May Day May Day

MAY 2009 - I wanted to add this post-script to the month and write a list of the things I achieved in May 2009

I attended Songwriter's Guild of America training in May with a brilliant melodic and song structure trainer - writer Martin Briley - hit song writer of 'Salt in my Tears' ... he's great so if you get a chance go along to one of his training sessions.

I helped a Folk- pop artist called Bertolf and his Dutch video crew make a video for his single ' Mr Light' release is due next week - I'm really looking forward to seeing it. Bertolf U tube Link

I went to the Songwriters Hall of Fame NYC seminars for 6 weeks meeting with publishers - high point was the great Marcy Drexler - wonderful woman with #1 knowledge of the business side of songwriting with a fine ear to boot and always an encouraging word for us new to song-business. The always happy Peter Bliss led us in the workshops and critique's - It was a great pleasure to meet with Ebatya, Jeff, the two Judy's and Amy.

I continued working on my voice with voice coach Sally Morgan - speaking on pitch is a great idea.

I played several times at the open mic on Smith street with my friends Niall Connolly from Cork and 'Ryan and the Lions'.

I have continued to co write with Annie C and write independently. I am continuing to invest in new equipment and am in process of working on a new studio space with some sound proofing but its shabby right now and need's work on electricity , floor, door windows, ceiling and flooring.

NSAI - Sunday monthly meeting with the Nashville Songwriters group - last Sunday of month - they give a much needed critique of my new songs - often uncovering heretofore unnoticed issues with lyrical content especially.

I continued to take my piano lessons and also attended SPONY to pitch a song.

I am receiving great feedback for one particular song and will hope to demo it when I feel the lyrical content is just right. It seems great melodically right now.

John

Francis De Sales on Multitasking

I have recently been very busy and doing too many things at one time (Multi-tasking) and I read a quote from Francis De Sales which struck me as apt:

“Accept the duties which come upon you quietly, and try to fulfill them methodically.”

So I went and found some more quotations from him also. The quotes taken together seem to me to be as being in the same mould as Desiderata – the famous exhortation written by Max Ehrmann in the 1920’s -

In being ourselves

Be who you are and be that well.
Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections.
Do not wish to be anything but what you are, and try to be that perfectly.
Have patience with all things, But, first of all with yourself.

Work life and busyness

Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset. Accept the duties which come upon you quietly, and try to fulfill them methodically. True progress quietly and persistently moves along without notice. When you encounter difficulties and contradictions, do not try to break them, but bend them with gentleness and time. While I am busy with little things, I am not required to do greater things.

Friendship
Friendships begun in this world will be taken up again, never to be broken off.
A quarrel between friends, when made up, adds a new tie to friendship.
Make friends with the angels, who though invisible are always with you. Often invoke them, constantly praise them, and make good use of their help and assistance in all your temporal and spiritual affairs.

Anger issues
Nothing is so strong as gentleness, nothing so gentle as real strength.
There was never an angry man that thought his anger unjust.
Those who love to be feared, fear to be loved, and they themselves are more afraid than anyone, for whereas other men fear only them, they fear everyone.

Francis De Sales Quotes