New Year, New Work

It’s been awhile since I’ve written in here, but I think there’s a reason for that. In this stupid, self-obsessed social media world in which we live, I just grew weary of thinking that any of the minutiae of my life was worth showcasing or broadcasting, as though any of it matters (which it doesn’t), especially amidst the constant din of “personal” stories available to us in written (or, mostly, video) form. Everyone thinks they’re a snowflake these days, whose story is the one worthy of “followers.” The truth is that none of it is worthy of our attention, least of all this blog. I think the only real thing worthy of our attention is living true to ourselves and each other, quietly… and perhaps living true to the Earth, loudly. But, that’s a topic for another blog….

Therefore, if you choose to read on, I know that you are doing it as a friend or a loved one or a person of similar spirit whom I may not yet know but will eventually cross physical paths with. The randomness of connecting over these “interwebs” isn’t always so impossibly anonymous. I have found that the Chinese idea of the “invisible red string” is quite true. We are all connected on a very human level, even if we feel alone.

So… on that very inviting and cheery note, I am now going to tell you about my recent work, but all with the caveat that I write these songs and continue to make music because it is simply what I was born to do, with or without an audience, with or without performances, with or without Spotify’s approval (or any platform’s, for that matter).

My new songs all come from different places in myself that have become wiser.

This is the year when I will turn 50 years old. Yes, I was born in 1974. For some reason, Google (and therefore, Alexa) thinks I’m older. I would love someone to help me correct this technological misunderstanding. Who knows how? It seems to me that in some data record, someone got my age wrong and now the time stamp has disseminated itself throughout the internet. Nevertheless, according to my birth certificate, this summer, July 17th, I shall be half a century old. And, since I have always committed myself to living to be 100 years old, I will therefore be half-way through my life. It seems quite fitting to span a century with one’s life, if I can be so lucky. So, with my half-way marker just a mere few months away, I intend to mark this important turning point with some new music that cascades in waterfall release fashion (staggered singles) from my digital upload to your digital listening device.

My current stage is to assemble all the songs that are new and select which ones to record. I never have a problem with quantity of new work; only a problem selecting which ones are worthy of further detailed development. At last count, I had at least 16 new songs with a few weird covers that have charmed me into considering releasing them, and also a few older songs that have been re-worked and feel worthy of getting a new set of audio clothes, so-to-speak.

This is how I set up my planning for a new body of work:

It’ll be my 14th album (eventually, even if I release all of these songs as singles…) and so, I’m quite confident in my experience related to assembling the tasks for the leg work required before going into the studio. Our first recording dates (for tracking the drums, primarily) will be on March 24th, 2024. I have these next two months to get at least half of these musical babies into a place where they’re lined up and truly ready to be taken to the next level. I’m really looking forward to this process. Some of these songs have been finished for years now, so it’s high time I get them out into the world!

Also, I haven’t forgotten that I’ve written a memoir.

During the pandemic, my publishing deal fell through. Yeah, it’s a bummer. At first, I really mourned the book, feeling as though it was the universe telling me that it wasn’t meant to be read by others and perhaps it was just an act of therapy that I had to go through to transition in my life out of my marriage and into my freedom, and subsequent recovery on all levels.

After a few years of having put it up on a shelf in my head and heart, I see it more as a pause button. The book wasn’t the right fit with that publisher. That’s clear. Now, I’m beginning to consider searching again for a suitable publishing company in the hopes that this story could be helpful to other strong women who find themselves feeling trapped by their own choices, or their own pride. The overall message in the memoir is “we’re only as trapped as we believe ourselves to be.” It was my mantra throughout my journey to China, into my marriage, and out of it, and mostly into my current stage of feeling much more wise than I’ve ever felt.

Feeling wiser is probably a good place to begin the second half of one’s life, don’t you agree? Maybe this wisdom — a lot of which I discuss in the memoir — will serve as the road map towards old age that will give my life’s second half a feeling of clear direction, without obstacles, without having to do much more of the “doubling back” that we waste time doing in our youth. No more wandering. No more roadblocks.

But, like I said at the start of this blog, none of us really have a unique story. I’m under no delusion that my memoir or my songs ought to be read or heard.  I will simply create the work, and release it into its own freedom, and the rest is up to the red thread.