Age Choices

I’m getting a bill today in the mail for crossing an express lane line in Denver when I was playing there earlier this month, and it has me thinking about feeling more out of touch as I grow older. In my defense I was confused about which lane I needed to be in when I went from one road to another, and I would have missed my exit if I would have stayed in the express lane, but I feared it was wrong at the time, and so I’ll pay the fine. But more and more as I age I feel less connected to the culture and world around me, and even though much of that is conscious decision to focus on the things that are important in life, it still has me feeling “at sea” sometimes. I can remember this happening to my parents, and I can remember how I didn’t understand at the time why they didn’t know how things worked in the world sometimes. It really bothered my dad when computers started to duplicate ways you could do certain things like cut, copy, and paste. My mom seemed to be pretty sharp all the time, but even she needed help with technology and other new things. I think we all are like this. There are new laws or events that happen that we miss, and then we feel dumb for not knowing about them. As I said above though, some of this is just choosing what to focus on and letting go of things that don’t seem important to us. Our friends who have kids and grandkids are more in touch with cultural and social news and events than we are. I used to pride myself for knowing current news about computers, cars, and photography, but I have let those things slip as I have aged and honed in on my music and the circle of life where I exist. I know that we do slow down as we age, and I know that things are also happening faster every year, so I think it’s okay to let things go. It’s just annoying when they end up costing us money!

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What have I been up to?

I had 9 senior facilities last week, and I ended up picking up another one. The facilities that had COVID outbreaks were back in the pink so it was a good week all around. I love playing for these folks although I think I’m about Halloweened out. ;-)

My Wednesday online show was Halloween songs again, and it was really fun and spooky. I think I got to all the songs I wanted to play, and everyone seemed to enjoy it.

I did an online show of Philmont songs for my Philmont friends on Saturday, and it was really fine connecting with those friends and songs again. I love that there are these great ways to reach out and share an evening like this now across the miles and time zones.

My Sunday online show was favorites and requests as always, and there were some wonderful requests. Every one of these shows is so dynamic and so full of giving and receiving. I really love how my audience is so supportive of me and of each other!

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What am I up to this week?

I have 7 senior facilities this week, and I’m looking forward to playing for every one. I wish I could tell you about every one of the wonderful people I get to see and interact with.

My Wednesday online show 7-8:45 mountain time will be ‘50s standards, and I think I need to clarify what these are. My good friend Bob suggested this theme, and I knew what he meant although you don’t hear about standards being in the 1950s very often. These are the songs that kind of pre-date the rock and roll era - the great singers and even big band and orchestra songs that were so popular at this time. Think of Nat King Cole and Jo Stafford and Perry Como. I love these songs, and I think this will be a fine night of tunes and memories. Come on out if you can!

Saturday 11-3 I’m playing at a free Huajatolla Heritage Foundation event in Walsenburg called Coal Camps and Cowboy Camps. It will be a community event that’s kind of hard to describe. There will be music for listening and dancing including me playing old mining and cowboy songs and accordionist Mike Hogan playing old polkas and waltzes, historians and speakers, historical presentations, free lunch of beans, cornbread and blueberry cobbler, and art and historical pictures. It’s all in celebration of the history and culture of southern Colorado along the Huerfano River in the shadow of the Spanish Peaks or Huajatolla. It should be a great time, so come on out! Here’s a video on Facebook explaining more about it - https://fb.watch/n-yFQ4AvIP/

Sunday my online show 7-8:45 mountain time will be favorites and requests, and I know it will be special as always. This is always a highlight of my week, so come on out!

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That’s it for this week. I can’t believe it’s already November on Wednesday. Where does the time go? I hope you’re well and happy.

Best always,

Tom

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Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing an online concert of ’50s Standards

Where:  facebook.com/tom.munch and tommunch.com/online-concerts  

When:  Wednesday, November 1, 7-8:45 pm mountain time

Who:  Tom Munch with Mike Hogan

What:  playing and singing at Coal Camps and Cowboy Camps

Where:   Walsenburg Community Center, 928 Russell Street, Walsenburg, CO

When:  Saturday, November 4, 11 am-3 pm mountain time

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing an online concert of favorites and requests 

Where:  facebook.com/tom.munch and tommunch.com/online-concerts  

When:  Sunday, November 5, 7-8:45 pm mountain time 

Cutting Losses

We bought a car last week because our old car was going to require really expensive repairs, and we thought it was best to cut our losses and not throw good money after bad. We got the same model of car but just a newer model, and hopefully this one will be more trouble-free. I like to drive my cars until they wear out as opposed to trading them in, but the last couple haven’t gone more than 130,000 miles or so. That has me thinking about knowing when to cut my losses about a lot of things in life. I’m not a very decisive person. I like to go with the flow, and I often follow that flow down a river that dwindles into a creek and then into a dry arroyo. I’m just not someone who likes to give up on a situation. I don’t know if that’s a good thing. It’s not very strategic at the least, but then I’m not a very strategic person. I figure that things come into my life for a reason, and I try to give them the respect I feel they deserve. I suppose it could also be a lack of ambition, but then I believe that we should bloom where we’re planted. I think some of this attitude comes from our upbringing, and some of it comes from our physical makeup like hormones and testosterone, and some of it comes from our life philosophy. It’s such an interesting thing how we proceed with our daily lives and the life choices we make. Other things in life that have to do with cutting losses could be relationships or jobs or houses or retirement decisions. I think about these things as the days go by, but for the most part I just try to live my life by contributing what I can to make life better for all of us. Hmmm…cutting losses. Do you, too?

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What have I been up to?

I had 12 senior facilities last week, but two had to be cancelled with COVID outbreaks. I’m wearing masks more and more at the ones that don’t have outbreaks for caution’s sake. I know this isn’t the norm for most folks out and about, but it’s a reminder that there are still diseases to be aware of, and I’m happy to try to keep the older and more immune-compromised folks safe whom I interact with.

My Wednesday online show was Halloween songs, and there were some really good ones. I think everyone had a good time with a lot of smiles and a few shivers. I sure enjoyed it!

My Sunday online show was favorites and requests, and there were some really good songs there also. This is such a wonderful group of folks I get to play and sing for.

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What am I up to this week?

I have 9 senior facilities this week although I’m pretty sure one will have to cancel again since they’re probably still in outbreak. I’m doing Halloween shows for the most part, and I’m having a ball doing them.

My Wednesday online show 7-8:45 mountain time will be Halloween songs again this week. I will perform different songs than I did last week. These are such energetic shows, and it’s so much fun to come up with spooky backgrounds and things to wear. Come on out and join in!

Saturday 7-9 mountain I’m doing an online show of Philmont songs for my Philmont friends on my Philmont Songs Concert Facebook page that should be a fine time. I love staying connected to so many friends from my days at Philmont, and the songs I know from those days are old friends and gems that I like to play. If you’re in this group or like those songs then come on out!

My Sunday online show 7-8:45 mountain time will favorites and requests as always. I keep trying to learn new requests from folks as they come up, and there is always something wonderful that happens at these shows between the music and the friendship that is shared. Come on out if you can!

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That’s it for this week. I hope you are healthy and happy and enjoying the Fall.

Best always,

Tom

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Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing an online concert of Halloween songs

Where:  facebook.com/tom.munch and tommunch.com/online-concerts  

When:  Wednesday, October 25, 7-8:45 pm mountain time

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing an online concert of Philmont songs

Where:   facebook.com/groups/1176893032692370 and tommunch.com/online-concerts

When:  Saturday, October 28, 7-9 pm mountain time

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing an online concert of favorites and requests 

Where:  facebook.com/tom.munch and tommunch.com/online-concerts  

When:  Sunday, October 29, 7-8:45 pm mountain time

Halloween

I’ve already been doing Halloween shows for my senior facilities, and it has me thinking about what Halloween is and has been. I know just a little bit about the story of Halloween being the night before All Hallows or All Saints Day. I wasn’t raised Catholic, so I don’t have a feel for that day, and so Halloween for me has always just been the spooky and comic costumes and scary and fun movies. As humans we seem to enjoy having some sort of celebration of darkness and the unknown. It’s logical to be somewhat afraid of the dark when you can’t see what might be lurking in the shadows. Of course it’s mostly a manufacturing of monsters in our brain although sometimes there really is something to be afraid of. We do get an adrenaline rush out of being scared - especially when something jumps out at us or suddenly screams at us. But I’d like to write more about what it does to us to be in that state of fear. I played over the last weekend at the Littleton Museum Harvest Festival, and much of my audience was young families with very young kids. I did a few Halloween songs during my show, and it was interesting to see how the kids reacted to different songs. I was very conscious to not sing songs that were too spooky, and sometimes the kids reacted in different ways than I anticipated. One of my favorite Halloween songs for kids is a song called simply “Boo!” by a band called Trout Fishing in America. It’s remarkable for the infrequent times when the song includes shouting “Boo!” during the song. Most kids jump when you shout this during the song, but some didn’t react much at all when I sang it during my show. Some of the other songs had concepts that were a little more nuanced that the younger kids couldn’t follow, and that’s to be understood. Overall it made me wonder if it’s okay to explore darker songs and ideas or if it’s better to be always uplifting and more a purveyor of love and light. I’m sure I’m making too much of it, but I believe there is something to the old adage that we tend to follow where our thoughts lead us. I just always feel better when I fill myself with good thoughts, and I sometimes think that I’m more encouraging when I put out uplifting and positive music and thoughts. Being in a state of fear releases all kinds of stress hormones and bad juju, I think. What do you think?

