Make a Record(ing)

This year marks the twentieth anniversary of my journey as a classical guitarist.

Twenty years! That seems like such a long time. More than two thirds of my life has been spent as a musician. As I've written before in my story about finding Jane and the Christmas Miracle, I gave up pursuing the path of becoming a performing, competing guitarist, but I've continued to develop my skills as a musician and music teacher. There have still been plenty of performance opportunities, thankfully, just not the touring and competition lifestyle that would have made it very difficult to be a wife and mother.

But recently I've found myself wistfully thinking that I would love to have the opportunity to share my favorite pieces of music with the world. My time will be more and more involved with homeschooling my wonderful daughter as she gets older, and we want to have more children in the future, so my time dedicated to music is going to increasingly decrease! Homeschooling is exactly what I want to do, so I'm very happy for that, but it would be so cool to make that secret dream of recording music to share with others come true.

To my delight, after a few months of pondering, asking opinions, and inquiring about options, I am excited to announce that I am hoping to record a solo CD in August this year!

This is a first for me. I've played hundreds of performances, performed on television multiple times, performed on the radio, and worked in recording studios, but have never made a solo album as a classical guitarist. I don't want to make a flashy impressive CD... I just want to record some old favorite pieces that I've played for years and several pieces that I've loved for a long time but only recently learned. Nothing fancy! I truly want to simply share what I love so much about the classical guitar: the beautiful music.

Right now I'm still in the planning stages. I need to solidify my set list, memorize all the music, arrange for graphic design, etc. My former university guitar teacher, the amazing John McClellan, will be my producer and has generously offered to guide me through the entire process of making an album, so that is a huge blessing! The biggest challenge will be raising the money to get the CD made! I will be using a Kickstarter campaign to fund the CD.

The second toughest part will be getting the time to practice and prepare all the music! I will need to have consistent practice time to make sure that I can play my pieces at their peak. That's why I want to record at the end of the summer, so I can have plenty of time to prepare :-)

Here we go on this next big adventure! Time to make a dream come true!

~ Prompt for March 5th: Make a record

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Participating in Write Alm's March prompts, daily words as guides for writing down what is in my head and heart. Entries might be long, might be short, might be posted here on the blog, or shared on my Instagram account. Do join me and others in sharing our thoughts with these prompts! I love seeing what you write. 

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Imperfect

As I wrote yesterday, we all want to be loved.

Oh my, how much I love to be loved.

Don't you?

And we don't need to be perfect to be loved.

We all make mistakes. We all have faults. We all have weaknesses. 

I get impatient over dumb things. I freak out if my house gets too dirty, yet I allow my laundry to pile up until nobody has clean underwear. I neglect grocery shopping only to find that we are eating quesadillas and toast for dinner. I have little self control when it comes to buying books (that's why I don't go to bookstores). I struggle with self-discipline in planning my daily time out effectively. I have a weird fashion style (or lack thereof) that makes my husband and sister raise their eyebrows occasionally and tell me kindly that maybe I should try matching my clothes a bit better. I stay up too late and then behave grumpily in the morning to my sweet girl. I forget my friends' birthdays. I fall behind on writing letters. I get mad when I don't win a freaking board game.

I am imperfect. So VERY imperfect.

But I am loved anyway.

First and foremost, I believe that God loves me, and has loved me since the beginning of time. He loved me so much that he sent his Son to die for me so that my imperfections could be covered with the Son's perfection and I could be good enough through him to stand before God. He created me to be ME!

Secondly, but very importantly still, I believe that there is a group of people around me who love me in spite of my imperfections. They like me for my quirkiness, and either guide me gently when my imperfect self screws up or forgive me. Everyone needs folks like this who surround them with understanding! 

So the next time you want to beat yourself up for being imperfect, remember that you are loved anyway, and give yourself a little grace  :-)

~ Prompt for March 4th: Imperfect

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Participating in Write Alm's March prompts, daily words as guides for writing down what is in my head and heart. Entries might be long, might be short, might be posted here on the blog, or shared on my Instagram account. Do join me and others in sharing our thoughts with these prompts! I love seeing what you write. 

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Beloved

Admit something:

Everyone you see, you say to them,

"Love me."

Of course you do not do this out loud;

Otherwise,

Someone would call the cops.

Still though, think about this,

This great pull in us

To connect.

Why not become the one

Who lives with a full moon in each eye

That is always saying,

With that sweet moon

Language,

What every other eye in this world

Is dying to

Hear.

