Denim: Let's call most of my gigs denim, shall we? I love them. I've got a couple of residencies that have me playing a wine bar and a hometown bar once a month. They are great gigs. The wine bar is a great gig because I see friends and regulars there each month who come out just to hear me. It is such a treat and I think about those friends all month and am always motivated to write something new just so I can come each month and share with them what I'm working on. It's a small room, no mics, so we talk and laugh and I tell stories. It's a great time.
The hometown bar is 4 blocks from my house in Utica. They've got Angry Orchard on tap and I drink it. I tell the Wine bar friends that I sing all the ballads for them and I sing all the funny bar songs for the bar. It's pretty much true. That means the wine bar gets the bummers and the bar get the funny ones. I should find a better balance between the two.
Bottom line: I can be silly and a little sloppy and I can goof around at these gigs. I love them. This is where I live mostly.
Diamonds: I have a few upcoming gigs that I'll refer to as "diamonds." These are opening sets for big time musicians where people come and have paid actual money to see the show and I've been invited to join the show. Super awesome. So excited for diamonds. However, unlike last Friday's gig when I left a basketball tournament, walked into the gig and started playing (poorly) and it took me three songs to get my head in the game, the diamonds need refinement, a plan and lipstick.
So I've been working hard. I've been planning and thinking and doing my homework. Pro: I'm not screwing this up. Con: I wish I knew how to plan and prepare and at the same time be my normal denim self. I don't think I can have both. I'm gonna do my best. I want more diamonds in my life to go with the denim.
New nail polish: I've been doing the childcare on Monday nights for a Financial/money matters/Bible study at church. It has been so funny. I learned my new favorite phrase from a first grader because of it, "Chop chop, Lollipop." As a thank you, her mom gave me some nail polish that I had admired. I put it on. I feel one step closer to getting diamonds. Have a great day.
This is the nail polish on hands that look more and more like my mom's hands.