My Music Goals
There's a difference between knowing the Path, and walking the Path... (the Matrix).
There's a difference between knowing the Path, and walking the Path... (the Matrix)
In the next five months I want to learn music theory, the guitar fretboard and whatever else goes with that. This is called goal setting. I used to think it was a fluff phrase. I understand it now to mean, it is the things you do make stuff happen. You have to put in the work. You have to go beyond dreams and wishes.
Goal setting is not just about identifying what you want to achieve but also about giving yourself the means to ensure that you actually work towards these goals. It's about setting your sights on where you want to go and then taking the steps to get there. If you have noticed I have given myself a time that is realistic and actionable. I should be able to do it sooner since I am actively working this guitar thing. This is how it is done though. Setting clear, actionable goals can be the key to unlocking your potential and achieving success.
Goal setting is a powerful process that serves as a bridge between the present and your desired future. Goals give you a clear focus on what's important, helping you to direct your efforts and attention on the things that matter most. They act as a roadmap, guiding your path and decisions towards achieving something meaningful. Setting goals helps you visualize your future and understand what you want to achieve, making your aspirations more tangible. As you set and achieve goals, your self-confidence grows, empowering you to take on new challenges. Goals provide the motivation to push through obstacles and challenges, maintaining your momentum. They allow you to track your progress, giving you a sense of accomplishment as you meet each milestone. By knowing what you need to do, you can work more efficiently and productively. All of this improves the chances of success.
Magic Tone
This week I am looking for an ugly slab body duble cut Gibson Les Paul Junior with a P90.
In my search of tone, I have found out that guitars with a longer scale and single pickups have a tinny, bright sound. The guitars I have with a combo of humbuckers and single coil pickups give it a twang. I like a dark, warm, muddy sound. The humbuckers on a Gibson, or Epiphone sound better to me. This week I am looking for an ugly slab body double cut Gibson Les Paul Junior with a P90.
I have two PRS double cuts. One is a Santana with a 10 -Top, with active electronics and a switch. The other is a simpler version in an uncommon flat black. I like the simplier version.
I just acquired a G&L Espada with active electronics. Like all in my collection, its unique. I love the way it looks. It is natural in color, longer in scale and a telecaster on steroids. The electronics are so powerful that I decided to take the batteries out. The feedback, hum, and vibration sensitivity is more than I need with the amplifier I use.
I went to a guitar shop over the weekend and was left alone for too long. I tried a Les Paul with an F-hole that I was hoping would produce the warm sound; I am learning I prefer. I didn’t like it. I am so glad I didn’t try to purchase one. What I did try to my surprise was a guitar that didn’t have a price tag. It was unassuming. It didn’t have a pretty paintjob. It wasn’t bling’ed out. It was soft, warm and fat sounding. I think it was what I was looking for. I found a beautiful unicorn version at Chuck Levin in pumpkin orange for $5000 that I may get if this is my jam, and it blesses.
I plan to sell at least three of my guitars now and purchase something similar. Fingers crossed. I found a used one on Musicians Friend after a search. There were a bunch on Reverb with price tags from $1000 - $10,000.. I found one on Facebook marketplace a few dollars less but the owner didn’t/wouldn’t ship. He was selling locally in New Jersey only. The quest has begun.
We will see.
When A Man Makes A Plan
My spirit animal
When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him. ~ Proverbs 16:7
I have accomplished a lot in my life so far. I have learned that I need a plan to be happy. I need a goal, a mountain to climb, or a dragon to slay.
I have also learned that anything that comes easy doesn’t feel earned. I am not a masochist though. The people in our lives adds enough struggle in addition to whatever you are trying to do, on their own.
This week I gave myself a sixty-month plan. I am still working out the details. In five years, I will see if I can retire. I plan to be awesome on guitar. I will downsize. I will be healthier than I am today.
For that past three years I have wondered where I was going with my wife being handicapped/incapacitated following the removal of a brain tumor. Taking care of her has been a struggle. I wasn’t sure how I should feel. There is no end in sight. There is no prognosis. She could get out of the bed tomorrow, or be there indefinitely. I have grown weary of platitudes, well wishes and cliches heaped upon me by friends and family. I have grieved in all the stages over and over again. How long will I have to pay aides, therapist? How long will I have to change adult diapers? How long will I have spend money on this stuff.
The plan came to me while walking and talking to God. I needed a definite number for my finite mind to comprehend. I can hold on for sixty months. In the time it will take me to pay off the last vehicle I purchase, I can reasonable expect the Lord to help me, fix or change this situation. I don’t even know what I asking for. I am just trusting Him to take care of it for the next 61 months.
In five years, the house will have a new roof. The insides will be repainted. The world will change if not end by then. I am going to learn music theory, how to read music and have recorded an album.
I just have to hold on to the change comes. The Lord may take longer or shorter to do what He does for. Having a definitive time helps my brain. It’s me that needs a deadline. It gives me peace.
All Roads Lead to Rome.
All roads lead to Rome.
Once upon a time I had big audacious dreams.
“ Build it, and they will come…”
My online life didn’t work out like I had hoped it would. I got a little fame but no fortune. Fame and fortune, are not even related. They don’t know each other and don’t hang out at the same clubs.
I’ve had over twenty websites in my time. The first one cost me $500 in 1999. It took 2-3 minutes to load. It was created by a person with a Master’s degree in HTML. I didn’t use it to the fullest. I didn’t understand what we now call search engine optimization, bread crumbs, sales funnels and internet marketing. Social media didn’t exist yet and I failed at adopting it when it came.
Looking back over my life and what I have done seems fictious. I have failed at doing more things than most have even thought about. My only regrets are that I didn’t focus on one course of action until I had exhausted all. I quit too soon. My list of almost is larger than I’d like to own up to.
Failure is not final.
I am a risk taker. You get wisdom when you retain what you learned from making mistakes or the mistakes of others. For me, I learn from each experience. I only wish I could have skipped the learning on some of it. No blind luck here.
Why am I so fearless? I believe that everything is relative. My what if is: What is the worst thing that could happen? If it is not death or serious bodily harm, I’m going for it. I have learned to ratchet my pride down and dismiss my ego. When I screw up, I just accept it. At the worse, I will have a story from it.
You don’t fall from a high place when you are close to the ground.
