The last year and a half has been hard on everybody. The Covid 19 pandemic is the defining event of our era. My grandparents had the Great Depression. My parents had the Viet Nam war. We got the pandemic.
One thing we all got was a story.
Some stories are about survival. Some stories are about emotional suffering and despair from isolation. There are stories about long awaited opportunities that vanished just within the dreamer's grasp. There was grief, loss, and uncertainty.
But then there are also stories about creativity and motivation and lots of pet adoptions. Coping. Learning to paint, or cook, and to appreciate nature and beauty. Lots of folks learned how to Zoom so they could be connected to others. Artists got tech savvy.
Here's what I learned. Life is short.
I am no stranger to death. I make my living as an RN in a busy urban hospital in Philadelphia. The pandemic was vicious. I was busy during the pandemic, covered in plastic and exhausted. Then there was the fear. Lots of my co-workers got the virus. Most fared well. Others did not. I didn't get the virus. So random!
I used to dream of writing songs for other people. I love sitting in my house and just thinking in song. Dreaming in song.I've played out with audiences and while I used to get extremely anxious about it, people seemed to enjoy it.
Two years ago I decided to pursue a solo artist career. Why now? Am I too old? Why not?!!!!
Writing for other people is fun. It's like acting. I got to be 18 again and worried about love. I got to be outlaw country or good old boy crooner. My big self question was who am I as an artist? What is it that I have to say?
Between writing, recording, dodging illness, glitches with gear, others getting covid, I made a record. Three actually.
I'm also one half of the Xconditionals, a San Diego based alt rock band with Margaret McClure.
Now I'm just waiting for the perfect time and place to have a CD release event. Any minute now!