But I will share a few tidbits of this past weekend.
On Thursday night I got to meet up with my friends Dan, Simon and Mike from the band Porterdavis.
Before the boys got to Eddie's, I hung out on the back patio, read my latest copy of Paste (Micah's review is on page 55 with a picture of Colin Meloy (of the decemberists) seemingly looking at it--it's outlined and really catches your eye. Micah, I'm so proud!), and in walked Eddie. You know, Eddie. Eddie of Eddie's Attic. Eddie and I have become friends over the past couple of years as a friend of mine and I made Eddie's our Cheers for about a year. We were in there probably three times a week. It even got to the point where I was the secret guest judge for several of their much acclaimed open mic night.Well, Eddie is just a really special man.
He has an amazing heart and he genuinely cares. I love that he sold the business quite a few years ago to buy a golf course. Yet, he couldn't live without the Attic. He's back working now as some sort of manager or somesuch.To my point: Eddie has taken me under his wing and I value his opinion and his experience GREATLY. See, I have to admit: I'm in love. I'm in love with this indie little non-profit record label out of Athens, GA. I'm in love with what they do there so much so that I've decided I want to be a part of it. I've been a part of the fringe Rebuilt family for several years now. I've been an avid supporter and a volunteer. But I want and crave more. So now I'm jumping in to actually be in the music industry and try to help the seven Rebuilt artists out with bookings and all around Team Mom-ness. Well, who best to match up with than Eddie Owen? Eddie's Attic is a nationally acclaimed singer/songwriter listening room and some amazing acts have graced its stage and call Eddie friend.
I told him I was about to join up with Rebuilt and he seemed genuinely excited--so Eddie's going to be my mentor. And I'm incredibly adrenalized about that. So, he and I sat at the bar and just chatted about life, his kids, baseball, and the state of independent music. We talked about agents, music festivals, and the power of the internet and social networking sites. And I felt at peace just about everything. I finally feel like I've found something in this world I'm naturally good at--and I certainly have a passion for music and the two shall now be joined together.
Porterdavis put on a good show--although it filled with new songs (which were great, really great) it lacked some kind of energy and I don't know how I feel about that. I don't know where I stand in being partly responsible for that. Maybe it's because before the show Dan and I were sitting at the bar and he and the bartender I had just met were talking about past lives, auras, energy, the power of yoga to connect you to your chakras and other such (as I believe it) nonsense. Maybe I'm just being a monotheistic elitist. Or maybe I'm just growing up. Maybe I'm just not putting people on the pedestals and putting them in the limelight like I used to. Dan is a person who happens to play in a band I like. And that's awesome. But I realize when I was listening to them talk, I was pretty much incredulous. Seriously? These people are taking themselves seriously? They were discussing on how once you embrace your past lives, your past struggles and truly get on the path you're meant to be on, your energy increases. Not the energy of "Hey, I want to go for a run!" but the, "Hey! People are receiving me positively." Now, I believe quite a few of the things they were talking about. But I have drastically different reasons. I believe that once you turn over your life and your self-important-self-improving-self-centered will to God, and truly hand over the reigns, things come into place for you. I believe that once you "let go and let God" (it's trite and overplayed, I know, I know) a Peace that passes understanding falls over you. You feel better about yourself. You feel better about others. You feel better about God. And because of all of the stress of having to run your own life being taken off your shoulders, people do start relating to you better and deeper because you're easier to be around. And then they started talking about having good hair because the planets were aligned and this is, "the year of self awareness" whatever that means. And then I tuned out.
I tuned out because it was kind of a disillusioning moment. For a while I had this mentality of, "Oh my gosh. I'm friends with this musician. I am so lucky. Why would he want to hang out with me? I need to achieve X, Y, and Z for him to continue to like me." When, in actuality, he's just a man. He's just a man that enjoys being around me. And right now, I'm ok with that. I'm ok with letting go of that grandiose image of him and just accepting him as he is. I like him no less after that crazy conversation and a lackluster show--but it did put some things in perspective.
Musicians are people and they need a friend like me. Someone in their corner that doesn't give up. Most importantly: someone who believes in them. And I want to be that person. I think people are drawn in Christ within me whether they realize it or not and I'm really jazzed about it. I'm jazzed about what kind of impact I can make in this world for and through Christ.
And to what I really wanted to write about in the first place: my experience at church on Sunday night. I attend the contemporary Sunday evening service at my old pastor's church in Atlanta. It's amazing. A friend from high school is the worship leader and I just feel very at peace there. I believe that God is always trying to get our attention and I certainly appreciate that because I don't always have the "be still and hear my voice" moments because I don't allow myself to still and hear the inaudible things. So I really enjoy and appreciate when God speaks to me through others, events, music (especially music), and sermons.
Jimmy preached on Nehemiah Sunday. Know what Nehemiah did? He rebuilt the wall around Jerusalem. Rebuilt. Wow. It really hit home. Nehemiah didn't tell God, "Hey, this and this and that are wrong and I need you to fix them." He said, "God, I will act on your behalf for your glory." I will let my actions reflect my love and dedication to you.
So, here I am on a road to being Rebuilt. I'm on a road to rebuild myself and see what I can contribute to help rebuilt this music industry of ours.
So, let's go. Let's do this. I'm headed out to Athens tonight to see Rebuilt's very own Jon Black and Micah Dalton. So I go with a happy heart because I believe in them.
in other news, I went (gasp!) househunting this past weekend. We think we found a neighborhood that we really like. Who knows what the future holds? Right now renting is just throwing money down the drain and it certainly sucks come tax time and you can't deduct nearly anything because you don't officially own anything. Ultimately, I'd like to either live downtown--but I'm really drawn to Athens. But, there isn't a TJ's in Athens yet so I guess I buy now and just wait for TJ's to expand out there and then ATH here I come!
Oh, and I saw a picture of my future husband on Facebook. I don't know him and he doesn't even know I exist. But he has this tattoo and I think this says everything it needs to say:
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