In business, you count the money. I almost made a million dollars designing a tee shirt. I blew the opportunity because I didn’t believe the offer. With your family, you count the amount of trust you have, as well as the finances and love. In a career, it is often the amount of confidence others have in you, or the potential they think you are worth. I wasn’t hungry enough to do what I thought it would take to be on TV. I didn’t trust the process. I didn’t trust the people behind the scenes. Things didn’t feel right. When I was close, I let it go.
I was considered for a sports show, a reality show, and was on a short list to host Americas Most Wanted. I have shared a stage with Donald Trump, Charlton Heston, and Rev. Al Sharpton. I have been associated with Larry Elder, Tavis Smiley, Tucker Carlson, Dick Gregory, and Ted Nugent.
Podcasting was my jam though. Love that medium. Was again too early to cash in. When I learned what was “paying” I didn’t change. I have done a lot of self-sabotage over the years to protect myself or my family. I will abase myself but I do have a line, I don’t cross.
Blanchard Network
Indian Motorcycle Radio Podcast and facebook site
Home of Don’t Fry Bacon Naked
Speak Life Church Podcast
Guns and Cornbread podcast
If I Died Tonight – Suicide Prevention Podcast
Black Man With A Gun – long running pro-gun, pro rights, 2A community podcast
Kenn Blanchard.com -Voice overs and Kenns blog.
WarriorCast – My sons Martial Art Podcast
And more…
Make it Funky.
Working on the elements of funk for a while. I’ve always loved it. Like the blues, there is more to it than you realize. The best part is that it is fun. The guitar is cooperating. Wasn’t sure at first but this G&L is versatile. Found a Jimi Hendrix Wah Pedal in my closet I forgot I bought back in the day. Now is the time to learn how to use it though. Glad I survived long enough to get to this point. I’ve done a lot of foolish and risky things in my life.
“Just because you're taking longer than others does not mean you're a failure. Keep going.”
Godin A6 Ultra Acoustic-Electric Guitar, Natural (with Gig Bag) $1000 OBO
Awesome for worship guitar, casual use. It’s good for all levels. Not too big, not too small.
In Search of Tone
A senior guitarist I respect called me up the other day and said “I see you brother; you are searching for “tone” aren’t you?” I was flattered. I quickly said yes. He has been watching my amateur YouTube videos. He made the offhand comment too that I ignored noting that I had purchased more than one guitar recently in doing so. I am a little ashamed that I have purchased a handful of guitars recently in search of “my tone.” But I will be selling them soon if you are looking.
According to Bing.com,
Guitarists search for tone because it's a fundamental way to express their unique musical voice. Tone is the characteristic sound produced by a guitar, influenced by factors like amplifier settings, effects pedals, and playing technique. It's not just a technical aspect of music; it's a powerful tool that can influence emotions, evoke memories, and shape personalities. Each guitarist's quest for the perfect tone is deeply personal, as it allows them to convey their individuality and add depth, warmth, richness, or aggression to their music.
In this brief time, I have learned a lot. Color and finish don’t matter when it come to guitars. That part is a matter of preference. I have learned that I like the shape of double cut guitars. The ones like the DC Gibson, Epiphones, SG’s and PRS guitars. I don’t like them heavy like a Les Paul studio nor not wafer thin like a Dean Zelinsky, LaVoce, with Piezo that I had once.
PRS Santana Signature MD -10 Top 2009
MD stands for multi-Dimensional: there's an extra switch that enables the 'Multidimensional Voice Control' circuit, allowing a range of new tones. In the 'off' position, the controls work as standard master volume and tone controls. Uses two nine-volt batteries $4500
Like the Gibson/Epiphone SGs they are a little light. I am still figuring out the need for actively powered pickups but I am going to keep the G&L that I acquired as I grow into it. The scale of guitar matters to me. That is the length of the fret board. The Stratocaster is sexy, comes in a lot of flavors, and a work horse but I need the humbuckers.
My guitar buddy suggested I needed some air, as in a hollow body. He asked if I had at least one “F” hole in a guitar which made me think. I didn’t except for one. I did like the warmer sound with the hollow body’s. So that is my tone. Warm, not too twangy, short scale, different but pretty, with a double cut.
I think the vintage 2001 Gibson DC I have might be my tone, for right now, but it’s tied with a custom Dean Zelinsky Strettavita. Which just looks better on stage. I like my custom PRS SE for looks and feel.
What a place to be in. Blessed to even have more than one guitar. That point is not lost on me.
You Ungrateful Wretch
Have you ever asked for something, received it, and forgot you asked?
Have you ever asked for something, received it, and forgot you asked?
I think that is a terrible way to treat someone that gives you a gift. I did it though, to the Lord. I asked God to bless me with the talent of playing the guitar. It has been a desire of mine, for most of my adult life.
Ungratefully, I haven’t acting on it with the fervor of someone who really wanted it until the pandemic and my wife’s illness. I could have been so much better by now if I had acted earlier.
I don’t know when I actually prayed about it -it was so long ago. I thank God for it now though almost every night. In hindsight, it was probably when I was pastoring. During that time, I received an American Stratocaster in exchange for a .45 caliber pistol I received in trade.
Now, I am writing to remember and remind myself of my blessings. Here’s four ways to bless God with His gift to you.
1. Use Your Talents to Serve Others: Many believe that by using their abilities to help others, they are honoring God. This could be through volunteer work, mentoring, or any form of service that benefits the community.
Proverbs 11:25 Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.
2. Develop Your Talents: Continuously improving and mastering your skills can be seen as a form of stewardship of the gifts you've been given.
As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: 1 Peter 4:10 -
3. Incorporate Faith into Your Work: Whatever your field or talent, you can integrate your faith or values into your work, creating a sense of purpose that aligns with your spiritual beliefs.
…and whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. Colossians 3:23-24 KJV
4. Prayer and Intention: Setting a clear intention or prayer that your work and talent be used in a way that is pleasing to God can be a form of dedication.
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. Phil 4:6
5. Give Back: Donating a portion of the proceeds from your talent-related work to causes you believe in can be another way to dedicate your talent.
Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed. Proverbs 22:9
Why don't people want to pay musicians?
I'm sure you've heard it before: "Music is free, man. Why should I pay for something I can stream online or download from a torrent site?"
Well, let me tell you why you should pay for music, and why musicians deserve to be compensated for their work.
