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The Good Life. |
I am a professional musician ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() But that's just my resume. My profile of qualifications is only one of the ways in which I am unique. Here I chronicle my personal and professional goals and my efforts to achieve them. Occasionally I fail. Mostly, I take daily baby steps toward all my long-term goals. Much like the stories I pen, the songs I compose, and the businesses I run, I am always a work in progress. |
Resign from Abbott by 4/4/10.![]() Brand the biz(es.) ![]() Business: Music Instruction Books. ![]() Launch one new Praise Band song per month. ![]() Post at WordPress at least once per week. ![]() Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 3/31/10. Weight: 154.4 Meals: 8:30am Coffee (1) 10:00am Coffee (1) 1:45pm Skinny roast beef sandwich (7) 6:30pm Bob Evans chicken/cranberry/pecan salad (?), cup chili (?), two pieces of banana bread (?) and half of a caramel mocha (?). TOTAL POINTS: What's 10% of zero, again? Write new lyrics once per week. ![]() ![]() Write one new original song per month. ![]() Launch one new repertoire song per week. ![]() Taxes. ![]() Well, it wasn't a very productive day yesterday. I did record a song ("Free," with percussion and bass tracks... I love that recording gear!), update my WordPress blog, and play bd's, which was awesome again. By request, I have to learn a Coldplay song. Any suggestions? Make it quick, and I can still meet my weekly "new repertoire song" by Saturday, which is my last Potbelly day of the week. ![]() The rest of my day was taken up by an afternoon 3-D showing of "Avatar" with Keith. Wow. I don't even mean just the special effects, which were amazing. I'm talking plot... that writer (writers) has a hell of an imagination. Although, I do have some characterization convenience complaints. The (General? head military dude) and the whiny-ass head corporate dude were too one-dimensional. They were fully evil, blinded to possibility that the Na'vi race might be a legitimate people, and although history has shown that kind of callousness in real-life bad guys, it was too convenient. We didn't get a chance to learn enough about their characters to believe it. And even Jake took a little long to come around and empathize with The People... at one point, when he was reporting back to the General, he was already somewhat emotionally involved. I would have expected him to at least have some reservations about his reporting, or to demonstrate somehow his motivation for betraying them. Not that I think the writers should have added more characterization to a movie that started at 3pm and ended at 5:45pm. ![]() |
bd's tonight. ![]() Resign from Abbott by 4/4/10. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Brand the biz(es.) ![]() Business: Music Instruction Books. ![]() Launch one new Praise Band song per month. ![]() Post at WordPress at least once per week. ![]() Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 3/31/10. Weight: ![]() Meals: 9:45am Fiber toast (2) with butter (1) and coffee (1) 11:00am Sausage (3), apples (3), and coffee (1) 2:00pm Half grilled cheese (4) and two wings (4) 6:00pm bd's (I have no idea. Too much, I'm sure. 15?) TOTAL POINTS: 34? Write new lyrics once per week. ![]() ![]() Write one new original song per month. ![]() Launch one new repertoire song per week. ![]() Taxes. ![]() |
Resign from Abbott by 4/4/10.![]() Brand the biz(es.) ![]() ![]() Business: Music Instruction Books. ![]() Launch one new Praise Band song per month. ![]() ![]() Post at WordPress at least once per week. ![]() Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 3/31/10. Weight: 156.6 ![]() Meals: 9:30am Sausage (3) and coffee (1) 1:45pm Skinny roast beef sandwich (7) 5:30pm McDouble (9) and hot fudge sundae (7) 8:30pm Half ZonePerfect bar (2) TOTAL POINTS: 29 Write new lyrics once per week. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Write one new original song per month. ![]() ![]() ![]() Launch one new repertoire song per week. ![]() ![]() Taxes. ![]() |
