Giving Thanks

I'm thinking about Thanksgiving and being thankful, and about family and caring for others this week.  I know Thanksgiving is over a week away, but I do a fair bit of reminiscing with the folks at the facilities I play for during the whole month of November as I try to engage people in a meaningful way, and so Thanksgiving is on my mind all November.  I usually ask them about their favorite thing about Thanksgiving.  The responses vary from food to the family gathering to football to the Black Friday sales frenzy.  Everyone has a little different tradition, and we talk about that as well.  And giving thanks works into that too, with some folks sitting down and making a list of the things they're thankful for.  It seems a shame that Thanksgiving has been reduced a bit over the years to a brief visit with family before the big show of the Christmas season.  I still refuse to sing Christmas songs before Thanksgiving - wanting to give Thanksgiving its due.  I wish there were more Thanksgiving songs.  I tend to sing "Over the River and Through the Woods" as well as the old hymn, "We Gather Together."  Sometimes I stretch the Thanksgiving motif a little to play "Turkey in the Straw."  I'll also sing "No Place Like Home for the Holidays" since it mentions traveling and getting some homemade pumpkin pie.  I have one story I always tell too that I enjoy.  I'll share it here.

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A TURKEY STORY

When I was a young turkey, new to the coop,
My big brother Mike took me out on the stoop,
Then he sat me down, and he spoke real slow,
And he told me there was something that I had to know;

His look and his tone I will always remember,
When he told me of the horrors of ..... Black November;
"Come about August, now listen to me,
Each day you'll get six meals instead of just three.

And soon you'll be thick, where once you were thin,
And you'll grow a big rubbery thing under your chin.
"And then one morning, when you're warm in your bed,
In'll burst the farmer's wife, and hack off your head;

"Then she'll pluck out all your feathers so you're bald'n pink,
And scoop out all your insides and leave ya lyin' in the sink,
"And then comes the worst part" he said not bluffing,
"She'll spread your cheeks and pack your rear with stuffing".

Well, the rest of his words were too grim to repeat,
I sat on the stoop like a winged piece of meat,
And decided on the spot that to avoid being cooked,
I'd have to lay low and remain overlooked;

I began a new diet of nuts and granola,
High-roughage salads, juice and diet cola,
And as they ate pastries, chocolates and crepes,
I stayed in my room doing Jane Fonda tapes,

I maintained my weight of two pounds and a half,
And tried not to notice when the bigger birds laughed;
But 'twas I who was laughing, under my breath,
As they chomped and they chewed, ever closer to death;

And sure enough when Black November rolled around,
I was the last turkey left in the entire compound;

So now I'm a pet in the farmer's wife's lap;
I haven't a worry, so I eat and I nap,
She held me today, while sewing and humming,
She smiled at me and said "Christmas is coming........"

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That story always pleases.

This idea of giving thanks for all the things we have that we know we don't deserve is a good one. The world can be a scary place, and the warm embrace of family and a gathering with food and comfort is something to truly be thankful for.  Happy Thanksgiving!

So what am I up to this week?

Friday I'll be playing an evening at the La Veta Inn in La Veta 6-9ish.  I always enjoy the Inn around the holidays, and I haven't gotten to play there at this season for several years, so I'm really looking forward to it!  The weather forecast is a little iffy right now, so cross your fingers for safe travels for me and anyone else who ventures out that night.

Best always,

Tom

Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch
What:  playing & singing
Where:  La Veta Inn, 103 W. Ryus Ave, La Veta.  719-742-3700
When:  Friday, November 22, 6-9 pm

Thinking of My Dad on Veterans Day

Happy Veterans Day!  I always think of my dad on Veterans Day and the time he spent in the service.  He served in the South Pacific as a medic, and although he didn't tell a lot of stories (as many vets are reticent to do) the stories he did tell always let me know how tough it was on him to serve.  He lost good friends for no apparent reason, missed being killed at random, and faced the enemy across a rice patty at one point where he could tell that the enemy was no more than a scared young man just like himself.  He saw beautiful tropical paradises juxtaposed with terrible destruction in the same day.  It always hit me that the things we ask our young men (and women) to do and to see are things that they will live with for the rest of their lives, and it seems like there is no real way to thank them enough for enduring the things they endure and risking their lives to defend our way of life.  My dad only mentioned these things when we asked about the small outrigger canoe that a native had made for him in New Guinea, or after seeing great films he wanted us to see like "Patton."  I love and respect him for doing what he did, and that goes for all the men and women who serve.  So Happy Veterans Day, and hopefully one day we will have lasting peace.

I just have one public gig this week - Magpies this Friday 7-10.  We had a great evening last time at Magpies, and I expect this one to be a blast as well.  Maybe I'll bring the electric and do a few jazz standards this outing.  Hope to see you there!

Tom

Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch
What:  playing & singing
Where:  Magpies, 229 S. Union, Pueblo.  719-542-5522
When:  Friday, November 15, 7-10 pm

Songwriting!

I'm writing a day later on Tuesday this week because I got to spend yesterday visiting my good friend, Don Richmond, and part of what we did between talking shop and sharing stories was to revisit a couple songs we've been working on writing for a couple years.  Collaborating with another writer is a really fun thing to do!  I get to bounce ideas around and flesh out more thoroughly than I usually do on my own.  We sit and talk about each line and how it fits into the overall arc of the story we're trying to tell.  We think about pacing and words and how it all fits together.  There are so many variables!  One song was based on an idea I had, and Don and I had quite a discussion about the topic before we dived in a couple years ago.  We had to pick this one back up and get into the idea again and expand on it.  This was quite an exercise in memory and reconnection.  The other song was based on a melody that Don came up with and lyrics that I kicked off.  It has an old-west feel that was really fun to work in.  The first song has a free-form ending that we just sketched out a little because we know it will take on a life of its own when the real recording is done.  I'm not sure whether one of us or both will record these songs, but they sure are fun to work on - the give and take, the reliance on each other's strengths and background, the fun of creating with someone else since it's usually a personal and individual adventure.  So I just had to share!  It's one of the more fun things I get to do in my work.

So what's up this week?

Friday I'm back at Magpies 7-10.  We had a blast last time starting up again for the season! Barrett may stop working Friday nights, so things may change a little.  We'll miss her for sure.  Please come out if you can.

Have a great Halloween!

Best always,

Tom

Details for this week:

Who:  Tom Munch
What:  playing & singing
Where:  Magpies, 229 S. Union, Pueblo.  719-542-5522
When:  Friday, November 1, 7-10 pm

Back from the Road - What I Learned

Well, we're back home and into the flow at home again - as much as you do right away, anyway.  It was a great trip in so many ways.  I had a friend ask me about it on Facebook, and I was surprised by my answer.

She said:

"So glad the vacation was what you both needed it to be."

My reply was:

"I hadn't thought of it that way. I guess it was that and more. I don't think you ever know what you need until you experience it. A vacation gets you outside yourself and your normal scope of life. This one did that. It also showed us what an extended time on the road is like. (We've never done two weeks off before.) It also got me to a festival where I got to soar like I haven't before. In addition I got ideas for new songs, connected with Jen in new ways that make our relationship even stronger, and made new friends. It really was all we needed and more."

That was a couple days ago.  I'm having a little post-trip coming down now that is bringing out other realizations.  There's a certain magic you experience when you travel that is interesting to recover from.  I wrote about it in my song, "The Road."  You have freedom in your mind to let your mind wander.  If you travel where we did you end up in pretty remote areas where you're almost unreachable.  You suspend your regular life in a way that lets you experiment with other life realities and other paths.  What if you could live in another place with another job or different priorities?   What would that be like?  You also see how other people live.  This lets you find out that your world is completely different than other people's worlds, and this helps to understand why people see the world and day-to-day life in different ways than you do.  (Life really is a wondrous thing with so many possibilities.)  And the thing I always ponder after a trip is just how to let these little epiphanies stay with me as I flow back into my regular life.  It's so easy to just pack it away with the pictures and souvenirs, and if I am to believe that it's better to spend our life resources on experiences and not things, then I want to take the time to make lasting changes based on the things I've seen and done on a trip.

So here are some things I want to hold on to.

-The Joy of Discovery
Even though we had read about different places and had a rough idea of where we wanted to go, we let the moment dictate our next move by trying new roads and new areas that we happened upon.  This led to sights, smells, and even tastes that were amazing and gratifying.  If I can break up my regular routine with a little of this I'll be a happier and more fulfilled person.

-The Love of Creativity and the Human Spirit
The festival in Prescott, AZ, where I got to play had some very creative people who could write and play in ways that thrilled me.  It reminded me that we humans can be endlessly inventive and expressive in ways that reflect the wonder of the universe and the vibrancy of life itself.  Remembering this every day can't help but make each day better.

-The Beautiful Silence and Awesome Roar of Nature
From the primeval hushed redwood forests we stood in to the tireless deafening white-capped waves we marveled at, the power of the natural world we experienced brought out a reverence and a peace that can silence any angst or unrest in the soul.  I know this and talk of it often, but I never grow weary of learning it all over again.  This surely can make every day worth living.

I think those are some great things to hold on to.

So on to the week ahead.

I just have one gig to tell you about this week, but it's a pretty special one.  Saturday night 8-midnight I'm playing for the Jimmy Durante Children's Fund Benefit Dinner at the Eagles Lodge in Pueblo West. Tickets are $28 per person or $50 per couple and include prime rib dinner.  Cocktails start at 5:30, dinner is served at 7:00, and I start playing at 8:00.  Call Rick Lack at 719-821-1115 for more information.  The event is limited to 80 people, and they are almost sold out, so call ASAP if you'd like to come. I'm glad to be a part of this, and I'd love to have you there!

Tom

Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch
What:  playing and singing for the Jimmy Durante Children's Fund Benefit Dinner
Where:  Pueblo West Eagles Lodge, 348 S. McCulloch, Pueblo West
When:  Saturday, October 26, 8-12

Tales from the Road

I'm writing from the road today.  Jen and I have been traveling up the coast of California after the festival in Prescott last weekend which was amazing!  I've never had a better reception from nicer and more supportive people.  They've already asked me back.  I got to play amongst some great singers and songwriters!  If you've never heard of Beth Fitchet Wood or Bob Frank (just two in particular) then go listen to their music right now.  I'd highly recommend them and any of the other folks I got to hear - not to mention the entire Sharlot Hall Music Festival.  It was superb!  Big thanks to Jan Collins for introducing my music to the Sharlot Hall folks, Steve and Ann Atkinson for hosting us, and Terry and Jan Berrett for running the festival and handling the CD's and logistics!  Steve and Ann have become new good friends.  Steve's art is outstanding, and he is nationally known and a heck of good guy!  Check out his art - western to the core - great landscapes and cowboys and Indians!

And how is the road you ask?  Well, we've seen some amazing sights, had some very tasty wine and yummy food, and met some wonderful folks.  Highlights include Vina Robles winery in Paso Robles where we had a private wine tasting, the boat tour in Morro Bay with Jack the skipper and Roy the long-haired dachshund (who is a good little sailor,) long hikes and the McWay waterfall at Big Sur, the Año Nuevo State Reserve south of San Francisco where we got to walk on our own beach, playing music with my banjo-frailing nephew Eric Niehaus and harpist extraordinaire Diana Stork, and we still have several more days of our adventure before we get home in time to play Magpies this Friday.

