Hey Friends!
Spider Mo!!!
How has the New Year been treating you? I hope you all are doing well. Crazy that the first month is already out the gate! What have we been doing all month? Well…we’ve been pretty busy the month of January! So much so that it feels like summer in a way. On one hand, it’s great for business, but on the other, it’s not great for down-time, stretch time, relax time and creative time. With about a dozen shows this month and regional travel to the mountains of McCall and Sun Valley to do some gigs, the month zoomed along!
Beautiful Sun Valley! This mountain kicked my butt!
Now, we are focused on the Sapphire production coming up! This is a ticketed event we host each Spring (well, seems to be an annual thing now) and we strive to make it a fun, energetic, unique show! We have been rehearsing with our friends, Meghan Kelly Watters on percussion, Evelyn Hadden on keys, and Heather Muleman on violin. We’ve had several rehearsals and the song selection is indeed a challenging one this go round. Last year was a piece of cake! So much so, that we really never held a full rehearsal with the whole group.
Rochelle (mandolin player) never needs a rehearsal as she is just a genius that plays with us frequently enough to know what we are going to do. We did rehearse a few times with Earl, the pedal steel player and we did a cram session with Bonnie, the electric lead player, the day before and hours before the concert. We also would shoot Bonnie a “Marco Polo” of the songs, which is a video of basically me playing guitar and teaching her over the internet, the songs we would do.
Bands take a lot of time indeed, but they are so worth it! This year, we are changing it up with the players and our music. I don’t want to blow the surprises for those attending…but, it’s going to be a moving awesome show! I just love the group we have this year, as I did in the past, yet…all these ladies are just so full of light and love! It really shows up when we rehearse and I know it will during the show!
So in the spirit of thinking about productions, I gave you a classic song right from our 2019 Sapphire production. Enjoy “Folsom Prison Blues”, with a tip of the hat to Earl Hughes! Every time I listen to his pedal steel making it’s way down that crazy scale of his, I giggle. Something about it! Just so fun!
The other thing that we’ve been paying close attention to has been our daily habits. I’ve been getting to the gym quite religiously these days. It just simply makes me a better person! I have so much space for other things when I get my exercise. AND…Mo and I took a month off to say no to booze.
People are funny when it comes to alcohol and in many ways, it is woven into the very fabric of American life, like hot dogs and apple pie. I don’t really understand it because it does so much damage to so many. It’s the only drug you have to justify for NOT indulging! Completely mind blowing concept huh?
Well..I’m sharing this with you. It is a difficult journey to not indulge when you are out playing for folks who ARE indulging and WANT you to PARTY with them! In fact, folks can get down right indignant about you NOT partying with them, as if it’s an insult. Regardless of your beliefs about alcohol and where you sit with it, I suppose it has it’s place. But, we get the right to decide how much it implodes our lives. We get to call the shots with it, instead of it calling OUR shots!
A month off (or even a greater break) is good and smart, keeping our bodies healthier and our minds clearer. We have both gotten much more accomplished, feel good, saved money and have experienced a greater sense peace without it. Our involvement with that addictive substance will be in much more moderation.
Like I said, people don’t want to hear or see that. Not all. There are some that completely get it, but many will say, “How come your aren’t drinking tonight?” And I tell them, there will ALWAYS be an excuse to drink. Forever, we will ALWAYS have some thing to celebrate, commiserate, etc. My question back to those could be…”Well, why are you poisoning yourself tonight?” Ha ha! That won’t go over too well! LOL!
To each their own on the matter. I don’t judge those who do, and can be in there right along with them, and I don’t judge those who don’t as it’s really a healthier choice. I think our culture is in big trouble with alcohol personally. And in a weird way, we are almost the “promoters” of such which, if I think about it too long, I find myself in a bit of conflict.
Venues hire us to play music…but, what they REALLY want us to do, is sell beer/wine/liquor. Ugh! And as long as WE drink (and slowly kill ourselves), we can make THEM money. I know, a bit harsh, but this is the “good, bad & ugly” right here, written on the pages of the VIP back door information. And I don’t wish to ruffle anyone’s feathers, but it is good to LOOK at our habits and ask ourselves, “why are we doing that?” Right? I mean, just check in from time to time. Just make sure WE are in the drivers seat instead of some substance, food, drug, booze, detrimental relationship…right?
Interestingly enough, you would not BELIEVE how many folks bought us a round this month! It was OFF the charts! As if the Universe was testing us to say…are you SURE you are in control of this. Well, we passed the test and offered our free liquids to our dear friends ha ha! We stayed committed to our goals. We are going to moderate on the libations from here on out and really choose, on a scale of 0-10, “How badly do you want it…or…are you just going along?” That is the question before partaking. Yes, who doesn’t like a yummy glass of wine, or gin and tonic or whatever! Especially in our case, when it can be FREE (alcohol is VERY expensive as you know). So if you get something for free, don’t be an ingrate right? See how that works and can get you into a habit before you know it? Then you step on the scale and say, “holy moly!” ha ha!!!
We are all human and like to be our social selves celebrating with others. We did very well this month and yet I know there will be times to honor the moment of celebration. I have been saying we need to see clearly in 2020…let’s see 20/20 in 2020 right?! So, the 30 day alcohol experiment was great. In fact, if you are interested in trying something like this, get the book by Annie Grace, “The 30 day alcohol experiment”. It was VERY informative!
The other thing guys…I’m at a technical pinnacle…UGH!!! My computers are getting so old that they are not letting me access files without new browser updates….grrrr!!! This means trying to download a movie to clip on here has taken FOR-EVER!!! So…what I am going to do this month is give you all a direct link to a drop box file if you wish to view the movie.
The film is of our friends Sundea + Mr. Goessl holding a concert in our shop and we join them at the end. You can watch the whole thing or scroll to the end and watch them kick butt accompanying us on “Only the Lucky” and “Deep”. I mean really! These two are just SO AMAZING!!! They listened to us play ONCE and then joined in! We were all a ONE TAKE WONDER !!! I couldn’t believe it!!! I love these two! Also, be sure to check last months download if you haven’t already. It features them covering a song I wrote, “I Love My Baby Better!”
Here is the link to the concert
https://www.dropbox.com/s/2g8w3q45cq3efcu/COTR%20Ep6%20Blazin%20in%20Boise.mp4?dl=0
If you want to scroll forward to our part with them, you can find that at about 16:16, but I think you will just LOVE their whole show! They really are super special!
So, 2020 might mean we need new computers (ugh, the mere thought exasperates me, yet…dealing with what is now will only get more frustrating as we move forward too! Pick your “hard” I suppose huh?)
I hope you have some fun in the snow this winter, if you get snow. We love to ski so there will be that! Thank you so much for being on this journey with us and thanks for taking a moment to check into your membership page to catch up! Hope you enjoy the download!!!
Much love,
Nothing like driving on bare roads only to come across the drifts at 50-60 mph! Yipes!!!
Niccole, Mo and Juno
Banana Dog….she goes bananas for bananas!!! :-)
