Airport Fury

I was stuck.

At an airport outside of the U.S.

I was there for my connecting flight, at the gate, checked in, boarding pass in hand, passport in hand, legs cramping from the first intense workout of 2018.

And people were still boarding the plane.

But they gave away my seat to someone on stand by. And I could see the stand by people from where I (and others) were letting the gate attendant have it.

One of the many excuses given by the airline was “not very many people can run that fast so we didn’t think you would make it so we gave away your seat”.

Oh yes, fury ensued.

All composure went out the window. Everything I write on this blog about putting myself (or yourself) in the other persons shoes: forgotten.  Everything about the other person having something they want and figuring out a way to give them that in the process of getting what I want: not a chance.

I wanted mine. I was right. And they were 100% in the wrong.

And yet once again…being right and justified does not at all equate with getting what you want.

Being right doesn’t change someones mind.

I (and the people I was with) were hurling truths and facts at the attendants and were utterly flabbergasted that they didn’t convert to our way of seeing things. 

We COULDN’T BELIEVE their lack of understanding!!!!

Could they not hear the truth we were speaking? The solutions we were offering? Did we need to yell even louder?

It took me a while to come down off of this one, but when I did…


I was reminded for me to win others have to win.

I was reminded you can’t always get what you want (which was to be home yesterday instead of today).

I was reminded that the change and transformation I seek and write about in this blog is a long process. 

A process that can be and needs to be practiced with musicians, with record labels, with grocery store clerks, crazy neighbors, coaches …and yes, even those powerful and yet powerless airline gate attendants. 

p.s. And eventually, I made it home.


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I’m always interested in your perspective, whether affirming or dissenting. Continue the conversation anytime: gabethebassplayer@gmail.com

People Who Can Figure It Out

People who can figure it out are worth something. 

Taking it a step further (because I think most people CAN figure it out)…

People who are willing to speak up and say “I will do it. I’ll take care of it. I (can and) will figure it out” are worth something.

Not just something…a whole lot.

It’s so easy to want it all written down for us…forgetting that the simple fact that it’s not written down and we’re willing to jump in anyway is the very thing that brings the value to ourselves and our projects.

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I’m always interested in your perspective, whether affirming or dissenting. Continue the conversation anytime: gabethebassplayer@gmail.com

4K TV

It’s hard to advertise the wonders of a 4K TVs when almost every single one of us are watching the commercial on not-4K TVs.

The only people who can truly appreciate the quality of what the commercial is selling are the ones who already have the 4k TV!!!

Just like it would have been hard to sell the depth and clarity of CD’s over a radio ad way back when.

Some things you have to experience in order to buy in.

It takes longer, but once I heard a CD how could I ever go back.

And in a few years we’ll all have 4k TV’s. Because we will have seen them somewhere and finally understood.

It takes longer but the innovation is significant.  So much so that you actually have to experience it to get it.

I hope we’re all building something worth experiencing. Innovating in a way that warrants experiencing.

It might take longer and you might not be able to completely articulate it through the traditional methods of advertising…but if you’re building something that good, it’ll find its way.

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I’m always interested in your perspective, whether affirming or dissenting. Continue the conversation anytime: gabethebassplayer@gmail.com

Exciting Work

It’s a lot easier to get people to work hard (and/or people work hard) when it’s exciting.

The honeymoon period is really exciting. And then it wears off.

The release of an album or a project or a tour is really exciting. And then it wears off.

So if we see this our next approach can be one of two ways…

1. Pursue the task of always being inside of excitement, knowing that when the excitement drops so does the level of work, care, pursuit…or…

2. Pursue the task of learning to work just has hard and effectively when it’s not exciting…and also leading and inspiring the people around you to do the same.

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I’m always interested in your perspective, whether affirming or dissenting. Continue the conversation anytime: gabethebassplayer@gmail.com

Who Will Hear It

Stop considering who might hear it and start considering who will hear it.

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I’m always interested in your perspective, whether affirming or dissenting. Continue the conversation anytime: gabethebassplayer@gmail.com

The Best Way To Make More Money

A few months ago I wrote down the blog post idea…

“The best way to make more money is to help make someone else make more money.”

And then yesterday I read a section of a wonderful book I received as a gift with this metaphor…

It’s “WE’RE off to see the wizard”.

Not I. It’s not “I’m off to see the wizard”…it’s all of us together, similar path, goals and timeline but some specific, unique differences too.

So that’s what caused this post to happen tonight specifically.

If you can make more money for your manager, agent, PR rep, drummer, dare I say…your record label…it’s going to be good for you too.

The best way for Dorothy to get to Oz was to help other people get to Oz. 

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I’m always interested in your perspective, whether affirming or dissenting. Continue the conversation anytime: gabethebassplayer@gmail.com