Monday, February 29, 2016

Choose Joy

I’ve been thinking about life again.  I have a friend from school who is going on a third bout with cancer.  Her family posted a great picture over the weekend of her in bed with everyone in T-shirts surrounding her that read “choose joy.”  I think she has tapped into what is most important in life - especially in the midst of stressful times - choosing to be grateful for life and loved ones.  This makes us joyful and happy.  It’s so easy to focus on what’s bad in the world and our lives, but time and again the ones who are happy and loving win the day.  In the long run isn’t that all that matters?

What have I been up to the last few weeks?

I played for the Odd Fellows group in Cañon City a couple weeks ago for a sweetheart dinner which went really well.  It was lightly attended, but we had a very good time sharing food and music.

Then Magpies was a great time doing a big mix of music for a varied group.  I love playing at Magpies.

We had a great rehearsal at the Arts Center preparing for the Song of Pueblo shows in April there.  We got to try out a fogger and a hazer as well as trying our new stage arrangement with risers and the Arts Center dancers.  This is going to be a special show!

Where am I this week?

Friday I’m at Magpies 7-10 down under again.  I always enjoy everyone there, and I’d love to see you if you can make it.  I’ll sneak a few Irish songs in preparation for St. Patrick’s Day, and I’m thinking of doing some cowboy songs.

What’s on the horizon line?

The Song of Pueblo shows are shaping up really well for April 18-20.  Call the Arts Center box office for tickets.  719-295-7200

My instrumental guitar album is almost done.  I posted a photo of the artwork to my Facebook and Twitter feeds today which you might have seen.  Here are links if you want see:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Tom-Munch-SingerSongwriter-138479020886/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/TomMunch
The mastering is done but for a final listen too.  I may have this in hand and ready for a CD release at Magpies in April.

I have a bunch of summer bookings as well even though I’m going to have to take some time off to wrap up my mom’s estate.  You can see those on my calendar on my website - http://tommunch.com.

That’s it for this week.  Thanks for you.

Best,

Tom

Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch
What:  playing & singing
Where:  Magpies, 229 S. Union, Pueblo.  719-542-5522
When:  Friday, March 29, 7-10 pm

Monday, February 15, 2016

Keeping Focus

I’m wanting to write about keeping focused this week.  I find as I go through this year that it’s really easy for me to lose track of either what I’m working on in a project or what I’m heading towards in general in this chapter of my life.  Of course, I expected some soul-searching activity after my mother’s passing, and age also leads to some fuzziness of direction sometimes, but as I weigh the important bits of my life I find that daily I have to determine just where to point myself.  Sometimes this is kind of nice (if I’m not bouncing from crisis to crisis) to go with the flow of each day and let my time be spent where my interest lies.  But I have a lot of interests, and I could easily go down the rabbit hole of the putterer (and I really want to save that for my old age! ☺).  So what do I do to bring some focus into my life each day?  Well, I have a running list of to-do’s that help somewhat, but that sometimes is just busy putterer work, so the best thing for me seems to be to look at the big picture again of what brings joy and love to myself and those around me.  That is a very broad view that pulls me back to where I want to be at this point in my journey, and then I can dig down to the level I need for today.  Just a thought that helps me focus.  How about you?

What have I been up to?

Magpies was a lot of fun the last time out.  We did a bunch of variety including some fun Motown songs and Glenn Frey tunes.  Then I had a bunch of Valentine’s gigs with some Mardi Gras tunes thrown in for good measure.  Highlights included playing a Valentine’s Day dinner in Cañon City for the First Christian Church ladies.  I even got to play a wonderful private party at the Songbird Cellars on Union in Pueblo - a really cool venue for live music and wine if you haven’t been there yet!

What’s up for this week?

I’m playing Magpies Friday 7-10, and I haven’t decided what direction to go yet tune-wise.  Any ideas?  I’ll try not to “jump the gun” on Irish tunes until March, even though I’d love to sing some.

I also have a private sweetheart dinner at the Oddfellows in Cañon City for any of you that might have a connection there.  They’re a great group of folks that I always enjoy.

That’s about it for now.  The preparations for the Song of Pueblo at the Arts Center the weekend of April 15-17 are in full swing.  It should be a great series of special shows with many additions that you won’t see anywhere else.  Get tickets at the Arts Center box office as soon as you can.

Best always,

Tom

Details this week:

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

Monday, February 1, 2016

What Makes Us Who We Are?

I spent last weekend and the weekend before going through stuff at my mom's house and then going through the boxes of toys and papers I brought back, and it's really amazing what triggers memory and reaction. Countless times I would run across a piece of a toy or a discarded note that would bring back some fleeting feeling from 50 years ago. It was uncanny the way I would react as if time hadn't passed. And as I paged through my early life I was reminded of how I changed over the years and of what things influenced me. There was joy and pain, achievements and guilt, and reminders of friends and watershed events. So many things stay with me from those times, and yet I also changed and made definite path choices as I reached adulthood. I believe that I choose every morning the kind of person I will be, but it's heartening to see that I carry the things that formed me close at hand as well, and it's thrilling to know that those memories are still there - just waiting to awakened. Now, anyone want some old Hot Wheels accessories?

What have I been up to the last few weeks?

Magpies was a blast the last time out. Lots of good friends were there, and we did dive into the oldies a bit that I had talked about. I love doing those old tunes, and I'm finding that there are less people I can sing them to every day. Then the wedding I talked about playing "Carry On" at was beautiful and went off without a hitch, no pun intended. Congrats again, Briana!

What am I up to this week?

Friday I'm back at Magpies 7-10 for what should be a good time. I'm not sure what I'll sing - maybe love songs with Valentines Day coming up. Either way I look forward to it. I've been doing more energetic songs lately for some of my facilities, so maybe we'll do some rock and soul.

What's in the plan for the year?

My instrumental album is coming along. I need to put together the artwork and finish the mastering, but it sounds pretty good, and I'm proud of what I wrote.

I won't be booking quite as much this year since I need to travel to Nebraska regularly to finish up my mom's estate, but I do have some interesting gigs I hope to pick up. I will be doing several Song of Pueblo shows at the Sangre de Cristo Arts Center in April that should be great. I'm hoping to talk to the new owner at the La Veta Inn about playing there. Hopefully I'll be back at the Yellow Pine, and I will be playing for the scouts traveling to Philmont again. In addition I have a new contact in the Springs that may see me more often playing up there. There will be a few festival and concert gigs I'll be telling you about as we approach the summer. It's all good, and I look forward to it. I'll probably be doing another online concert from my living room at some point too.

That's about it for this week.  Come on out if you can. I love to play for you and share a good time.

Best always,

Tom

Details this week:

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