My church job is starting to get really fun again. ![]() Resign from Abbott by 4/4/10. ![]() Brand the biz(es.) ![]() ![]() Business: Music Instruction Books. ![]() ![]() Launch one new Praise Band song per month. ![]() ![]() ![]() Post at WordPress at least once per week. ![]() Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 3/31/10. Weight: 155.2 ![]() Meals: 8:30am Sausage (3) and a fiber granola bar (2) 9:00am Coffee (1) Write new lyrics once per week. ![]() Write one new original song per month. ![]() Launch one new repertoire song per week. ![]() Taxes. ![]() |
Did y'all see the Hope For Haiti Now benefit concert last night? Way cool. Who would have ever thought Justin Timberlake would sing Leonard Cohen? And Dave Matthews does a mean Neil Young. ![]() Resign from Abbott by 4/4/10. ![]() Brand the biz(es.) ![]() Business: Music Instruction Books. ![]() Launch one new Praise Band song per month. ![]() Post at WordPress at least once per week. ![]() Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 3/31/10. Weight: 152.6 Meals: 8:00am ZonePerfect bar (4) 10:00am Coffee (1) Write new lyrics once per week. ![]() ![]() Write one new original song per month. ![]() Launch one new repertoire song per week. ![]() Taxes. ![]() |
Resign from Abbott by 4/4/10.![]() Brand the biz(es.) ![]() Business: Music Instruction Books. ![]() Launch one new Praise Band song per month. ![]() Post at WordPress at least once per week. ![]() Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 3/31/10. Weight: 153.0 Meals: 8:00am ZonePerfect bar (4) and coffee (1) 10:00am ZonePerfect bar (4) 1:45pm Skinny roast beef sandwich (7) 7:30pm Two chicken wraps (a lot?) and homemade skinny frappuccino (5?) Write new lyrics once per week. ![]() ![]() Write one new original song per month. ![]() Launch one new repertoire song per week. ![]() Taxes. ![]() |
Did I mention that I finally finished my last Textbroker DirectOrder? *whew* Resign from Abbott by 4/4/10. ![]() Brand the biz(es.) ![]() -Buy a sound system ![]() ![]() -Clean up desktop computer ![]() -Find uni-instrumental training software ![]() -Real estate? ![]() A church in the area has rented space to for-profit ventures before, and I have an "in" with the church, so that's a possibility. It would be cheap. ![]() Business: Music Instruction Books. ![]() ![]() Launch one new Praise Band song per month. ![]() Post at WordPress at least once per week. ![]() ![]() And while you're checking it out, I also uploaded: ![]() ![]() I realize "Have Yourself" is a little late. ![]() Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 3/31/10. Weight: 152.2 ![]() ![]() Meals: 9:30am Fiber granola bar (2) and coffee (1) 1:45pm Skinny roast beef sandwich (7) 5:30pm Coconut ZonePerfect bar (4) 6:45pm Fiber granola bar (2) 10:00pm Leftover chicken/rice (3?), cinnamon toast (3), candy bar (2), good & plenties (1) TOTAL POINTS: 25 Write new lyrics once per week. ![]() ![]() Write one new original song per month. ![]() Launch one new Potbellyrepertoire song per week. ![]() Taxes. ![]() |
bd's tonight! ![]() Resign from Abbott by 4/4/10. ![]() Brand the biz(es.) ![]() -Buy an electric piano ![]() -Buy a sound system ![]() -Clean up desktop computer ![]() -Find uni-instrumental training software ![]() -Real estate? ![]() Business: Music Instruction Books. ![]() Launch one new Praise Band song per month. ![]() Post at WordPress at least once per week. ![]() Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 3/31/10. Weight: ? Meals: 10:00am Banana (2) with caramel (3), coffee (1) 12:30pm Egg, ham, and cheese on English muffin (4.5) 2:00pm Pistachios (3) 2:30pm Mint candies (2) TOTAL POINTS: 15 (with bd's stir-fry still pending! *drools*) Write new lyrics once per week. ![]() ![]() Write one new original song per month. ![]() Launch one new Potbellyrepertoire song per week. ![]() ![]() Taxes. ![]() |