So that's where I am this Friday - Magpies 7-10.  I always look forward to getting back to Pueblo in the fall and my good friends at Magpies.  It's a homecoming that gets sweeter with time.  And coming off a trip I'm going to be jazzed beyond belief, so this should be a great night!  Please come out if you can.

Better get back to the morning where we're off to Mendocino, the beaches of Fort Bragg, and beyond today.

Tom

Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch

What:  playing & singing

Where:  Magpies, 229 S. Union, Pueblo.  719-542-5522

When:  Friday, October 18, 7-10 pm

Computer Crashes and Peace of Mind

Well, I had more computer crashes this week.  First it was my main PC - a two-year-old iMac.  I switched to Mac a couple years ago, and it's been a fairly good experience for the most part.  Yes, there are a lot of apps that I had on my old Dell PC that I can't have on Mac, but I bought into the all-Apple universe when I adopted the iPhone and iPad, and I'm trying not to look back.  After two years my Mac has started to balk a little.  I finally filled up the hard drive and started getting errors.  Chalk it up to my learning curve on what's automatic and what needs periodic maintenance.  So now I know that I have to empty the trash and do disc maintenance more often.  An operating system update has also caused me some problems with wifi access which has caused some consternation, and it took some good searching to find a solution online.

But the real problem was trying to upgrade my iPhone and iPad over the last two weeks.  For the most part I like the new operating system - iOS 7.  It's a little wonky, I admit, but I'm willing to make some changes to go along with what's next.  What really bothered me was that I actually lost a lot of documents I had stored on Apple's iCloud storage service when the Pages app crashed (a word-processing app like MS Word.)  Yes, I should have backed up these documents, but there isn't a readily-apparent way to do a backup, and I mistakenly thought that since they were on my device they wouldn't be deleted by what was in the cloud - not so - they actually only exist in the cloud.  So I spent all day yesterday off-and-on with Apple support online trying to get my documents back.  Turns out I'll have to trust the Apple engineers to find them on a backup server and hopefully restore them.  The good news is that I can recreate anything I need.  The bad news is that I don't remember all of what was there, so I can't be sure what I have lost until I need it.

And this raises what I really wanted to write about - the loss and weird headspace that crashes and the computer world cause in your life.  Let's face it, to use computers you have to get into a different space in your brain that is a world in itself.  And it's very abstract and very unreal in so many ways.  I usually enjoy this space, but it separates me from the real world and particularly from the constraints of time - you can waste many hours on diagnosing and fixing a simple problem.  And it makes it hard to focus on other things in real, physical space that need attention.  It's true that other projects can get you into the same kind of funk, but the mental mapping and abstract involvement that computers and software require is a world unto itself.  Add to this the loss when data disappears into nothingness right before your eyes, and it recalls the kind of loss that people feel when someone dies and there's no body - like 9/11.  All you know is that you lost something important to you, but you can not reach out and touch or see the person or thing you lost.  It's a weird abstraction that is, frankly, unhealthy in my opinion.  I have lamented many times in my life how much more human it would be to not have to depend on computers in our lives, but that ship has sailed, I'm afraid.  And anyone who knows how tech-oriented I am would never believe I could say that.  But the mental mapping and headspace that each piece of technology and software require in your brain is daunting and disturbing to me.  I think it's something that we will deal with at some point in some interesting ways in our world.  But for now I will continue soldiering on - enjoying the good times when it all "just works," and trying to forget about the times when it causes such angst in my life.

By now I've probably lost most of the folks who were reading this, but this week holds a wonderful event for me that I must tell you about.

This weekend will be the Sharlot Hall Music Festival in Prescott, Arizona, and I'm playing two shows and giving a workshop to boot!

Friday night I'll be playing Guy Clark songs as part of a festival kickoff concert that is a tribute to Legendary Songwriters at the Elks Opera House at 7:00.  I'll get to share the stage with several other performers during the evening, and then we'll all come together for a big finale.  It should be a blast!  A pdf of this concert with more info is at http://www.sharlot.org/images/stories/Folk_music/FMF%202013/legendary%20song%20writers%20poster.pdf.

Saturday I'll be giving a workshop with songwriter Bob Frank on Cowboy and Western songs in the Sharlot Hall building from 1:00 to 2:00.  Bob is a very accomplished songwriter and performer, and this will be a great opportunity to share some knowledge with folks about Cowboy and Western songs.  I'll probably concentrate on my knowledge of old cowboy song.  This should be fun!  A pdf with the workshop schedule for the weekend is at http://www.sharlot.org/images/stories/Folk_music/FMF%202013/Workshop%20Schedule.pdf.

Saturday I'll also be performing solo in the Theater from 3:30 to 4:00.  It's a short show, but I look forward to it.  I've got a tight set with my best songs ready.  I'll also be acting as the emcee for this afternoon of performers.

I'm in great company with all the other folks performing at this festival, so it's a real honor to be asked to play and to be featured in their promotional material.  You can see more of that and read more about the festival at http://www.sharlot.org/folk-music-festival/folk-music-festival-2013.  There's also a full schedule of performers there.  I know I won't see many of you folks there, but I'm excited to share it with you!

So it's a big week for me coming off my computer woes, and I'm raring to go!  I'll be back in Pueblo and starting back at Magpies in a couple weeks, so stay tuned!

Tom

Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch with a whole passel of great singers and players
What:  playing and singing for the Legendary Songwriters kickoff concert
Where:  Elks Opera House, 117 E. Gurley St, Prescott, AZ.  928-777-1370
When:  Friday, October 4, 7 pm

Who:  Tom Munch and Bob Frank
What:  giving a workshop on cowboy and western songs
Where:  Sharlot Hall building, 415 W. Gurley St, Prescott, A. 928-445-3122
When:  Saturday, October 5, 1-2 pm

Who:  Tom Munch
What:  playing and singing
Where:  Theater at Sharlot Hall Museum, 415 W. Gurley St, Prescott, A. 928-445-3122
When:  Saturday, October 5, 3:30-4 pm

Keeping in Perfect Balance

I woke up in bed last night in the middle of the night with my wife, Jen, on one side of me and our cat, Anisette, on the other.  As I lay there I realized that I was perfectly balanced on my hip - on one side lightly leaning against Jen, and on the other lightly leaning on my arm that Anisette was nestled under.  I felt the interdependency of the three of us there to support each other in sleep, and yet knowing that the slightest movement would also shift the symmetry and balance we were experiencing.  I know we experience this unconsciously in sleep and in life - not knowing how much we are interdependent, and not knowing the perfect balance we are maintaining as we weave through our days - leaning and flowing against each other.  We are much more dependent on each other and our world around us than we probably will ever understand.  Sometimes we get this.  Often we don't.  The Native Americans have a phrase, "All My Relations" that approaches this concept simply and well.  We are all related and we are all one - from the way we share so many traits to the way we are  interdependent.  Keeping in perfect balance is part of this.

So what am I up to this week?  Well, I didn't have anything scheduled when I wrote last week, but on Friday I had one of my good friends who hears me at the La Veta Inn ask me to play this Friday for a friend of theirs who is visiting. This is the big Celtic Festival weekend in La Veta, Walsenburg, and Gardner, and so we hadn't planned on me playing, but it turns out that my playing will be a good fit, so I'll be there.

Friday I'm at the La Veta Inn 6-9. Come on by if you can!  This will most likely be my last gig there for this year.

So I hope you're doing well and are enjoying the fall season. Appreciate the gifts the earth has to share all around us, and keep sensing that Perfect Balance.

