrow.  Whoo hoo. 

That’s it for now.  

I completed my One Man. One Voice. One Year. (#OMOVOY) project on 3/28/21 with “Even My Shoes Got The Blues.”   

Side note - that wasn’t the song I intended to use; I’d been practicing “I’m The King” from “The Life And Times of Snuffy Wilson,” but on a whim, I recorded one take of “Shoes” and figured I’d add it as a bonus video if I liked it.  I did, but I couldn’t get a decent recording of “King.”  So, I went with “Shoes,” which I hadn’t played for at least five years, maybe closer to ten.  Life can be weird. 

I started the project as an echo to “Twenty Aught Eight” where I wrote, recorded, and posted a new song every week for a year.  #OMOVOY was not new songs, but instead, was videos of just me and my guitar.  About a third of the way into it, I decided to add cover songs.  Originals were released on Sundays, covers on Wednesdays.   

I enjoyed myself, and it was great practice.  I recorded songs I never thought I’d actually try (Hallelujah comes to mind) and felt good about the results.  It’s amazing what consistent practice and work can do.   

Duh, right? 

Back when I started working on “Words, Music, & Pain” in 2017 or so, I was not happy with my vocals.  I had a full time job that required an hour’s commute each way, so in order to make use of that time, I created backing tracks and practiced singing while I drove. I’d try recording on weekends, and it was a long damn time before I felt like I was hearing anything I liked.  I didn’t wind up keeping any recorded vocals until 2019. 

Looking back, I wasn’t happy with my singing because I’d stopped practicing consistently for at least...hm.  I’d say 3-4 years.  Time starts to slip by when you focus on other things.  I won’t get into them here, but my life was pretty much a mess.  These days I like my singing. I’m not a world class vocalist, and never will be.  But I can produce recordings I enjoy and am willing to share with the world.  It wasn’t always so.   

I didn’t license all the cover songs, so their audio files are not for sale.  My material is, and right now, it’s all available as singles. I’m going to compile them into an album, and will start that process this week or the following weekend.  The existing singles will disappear in favor of the album.  Then I’ll begin my next creative pursuit.   

What will that be? 

I’ve decided to write another book, and it will be based on one of my existing albums - “The Life And Times of Snuffy Wilson.”  The plot and high points of the story are already flashed out; I essentially have an outline, so I think it will be sort of like connecting the dots.  I started to write it once before, but I didn’t get very far.  I have no idea how long it will take, and I don’t anticipate self imposing a deadline, but if my productivity lags, I may. 

To date, it’s been my inclination to focus on one project at a time, but I’m going to try and change that.  Why?  Because of what I said earlier about my vocals.  It’s not difficult for me to get my guitar chops back after a layoff; singing a different story.  So, I’m also going to write and practice material for the next album, but I have no idea when it may be done.  I’d guess sometime in 2022.  I might post the occasional new video along the way, but I’m not committing to anything. 

So, yeah.  I’ll start work on a new book and a new album. Why? 

Well, what else am I going to do?  I took a couple of weeks off after ending #OMOVOY, and while I needed it, I sometimes felt the urge to be productive.  I’m 51.  Time is my most valuable asset.  Laying on my couch and watching TV shows/movies all weekend may sometimes be necessary, but it ain’t gonna get stuff done.  And I *need* to be creative.  To be blunt, it keeps me sane and happier, even when it’s frustrating - and make no mistake - creating (and recording) can be exceptionally difficult, especially when nothing seems to be going as I’d like.  

But hey.  That’s life.   

I’ll also start posting my thoughts regularly again; I didn’t feel the need while releasing material.  

Be good. 

I know, I know.  It’s been a long time since I rock and rolled. 

No, wait...that’s not quite right.   

It’s been a long time since my last blog entry.  Yeah, that’s what I meant.  A few things have happened since my last Thoughts page.   

I moved into a new apartment.  There wasn’t anything wrong with the last place; it was just too expensive, and when the lease came up for renewal, they wanted to increase the rent by about $90.  Nope.  It was a nice apartment and I really liked the location, but I was spending too much. I took it at the end of Nov 2019 for a couple of reasons. 

First, I was just about done with a bankruptcy.  It hadn’t been discharged yet, so most places wouldn’t even consider me.  After speaking with me and checking whatever he wanted to check, the owner decided he would rent to me.  That was important. 

Second, the location was almost perfect.  Less than a 15 minute drive to work, my dojo and two dog parks within about 10 minutes, and about 15 minutes to my best friend’s place.  Yeah, it was under the flight path of the airport, but that wasn’t much of a problem.   

But again, too expensive.  As I found out when I went looking for a new place, living in Tempe is more costly.  After a couple of false starts, I found my current rental.  It’s a two bedroom standalone bungalow (in a group of two rows of three) near 12th St and Camelback in Phoenix.  A little further away from my job, but I’m working from home until at least July, and it seems likely that will become a permanent option.  There are two dog parks 10-15 minutes away, depending on traffic.  My best friend is probably about 20-30 minutes away.  But, I’m no longer in the flight path of the airport, and the neighborhood is very quiet.  However, my car insurance jumped up a bit, and I understand why.  There is a lot more traffic in this area.  And, the place is actually a little smaller than my last one; I was hoping to find something a touch bigger.   

But, ultimately, I like this cottage better. I have a little back yard for my dog, which is nice.  I still walk him and/or take him to the dog park every day (except some Sundays) because it’s important, but it’s convenient being able to let him out without having to leash and walk him.  Overall, it just feels more like a home.  My home.  I hope to be here for a long time.   

A HUGE thanks to my friends who helped me move.  It was a tremendous help. 

#OMOVOY continues.  I’m enjoying it.   

I’m pretty sure my next book will be “The Life and Times of Snuffy Wilson.”  Yes, I have an album by that name.   The book will use that collection of songs as inspiration, but I don’t think I’ll start writing (again - I started once briefly years ago) until #OMOVOY is complete.  

The audio book for “The Eyes In My Dream” has been released.  You can find a link in the table of contents of this site, or here.   

Bye Trump.  Thanks for playing. 

Happy Holidays to all.  

Well.  Check this out.  I wrote and released a book. 

“The Eyes In My Dream” took me 5-6 years from start to finish. I discuss the process a little on the book’s page; click on the link in the website’s table of contents.   

The audio version is currently going through audible.com’s approval process.  Assuming no hiccups, it should be available by 10/4/20.   

I’m probably going to make a print on demand version available; I plan to take a closer look at what’s involved later today. 

One Man. One Voice. One Year. #OMOVOY continues.  I’m releasing original songs on Sundays and cover tunes on Wednesdays.  I hope to keep that formula for the rest of the project’s duration - last video will be 3/28/21.   

I’m going to write another book.  As I type this, I don’t know what it will be, but I have a few thoughts.  I could revisit one of the characters from “The Eyes In My Dream.”  I think I could do a series of books based around one of them.  I could also write something to go with “The Life and Times of Snuffy Wilson.”  I actually started at least twice before abandoning it.   

I don’t have any other ideas at the moment, and I’m not sure when I’ll start.  I did just release something after all, and it’s not like I don’t have things to occupy my time.   

Oh, I did have a sort of close call with the audio book. I’ve done a few now, so I’ve developed a process. I usually read through / record a chapter, then go back and edit it - meaning I redo anything that’s necessary, remove mistakes or choose the best takes, etc.  I’ll usually do a separate track for each page.  It turns out I hadn’t edited the last couple of pages.  I damn near put it out that way.  

Oops. 

Thankfully, I caught it, and only did so because I wanted to add the chapter titles to the audio version.   

I know I haven’t kept up on my blog consistently, and I should.  I just don’t always have much to say.  Or, I do, but don’t feel like saying it publicly.   

That’s it for now.  Be good. 

It’s been some time since my last post.   I tend to get caught up with things I prioritize, and my blog is fairly low on the list.  Go figure.  But, I have a few thoughts to share. 

ACAB (all cops are bastards) has sprung up in the wake of BLM (black lives matter) and the movement to defund police.   

Is anyone else amused and saddened by the fucking irony?   

Isn’t lumping all of a group of people into a single category pretty much the same as racism?  

I’m sure there are plenty of dirty and crooked cops.  I’m also sure there are plenty of good ones who try to do the best job they can every day.  They’re human beings.  They’re fallible.  They’re also not all the fucking same.  And yet, there seems to be a growing number of people who hate all cops.  Fucking stupid.  

I need to have my teeth cleaned; my insurance will cover it.  I also need two more root canals; my insurance will cover part of it.  Take care of your teeth, kids.   

At one point, I firmly believed the world was overreacting to covid.  Now I’m not so sure.  Masks seem to be required in just about any enclosed public setting, and I get it.  I still FUCKING HATE wearing one because I get claustrophobic any time my face is covered.  However, I have a face shield, and wearing it is no problem.  Obscures my vision a bit, but I’ll take that over the normal mask every time. 

My book should be published shortly.  I’m just waiting on the cover art.   

That’s it for now.  Be good.  Stay healthy and safe. 

Man.  

Covid is apparently kicking the shit out of AZ.  I say “apparently” because I don’t know anyone who’s had it, but if the numbers being broadcast can be believed, it’s worse now than ever.   

Am I still skeptical? 

I suppose it depends on how you define that word.  Either this thing is very real, or this is one hell of a hoax.  I’ve never disputed its reality; I just thought the reaction was overblown.  Was I wrong?  Maybe.  I don’t know for sure.  I do think part of the problem is our weakened immune system; it needs something to fight and develop so that when something tougher comes along, it’s up to the challenge.   

When I was growing up, hand sanitizer wasn’t a thing.  Good hygiene was enough.  Does/did it do some good?   I suppose so.  And clearly, our immune system alone isn’t enough.  We have all sorts of vaccines that help us grow up healthy (hopefully).  So, maybe I’m entirely fucking wrong.  I used the word “think” for a reason. 

I continue to make music.  It’s part of what I do.  Giant part of who I am.  I’ve also finished the audio for my book, so I’m just waiting on cover art from a friend, and then my literary genius shall be unleashed unto the world!!!   

Heh. 

That’s it for now.  Be good. 

Our country appears to be in a state of social upheaval.  Oddly enough, I’ve written a relevant song.  It was initially inspired by an acquaintance’s encounter with racism, and further tempered by recent events.  The title is self explanatory. 

Fuck racism. 

Seems like an appropriate use of the word “fuck.”   

I thought it was important to share sooner rather than later.  Most of the lyrics were written last year (I figured they’d surface at some point), but I stumbled across the groove yesterday. The song came together quickly.  I didn’t expect to post it today; figured it would need at least a week or two of woodshedding.  But, I decided to give it a shot today, and you can see the result.  It’s very raw, the performance isn’t perfect, and it’s possible the arrangement may need tweaking. 

But I think it works.   

I ran it by a friend of mine.  He agreed it was appropriate for its inspiration and the state of social unrest. 

I’d say enjoy it, but that doesn’t quite feel right.   

I’ve decided to try and do a few more cover songs.  Stay tuned for those over the coming weeks. 

That’s it for now.  Take care.  Stay healthy and safe.