More about me. I hate talking about me. What am I doing?!

Let me try to organize all the stuff in my brain to make some sorta sense again. I'll start by reflecting on what like to tell myself is artistic progress. Still haven't got a video done, but.....I did some test videos and played around with lighting and sound, with husband's help. We still have some tweaking to do but getting closer. Perfection won't happen at first, I know. But I'm insisting on a certain amount of quality. I'm gonna be pretty stubborn about it.

Another accomplishment worth noting, is I've done lots of organizing to make my studio and performing space more functional. And I can't have these spaces unpleasant to look at, for whatever becomes visible in a video. And....I've worked on songs, of course....always. So much of my original music has never been polished and shared. So I'm doing that, while also learning new covers, experimenting with looping and effects and learning new apps and programs I'll be using for performing and recording. I do most everything myself so all of this is very time consuming. And life....all those things responsible people with families do, has a way of constantly pulling me away.

Some news, I was asked to do vocals on a couple songs for a band called Punch in Judas in the UK. Their bass player, Mark, is also a member of The Wirefliez, an online band I've been a part of for a few years. He is very talented, and great to work with. Mark's UK band is very unique and instrumentally very good, so I'm honored to be asked, and happy to help. I figured it would be a good push to get me back on my recording legs. The first song was hard to connect with and not sure my voice was the best fit. I will have to revisit it. But I'm working on another track that feels more like me. We will see how it goes.

My son visited for Mother's day. He is a drummer and is learning guitar...getting quite good. We like to jam when he visits. He also helped me out with my guitar amp effects, gave me some good pointers, and played virtual drums on the iPad with me. I wish he lived closer. I would be recruiting him for more, now that he really wants to do it. (He was too busy with other things when he still lived at home.) My daughter is a gifted writer. She is so good with words. So we decided we might work on some stuff together. You might be seeing some songs in the near future co-written by her. My husband, Mike, a singer and drummer as well, has been my other half in performing for quite a while but hates practice and is not a writer. He prefers me to have songs picked out, all the parts worked out, a set list and plan of action in place before he is ready to join. That's okay though. He supports me in so many other ways. And ....I can do more things my way with that arrangement.....lol. It's nice to have a musical family. My sister is also a very talented singer. She currently sings with a cover band in Chicago called The Beaux. When not in lock-down they are constantly booked. We sang a lot together in as kids, spending many hours in our bedrooms dreaming of being famous. I have memories further back of my dad singing continuously, no matter what he was doing, with a voice that rivaled Elvis Presley ....in my opinion. He also whistled all the time beautifully, and played harmonica. He still does all of that but is shy about sharing his talents, like me. My grandmother on my mom's side would sing and play accordion at family gatherings and had a gorgeous player piano. My sister and I would play for hours on it when we visited. My grandmother on my dad's side played piano and sang in church. And grandfather was a drummer/performer too. I could go on. Just saying, music runs deep in this blood.

Some of you know, I'm a part-time worship leader. I'm proud of that. I'm not bragging....I'm super humbled to have the position. I fought it for years thinking I would never be good enough, and definitely not worthy of such a title. I also don't consider myself a "churchy" type person. But I would step in when there was a need. (And I always felt led to "help" in music for church...just didn't think "worship leader".) Well, God has way of not always calling the qualified, but qualifying the called. I'm a prime example of that. He's also been so very patient with me as I lingered and doubted. ....That could be another whole post. ......Anyway, we've currently been doing church on Sundays as a drive-in, parking lot style. If you live in the Joplin area and need a place to fellowship and worship, all are welcome at http://christscommunityjoplin.church/. The service my husband and I lead worship for has not been happening since the pandemic. (Our church normally has 4 services.) We will be starting all that up again soon, so it will be great to lead worship again. The break has been nice though. It's allowed me to refocus on other musical callings. Mostly, original music. I've always felt the songs I've created from the heart were a huge part of the gift God gave me. And they are usually not worship songs. Not sure why. But there are so many great worship song writers out there. I never run out of songs I wish to use to lead others into the worship of our God and Savior. I know He gave us all different talents to carry out His will. I just pray I do a little bit better job every day of using what He gave me to shine His light in this world.