Good advice:  If you want to write a good song, write what you know.

Better advice:  If you want to write a great song, write what you don't want people to know about you.

Best advice?  If you want to write an awesome song, write what you don't even want to know about yourself.

Between hearing Amy Grant sing live on the radio (a tender rendition of Say Once More), and then getting some insightful advice from D. that hit me right where I live these days, and then listening to an NSAI webcast by Susan Tucker that highlighted songwriter interviews from a book that's one of my favorites...I found myself feeling very emotional today.  Everything looked and felt different.  It kinda feels like something's waiting for me just around the corner. 

Tomorrow, following an all-day workshop with Pete and Pat Luboff from Nashville, our family is headed to the mountains and the lake, where I'm told that there are "negatively charged ions" just waiting to spark my creativity.  Wow!  Cool!

Signed,
Kant Weight

My nephew's wedding went well - but playing the organ turned into a challenge.  The instrument totally flaked out at the rehearsal - as in "died" - at which point I was calmly informed "that happens all the time."  Oh really!! 

The cure? 

The sound man called his mom, who plays organ at this church.  She recommended turning it off, and not turning it back on until the following day - just before playing the bridal recessional.  And then...."It should be fine."

So on the afternoon of the wedding I waited, flipped the switch at the appropriate moment, didn't have any power for a moment, and then a general piston seemed to work.  I tried to play the opening chord of Gordon Young's "Ode to Joy", but merely got a chiming sound.  Pushed the piston again, and half the stops popped out.  Re-played the opening chord, and decided "half" the normal sound was going to have to be good enough.  Sure beats scrambling across the stage to the piano.

Another marriage has begun.

Signed,
1 Prowd Ant

This afternoon I was helping our two oldest pack for tomorrow's mission trip departure to Nicaragua.  One of them couldn't find the case for his glasses,  and it quickly became "my problem."  I pointed out that it was actually his problem.   He pointed out that I had paid for the glasses and so the glasses were mine, and therefore the problem was mine in his view.  Aha.  I proceeded to confirm that I had indeed paid for the glasses, but that I had given ownership to him, and so it was HIS PROBLEM...no two ways about it...dad-gum-it!  Obviously a pointless conversation.  (My other son just kinda watched and chuckled.  He's older and potentially wiser by now.)

So.....  I searched.  And searched.  No success.  My husband - wise father that he is - suggested we might have an old pair of glasses somewhere in a case.  I found some, loaned the case to my dear young man (complete with fat blue rubber band to keep it from falling open), and all is well.

Sure wish I had a video of all that.  I would happily play it back for him someday when he has his own teenager.

Signed,
Blakk Male wurks 4 me

Yup - as predicted, everyone was gone for most of today except me and Blake.  Paradise, right? 

Actually, I think we were both kinda lonely.

Signed,
hmmphh

There was a moment today - about mid-afternoon - when I paused and truly questioned my sanity.


Somewhere around 2 or 3 p.m., this was my reality:

1 - The main part of our house is pretty much one big open vaulted room.  Great for a party.  Chaos for "alone time".
2 - Behind me was my husband Scott, assembling computers at the dining room table, because he's working out of the house these days and he needs to install those computers tomorrow.
3 - To my far, far right was my daughter playing a computer game (building roller coasters, I believe) complete with "game" music, of course.
4 - Not far from her was my oldest son, also on a computer game.
5 - The next son was in the basement playing guitar, but I could still hear him.
6 - My youngest was playing Super Mario Kart on Wii....and right now his game is located directly under our grand piano.  (Don't ask.  It's complicated.)
7 - And there I was - sitting at the piano - smack dab in the middle of all that commotion - trying to magically be "in the flow". 

I stopped, looked around me, and starting having one of those conversations.  "Self," I said.  "This is crazy."

But I pressed on.  The miracle is that I actually ended up with something I like.  (What are the odds of that happening?)

And here's a really cool thing.  Tomorrow I will be home for most of the day with only one other family member here with me!  I would be so grateful if I could hammer out the kinks and record a work tape before everyone shows up again.  Cuz in a few days, extended family starts rolling into town for my nephew's wedding, and songwriting opportunities will be scarce indeed.

As you can tell, when it comes to writing, I can't afford to wait until I get inspired.  Too many people and too many things are vying for my attention.  I guess I'm destined to be one of those "work ethic" writers.  (It takes all kinds, right?)

Signed,
Uh Mirror Cull

This morning I got a demo from Marty of a song we wrote last December.  I love it when my day starts out like that!  It surely put a spring in my step.

