Sunday, October 30, 2011
Grab for the Gusto
Through every season, turn, turn, turn.
From every lesson, learn, learn, learn.
Everything changes, churn, churn, churn.
But where there is life, burn, baby, burn.
This is fun: I belong to SongU.com as a way to learn more about songwriting, pitch my songs to real industry people, keep me motivated and moving, and taking advantage of fun opportunities that they provide.
Currently, that's called "Over and Under," in which they match you with someone in another country, and you write a song together. By December 15. Long-distance, to say the least.
And I got matched with a cool woman named Till. (Those of you who know one of my nicknames is Tillie may find that amusing.) We have e-mailed and Skyped already.
She's much more accomplished than I; she can do it all -- write lyrics, compose music, and sing. Whew! Lucky for me.
And she's in Amsterdam. Eight-hour difference in time. Good thing I'm an early bird. She caught me this morning on Skype. I told her I'd just gotten up (5:30 a.m.); she said she had too (lunch time!). There's a real musician for you!
Anyway, we will ponder growing old as a theme -- not a new subject to this blogger -- and see what happens. Stand by for a link to another song later this year.
"Mama" is doing great on YouTube! Thank you very much.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Another Chronological Year Bites the Dust
Monday's child is fair of face,
Tuesday's child is full of grace,
Wednesday's child is full of woe,
Thursday's child has far to go.
Friday's child is loving and giving,
Saturday's child works hard for a living,
But the child born on the Sabbath Day,
Is fair and wise and good in every way.
I was born on a Sunday, 62 years ago today, and I'm heading full tilt into the last 3 decades of my life...god willing and the creek don't rise.
October 9 is Leif Erikson Day. I'm Norwegian on my dad's side -- Frantsen -- born in Minnesota, so it was interesting to just now discover I was born on the day that old Leif actually discovered America.
Forget Columbus. Norwegians were the first Europeans to set foot in the New World. According to Wikipedia, a Norwegian ship named Restauration landed in New York Harbor on October 9, 1825.
Anyway, it's the start of a new world for me, too, what with no dogs and no boy for the first time in 25 years. Exciting, scary, sad, liberating...and definitely a new frontier in my life.
What will I do with it?
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Dear Diary
Dear Diary, Dear Diary,
Dear Abby, Dear Ann,
Please help me think through things
As fast as you can.
Life is not going according to plan.
Dear Diary, Dear Diary,
Dear Abby, Dear Ann.
Nobody told me there'd be days like these. Or years, even. Of course, there have been signs, what with changes coming faster -- and more furiously -- the older I get.
Loss has me reeling emotionally. As well as the hindsight that slaps hard with the realization that I probably should have followed the rules about working for retirement. Now I'll be working instead of retiring.
Time to overcome the stress and paralysis and blog on.
One of my best friends in the world died of cancer at age 54. The last of our most recent four dogs just died. My marriage is dying. And I'm facing middle age alone, sad, and lonely. Who'd-a thunk?
At least I have a job. Hahahaahhahahahaha
This, too, shall pass. But it feels pretty bad right now. Still I know things will change, and I can't wait to see what happens next. I've got one arm up for protection.