I thought it might be time to give another medical update, since every time I run into someone I know, I end up telling this entire story anyways. Just like this morning, when I reached for a muffin the first morning of orientation for my new tutoring job, I had to explain why blueberry muffins were the only ones in the box I could have.
So, I'm still laden with the interstitial cystitis. For that, I received bladder installations with a "Rescue" solution. After a month and a half of that, it has been discontinued. Now, I'm just taking the oral medication Elmiron for two more months. Hopefully, this will build back up the lining of my bladder, which is in much disrepair. This is the disease that is also dictating my diet. It's easier to explain what I can eat: white flour products, bland meats, and dairy products. It's necessary that I avoid anything spicy, MSG, foods rich in potassium, and any and all condiments. No fun, but I've lost 20 pounds so far.
I've also got endometriosis, and I started the Lupron injections over a month ago. Just last Thursday, I received my second shot. Lupron is a chemotherapy drug that was first designed to treat patients with prostate cancer. Now, it's being used more and more often by doctors to reduce the size of lesions in patients with endometriosis. It will not necessarily remove the endometrial implants, but it will allow the disease to go into remission for up to five years. Because the injections are a hormonal treatment, the side-effects it creates is on par with menopause. Therefore, hot flashes, decreased libido, and emotional issues are common.
After my first shot, I noticed a few hot flashes. I also began experiencing headaches and nausea quite often. For the first two weeks, I had a ton of sexual energy. However, since my second shot last week, that has plateaued and started declining. I'm also feeling the effects of the chemotherapy more than I expected I would. The nausea and headaches are much worse and more frequent. I feel kind of like my brain is in a fog, and concentration has been a bit difficult. I can also see my memory slipping from time to time, which is also a popular side-effect. The worst part of the experience, though, by far, is the joint pain and the emotional disturbance. Lupron is known to deplete bone mass and increases the risk for Osteoporosis. Even adding a calcium supplement to my diet won't help. I'm starting to worry about the pain I'm having, but I don't think I have any options to decrease it. And the emotional issues are setting me back to my bipolar days, and I'm trying my best to hang on each and every day, despite the fact that I'm sad for no apparent reason. Adding a mild anti-depressant to my diet of pills might be an option I look into soon. Because my lesions are located near blood vessels, surgery is not an option for me. Looks like Lupron is the only thing that can help me right now.
So, there it is - the bad and the ugly. The good is that, hopefully, after another four-and-a-half months, I'll be pain-free and can move on with my life, happy and healthy.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Somebody tell me what this is
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Medical Update
This week, I returned to Dr. Villarreal's office for one more test, to rule out my bladder as the issue causing me so much abdominal pain. Turns out, this simple visit that I underestimated turned out to be the most important of all. Following a potassium test, I was diagnosed with Interstitial Cystitis, which many doctors refer to as endometriosis' evil twin. Approximately 70 to 90 percent of women with IC are misdiagnosed with endometriosis.
IC is basically the thinning out/wearing down of the bladder wall. I blame it on the fact that my mother gave me Pepsi from birth. But now, I have to change my diet, say goodbye to Pepsi, spicy foods, Ranch dressing, Funyons ... all the things I adore so much. Potassium and MSG are the culprits that aggravate the disease, so I've been put on a diet to avoid foods containing them. I'm pretty much left with bread, meats, dairy products, and a few vegetables.
Twice a week for the next two weeks and once per week following for four months, I'll be visiting my OB/GYN for "Rescue" therapy. That's where they pour a solution into my bladder that both helps relieve pain and begins coating my bladder, building the lining back up. The very night after my first treatment the other day, I slept. I only got up twice to go to the bathroom the entire night - compared to my usual five or six trips. My pain has also decreased drastically. In addition to the bladder treatments, I've been prescribed Elmiron, a drug I take three times a day. A one-month prescription runs at $340, so I'm truly grateful for insurance for one of the first times in my life. This drug helps block potassium and also works to rebuild the bladder wall.
It's amazing how much better I feel already. I'm sure this newfound peace of mind can be directly attributed to having a diagnosis that makes sense, one that I've already begun treatment for. It's been a long three months, but I feel my feet finding steady ground now. I'm thinking of having a "Jenn Quits Pepsi" party to celebrate. Ya know, I'd serve Pepsi to all of my guests and I'll drink Evian. I'm really quite depressed about it, so a party would be an uplifting way to say goodbye.
