blog
Songs can tear us apart and then apologize; build us up. Music has the power to heal. Within its crescendos we cry and inside its lyrics we soar. These are the songs’ stories that show the power of music, specifically when it comes to figuring out who we are and where we fit in with respect to our personalities.
-
Music is my acid test for friendship
When I was in sixth grade, my attempts at making friends involved sitting next to strangers at long brown lunch tables and asking for people’s phone numbers. Don’t be surprised to learn that by the time I was in eighth grade I had changed schools and hung my head under dyed-black hair and long black dresses. I started to hate people, thinking their ways more worthy of study than communication. In my happier moments, I referred to myself as a “Gothic hippie” because I at times liked plaid flannels and mismatched punky skirts. But by the time I finished high school I had an acid test of quickly determining…
-
Will Write for Koretzky
If proper nouns were allowed in Scrabble, Koretzky would be a high-value name. But we’re not playing Scrabble. We’re writers, and without Michael Koretzky, region 3 director for Society of Professional Journalists, we wouldn’t have programs like Will Write For Food. Also, I wouldn’t have made it home on Labor Day. A whirlwind 36 hours of chaotic reporting, lede creating and nut graph recreating taught me and 21 other student journalists the value of getting out of the newsroom and out of our comfort zone. I expected nothing less from the adviser who hooked me on SPJ with his engaging programs. In his closing email to the…
-
Effects on social media and what you can learn in 30 days of blogging
This is day 30 of my 30-day blog challenge! Read day 29: “Staying creative as a maker” The baseline of a 30-day blog challenge I started this 30-day spurt as a self-challenge, inspired by my friend Sara Crawford. I wanted to further experiment with how often a brand, business or individual should post for best results with branding. My first post was created hastily, as were many of the blogs I wrote over the last 30 days. My point wasn’t necessarily to strive for perfect content, but rather consistency. At baseline, in my post “What 30 days of blogging can do for your career,” I noted that I…
-
Staying creative as a writer, musician or maker
This is day 29 of 30-day blog challenge. Read day 28: “This is the day I fail” Bob weir is best known for playing guitar in The Grateful Dead (and Ratdog as I mentioned in my blog about proposing), but he also makes hot sauce. Maynard James Keenan may be best known as the frontman of Tool, but he also creates music for A Perfect Circle and Puscifer. Keenan makes not only music but also he makes wine. The idea that a musician has to stay inspired to create outstanding single after amazing album doesn’t mean that that same musician can’t open new pathways into inspiration by creating…
-
This is the day I fail
This is day 28 of 30-day blog challenge. Read day 27: “3 songs to propose to this year” I hate to admit that I’m not perfect, and I’ve written about the problem of perfectionism previously. If I know anything, finishing what you start is crucial. But, artists and writers shouldn’t strive for complete perfectionism. We can learn a great deal from mistakes. As I wind down my 30-day blog challenge, I am convinced I will be able to maintain a blog calendar and a weekly schedule for blogging. I won’t wander into the abyss of abandoned blogs, but tonight I simply have too much to work on to write…
-
3 songs to propose to this year in Atlanta
This is day 27 of 30-day blog challenge. Read day 26: “I used to rant like fruit gone rotten” I live north of Atlanta, but a few artists I love are touring. I saw something on Facebook where a fan proposed to his girlfriend at a concert, and, as my own five-year anniversary is around the corner, I thought I post a quick video blog of three romantic songs to get engaged to. If you want to pop the question at a show this year, check these tours out: 1. Ratdog (playing Atlanta’s Tabernacle March 16) “Lucky Enough” The other night my soul hit the pavement And…
-
I used to rant like fruit gone rotten
This is day 26 of 30-day blog challenge. Read day 26: “Where does creativity come from” Many people don’t know I published a book of poetry. Fewer care, I’m sure. But, because I have way too much to do to write a blog tonight, I’ll share. The best reason to consider buying a copy of “Beyond the Eyes” is my sister’s work. Cyan Jenkins is a freelance illustrator, and this book was created as her senior project. She graduated from the Ringling College of Art in 2009. Then she and I both got married that same year. I married in March (while she was on spring break), and she…
-
The right versus left brain question: where does creativity come from?
This is day 25 of 30-day blog challenge. Read day 24: “Parenting through the smell of dead sewage” Most of us have heard about people being “left-brained” or “right-brained,” but I don’t think there’s much to that. I know the right side of the body is controlled by the left brain hemisphere, but that doesn’t mean that when you are using your right hand to write (and we use both to type) you can’t be creative. I’ve heard that left-handed people are supposedly more creative because the “creative” side of the brain is the right side. To me, that just says the while drawing an image the “creative” brain…
-
Are you a morning person or a night person?
This is day 22 of 30-day blog challenge. Read day 21: “Why I love HootSuite” I’ve been thinking more and more that I’m a morning person, but I’m by no means a cheerful person in the morning. In fact, I’ve asked my husband not to speak to me in the mornings before I’ve had coffee. I just feel like when I get up early enough to wake up slowly, exercise and breathe fresh air, I feel better. I am more productive. My recent thoughts started a few weeks ago, when I read an article about “What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast”. Now, I am not…
-
5 Pet peeves of poor web design
This is day 19 of 30-day blog challenge. Read day 18: “One quick tip for Facebook for business” I think it’s safe to say that every business is online. Every musician, artist, cookie vendor and craftsperson has a website. If they don’t, they really should. Some people blog or sell items from third party websites like Facebook or Etsy. I don’t recommend making your home on someone else’s property for a few reasons that you can read about in my post “Tips on starting a free blog.” 1. Websites that automatically play music or video This should be self-explanatory, but when I think of making a list…
