Rehearsal is an essential part of a musician’s life, and if you’re reading this, you probably know they don’t always go very smoothly. While some groups operate like well-oiled machines both on and offstage, plenty of others… Don’t. But having solid, effective, inspiring rehearsals is one of the more invigorating… Read More »Squishy “Rules” for Better Band Rehearsal
Over the years, I’ve spent a LOT of time in creative pursuit. As an individual alone in the lab or part of an ensemble, nearly every day of my life contains tasks related to that mode of being. Some of it happens on stage or in the studio, or even… Read More »The Tedium of Artistry: Learning to Tolerate the Mundane
Humans are great at telling each other what to do… From the earliest philosophers to ancient religious texts, all the way through the rise of the self-help genre and today’s glut of online instruction, there’s a whole universe of “how to” and “you should” out there that applies to just about any… Read More »You Get to Choose Your Own Advice
I like to be “productive.” I feel good about making videos, playing in bands, teaching, writing, practicing, and on and on… In the quest to solidify habits and mindset around those ends, I’ve listened to podcasts and read books and built thought patterns that reinforce a “get shit done” mentality.… Read More »The Productivity Paradox
We all know consistency is important, right? Whether we’re trying to improve our diet, build better habits, or master an instrument, showing up over and over is the path to success – or at least to seeing results. In a perfect world, we’d all be able to do the essential… Read More »Consistency: Seasons and Reasons
I haven’t written anything here in a while, and my last couple of attempts to create some consistency have been haphazard at best (false starts at worst). Now, after spending some time revamping the ol’ website and adding a bunch of short fiction, I thought I’d give it another go.… Read More »Does Anyone Read Blogs Anymore? (and why such questions don’t matter)
Fifty-seven straight days of rain. By late December, the townsfolk were praying things would freeze over. Make a rink out of the flooded crossroads. Something for the kids at least. The little storms kept coming. Mild, except for the incessant wind, and every few hours the water would dump in… Read More »Diluvium
“This, ladies and gentlemen, is what it means to be truly debauched.” Mr. Pembroke gestured broadly, his tucked shirt pulling against a brown leather belt, sweat stains beginning to form beneath his arms. “Works of an irascible deviant, actions of absolute contempt for the principles of this great society. A… Read More »Trial at Town Hall
No amount of bleach could battle the aging grey of Alfonse’s apron. No method of chemical treatment could revive the brightness that once gleamed through the glass display cases, replaced now by a dishwater dinge from decades of use. Each day, the old man faithfully tied the strings behind his… Read More »Aprons
“I’ve been alone in this room for a thousand years.” Neville spoke aloud to no one, as he often did. The bare, slate grey walls had a way of expanding and contracting in his mind, and on days they felt particularly close, he would deliver unfiltered speeches to an audience… Read More »Solitude