Living a Simple Life

I have been struck for some time by this concept: living a simple life. Conceptually, the less things we have to maintain, pay for etc. the less we have to work to sustain it. Moreover, when large amounts of money aren't required, lower paying careers that garner more satisfaction come into play. The issue I think is, where does your fulfillment come from, humanly speaking? The deeper question might even be, what values from society are good ones?Education (costs), personal development of oneself and your children (costs), information (generally costs - even if it is just the internet and a computer - yes simplicity might lead you to no computer and a library card).

Anyway, this is a journey I feel like we as a family have started walking down to some degree. I will let you know if anything interesting develops. In the meantime, here is a blog about the subject.

Science is my job - faith is my rock

An interesting article in the Globe and Mail.

Feeding Children

So this is who the day job is with affilated with down in the US. Kind of a cool partnership and video.

5 Things Kids Need

I have four kids, I like the principles related in this video. Point of connection, an old connection Rich Birch works at this church, and The Well, where I am playing, and occassional speaking these days, have been connecting to this church for guidance.

In Action

I am just trying to become a little more active with the blog, right now photos of interest is quick and easy!! This is again from when I led in Ottawa last summer.

Chris Bosh

The Chris Bosh Foundation helped out with FTC Canada's food drop yesterday and Chris showed up in support of his Foundation. Thanks Chris!

Leading worship in Ottawa

Speaking and Singing

This weekend I will be at the Well (Bryn's Blog) both speaking and leading worship. The Well has been a cool experience for the past few months. A new community being born. There are many ingredients there already that I think make it a compelling place to connect. The actually content of the hour together is top notch (no I am not singing my own praises) which is a result of the church committing to removing the barriers of mediocrity for those that might attend. As with any start-up, however, the time and sweat equity must be put in. This week I am helping out in Bryn's absence, and I am looking forward to it.

Happy New Year

The blogging has been and will continue to be somewhat scarce for a while. You can connect with what I am doing by touching base through the contact page or checking out the appearance page as well. I am actually quite active right now, just not blogging a lot. I will, however, post from time to time, so check in once a month and see what has changed.

New Music, Christmas Dreaming

So I have a Christmas single you can listen to and buy on the website. We did it last year, but I did not release it really. Kind of homespun with Stef and the kids singing on it at different times. I quite like it!! Check it out on the website, and you can purchase it by download.

Le Single

Enjoy!

Feeding Kids in Hamilton

Here is a short video of a project we completed a couple of weeks back in Hamilton ON.

What is wrong with the world today?

This is just a thought that I wanted to get out there. One disclaimer, I am not by writing this insinuating that I possess the intellectual weight to carry the conversation, but with that introduction this is my premise:

We no longer debate, philosophize or otherwise seriously discuss truth, or rightness, or wrongness. It is no longer relevant in the context of our social fabric to consider this because, I think, the concept of relative truth dominates. By relative truth I mean the concept that what is right for me is right. In the past this would have led to a philosophical conversation that would travel somewhere like this:

A "What is right for me is my truth."
B "Well if that is true for you is it true for me?"
A "If you want it to be of course!"
B "Well it feels right to kill you."
A "That is not acceptable to me."
B "I suppose that doesn't really matter."

You can imagine a good deal of conversation and debate should occur after this conversation to determine where the flaws are in the conversation and how the truth that could be derived from such a conversation could situationally be applied to other circumstances in life, but the conversation has stopped hasn't it?!

It seems we live in a place where by a very narrow edge, people are not killing each other. We are cheating and lying so badly millions of people lose billions of dollars. We are living lives to excess so that millions go hungry when literally we have the resources globally to stop hunger. We push political ideologies that are no longer being tested for truth as they transform and turn into something different than was originally intended. We follow "Bible Teachers" who are no longer being held accountable for the legitimacy of their scholarship or interpretation, but rather how "relevant" or "real" the presentation is.

All I am asking for is some more widespread dialogue. Not by those trying prove a point. Not by those trying to blow up the concept of truth, but by those who actually crave and believe that truth represents good. Truth represents all that could be in this world if it is learned and followed with integrity. Just a thought.

Getting water to the poor

We can always do more.....

Recording Again

Well with a little sun and relaxation I have found the energy to get back at the project. Recording resumed last night. Hopefully it will lead to some more progress in the coming weeks.

Lots of Travel

So work is keeping me busy with traveling for sure both by car, more locally, and plane. Within the last two weeks, Montreal and Niagara Falls, and now Raleigh, North Carolina. That will be followed up by a family vacation to Florida, a trip to Nicaragua for our medical trip and a trip to our American affiliate in Oklahoma. Definitely keeping things moving these days. Kind of fun.

Cool thing from Campolo

This is ten minutes, but it is very cool.

Tony Campolo link

How do we stop something that should not exist?

In my travels I came accross this from a co-worker. Shows that we can solve the problem technically, but how do we do it practically.

Stop the Hunger

Very interesting....

Launch of the Well

So last Sunday was the launch of the service I am helping by arranging and leading in the music. It was great. A very simple but clean set-up with a solid little sound system, great video, and a great sermon/talk. The band that played with me was great as well. Very pleased to play with old friends and new ones. Simple quartet; guitar and vocal (me), bass, drums and piano.

I am just one opinion of course, so check out Bryn's opinions and thoughts since it was the church he serves at as Lead Pastor that launched the new service.

I have had some great opportunities to lead worship musically this past year at two conferences, but it will be fun to spend the next month or so doing it every Sunday. If you are interested in coming out to The Well and are in the Toronto are click on the link you just read past and say hi after the service over a coffee.

Cool Song Version

Here is a song version I am going to use this Sunday for the launch of the well.

September Hits

So this fall is here....now. Ominous isn't it?

I am looking forward to the launch this Sunday of the Well service at St.Giles Presbyterian. Things have come together well for the launch and the next few months seem to be shaping up as well, and I am looking forward to being there and seeing things develop for that church community.

The CD is still coming along. I have all but one song with final bass done, and I need to move on to final everything else. The good news is that I am the one who has to do the rest as I am not outsourcing any of the other instruments, the bad news is that I have to do it all. I keep plodding down this part-time independent musical trail. It is fun, but I would said it is the equivalent of walking through he mud right now. So drums and bass almost done, vocals, piano, and guitar to clean-up.

Where oh where has the summer gone?

I honestly can't believe we are here, end of August. It certainly has not been hot enough from my perspective. Certainly not sunny enough.

Anyway, the fall is approaching. Cd is coming aong and preparations the new service I am apart of (the well) are in full swing. Not rest, well, lot's of work shall we say.

Set Back

So I was working on the last chart for my CD last night for my bass player and I found to my dismay that all of the drum tracks for the song had been deleted. Very disappointing, and expensive really. Not the kind of data you want to lose.

It had to have happened recently, so I am going to check and see if I can recover the files, but I do not hold out much hope. In essence, if I do not find them, my CD just got one song smaller. Severe bummer.

Picture of the CMA Asssembly 2008 Band

House Cleaning

I am really excited about how things are shaping up for the fall with music, several things coming together including the constantly being pushed back CD release, helping witht he music at the well and a couple other ventures taking shape.

In the midst is the clean-up. A year after moving in I am finally getting to the office, new paper shredder in hand, it is time to turn the office/studio into the creative oasis I need to forge ahead into new worlds of music production.