Tom

Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch
What:  playing & singing
Where:  La Veta Inn, 103 W. Ryus Ave, La Veta.  719-742-3700
When:  Friday, September 28, 6-9 pm

Sameness and Surprise

I find myself thinking about the things I like in life this morning, and it occurs to me how funny the differences in those things can be.  On one hand I've been liking the same things for decades - Pace brand salsa, popcorn, and bologna sandwiches.  On the other hand I love music that has surprises in it - melodies that go where you don't expect them to - and spontaneous twists in the day that delight and make me smile.  I like the same routines and even cling to them - like the way I brush my teeth and other mundane tasks I do every day.  There is a comfort to knowing what to expect and when to expect it.  This even opens up space for me to think while I'm doing something else that I'm so used to.  But then again I love to switch things up just to experience life in a new way - even if it's as small as a slight change in routine.  Tasting a new taste or smelling a new smell in nature is a thrill as well, and can take me out of myself completely sometimes.  So why is this that sameness is a comfort sometimes, and yet there is a craving for new things that surprise and delight?  I'm not really sure as I write this, but I'm glad that life can have these different aspects that warm and delight us.  That's what's on my mind this morning.  Now on to the week ahead.

Before I tell you what I have on tap this week, I have to say how much fun I had at the High Peaks Music Festival last Saturday in Westcliffe.  I don't play festivals that much - partly from fear of rejection and partly from lacking ambition to pursue them, but this one was absolutely fulfilling and wonderful!  The folks were so nice - the audience, other performers, and the organizers, and the weather was perfect too.  I had a blast!

So on to the week ahead.  I have two great gigs to tell you about.

Thursday night we will have a special performance of the Song of Pueblo as part of the opening of the special exhibit, "Children of Ludlow: Life in a Battle Zone, 1913-1914" at El Pueblo History Museum.  This is the 100-year anniversary of the events at Ludlow that affected so many in our area and nation.  The free opening reception of the exhibit runs from 5-8, and our performance of Song of Pueblo starts at 8.  You can read more about it on the Pueblo Chieftain article here - http://www.chieftain.com/life/community/1810066-120/ludlow-strike-photo-colorado.

Friday I'm at the La Veta Inn for the last performance of this season 6-9.  It was too cold to stay out on the patio last Friday, so we moved inside after the first hour.  I had some really fine folks, and I'm sure this Friday will be just as special.  Please come out if you can.

That's it for this week.  Next week I don't have any public gigs scheduled, so I won't write unless something comes up.

Tom

Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch with Johnny Watson, David Enke, & Linda Amman
What:  playing, singing, & telling the history of Pueblo at the Song of Pueblo oratorio
Where:  El Pueblo History Museum, 301 N. Union, Pueblo.  719-583-0453
When:  Thursday, September 19, 8:00 pm

Who:  Tom Munch
What:  playing & singing
Where:  La Veta Inn, 103 W. Ryus Ave, La Veta.  719-742-3700
When:  Friday, September 20, 6-9 pm

Landing Softly at the Dunes and in Life

Jen and I took a trip over to the San Luis Valley to see the sand dunes at the Great Sand Dunes National Monument today. We walked around for a while on the dunes as we've done before, and it always amazes me how striking and beautiful they are. It also strikes me how difficult it is to walk in sand - particularly on a slope. The trick is to land your foot flat and without too much force so you don't break the crust of the sand. Then when you push off you also want to push with your whole foot if possible and without too much force. It occurred to me that the harder I pushed, the harder it was to walk, and that of course made me think about life and how this can apply. The more we rage around and push against each other and against the world the harder life becomes. The key is to keep moving forward with grace and a smooth flow that balances the forces that pull and push at us. Yeah, it's not the greatest insight in the world, but it kept me pondering as I walked over the dunes this afternoon.

Now to get the rest of the sand out of my shoes!

So what am I up to this week?

Wednesday I'm playing the Senior Safari at the Pueblo Zoo 10:30-1. This is a wonderful annual event during Senior Week that I play every year. It's free admission for seniors, and the Safari features special animals, pizza, bingo, and my music in the Mandari Pavilion. It's always a blast and is very well attended.

