Gratitude

It’s Thanksgiving week, and it’s the time for reflection on the things we are thankful for. I’ve often heard in recent years that we should always approach our days with an attitude of gratefulness and grace. I agree with this, and last year I made the argument that we are worthy of the things we receive. To add to this I will say that we regularly don’t expect giving from others, but that maybe we should. If we all gave to each other on a continuous basis we would be happier and better people, I think. I remember a time many years ago when a friend gave me something and I thanked him. He replied with something like, “We just give back and forth to each other.” By that he meant that the gifts and payments we make to each other are gestures of kindness and respect that we pass back and forth. I like this. If we saw the money and things we exchange like this we might have a better understanding of this life. It’s really just showing that we’re thankful and respectful for the time and effort that someone has spent for our benefit. In the end this is all that matters - the interaction and care, not the money and stuff. So I’m thankful for what’s given to me and shared with me - the time, care, help, and yes, love. And I will keep giving with gratitude. Happy Thanksgiving!

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What have I been up to?

I had 15 senior facilities last week, and they were all a blast with thankful songs and smiling faces. I love these folks.

My Wednesday online show was songs from 1969 again, and everyone got into another batch of great songs from that year. It was quite a time.

Sunday morning I played for brunch at the Garden of the Gods Club in the Grand View Restaurant. I had a good time making up new arrangements of songs and playing old favorites. It’s fun to see which songs the audience notices as they enjoy their food and company.

My Sunday online show was favorites and requests as always, and there were some good ones. I love this audience of Munch Bunchers.

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What am I up to this week?

I have 8 senior facilities this week, and I’m looking forward to sharing more thankful songs with them all and reminiscing about Thanksgiving celebrations. This is such a wonderful time to share music.

My Wednesday online show 7-8:45 mountain time will be thankful songs, and there are some great ones.  Come on by and join in the fun and gratitude if you’re free on Wednesday night!

Friday evening 5-7 I’m playing instrumental tunes at the Pueblo Country Club. This is the first time I’ve played instrumental tunes there, and I’m looking forward to it! It’s for members and their guests only, so if you’re a member come on out!

My Sunday online show 7-8:45 mountain time will be favorites and requests as always, and it’s always a great time with the Munch Bunch. Hope you can join in. 

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That’s it for this week. I hope you have a healthy and happy Thanksgiving!

Best always,

Tom

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Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing an online concert of thankful songs

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

When:  Wednesday, November 27, 7-8:45 pm mountain time

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing instrumental guitar tunes for members and their guests

Where:  Pueblo Country Club

When:  Friday, November 29, 5 - 7 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, December 1, 7-8:45 pm mountain time

1969

I’m doing a second week of tunes from 1969 for my Wednesday night online theme show, so I thought I’d write a little about 1969. Of course, it was a pretty turbulent year in the US with the Vietnam War still raging and a new president (Nixon) in the White House. It was the year of Woodstock and the first moon landing, so there was a lot of hope and music. The Beatles made their last performance on the roof of Apple Records and released “Abbey Road” as Monty Python made their first TV episode. David Bowie released “Space Oddity” as Edward Kennedy drove off a bridge in Chappaquiddick and Mary Jo Kopechne drowned. Charles Manson killed 5 people in LA as “The Brady Bunch” aired for the first time (which I remember watching all the time). Finally at the end of the year The Rolling Stones had a concert at Altamont with the Hells Angels working security where 4 people died, as Tiny Tim and Miss Vicky got married on Johnny Carson’s show. There were so many things happening in that year, but as a little kid in Nebraska in 2nd and 3rd grade I just remember seeing some of this stuff on the TV news as I had my first kiss and struggled with math class. My brother was off to college, and my 3 teenage sisters were still at home, so there was lots of activity in the house. We had a cat who was having litters of kittens that I remember naming and playing with. I was taking piano lessons, but I had no illusions about playing the great music I was hearing on the radio as a career although I could sing along to all my favorites. We spent some time in the mountains that summer as well as spending weekends going to a lake where we could swim and row around in a rowboat or sail with our dad in his sailboat. I remember watching Neil Armstrong take that “small step for man” on TV with Walter Cronkite commenting. It was all pretty magical, and some of these moments come back when I play the music of that year, although I have later memories of hearing these tunes as well. It was quite a year, and I’m looking forward to Wednesday’s celebration of the music from 1969. What are your memories from 1969?

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What have I been up to?

I had 11 senior facilities to play for last week, and I really loved playing for all of them. I started doing thankful songs for Thanksgiving as well as doing some of the 1969 songs I was doing for the Wednesday show last week. 

My Wednesday online show was songs from 1969 as I wrote above, and it was a blast. There was lots of rock and roll and lots of memories shared.

Friday night I played the Grand View Restaurant at the Garden of the Gods Club, and I had a great time especially since I got to see a friend who had run the La Veta Inn when I played there 20 years ago.

Sunday morning I played the Grand View Restaurant again for brunch, and I had a nice group of folks who were very complimentary. 

My Sunday online show was favorites and requests, and there were some good ones and unexpected ones which I always love. This online group is so wonderful to be a part of.

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What am I up to this week?

I have 15 senior facilities this week, and I’m looking forward to all of them. It takes so little to do so much for people sometimes. Music is magic.

My Wednesday online show 7-8:45 mountain time will be songs from 1969 as I wrote above. This will be a blast, and I know the group will be in fine form. Come on out!

Sunday morning 11-2 I’m back at the Grand View Restaurant at the Garden of the Gods Club for brunch. I’m having so much fun coming up with arrangements of so many great melodies and favorite songs. And the food looks scrumptious! Come out if you can, and definitely make reservations - 888-994-3156.

My Sunday online show 7-8:45 mountain time will be favorites and requests as always, and I cherish these Sunday nights when I get to spend the evening with such good people playing good music. You’re always welcome!

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That’s it for this week. Next week is Thanksgiving, and I’ll do a special show of thankful songs on Thanksgiving Eve. That will be sweet! I hope you’re happy and healthy. If you’re not, then I’m sending out “hugs and howls” as the Munch Bunch says to give you strength and peace.

Best,

Tom

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Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing an online concert of 1969 songs

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

When:  Wednesday, November 20, 7-8:45 pm mountain time

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing instrumental guitar tunes

Where:  Garden of the Gods Resort and Club in the Grand View Restaurant. 888-994-3156

When:  Sunday, November 24, 11 am - 2 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, November 24, 7-8:45 pm mountain time 

Change

I wanted to write something relevant to the election we just had last week. No matter what you think of the results or the myriad issues surrounding the state of the nation, there is one thing for sure - there will be some significant change in the coming years. Like always, change can be good and bad. I’m not one who shies away from change. At times I have sought it out for the excitement and challenge it brings. As I get older I don’t like it as much because I’ve found that I’m not as malleable or as sharp as I once was. Change also means uncertainty which is hard to deal with in older age. We kind of want everything worked out and secure when it becomes time to retire. But I’m not quite to retirement yet, and I think I can roll with the punches if they’re not too jarring. As I look back over my life I’ve dealt with more change than it seems between job changes and family and other losses. Some of it was gradual, and some of it was sudden and unexpected. I’ve learned and been scarred from many of them, and still I feel pretty objective and optimistic. I often say, “one day we’ll all understand”, and I think that fits the present changes. So whether you’re upset or ecstatic over the election, I hope you find some comfort or joy in these words.

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What have I been up to?

I had 9 senior facilities last week, and unfortunately 2 of them had to be cancelled and rescheduled when the big snowstorm rolled in and shut down the interstate on Friday south of here. One of them was just getting over a COVID outbreak, so I had to wear a mask there. I enjoyed seeing all the folks and offering up some musical encouragement.

My Wednesday online show was doing outlaw songs, and it was so much fun sharing these sometimes gritty and exciting songs. The group seemed to really enjoy it.

Friday night I drove through the snow to play guitar instrumentals for the Garden of the Gods Club in Colorado Springs. I added some more new instrumentals that went over well. 

My Sunday online show was a good one too. I’m so thankful to have such a great community of fans and friends who share my joy in the music.

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What am I up to this week?

I have 11 senior facilities this week including a veterans’ show tomorrow morning for Veterans Day. I love playing for these folks!

My Wednesday online show 7-8:45 mountain time will be songs from 1969 as a continuation of the songs from different years of the early 1970s that I did over this past year on several theme nights. There were a lot of great songs from 1969, and I’m really looking forward to playing them. Come on out if you have favorites from this year!