The really big light at the end of the tunnel is that if this works, Dr. Villarreal won't need to put me on hormone therapy for the endometriosis. He said after my laparoscopy that even though he found signs of endometriosis, he didn't think it was severe enough to be causing the pain I was having. Hopefully the treatment for IC will take care of everything. Cross your fingers, everyone!
IC is basically the thinning out/wearing down of the bladder wall. I blame it on the fact that my mother gave me Pepsi from birth. But now, I have to change my diet, say goodbye to Pepsi, spicy foods, Ranch dressing, Funyons ... all the things I adore so much. Potassium and MSG are the culprits that aggravate the disease, so I've been put on a diet to avoid foods containing them. I'm pretty much left with bread, meats, dairy products, and a few vegetables.
Twice a week for the next two weeks and once per week following for four months, I'll be visiting my OB/GYN for "Rescue" therapy. That's where they pour a solution into my bladder that both helps relieve pain and begins coating my bladder, building the lining back up. The very night after my first treatment the other day, I slept. I only got up twice to go to the bathroom the entire night - compared to my usual five or six trips. My pain has also decreased drastically. In addition to the bladder treatments, I've been prescribed Elmiron, a drug I take three times a day. A one-month prescription runs at $340, so I'm truly grateful for insurance for one of the first times in my life. This drug helps block potassium and also works to rebuild the bladder wall.
It's amazing how much better I feel already. I'm sure this newfound peace of mind can be directly attributed to having a diagnosis that makes sense, one that I've already begun treatment for. It's been a long three months, but I feel my feet finding steady ground now. I'm thinking of having a "Jenn Quits Pepsi" party to celebrate. Ya know, I'd serve Pepsi to all of my guests and I'll drink Evian. I'm really quite depressed about it, so a party would be an uplifting way to say goodbye.
The really big light at the end of the tunnel is that if this works, Dr. Villarreal won't need to put me on hormone therapy for the endometriosis. He said after my laparoscopy that even though he found signs of endometriosis, he didn't think it was severe enough to be causing the pain I was having. Hopefully the treatment for IC will take care of everything. Cross your fingers, everyone!
Friday, July 4, 2008
Elusive Song
I can't find this song anywhere but on imeem...and the album it's from costs a minimum of $45 on Amazon. It's from the movie "Better Luck Tomorrow," during a really beautiful scene. I was going to post my favorite movie soundtrack moments, until I realized that this song was hidden from the eyes and ears of humanity. So, now it's here...for now. More on my list later...
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Honorable Mention
This is a project I completed for Woman's Studies 100 during Winter Quarter. Our guidelines were to create a "quilt" highlighting important women in any field we chose. I chose to focus on nine women who changed the face of music during their respective eras: Billie Holiday, Janis Joplin, Patti Smith, Stevie Nicks, Tina Turner, Cindy Lauper, Madonna, Melissa Etheridge, and Alanis Morissette. Since I'm not a crafter, per say, I used a canvas, acrylic paints, and Xerox copies of Photoshopped images. I received an "Honorable Mention" for my efforts. The piece hung in OU-C's art gallery in Bennett Hall for the entire month of March.
I Guess That's Why They Call it Medical "Practice"
And now, a play-by-play of my recent medial dilemma.
Nearly three months ago, I developed what I thought was a kidney infection. I had all the typical symptoms - pain in the mid-to-lower left side of my back, the constant urge to urinate, and overall abdominal crampiness. A visit to Urgent Care sent me home with antibiotics, but by the following week, my pain had increased and none of the other symptoms had even begun to dissipate. I then started a series of tests ordered my family doctor, Dr. Kirk Tucker with the Franklin Clinic in Chillicothe. Throughout the next three months, I had three CT scans, a colonoscopy and an MRI. Possible dianoses ranged from kidney stones, diverticulitis, a slipped disc in my back, and porphyria. As these tests, including random blood and urine samples, continued to come back with negative results, I realized Dr. Tucker had no idea what he was up against. He became very restless with my office visits. I could tell he's had very few patients with conditions as obscure as mine.
Approximately three weeks ago, my pain reached a new level, and my left abdomen, just beside and above my navel, began to swell. I called Dr. Tucker's office to let him know about the change in symptoms. He was not going to be in the office the next day, so he set me up with an appointment with Dr. Gbaruk of the same family of physicians. Dr. Gbaruk took much more time sitting down with me than Dr. Tucker ever had. Dr. Tucker would rush me in and out, briefly speak to me regarding new development of symptoms, and rarely did any sort of physical examination. Dr. Gbaruk actually physically analyzed my abdomen, and he squinted his eyes in confusion for quite some time before deciding to go look over my recent scans and to have a conference call with Dr. Tucker. When he returned to the room, he had determined that endometriosis was the likely culprit, and that I should see my OB/GYN as soon as possible. A laparoscopy was ordered, and I was scheduled for the operation last Friday.
