Monday, December 29, 2014

Taking Stock and Looking Ahead

I always get a little reflective this time of year - even more than usual for me. The Christmas spirit faded in me almost like flipping a switch this year.  I got flu symptoms early in the morning Christmas Eve day (Tuesday morning), and I was mostly resting with the flu through Friday.  Sometime on Christmas day I felt a definite change in my mood that indicated that the Christmas spirit had just changed back to my normal outlook.  That was disappointing since I love the Christmas spirit and usually bask in it at least until the 27th or later.  The mood soon changed to thoughts of what had happened in the year and where I am headed in the next season and year.  One of the methodologies I’ve tried to practice in the past few years is that of David Allen’s “Getting things Done” or “GTD”.  That method encourages one to take stock on a regular basis and look ahead at least for the next two weeks.  I don’t practice this method as rigorously as I have in the past, but the end of the year definitely is a time when I come back to it.  So looking bad I had a pretty good year.  I had some fairly high-profile gigs that were a blast to be involved with.  Hy health was good for the most part with the exception of several months of troubles with veins on one leg that have been fixed now.  Jen and I had some fun and meaningful trips that brought us closer together.  There were several other high and low points like every year, but at 53 life is pretty good.  Looking ahead this year is a little up in the air.  Several of the places I have played over the past years may not be open to me this year, but several new places have appeared to take their place.  I'm feeling the creative spirit in a good way and am headed for an instrumental album that will open me up to melody and composition in new ways that are exciting.  I am always excited about the future because I see the magical possibilities that are always there - both seen and unseen.  I hope you do too.  The world is a wonderful place to spend this life!

What’s up this week?

Well, not much, and that’s okay.  Firstly I get New Year’s Eve off.  I know you may think that musicians would always want to be working on New Year’s Eve, but that’s not necessarily true.  It’s nice to not be out and about and be able to enjoy a holiday evening at home.  Then I would normally be at Magpies this Friday with it being the first Friday of the month, but Magpies won’t be open this Friday evening, so we’ll just do the third Friday of the month for January.  That’s the 16th.  Please plan on it if you can!

So that’s it for this week.  Please have a very Happy and safe New Year, and keep on keeping’ on!

Best always,

Tom

Monday, December 22, 2014

Merry Christmas!

Just a brief note to wish you a very Merry Christmas.  I'm taking the week off from weekend gigs to spend time with family for the holiday. This is such a special and sacred time, and it feels good to slow down and be holed up with those we love to share good food and fine times. I hope you can do the same.

The sing-along at Magpies last week was so much fun. I'm so glad that so many found time in their busy Christmas schedules to come together and share the music of the season.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Tom

Monday, December 15, 2014

Holiday Story

This time of year I share a lot of Christmas stories when I perform. I wanted to share at least one with you here. Maybe it will illustrate something meaningful for Christmas. When I was a kid I was what can only be called spoiled rotten. I know that may be hard to believe, but I was that kid you want to spank at the store because he misbehaves so much. So you can imagine how much this would mess up the whole naughty and nice thing, and so it did one year. That particular year I had one toy that I wanted from Santa in the worst way, and I think it was all I asked for. I don't remember what it was. I guess my parents thought that year was a good opportunity for a lesson in being more nice than naughty, because it wasn't wrapped up under the tree for me on Christmas morning. After I had opened all my presents I was visibly disappointed, so my mother asked me what was wrong. I told her that I didn't get the toy I really wanted from Santa, and my mother asked me why I thought that was so. I told her it was probably because I was so bad that year. She asked me if I thought I could be better the next year, and I told her I would try. She then told me that she thought she heard Santa in the front closet when he was delivering the presents, and maybe I should look there for the toy I wanted. I went to the closet, and there was the toy I had asked for. Now of course you'll want to know if I was nice the next year, and I'd love to tell you I was, but the truth is probably that I was bad once again. What can I say? I was not the best-behaved kid. Luckily I think I grew out of it. So does that illustrate something meaningful for Christmas? I guess not. At least I don't see how I can spin it into something for you to take away. I hope it was at least good for a laugh!

