And they're OFF!

I (and when I say "I" I really mean my hubby) emailed off the songs I FINALLY chose to the Jenny Phillips/Tyler Castleton competition.

I'm trying to think positive thoughts. I'm trying to be hopeful.

Then one morning at breakfast....
...asks, "Mom, how many people are entering this competition?" "I have no idea," I reply. Then his comforting thought, "'Cause if there's like 200 people, then you'd only have a 1 in 200 chance of winning!"

Wow. I feel better already. Thank you.

Then he...
says, "Yeah! And if there's more than that, you'd only have a 1 in however-many chance of winning!"

Uh-huh. I'm aware of the situation.

Thank you both for your votes of confidence.

Eat up! This is the last meal I'm ever feeding you.

Torn

I have registered for another composing competition. The stakes are so high this time! I can submit 2 songs. The trouble is, I don't know which to pick.

I need quiet. I need time. I need peace.

I have none of the above.

I Can't Say It

When am I going to get to the point when I can say "I'm a song-writer"? I can't do it! I don't like when other people say it either. It's uncomfortable for me! I feel silly! I feel like a wanna-be. I feel like one of those people. You know, the ones that try out for American Idol and walk in talking about how great they are. And then they open their mouth. You are absolutely positive that they must have some incredible talents, but you are just as positive that singing isn't one of them.

Roger Hoffman introduced me to someone as a song-writer and it made me feel so...ridiculous.

Will that ever get any easier?

I ran a 5K today. But I'm not a runner.

I make dinner every day. Okay, most days. Fine! Some days! But I'm no chef.

At what point do you earn the right to give yourself a title?

Does it even matter?

I Did It!

I faced my fear and sang my song myself Saturday night. I was surprised at how nervous I wasn't. I think there were several factors playing into that. As soon as I finished my song my stomach was immediately killing me! But I was thankful that those pains were kept at bay until I was through.

It wasn't the best I've ever sang, but it went okay. And for me, facing my fear was an ENORMOUS accomplishment!

It felt good!

Daring to Write It

http://ldsmag.com/lds-church-updates/1/7367/article

I was shocked while reading the above article to find out that this ICON in Mormon music had a stroke about 5 years ago. I was even more shocked to read that once upon a time she wrote a goal down - that someday Primary children might sing one of her songs. Where would Mormon music be without Janice Kapp Perry???

So I'm going to do what Sister Perry says. I'm going to write my goal.




It seems ridiculous.




Feel free to laugh.




I want one of my songs to be performed by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir (or one of it's factions).




And it would be extra wonderful if it was arranged by Mack Wilberg.

It's Official

Yesterday I committed to performing my song at the Composers Spectacular at the end of the month. You know how I feel about singing in public, but I have a new boost of confidence (thanks to my church calling). Also, this is a song-writing competition not a singing competition. So, who cares? Right? Well, me actually. But I feel pretty good about it.

So here goes nothin'!

Clear Answers

Don't you love when you have a question regarding about something - anything - and get a clear answer?

A few weeks ago I contacted a singer about singing one of my songs. My hopes were that her heart strings would get the best of her and out of sheer curiosity she would want to see it. It's a good song! Then I hoped she would say, "Do you have any others?" And then she would just become the go-to singer of my songs. She is already established and I LOVE her voice. So to me it seemed like the easiest answer.

I didn't hear anything from her after I first contacted her. Then I won the composers guild competition and had a new sense of encouragement. I determined that I would contact her again. I would tell her that I had won and would she PLEASE just look at this song. Surely, she would at least look at it.

So I went to open her website to contact her and and it was....gone! Gonzo! Her website is no more! Here she is, a very popular singer with a career that is just starting to branch out and all of a sudden she doesn't have a website.

Therein lies my answer. For whatever reason, that is not the route my songs are supposed to go. And I thought I had it all figured out. Back to square one.