This afternoon I was starting to despair that I hadn't been able to sit down and work on the music I had promised another cowriter.  I knew he was praying for me today - for us - and we were both trusting God for creativity and anointing.  And yet, for a good part of the day I found myself wondering if I could also trust Him to provide the time I needed.  ....  But I finished assembling Scott's CD project by mid-to-late afternoon, all four kids went outside to play volleyball in today's crazy wind, and I was suddenly and blessedly in the midst of creativity. 

Somehow a spark had floated my way, straight out of God's campfire - and I did my best to treat it with the utmost care.

I recognize this feeling...and I will always cherish it.

Signed,
Stirr Ring Ehmbrzz

Today I listened to an archived NSAI webcast of...drum roll...Dottie Rambo.  It was recorded just two months ago! 

What a special lady.  I'm not sure I'll ever forget her describing herself sitting by a brook behind the house with her bare feet in a little stream.  "All of a sudden the birds' song seemed to be louder and purtier, and the squirrels were cracking nuts....and I thought - whew! - what is this feeling."  It reminded her of when her Grandpa preached, and "later of course I found out what it was...it was a touch of the Lord." 

Right then and there, she was inspired to write her first song - at the tender age of eight.  She ran into the house and offered to sing it for her mama who was wearing a little apron and baking pies.  At first her mama wondered if Dottie had gotten the song from one of the songbooks at church.  But no, it was the beginning of a legacy.  They talked for a bit, and then her mama wrapped her arms around her and said, "Baby, you're gonna a pay a dear price for that gift."

Would you believe Dottie began touring at the age of 12!  And I'm sure most of you know that she has over 2500 published songs.

What a precious interview.  I feel so blessed and inspired to have been given the opportunity to listen in as Dottie recounted so many stories and memories over the years.  Thank you, NSAI!

I stand amazed.

Signed,
sheezuh ledge uhnd

I hate thinking about this stuff, but....

It takes me nearly 30 minutes to drive to both my NSAI and Christian songwriters group meetings.  And 30 minutes to get back home again.  At four bucks a gallon, this is a "songwriting expense" I never used to worry about.

Tonight's meeting was good and all - but still!

Signed,
Owtch

I don't know exactly when it happened, but at some point in time the bush on the west side of our front yard decided to try and "take over" - despite the fact that we, the owners, have lovingly and gently pruned it for ten years.  You might think we deserve better treatment than that.  I certainly do.

But alas, you could barely get past Mr. Bush on the stone path back to the water spigot and hose.  Highly annoying.  So my daughter and I started pruning.  A tentative snip here and there.  A brave "lop" now and then.  And then we really started getting the hang of it.  K-thunk!  ....  My husband took a break from his aspen tree chore and felt inspired enough to take a turn.  After some lopping of his own, he got the blower out and in no time the boys had taken a break from lawn fertilization to blow around half-decayed leaves and dead pine needles that had been accumulating underneath Mr. Bush for - well - for a long time.  Rakes.  More trash bags.  Pretty soon...and this shouldn't surprise anyone...it had become an all-out, entire family, well-deserved thrashing.  Take that!

The brave little bush looks properly chastised for now, but I'm sure in a few weeks it will have regained it's chutzpah.

It's evening now and we, the parents, are "bushed" (ha).  You might think our four offspring - ages 10 to 19 - would be diving for the Wii and/or the computer by now.  But no.  The great outdoors have claimed them.  All four are sitting in deck chairs, chatting cheerfully, the sun setting over the Rockies behind them, with wood confiscated from the aforementioned flogging and knives confiscated from hither and yon. 

Ladies and gentlemen:  they are whittling!

Ya gotta love the great outdoors.

Signed,
ime sorr

Today's excitement:

1 - A cowriter dropped by to record vocals, and then we were maybe going to start something new.  We didn't, but the conversation we enjoyed in its place was such an encouragement.  (We talked about our individual journeys - oh yeah, and bomb shelters.)  How do you measure the value of that?

2 - I took an online class tonight that was so up my alley.  I sure wish I had the next couple of weeks all to myself!  I desperately want to re-read and dig into my notes, to spend time at some of the links mentioned, to analyze the song examples, to further develop my skills at - well - everything!  If I had my own personal writers' retreat right now, I just know I would emerge a far better writer than I am today!  ....  Q: So what's stopping me?   A:  My current backlog.  No focused retreat for me - but for now I'll settle for fits and starts.