When I went in for surgery, I warned Dr. Bob Lee, the anesthesiologist, of a condition my aunt Barb has, one my family has been told is serious and genetic and can affect any of us at any time. While this sounds serious enough, I never knew just how dangerous the disease is until Friday. When I mentioned "Malignant Hyperthermia" to the doctor, he freaked out. He said if he were to have completed my surgery Friday, there would have been a 25 percent chance I could die. Malignant Hypothermia is a rare disease stemming from an allergic reaction to certain anesthetics. If contracted, it causes the patient's muscles to contract, and the presence of a high fever that eventually shuts down the body's systems, one by one. This all confused me because I have had anesthetics before, for an apendectomy at Pike Community Hospital in 2006. When I told Dr. Lee of this, he said, "Sure, you could say, 'I just crossed the road without looking first and I'm fine.' But that doesn't mean you'll be fine the next time you try to do it." So, apparently, MH can manifest itself whenever it pleases, but not every time. To find out if I have MH, I'll have to make a trip to Pennsylvania to have a muscle biopsy performed. It is the only location in the U.S., that I'm aware of, that handles the test.
Luckily, I didn't have to wait for a test to have my laparoscopy. Instead, special conditions had to be met by the anesthetic team. First of all, I had to be the first patient of the day, with clean new anesthetic tubes containing no traces of the drugs that might trigger a reaction. Next, the doctors had to avoid any drugs known to trigger an MH episode. And finally, I was given very high doses of oxygen to be sure my muscles wouldn't do the contracty thing. I went in for the operation yesterday morning, and did wonderful.
The findings: endometriosis. Although I've not yet spoken to my OB/GYN, Dr. Richard Villarreal of Chillicothe OB/GYN, he briefed Nick on the situation following the procedure. Apparently, he did find endometriosis, but it wasn't severe enough for him to burn any of it off yesterday. He said he wants to start me on a series of injections to throw me into menopause temporarily. Supposedly, this will slow the growth of the endometriosis. Now, I'm concerned about my future as a woman. I don't even know if I'll be able to have more children following this. I'm afraid of the big "M" word because I'm not looking forward to having my hormones all out of whack - even more out of what than this crazy woman's hormones are already. I have an appointment with Dr. Villarreal Monday to discuss the issue further. He also said that he's not entirely convinced that my level of pain is coming from the endometriosis. He said typically, the condition doesn't cause pain as severe as mine. He would also like for me to see an internal medicine specialist to look for something further. What they'll look for this time I have no idea. The only thing I could think they might do is an endoscopy, where they'd take a scope down the upper part of my G.I. track and stomach to look for problems. Other than that, I've been scoped and scanned every which way possible. I don't know what more could be causing it.
So, now, I'm on my couch, feeling achy from a hole in my belly button and another on my lower stomach. The anesthetics have worn off finally, leaving me both drowsy and restless. I welcome uplifting messages and words of wisdom.
Nearly three months ago, I developed what I thought was a kidney infection. I had all the typical symptoms - pain in the mid-to-lower left side of my back, the constant urge to urinate, and overall abdominal crampiness. A visit to Urgent Care sent me home with antibiotics, but by the following week, my pain had increased and none of the other symptoms had even begun to dissipate. I then started a series of tests ordered my family doctor, Dr. Kirk Tucker with the Franklin Clinic in Chillicothe. Throughout the next three months, I had three CT scans, a colonoscopy and an MRI. Possible dianoses ranged from kidney stones, diverticulitis, a slipped disc in my back, and porphyria. As these tests, including random blood and urine samples, continued to come back with negative results, I realized Dr. Tucker had no idea what he was up against. He became very restless with my office visits. I could tell he's had very few patients with conditions as obscure as mine.
Approximately three weeks ago, my pain reached a new level, and my left abdomen, just beside and above my navel, began to swell. I called Dr. Tucker's office to let him know about the change in symptoms. He was not going to be in the office the next day, so he set me up with an appointment with Dr. Gbaruk of the same family of physicians. Dr. Gbaruk took much more time sitting down with me than Dr. Tucker ever had. Dr. Tucker would rush me in and out, briefly speak to me regarding new development of symptoms, and rarely did any sort of physical examination. Dr. Gbaruk actually physically analyzed my abdomen, and he squinted his eyes in confusion for quite some time before deciding to go look over my recent scans and to have a conference call with Dr. Tucker. When he returned to the room, he had determined that endometriosis was the likely culprit, and that I should see my OB/GYN as soon as possible. A laparoscopy was ordered, and I was scheduled for the operation last Friday.
When I went in for surgery, I warned Dr. Bob Lee, the anesthesiologist, of a condition my aunt Barb has, one my family has been told is serious and genetic and can affect any of us at any time. While this sounds serious enough, I never knew just how dangerous the disease is until Friday. When I mentioned "Malignant Hyperthermia" to the doctor, he freaked out. He said if he were to have completed my surgery Friday, there would have been a 25 percent chance I could die. Malignant Hypothermia is a rare disease stemming from an allergic reaction to certain anesthetics. If contracted, it causes the patient's muscles to contract, and the presence of a high fever that eventually shuts down the body's systems, one by one. This all confused me because I have had anesthetics before, for an apendectomy at Pike Community Hospital in 2006. When I told Dr. Lee of this, he said, "Sure, you could say, 'I just crossed the road without looking first and I'm fine.' But that doesn't mean you'll be fine the next time you try to do it." So, apparently, MH can manifest itself whenever it pleases, but not every time. To find out if I have MH, I'll have to make a trip to Pennsylvania to have a muscle biopsy performed. It is the only location in the U.S., that I'm aware of, that handles the test.
Luckily, I didn't have to wait for a test to have my laparoscopy. Instead, special conditions had to be met by the anesthetic team. First of all, I had to be the first patient of the day, with clean new anesthetic tubes containing no traces of the drugs that might trigger a reaction. Next, the doctors had to avoid any drugs known to trigger an MH episode. And finally, I was given very high doses of oxygen to be sure my muscles wouldn't do the contracty thing. I went in for the operation yesterday morning, and did wonderful.
The findings: endometriosis. Although I've not yet spoken to my OB/GYN, Dr. Richard Villarreal of Chillicothe OB/GYN, he briefed Nick on the situation following the procedure. Apparently, he did find endometriosis, but it wasn't severe enough for him to burn any of it off yesterday. He said he wants to start me on a series of injections to throw me into menopause temporarily. Supposedly, this will slow the growth of the endometriosis. Now, I'm concerned about my future as a woman. I don't even know if I'll be able to have more children following this. I'm afraid of the big "M" word because I'm not looking forward to having my hormones all out of whack - even more out of what than this crazy woman's hormones are already. I have an appointment with Dr. Villarreal Monday to discuss the issue further. He also said that he's not entirely convinced that my level of pain is coming from the endometriosis. He said typically, the condition doesn't cause pain as severe as mine. He would also like for me to see an internal medicine specialist to look for something further. What they'll look for this time I have no idea. The only thing I could think they might do is an endoscopy, where they'd take a scope down the upper part of my G.I. track and stomach to look for problems. Other than that, I've been scoped and scanned every which way possible. I don't know what more could be causing it.
So, now, I'm on my couch, feeling achy from a hole in my belly button and another on my lower stomach. The anesthetics have worn off finally, leaving me both drowsy and restless. I welcome uplifting messages and words of wisdom.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Tiny Food
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
One for the Ladies...
I respect the opinions of those on all sides of the abortion debate, even though I, myself, am pro-choice. I just want to make sure that everyone is clear about John McCain's record when it comes to reproductive rights. He has been portrayed, in the past, as a Maverick that breaks the typical Republican mold.
But in most cases, it's pure fiction. I've included a couple of links that illustrate his record. He's never been a "maverick" except when his own party members fail to give him the glory. He was mad at Bush because of the 2000 primary, so he opposed tax cuts for the wealthy. Now, he's for them.
You'll hear plenty of flipping and flopping in the coming months, because he can't get too close to the middle...he'll lose the support of people on the far right. He also can't go too far to the right, because there aren't enough die-hard Republicans left to elect him. And Independents are going to identify the lagging economy and soaring prices with Republicans.
So, he has to ride a double-sided rhetorical beast, in hopes that he confuses enough people into voting for him...or get enough "vote against the other guy" votes. I'm more concerned about the issues....and how similar McCain IS to Bush.
He says on his own website that he will seek to overturn Roe vs. Wade. Scarily enough, this could actually happen if he's elected, due to the age of some Supreme Court Justices.
Here's his voting record on reproductive rights.
And here's a more detailed description of his voting record on reproductive rights.
But in most cases, it's pure fiction. I've included a couple of links that illustrate his record. He's never been a "maverick" except when his own party members fail to give him the glory. He was mad at Bush because of the 2000 primary, so he opposed tax cuts for the wealthy. Now, he's for them.
You'll hear plenty of flipping and flopping in the coming months, because he can't get too close to the middle...he'll lose the support of people on the far right. He also can't go too far to the right, because there aren't enough die-hard Republicans left to elect him. And Independents are going to identify the lagging economy and soaring prices with Republicans.
So, he has to ride a double-sided rhetorical beast, in hopes that he confuses enough people into voting for him...or get enough "vote against the other guy" votes. I'm more concerned about the issues....and how similar McCain IS to Bush.
He says on his own website that he will seek to overturn Roe vs. Wade. Scarily enough, this could actually happen if he's elected, due to the age of some Supreme Court Justices.
Here's his voting record on reproductive rights.
And here's a more detailed description of his voting record on reproductive rights.
Saturday, April 19, 2008
The Lack of CD Dilemma
I got a message on MySpace from a guy in New York who couldn't find a place to buy one of my CDs. Crap! I don't have any CDs for sale. He listened to some of my stuff on last.fm, but only had internet access at work. So, I sent him a free copy of some of my old recordings in the mail. I figure if he wants it bad enough to ask a stranger for it on MySpace, he deserves it, postage free...
I'm working on an album...hopefully to be released at the end of the summer. I finished a rough draft of one of the songs, yesterday. I plan on doing more polished versions of some of my older songs, but mostly newer songs. I'm still plodding through the process of getting familiar with my new recorder. Perhaps I'll buy it a beer tonight...
Anyone have any advice for making vocals sound good? My recorder came with all kinds of effects...but the best of them have a little too much echo and sound a little tinny...and the worst of them just make me sound like a robot. I might end up just letting the natural echo of the room be my reverb. The reverb on the recorder has all kinds of fuzz and static on it.
Also, if there are any stray drummers out there, I needs me one...
I'm working on an album...hopefully to be released at the end of the summer. I finished a rough draft of one of the songs, yesterday. I plan on doing more polished versions of some of my older songs, but mostly newer songs. I'm still plodding through the process of getting familiar with my new recorder. Perhaps I'll buy it a beer tonight...
Anyone have any advice for making vocals sound good? My recorder came with all kinds of effects...but the best of them have a little too much echo and sound a little tinny...and the worst of them just make me sound like a robot. I might end up just letting the natural echo of the room be my reverb. The reverb on the recorder has all kinds of fuzz and static on it.
Also, if there are any stray drummers out there, I needs me one...
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Music, Independence, and the Internet
Disclaimer: I'm Nicholas Slone and This is My Long Account of My Life With Music (With Equally Long Title)
Lately, I've had an abundance of energy and ambition that is spilling forth into my one great passion....music. I've loved music all my life. I can remember flipping through hymnals when my mom took me to choir practice, looking for some better songs to sing. When I found one, I would insist that we sing it, over and over again, until it became a part of the repertoire.
My nieces and I would sit around with a crappy tape recorder and make up songs, pretend to be radio D.J.s and various other corny things that were incredibly fun. I'd say around 4th grade I started writing the words down. Of course, every few years, I'd look at what I'd written, decide it was all sappy crap and trash most of it. I took piano lessons briefly, discovered just how lazy and impatient I was.....then took guitar lessons.....again, too lazy and impatient to learn scales and such, and settled on just writing words. Plus, most of the songs I liked back then were terrible and required very little guitar.
But I always loved to write and sing. I was raised on a dairy farm (like Lemony Snicket), and I often had to run the cows into the barn when it was time to milk them. Now, there are plenty of ways to scare a cow....but pretty much any kind of loud noise will do in a pinch. I'm sure to this day, that many cows have fevered nightmares about me singing/shouting various curse words and declarations of love at them, flailing my arms in the twilight. Why the combination of singing, swearing, and declarations of love? Well, where else does a shy kid from a good Christian family get his rocks off, but on the open range?