Vacation / Balance

Had a great trip to Myrtle Beach to a nice resort. Had to sit through a time share presentation for the free trip, I hate those things, but this one was actually pretty painless. We got through in 63 minutes, woohoo.

Do you ever have trouble finding balance in our life? Lately (last couple of years) I feel like I am accomplishing less, and yet I am not sure it is actually true. I am involved in higher level events and missional activity, but the pace is really fast. I think it is possible that I have reached a new level, and with that has come a new problem. The requests I am getting to do things largely are what I believe I should be doing. Before the hard thing was to say no to good, but off vision requests. Now the issue is I am getting too many on vision requests. Keeping in mind I have a day job, I basically find myself booked out a year or more musically - crazy. (no it is not represented in my appearances yet). There will be more "gigs" that I will have to fit in, CD release concerts of course, but it does leave me in a fairly serious prioritization time.

One of things I am trying to figure out is how this blog helps anyone as it were. Does it help people track with me?, are their any topics you come back and look for?, please comment if there are strings you would like me to build on, that might help give some focus.

Project "New CD"

Most of you who have kept up with my sporadic blogging have endured the whining associated with what has been an incredibly busy and difficult couple of years really. Getting things done in the midst of all of the challenges has been hard, but I feel like I am starting to see a light, if only partially.



I just received back the first bass track for the new CD. Fergus Marsh who played on my first CD, is a busy dude as well, travelling all over the world playing with others. Well last night I got the first versions for the first song I sent. Cool. Starting to move ahead fast. While Fergus finishes bass I will be doing finish vocals. Getting closer.

Three Conferences - Vacation Time

Well, I just got back from a week in Ottawa leading worship at the Alliance general assembly. It was a challenging and fun time. Challenging because in the end I did not seem to find the ability to relax much in the midst of it all. Being sick all the way through didn't help either. Fun because the players and people that I had the fortune to work with were amazing. Of course some of them were old friends, and it is always fun to re-connect. From here, I work for a week at FTC and then we go to Myrtle Beach for a short vacation. Road trip...Woohoo!! After Nova Conference, BCOQ conference and now CMA conference I am ready.

Pics from the times to come.

Real Adventures of a Part-Time Musician

So things are coming along, and the year is passing quickly it seems. I am heading to Ottawa next week to lead the music for the evening services at the Alliance National Assembly. I am very excited about the prospect, but the work in prep of details etc. has been a little overwhelming. It is not as easy as simply bringing a band, I am bringing together musicians who have not played together before and fusing us together, fast, on the first day of rehearsals. I love leading rehearsals and music but man, this is going to be a ride. It already is.

On top of that things are warming up for the service I am helping with this fall called the Well. At the end of last week we finalized the specs on our sound system for launch and put in the order. Once again, exciting stuff, but another ball in the air to juggle.

Lastly I am working on the CD, or trying to. It looks like my back is now against the wall, because I am launching for sure this November, so the clock is now officially ticking. That is basically exactly four years from the release of Noticing the Sky. Too long, but at least it is coming.

Hectic to say the least. The next few months should prove to be very...adventurous.

Racing for Kids

I was able to set up a race day with a friend of mine who races cars, Kenny Wilden, to promote what FTC is doing in Canada and around the world to take care of kids. The day was sponsored by Maritz Automotive Research and the car is sponsored by another fellow I know, and fellow driver Jeremy Willard. He is promoting a shampoo called "Pure". Below is a picture of me with Jeremy and a pic of the car.

Le car

Jeremy Willard and me.


Chris from Maritz and Kenny.

At the track I had the opportunity to get interviewed over the loud speakers and talk about FTC Canada, and then got the surpirse of being taken for a hot lap in the pace car. Too cool. The car is below. An incredible experience to feel and see the track that way.

Bass for the CD

So I have finally started the process of getting the bass recorded for the CD. Fergus Marsh is playing on my sophomore release again, which I am very excited about. Looking forward to getting this part of my CD done over the next few weeks.

Amazing People

In my job I do get to meet many amazing people. People who give so much of themselves to help others right here in Canada.

Over the last few months we have been raising supplies and money to send a container to a fairly large work in Haiti. School desks medical supplies etc. We are currently attending The Meeting House church in Oakville and I literally overheard a conversation about this couple who was heading to Haiti. I engaged them, mentioning that we were trying to put together a shipment to Haiti to the Mission of Hope, and wouldn't you know it, that is where they were going.

I ended up meeting this great young family who are going to leave jobs and home and give a year of their life (maybe more) to work and help out there. Their blog is just started, but you can follow their progress via this link. Very cool.

Christian Music in Canada

Here is the site of a friend, Geoff Dresser, who I have been getting to know musically and socially for a while. He is the music pastor at a church in Ottawa and will be playing with me as I lead worship for the Alliance National Assembly. He is a great player.

Check out his site. He has a new CD coming out this summer.

New Song (Maybe a single?)

I have written and produced a song for the Alliance National Assembly at which I am leading music. Go to this page and listen and let me know what you think. Drop a comment in the comment window.

The song itself is written based on two verses: Hebrews 12: 1-2 and Philippians 3: 13-14.

You can download the song and the sheet music for free, but any donation would be appreciated. Thanks!

Simply Interesting

Some New Things

I can't remember if I mentioned that I would be helping a friend with a new service launch. It is going to be called "The Well", hence the pic below!



I won't be leading every Sunday as I will be helping him put together multiple bands and leaders, I will, however, be leading all of September as you can see on my appearance page. 

An Interesting Video on the Bible and the pulpit by John Piper

I found this via a younger TWU alumnus blog, Nick Hill, the title of his blog alone makes a statement to some I am sure.



I have read most of one of Piper's books. He is quite deep, and seems to tell it plainly and honestly. Interesting for sure.

Cool Website

I don't know much about this church, but I linked to the site through a friend. One of the cooler sites I have seen in a while. View a talk, their media interface is amazing.

Liquid Church

How to make a living in music in Canada (Part 1)

I am getting involved in many different conversations these days about music. I suppose to some I am an expert in the field. I would more say I have walked the road and learned some things. I have not achieved full-time status in music ever, so all I can offer are some tips.

In my experience a musician needs to create music, write songs. I suppose that makes you a more complete artist, but for me, that is the best route to go to make a living. From there, there are many marketing and revenue streams that open up to you. Although this is not exhaustive here are a few:

1. Royalties from radio television and licensing.
2. CD and Digital sales of your music
3. Appearance fees
4. Merchandise that supports or represents the music created

Creating and distributing all of these things is also a challenge. I think I will start a series of writings on this topic for you to follow if you are interested.

Glen Abbey Golf Club

Well as stories does this is a good one. My dad was a member of Glen Abbey before it went public, years ago. I remeber going there while he golfed when I was a kid. As I recall they had a pool. We swam as kids and dad golfed. Totally old school country club. I never played it. I think they filled the pool in. I also think it is a totally different course then when he played, re-designed by Jack Nichlaus.

Yesterday for the first time in my life I played the course. Really fun. Even better we (FTC Canada - Feed The Children) were invited by PeopleNet Canada to be the beneficiaries of some fundraising that went on there and it was a great success. Thanks Peoplenet!!

First time out this year, so I hit some good shots and more bad ones. By the second nine I was getting some pars, although it was Texas scramble, so I did not really score.

