Tomorrow I head for Nashville!  I'm excited to be going, of course!   I'll see lots of old friends, make new ones, soak in an intensive one-day Write About Jesus, enjoy an incredible evening concert, go to my home-away-from-home church, finish up a demo, cowrite with people I've written with before, cowrite with some new connections, show an old friend some of the sites (in town for business), and who knows what else!  I know there will be times of excitement, and times of doubt - those go with the territory.  And I'll definitely be exhausted by the time I come home.

Home.  Ah yes, home.  -  I've spent this entire week frantically getting ready to go out of town, and at the same time desperately missing my family - even though I haven't left them yet!!  Kinda neurotic, don't you think? 

But that's my reality.  A reality I believe God has led me to - or I wouldn't get on that plane tomorrow for anything!   It's a good thing Blake (my youngest) has given me tons and tons of hugs this week, cuz I need to be saving them up.  In fact, I think he's been hugging me extra lots simply because he knows - perhaps at an unconscious level - that I'm leaving soon.  Two peas in a pod.

Better not spend any more time on this.  If you're headed for WAJ, I'll see you soon!

Signed,
Godduh Runn

This evening our oldest headed back to college out-of-state.  Okay.  Fine so far.

Well, earlier in the day, our 10-year-old said, "Oh yeah, Jordan is going home today."  Home?!!!  No!!!!!  THIS is home!  A little heart-string went twang when he said it...sort of an out-of-tune, twangy kind of twang, if you know what I mean.

But I've been thinking about the "home" thing ever since.  Home is where you were born?  Home is where you lived most of your life?  Home is where you live right now?  Home is where most of your family lives?  Home is where the heart is?  Home is here on earth?  Home is in heaven?

I'll bet your first impression, gut-instinct definition of "home" reveals something about you.  Anyway, it's really true isn't it?.....There's no place like home.

Signed,
Missen Hymn

And today - hope springs anew.  Partly because my lengthy rewrite is SO much better.  (I even get emotional singing it, which is always a good sign.)

But mostly because tomorrow is Easter!  A post on the WAJ discussion board reminded me of my very favorite Sunday School song growing up.  Maybe you remember it too:

I serve a risen Saviour,
He's in the world today;
I know that He is living,
Whatever men may say;
I see His hand of mercy,
I hear His voice of cheer,
And just the time I need Him
He's always near.

Chorus:
He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today!
He walks with me and talks with me
Along life's narrow way.
He lives, He lives, salvation to impart!
You ask me how I know He lives:
He lives within my heart!

Signed,
I. No!!

Happy Easter everyone!!

Remember my post from earlier today?  About the song I liked?  Well....    What was I thinking?!  This evening I abhor what I wrote, and am feverishly exploring rewrites.  I think my family was rolling their eyes in the car on the way home from our Good Friday service as I ranted and raved.  (Okay, maybe not ranted and raved.  Let's say I was "reflecting".)  If you don't live with a songwriter, thank your lucky stars.

I'm reminded of this from songwriter Gretchen Peters, "Went to a bash in Nashville:  And I thought, 'I could do that.  I could be that good,' and at the very same moment I thought, 'I will never be that good, and I need to just go home and forget about it.'"

There ya have it.

Signed,
Ugg

P.S.  We ate at Big Bill's Pizza last night.  Yum.  I stole their signature term for this blog title. 

Prior to Wed. - I was deliciously obliviously.

Wed. evening - I watched American Idol to see who would get sent home.  Ryan announced the songwriting competition.  Oops!  I had meaning to check on that.  The deadline is March 31!

Wed. at bedtime - I prayed for a good idea...maybe even a great idea.  It would have to come from God, that's for sure.

Thurs. - I blocked out the entire day and evening for writing.  Creativity "struck" and I finished a song I really like.  PLUS - I faced my fears of the learning curve regarding the interface I'm using with my Mac.  I'm proud to say I succeeded in recording bass, strings, piano, synth pad, "water drops" (for lack of a better word), and vocals.  The chorus desperately needs electric guitar, but my son is gone on a school band tour.

Fri. - Yes, there are things to be tweaked.  My bigger concern is the timing of all this - rewrites, demo, etc.  I'll be in Nashville March 28-April 3, so maybe I can get a demo made while I'm there.  ?

Three quotes really jumped out at me yesterday as I was journaling and getting ready to start:

1.  "The most important song you ever write is the one you're writing right now."  --Pamela Phillips Oland
2.  (In regard to rewriting....)  "Your best song is in front of you."  --Craig Wiseman
3.  "When the solution is simple, God is answering."  --Albert Einstein

The odds of my song winning American Idol are astronomical.  (duh)  And yet...the "assignment" invigorated me!  Funny how boundaries can do that for me.  Helps me focus.  As for American Idol?  Maybe I'll have a little chat with Scott Krippayne next week at WAJ....

Signed,
U. Nehv Rrrr No

Happiness!  Our local library is now carrying Wii games!

Sadness.  One of my favorite magazines is no longer going to arrive in my mailbox because it's going high tech.  "But - but - but - I like to carry magazines along with me to the doctor's office, page through them at breakfast, lay them around for my kids to see and pick up. " No more.