First of all, music is not free. It costs money to produce, record, distribute, and promote music. Musicians have to pay for instruments, equipment, studio time, engineers, producers, managers, lawyers, and more. They also have to spend hours practicing, writing, rehearsing, and performing their songs. And they have to deal with the stress, pressure, and competition of the music industry. Do you think Beyoncé just woke up one day and decided to drop Lemonade? No, she worked hard for it. And she probably paid more for her lemonade than you did for yours.
Second of all, music is valuable. It enriches our lives, inspires us, entertains us, educates us, and connects us with others. Music can make us happy, sad, angry, or excited. Music can heal us, motivate us, comfort us, or challenge us. Music can express what words cannot. Music is a form of art, and art is priceless. Well, not literally priceless. You still have to pay for it. But you get the point.
Third of all, music is a profession. Musicians are not hobbyists or amateurs who do it for fun. They are professionals who dedicate their lives to their craft. They have skills, talent, and experience that deserve recognition and respect. They have bills to pay, families to support, and dreams to pursue. They have the right to earn a living from their work. And they don't get paid by the hour. They get paid by the song. And sometimes not even that. Have you heard of Spotify? Yeah, they pay peanuts.
Lessons Learned as a Nursing Home Musician
Music is doing a lot for me. It is beyond the cliché. I am “as happy as a clam,” pretending to be a professional guitarist that is able to play anything. I get excited when I get a proposal to play live anywhere. I am encouraged when I get more than three views on my Facebook page of the short snippets, I create using my iPhone and a growing knowledge of video editing. I am “on a high” if I get more than fifty views on my YouTube channel. I am happy knowing I am getting a little better every week. I am I am giddy when I pack up my equipment to actually play somewhere. Lately all the events have been with senior citizens or the infirmed. They appreciate the joy.
There are a lot of musicians capable of doing what I dream of. It seems none of that is required to entertain our elderly or those in assisted living facilities. I’ve been to a few now. Once you reach a certain stage in your life, this is where you could end up. It’s not for everyone.
With the exception of a few, most nursing facilities are crowded. The residents are tended to by immigrants. Some look numb to what is going on all around them and you wonder if it is low IQ or just the opposite. You may have to be numb to operate in this environment 24/7. The temperature is warm. You may smell urine and see residents that have soiled themselves. Modesty is rare. You are entering someone’s home or personal space when you walk into a place. You may hear someone in distress or in some stage of mental crisis. Sometimes it’s not an emergency. It can be unsettling. People die there.
No facility is the same. They are as different as the people inside it. This includes management.
Music in a nursing facility is therapeutic. Music does stuff to the mind, body and spirit for all of us. It doesn’t diminish when we are old. Playing music in a nursing, assisted living, retirement, or hospice facility is a ministry. I am blessed every time I have been invited in one way or another. It was not what I planned to do when I began. It just happened.
I am learning the importance of calling someone’s name. The importance of touch. The importance of conversation. The importance of being human. In essence, being human transcends mere biology; it encompasses our emotions, consciousness, and the awe-inspiring journey of existence.
Then there are the benefits I provide by playing this music.
There are Physical Health Benefits:
- Stress Reduction: Music has the power to soothe our nerves and lower stress levels. It can reduce anxiety, blood pressure, and even alleviate pain.
- Improved Sleep Quality: Calming melodies can promote better sleep, aiding in restful nights.
- Enhanced Brain Function: Listening to music stimulates your brain, activating various areas. It can improve mental alertness and memory¹².
- Heart Health: Music's positive effects on mood and relaxation can lead to better cardiovascular health.
There are mental and emotional benefits:
- Mood Enhancement: Whether it's an upbeat tune or a soulful ballad, music can lift your spirits and boost your mood.
- Emotional Expression: Music provides an outlet for emotions. It allows us to express feelings that words alone cannot convey.
- Pain Management: Engaging with music can help manage pain perception, especially during recovery or chronic conditions.
- Memory Retention: Listening to music aids memory recall and slows cognitive decline, benefiting those with mild or moderate dementia¹⁴.
I see the social and cultural connections when I play.
Music unites people. National anthems, protest songs, and hymns create a sense of shared purpose.
And there are the cognitive benefits I witness in the nursing homes. Active engagement with music positively impacts cognitive function and quality of life.
be a blessing
If you know someone in a nursing home, or assisted living facility that you used to speak to regularly, go visit them. Inside an aging body, is the soul of a person you love. Get past the sensory issues of housing of human beings in some stage of decline. It may smell. You might hear someone scream out. It might be too warm for you. You might see an improperly dressed person, showing all their splendor accidently or on purpose.
Get through that, and visit your person. They need the interaction. We all do. Isolation is torture. Human touch is needed by the living. Your presence will keep the strangers that work there on their toes. Your visit, will alert others that there is a person that is connected in their care. They are not faceless, nameless things to abuse, neglect, steal from, hurt, or ignore.
These are people. Seniors usually that have accomplished lifetimes of things, now restricted because of health or mental capacity. It is still a person in there. Don't let them be forgotten.
And if you don't know anyone but have the bandwidth and capacity to help others, volunteer. You cand help read to residents, listen to their stories, and walk with them. Increase their quality of life.
To volunteer at nursing homes:
Research the nursing home you are interested in.
Set up a visit.
Apply and complete additional paperwork.
Attend an interview and background check.
Attend orientation and training.
Be a blessing.
How Good Could You Get on Guitar/Bass, If You Weren’t Afraid To Fail?
Everybody tries to avoid failure because they think that it’s bad.
You probably don’t remember that there was a time in your life when you couldn’t walk. The baby version of you, crawled. And before that there was a time when you couldn’t crawl. All of a sudden you started crawling and your parents were, “YEAH, look at the baby!
And you started crawling and all of a sudden, one day you’d grab a hold of the coffee table and you stood up for about two seconds and you turned loose and you fell back down. And you stood up again and you fell back down, you stood up again and this process went through and then all of a sudden one day you could stand up and then you took a step and you fell back down. You tried to take another step, and, all of sudden one day you started taking steps and you went from one side of the room to the other and your parents were hollering and screaming, and clapping and it was a good thing.
You could tell by the expressions on their face that they were just… Man! They were excited! And you were excited too because now you could motivate them a lot faster. Well, that sequencing of events was the brain learning from falling. Interesting that falling and failure begin with the same letter. Now, if you had gotten mad when you fell, then you probably wouldn’t have tried to stand up anymore. But if you looked at the fall and the sequence, as just something that is; it is what it is. It becomes what you make of it.