~ Hafiz, "With That Moon Language", from The Gift, translation by Daniel Ladinsky

~ Prompt for March 3rd: Beloved

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Participating in Write Alm's March prompts, daily words as guides for writing down what is in my head and heart. Entries might be long, might be short, might be posted here on the blog, or shared on my Instagram account. Do join me and others in sharing our thoughts with these prompts! I love seeing what you write. 

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Floating

What keeps me constant these days? The Tiny is growing faster than ever, my schedule book fills the days with events weeks in advance, I am finally getting good at remembering what to bring when we all dash out of the house (backpack with extra clothes and snack and water bottle and pacifier for the Mininsky, her pony purse, my purse, my water bottle, my phone, my glasses, my keys). 

What keeps me steady?

Looking out the window at the sky.

Breathing Scripture memorized to my spirit.

The feel of my guitar under my fingers.

The flowers everyday on my table.

Soft, deep sighs, eyes closed.

Late night talks with my love.

Pausing to savor the moment.

Getting hugs.

And tea.

Lots of tea.

Isn't it funny how the littlest things in life keep us grounded?

These mugs of tea float me through my days. Chamomile, green herbal, Yorkshire black, pomegranate flavor. A spoonful of honey, a squeeze of lemon. A bit of cream, two cubes of sugar. Sipped slowly, gulped quickly, poured into a mason jar to take with me on my travels. According to mood I choose my cup. Maybe one day I'll have a delicate, flowery teacup to drink out of properly, but until then these lovely characters will keep my fingers warm, my tummy happy, and my moments marked with gentle sweetness.

~ Prompt for March 2nd: Float 

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Participating in Write Alm's March prompts, daily words as guides for writing down what is in my head and heart. Entries might be long, might be short, might be posted here on the blog, or shared on my Instagram account. Do join me and many others in sharing our thoughts with these prompts! I love seeing what you write. 

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Precipice {and Gratitude}

Looking into the year ahead from this vantage point, the height of the turn of the seasons, still feeling like the beginning of the year, the landscape spread out before me is breathtaking. Metaphorical destinations symbolizing where I hope to go in my music, creative pursuits, and personal growth are growing more clear. The mist is beginning to lift. It may look like these places are far, far distant but the reality is that my journey will take me to them if I keep my eyes fixed not only on the path, but on the beauty surrounding the way and on the lovely people traveling with me. I would not be here without the grace of God. I would not be here if it weren't for His implanted joy of music in my soul. Creativity is what makes me feel alive... makes me bow in worship to the One in whose Image I was created to create. I would not be here without the support of my wonderful family and close circle of friends; their love gives me wings. 

These folks. My friends. Although I may not be able to constantly tell them how much they are appreciated, they are with me in spirit every day. Their wisdom, their thoughtfulness, their quirkiness, their awesomeness, their gifts: all these are inspirational to me. For all the times they have encouraged me, helped with babysitting, shared their talents, cooked a meal, gone out to coffee, had late night conversations, listened to me play music, and gently helped me back to the right path when I began to stray, I am so very, very grateful. This life wouldn't be the same without you. 

~ Prompt for March 1st: Precipice 

                                                     

Gorgeous work by hand-lettering extraordinare Helen Boggess

                                                                                           

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Participating in Write Alm's March prompts, daily words as guides for writing down what is in my head and heart. Entries might be long, might be short, might be posted here on the blog, or shared on my Instagram account. Do join me and many others in sharing our thoughts with these prompts!

                                                                                                                                                                                              

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The Jazz Singer

As I wrote in my previous blog post, I decided to use the month of February to post a tiny bit of a short story each day on Instagram accompanied with a picture related to music, since that's what the story was about. It is called "The Jazz Singer". Here is the story in its entirety, along with some of my favorite music-based pictures that I took in February! 

Also, before you read it, here are four facts about the story:

~ I wrote it completely in about one hour. This is one of the only times I've ever felt totally inspired. I had the grain of the story, then suddenly it flowed out.

~ Dan is based off a real life person whom I saw last year.

~ This situation is based partially off a personal experience in the past.

~ Katy is based off a real vocalist, whose music you can find on YouTube by searching for Katy B! Go check her out! She's not a jazz singer, but I do like her very much :-) All the lyrics in this story are based off one of the songs she sings in with the group Magnetic Man called "Perfect Stranger". 

DISCLAIMER: Lyrics in this story are not mine! There is a link at the end of the post that will take you to the song where they came from, which I highly recommend hearing! 