Resign from Abbott by 4/4/10.![]() Brand the biz(es.) No activity. My to-do list: -Buy an electric piano -Buy a sound system -Clean up desktop computer -Find uni-instrumental training software -Real estate? *Now* my agent wants to drop the price on my house. Nice timing. It took her so long to suggest it that I'd settled into the idea of teaching lessons there. Business: Music Instruction Books. ![]() Launch one new Praise Band song per month. ![]() Post at WordPress at least once per week. ![]() Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 3/31/10. Weight: 153.6 Meals: 9:00am Fiber granola bar (2) 10:00am Banana (2) with caramel (4), coffee (1) 2:00pm Skinny roast beef sandwich (7) 5:45pm ZonePerfect bar (4) 7:45pm ZonePerfect Indulgence bar (3.5 11:30pm Five pepperoni (1), pistachios (1), wasabi almonds (1), and chips (5) TOTAL POINTS: 31.5 Write new lyrics once per week. ![]() ![]() ![]() Write one new original song per month. ![]() Launch one new Potbelly song per week. ![]() Taxes. ![]() |
I still have one Textbroker OpenOrder pending....! I didn't get anything done I wanted to yesterday. Instead, we got my oil changed, picked up the kids to birthday shop for their mother, and went out to dinner. Life interferes on occasion. Resign from Abbott by 3/1/10. ![]() "Hey, boss. I'm resigning today. ...yeah, just kidding. Wahhhhhhhhh-hahahahahaha!!! No, wait. I'm really resigning." Brand the biz(es.) ![]() More things I need to do: Buy an electric piano; buy a sound system; find training software that is uni-instrumental, clean up my desktop that I never use, and install the software; and, of course, finish my music instruction books... at least for guitar and piano, since I have both beginning in February. ![]() Business: Music Instruction Books. ![]() Launch one new Praise Band song per month. ![]() Post at WordPress at least once per week. ![]() Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 3/31/10. Weight: ? Meals: 8:00am 3/4 cup Frosted Flakes (2) with skim milk (1), coffee (1) 11:00am Granola bar (3) 1:45pm Skinny roast beef sandwich (7) 6:45pm McDouble (9) and tall, nonfat, no-whip white mocha (5.5) 11:00pm Nuts (3), a few bites of leftover hamburger helper (1), and a few bites of ice cream straight out of the box... shh... don't tell Keith and the kids... (1) TOTAL POINTS: 33.5 Write new lyrics once per week. ![]() Write one new original song per month. ![]() Launch one new Potbelly song per week. ![]() Taxes. ![]() Road to hell... good intentions... blah, blah, blah... Happy Monday! ![]() |
I still have one Textbroker OpenOrder pending. ![]() Resign from Abbott by 3/1/10. ![]() Brand the biz(es.) ![]() Business: Music Instruction Books. ![]() Launch one new Praise Band song per month. ![]() Post at WordPress at least once per week. ![]() Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 3/31/10. Weight: 152.6 Meals: 8:30am Banana (2) and fiber granola bar (2) 9:00am Coffee (1) 11:00am Chocolate bread (1), cinnamon roll (3) 11:30am Handful candy corns (2) GAH! Church ![]() 12:00pm Coffee (1) 3:00pm Leftover pizza (4) and a banana (2) with caramel (3) 7:00pm Mexican... ? TOTAL POINTS: ? Write new lyrics once per week. ![]() Write one new original song per month. ![]() Launch one new Potbelly song per week. ![]() Taxes. ![]() ![]() |
Resign from Abbott by 3/1/10.![]() Brand the biz(es.) ![]() Business: Music Instruction Books. ![]() Launch one new Praise Band song per month. ![]() ![]() Post at WordPress at least once per week. ![]() Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 3/31/10. Weight: 151.4 Meals: 9:00am Coffee (1) and a variety of baked goods (8?) 2:00pm Skinny roast beef sandwich (7) 4:00pm Six squares pizza (12) and a few handfuls of popcorn (1) 10:00pm Four squares pizza (8) and an apple parfait (3) TOTAL POINTS: 40 Write new lyrics once per week. ![]() Write one new original song per month. ![]() Launch one new Potbelly song per week. ![]() Taxes. ![]() |