And you looked at it as opportunity to learn; which you did as a baby, okay? Every baby does. And you got right back up regardless of failing, you got right back up and tried it again and you kept doing it again.
And then all of a sudden, one day you began to walk. How good could you get on your instrument (or life) if you weren’t afraid to fail?
Here's some of the common reasons we may (or have ) quit learning guitar:
Self-doubt: Feeling that becoming a great guitar player is unachievable, especially when facing learning challenges.
Lack of confidence: Being intimidated by others' progress or talent can be discouraging.
Lack of fun: Struggling with scales and poor instruction can make practice feel tedious and unenjoyable.
Forgetting the results: Losing sight of the benefits and goals of learning to play can lead to a loss of motivation.
Poor planning: Without a clear vision or plan, progress can feel unattainable.
Our brain does not learn from success. The brain learns from failure, and it’s not the failure that it learns from, it’s the intense scrutiny after the failure to chunk whatever you’re trying to do into four or five different parts and figure out what part of the sequence was out of order or didn’t work right and then to make a decisive change in the way you were going to do that and then fire the circuit again. Do it again, do it again, do it again regardless of result, keep doing it and keep refining it and it’s the intense scrutiny after the act that builds what’s called a myelin sheath, it insulates that circuit with a living protein called myelin. The more you refine and fire the circuit over and over again; eventually you get what you want.
All great performers have two things in common: Uncanny emotional control and a greater tolerance for failure and setback than everyone else because they realize that even if they won an event, they know, even though they won, that there were several things that they could have done better and they have a very hard time savoring victory; because they know within their hearts and within their minds that they could do better. And that’s why there are so few really great performers. Most people just want to get by.
STOP IT!
Most people are trying not to fail; so they never get better.
To overcome these obstacles, it's important to set realistic goals, find enjoyable ways to practice, and remember why you started learning in the first place. It's also helpful to ensure your guitar is properly set up to facilitate easier learning.
Welcome
Welcome to the blog.
Welcome to the blog. I’ve been writing since grade school and drawing soon after. If I am not creating something, I am miserable. Here you’ll find links to my past experiences in ministry, gun rights, motorcycling and podcasting. I have ended those individual journaling pursuits to focus on my journey as an older beginner on guitar. My goals are simple. I want to be the best I can be with what time I have left. Not trying to leave anytime soon but I’ve wasted some of my youth chasing shiny objects that made me feel good at the time.
I like having a little gold on my guitars to remind me of that fact.
Nursing Home Musician and Patient Advocacy
When I asked the Lord, to help me become a great guitarist, good enough to perform in front of others, I heard a familiar bible quote.
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
I agreed. If I wanted the Lord to bless me, I had to do something first for Him. That’s how the nursing home musician hit me. I know I am not good enough, but I can serve. I’ll get better after each visit. Nursing homes need me. I’ve learned a lot over the past two years that I can share.
If you have to put your loved one in a nursing facility or long-term care place, you’ll need to be their advocate. Home care services are people driven. There are good people in the position and people that never should be allowed in the building. There are many things you have to consider before you leave them in the care of others.
I might be making a new position for myself as I entertain and perform at the nursing homes in the Washington, DC metro (DMV) area as a spy for people who want me to check on their person while I am there.
Here’s my top three priorities that a facility must have:
The staff has to be good. They have to be clean, competent and respectful. I have seen staff that is just there for a paycheck. They had no business in the place.
The place must be safe. It needs to be safe for the residents and staff. I don’t want to see strange people walking around or getting past the front desk. I don’t want to hear that someone abused a resident either. Ignoring a patient/resident is abuse too. How would you like to be left alone for too long after you soiled yourself, fell, or are in pain?
The place must be clean. It is really easy for varmints, and bugs to share the space with the person sharing the room with your loved one. People leave food out, ants of all kinds find a way even in a clean place.
Without warning sometimes you have to be advocate for the person in a facility. That means you’ll be the one that has to set up medical appointments and find second opinions. You’ll see the discrepancies in the system at the worst time. The amount of money stuff cost is going to mess with your head. You’ll have to negotiate medical bills and reviewing them to ensure accuracy. You’ll be the only one to help your person find financial and legal resources.
Stuff happens too. Unexpected crap (conflicts) needs to be resolved between patients, insurance companies and the health care providers. There is always something. I found out that doctors don’t talk to each other so you’ll need to help the communication with doctors, nurses, therapists, Aunt Lawdy and everybody on loved one’s behalf.
I’ve had to keep notes of what happens during medical visits. I had to learn medical speak, read medical charts, bills, and documents. It’s no joke.
My wife is still recovering from four brain surgeries, two bouts with pneumonia, two blood clots and not dying from fungal meningitis afterwards. She is home now, and our journey continues. She can’t walk yet. But there was a time when she could not and we fed her through a G-tube.
I believe God has given me the gift to learn how to play guitar even at this stage in my life to be a blessing to others. I am going to do just that.
Nelson Mandela said this about music:
It has the power to elevate and liberate us. It sets people free to dream. It can unite us to sing with one voice. Such is the value of music.
Call me if you need me. This is my ministry. Even if I am singing the blues.
Podcasting for the Win.
3 Tips That Will Make Your Podcast Fire.
If you are serious about your podcast, then you want it to be “fire.” You want it to be intentional and powerful. Think about that for a minute. If your podcast, which represents your brand, you, is not intentional or powerful then what is it? Why would anyone want to waste their time or money with it? We are all competing for the same eyes and ears as people with million dollar marketing budgets. You can win however if your content is what your audience wants. You have to find your tribe. Once you do then you must:
Know Your Why
Be Intentional
Be Consistent
One of the things that podcasters struggle with after they start is why they are still doing this. It is really easy to meander through until you realize you are lost. You start asking yourself what I am going to talk about next. Who cares if I miss an episode? And you wonder if you are even being heard. If you know your why then you can chart a course. You can plan your show. You will know who you are trying to reach. The why of your podcast is the audio version of your brand.
Knowing your why will help others find you. There are people looking to hear what you know, hear the people you know, laugh, cry, groan, disagree and agree with the stuff you know.
A critical component of this is the intent. You have to be focused and purposeful on this stand. There is power in the niche.
Enter the Black Man with a Gun Show Podcast. I had the name Black Man With A Gun trademarked. It evoked a viewpoint/perception.