Regardless a great day, hopefully many more like that this summer.

Great Wooden Trio

I really like these guys, and they are friends. The percussionist Greg Woods has done the drums on my pending new release.

The Stewardship Dance

It has been a year since I left being a "professional Pastor" at a church. I am now an attender at a church. It is an interesting transition which is not complete.

North America (Canada) is a strange and critical place, and implementing the vision Jesus set before us in the great commission is complicated. Jesus never required a building or programs (it would seem) to implement His vision through his work. Of course, he did use the infrastructure in place quite a lot, so he did not seem to reject the notion that the places were useful.

The ongoing conversation (and one that I think needs to continue) is whether or not it is wise to spend millions of dollars on buildings, land, sound equipment etc., when the money could be spent to feed the poor in Canada and around the world.

Here is where the disconnect is for me. Remembering I work daily to feed children in Canada and around the world. Our mission as Christians is primarily to teach and live the teachings of Jesus. Literally, creating atmospheres and opportunities for more people to just hear about Jesus and what he taught. An outcome from living what he taught should be both extravagant worship of Jesus and God (think of the women who poured expensive perfume on Jesus' feet with His approval) AND taking care of the poor (think Jesus asking in heaven why we did not give water and food to those in need).

So for me the answer is an ongoing tension. To build a building that can communicate in the vernacular of our time musically and through teaching makes sense, even if it costs some money. What doesn't make sense is the Pastor or people in the congregation living high on the hog. That too, of course, is a sliding scale worthy of much debate, but at some point we must sacrifice things to live more simply and give more away.

Like I said, ongoing tension, but sometimes the tension can be created because the vision is not being viewed holistically.

Tony Campolo

I had the opportunity to go away for a day and hear Tony Campolo speak. It was a smaller group and the event was hosted by Leader Impact Group, an organization that was started (I believe) in Ontario by Paul Hendersen of "the goal heard round the world" fame. It originally started under another name, but has since merged and grown etc.

It was a timely set of talks and the discussion with the friend I went with was also very helpful. I personally struggle with the concept of living a life of significance. I also struggle with the degree to which music plays a part in the influence and impact that I have.

In the end there were a couple of themes that I am still dwelling on.

1. As some form of a leader, what am I doing to influence my sphere intentionally and positively ?
2. Am I doing anything to care for those outside of my sphere?
3. He also affirmed that prioritizing family at this stage of life is healthy and precedented. Jesus did not start his ministry until he was about 30. Life expectancy back then was 41. Why did he wait so long to do that? His father died, and he had to take care of his family until his siblings could take over. The he hit it hard.

No doubt, Jesus was doing things towards his mission on earth increasingly as he headed for his "time". His reluctance to really launch was seen in the story where he turned water into wine. At that point he said to his mom that His time had not yet come.

Part of life is balancing pushing forward in personal growth and maintaining and managing current realities well. Never easy or simple, always interesting.

The Miscellaneous

So the big push in on to finish the new CD. It seems pretty inevitable that it will be late, but it is coming along. I have purchased Logic Studio for the end push and I am already enjoying the increased professional quality of the software.

Another thing that has been interesting has been several projects that I have done since last September. They have all greatly increased my chops and confidence in producing. The Christmas single, I wrote the theme song for the Alliance Assembly I am leading at in July, and I did a jingle for a friend as more of a joke than anything, and I also did a fun single for my daughter. Perhaps they could be considered distractions, but I have really enjoyed the process.

It is now time to focus on the final push. There may even be a way some of you can help. I will let you know.

The Church

I have had several occasions to discuss the nature of the church lately. For me I have begun to use some terminology to help me understand and discuss it better. I have started to deliniate between the institutional church and the group of Christians who collectively make up the church.

Both are Biblical. The Bible does teach that we need to gather, practice our gifts, encourage, teach and take care of each other. Sometimes, though, I think that when we do that in community, in other words, in a more relational way, through friendships from made through the institutional church but practiced away from the institutional church, we end up achieving what we believe the institutional church should do mechanically. Pretty tough row to hoe, to create an institution capable of functioning organically.

Some may look at my life and say the the institutional church has let me down, or vice versa. I think of it completely differently. I have connected in community with several other Christians who have spoken into my life consistently for years. Most of the time, some of them go to the institutional church I am attending, but more often then not, the majority are influences that transcend the many geographical moves that have taken our family to different homes and churches.

Maybe we need to do a disappearing act in terms of what the institutional church is trying to do. Maybe it needs to be a gathering place and entry point to what Jesus teaches, and the community and relational stuff, which I think is the meat of what Jesus teaches in terms of actually becoming better people, can flow from that.

Speaking on church music at the Nova conference in Toronto

So I am speaking at the Nova conference this Friday. The topic I am dealing with is how to take a church from traditional to contemporary music without blowing it up. It is a challenging topic not simply because of style issues and preferences, but because there is so much organizational baggage we are carrying today as the church. We have been so homogeneous in our tactical approach to relevancy that it has stifled the artists in our midst from participating and taking us somewhere culturally. It should be an interesting and hopefully somewhat interactive talk.

Writing Tunes

So in the midst of it all I have been working on a couple of more tunes. One is for an event I am part of , and the other is actually producing a tune my oldest daughter wrote. She is eight, and I am impressed. I am also impressed that as we started recording it she is a good session singer. On pitch, hears well, and can lay it down. It was a fun weekend.

The Basement Studio

Again with the break in blogging. Sorry. With all that is going on I have been growing in my appreciation of the single parent. Currently I am doing it all. Working full-time and parenting full-time.

One of things I have noticed that helps is if I don't stop moving. That ironically helped last week when on a couple nights I built my "vocal booth", see the photo below.



I have been reading for months about how a small basement studio guy like me can create a proper space for recording vocals. It is amazing how many big bands have done the rehearsal space recording sessions turned full blown CD projects with a similar vocal space. I actually tested it last week to some fine results. I have more to do, but it was a great start.

The View From Here

I am behind again in my story telling. You will see why in a moment.

Feb 12

I was driving home for work, a minor snow storm was afoot. I was travelling cautiously through back roads, missing traffic and looking forward to a piano recording session the next day when KABOOM! Yes you guessed it, someone ran a stop sign in the snow and hit me. I saw it coming and slowed substantially, even in the snow, but the deed was done. No recording session, lots of hassles.


Feb 14


The first date my wife and I have had in ages, literally months. Very excited. We went to a restaurant down in Port Credit called "Ten" and had a fantastic date. Some pretty good live music, great food and atmosphere.

Feb 16

My wife breaks her knee cap ice skating with the family. Brutal, still working through that one.

Feb 17

My wife's mother falls down our basement stairs while she was here to care for the kids while we went to the Doctor to get Stef's knee looked at. She is "ok", with a few breaks, and a lot of pain and recovery time ahead.

I was supposed to be heading to Guatemala with work on a medical mission. Change of plans as I try to play Mr. Mom, full-time working dad etc. Thanks goodness I am wired at home. So far it has been tough, but I am getting somethings done and taking care of the family.

Quite a time.

Comments

By the bye, I have turned comments on again. I turned them off some time ago because I was getting some wierd ones and some unfriendly ones. Alas, I am trying to toughen up and create some community around some of the topics addressed here. I am still going to moderate them so no inappropriate stuff shows up, but for those of you who have noticed that function missing, it has been revived. Chat away!

