So this year, I’m writing for at least 15 minutes a day and recording whatever comes out it. I’ll post it and tweet it if it’s not too horrible and then we’ll see if I should’ve waited for the final version! My goals are getting over shyness, perfectionism, writer’s block and that mean voice in my head that tells me to keep control instead of letting go.

What are you doing this year to stimulate your creativity? Tell me about it!

I wrote today’s snippet called “cold world” under my brand new Seasonal Affected Disorder light box and I think that is pretty obvious when you hear it.

a snippet of song – cold world

Resolution #2 is to get a music player on the blog, I know this link I’m using is bad user experience

Last year I wrote songs based on fairy tales, and I though I like these songs a lot, it does seem “done.” Should I try to write a song after each book I read? Is the world ready for another song about steampunk?

From Endarkened93 Youtube channel. Kind of a Billy Joel quality.

Bandcamp is an awesome service for musicians to make their music easy to listen to and purchase on the Interwebs. I’m still on iTunes, Rhapsody and Amazon if you prefer those sources. The price hasn’t changed their yet but we’ll look into it.

We’re also working on a new design for this website as well as me just working out some more songs already!

Working with a local theatre is very important to me and I dedicate oodles of time to reading and seeing art. But I haven’t had one doodle of songwriting inspiration since I started. I think this year is about working to celebrate other people’s art. Hopefully, my own is simmering back there, ready to explode in the spring.

Go see Sextet for a incredible musical experience

My heart breaks a bit
Each time you mention it
Feel a fever on my skin
Start hoping I can believe in

This thing we’ve started
goes too far
and I’ve got to guard my heart
Keep it in one piece
So there’s something left
when you leave

A heart of ice can melt
too fast
Same as a heart of glass
breaks so easy
And that’s why you need me

To keep a good check on the path
we’ll find our own way back
when it’s all over
You’ll be glad that I told ya

Don’t get me started
When I get going
There’s no way of slowing
Down my love
I’m going down by love
I’m holding on too fast
I can’t control it

Don’t make me show it
Don’t make me show it

I already have to change the song I’ve been tweeting ’cause if I thought my French was bad, my Cajun is much worse. My vocabulary is probably less than that of an average two year old, so I take a lot of liberty with my translations to english in order to preserve the rhyme.

La Belle Mechant

Mon ‘tit amie, mon amour
Pourquoi tu veux casser mon coeur?
Je t’ai donné tout mon argent
les jolis bijoux et grands cadeux
Mais tu est satisfaits jamais
pas dans les nuits ou matinées
Mon amie, ma chère
Doucement, doucement avec mon coeur

Tu es la belle du bayou
‘vec les cheveux noirs et les yeux bleus
mais tu badjeule comme une ‘tit puce
jamais content, jamais douce

English Translation

Oh, my sweetheart, my love
why do you want to break my heart
I gave you all my money
pretty jewels and big gifts
But you are never satisfied
not in the mornings or the night
My sweetheart, my dear
be careful, careful with my heart

You are the belle of the bayou
with black hair and eyes of blue
But you pick and nag just like a flea
never happy, never sweet

My luck held later at the Blue Moon Saloon in Lafaytette, Roddie Romero and members of the Duhks played until the wee hours. That was straight up dance music and I had to dance again – I love the music but I’m telling you folks, I ain’t no dancer. Sunday, took a long drive back to New Orleans while listening to KRVS 88.7 cajun music Sunday.

I’m getting me a squeebox, cover your ears.

I took a ride, it was slow
it took a long time
Started out, the sun was low
the road was winding

Maybe not that my blog post was a great comment but other stuff. What a real-looking comment! Made it read it, good job spammer.

Because I made an album and still wish to sell it, I have a website. Because I can, I have a blog on that website. No one visits it. Paul said he would redesign it and I hope that helps. But I know most of the issues I face can’t be fixed by redesign.

Issues like I’m no longer in a band, I’m not creating new audio or video, I don’t have any shows coming up, I’m not recording anytime soon, my blog posts are lyrics only, I don’t spend any time or money promoting myself online in any way.

So I write lyrics on my blog and I get comments from spammers, especially in Russia. Sure, I add their IP addresses to the blocker thingy and I click the spam button – but these folks are my audience! I try to pay attention to their comments. Some of my spammers are right, I do need to redesign my navigation and get an RSS feed and all of that stuff. In the current set up, no one’s listening to my songs.

Maybe no one wants to and that’s fine but if my site is preventing people from doing it, then I should address it. And I will, when I have less work to concentrate on, which will be months from now. Keep that spam coming!

And the very best my Cajun great grandmother – Louisiana Champagne. SO I have to write a song about her. This is my tribute to New Orleans, why I don’t live there, why I still wish I did, and just in general love to my favorite American city.

Louisiana Champagne

Everybody knows that I can’t handle my liquor
Not long ago, I used to try but those days are past
Even with a name like a Bourbon Street stripper
my kind of fun don’t come by the bottle or the glass

Louisiana champagne that southern sensation
Louisiana champagne a lifetime libation
embracing the emotion, a personal devotion
to live it up the Louisiana way

I’m talkin about food that’s still worth tasting
music that makes you want to dance
If the night’s too short, the band keep’s playing
show you do it up a la Louisiane