I misread my audience in the beginning. My first podcast was my best. I picked the niche of gun rights. It is polarizing. It is evergreen. I did somethings right and some things not.
I thought my audience was going to be exclusively gun owners of color but I was wrong. It was larger. My audience were the people that owned the gun clubs, businesses and organizations that wanted my demographic. I stumbled into a 300 year old debate and became a symbol for change. Not everyone wants change. Not everyone wants what you are selling. I didn’t always like what I saw or heard. I found out that I wasn’t as monolithic as my show name. I had a hard time being that hard all the time.
It was then that I learned about the business of the Second Amendment. There were people and organizations that lived and breathed gun rights, and gun reviews. I got a call every time there was a shooting involving an African American, veteran or child. I could have been the Second Amendments version of Rev. Al Sharpton but I didn’t want it. There is power in the niche.
Think of all the bombastic talking heads today. People love to argue and debate. I was unaware of the millions spent to influence politicians, the media and consumers. I became the de facto representative for the African American race in 1991 to about 2015.
People will put you on a side whether you take one or not by perception. Embrace it. Be critical of something, so others can either agree or disagree with you. It will mean intensity. Don’t be boring. Don’t talk them to sleep. Have some energy in your show. Don’t scream at them but keep their attention. Podcasting almost has no rules. The main one is be trustworthy. If they take the time to listen to you, don’t make them sorry that they did.
Once you have their attention and they now like you, they are going to fit you into their schedule. Your goal is to be consistent in every way once you find what formula works for them. The successful podcasters don’t quit after seven shows. They know who they are talking to, even though they don’t see them. They are talking to friends. They are talking to people from X. People just like them all over the world. If you say you are going to be somewhere every week on Thursday, be there. Consistency is a good thing. They can listen to your show anytime they want but it should come out and be available the same day of the week. I know it’s tough. It’s a commitment. Podcasting is dope but it ain’t easy.
Podcasting as a medium is less than twenty years old but is reminiscent of old time radio programs when people gathered to hear their favorite people. Now they do it individually on earbuds. As a content creator you have the opportunity to talk directly into the head of your potential customer, fan and friend.
The good news is someone is looking for you. They are looking for a tribe to belong to where the people are like them. They are most likely not next door. You may have to search to find them but they exist. They are looking for the niche you represent and if you can, your authentic self.
On a stage (your podcast) you can act like someone you are not. We have all done it. One of the problems with that is that you may not be able to sustain it. Being yourself is important because you will not be happy otherwise.
Praise Him with Stringed Instruments
Thirty plus years ago I bought a guitar. It sat in the corner of my apartment like a decoration left over from Christmas. I sold it, but soon bought another. I would go through this ritual continually ever so often. I have bought records, books, cassettes, videos and DVD’s on how to play. Looking back over my life I should be an outstanding guitarist if any of that worked.
About two years ago I got the itch again to play the guitar. I thought that maybe now I had matured and might even be able to bar an “F” chord by now. I decided to dust off the last good guitar I bought and take lessons from an experienced instructor that maybe could help me fill in the blanks of my knowledge and help me to actually play something. I love blues music and jazz and had hoped to master the genre in some way so that I could actually play publically with a group some day. That all changed about a year ago.
In the process of selling personal items so I could afford a wedding ring for my wife in celebration of our twentieth anniversary something miraculous happened. I ended up finding the ring I wanted and didn’t need to sell anything else. But in my advertising of stuff I held dear I met a minister of the Gospel that no longer needed a beautiful American Fender Stratocaster guitar. We traded anyway on the condition that if I liked it, I could keep it.
The guitar was gorgeous and made me feel like a real musician. I had only had cheaper copies of the good guitars before this. Then an amazing thing happened. I prayed to God that what I wanted to do with this was to be able to play in church. It was not special to anyone but me. I didn’t want to be a Jimi Hendrix or a BB King but I wanted to be able to play along with a praise team, a choir or a gospel group.
I brought the guitar into church one day and after worship tried to play with our keyboardist and drummer. It was one of the greatest moments of my Christian walk. I found out that I have an ear for music. I could with practice, play “BB King like” with the musicians. You would not think that something so small as that would mean as much to this pastor as it does.
When I told my guitar teacher that I didn’t practice the worksheet he gave me but had played for 40 minutes after church last Sunday he looked at me skeptically. The next week I did it again and one day he tested me, having me follow him as he played in various keys. He said I was gifted. I winked and said I was blessed. Eventually, I tried to play during our praise and worship part of the service. I was fearful that it would bother the congregation. It was odd for the pastor to pull out an electric guitar I am sure. It is so contrary to what we were accustomed to.
It was a big deal with the drums appeared a couple of years ago too. It was great when we gained this master musician a few times a month. To us it just kind of happened but I know the Lord was involved. Playing a guitar in this traditional Baptist church was a little awkward. I was nervous about it and was waiting for the negative comment that hasn’t come. It may not be a big deal at your church. It is a gift of God in mine. It is glorious. Being allowed to play cleans my mind of all the negatives of the week. I feel like the Little Drummer Boy in the song. It is sometimes difficult to play, conduct the liturgy, and preach but we have managed. To God be the glory!
Some people want to be up front or be seen. I don’t care about that. I just want to be in Christ’s band. Some may want the privilege of sitting in the best seats. I don’t care how I get there, or got here. I am just glad that I get to praise Him from my heart on this instrument. Music is important to me. It is crucial in how I praise the Lord. I thank God for the gifts.
Doing this I get to play with two great musicians in the service of the Lord. I am still learning but it just feels so good. I hope you don’t mind. Now we need a bass player, and a choir. (smile)
Psalm 150
1 Praise ye Jehovah. Praise God in his sanctuary: Praise him in the firmament of his power.
2 Praise him for his mighty acts: Praise him according to his excellent greatness.
3 Praise him with trumpet sound: Praise him with psaltery and harp.
4 Praise him with timbrel and dance: Praise him with stringed instruments and pipe.
5 Praise him with loud cymbals: Praise him with high sounding cymbals.
6 Let everything that hath breath praise Jehovah. Praise ye Jehovah.
Speak Life Church Podcast
The Speak Life Church podcast is a Christian ministry for a church without walls. It’s a podcast of encouragement. A show to restore peoples' relationship with God. It seeks to build faith, produce joy and point out God's work in our lives. https://speaklife.libsyn.com
Its been ongoing under many different names since 2002. It began as In The Wilderness Ministry (ITWM.org) The podcast came around 2009.