Christian Music Community in Canada (Part 2)

Another thought that I often wonder about, is why there are not more bands made up of the music pastors of churches that play somewhere with regularity. My experience in trying to get this sort of thing started was negative. I don't know if it was a competitive thing, or whether the average music pastor is less interested in playing and more interested in the pastoral side. I don't think that is a bad thing, but I do think the music community suffers when we don't put the best players together with regularity and let sharper iron make other sharp iron sharper still. See what I did there?

Just thinking.

Christian Music Community in Canada (the start of a tale)

It is an interesting landscape in Canada, or should I say lack of landscape. I have to admit as a musician in Canada I am always surprised at the lack of opportunities to play. Having been a music Pastor etc. I understand many of the challenges of hosting concerts etc, but I am happy that I was able to host several artists successfully when I was there.

So what is the landscape?
Well there are a handful of artists, who have good Canadian profile, and I think in some way or another deserves it. This list in no exhaustive, but the usual subjects can be seen.

"Bigger Names"
Steve Bell
Jacob Moon
Carolyn Arends
Amanda Falk
Greg Sczebel
Thousand Food Krutch

There are a few other bigger names, Brian Doerksen is in the HUGE category and doesn't really fit in this list. TFK might be considered huge as well.

How about record companies? Really I only know of maybe two and I am not sure that any of them are full service (recording, publishing, marketing etc.)

Avante Records
and Steve Bell's Signpost Community (link above)

I have always thought that the arts are one of the best ways to share ideas and influence culture. I am more thinking of music, but I do agree that all the art forms carry weight in that discussion. It would be great to see more communities develop like the signpost one where artists of similar genre and goals could connect to a larger group of people who identify with their work, support them, and also use it as a tool to plant seeds of thought.

The View From Here

I think I may try and start a new repeating post type called, well, The View From Here. Thoughts on where things are and possibly going, and the mundane miscellaneous.

The New Album
I have decided to start uses the retro phrase album for several reasons. One being, I will be releasing this album of songs in several formats of which CD is one. So really it is a new album of songs. Anyway, February is a crucial month. The goal is to finish bass and track as much piano as possible. The goal for release is late spring still.

Gigs
I have three things on the appearances page currently, all of which I am very excited about. I am now trying to amp up the pressure on myself by booking release concerts for fall. If you are interested in booking a release concert do contact me through the website, phone number and email contact info is there.

New Opportunities
I am working on some expansion plans as well in terms of reach and scope of involvement in the music industry. Stay tuned over this year for periodic developments.

Super Bowl
I wanted to see undefeated history; I didn't want to see NY win. Not a big fan of any one team in the NFL, but liked that story. Ahh well, not a happy ending.

Community

So we have been trying to find and connect at a new church since leaving our last church, and the place I was a Pastor for 5 years (to the day) for the last 9 months. 9 months without a church home, for lack of a better expression, has felt odd. It has been an interesting experience. Here is why.

Several years ago I was musing with a friend over why people connected or stayed with a church, and why they left. Not differentiating why they left, just that they left was our parameter. They may have left because they decided Jesus was not the answer for them, or because they decided to go to another church, but they left. We surmised that when people were involved socially with other people in the church (a small group perhaps), or involved in helping out at the church they were more immune to leaving.

In retrospect that was a good observation, but the deeper answer I think lies in what that interaction produced. After several years as a Pastor, with arguably, more insight in to why people leave churches, I saw another thing. That VERY involved people sometimes leave churches. I don't view that scenario as disproving the former theory, but rather adding a deeper bit of data. Being involved in a church socially or as a volunteer is still only one aspect of the actual interaction. The interactions must be in a safe environment that allows people to ask questions and learn more, a environment where people can deal with hard issues and grow and change. When that happens, the real qualifier is that the social interaction quenches a deeper desire to move a long a journey, and if someone is trying to learn about God and Jesus, and they are getting no where, then they will leave to somewhere else, or give up. (I suppose it could also be they just did not get what they wanted, but the whole consumer thing I am not going to address here)

So here I am a former professional pastor who believes in connecting with community and who is having a heck of a time finding a community where I feel I will be accepted. Where I feel that who I am can mix in, and the questions that I have will be accepted and worked through with me so that I can grow. You think as a former leader I would feel it easy to connect with those who believe what I believe, but the truth is, places where dialogue instead of monologue are present are rare. Having previously taught, I value having a voice.

I also value, perhaps above all else, freedom. Freedom of expression. Freedom to be sad, freedom to still wrestle and not have to put on the persona of having arrived, when I know I have miles to go. Freedom to jump up and down in worship, or lay on the ground in grief. Freedom to test a religious piety that doesn't seem to agree with what Jesus taught.

My wife and I were talking, and I surmise that with some lack of clarity, we have always sought community that gives us those things. Most times it wasn't the church itself, but people within a church that we could relate to and who could relate to us.

I will say that we have finally landed. You will figure out where after a time I am sure. It feels like maybe it will be a place where both the church and the people we are already starting to connect with will be a new and real community, and hopefully, we will be that to them as well.

Fathead

No I am not calling names. I went and saw some live blues music last night. Fathead is a Juno winning Canadian blues band, and a friend and I went and caught them at a local eatery last night. Sound system was suspect, but fortunately the skill of the band still came through. Really fun to hear some talented players playing such great riffs and shots together. It was really great. The vocals were a surprising treat as well. The band had a guitar, bass, drums, and one fellow who played sax and harmonica. Four of the five sang. When the whole thing was smoking it was like listening to a 9 piece band. Great when pretty much everyone in a band can do two things well. The drummer uses all four limbs so we will cut him some slack. Not only do I need to get out and play more myself, I got to find a way to get out and see more live music. Great vibe.

Little Encouragements (some ramblings)

I think I am the poster child for struggling artists. Check that, I am the poster child for tormented artists. I am actually tormented by the art within. How does that apply to little encouragements....read on.

I am a strange combination of right and left brain. A musician that is good at administration. A creator of music who spent five years in the finance field..blah,blah, blah.

Therein lies some of the issues. My left brain tells me that the fight to create music given what life has thrown me is crazy, just live the life that is there, my right brain can't let it go...it must have an outlet.

So I am tormented, although struggling isn't fair, we are blessed as a family.

Lately I have been getting encouragement in the midst of this down in trenches production time. Compliments, sales, new gigs from connections out of the past. Where will it all lead? Hard to say, I am just trying to finish this next CD!

Everything old is new again!

I have been getting a few people commenting as they re-discover or find for the first time The Apartment Sessions, my acoustic work from 2000. It is only $10, tax, shipping and burned CD, although it is a nice studio EP : 5 songs with piano and voice. Pick it up now and get 10% off my new CD this spring - I will let you know by email personally when that drops!

You can buy the Apartment Sessions here:

It is nice to see the old acoustic songs show staying power. Very gratifying.

the $5 philanthropist

Just getting to know different people in my industry. I have not met this fellow, but I have seen him on TV and now have been linked to him recently because of his charity resource Give Meaning.com. Interesting to see his take on a few things in this video.

Happy New Year

As a rule I think our family is very representative of our demographic as it relates to Christmas activity, although we have a couple more kids then most (4). Trips everywhere. My parents, Stef's parents, seeing friends etc. Unfortunately, after a very long stretch without a break, we all got sick, three of us worse than the others, nyeesh. I think I am looking forward to being back in routine.

