Monday, July 30, 2018

Limbo

Last week was the first week I’ve played back in the Cuchara Valley since the tremendous fire that swept through the area a month ago.  To say it was surreal is an understatement.  Anyone who has been through a cataclysmic event knows the realities of having your life upended and rearranged.  Folks were in limbo for a couple weeks there - not knowing if they would have to evacuate and whether they would have a home when it was all over.  It resets your priorities, and it makes you feel at sea for a long time.  And it gives you abandon to truly enjoy the little and big things of life.  All the events I played had folks feeling joyous and free like I seldom see.  They were so thankful and so united - and they danced and laughed.  It was very heartening, and I felt blessed to be a part of the celebration.  Truly this is the stuff of life - enjoying our time here without fear or worry.  I saw it personally at Philmont and in New Mexico after the fire the month before.  I saw it personally at the Royal Gorge Bridge when the fire swept through there several years ago, and we saw it globally after 9/11.  These events that stop us and put us in limbo are gifts that help us see how life can be lived every day.  Enjoy life, my friend.  It’s why we’re here.

What have I been up to?

Monday at the Royal Gorge Bridge was a lot of fun although it was a little hectic dealing with rain most of the day.  It never really rained hard, but it kept sprinkling off and on, and I tried to set up tarps for protection without much luck.  In the future I’ll just be ready to pack up and go when it rains.

Thursday was a wonderful evening at the Yellow Pine barbecue.  It was good to see the folks and share memories.  I love this place!

Friday was a party played with my friend Dennis Mills on bass and vocals at a house in Cuchara where we partied like there was no tomorrow.  Everyone was so joyous after the fire.  Happy Birthday, Danette!

Saturday was DJ’ing for the La Veta Fire Auxiliary folks.  It was great to see the volunteer firefighters and thank them for there heroic efforts during the fire.  Everyone was in high spirits and full of emotion as we watched the slides of the firefighting and then danced ’til the wee hours.

Sunday was the Feed Store concert in Westcliffe which was really well attended.  I was a little beat up after several busy days and late nights, but I had a great list of songs that carried right up to the end of the show when rain forced us to back into the amphitheater and sing the last song acoustically with great harmonies from the audience gathered ‘round.  Magical!

What’s up this week?

Monday and Tuesday 12:30-4:30  I’m back at the Royal Gorge Bridge for two afternoons of fun.  I really get to stretch out and do some cool and unexpected tunes as I interact with the tourists rolling through.  Come on out if you’re in the area.

Thursday 6:30-8:30 I’m back at the Yellow Pine Barbecue.  I still haven’t seen all my friends from Cuchara, and I aspect this week will bring even more out to celebrate and enjoy great barbecue in the old barn.  As always call 719-742-3528 for reservations by Tuesday if you want to come.

Friday 6:30-8:00 I’m playing a free concert at I Love Lucy’s RV Park in La Veta.  This is always a very special event on the great little stage at Lucy’s.  Bring a lawn chair and something to drink, and there’ll be popcorn and good music to share!

Saturday 10:30-12:00 I’m playing the Celebrate Aguilar Street Festival and Car Show in Aguilar.  I’ve never played this before, but my friend Sandy Dolak suggested me for this and it looks like it will be a fine event.  Come on out and enjoy the history and town of Aguilar!

Sunday I’m playing music before and also during the services at 9:30 and 11:00 at the Cuchara Chapel.  I always enjoy getting to play spiritual songs and old hymns, and the folks in Cuchara are like family.  Come on out if you can.

Sunday 7:00-8:15ish MDT I’ll be doing my First-Sunday Online Living Room Concert at concertwindow.com/tommunch.  I SO enjoy seeing everyone around the country at these online concerts.  It’s my chance to connect with so many who don’t live in the immediate area.  Please tune in if you can.

That’s it for this week.  This is one crazy rollercoaster ride of a summer.