Friday night 6-9 I’m playing instrumental guitar tunes at the Grand View Restaurant at the Garden of the Gods Club in Colorado Springs once again, and I know it’ll be fun playing more cool arrangements of songs I know. Come out and listen and have a great meal.

Reservations are a must - 888-994-3156.

Sunday morning 11-2 I’m back at the Grand View Restaurant at the Garden of the Gods Club in Colorado Springs to play for brunch. The view is so pretty that it’s worth it just for that. Again reservations are a must - 888-994-3156.

Sunday my online show 7-8:45 mountain time will be favorites and requests again, and I always look forward to these satisfying evenings of friendship and great tunes. I’d love to have you tune in too.

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That’s it for this week. I hope you have your own ways of dealing with change that help you no matter what may come.

Best always,

Tom

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Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing an online concert of 1969 songs

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

When:  Wednesday, November 13, 7-8:45 pm mountain time

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing instrumental guitar tunes

Where:  Garden of the Gods Resort and Club in the Grand View Restaurant. 888-994-3156

When:  Friday, November 15, 6-9 pm 

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing instrumental guitar tunes

Where:  Garden of the Gods Resort and Club in the Grand View Restaurant. 888-994-3156

When:  Sunday, November 17, 11 am - 2 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, November 17, 7-8:45 pm mountain time 

Outlaws

I’m doing a show of outlaw songs on Wednesday, and so I’m thinking about the old outlaw legends and what drives folks to become outlaws. We’ve all heard the stories of the outlaws of the old west up through the present day. There has always been a romance about them that probably goes all the way back to characters like Robin Hood. Some of the outlaws were truly bad men who committed heinous crimes, and some were just in the wrong place at the wrong time and had tall tales that spread about them. I think we all have a little outlaw spirit in us whether we express it through stealing a piece of candy as a kid or speeding down the highway as a teen or adult. Most of the time we are just rebels without a cause - feeling like we need to misbehave just to get a thrill and to feel like we aren’t dominated by a perceived injustice. It’s silly most of the time, and I’ve seen it in myself. Of course, there are some who take it too far and really hurt others with their carelessness or scofflaw attitude. We all have to live together somehow, and the rules do help keep us to a shared ethics that we have agreed to. But there is always that devil-may-care dream of freedom and randomness that tempts us. I’m old enough now that I think I’ll just stick to the outlaw songs.

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What have I been up to?

I only had 5 senior facilities last week , and so I got time to work on projects and have some time off. I really enjoyed the facilities I had, especially since it was Halloween week and we were doing all the fun and spooky Halloween songs.

My Wednesday online show was doing Halloween songs, and it was a lot of fun again creating a spooky backdrop and playing with lighting and effects. The songs and audience were spooky and great too. Boo! I love doing these shows.

Friday night I played instrumental tunes at the Garden of the Gods Club and I had a packed house that was very appreciative. I’m getting much more comfortable with playing all these guitar tunes now, and I’m still creating arrangements on the fly of songs I like or requests I get.

My Sunday online show was a banner night of favorites tunes and good requests. I’m always amazed at how meaningful and enjoyable these nights are.

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What am I up to this week?

I have 9 senior facilities this week, and now I’m doing songs to build up to the holidays. This is a fun time of year, and I love sharing it with these folks!

My Wednesday online show 7-8:45 mountain time will be doing outlaw songs as I wrote of above. I’ll be doing mostly old west outlaw songs for this show although I may include a couple surprises. It should be a good time, and you’re welcome to join me!

Friday night 6-9 I’m playing instrumental tunes again at the Grand View Restaurant at the Garden of the Gods Club in Colorado Springs. It’s always an interesting time of doing songs to see who reacts and comments on their walk by me. I love to surprise the audience with something unexpected and seasonal. Come on out if you can. Reservations are a must - 888-994-3156.

My Sunday online show 7-8:45 mountain time will be favorites and requests as always, and it’s always a wonderful evening of friendship and surprises. I’d love to have you tune in if you can!

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That’s it for this week. I hope you can control your outlaw urges this week! :-)

Best always,

Tom

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Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing and singing an online concert of outlaw songs

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

When:  Wednesday, November 6, 7-8:45 pm mountain time

Who:  Tom Munch 

What:  playing

Where:  Garden of the Gods Resort and Club in the Grand View Restaurant. 888-994-3156

When:  Friday, November 8, 6-9 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, November 10, 7-8:45 pm mountain time