Emily Dunbar and I have been talking about how fun it would be to start a podcast for some time and then we finally did. It’s called “Prompt Queens,” you’ll see that my website now has a page devoted to it so you can mosey on over there and click on the link. It’s about songwriting to prompts in order to create some distance between you and your work, explore songwriting as craft and not always heart work. And also, ya know, just writing songs so you learn and get better at writing songs. All this with joking and taking most of it not seriously at all. AND WE DID IT. We made a plan, we did the plan relying heavily on Emily Dunbar’s technological know how and sleuthing to figure it all out. And I was in charge of the Instagram.
We’re meeting up again this weekend to cut three new episodes which means I’m writing three new songs. And it’s hard work, but man, I love it. After a year of really spending lots of time thinking and trying and thinking and writing, it’s like a breath of fresh air to have a word and my own imagination and nothing else. It feels great. I love songwriting, I love Emily, and I love talking about the work and maybe, just maybe, we can help someone else out there who needs a little ridiculous boost to get into a regular writing practice themselves.
So our new goal is to become full time podcast hosts. You can help us by listening to the thing (episode 2 drops tomorrow and is pretty funny, you guys), rating it, reviewing it and sharing it with your friends. If we were full time podcast hosts then we’d really be maximizing our skill set. Talking, laughing, showing off, and songwriting.
And then what else? Here at Hope Dunbar Music HQ I’ve been getting into the groove of full time musician writing the booking emails, writing the booking emails, playing the gigs, writing the booking emails, waking up in the middle of the night to think of more efficient ways to advance my career, and then writing some songs. It’s an interesting and fulfilling day to day made more desperate when some months look leaner than others. But whatever. We’re all out there trying to get it done.
And it’s swimming and light weights and grapefruit. It’s record highs for January, a stack of books by my bed it’s a crockpot full of chicken and a pile of laundry to my knees, thoughts about the next record and the money. Patreon? How is it those poinsettias are still alive in the basement? I’ve literally not touched them at all. Dusting the ceiling fan? Re-painting the bedroom? And no new couch because why? Wanting is weird. You spend all these years training yourself not to do it, to resist it and then someone comes along and says it’s OK to try. So you dip your toe in the feeling of satisfaction just a little- you paint your nails on Tuesday at 4pm just because. You wear clothes that are nicer than what’s considered acceptable and you feel the pressure start lifting from the pressure there was. And that feels good. In fact, you discover you work better and longer and truer just by letting a little want take hold.
And after the nails and the heels and letting want stick around you get the guts up to start wanting big things you never dreamed of confessing. Like a Grammy, like an income, like you’re worth it. Cuz you are.