Best always,

Tom

Details this week:

Who: Tom Munch
What: playing and singing
Where: South side of the Royal Gorge at the Royal Gorge Bridge on the stage just east of the bridge
When: Monday and Tuesday, July 30 and 31, 12:30 pm-4:30 pm

Who:  Tom Munch
What:  playing & singing at the Barbeque
Where:  Yellow Pine Guest Ranch, Cuchara.  719-742-3528
When:  Thursday, Aug 2, 6:30-8:30 pm

Who:  Tom Munch
What:  playing an outdoor concert
Where:  I Love Lucy's Place RV Park, 226 W. Grand Avenue, La Veta. 719-742-3252
When:  Friday, Aug 3, 6:30-8:00 pm

Who:  Tom Munch
What:  playing at the Celebrate Aguilar Festival
Where:  Aguilar, CO, on the street!
When:  Saturday, Aug 4, 10:30 am - 12:00 pm

Who:  Tom Munch
What:  playing and singing
Where:  online at https://concertwindow.com/tommunch
When:  Sunday, Aug 5, 7-8:15ish pm MDT

Monday, July 23, 2018

Sincerity

I just got back from a family-filled weekend at my nephew's wedding. It was a beautiful event with near-perfect weather. Throughout the whole weekend what struck me over and over was the thought of sincerity. Everyone at the wedding was so sincere and genuine in their thoughts and expressions to each other. I take this for granted usually because our family has not normally been one for emotional games, but I know this isn’t the way it is in so many places in our lives. From advertising to politics to interactions in everyday life we are always questioning motives and agendas. What a different world it would be if everyone understood that we are here to enjoy life and live it with abandon. What happiness could be had from seeing the big picture that we all are part of each other and can know more joy by helping than by hurting. We get so wrapped up in our lives that we forget who we are and why we are here. I write these words to encourage myself as well. There is more fulfillment in giving than receiving, and there is more peace in sincerity than game-playing.

What have I been up to?

Tuesday and Wednesday were really nice at the Royal Gorge Bridge. I meet such fine folks there, and I even had some old friends celebrating anniversaries who came up. It was marvelous!

Friday and Saturday were wedding celebrations with family and singing and providing sound for the other wonderful musicians, Diana and Teed, who joined in the festivities. It was beautiful. Congrats, Eric and Katie!

What am I up to this week?

Monday 12:30-4:30 I’ll be at the Royal Gorge Bridge. Hopefully it will be fine day although we may get some rain.

Thursday 12:30-4:30 I’m back at the Yellow Pine for the first barbecue since the fire. I’m SO looking forward to seeing everyone. There will be many hugs and fond greetings. Everyone is so glad to be through such a trial. Come on up of you can, but call by Tuesday for reservations. 719-742-3528

Friday I’m playing a private party in Cuchara with my good friend and bassist, Dennis Mills. It will be a fun and crazy night for sure!

Saturday 6-10 I’m playing and DJ'ing for the La Veta Fire Department Auxiliary fundraiser in Cuchara. It’ll be good to thank the folks who did so much to protect the place that so many love. Come on out for a great time of dancing and sharing!

Sunday 2:00-4:30 I’m playing a free concert in Westcliffe at the Feed Store Amphitheater. I look forward to seeing the folks and playing at this amazing venue each year. If you’ve never been it’s a highlight of my year. It’s such a beautiful park and setting under the Sangre de Cristo mountains. I’d love to have you there.

This is one crazy week. Send me some good juju to keep up my stamina. I’ll be loving it.

I’d better run. I hope to see you soon. As Chuck Pyle said, “Always be sincere - even if you don’t mean it.” Seriously though, be sincere and genuine.  It makes life so much more loving.

Best,

Tom

Details this week:

Who: Tom Munch
What: playing and singing
Where: South side of the Royal Gorge at the Royal Gorge Bridge on the stage just east of the bridge
When: Monday, July 23, 12:30 pm-4:30 pm

Who:  Tom Munch
What:  playing & singing at the Barbeque
Where:  Yellow Pine Guest Ranch, Cuchara.  719-742-3528
When:  Thursday, July 26, 6:30-8:30 pm

Who:  Tom Munch
What:  playing and DJ'ing for the La Veta Fire Department Auxiliary fundraiser
Where:  Cuchara Rec Hall
When:  Saturday, July 28, 6-10 pm

Who:  Tom Munch
What:  playing and singing a concert in the mountains
Where:  The Feed Store Amphitheater, 116 North 2nd Street, Westcliffe.  719-783-2771
When:  Sunday, July 29, 2-4:30 pm

