Attending vs Throwing A Party

When you attend a party you get to show up, participate, and simply walk away at the end of the night with an experience and an opinion. It might be fun, stimulating, exciting, connective, too long, boring, awkward…but all you had to do was show up. Not a bad deal.

Meanwhile, when you throw a party, you know every detail of everything going on. And you’re paying attention. If people don’t seem happy you wonder if the food went bad. If they’re not talking enough maybe the drinks are low. If they’re talking too much maybe the drinks are low. Maybe they’d be having more fun if they were standing over there rather than over here. Should the music be louder? Is there enough laughing? And you put a lot of effort into making this thing whole thing happen.

So if you’re an attendee, enjoy it knowing that the simple joy of the party was a lot of work for other people.

And if this is a hard concept to grasp, throw your own party. You’ll get it.

»» Party= show, event, gathering, dinner, meet up, rally, exhibition, parade…

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple

Listening To Music

For all of us who are music makers and music lovers…

Turn on an album. A favorite album or a brand new one. Dim the lights. Or close your eyes. No distractions. Just listen.

Listen to the beats and the instruments and the voices and how amazing it is that they can be organized into something like that.

For most of us it’s been a long time since we’ve done something like this. But music has a way of giving more the more intently we listen.

(Music is unreliable in giving anyone a career but quite reliable in opening depth in our lives)

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple

Planting

On one hand…

No one plants dandelions under the sidewalk. They just break through.

On the other hand…

Sow enough seeds and you’re sure to bring beauty to the world.

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple

Accept Nice

We have a tendency to be skeptical of someones kindness but not skeptical of unkindness.

When someone is nice we wonder if they’re up to something, or hiding something, or have some ulterior motive.

But when someone is mean or cranky or critical we are certain they’re being exactly who they are and doing exactly what they mean.

What if we flipped it and simply accepted kindness…and then when someone is critical we figure there must be something else going on that we don’t know about.

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple

Family Recital

It’s not a career move but it will mean a lot.

Play your songs, do your thing, show your expertise…a little recital, whether formal or informal, for the people you love.

Your family cares a lot and doesn’t care at all at the same time. They don’t think you’re cool but they want to share in the magic you can bring.

Don’t reserve the best of what you can do only for work. Bring it home.

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple

Getting Coffee In Nashville

A big perk of being a musician in Nashville is that there are a lot of other musicians in Nashville. And everyone loves to get coffee and talk.

While acting like I’m minding my own business, here are some things I’ve overheard the past few months…

Is he still running monitors

We’re gonna do the fall run

Did the Warner thing happen

I just released it two weeks ago

Is it a fly or bus

It sounds freaking amazing

Does he write

Backline was crap

I’m super excited about it

We’re following the bus in a van and trailer

Who was the drummer

It was good it was just so hot (probably a festival)

I’m doing a thing here in town next month

These are phrases and questions that you don’t hear many places. It’s the best. So if you like these conversations, go to the place(s) they’re happening.

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple