Monday, February 25, 2019

Grief

This morning’s Cuchara Chapel was about letting go. I even wrote a song for it that I would like to share sometime. The gist of it was that we are more than our thoughts and feelings, and that if we learn to view our feelings as something we can experience and let pass we will be deeper and more peaceful people. The example Reverend Eileen used was the sudden passing of her beloved cat Toby recently and how she dealt with the shock of his illness and the quick decision she had to make to put him down. And that led to several thoughts about grief after the service that I’m still thinking about. I find grief a curious thing that I’ve never learned to deal with in a way that I feel right about. As a performer I have usually not been able to take time to grieve. I’ve always had to put on a show soon afterwards where I needed to smile and be present for the audience. I’ve never felt worried about those I lost, so I have been okay with the loss, but I still feel that I should have had more grieving. Maybe the floodgates will open one day, and I’ll be inconsolable. That would be okay with me. I don’t have guilt, but I just feel that I want to cry more. If I don’t that’s okay with me too. I often say that my spiritual path has led me to feel that everything will be okay, and maybe that’s what makes me feel that the lack of grieving is okay too. So if you see me someday with  tears streaming down my face you’ll know why. But if you see me with a peaceful smile you’ll know why too.

——

What have I been up to?

I already told you about playing for Cuchara Chapel last Sunday. It was a wonderful service that was followed by a lovely get-together afterwards with several of the folks from the chapel. Oh, my song is simply called “Letting Go,” and the chorus goes:

Letting go, letting go, let the feelings ebb and flow
I am not my thoughts and feelings, I’m letting go

——

What am I up to this week?

Friday 6-9 I’m back at Bistoro in Pueblo for my regular first-Friday gig. It’s such a wonderful place with so much love for friends, food, and music. I feel very fortunate to have it in my life. Please come if you can. Better make reservations if you come. We had to turn away a lot of folks last month. 719-696-9672

Sunday 7-8:15 MST is my first-Sunday online living room concert. I have enjoyed doing these for the past year. This time out I already have some special songs planned, and I’m sure I’ll do some Irish songs for St. Patrick’s Day and also some Mardi Gras songs since it’s just two days later on the 5th. Please join me if you can. I’ll make sure it’s a free concert this month. concertwindow.com/tommunch

——

That’s it for this month. Thank you for your friendship!

Best always,

Tom

——

Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch
What:  playing and singing
Where:  Bistoro, 109 Central Plaza, Pueblo. 719-696-9672
When:  Friday, March 1, 6-9 pm

Who:  Tom Munch
What:  playing and singing a concert from my living room
Where:  online at https://concertwindow.com/tommunch
When:  Sunday, March 3, 7-8:15 MST

Monday, February 18, 2019

Judging

I’m struggling with something today that I often confront - judging others and their situations. It’s such an easy thing to do, and it’s so ugly. In my heart I believe we really are all equal and intertwined to the deepest levels of science and spirit. In that light I have understanding for all people and situations, and I know that judgement is unjustified. We all are just making our way with the level of awareness of our situation we have attained so far in our lives. But in the moment my first inclination is to think bad thoughts and say unkind things about those who think, say, and act differently than me, not to mention those who look different than me. When I find myself with these thoughts of judging others I try to rise above the moment and up into my belief that we will all one day understand how intertwined we all are down to minutest bits of science and spirit. It doesn’t have to be this way. I just have to remember my beliefs.

——

What have I been up to?

Last Saturday night at Walter's Brewery was loads of fun! When I arrived there were only about 3 people in the place, and I was worried it would be a slow night, but friends soon flocked in and made it great. Thank you, friends! I’ll be back March 29th.

——

What’s up this week?

Sunday I’m back at Cuchara Chapel at 10:00 am to hear Eileen's great message and play some tunes. It is a real pleasure to get to participate in these services with the people of the Cuchara Valley. If you’re up for a drive come on out to see the valley in the snow and get a little spiritual recharge.

——

That’s it for this week. I’ve been back in writing mode a bit of late. I know that many of you have said I should be writing songs in the vein of what I write in these mailers. I’m trying to do just that! More on that as I move along. From today's thoughts, how about a song called “Science and Spirit” or something to that effect?

Best,

Tom

——

Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch
What:  playing and singing for chapel service
Where:  Cuchara Chapel, 16400 CO Hwy 12, Cuchara, CO
When:  Sunday, February 24, 10:00 am

Monday, February 11, 2019

Spring Cleaning in February

My wife Jen and I spent time today going through my stuff in the closet and my dresser we call my “cowboy cabinet.” (We call it that because it has what look like cattle brands up and down its surface.)  I like to say that I don’t need much to be happy and that anything I don’t really use I get rid of, but I’m also sentimental and have trouble giving up things. That said, I’m also very “out of sight and out of mind” with most possessions once they’re gone. In fact as I age I can completely forget about things that were once important to me. But as I go through things I have all kinds of memories that surface - shirts that I remember wearing to weddings and special events, shoes and boots that I wore to a dance or favorite hike, t-shirts from places we visited or which were given to me. Then there are the things I haven’t used in years that I hold onto just in case I need them sometime. It’s crazy I tell you how we can over-rationalize the simplest things. And I know in the long run it doesn’t mean anything, and I yearn for the days when I could fit everything I owned in the back of a car. But today I made some good decisions, and it made me weigh things that trigger deep thoughts in my brain. It’s always interesting to me to watch how we work things out in this life.

What have I been up to?

I sent out an update mid-week last week that Cuchara Chapel rescheduled my performance to February 24th, so I just had my schedule of nursing and retirement facilities last week.

What am I up to this week?

Saturday night 7-10 I’m back at Walter’s Brewery Taproom for a fun evening of my music, good beer, and good friends. We had a great time last month, and I’m really looking forward to this time. I was a little too loud last time trying to ride the energy in the room, and this time I think I’ll turn down a little so it’s a little more intimate. Come on out if you can!

What’s on the horizon?

I scheduled my dates at the Royal Gorge Bridge for the summer. I’ll have my friend Dennis Mills from Cuchara sitting in on bass for most of the summer for a little more sound and variety, and we may add a third player a few times too. I really enjoy playing with Dennis, and I hope you can make it out sometime this summer to hear us on the south side of the bridge up the hill. The dates I’ve scheduled are:

June 3, 10, 17, 24, 25, 28
July 1, 3, 8, 15, 16, 19, 22, 29
Aug 5, 12, 13, 16, 19, 26, 30
Sept 2

All days are 12:30-4:30.

That’s it for this week. Be good, and I hope to see you soon.

Best,

Tom

Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch
What:  playing and singing
Where:  Walter’s Brewery Taproom, 126 Oneida Street, Pueblo. 719-542-0766
When:  Saturday, February 16, 7-10 pm

Monday, February 4, 2019

What are Music and Dreams?

In case you hadn’t noticed, I spend a lot of time pondering things philosophical and spiritual.  The greatest mysteries to me are music and dreams.  I can have all kinds of theories and beliefs about science and death and spirituality, but I can’t fathom what music really is or dreams.  Music is many things - mathematical in its relationships between notes, rhythms, and frequencies; emotional in it’s ability to move us to tears and laughter; and even spiritual when it goes beyond all understanding.  But there is magic beyond this in music that I cannot explain, and I’ve read all kinds of studies and articles trying to explain it.  I’m just thankful to be involved in it.  Dreams are kind of the same thing to me - analyzed but never truly understood.  I find dreams to be both comforting and disturbing.  I’ve even asked spiritual gurus about dreams, and they confessed to not really knowing what they are either.  Some say they are the brain working out things from our conscious lives.  Others say dreams are communication with the other side.  I don’t know if I’ll ever have an answer for myself.  So I guess I’ll just go on enjoying music and dreams.  What do you think of them?

What have I been up to?

Friday night last was a packed house at Bistoro with lots of wonderful folks and friends.  It was so much fun.  I went the full three hours without a break because I was enjoying it so.

Sunday was my online concert up against the Super Bowl (or the superb owl as one person called it.)  I had a pretty good crowd, but I messed up the online setup so that it was asking everyone to purchase a $1 ticket to listen.  As such several people got booted out after a few minutes if they didn’t want to put in a credit card.  I heartily apologize if this happened to you.  I’ll make sure I double-check the setup before I start from here on out to make sure that doesn’t happen again.  I have three choices - free show, pay what you want, or ticket, and I’ve always set it for free show or pay what you want in the past.  Anyway, it was a fun show with some originals, some love songs, and some Buddy Holly songs since it was the 60th anniversary of his death with Richie Valens and the Big Bopper.

What am I up to this week?

Sunday I’m playing for Cuchara Chapel again 10-11.  I’ve really been enjoying playing this beautiful little chapel this winter.  Eileen’s messages are always right on target, and the songs I’m getting to play for special music are becoming favorites.  Come on out if you’re in the area and would like to see the mountains in beautiful winter splendor with a bunch of good mountain folks.

That’s it for this week.  I’m setting dates for the Royal Gorge Bridge and several other venues now, so I’ll have lots to talk about in the future.

Best,

Tom

Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch
What:  playing and singing for chapel service
Where:  Cuchara Chapel, 16400 CO Hwy 12, Cuchara, CO
When:  Sunday, February 10, 10:00 am