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What have I been up to?

I forgot to mention my senior facility shows last weekend, and they’re important to me. I had 11 of them, and one had to be cancelled due to a COVID outbreak. That’s the first time I’ve had a cancellation for illness this Fall, and I hope it’s not a harbinger of more to come.  I know that COVID has hit harder in some places lately. Most of my senior facilities haven’t had their Fall shots this year yet.

My Wednesday online show was doing songs about birds, and it was as much fun as I thought it would be. Birds are such fascinating creatures! The audience seemed to think so too.

My Saturday show at Littleton Museum for the Harvest Festival was a little chilly, but there were a lot of folks and young families out to enjoy the crisp Fall morning and annular eclipse. It was so enjoyable! I had family members and friends come out to see me as well, so it was a great time.

My Sunday show was favorites and requests as always, and there were some nice moments with good friends. I love this group and this opportunity to share some music and encouragement.

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What am I up to this week?

I have 12 senior facilities this week, and they should all be wonderful. I say it often, but I feel these are so important in supporting the community and our seniors. I get as much out of it as they do!

My Wednesday online show 7-8:45 mountain time both this week and next week will be Halloween songs. I’ll definitely do a lot of fun songs as well as some of the more spooky songs although I’m conscious of what I wrote about above. I did some neat green screen effects last year, and I think I’ll do some this year as well although I don’t want to get too carried away.

My Sunday online show 7-8:45 mountain time will be favorites and requests as always, and I always love playing for my sweet friends and followers. Music is a gift I love giving.

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That’s it for this week. The Fall is going by too quickly. Stop and smell the falling leaves if you can.

Best always,

Tom

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Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing an online concert of Halloween songs

Where:  facebook.com/tom.munch and tommunch.com/online-concerts  

When:  Wednesday, October 18, 7-8:45 pm mountain time

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing an online concert of favorites and requests 

Where:  facebook.com/tom.munch and tommunch.com/online-concerts  

When:  Sunday, October 22, 7-8:45 pm mountain time 

Birds

I was talking with family members and the groom last weekend at our niece’s wedding, and they are avid birders and Audubon members. Their love for birds was infectious. It inspired me to think about birds a lot, so my Wednesday show this week is songs about birds. I’ve always been fascinated with birds, and I imagine many people are. Most birds can fly, and I’m sure I’m not the only person to have dreams about flying. The idea that you could be able to effortlessly lift off the ground just by spreading your wings into the wind is astounding. How many of us have put our hand out the window of a moving car and experimented with the lift of the breeze against our hand as we moved our hand through different angles? Have you ever watched a bird swooping down a hill or diving out of the sky and imagined yourself gracefully gliding over the land? And the beauty of birds doesn’t end with flight. Many have beautiful plumage and songs they sing. And consider how some migrate great distances and really see this beautiful world we live in. There are so many more worthwhile traits that birds have, from courtship dances to creative problem solving to daring acrobatics. There’s no doubt about it, they are simply amazing creatures, and we have written about them in story and song all through history. So Wednesday I’ll sing songs about birds for my theme show. It should be great fun.

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What have I been up to?

I neglected to write about my senior facilities last week. I had 7 facilities to play for, and I needed to wear a mask at many of them due to COVID outbreaks and precautions. Well make it through though. The need for music and camaraderie is so strong.

My Wednesday online show last week was the music of Dan Fogelberg, and it was a good night. Dan’s music is just so impactful and beautiful, and it was a pleasure sharing it with good friends.

Sunday was the memorial for my good friend Dennis Heid who I played with many times in several bands over the years. He was a great bass player, singer and human being, and I’ll miss him so much.

My Sunday online show was favorites and requests, and there were some great ones. This group of ”Munch Bunch” friends is so good to me.

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What am I up to this week?