I didn’t originally hear God’s voice in a church. I can honestly say, don’t remember having my first spiritual moment during a worship service. I remember first hearing the voice of God as a kid, alone outside in the woods. I thought this was abnormal and folks would think I was strange so I never told anyone.
It was out there that I preached my first sermon in a field. The “congregation” was a few rabbits that stuck around to hear and see what I was doing. It was nice to see even if I was nine. I kept this “religious experience” a secret for a long time but later my grandmother informed me that she thought I would become a good pastor some day. I didn’t want anyone to know she said that.
I thought preachers were stereotypical and not in a good way. I thought that they were to be both revered and ridiculed. At least that is what happened with adults I knew. They were mocked and talked about and at the same time called on all the time. I believed that they were not tough guys and I wanted to be a tough guy. I wanted to be the bad boy. Girls like the “bad boy.”
I spent many years trying to be what I was not. The Lord allowed somethings to happen, and He abruptly stopped the others. I have been near trouble, in trouble and just missed by trouble all my life. Bullets, bombs, and killers have been near me and through it all I have come out unharmed by the grace of God.
I learned that it was in the wilderness that Abram spoke to God. It was in the wilderness that Moses saw a burning bush. It was in the wilderness that Joshua brought a wayward people to the Promised Land. It was in a wilderness that battles are often fought. Prophets spoke to errant people, in the wilderness. It is in the wilderness that John the Baptist preached. It was in the wilderness that Jesus went to be tested. It is in the wilderness that men seek to peace, to start over, or gain their freedom. God is in the wilderness.
I started this ministry after joining a church and not feeling welcomed. I became a junior minister on the rolls of big church. I learned not to have expectations of ever “preaching” there. I was not the pastor, yet I was called to serve. I served wherever.
I was different. I rode a motorcycle. So I created a motorcycle ministry called The Forgiven Christian Riders (FCR). I thought I would be able to at least find other Christians to ride with. The FCR became an international ministry almost overnight with chapters from North Carolina to South Africa. I still ride alone.
I testified and witnessed on the gun range which raised the ire of some of the church elders. When The Washington Times reported on me, I was almost removed from the ministerial roster. I reached men and women that hunted, shot recreationally. I spoke to the sportsperson. I connected to the one that thought they were different because they didn’t fit in. They fit in just fine in God’s kingdom, just not always the local assemble of His people.
But I struggled as a minister. I didn’t like the primping, the pomp and circumstance. I didn’t want to socialize with other pastors so that I could get the opportunity to preach in their churches. I didn’t feel adequately equipped to do more than evangelize outside the church. A change was coming.
I didn’t have too long to wait for it. My pastor was fired from the church for a host of things. His character was assassinated and the once prominent church was split. And like the Apostle Peter, I denied him too, took my sword and wandered in the wilderness.
I created In The Wilderness Ministries and it found a home on the internet. There we managed to host a fundraising trip on Carnival cruise lines in the western Caribbean. It grew to a good number when I thought it should start to find a home inside a church somewhere.
I soon found a home church with a struggling group in Washington, DC. It has not been easy, fun, or nice. After two years of serving there, I was ordained as a Baptist minister in the African American oral tradition in front of a congregation and more than nine pastors. A year later I was called as the pastor of that body, to the shock and awe of a few.
I have learned and still learning a lot about people but with this podcast I am returning back to the Wilderness.
I learned that it was in the wilderness that Abram spoke to God. It was in the wilderness that Moses saw a burning bush. It was in the wilderness that Joshua brought a wayward people to the Promised Land. It was in a wilderness that battles are often fought. Prophets spoke to errant people, in the wilderness. It is in the wilderness that John the Baptist preached. It was in the wilderness that Jesus went to be tested. It is in the wilderness that men seek to peace, to start over, or gain their freedom. God is in the wilderness.
From Guns to Guitars
I’m still pro-gun.
I've been into guns since childhood. I was born in the sixties and all the tv heroes had guns. The firearm culture was a part of Americana then. It was accepted that hunting season would cause a few boys to be absent from school as they spent time with their fathers and uncles in the woods. It was not uncommon to see long guns in the back of pickup trucks. The more rural you were the easier your access to firearms were. They are tools. They were collectable items that were passed down in families. They hadn't invented the term gun violence yet. Guns don't kill people. People kill people.
Firearms did not pose the threat of violence that is parroted today. Gun control is a business now.
I spent thirty years and sacrificed a career, fighting gun control as a firearms instructor and civil rights activist known as the Black Man With A Gun. As a former US Marine, federal police officer and protective agent that had spent a life time in the Intelligence Community, I knew what I was talking about. I have protected a US President, and three high ranking government officials. I have traveled to and worked in thirteen hostile countries. I've carried a sidearm for more than half my life.
In 1999, I wrote and published Black Man With A Gun, A Responsible Gun Ownership Manual for African Americans, and rewrote it in 2014. I created a firearms consulting business called African American Arms & Instruction, (A3i) in 1992. I have lobbied the US Congress. I have testified in the state legislatures of Virginia, Texas, South Carolina, Michigan, Maryland, and Wisconsin. I was instrumental in the passing of concealed carry reform in 1992 for Virginia and Texas. I founded the Tenth Cavalry Gun Club, a national pro-gun organization for African Americans. I've failed at more than I have succeeded in. I have tried a lot of things though. I even trademarked Black Man With A Gun (TM).
In 2007, I started podcasting and used the connections I had made as activist to interview and share knowledge about firearms, the truth about guns, and its culture. I tried everything on that show. I was a constant on the radio. I have been in at least four documentaries. I've been the voice of reason called upon immediately after a crisis. The podcast became a pro-gun variety show that I just ended in 2023 after almost 800 episodes. It was a great experience.
I have connected with thousands of people and at a time was a household name in the firearms community. Today I pass the torch to the young guns that can more effectively reach others through social media than I did at its infancy.
I love gun people. They are the traditional Americans that have the same values as my grandparents. There are not as many of them as it used to be so I cherish the ones I know. I like the rest that often fall in the middle of the argument and understand its about choice and the protection of life, and not politics. They like me back. Some of these traditionalist are still encouraging me like good friends although we have never met. The internet isn't all bad.
