10 Things For 2014

Looking back on previous lists like these, I am really really bad at making things happen. With that said...

1. Make Things Happen.
I need to stop finding excuses to not do something and actually just do those things. From the smallest of things to the largest of things. Just make it happen.

2. Complete the Next Album.
I've got 14 songs for the new album ready to go and another 12 possible ones hanging out in the wings. I am ready to put this thing together.

3. Lose Weight.
Broken record. Cliche. Blah blah blah.

4. Be Positive.
Another thing I am so terribly bad at. I always focus on the negative. I am constantly worried something awful is about to happen. I need to stop that. It's not healthy.

5. Spend More Time With My Dad.
My dad doesn't have a whole lot of years left. Or , at least, you wouldn't think so, but he's crazy resilient. Anyway, he's not doing well and it gets harder and harder to go out there to see him for all of the reasons, but I need to make more of an effort. Especially since the weekly phone call is not something that can happen anymore.

6. Continue To Make a Music Space for Myself in My Home.
It's been a long goal of mine to carve out a space in the basement that I can write and practice and work on demos and all that stuff. But I don't really like basements. They are cold and damp and full of spiders. I have a room in the basement right now that is painted and has carpet and a door and some furniture. But its still really uninviting and it really sucks to grab something and have a spider surprise you. I need to make it spider proof. Anyone know how to do that?

7. Buy an Electric Guitar.
I really want one. A good one.

8. Relearn the Piano and Get a Bit More Technical with Music. 
I never really knew how to play. As a child, I bought a couple of books that taught me chords and then a couple of sheet music books of 80s power ballads and stumbled my way through Gloria Estefan classics. But I'd like to be better. I'd like to be able to look at some sheet music, look at the piano, and at least know where to put my fingers with less hesitation. I also am not very technical and gear knowledgeable. I hate to be one of those cliched female musicians who doesn't know/understand what all the knobs do on my amp or electric guitar (when I do finally get one). Time to get into learning mode and not be afraid to ask questions.

9. Learn How to Play Guitar with a Pick.
Yep. I cannot play with a pick. Hence, the long fake fingernails. It's like I have no depth perception and  miss the strings 40% of the time I try to strum with a pick. And that's just general strumming. Also why I'm bad at Badminton. This is not a problem with an acoustic, but with an electric, the plastic fingernails just don't sound very good.

10. Paint the Kitchen Wall and Get the Kitchen Light Fixture Changed and Paint the Closet Doors
These are two things I could do tomorrow if I wanted to, so hopefully by the end of 2014 I can say that I did these things. I have been living with this awful gold light fixture in the kitchen for 8 years and I hate it so much. But it's not just changing the fixture, there are wires there, too, and that's why it hasn't been done yet. There is also a wall in the kitchen I want to paint a bright, fun color just to liven things up a bit. And today I decided I want to paint our ugly, white, 1986 style sliding bedroom closet doors another color to make them look somewhat better.

Those are my goals for 2014.

Here's to a wonderful year!

2013 In Pictures, Part 2

 Window watching.

 Snuggle times.

 Cabin on the lake trip with good friends.

 Wedding anniversary.

 The National.

 More rock shows in the park.

 West Bank bocce.

Turning 34. 

 State Fair cheese on a stick.

 State Fair Happy Hours.

 Dog Days at the museum.

 Robbie paintings.

 Southside Desire music video props.

 Relaxing Sundays.

 Scout Niblett at Icehouse.

Turf Club Birthday shows.

One of the best desserts I ever had.  

 Cannonball.

Science Museum trip. 

 The Nomad residency.

 Matt takes up baking. 

 Rank Strangers house show.

Love

2013 In Pictures, Part 1

First time playing at Triple Rock.

Robbie hang outs.

More Robbie hang outs.

Watching Grant Hart tape his MN Original segment. 

Video release shows.

 Living room conversations with Robbie.

 Winter walks around the lake.

 Watching Southside Desire tape their MN Original segment.

Making sick times better.

 Bethany Larson and the Bee's Knees at the Dakota.

 Zoo Animal at Icehouse.

Handmade new EPs.

 Fourth of July fireworks basement hideouts.

 Sun time lay downs.

 Front stoop hangouts.

 Art-A-Whirl hangouts.

 Kristin Hersh at Icehouse.

 Turf Club hangouts.

Summertime rock shows in the park. 

 Stone Arch Bridge Festivals.

Drives to visit Dad.

My Music: 2013 Edition

I thought I'd take a look back on my own personal year in music. It's always nice to look back and see what was actually accomplished  with myself and the band.

We played 19 shows at a variety of places around town. I got to play at the Triple Rock Social Club for the first time way back in January and Harriet Brewing for the first time in October. We also spent time at favorites like 331 Club, Amsterdam Bar and Hall, Kitty Cat Klub, Turf Club, and The Nomad. And TWO of those were residencies. One in early summer:

And one in late fall:

I updated and revamped my website at the beginning of the year. It's much cleaner and user-friendly - also more web manager friendly for me : )

I released my first music video, made by the wonderful Rev K, for the song "Can't Even Tell". We held a Video Premiere Party at the Amsterdam Bar and Hall on February 16th and were joined by Middlepicker and The White Whales.


We welcomed new drummer John in May. John's been a wonderful addition to our band and we're very happy to have him.

I played a solo set at my first ever Live Letters show hosted by Bethany Larson of Bethany Larson and the Bee's Knees. This was a super fun night. Bethany and her band played a full set and then myself, along with other musicians Reina del Cid, Dan Isreal, and Lydia Liza of Bomba de Luz, joined Bethany on stage and each took turns singing songs.

We released an EP in June titled Intermission with the lead-off single "Blind" debuting on 89.3 The Current on April 4th. We went about Intermission a little differently by recording it via 4 track cassette.



We took part in the Stone Arch Bridge Festival for our third year in a row, performing on Father's Day. This is one of my favorite events of the year and I love so much being a part of it.

We took July off and most of August to prep for my birthday party show at the Turf Club on August 23rd. Also on the bill: Prissy Clerks and Bomba de Luz.

We've added many new songs to our setlists, including the new songs off of Intermission. But we've also been writing and arranging for our third full-length and so far have added 5 currently unreleased songs to our set. Another addition to our set happened at our final show of the year and our final show of our Nomad residency back in November: We've added back-up singers Laura Borgendale and Colleen Borgendale! It was so much fun singing with them! I'm so happy they will be joining us for shows some time and will be singing on some songs on the new album. 

That was 2013. A lot of fun stuff happened. As I always say, I'm so happy I finally took the plunge and started playing music publicly and releasing albums and writing with others and playing with others. I really love it so much. 

We'll see you in the new year with new shows and (hopefully) a new album late 2014.