So......slow down a bit......and check out this quote:  Poetry is the revelation of a feeling that the poet believes to be interior and personal which the reader recognizes as his own. - Salvatore Quasimodo.  Did you catch that?  If not, slow down a bit more and read it again.

Now substitute the songwriter's life.   Songwriting is the revelation of a feeling that the songwriter believes to be interior and personal which the listener recognizes as his own.

Isn't that what every songwriter is after?  To be relevant?  To speak his or her own heart, and then - miracle of miracles - to have the listener relate?  To have the listener recognize the feeling?  I really don't think it gets much better than that.  For me anyway.

Signed,
R U whith mee

So I'd think King David would be a pretty busy guy, wouldn't you?  The ultimate politician.  Meetings, battles, building projects, and how about all those women?  ....  But wait a minute!  Isn't he one of those "creative types"?  Indeed.

For example, in a single chapter in I Chronicles, we find David knee deep in lumber, masons & carpenters, then attacking & slaughtering some pesky Philistines, and then reporting in with this:  "God exploded my enemies, as water explodes from a burst pipe."  And apparently that's how the place got its name, Baal Perazim (Baal-Explosion).  Metaphor.  Simile.  Name-calling.  And all that jazz.

Or just a couple of chapters later, when the Chest of God has been retrieved, David is working in the Human Resources division.  So how would you like to work for him and receive this job description?  "With them were Heman, Jeduthun, and others specifically named, with the job description:  'Give thanks to God, for his love never quits.'"  And then the new hires are immediately "well-equipped" with trumpets, cymbals, and the latest studio gear.  I'll bet they loved their boss.

Why did I always picture David, the shepherd-boy, singing songs to his fluffy sheep, but then fail to realize that a creative person doesn't just simply stop being a creative person later in life simply because God promotes him in other areas?  Maybe David longed for those still waters and quiet green pastures from time to time.  And David HAD to have been at least as busy as I am.  And yet he found ways to be creative.  He made time.  Always using it for the good of others and for God's glory.

The ultimate multi-tasker.  I admire that.

Signed,
Ime Burr Sting 2

It's always nice to read a blog entry or Facebook status of a pro-writer that talks about how they wrote a fabulous song today, or wrote with their favorite peeps, or the like.  I'm happy for them.  Admittedly sometimes a bit envious (I'm human after all!), but happy.

I also love to read something that reveals to me how this unbelievably amazing pro-writer is a human being just like me.  You know - the old "puts his pants on one leg at a time" kind of stuff.   Don't know why exactly.  Maybe I just need reassurance that others experience conflict and tension and balance in their lives the same way I do. 

Last week Wed. -  Writing in Nashville.  Loving it.  Enjoying opportunities.  And "writing at least something every single day" doesn't seem like enough.

This week Wed.  -  Back in Colorado.  Loving it here too.  Knowing God is calling me to buy Valentines, to curl my daughter's hair for her first Sadie Hawkins' date, to take my 17-year-old's temperature when "body parts are aching that shouldn't be aching" (his words), and to stop by this evening's "visitation" for a Godly woman who passed over the weekend.  ...  (Not entirely sure if God was also calling me to watch American Idol, but I'm pretty sure I heard Him whispering something about that.  It was kind of hard to hear over the threshold of Tatiana's screaming.)

For those of you having an amazing week of writing - more power to you!  May Creator God show up mightily!  For those of you having a week more akin to the one I'm having right now, get out of bed tomorrow morning and put your pants on - one leg at a time.  You're in good company.

Signed,
Godduh Half Bohth

Life seems to be moving at a twitter pace lately.  (And no, I don't twitter.  Yet.)

1 - Someone mentioned Sara Bareilles new video for her song Gravity.  Oh - my - goodness.  I watched it after lunch, and I've been listening to her music ever since - reminds me so much of another favorite, Jon McLaughlin.  The music is tearing my heart out...and then piecing it back together again.
2 - Back from Nashville.  Awesome week.  Once again I humbly thank God for affirmations, as well as a number of unexpected blessings (like having a song win a free demo when I almost didn't even play a song, or having a re-write turn out a hundred times better than I could have imagined, or having a lunch conversation turn my mind toward directions and opportunities I never considered).  Yep - I'm thinking God must love to spring surprises on people.
3 - Uhh...did my chore list multiply while I was out of town?!  Reminds me of the Chris Filer "math" song I listened to yesterday - which is incredible BTW.
4 - An NSAI country critiquer compared my song to Angela Kaset.  (More homework, folks.  Always so much homework.  Mrs. Herrema is a severe taskmaster.  Back to work.  Every day.  Stretch those songwriting muscles.  Crack the whip.  Extra credit if possible.  ...  Apparently Tennessee was recess.)

I won't go on and on - even though I guess to fulfill my Twitter analogy I would!  But here's my parting thought:  My oldest brother was diagnosed at age 49 with pancreatic cancer.  Three months from diagnosis to death.  He missed his 50th birthday by about 3 months.  If my life was to follow that same path, that would be me right now.  Moral of the story?  Life is short!  Make the most of every moment!  We've all heard it before.  We'll hear it again.  And again.  But it's extra real to me lately.  Thankful for every day God offers to me.  Every single day.

Signed,
Soh Liddel Tyme

Some of us like to live vicariously through the fame of others - even people we don't know, as long as they're from our home town, right?  So in case you didn't know this....The Fray is a COLORADO-BASED band.  Amen?  Amen!  Too bad I wasn't in the right place at the right time to hook up with them when they were nobodies.  "Nobodies" - like you and me.  Well, like ME anyway.   (But last year?  The most downloaded album of all time.  Gulp.)

Their new CD came out today, and hopefully there's a hit or two in there - maybe something akin to How To Save A Life?  For those of you who are interested, here's a link to a 30-min. interview with Isaac Slade.  Who knows?  You might come away inspired....

http://douglas.co.us/networkdc/thebuzz/

Signed,
Coo Doze 2 thuh Frae