Gah. Got one Textbroker article written, one to go... Resign from Abbott by 3/1/10. ![]() Brand the biz(es.) ![]() It's all about volume, man. ![]() So I want to pick up at least 25 students in my house for now. Business: Music Instruction Books. ![]() Launch one new Praise Band song per month. ![]() Post at WordPress at least once per week. ![]() Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 3/31/10. Weight: 152.8 Meals: 10:00am The other half of last night's Boburrito grilled in the toaster oven, yummeh (10) and OJ (2) 2:00pm Skinny roast beef sandwich (7) and a tall, nonfat, no-whip white mocha (5.5) 7:00pm Ten peanut butter preztels (2.5) and a rice krispies treat (4) some granola bar! ![]() 10:30pm Golden grahams straight outta the box (2?) 11:00pm Ice cream (5?) TOTAL POINTS: 38.0 GAH. I wrote the two paragraphs below before I added my 7:00, 10:30, and 11:00 snacks. The road to hell is paved with good intentions... I'm gonna be at 19 points after my Potbelly sandwich... light dinner for me.No dinner for me! I had a Starbucks drink because my band kids' mom bought me one in lieu of leaving a tip, when she brought the kids to see me play today. ![]() Maybe a granola bar for dinner. That's okay, Keith is going out, since it's Friday night. Party boy. There's a local cover band the boys like to see called "Fat Dog." I saw them once. Pretty fun. They play "Hot for Teacher," which cracks us up, because that's our song! ![]() ![]() Write new lyrics once per week. ![]() Write one new original song per month. ![]() Launch one new Potbelly song per week. ![]() ![]() ![]() Taxes. ![]() ![]() |
I got three out of five of my Textbroker articles written yesterday. I'll complete the other two tonight. {e:determined} Resign from Abbott by 3/1/10. In progress and on schedule. Brand the biz(es.) ![]() I also calculated how many private music students I need to pick up to justify keeping my house and teaching there. The answer: 18 students is the break-even. It would be easier (and cheaper) to teach from Keith's house and sell mine, but mine has more space for it. Business: Music Instruction Books. ![]() Launch one new Praise Band song per month. ![]() Post at WordPress at least once per week. ![]() Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 3/31/10. Weight: I forgot. Meals: 7:30am Coffee (0.5) and a granola bar (3) 2:00pm Skinny roast beef sandwich (7) and a tall, nonfat, no-whip white mocha (5.5) 7:00pm Granola bar (4), ten peanut butter pretzels (2.5), and three caramels (2) 8:30pm Half a meat lover's Boburrito (10) and an order of bacon (3) - yeah, I wanted meat. TOTAL POINTS: 37.5, yikes. But I got to see my man for dinner, so that was nice. Write new lyrics once per week. ![]() Write one new original song per month. ![]() Launch one new Potbelly song per week. ![]() ![]() ![]() Taxes. ![]() |
Today, I complete my five pending DirectOrders at Textbroker. My poor client has been more than patient with my illness. Resign from Abbott by 3/1/10. In progress and on schedule. Brand the biz(es.) ![]() ![]() Business: Music Instruction Books. ![]() Launch one new Praise Band song per month. ![]() Post at WordPress at least once per week. ![]() Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 3/31/10. Weight: Meals: 9:45am Granola bar (3) 11:00am Breakfast burrito (3.5) 12:00pm Brussel sprouts in butter sauce (3) 2:00pm Cheesecake (6) 3:00pm Three lowfat Triscuits (1) with summer sausage (2) ...and, of course, bd's for dinner tonight. ![]() ![]() Write new lyrics once per week. ![]() ![]() ![]() Launch one new Potbelly song per week. ![]() Taxes. ![]() ![]() |
I'm finally done being ![]() ![]() Resign from Abbott by 3/1/10. ![]() Brand the biz(es.) ![]() ![]() ![]() Business: Music Instruction Books. ![]() Launch one new Praise Band song per month. ![]() Post at WordPress at least once per week. ![]() Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 3/31/10. Weight: 155.4 Meals: 8:00am Coffee (0.5) and a fiber English muffin (1) with butter (2) 11:00am Granola bar (4) 1:45pm Skinny roast beef sandwich (7) 6:30pm Granola bar (4) and peanut butter pretzels (2.5) 12:00am Fiber Pop Tart (3) 12:30am Ice cream (2) TOTAL POINTS: 26 Write new lyrics once per week. ![]() Write one new original song per month. ![]() Launch one new Potbelly song per week. ![]() NEW GOAL: Taxes. ![]() ![]() |