A year in review, that will have to come later, I haven't had time. I haven't had enough time to think about the year coming up either. The next couple weeks are going to busy charting a route for some big goals this year.

Here is one of the many top 10 lists of New Year's resolutions people are considering.

I think the big difference between achieving and not achieving resolutions is the plan. To write down some things we hope to accomplish is significantly different than implementing a plan by freeing up time, resources and money to accomplish those goals. Really, resolutions like weight loss or growing spiritually are life changes and require significant adjustments. Change is visible, if we don't do anything visible to move towards change, it won't happen.

Feeding Hungry Kids

So I generally try to separate day job and this personal/music related blog, but this is news worth sharing.

The story is actually quite long, so I will cut to the climax. One of things we have been trying to do more of at FTC Canada is partner with others to help kids here at home. We are doing this a couple of ways, but here is one of them. In partnership with the Meeting House, The Salvation Army, The Freeway, the Hamilton Dream Centre, Parkview Alliance Church, Oakridge Bible Chapel, Lakeside Church, Koinonia, Hamilton City Kidz, and Faith Baptist FTC Canada has provided for the delivery of almost 700 Christmas Food boxes by Christmas this year. Our partners above are either connecting us to, or delvering the the food boxes to those in need.

• 200 of them are going to single mom families
• 200 are going to one of, if not the poorest, neighbourhoods in Canada
• 50 are going to 16 year old orphans under government support with no families
• and all of the rest are going to families with children who are in need.

Through our partners, kids in Cambridge, Hamilton, Brampton, and Oakville will be helped.

Trying to raise awareness and support for children in Canada and around the world is not a glamorous or easy job on a day to day basis. But when initiatives come together and do good, it is very rewarding.

Merry Christmas!

Selling Music (Part 1)

If you are reading this right now, you are a part of a very small community that checks into my thoughts and goings on from time to time. Thanks for that. It ebbs and flows. I have had as many as 600-700 in a week, and as few as 300. Generally, I think it is probably the same people that make up the 400 hundred on my email list. I also assume that the majority of you own something I have produced. I have no way of knowing, I am just guessing.

I have been reading and have been challenged a lot lately about what "business" model or delivery method would be best used to sell my music. I don't have a big fan base, but ultimately it is my sales that let's me produce more and different music, something I love doing. My expensive hobby. A hobby that is a micro business and palatable for my family because it basically pays for itself. Although it is a hobby, in a way, it is also a life's passion, so I am constantly trying to figure out ways to make it less of a stress and make the producing and releasing side financially easier, and I guess in the end cheaper for my "clients" and maybe even more profitable for me.

I have outfitted myself with "a studio" in my basement, and the first release from that is my current Christmas single. It represents an electronic production (e.g. no real instruments, except some guitar) and also an electronic release (download only). I have sold some, and I am very happy with the quality. I consider it good quality independent material that lets the song and the singer show. What more can I do.

My next release is more ambitious and will be a full CD with live production (all instruments live, drums, bass, piano, guitar if any etc.) It will also be released both digitally and in CD format.

I think it is both a liberating and hard time to be a musician right now. On the one hand, I have the ability to create some very interesting and high quality material from my own studio. On the other hand, selling music has become more difficult because price points are so compressed, and the duplication of music is uncontrollable. Ah well. All you can do is try to be open, creative and hope that you will be able to create some income from the art that you create so you can keep doing more and better.

Christmas Dreaming

So the single for Christmas is out. You can hear a sample below or on my homepage, www.cliffcline.com, or click the link to the right on the sidebar. You can also purchase it for $1.50 for instant download for your iTunes etc. through the links on my homepage.

It should also be on radio as early as tomorrow on Joy 1250 in Oakville. I didn't release it as early as I wanted, but that is life, so I do not know how many more stations it will hit, next year:)

Regardless, a portion of proceeds from both radio and download purchases goes to feed children through FTC Canada. Also, I am supporting Trinity Western University with a portion as well.

Fun to give and create, Merry Christmas!

Testing a Player

Powered by Podbean.com

I am looking at adding a player to my website and was trying it here. By the way, if you like these tunes you can always buy them from cTunes on the main site!!:) Great Christmas gift non?

Christmas Single

So I have been burning it at both ends a little the last few weeks. Not only has work been busy with travel and extras, I have been pushing hard to release a digital only original Christmas Single. Not to mention two jazz gigs last weekend, the quartet and the duo.

Production on tight lines has been hard enough, but it is also my first taste of the mixing process and I have more empathy to some of the time lines put on my last producer with far more tracks and instruments to mix, for a whole CD!

Alas, I plan to send it off to mastering tonight, and then I will try to release it for digital sale and download by the end of this week. I will keep you posted.

More Studio Time

Another night in the studio, not as productive as I would have liked. It is serious crunch time for a small project. Hopefully tomorrow will produce more finishing results.

Remember Me

What an intense period of time. I have producing every minute I get a chance, but even those have been fewer than I would like. The day job took me to Vancouver, BC last week and I barely got on the plane before I fell sick. Long days mixed with sickness, then home to a funeral, then the crash for a day, then back to work. In the last couple of weeks I have been to Peterborough twice, Vancouver and London, ON twice.

Anyway, all that to say that the next week is big on many fronts so I am hoping to release some news in the next week or so. Until then....

New Things Coming

Ok I am not great at the blog, so inconsistent. The good news is time away from the blog is equating to musical output. I am hoping to reveal some great news in the next few weeks…no it is not that I have finished my CD at long last, but it is a development anyway.

Location complications prevented last Saturday’s planned piano session for the new CD, but as I mentioned it did not stop other musical creation, so all in all I feel fine. I will keep you updated in the coming days.

Trinity Western University

So I had the chance to go out with some old friends from TWU last night. It is funny how strong the bond is to your Alma mater, the memories and the people. So much personal growth and formation happens during this time, and the relationships seem to be able to withstand huge gaps of time between visits because, when positive, the original experience carries such weight in your life.

All that to say it was a great time.

On another note, it is great to be back in Burlington. It has been less than three months, but I feel like we are starting to re-integrate into life. When I came home great friends were there hanging with the family and we hung out some more. Feels like home to me. Reminds me of a song.....

Working Through Worship (Music) Part 2

It has been a long time since my first post on this subject, and a lot of songwriting and "art" creation has taken place since then. One big difference for me since that time is I have actually had the chance to visit several churches and experience some very different worship environments. It has, in fact, confirmed in me the theory that we are missing a part of the mark when it comes to creating music that reflects all of the humanity that we might, maybe should, be bringing to God in worship.



For example, there is a general lack of lament, repentance, meditative or self examinational lyric present in worship services. The actually mood of the music generally never leaves "positive" land. It IS worshipful, but it one dimensional. I think the problem here is that as we try to reach for authenticity as churches (it is a buzzword used a lot anyway) that we are not representing all that most everyone experiences with consistency. There is a need to worship the way we do, with positive, upbeat lyric, but there is also a need to mourn over the state of the world, our personal worlds and the bad stuff that is going on. Even if we are just talking about our own shortcomings as it were. I DO NOT know how to implement this. I feel that it needs to be done. Not all the time, but in balance.