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Katy took a step back from the microphone and let her eyes follow the young man across the room. There he went, back into the kitchen carrying his server's tray. While the band played another smooth, jazzy interlude, she took the opportunity to sip her drink. None of the patrons sitting around the tables was paying close attention to their music, but judging by the pleasantly buzzing atmosphere, the mood of the finely dressed men and women was relaxed, just as it should be.

That young man. She had first seen him standing by the lobby door with a stack of menus, escorting a party to a table, and he had been clearly distracted by watching her sing. He was dressed in the same formal black that all the waters wore, same black apron, same shiny black shoes, but there was something different about him.

Was it that the waiter appeared so much younger than the rest of the staff? The elderly waiter with silver hair who had handed her the glass of water before the band had started was by far the oldest here, but everyone else seemed to be at least older than she herself was. Surely you would have to possess years of experience in order to be hired at such a fancy restaurant as this, Katy thought.

Hearing her cue, she leaned back into the microphone. "Night and day, you are the one, only you beneath the moon and under the sun..." Here he came again: she could pick out his alert walk, skinny way of slipping nimbly around chairs, from all the way across the dining room.

Now he was leaning over the bar to talk to the bartender for a moment; now he smiled, which made his naturally nice-looking face seem even more open and honest. He seemed familiar, now that she thought about it. Where could she have seen him before...

"Day and night, why is it so, that this longing for you follows wherever I go?" Katy found that the mellow song was making her think of other words. Maybe a new song? Her mind rapidly began to create lyrics, even while her mouth sang along with the band.

I don't know

Who you are

All I really know is

There's something in your heart

The music ended and the band started on the next song. Katy noticed that the young man had come over to a table next to the stage to help another waiter serve more plates. For a moment, he glanced up at her, and her heart skipped a beat.

Bright blue eyes. An eager expression, yet shy... did he want to talk to her as much as she wanted to talk to him? It had to be more than just his physical appearance. Could you be attracted to someone's soul?

I don't know

Who you are

All I really know is

There's something in your heart

That makes me feel

It's a new start

All I really know is

There's something in your heart

The rest of the show went as planned. Katy finished the final song, bowing with the band. She politely thanked those who came up to gush about their performance. It always surprised her how many people had actually been listening and finding enjoyment in the background music she and the band provided at these fancy establishments.

Even while she was chatting with the restaurant patrons her attention was focused on finding the mysterious waiter again. Suddenly, she felt the skin prickle on the back of her neck.

I didn't have to turn around

I can feel him in the back of my brain

When I stepped into the crowd

Something told me I would meet you today

Katy turned to face him. He stammered, "Hi... you sounded... um... great! I really enjoyed the music." His flustered manner made her almost nervous too. "Thanks," she said, trying to smile nicely. "My name's Katy. And you are?" "Oh... Dan. Daniel, but my friends call me Dan." He quickly brought his hand up to shake hers.

Your energy when you touch me

It lifted me off the ground

"So what college do you attend?" Dan asked. Katy flushed pink. "Well, I don't go to college. I graduated a few years ago. I'm actually older than I look." "Really? Me too! I'm twenty-five," Dan replied. Katy looked at him in surprise. "Me too!" There it was again... that sense of familiarity, the feeling that they had already been through this surface conversation.

They continued talking as the band members finished breaking down the sound equipment, then one by one grinned at Katy and patted her on the shoulder as they left, carrying drums, guitar cases, and bags. She nodded goodnight at them, ignoring their chuckles.

Your energy when you touched me

It lifted me off the ground

Your words to me are like music

It had been no more than ten minutes, although it seemed like much longer, before Dan reluctantly took a step away. "I've got to go finish my shift. Fortunately, it's pretty late, so I've only got one more table, and they're in the back having a grand time with three bottles of wine." "Oh," Katy said regretfully. She tried to think of something to say that would make it apparent that she didn't want to finish their conversation, yet she didn't want to make him feel guilty for finishing his job.

"Can I... get you anything?" Dan asked, a bit bashfully. Katy jumped at the chance. "I'm actually kind of hungry... is there any way I could get a little something to eat? I missed dinner. If it's not too much trouble, that is." Dan brightened. "Sure! Let me get you some food. Do you want it to go? I can get you a to-go container, if you want. You're probably tired and want to get home for some rest."

"Actually, I was thinking... maybe I'll wait here until you're done with your shift?" Dan's wordless look of appreciation as he quickly walked back to the kitchen confirmed Katy's hopes that he was just as interested as she was in continuing their acquaintance.

She exhaled a long breath. What are you thinking, she asked herself sternly. He probably thinks you're flirting. She'd been to enough gigs with slick-talking young men hanging around to be quite tired of the typical guy who just wanted to hit on her. What was it she was trying to do? What drew Dan to her? What drew her to Dan?