These days, I don't debate or post gun pictures. I stopped responding to queries and calls to help others ratings. I have embrace my creative side, to learn the art of guitar. I use music to help those that can't get around like they used to. I am the nursing home musician. (link)
In the year 2019, I leaned forward with my guitar goals as a way to cope with the need to be a caregiver for my wife. Music has been a blessing. (link)
Learning the guitar, is a forward-looking process, kindling hope and optimism. You may not know this but it helps regulate stable mood chemicals like serotonin and dopamine.
For me, it gives me joy. I can physically chart my progress. It is cheaper than therapy and doesn’t leave me any bad side affects. I've replaced many of the guns I had with guitars. Each one allowed me to learn a style or try something new that helps my progress. I've been buying and selling them so much, I decided to start a side business which also helped me. I now do minor repairs and set ups for guitars and basses to help others get their sound or favorite instruments back.
In 2023, it's all about growth to me. I now know what life is all about. I know who I am and what I am not. I try to get along with most people, the rest I leave alone. I am still working on me. I am the only one I can control. Life keeps it interesting because it never fails to throw curveballs at you. Even with all that is happening, I am trying to live my best life. That comes easier when you seek to help someone else.
This year for black history month I was just remembered in this article.
Get busy living, or get busy dying. - Stephen King
Music is Life.
Someone said that long before I did. I have done many things in my life. I have learned that discovering and learning new things keeps you alive. Music for me has always been an important part of my life. It is more than a soundtrack or the thing that fills a void.
I am playing guitar now like my life depends on it. The Creator has given me many talents. I haven’t always used them for the benefit of others. I have failed at many things in my six decades of life. I have learned from them.
I’ve wanted to master the guitar since I was a little guy but never got around to it. It became a passion after my wife got sick. (KLB STORY)
When I watch all the people that are already super proficient and guitar heroes under 30 years old, it is a little intimidating. I could have been awesome had I persevered past the Mel Bay books, plastic records, cassette tapes, Video tapes (VCR), CDs and DVDs I have purchased. I have even had some live instruction. It didn’t stick. I was doing so many other things at the same time. I never had time to practice before it was time to go back to a class. Focus is important.
Secrets of How to Get Better on the Guitar or Bass
Here is how to become the guitarist/bassist you want to be. They are really not secrets but more like the best ways to get it done that I have found. Learning to play guitar can be a challenging and rewarding experience.
Start with the basics: Learn the names and functions of the parts of the guitar. Learn the names and positions of the strings and frets. Practice basic chords and scales.
Identify the parts of the guitar: Learn the names and functions of the different parts of the guitar, such as the headstock, neck, fretboard, and bridge.
Learn the names and positions of the strings and frets: The strings are numbered from the thinnest to the thickest, and the frets are numbered from the headstock to the body of the guitar. Practice finding the notes on the fretboard.
Practice basic chords and scales: Start with simple chords and scales, such as the C major chord and the A minor pentatonic scale. Practice transitioning between chords and playing the scales up and down the fretboard.
Practice consistently: Set aside regular time each day or week to practice. Start with simple songs and gradually work your way up to more complex pieces.
Here are some tips to help you stay motivated and avoid discouragement:
Learn the songs you love: Choose songs that you enjoy listening to and that are within your skill level. This will help you stay motivated and make practice more enjoyable.
Celebrate small wins: Recognize your progress and celebrate small achievements along the way. This will help you stay motivated and build confidence.
Find a guitar mentor: Consider finding a guitar mentor who can provide guidance and support. This can be a teacher, friend, or fellow musician.
Define a clear path: Set specific goals and create a plan to achieve them. This will help you stay focused and motivated.
Focus on what you don’t know: Identify areas where you need improvement and focus on those areas. This will help you improve your skills and build confidence.
Think long-term: Remember that learning to play guitar is a long-term process. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t see immediate progress. Keep practicing and you’ll get there.
Play slowly to improve accuracy: Practice playing slowly and focus on accuracy. This will help you develop good habits and improve your playing.
Go at your own pace: Don’t compare yourself to others. Everyone learns at their own pace. Focus on your own progress and enjoy the journey.
Try YouTube. It can be a great resource but not everyone is for everyone. You have to find the person you can relate to and understand.
We don’t plan to fail but we do when we fail to plan. It is possible to practice poorly and develop bad habits that can hinder your progress.
Here are some common mistakes to avoid:
1. Skipping fundamentals: Skipping the basics and jumping straight into advanced techniques can lead to frustration and poor technique. Make sure you have a solid foundation before moving on to more complex skills.
2. Practicing too fast: Practicing too fast can lead to sloppy playing and poor technique. Start slow and gradually increase your speed as you improve.
3. Not using a metronome: A metronome can help you develop good timing and rhythm. Use a metronome when practicing scales, chords, and songs.
4. Not focusing on accuracy: Focus on playing accurately rather than playing fast. Accuracy is more important than speed.
5. Not practicing consistently: Consistent practice is key to improving your skills. Set aside regular time each day or week to practice.
Learning to play guitar takes time and practice. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t see immediate progress. Sometimes you just didn’t get the right information. Sometimes you may not have been at your best to practice. How you practice matters.
Don’t quit!
KLB Story
My wife of 31 years retired during the beginning of COVID 19 pandemic only to realize that the headaches she was having was caused by a noncancerous brain tumor the size of a small grapefruit. Upon discovery doctors suggested she schedule surgery before blindness, stroke or death.
We sought the best treatment available and was she accepted for surgery at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, in May 2021. The surgery was considered successful. The procedure went through her sinuses and removed 90% of the tumor in the front lobe of her brain.
To help with her recovery I made sure throughout this time that all the people that wanted to visit her could. She had visitors from all areas of her life. I didn’t want to keep them from seeing her nor them from her. Many of the visitors logs I had signed sine this ordeal were blank pages. Not many people come to visit the sick and shut-in.
She has not walked since then. Fluid filled the cavity in her skull and put pressure on motor functions. She had a “g-tube” placed in her stomach to eat. She lost the ability to speak, and the sense of smell. She has been bedridden since then.
We learned about the health care system if you are not on government assistance. She was sent to a nursing facility like a lobotomized patient. After a month and a half she was sent home. I was not prepared for that.
She had bed sores and a machine that fed her a baby formula. She had to be changed many times a day and monitored. Her body was contracting in a fetal position. Her hands becoming like claws. She caught pneumonia and had to return to the hospital.