More of a musing than a conclusive thought I know, but just some observations.

link to Part 1

Some Movement

The last two weeks have been pretty good as I try and balance this crazy life right now. I finally spent a good part of a weekend mixing and finished the rough mixes of the drums. That is to say I still have some "micro" editing to do, but it is a beat or bar here and there, not whole songs.

So with twelve songs feeling pretty good, it is time to start recording the piano which should begin in the next few weeks and hopefully not take too long...heard that before haven't we.

I am going to be recording on a baby Yamaha grand that my in-laws have which is sweet. I love playing it, and it sounds great. The acoustics of the room should be good as well, and the set-up of their house might actually allow me to do some interesting things if I can get my hands on enough mics.

Great Time at St. Giles

Here is a pic of me a Bryn MacPhail, Senior Minister at St. Giles Pres. in TO. Sunday morning was great. Definitely good to be in a different environment and experience liturgy done well. Had a great time hanging out as families as well after the service with some burgers and dogs.

This Weekend / Email Updates

I will be at St. Giles Presbyterian this Sunday doing solo worship music. Bryn McPhail is the Senior Pastor there and a great preacher. The service will be traditional, the sermon will be great, so come out and say hi if you are into the traditional thing. (info)

I have joined the FanBridge gang for email updates, so if you want to signup, I plan on sending one update a month to keep people informed better.

Looking for a Church (Part 2)

Have I become a consumer of church products? In our effort to find a church we have, of course, gone to several and have started to return visit to some that seemed to offer the most promise. Then..disaster strikes. A Sunday experience resembling poor (meaning distracting) production value, vacuous content, and a lack of passion and focus that was very discouraging.

Hey I was a Pastor for five years. I know it is hard to hit every time, but scale and resources should be a factor as well.

Here is the rub. When did we all become such shiny, happy people holding hands. Life IS hard, for most (ALL) people. The Jesus I know lived that same life, maybe more on the rough edge than most of us. He did not start a shiny happy church, he started a real front line church, that dealt with the pain, social strata issues, hard issues of what truth is. Truth, that word that we seem to almost believe is relative, but is in actuality for all of us anything but. I know no one for whom life is perfectly relative. There is no relative bubble. We are all humbled by an absolute at some time or another.

I guess I am looking for authenticity, a buzz word with preferences attached I suppose. I have seen it, but at this point, I still haven't found what I'm looking for - at least as it pertains to a church.

Jarry Seinfeld, Business Coach?

I am in a time where the to do list looks longer than at any other time in my life. It is astounding. I am trying to stay calm and approach it like cramming for exams in University. A thousand pages a night for eight nights straight, each night a different subject, and then, well hopefully successfully done. Back then I think procrastination had something to do with it, now a days, sheer volume and multiple pressures.

What is a guy to do?

Well, although this is a little simplistic, it reminds me of the focus that can reduce the stress associated with having mammoth tasks to complete and limited brain space to do anything but, well do just do it.

Who knew, Jerry Seinfeld - business coach.

Hey Preacher Man

So I spoke at a college today about FTC (where I work) and how one can engage in community outreach.

My approach was to give 6 perspectives on life, as it were, to help the students contextualize what they should be doing for the poor in our midst.

Perspectives:

1. The current state: over 10 million children die every year from hunger in the world
2. What is my story (baggage) that effects my perspective on this matter (Gen X)
3. What is there story (Gen Y)
4. What about a leader's perspective on addressing issues www.jimcollins.com
5. What does the Bible say?
6. The great philosopher Jerry Seinfeld's thoughts

My boss asked, "So did you preach?"

I responded, "well I think I talked about the issues and introduced them to FTC Canada."

He said, "I think you preached, I know you, you always preach." (paraphrased)

I am going to take that as a compliment:)

The Van Man (the end of the story)

So Honda did not totally disappoint. I called up head office in Canada to discover that the warranty (extended) on my van had expired, one month ago. The transmission had fried and i needed a new one.

Long story short, they agreed because of the cars good service record (I did my trany changes) and because I am a loyal Honda customer (my other car is a civic) to pay for the parts if I covered the labour. Let's just say, that gave me the acceptable good side of the deal.

The bus is back, and with four kids, we need it!

Back Home

A short little one stop tour, my specialty I suppose, to Windsor ON and back to Heritage Park Alliance Church where I visited last year. Great fun to go back to a place where you have been before. Saw most of the folk that I worked with last year and then met some more new friends.

The church itself is pretty slick in a good way, well run and the sound and lighting side of things is very strong, a great venue to play without having to fight any of those side issues. The sermon was on worship and the songs were fun to play. I had actually never played four of them. A good challenge and some nice tunes. It was book ended with some great upbeat tunes and having a pro drummer backing us up was a highlight.

So Thanksgiving and then a return visit to St. Giles in Toronto. I as hoping to be promoting the new CD by now, but I am happy to get out playing again as I ramp back into the production phase.

Busted

So it has finally happened, a Honda that I owned broke. I am on my fourth Honda, 3 of four that I have purchased I have obtained used. The mini-van which is the bus for our family (four kids for those who do not remember) had its transmission die. Apparently this was a known problem, so there was an extended warranty. Of course that ran out a month ago. Transmissions are expensive, very expensive.

So I called Honda Canada to see if anything can be done. I am still waiting to hear. Only a month out of a manufacturer known problem, a little grace for all of the loyalty would be nice.

Gear

I don't know if I have ever laid out the gear that is the base of my home studio. The guts of it is a MacBook Pro laptop fully tricked out running Logic Express from Apple. That in itself was a massive decision point for me. Should I get something like a desktop or the iMac which would have a little more storage at the expense of portability, knowing I would be doing a bunch of remote recording. Obviously I chose the ability to move around. Getting Logic Express was also a hard decision because I have had lots of exposure and some experience with ProTools. In the end, it came down to the fact Logic Express had many desireable add-ons for the pre-production process that I would have to buy to add on to ProTools.

I had wanted to buy a high end pre-amp, but this time around it was not to happen. I still may rent one for the finish vocals.

The interface I bought was an M-Audio Project Mix I/O. Eight channels, eight pre-amps which allowed me to record the drums well, my most challenging tracking for this project.



Lastly I bought a Rode NTK microphone. A very nice moderately priced mic strongest in acoustic recording (vocal, piano, acoustic guitar). There I was looking for an emphasis on vocals with the ability to record a grand and acoustic guitar.

Apple, of course, has just released a new version of of Logic called Logic Studio.



It seems like a great deal for the money. It includes the Pro version of logic plus a bunch of other powerful software. Of course there is also a break because I own Express. There is also a Express upgrade available, but the real deal seems to be in Studio. Bottom line is I have a CD to release. Perhaps I should reward myself after the release.

Back in the Studio

So I am online again as I previously mentioned and I finally got a significant editing session in this evening. This one track is giving me grief and will test my limited editing chops but I already see the time is worth it. As I listen to some of the rough mixes there are only a few touch ups throughout the other 11 songs that are needed. Unfortunately this one song is a complete re-working of the drums and I think I am just slow because this isn't my full-time job. I learned a couple of shortcuts on th mac tonight that made life so much easier. I got a lot done, so I hope to finish the drums on this song by the end of the week, leaving only those few edits on the rest left.

