Posts under ‘Biography’

In addition to some valuable learning about my songwriting and how to participate more effectively in songwriting contests, my SpinTunes experience led me to some general thoughts on how songwriting contests are — and could be — run.
SpinTown and the others most directly involved in running SpinTunes explicitly made an effort to design the contest [...]

My participation in the SpinTunes songwriting contest has come to an end. It was a valuable experience. I learned a lot and had many thoughts and insights along the way, and I met a bunch of great people, my fellow competitors in particular, a group with a lot of songwriting talent and an earnestly friendly [...]

I’d heard about a Buddhist meditation group about 1.5 years ago. Specifically, it’s a Vipassana meditation group, which means it’s about insight meditation. I’d put it off for a while, but several weeks ago I decided I’d like to try it. It took a few weeks for me to bother to call to find out [...]

As I’ve begun to have a go at making a living as a musician and artist, I’ve thought at times about how difficult it seems for people who try this. So many struggling artists, starving artists, nobodies trying to become somebody, so little opportunity to make it into much more than a hobby, such [...]

Hello all. I have finally settled into the role of Stay at home Mom. It’s been challenging but I’m getting used to it. I have also found a craft that’s relatively kid-friendly. I’m calling it “Plan Bead” (as woodworking, my first love, is not Sophie friendly) and I hope to sell [...]

This piece began in the Spring of 2002 as an essay that I thought would provide a compelling new understanding of the Star Wars films. After writing more than a dozen versions, I had yet to produce something that met with the approval of an editor I was working with. Frustrated, I put the piece [...]

I believe a traditional potluck event is one where the potato salad always comes in the same bowl. An event where a few minutes spent 20 years ago with someone merits a warm embrace just because you’re relatives, or some similar brand of kin. I lean towards events where people eat, greet, dance and play [...]