3 - Over the last couple of weeks I've somehow made a rather large leap in my ongoing quest to discover my personal songwriting identity.  I won't get into it here, but I am learning (yet again) to trust that God knows what He's doing with me.  And, if pressed, I'll even admit that His timing is always impeccable - even if Bev thinks it wouldn't hurt him to hit the accelerator now and then, just for grins.  C'mon!  I wanna feel the wind in my hair!

4 - I opened up my GMAil and was so excited to see a three-part header flashing across the top about "Songwriter Tony Wood"!  Man oh man.  How can you argue with 17 #1 singles, 8 Top 5, 26 Top 20, and 9 singles in the first 5 months of 2008?  Go Tony and go Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing!  Woo-hoo!!!  (nice pic, Tony)

Signed,
Djust Uhnuhthrr  Dae

To clarify....

If you see Dot and a Line Music on my business card, I'm guessing you may come away with the wrong impression.  You might think of musical notes - so that the "dot" is the note-head and the "line" is the line attached to it.   Nope.  You'd be wrong.  (Actually, I rather like that interpretation, even though it's one that never even entered my mind when I chose the name.  Duh!  It's a good thing I chose the names of my offspring a bit more carefully than that.)

In reality, it's a phrase I ran across via a women's Bible study group I belonged to way back when.  Emphasis on way back.  So the "dot" refers to how much time we spend here on earth.  (We're talking a tiny dot, folks.  The proverbial speck.)  And the "line" refers to e-t-e-r-n-i-t-y.  So, of course, we're not talking just ANY line - but a line that runs around the Earth's equator a billion times, then out into the galaxy to the furthest reaches that scientists have been able to observe, then back and forth over that distance a zillion times or so, and then repeat all of those processes ad infinitum.  ...  That, of course, doesn't even begin to paint an accurate picture - but do you get what I'm talking about?

Inspiration strikes!!  When we finished our basement some years ago, I decided to paint a colorful "dot" up in the corner of one wall, and then paint a horizontal line that ran around the entire basement - through the studio, through the control room, in and out of the bathroom, around the media center, and finally meeting back near the original dot, with an "arrow" at the end of the line.  Picturing bright orange.  Would definitely need to get out Scott's heavy-duty level.  I looked forward to re-aligning myself to God's economy of time whenever I saw it.  What a cool conversation-starter! 

I never did it.  :-(  

But it could still happen!  After all, the plumbing for the snack bar sink is still on the "to do" list, so our basement isn't technically finished.  (I know.  Grasping at straws here.)

Anyway, if you ever see Dot and a Line Music on my business card, or anywhere else (!), be sure to direct your thoughts toward our Creator God and the Big Picture...instead of the bright orange mural that hasn't been painted in my basement..  And in the meantime, I'm trying to make the most of my "dot" - and looking forward to enjoying the "line" with y'all!

Signed,
luh king 4 word

I rarely practiced piano as a child, but thankfully I had the undeserved gift of exceptional sight reading skills.  Of course, raw talent will only take you so far.  (gulp)  Eventually you have to practice or never get to where you want to be.  So I practiced.  Oh my, did I ever practice!  But the curious thing is that, over the years, all that practicing was preparing me for a "direction" I hadn't yet identified.  Pieces and parts - waiting for their purpose.

Here are some things that "spoke" to me this past week about practicing:

1 -  When it comes to practice, the two most difficult challenges you face are (a) having the desire to do it, and (b) having the discipline to keep at it.

2 - There is no easy way to become a disciplined person....It is not a matter of conditions, but of choice.

3 -  If you commit yourself to practice you discover....your performance can always be improved.  .... [and] you must be willing to start with the small things.

4 -  One half of knowing what you want, is knowing what you must give up before you get it.

And let's not forget poor Charlie Brown as he laments, "Life is just too much for me.  I've been confused from the day I was born.  I think the trouble is, we're thrown into life too fast.  We're not really prepared."  After which Linus asks, "What do you want...a chance to warm up first?"

Uhh.  Sure!  ....  Wouldn't a warm-up to "life" be nice?  But no.  This is it!  Here we go! 

So, I'm sorry kids, but mama's not gonna remind you to practice anymore.  It's up to you to identify the desire...to make your choice...to give up what you must...and then to work on the small things.

You know what?  At the moment, I think I've "practiced" quite enough for today.  Tomorrow morning will soon be here and I'll be back at it.  Oh, there will be other stuff mixed in - the kids are on summer break after all - but songwriting will always be "in there".

How about you?  Are you filling up that practice card?  Any gold stars this week?  ...  Go ahead!  Get started!  You can do it!

Signed,
Know Morr Syte Ree Ding