Katy smoothed her black dress down, glad that she had not worn something more edgy; she didn't want to give Dan the idea that she was flirting. Was she being too bold already? It wasn't merely outward appearance that had attracted her to him. It was almost like... as if they were meant to meet. Could people have met before without remembering each other? But if they'd met long ago, then certainly they would have known. There was something magnetic about him. 

She didn't want superficial conversation. She wanted to really talk. To listen. To know.

Are you from another world?

I've never seen someone who looks like you

Beautiful stranger, how do you do

Is there something I can do for you?

Dan came back with a small box. "I put a bunch of the appetizers we have in here. They're kind of like a sticky cornbread roll with nuts and glaze, really good. I hope you like them." Katy gratefully took the box and sniffed inside; the sweet smell made her mouth water. "They're lovely! Thank you. I'll eat these and wait in the lobby until you're done, okay?" “No problem. Happy to help.” Dan's shy smile mirrored her own.

It wasn't long before he joined her in the lobby. They were a bit unsure how to get the conversation started again, but very soon transitioned into deeper subjects. They began talking of school in their childhood, of religious upbringings, of her dreams as a musician, of his interest in philosophy, of their lives in the big city that were different than what they'd imagined for themselves in earlier years.

Katy found herself talking with complete ease, a sort of relaxed friendliness, that she'd never experienced with anyone so quickly before. Slowly they walked outside to where her car was parked.

They both paused. Katy looked at him curiously. "Have we... met before? Anywhere? Maybe you've seen me perform somewhere else? Or have you gone to other concerts where we might have seen each other?" Dan shook his head with a puzzled expression. "No, I don't think so. But you seem familiar. I know what you mean." They stood in silence for a moment.

"I've got a boyfriend," Katy suddenly blurted. "We're really happy together. I... I... but I'd like it if you could come hang out sometime. I'd like to see... I mean, I'd like to talk more. We have a cool bunch of friends, and we like to go swing dancing, and listen to local musicians, and even play different kinds of music as a group together..." her voice faded away.

She mentally kicked herself. Why did she have to tell him this in such a blunt way? She could see a twinge of disappointment cross his face. Of course he would only be interested in her because he thought she was single. So it did come down to him thinking that she was flirting after all. Of course.

She looked up at him in surprise as he ripped a piece of paper off his server's notepad. "Here. Text me sometime, or shoot me an email." She stared at the paper with scribbled contact information. He grinned shyly. "There's something different about you. It's hard to find people our age who don't just go out partying or clubbing. Plus, you know," he explained, grinning, “It would be great to hear you sing again. I'd like to hang out. With both you and your boyfriend."

He stepped closer and held out his hand. Katy automatically placed her hand in his. "It's good to meet you, Katy," Dan said seriously, but the smile in his blue eyes was genuine. He shook hands gently, then released her and began to walk away.

"I'll definitely send you a message," Katy called after him across the parking lot. "You'll be hearing from me!" Dan turned to wave under a streetlight. "I'll count on it," his voice came strongly to her. 

Oh there's something, there's something

I can see it there

Something in your heart

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If you'd like to hear the song based on Katy's story, listen here.

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A New Kind of Storytelling: Twenty-eight Days of Music and Words

My dear friend Heather suggested a wonderful new creative idea: what if you could post an entire short story on Instagram, a snippet each day, over the course of a month? How cool would that be?! So I decided to give it a try. Who knows, maybe nobody will care except me, or maybe it will be a bore, but I'm gonna do it anyway. Nothing ventured, nothing gained! I'm am all about sharing creative work with others and finding inspiration in what others share!

The story I'll be posting during the month of February (woohoo, only twenty-eight days in that month!) is called "The Jazz Singer". I shared it several months ago on this blog, but have since taken it down in order to revise it a bit. After the entire story is finished on IG I'll re-post the whole thing here. Since IG requires a picture to post any content and my story is about a jazz singer, I will be sharing pictures of musicians and musical instruments (not related to the storyline) over the course of the month. I am always seeing gorgeous instruments everywhere, or amazing musicians, and this will give me another chance to share those with the world! There might even be some videos of live music... you'll have to wait and see!

I'll be tagging the story under #jazzsinger #instagramstory and #writersofinstagram, along with a tag for whatever particular musical picture I take for the day. My name on Instagram is Lyssagirlloveslife. Come along for the journey! Better yet, I'd LOVE it if anyone else wanted to join and post their short story over the course of twenty-eight days too :-)

Let me know what you think in the comment section!

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