When she left the hospital, she a Fungal Meningitis. This deadly disease had to be treated with a special anti-biotic which was not 100% effective on this unique disease. She was sent to another nursing home for another month. She came home but was taking back to the ER at a different hospital where we discovered she had two blood clots, and pneumonia again. The ER infectious disease doctor was overheard saying that his mother “had died in this very same hospital from fungal meningitis,” before leaving the ER. A palliative care nurse told me she only expected my wife to live a few more months. On her birthday I took a trip to the beach to clear my head. It didn’t work. During the Christmas holiday alone in the office, I started writing her eulogy and planned her funeral. I had her cell phone turned off.
Every day was uncertain. I learned that friends are not prepared to help you when you are going through something longer than a few weeks. They were of no help and no consolation. A few said the exact opposite of what could have helped. COVID took the lives of many. I lost friends during this time as well that numbed me. I learned that my daughter was not coping well and had some previous issues that became known now.
My faith helped me but not in the way most people talk about it. I wasn’t begging God to do anything but His will. I trust and love God. I knew He had her no matter where she ended up, in this life or the next. My prayer was for the household. How my adult children were going to do.
During this time, I found solace in playing and learning the guitar. It was something I always wanted to accomplish. I found out that it was also excellent therapy. It took my mind off of my pain for every minute it was in my hands. It was a blessing through music.
She had a buildup of stuff in her mouth and the nursing home we had her in was a little better than the last but was still a holding place of the dying. Some nurses at Doctors Hospital warned me that she might be getting better before transitioning. I wrote a eulogy in November 2021.
We moved her to a nursing facility in Annapolis. She had a crazy old roommate that I worried might hurt her in her defenseless state. There was some light therapy and treatment being done there and her bed sores decreased. She started eating regular hospital food that was soon replaced by my daughter and her friends bringing in food constantly. She got off the feeding tube but still had it in place.
We discovered that she had been healed of the meningitis and could be scheduled for surgery to put a shunt in her head and stomach to drain the excess fluid.
She was scheduled to go back to the hospital and had the new surgery in January 2023.
When I arrived to see her after this surgery, her nurses and attendants were smiling in her room. She looked at me and asked me bluntly, “did you pay the electric bill this month?
When she returned back to the nursing facility she was chattering and telling us of all that had happened in an imaginary world her mind had told her about.
During her time of silence, she thought she was a in a car accident that happened on her way from seeing her family in Poughkeepsie, NY. She said a white woman had totaled her care but she had a new one that was now in our garage. She wanted to make sure I started it up so that it wouldn’t deteriorate why it sat there. She also worried that maybe she shouldn’t have bought it. She didn’t remember a lot of things. She thought we had a cat and reminded me to make sure I didn’t forget to take care of it. She doesn’t even like cats and we never had one.
She complained of constant pain in her hips, legs and arms. The care in the nursing home was not getting better so to make sure she improved we prepared to bring her home.
I purchased everything I could think of to make sure when she returned home this time, it would help. I had her cell phone turned back on although the number had to be changed.
Bed sores gone. I had to hire an aide that could take care of her while I worked. Had to leave my government job in lieu of a hirer paying contractor position.
December 2022
She can text and call people on her new phone. She is still bedridden and is managing the pain better. There is no prognosis, no medical opinions, just follow ups, blood test and virtual visits to make sure she is still alive for the controlled substances prescribed for her. Sometimes when she coughs, I remember the pneumonia, but we have a routine now.
The pandemic has subsided not gone away in 2023. It’s been two years since she scheduled the surgery, walked or share our bed. I have been on the new job six months, received a raise, the daughter just got a new job and has become the best caregiver I have ever seen. My wife had another surgery to replace the original shunt and put in another. She is gaining mobility in inches.
I have been hiring and firing health aides that I pay for privately because there is a new culture of inattentiveness, laziness and indolence for everyone working today. It has been difficult to hire someone to come to work on time, do what they were hired to do and to not slack when no one is watching. We had had aides, quit after one day in the house. This is probably the direct answer to prayer of protection for my household. If you are not right, you are not welcome.
So why am I grieving? I am exhausted emotionally. I watched her age. I listened to her and watched the progress. I buried her already. At the three hospitals and three nursing homes, I was always greeted by the receptionist, nurses and aids with the questions, “how’s the visit with your mom; or are you here to see your mother; are you her son? I had to speak for her. I had to make sure everyone did the right thing. I had to pay the bills. I had to get the medicines and learn what they were for. I had to be the logistics guy, the transport guy, the husband. Her doctor told me that she is now a “patient.” Meaning, the psyche of a person in her situation, her psyche- the spoiled brat, the whining, manipulation, etc. Some of the way she acts is her new normal. She likes being waiting on. I hope she will be able to get into her wheelchair by Christmas 2023, but only if she wants to.
June 2023
She has limited mobility the waist. The pain is concentrated below her left knee. She can now brush her own teeth. She knows that she had an alternate reality. She knows that she missed two years of her life. She is able to use her now deformed hands a little more. Her feet are don’t look that hot and toe nails have to be treated. She’s gained a few pounds. She critiques commercials and is trying to run things as she did before verbally.
March 2024
She is sporting a new hairdo. She is still bedridden, suffering from neuropathy and constant pain in her left side. She sounds like herself before foreign objects invaded her skull. She is still as strong in the faith as ever. Hoping to walk again this year.
I am commended on a daily basis for taking care of my wife of thirty-two years. I feel like a fraud with each platitude. I am grieving. I am depressed. Playing guitar is more important to be than another hobby. It is a challenge to win. It is an endeavor to focus positively on. It is a kinetic task that takes my troubled mind off the grief.
It has been better than the six (6) failed attempts at the therapy I have tried. I am functioning although at times not like I want.
I understand what Job may have felt with his three friends.
Since COVID I have been playing every Sunday at church. I am thankful the Pastor allows it and me to sit. I would rather play to support worship than to sit in the raised pulpit and look over the congregation from a seat of piety. I served for five years as a pastor. Before this it was the worse time in my life.
But now, I am being blessed through music. Using social media, I am practicing, singing and playing. I found out that singing is always cathartic. It is not natural yet, I am still fearful of sounding bad, or off but the challenge is still there. I am a risk taker.
"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all." - Helen Keller