I have made contact with the bass player, so I will be lining up that tracking in the coming weeks, and then of course are the real piano, all of the final vocals and BGs, mix down, mastering and then production. On top of that is the design and artwork.

The hard part, as with anybody like me, is that you rarely get into a groove because it is all so piecemeal. Hopefully I can have a good run at it this fall. I love the stuff that is in this CD and I can't wait to get it done and release it. On the other hand, you want to do it right, so I am trying to make sure there that balance. That is, after all, why I set my own studio up, so I could get it done with flexibility, accessibility and control over all elements of the project. It is definitely fun to be making progress again.

Looking for a Church

Well we are back down in the old neighbourhood after all of the transition. As those who have read know, this year has been a wild one. Back in Dec of 2006 I started taking over as the interim Lead Pastor of my church to cover for the Senior Pastor. That led to 4 months of leadership and a tonne of transtition. Around that time we learned we were to have our fourth child, near the end of that time was the wild change in jobs which necessitated a change in geography and of course we no longer attended the church I worked at. So now we are in the new location, I am at the new job, the new baby is 3 weeks old and it is time to find a new church community to hang with.

I wish I could do justice to the complexity of this issue for me. I think of a book like Revolution by George Barna (his greater work here) and so many more. Having been in leadership in the church, I am sure some would say "and it is better now that you are out of it", and having filled so may of the public and private roles that encompass leading a church, well I have too many opinions.

The debate can be seen raging right now within the Christian community and certainly outside of it. I am blown away by the American news coverage on the issue of "true" Chrsitianity, and all the iterations people are seeing.

Some, it seems, will die for the institution of church, others, although claiming to be Christian seem to think it needs a complete overhaul, a rebirth, maybe even a near death experience. Both parties claim an undying love for the teachings of Jesus. and there is the rub. How does one measure one's adherence to the teachings of Jesus. By how loud one yells that they believe? Or, as Jesus himself said, wisdom will be proved right be her actions. (Matthew 11:18-19) Note the context there as well, very interesting.

Without playing all my cards (is that a respectable metaphor?) I think I am laying some sort of a framework to the difficulties. Relevancy without heresy, great teaching with outward focus. Community and family support, without a sub-culture that kills the ability to relate to everyone who doesn't go to church - the majority of everybody I know.

So the journey begins. More to come I suppose.

Too Late to be Up

But I could not help it!! Man am I blessed, four kids!! Four kids!! All beautiful because they take after my wife, and all such a blessing from God. So the next part of this will seem strange, but I had to stay up and work a little. On what you ask? College and wedding funds:)

Yes it was time to actually get the "studio" back online and listen and get back into the editing process for the new CD. Great to listen through the speakers again and start to dream about the finished product.

So many more things to do on all fronts, but it is all very good.

Taking Care of Business!

As life evolves so does this blog. Ultimately I have tried to use this blog for promoting and informing people about what I am doing musically. Thing is, I am not full-time in music, so often there are dry spells. How often do people really want to hear that I am still working on my second CD? (I am by the way)

For the last five years I was a Pastor and that definitely effected some of the content here, and now I am working for FTC Canada which works to save children from all kinds of wrong.

Alas, to try and keep my life a little separated I will reserve this blog for music and meanderings of the mind and point you to my FTC blog for things related to work. Fair warning, my FTC blog will be about giving opportunities for you, things or projects I am working on to try and push the cause of helping children forward. Please check in there from time to time if you would like to know what I am doing and might be able to give to help. There are some exciting ways to see your money radically effect one or more children's lives. Check out this week's post now!

If you are looking to get the same kind of thing that this blog has always had, it will still be that, have no fear.

A New Boy!

So my lovely wife produced another gorgeous child, this one a boy last Friday very early, and we are six. Wow. Four beautiful children. I tool a couple days off work to help with the adjustment, and as usual the fam is helping out a tonne with the transition as well. I suppose that is normal. It makes you feel very dependent in a god way. I love that we have such a strong deep and wide family, and I definitely believe that God has everything to do with it. God in the majority of your family, a lot of health. If He is not...well my observation is that it is often way tougher.

Speaking of family and friends, they are all probably hoping that I stop using this massive life change stuff as an excuse for fatigue etc.I mean come on, now we have moved, changed jobs and had the baby, get the CD done and get on with it!

Maybe, but I think I will milk it a couple months longer anyway:)

Peace.

Spontaneity

So driving back to the office in my car after two great meetings over coffee and lunch yesterday I get a call on the cell. "Cliff, do you remember me?" Of course I say, knowing what comes next. "I don't suppose you are free for a vocal BG session in the studio in 3 hours?"

Well of course I wasn't, I have a day job, but I was free for the second ask, an evening call which I did last night. An unexpected and nice creative break from everything I have going on right now. My wife, due NOW, was fully supportive, as long as they were prepared for the call to the hospital!! An exciting night of working fast....just in case, and because I like working fast in the studio.

It was also fun to see a couple of old friends and catch up a little.

The Coming Year?

Traditionally I would have cause to be thinking big thoughts as it pertains to life and direction etc. at the end of calendar year, like most. This past transitional phase, however, has led to the need to be in constant evaluation of what is going on. Work is fantastic, but the newness of it brings huge challenges as it is a new environment and requires tonnes of creative energy to get things up and running and moving forward.

The new house has been a great experience. With the help of family and friends (unbelievable amount of help) the whole house has pretty much been painted, including a kitchen reno (cheap version of re-painting it etc.) and newly finished wood floors. It is an old house (39 years) so character comes with a price.

A fourth child is imminent and brings with it the accompanying anticipation and stress of making room in the heart and the head for another beautiful child.

And lastly is the CD. Kind of been on hold this past month or three. Late August should bring a re-launch of effort and represent the last leg or two of production. It is amazing how far the project has come and yet how much there is to do. This is going to be a serious accomplishment when it gets done.

Child Hunger

Jesus said "You will always have the poor among you." (John 12:8) Deuteronomy 15:7-8 says "If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother. Rather be openhanded and freely lend him whatever he needs."

I think maybe there maybe hope for those of us trying to do good in the world. You see, sometimes it is overwhelming when you think of trying to change the world for good. Certainly you can't end child hunger or poverty. Sometimes Christians cite Jesus' words as proof we will never win the war. Maybe that is just too pessimistic. True, we may always have the poor amongst us, but there is a long way from poor to starvation and poverty. If we embraced the Deuteronomy passage, maybe, just maybe we could end poverty and child hunger.

We have a ways to go, but if Coke can have a vision to have every person in the world drink a Coke, certainly we can have a vision to end hunger...for good.

Articles of interest:

Herald Tribune

Reuters

The Louisiana Weekly

The Toronto Star

Re-Invention

Invention of something new, notwithstanding Solomon's perspective on such matters, is extraordinary. Some of the TV shows that deal with inventors on the Golf Channel and on network television show how difficult it is to come up with something new.

I had lunch with a creative friend the other day and he touched on that. He, unlike me, has been highly successful at inventing and re-inventing himself many times.

I will say, however, that I think I am finally doing one or the other on this new CD project, even as it pertains to my musicianship. One friend that heard a rough mix said she thought I had finally captured "my" sound. I think so too.

Anyway I wil keep working towards the release, looking forward to it.