Guess I'm about due for a blog post. Despite the fact that I've left the house exactly three times since Thursday , I have news. Resign from Abbott by 3/1/10. In progress and on schedule. I'm toying with staying until 3/31/10. I know, I know. I keep changing it. But I have no choice but to leave by 4/30/10, because I'll be out of vacation by then, thanks to my weekly Wednesday bd's gig. And it looks like I may be picking up students on (Thursday? Tuesday? another day - NOT Wednesday), so I'll have to burn through more vacation to keep up with that. And I need to ramp up my students, because... The owner of 88 Keys and I failed to reach agreement on the new contract this year. So, it looks like I'm resigning. Brand the biz(es.) Now that I'm leaving 88 Keys, I need to start focusing on MochaNotes. I have this idea for a summer day camp... how many months do I have to plan that? Hmm... Business: Music Instruction Books. Nope... if my stupid brain would have functioned properly during the last week, I had plenty of time. ![]() ![]() Launch one new Praise Band song per month. ![]() Post at WordPress at least once per week. ![]() Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 3/31/10. Weight: 154.something Meals: 8:00am Three leftover chicken McNuggets w/honey mustard (6?) 12:00pm McDouble (10? maybe more) 1:00pm Ice cream (5) 4:30pm Baked Lays (3) and wasabi almonds (3) 5:00pm Ice pop (1) ...strange cravings. Oh, I'm a GREAT patient. ![]() Write new lyrics once per week. ![]() ![]() ![]() Launch one new Potbelly song per week. ![]() |
What a waste of a week. I can't do anything. ![]() Resign from Abbott by 3/1/10. In progress and on schedule. Brand the biz(es.) ![]() Business: Music Instruction Books. ![]() Launch one new Praise Band song per month. ![]() Post at WordPress at least once per week. ![]() Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 3/31/10. Weight: ? Meals: 7:30am Coffee (1) 8:00am Ham (0.5) and cheese (1) egg (1) with toast (2) and butter (2) 11:30pm Pizza rolls (8 4) 1:00pm Mints (2) Write new lyrics once per week. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Launch one new Potbelly song per week. ![]() |
Resign from Abbott by 3/1/10. In progress and on schedule. Brand the biz(es.) I have a meeting scheduled with my boss at the studio this morning. At the recommendation of her accountant and attorneys, she is converting teachers from contractor (1099) status to employee (W2) status. I have to meet her to sign a new contract, as a result of the change. But she mentioned in her email: "Because I have to pay as an employer costs above what I will deduct as taxes, I will need to adjust your per lesson fees slightly." She asked us to come to the meeting "open-minded" about alternatives. Now, normally, when an employer incurs new costs, the costs are passed on to the customers, not the employees. Pretty good incentive for picking up more private students? Business: Music Instruction Books. ![]() Launch one new Praise Band song per month. ![]() Post at WordPress at least once per week. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() I love that restaurant. It's like Southwest Airlines: the definition of a fun place to work. Achieve a weight of 145.0 by 3/31/10. Weight: 155.2 Meals: 4:30am Chex mix (4) 5:30am Mints (1) 7:30am Coffee (1) Write new lyrics once per week. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Launch one new Potbelly song per week. ![]() Sure enough, the codeine knocked me out cold yesterday. I took it at 11:00am, then tried to crank out that Cramp entry. I still have five TB articles to write, and I didn't touch my music instruction books. Stupid virus. *kicks* |