Highlights from the last two weeks

I've been playing a ton of Christmas events - mostly at my Alzheimer's and nursing facilities. I love to spread cheer and reminisce about Christmases gone by. Also we had a great time at Magpies on the 5th. We didn't do any Christmas sing-along songs, but that just sets us up for this next Friday all the more.

What's up this week?

Friday will be our Christmas Sing-Along at Magpies 7-10 then. We did this last year for the first time, and it was fun beyond anything I had hoped for. There's just something magical about sharing these songs that are so much at the core of our beings in our shared culture. It's one of the only phenomena that we share so broadly like this in our world. It's truly something special and sacred in its own way. Of course we don't have to just do sing-along songs, but I'll have my song sheets so we can do as much or as little as everyone wants. It will be great fun however we do it, and I'm really looking forward to it! Please come out if you can.

So that's it for this week. If you don't hear from me next week, I want to wish everyone a wonderful Christmas and New Year. Let it wash over you and fill you with joy!

Best,

Tom

Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch
What:  playing & singing for the sing-along
Where:  Magpies, 229 S. Union, Pueblo.  719-542-5522
When:  Friday, December 19, 7-10 pm

Monday, December 1, 2014

Facing Uncertainty

I’m coming back to a subject that comes around in all our minds every so often - uncertainty.  Of course we never know what is coming tomorrow, and when we let ourselves dwell on it, it can become many things - from paralyzing to exciting.  Anticipating things we are expecting can bring dark foreboding or a frenzy of enthusiasm.  So why am I thinking about this today?  Well, I’ve been listening to a great series on Wisconsin Public Radio about death which is not as dark as it sounds, but very thought-provoking, and also we are taking our dog in this week for surgery that hopefully will go well, but as we know there is always risk.  I’m also thinking of the joy and excitement of the Christmas season and all it brings.  I have so many different influences on my thoughts when I think about uncertainty.  From the Bible I know the great verse in Matthew about not worrying about tomorrow because tomorrow will worry for itself.  From experience I know that hardly anything I worry about actually comes to pass - instead it’s always something else (good or bad) that is often very interesting and not something I should fear.  From science and science fiction I have read that time and space are all connected in ways that I have a hard time fathoming, but seem to indicate that time just ‘is' and that we are moving through it.  That comforts me in an odd way - giving me an inkling that it’s something I will understand better someday.  I seldom let myself get too afraid of uncertainty.  It’s too easy to psych myself out and then be so self-involved that I can’t function or show love to those folks in my daily life.  So I’m gliding along today, and I’m not letting uncertainty invade what is another beautiful day and a beautiful season to be alive.  Happy Holidays, people!

Highlights from the last two weeks

Magpies went really well on Friday the 21st.  I had a good crowd of regulars with a few new faces, and we did a lot of 1970’s songs.  It was fun!  Then Saturday was a packed house at the Old Towne Carriage House for the Song of Pueblo with guest, Daniel Valdez.  It was an amazing night!  We had so many fine folks, and the history and the music all brought us to a great place once again.  It’s a joy to be involved in this show.  Thanksgiving weekend I didn’t play out anywhere, but I had a fantastic time seeing family and getting to share some music with them.  I hope you had a joyous and thankful time too!

What’s up this week?

Friday 7-10 I’m back at Magpies to start the holiday season.  I will bring my Christmas songsheets if anyone wants to sing Christmas songs, but I’m actually thinking of doing the official sing-along on the 19th unless anyone would rather do the sing-along this week.  Please let me know if you’d prefer that.  Of course we can do some sing-along songs both times, so no worries if you come and would like to do some singing.  This will be a fun holiday season, for sure!

That’s it for this week.  Hope to see you!

Best always,

Tom

Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch
What:  playing & singing
Where:  Magpies, 229 S. Union, Pueblo.  719-542-5522
When:  Friday, December 5, 7-10 pm