Monday, July 16, 2018

Frustration and Peace

I’m running like a chicken with its head cut off this morning, but I’ll try to find some peace to write to you.  I often write about finding peace, and as I’m flying crazy this morning I’ll bring you along for the ride.  I got myself worked up over several things early this morning.  One was frustration with people striving and fighting and bringing chaos to their lives.  It’s so easy to get wrapped up in the minutia of everyday life and then strike out at others.  I always feel that this comes from forgetting who we are in the world and forgetting why we came here.  We are here to experience life on this planet in these bodies, and every individual moment is really all we need to concentrate on.  There is a little piece of love in every moment.  It doesn’t matter what happened a moment ago or what we think will happen in the next moment.  This moment now is amazing and full of every possibility we could ever dream of.  And our whole life is really just a moment, and all of history is really just a moment.  I don’t mean that it is short.  I mean that all of time throughout all eternity is really just a moment.  (I just read a science book called “The Order of Time” by Carlo Rovelli, so my mind is wrapped up with understanding time right now, but there’s some good wisdom here.)  At some point when we leave this world we will realize that all of time happens all at once and not as a linear series of moments as we experience now.  Our bodies can really only understand time in a linear way, but this concept helps me rise above the frustration of the day, and I get little glimpses of this understanding of time that fill me with peace.  I know this isn’t making much sense.  Maybe give a read to this book or others about time and space and maybe it will bring you a little peace too.

What have I been up to?

Monday was a really nice day at the Royal Gorge Bridge. I even had friends visit who had been ousted from their house by the Spring Fire but luckily didn’t get burned out.

Tuesday was playing for the rafting Scouts who were very receptive to my music and very excited about getting to hike Colorado in lieu of hiking at Philmont this summer.

What am I up to this week?

Monday and Tuesday 12:30-4:30 I’m back at the Royal Gorge Bridge.  This summer has been very refreshing at the bridge with some very nice folks and some opportunities to play a wide variety of music.  Come on up if you get the chance.

Thursday I won’t be at the Yellow Pine for the barbecue.  We’ll start the barbecue up next week (the 26th), and I’ll be so excited to see my good friends up there and give some hugs and share some stories about the fire.  I miss those folks!

Friday and Saturday I’m spending with family celebrating my nephew Eric’s marriage to his lovely gal Katie and providing sound and playing some my own self as well.  This will be a wonderful weekend!

That’s it for this week.  Life is good.  I’m working on my fall schedule and hoping to book things around the area so I can see more of you.  Of course, we always have my First-Sunday online concerts where I get to see you all over the ether of the internet.  I have a couple benefit concerts coming up for the fires - more next week

Best always,

Tom

Details this week:

Who: Tom Munch
What: playing and singing
Where: South side of the Royal Gorge at the Royal Gorge Bridge on the stage just east of the bridge
When: Monday and Tuesday, July 16 and 17, 12:30 pm-4:30 pm

Monday, July 9, 2018

Love and Loss

My mind is swirling with all the inputs I’ve had over the last week. I’ve seen good friends and shared smiles and hugs at a reunion. I’ve watched tragedies and shed a tear for those who have loss in the fires. I’ve looked to the future and watched those starting new lives with loving joy with wedding plans for my nephew. I’ve shared time with those setting out on an adventure with young musicians just getting their feet under them. There’s just so much going on all around me at every extreme. And this is what life’s about, but this week was turned up to 11 for me. And it really charges me up when I’m feeling a little run down and am forgetting my joy for the moment. Life is so good. Reminds me of an old Cliff Richard song, “Such Is the Mystery.”

Let the day fall all around you
And let the breath of life surround you
What a day. It should be a holiday

Love your life, my friends.

What have I been up to?

Monday and Tuesday at the Royal Gorge Bridge last week were hot days, but I met some great people and shared some great music. It’s such a neat place to play.

Monday night I got to spread some patriotic cheer playing a few tunes for my friend Mari’s quilting group tribute to women veterans.

Saturday I got to play a concert for a mini-reunion at Philmont Scout Ranch and their dedication of a new staff association office. It was a beautiful night of music under the stars. My friend Ellyn Washburne backed me up on fiddle and vocals on several tunes to round out the evening.

What’s up this week?

Monday 12:30-4:30 I’m at the Royal Gorge Bridge on the south side stage again. I talk about how much I love doing this gig, and it’s true. Please stop by if you’d like a fun afternoon.

Tuesday I’m playing for the only group of rafting scouts I get to play for this summer. It’s sad that the Ute Park Fire affected so many of folks with the closing of Philmont to hikers this summer. I enjoy the enthusiasm and spirit these young people have.

