Happy Festivas!
Every year I come into this season in a state of whining denial. Then at the first sight of twinkling lights my heart melts, the annual counting of the days until Julia returns begins (now only 6!), and I launch the lighting up of the house. (Watching Julia emerge from the airport escalator is one of my favourite moments in life.) We're planning on logging a lot of couch/movie/popcorn time and going for as many bike rides as the weather will allow. I've said this before, but let me say it again - I particularly like how our culture gives it a rest between Christmas & New Years. It's a blessed relief.
Today was my 62nd birthday. I know, big deal. Everyone has at least one a year. Looking good for 62? Oh, don't be fooled - Photoshop is my best friend and I'm not afraid to use it. You'll have to come to a live performance to see what I REALLY look like. Plus, Ross DenOtter at Pink Monkey Studios who took that picture knows how to work some kind of magic that is most definitely not evident when I'm walking the dog at 6 am. Or any other time.
62 is not a significant number, other than the fact that it's somewhat unfathomably high considering I still feel 18 and that I'm just getting started. Not the idiotic risk taking 18 year old I was, but the one who was excited about all the life there was yet to live and game for just about anything (that doesn't involve a roller coaster, warfare, or major surgery).
Happy Canada Day!
This is the first one in 20 years that I haven't been playing and therefore the first I've been able to attend the local festivities on the island. There's nothing like Small Town.
As a Canadian who specifically chose this country, I feel particularly grateful that this is my home.
In May of 1970 I was just finishing up my first year of college. Frankly, I was a pretty pathetic student and barely made it through my first semester of courses recommended by the system, but in the second semester I decided to take the courses that truly interested me - all music and art. I loved it, and for the first time in my life was excelling in school.
As I've told you, Julia is getting her Masters in Music in Sound Recording at McGill. At Christmas she announced to me that she needed/wanted me to be the subject of her next term's project which was to record a CD for an artist. At first the idea of coming up with a full crop of songs in a month filled my heart with fear and loathing. Once I recovered and realized what a fantastic opportunity it would be on so many levels I eagerly said "let's do it!". The following weeks were spent in a creative zone closely resembling a semi-psychotic state - usually taking the form of walking in the woods muttering into my iphone recording ideas. The truth is, I have spent my entire professional life as a closet Reluctant Songwriter, with an unexplained penchant for putting all other tasks ahead of the most important - writing songs. I'm sure some therapy is in order.
Read MoreI'm pleased to be writing you on this week after the end of the world. After so many similar predictions have come and gone, we're never really surprised, but it's always slight relief to still be here. I kind of like the world. Granted, it does have a few problems thanks to the humans who have taken it over. They truly wreak havoc and can be pretty annoying. I wish they'd stop doing that, but alas, I don't think they're going to. We all try to take solace in our little worlds - find ways to escape and soothe and avoid the madness. In fact, this annual Festivus is my favourite part where everything feels like it goes on hiatus for a week or so. It doesn't matter if the official occasion is unrelated to my own sensibilities. I just like that there's a brief window where it's agreed - we're all going to take a breath, feel like it's okay to stop working, step off the machine, do something special together, and show a little love.
Read MoreHi!
I'm just rushing off to Bluebird North and realized I had a half written newsletter to you that I hadn't yet sent. And now I don't even have time to read and edit what I wrote.
So I'm just going to send the sucker - mistakes, out of date weather and all. I'll write more in the next few weeks. I just wanted to make sure I've done due diligence in letting Vancouver folks know about tonight's Bluebird.
On to the words previously written early in the morning, in bed with a cup of tea....