Craziness.  I couldn't sleep around 4 a.m., finally gave in to "entertaining" ideas for the rewrite in my head, and eventually got up and did the rewrite.  I even sent it off to my cowriter for feedback.  ....  Or maybe that wasn't so crazy, because then I was able to go back to sleep!

Excitement!  Looking forward to WAJ in Nashville and the week of cowriting to follow!

Signed,
Tayk Yorr Pikk

We watched Mr. Magorium's Emporium this past weekend.  I didn't have exceptionally high hopes for it, but I was very wrong.  Such a fun and creative movie!!  And how can you beat talent like Dustin Hoffman and Natalie Portman?

Here's one of my favorite lines...uttered by the inimitable Mr. Hoffman:

"Life is an occasion.  Rise to it."

Signed,
Iff U. Inn Cyst!

Opinions are like noses - everyone has one. 

Prime example:  A cowrite we recently submitted for two evaluations.  Evaluator #1 absolutely LOVED the music - in particular the verse melody!!  He had a few suggestions for the lyric, and then said he thought this could be a "breakthrough" song for us.  Woo-hoo!!    :-) 

However, Evaluator #2, even though he really liked the lyric, didn't like the music - in particular the verse melody.  The dreaded words "dated" and "80's" even popped up.  (ouch)  He suggested extracting the lyric and totally starting over with the music.   :-(

So I asked the kid who played guitar on the work tape - just a youngster in his upper teens.  He said, "Well, I don't really know what 80's music sounds like, but this totally sounds like something I would listen to."

Anyone confused yet?

I guess it's time to figure out our next step....

Signed,
Aye Havv Uhh Noze 2

NOTE:  Rather than dwelling on today's blog - which is a "fact of life" in the songwriting business - I highly suggest you go back to yesterday's blog and watch the video on YouTube.  If that doesn't cheer you up, I don't know what will!!

You gotta see this.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=I4CG07gnIDA

Signed,
Prowd 2 B. an Uh Marricun

American Songwriter Magazine sends out a Lyric of the Week via email - and truthfully, I sometimes read those and think "what?"  But other times, my heart skips a beat and I respond with "yes".

Here's the one that just arrived.

We used to laugh together
and we'd dance
to any old song
Well ya know
she still laughs with me
But she waits
just a second too long

from "Far From Me"
written by John Prine

Signed,
Thiss Wunz Uh Yehss

Just got home from a school band concert - including the infamous 5th grade band.  Notes out of tune?  Yes.  Rhythms loosey-goosey?  Of course.  And yet, I experienced a taste of heaven as I listened....

My two favorites:
1.  The fifth grade band playing Scarborough Fair.
2.  The high school jazz band playing The Girl From Impanema.

Truly - something in my heart swelled up, and I found myself so thankful to God for creating MUSIC - and for giving mere mortals the capacity to appreciate and enjoy it!  Melodies.  Groove.  And that extra special "something" that certain pieces of music have - no matter how well they're played.

Actually, I'll bet even our most superior performance in the world of the most exotic or intricate piece of music probably sounds like a 5th grade band to God - at some level.  But does He care?  I don't think so.  I'm quite certain He looks on the heart of the performer, and that He basks in the memory of creating the concept of "music" way back before time began.  One of His better ideas if you ask me.

And...as He's listening to our "professional" but "puny" efforts,  I'm convinced His heart swells....

Signed,
Pars Lee Sayj Rows Merry & Time

(If you don't know the words to Scarborough Fair, don't even bother trying to figure that one out!)

I've been out of town for a few days with my husband - basically at a "hardware store convention".  A few years ago I went to Estes Park and Write About Jesus and happily discovered that "songwriters" were "my kind of people".  That, however,  would not be my experience this past week.  Oh my.

They were nice and everything.  ....  Friendly.  Down to earth.  And Scott certainly had a fabulous time.

But it reinforced for me that there are different kinds of people in the world.  In fact, on the rare occasion that someone asked me about myself, any explanation that included the subject of "songwriting" in it elicited a totally blank stare.  I'm not kidding.  It was like I had just said I was from Mars or something.

Anyway, even though the week ahead looks hectic and, frankly, is scaring the bejeebers out of me (!!), I'm still glad to be back.

Signed,
Hohm Uh Gehn

You simply must try the new Hawaii chair. 

Actually, I'd kind of like to see these chairs used at the next Write About Jesus workshop- maybe during a cowrite demonstration, or a panel discussion - just to keep things interesting....

<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHiqVygN-w0> 

Signed,
Hanng Awn

I've been complaining about computer issues lately, which I know isn't very "attractive".  The truth is that I am very grateful for my new MacBook Pro - and even more grateful for a husband who is willing to venture outside of his tried and true PC world to help me with all of this.  His patience and encouragement are beyond compare, and I don't know what I would do without him!

But - am I only grateful when good things happen?  I've been pondering that ever since one of our LifeGroup members sent me this quote.  He and his family are from Liberia, hearts of gold, difficult "history", very well-educated, going through unbelievable trials, and an inspiration to me in more ways than I can count.

Try this on for size:  "Love of God is pure when joy and suffering inspire an equal degree of gratitude."  -Simone Weil

Joy.  And suffering.  With equal gratitude!

Signed,
Prah Blee Knott Thair