Friday I'm at the La Veta Inn 6-9. We had another beautiful night last week with some really nice folks. The song "There Is a Time" by the Andy Griffith Show band, the Darlings, came up as a request. I didn't remember it, but a quick check on the internet revealed that the Darlings were actually the bluegrass band, The Dillards, with a couple actors thrown in to round out the family for the Andy Griffith Show. "There Is a Time" is a wonderful song, especially for the fall season, so you can bet I've learned it and am performing it now.

Saturday I've been asked to play a slot from 1-2 at the High Peaks Music Festival in Westcliffe since another performer had to cancel. I'm honored to play it. This is at the Feed Store Amphitheater where I did a concert in June. I'm doubly honored by getting to follow the Great Pete and Joan Wernick. You will remember Pete if you were ever a fan of Hot Rize or Red Knuckles and the Trailblazers. Pete played banjo and the electric table (lap steel) in those respective bands, and is a heck of a player. I haven't heard his show with Joan, but I'll bet it's amazing! Also featured will be Dakota Blonde, Smythe and Taylor, The Rejuveniles, and Gadbaw and Krimmel. This is fine company! There are more details at the festival website - http://www.kwmv.org/high-peaks-music-festival.aspx. Please come if you can.

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

Tom

Details this week:

Who: Tom Munch
What: playing and singing for Senior Safari
Where: Pueblo Zoo, City Park, Pueblo. 719-561-1452
When: Wednesday, September 11, 10:30 am - 1 pm

Who: Tom Munch
What: playing & singing
Where: La Veta Inn, 103 W. Ryus Ave, La Veta. 719-742-3700
When: Friday, September 13, 6-9 pm

Who: Tom Munch
What: playing and singing at High Peaks Music Festival
Where: The Feed Store Amphitheater, 116 North 2nd Street, Westcliffe. 719-783-2771
When: Saturday, September 14, 1-2 pm

Life Changes

I had another change in my life when Shadow Hills called this week and told me they wanted to stop having me play for Sunday brunch.  Of course it hurt a little to hear this, but it made me think of life in general and all the changes we see in our lifetimes and how we react to them.  (BTW, I'd seen the change coming at Shadow Hills - I really take it as my fault for not maintaining good enough contact and feedback as management changes were happening.  It's okay though, I'm ready for a change.)  So back to general changes and how we handle them.  I've thought quite a bit about change and how we react and respond to it.  Of course the fall-back is to fear it.  I almost always do this, but I find that change has almost always worked out to be good in the long run.  I won't deny that there is a pang in my heart and mind when I remember and so miss what came before, but I've really found that change with an open mind can lead to more fulfillment and peace if I let it.  That "letting it" is a big part of the equation.  When I resist the change too much, then I find myself moping and whining about what is really an opportunity for growth.  I'll be blatantly honest, I'm not the guy who goes out of his way to always plan ahead and make concrete decisions.  I'm more the guy who goes with the flow and lets life and each situation guide me.  Growth comes when I listen to the situation and realize what bigger options I have.  I think that our purpose in life is to grow into more loving and understanding beings.  So bring on the change!

What am I up to this week?  I only have one gig to tell you about.

Friday night I'm at the La Veta Inn 6-9.  I'll be at the La Veta Inn three more times before their season is over.  I so enjoy the beautiful nights on the patio, and one of the couples last week (their first time at the La Veta Inn) said that the patio at the Inn was about the most beautiful place they'd ever spent an evening.  That's how I feel, and I hope you'll come and experience it yourself.

So Happy Labor Day, and I hope to see you soon!

Tom

Details this week.

Who:  Tom Munch
What:  playing & singing
Where:  La Veta Inn, 103 W. Ryus Ave, La Veta.  719-742-3700
When:  Friday, September 6, 6-9 pm