How to save the world

Ok, so this blog will not actually outline how to save the world. In a sense it is a day in the life blog. Many of my readers know my new day job is develop relationships and resources that will help feed children in Canada and around the world. It ends up being much more than that. You can't feed sick children very well, and so if their life can be saved you give them medicine and then the food sticks as it were. Sometimes you help get them clean and healthy and keep them healthy, but the bottom line is to help them reach a baseline existence that is so far below our expectations it still seems like desperate poverty to us.

The story is simple, and the actions aren't clever. They are simple. But we live in a complex developed society with market leaders in raising money - and of course we still have massive world child hunger. Sadly we still have incredible Canadian child hunger. I just want to buy them food, hook them up with a loving church community and say, ok now, get better. But it isn't that simple is it. The great divide between church, state and the poor is massive. Yes we have Salvation Army and bright spots of hope through other successful churches in some communities. But the church is shrinking, its influence is shrinking, and the need is getting bigger.

So what is the innovation. In a world with staggering technology, the ability to communicate clearly and quickly (this blog is at least quick), how is it that we cannot actually as a Christ following people transform communties with lavished love. How can the x thousand of Christians from all denominations etc. not join to love every poor person into health, every orphan into family, every terminally ill person to their maker. I am cursed? with the utopian thought that we can and should. Moreover we must.

We have leaders studying to be better leaders and not learning that humility is what they lack most of all. I still marvel that the findings of Jim Collins the secular leadership guru were that great leaders possessed two qualities: humilty, and an unquenchable thirst to see the vision accomplished.

God help me find a way to do much, much more.

So it has hit

A new template on the blog and a whole new website. Check out, and preferably buy!, my songs from the latest CD on iTunes and songs from The Apartment Sessions on cTunes.

The latest CD is Noticing the Sky, so not brand new for those who have been following for a while. Still a new CD in the works, always updates as they happen.

A New Website..link to iTunes, eMusic

I have been trying to figure out how to update the website and gain more functionality and not lose any. Part of the complication has been my switch to a mac computer and the fact that I am not a power user of programs like Dreamweaver. Did I say power? I meant I a dummer than a sack of hammers. Anyway, I have been searching the web for a Frontpage equivalent for mac (current site is a mix of FrontPage and iWeb), kind of ugly and awkward. But finally I found one and I am getting really close to a re-launch. More on that later.

For those that skip by my website right to here I now have a link to the right go to my site AND....I also have a link right to iTunes and eMusic if you want to buy a couple of songs!!

More to come...

Old Friends, New job, and Starbucks

Had a great lunch the other day meeting up with a good friend from yester-year. It is amazing to see how journeys evolve and people change, and stay the same. It wasn't so long ago I had lunch with another old friend who was able to relate to my new job and give some great advice on the transition. FaceBook, now there's a old friend connection hub too. It has been great connecting with so many.

So it has been about 6 weeks at the new job and things have been advancing in many ways ahead of schedule. I am responsible to create many things here which is both exciting and tiring as you have the creative juices flowing everyday. I ave never been in the charity "business" so there is also all the learning and terminology changes that are fun to navigate and learn. It is great connecting with a whole new set of people though, both new co-workers and partners in the work.

There's a new, big, Starbucks going in near the office here! I am very excited. Great place for meetings and thinking sessions I can already see it. I should not be so excited, but I am. Triple shot latte please! Coffee has been key in keeping the energy up through the 3plus hour drive everyday and in the office. Got my grinder and Starbuck's beans bien sur.

At Some Point

At some point the questions get answered
Maybe at a crossroads, or just the side of the path

At some point the way becomes clearer
Often through revelation, rather than inspiration

It leaves humility intact
It brings reality in focus
It causes hope to build, and love to renew

At some point, the road becomes longer

Not from transformation, but darkness dispelled

CD Progress

Well this week needs to be a return to the process. Last week was a week in Florida with the family and this week should be a rough mix of all the songs with the live drums. Next phase is final vocals start and getting bass done. That may happen simultaneously. Let you know how it goes.

An Overwhelming Reality

Blogging is by its very nature a risky adventure, in that, it is very difficult not to be self-absorbed in both your posting and desires.

I blog in main to stay somewhat connected to those who might be interested in my musical pursuits. As much as it feels like I am doing a lot right now I know that by a professional musicians standards I am standing still. Nevertheless I fight on.

I also jabber about how hard life is, blah, blah. How I have left one job, on to another another, - yawn - blah, blah etc.

The new job. Helping hungry, sick kids around the world. God help me:
a) make a difference
b) thank you every minute for my healthy children
c) have the energy to do all of things I should be doing, not just what tickles my fancy

A mild self reprimand of sorts. Lots to do, some of it really counts. Better more that counts than less.

Last Week of Work

Hard to believe that after 5 years I will be moving on to another day job in less than a week. As seems to be the case almost every time I do this it involves a move (selling the house) a baby - Stef is pregnant, of course the new job and then some spice like a big commute until we move, a CD project on the go - and maybe even some consulting work thrown in for good measure.

Obviously I am very excited on all fronts and am relishing the challenge of it all. I am also trying to take some time and actually mark the transition. I have basically spent 33% of my working life at this job, the number will go down, but right now - that is a significant chunk of investment. I have learned tonnes, done much, had life altering experiences, met great people, seen some of them move on with job change and life change and now I am one the ones moving on.

Interesting though. We have made some connections as a family that I think will be life long. It will be very interesting to see things progress.

Major Milestone

Finished the drum bed tracks for the CD today, HUGE. So much more to go, but finishing that at the quality we are at feels amazing. Getting closer!!

Lots of mixing and editing to do, but a major milestone.

New Site

For those of you who come directly to the blog just wanted to let you know that I have made the site a little more updated. (check it out) Moreover, with the changes to the job, I am selling the house, and yes I am doing it on my own for the third time! You can surf the site and see pics of where I live. Not quite the Much Music show about pads or whatever, but if you know anyone... get them to drop me a line through the site.

Last Saturday was great for recording the drums. I am hoping this Saturday will close off the drums part of the recording. I will let you know. Four to go.

Progess

Well three more songs in the can for drums yesterday was a very successful day. Certainly I am really enjoying the producing side of this experience, but it is totally amazing to be working with a drummer that brings so much to the table. The tunes on this CD seem to be shaping up more to be more complex as well. I think that has something to do with the writing for this CD, but it may also be a little of my producing style. It is an experiment and an experience.

Overall with some of the life things that have gone on (taking over as lead pastor for a time, and now leaving for another job, having to move, expecting another child and all of the preparation and transition that those things bring) the CD is way behind schedule in my mind, however, I will keep pressing on towards a finished project and the concerts that will follow. Hopefully drums will be finished tracking this week, and then we can continue with other instruments.

The Changing Times

So a chapter in my life is coming quickly to a close. I have been a Pastor here in Newmarket for 5 years as of May 1st. That is pretty much the longest I have ever been at any job, and although I am not trying to prove the Gen-X definition true, I am heading to another post starting the first week of May.

I am heading to FTC Canada and I couldn't be more excited about the opportunity. I am sure I will have many refelctive thoughts about my time here as time goes by, but at this point I am trying to come to grips with all of the changes on the way. New job, selling and buying houses, new vehicle for the long commute (at least to start), baby on the way this summer. Shouod be an interesting few months.

On top of that I will try and keep the very behind schedule CD coming. Should be done drums this month which will help, and then on to bass and other live instruments.