My Wednesday online show 7-8:45 mountain time will be songs about birds as I wrote about above. I have some great songs planned and some wonderful requests already, and I know this will be a night to remember. Come on out!

Saturday 11:30-1:30 I’m playing at the Littleton Museum in Littleton, Colorado, for their Fall Harvest Festival. I’ve played this event several times now, and it’s always great fun. I’ll be in the pumpkin patch where many families and folks come to get a pumpkin for their home. It’s free admission that day with my music, an 1890s Carnival, a Pig Roast Demonstration, a Toddler Hay Bale Maze, and purchases available for games, refreshments, and wagon rides along with the pumpkins. I’d love to see you there if you’re in the Denver area.

My Sunday online show 7-8:45 mountain time will be favorites and requests with my fine audience of friends and supporters. It’s always a very good time, and I’d love to have you there too!

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That’s it for this week. The Fall is progressing quickly. I had to wear my wool base layer yesterday on my morning walk with Beau as the temperature dropped to near 35 degrees. It’s a beautiful time of year as the leaves change at our elevation, and I hope you’re enjoying it!

Best always,

Tom

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Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing an online concert of bird songs

Where:  facebook.com/tom.munch and tommunch.com/online-concerts  

When:  Wednesday, October 11, 7-8:45 pm mountain time

Who:  Tom Munch

What:  playing and singing at the Littleton Museum Harvest Festival

Where:  Littleton Museum, 6028 S Gallup St, Littleton, CO, 303-795-3950

When:  Saturday, October 14, 11:30-1:30 pm

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing an online concert of favorites and requests 

Where:  facebook.com/tom.munch and tommunch.com/online-concerts  

When:  Sunday, October 15, 7-8:45 pm mountain time

Songwriters

I’m doing the music of Dan Fogelberg for my Wednesday show, and that has me thinking about songwriters. Songwriting is such an interesting art. I’ve done enough of it to really appreciate the writing of those who have done it much more than me. The idea that you can put an idea into words and then make a progression and melody that fits those words to express a story or idea is not something that is very easy - especially at a high level. When you can make clever rhymes and use interesting words and twists of melody you really have something. And it doesn’t always have to be complex. Simple ideas work too. I was very fortunate that the first song I wrote, “Moreno Valley”, was simple and just fell out of mind and through my fingers. I think it was a product of all the music I had absorbed up to that point in my life combined with the muse or the musical/spiritual wind that so many songwriters credit for their creations. I’ve never been really good at approaching songwriting as work. I usually need some inspiration. I know that some songwriters use their writing to work out problems in their life or express something they need to say. I think I’ve written about that before. Dan Fogelberg often wrote of breakups or pain in his life. The Beatles wrote about relationships for most of their early songs. The old songwriters for Broadway musicals wrote to fit the story they were telling. Whatever brings songwriters to put down their ideas in musical form, I’m always appreciative of their efforts. Music is just so powerful, and tapping into the creative force it embodies is so worthwhile. 

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What have I been up to?

I had 8 senior facilities last week, and one had to be cancelled for a COVID outbreak. I’m sorry to hear that. Sounds like we’d better be extra careful this Fall and Winter. 

My Wednesday online show was doing ‘60s and ‘70s R&B tunes, and it was so much fun! The group really enjoyed it too. There’s just something so infectious about these songs with a great backbeat that move you. 

I had the weekend off as we headed over to the Western Slope of Colorado to celebrate our niece's wedding. It was a wonderful time!

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What am I up to this week?

My Wednesday online show 7-8:45 mountain time will be the music of Dan Fogelberg as I wrote above. His music has meant so much to me over the years. I connected with it right away the first time I heard it back in the '70s, and I always loved his ability to be so poetic and so wise even through the angst he so often wrote about. Come on out if you can!

My Sunday online show 7-8:45 mountain time will be Favorites and Requests as always, and I know it’ll be a good time with some great friends. I’d love to have you in the audience!

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That’s it for this week. Next week I have a fun event in the Denver area on Saturday from 11:30 to 1:30 at the Littleton Museum for their Harvest Festival. Please come out for this free day in the pumpkin patch at this beautiful location if you’re in the Denver area. 

Best always,

Tom

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Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing an online concert of Dan Fogelberg songs

Where:  facebook.com/tom.munch and tommunch.com/online-concerts  

When:  Wednesday, October 4, 7-8:45 pm mountain time

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing an online concert of favorites and requests 

Where:  facebook.com/tom.munch and tommunch.com/online-concerts  

When:  Sunday, October 8, 7-8:45 pm mountain time