Thursday we won’t be doing the barbecue at the Yellow Pine this week. Cuchara is still under evacuation, and I’m sure we’ll need a week or more to get back and running once everyone is back.

Sunday I was going to play at the Cuchara chapel a couple times for services and a memorial, but I’m sure those are delayed for now. That’s okay. There’s lots more to do to get ready for my nephew’s wedding in two weeks!

That’s it for this week. There’s never a dull moment in our lives, and living to the fullest should be like this.

Best always,

Tom

Details this week:

Who: Tom Munch
What: playing and singing
Where: South side of the Royal Gorge Bridge on the stage just east of the bridge
When: Monday, July 9, 12:30 pm-4:30 pm

Monday, July 2, 2018

Dealing with Angst

Once again we have great angst and worry in our lives.  This time it’s again caused by fires - an all-too-common theme in the summertime West.  There’s just an abundance of dry fuel combined with hot and windy days, and one spark is all it takes.  I’ve seen all kinds of emotions in the mountain towns affected - fear, anger, empathy, love, confusion, peacefulness, vigilance.  I can relate to all of these.  The power of the unknown and the uncertainty of the future is something we live with everyday, but it isn’t quite as present as when a giant monster cloud of smoke and ash is bearing down on us.  I know everything will be okay even if it doesn’t resemble what I know now.  People will rebuild and the mountains will recover in their own beautiful ways.  That is what always drives me.  I believe that there is always more love to be shared and a better future to be found - it’s just how we choose to look at it.  We can be fearful and doubting or we can be loving and supportive of ourselves and each other.  All things will pass.  All of these forces are part of us, and that is again part of the magic and mystery of the universe and our time here.

What have I been up to?

Monday and Tuesday last week at the Royal Gorge Bridge were great!  Monday was one of the most beautiful days I can remember there - perfect weather and beautiful views.  Tuesday I got to interact with so many people on the visitor deck, and that was even cooler!

Thursday was an impromptu fundraiser for the firefighters at the Yellow Pine as the fire was just getting going and no one knew that Cuchara and the Yellow Pine would be evacuated the very next day.  We couldn’t get meat from the barbecue people in Alamosa with La Veta Pass being closed temporarily and then permanently, so Lee and the staff arranged for a free sandwiches and appetizers meal with all moneys contributed going to the La Veta Fire Protection folks.  Unfortunately we didn’t get a lot of folks to come out - once again there was too much angst in the air with the approaching fire.

Saturday was a wonderful party for my niece Laura and her fiancee Josh that was really fun.  Really looking forward to your wedding, you two!

Sunday was a fundraiser for VFW Post 4051 arranged my RV friends Galen and Sue Steele.  I immensely enjoyed talking to these folks and sharing an afternoon with them.  We didn’t raise quite as much money as we had hoped, but it was all good.

Sunday was also my First-Sunday Online Living Room Concert.  I definitely was more contemplative with the fire on my mind, and I picked a number of songs that fit the mood.  Many said it was just what they needed.

What am I up to this week?

Monday and Tuesday 12:30-4:30 I’m back at the Royal Gorge Bridge.  I’m on the south side by the bridge both days this week.  If you have family in town or are traveling through please stop by and enjoy some music.

Monday night I’m playing a private tribute to local women veterans and active service members that should be rewarding.  I love doing these kinds of events.

Thursday I won’t be at the Yellow Pine for the barbecue.  Please send good thoughts and energy to all those fighting the fires and displaced and affected by this ongoing situation.  The Yellow Pine is the headquarters for the firefighting operations in Cuchara with their big pastures for structural and firefighting operations and even a helipad and the pond for water supply.

Saturday I also won’t be at Art in the Park in La Veta.  They’ve had to cancel all their Independence Day weekend celebrations this year with the fire.   Again send them good energy.

Saturday I will be doing a special concert at Philmont Scout Ranch for the staff and the folks who are down to dedicate a new building for the staff association.  I love playing for the folks at Philmont, and with no campers there until the middle of July this will be a special chance to do a show with lots of energy and camaraderie amongst the staff.  I’m really looking forward to it!

That’s it for this week.  Remember that angst is just a reminder that we are here a short time and should enjoy it to the fullest.

Best always,

Tom

Details this week:

Who: Tom Munch
What: playing and singing
Where: South side of the Royal Gorge Bridge on the stage just east of the bridge
When: Monday and Tuesday, July 2 and 3, 12:30 pm-4:30 pm