Flash forward to high school, when I always sang loudly with the radio. Hell, I loved high school dances, just so I could sing at the top of my lungs....much to the dismay of my sore-footed dance partners with ringing in their ears. Finally, I was given an outlet when I started hanging out with Joe Keaton. Along with Adam Clausing, we formed a band called Azre-el. I got my first taste of actually singing with a band. I also started playing around with a guitar around the same time. I took a couple of lessons from Joe, who is quite an accomplished guitarist, but ultimately, I just hated learning other people's shit. We recorded a 4 song demo, and I got my first chance to write a song, set to music that Joe wrote. I LOVED it. By the time we recorded, I wrote my own song, lyrics and music. I had caught the songwriting bug. Afterwards, I started writing all the time. The band wanted to learn 3 hours worth of covers, so we could start making money, which makes perfect sense. But, I just wanted to write. So, I quit/was replaced.
That's pretty much how I spent my time with music for a long time. I played with people here and there, most notably with my friend Luke Chamberlin, but I just focused on writing and finishing my English degree. By the time I was finished, I was a little sick of words and tired of most of the music I was hearing. After graduating, I moved from Athens back to Ironton for a year, where I was exposed to a musical renaissance by my friends Patrick and Brandy. Nearly every time I visited their apartment, I came away with music by 3 or 4 bands that I had never heard. I was shocked that so much music existed under the radar. It also exposed me to a method of discovery and distribution of music that I hadn't yet considered, probably because I didn't have access at the time......The Internet.
During the time that I worked on my Master's in Library and Information Science, I had the opportunity to really learn and explore the internet in a way that I previously hadn't. The major thing I discovered about the internet and its relationship to music (and in fact, most forms of media), was that the old way of doing things was slowly dying or evolving. In the old days, the major record labels essentially held a monopoly on distribution and exposure. What this did, and what ultimately led to my past disgust with the music available.....is that it created an artificial scarcity of goods. It wasn't that there wasn't a massive amount of music produced, it was that only a small fraction of that music was available in stores/on radio stations. Specifically, the music that these massive corporations are trying to sell. The internet, or more specifically, those that access and utilize the internet to access, promote, and distribute music, cracked the game wide open.
I've seen it elsewhere, and I believe it.....a musician can make a living if he or she has 1,000 true fans. A true fan is someone who will pay for every CD, not because that's the only way to access it, but because they truly want to support the artist. But that's only a tiny part of it. Even if they can't afford to buy it, they'll be promoting it, or will dish out the money to see a show. The most important thing seems to have been lost on the major media corporations. Focus on making something first. Make it your number one priority....the MAKING. If you make something with your heart and soul in it, SOMEONE will like it. It's what needs to happen....more people that make music because they HAVE to. They're internally compelled to. Just because it's what they do. My generation has been bombarded with advertising all our lives, and we're desensitized enough now that hype alone will not make us fans. Now, we create our own hype. There are too many different kinds of people for everyone to like the exact same music.
So, what was the point of that rant about the music business? The point is that the same renaissance that revived my critical interest in other people's music has also reawakened my desire to create and distribute my own. I have around 30-40 songs that I've written over the years, and I'm still writing. I have an old album that I recorded on a shitty tape recorder, years ago. I have it up on last.fm for free streaming, right now. Along with some stuff that I recorded with Joe's help a couple of years ago. There are some tools that I've recently learned about, as well as some new recording equipment I just bought (thank god for tax returns). So, why am I telling everyone about it? I don't really know...maybe because it's like an adventure to me....and I think all of this stuff is so damn cool....
So, I'm gonna start blogging about what I'm doing with all this stuff. What I'm doing, what I'm using, where I'm at on the internet. I have the luxury of a full time job, so I'm certainly not afraid to try shit out and fail miserably. Success, I'm told, is often far scarier. Right now, my plan of attack is as follows (I'll go into more depth in the near future):
1) last.fm - full track streaming - people listen to your music for free, they pay royalties now based on how many listens you get (plus links to buy albums)
2) Use new recording equipment to make album on the cheap
3) Amazon's CreateSpace - On Demand Publishing (Very Cool)
4) Use recordings to recruit additional band members, give fellow friends/musicians a chance to learn my songs...
5) Play every open mic night known to man (until gas money runs out)
6) Get paid to play my own music (The Dream)
7) Fly around on a hover-board, dropping jellybeans on people as they clock in for work, thereby throwing them off schedule by a few minutes and severely angering The Master Timekeeper, like in "Repent Harlequin, Said the Tick-tock Man," by Harlan Ellison, except I won't get caught (the other dream)
Click for My last.fm Music Page
Click for My MySpace Music Page
Lately, I've had an abundance of energy and ambition that is spilling forth into my one great passion....music. I've loved music all my life. I can remember flipping through hymnals when my mom took me to choir practice, looking for some better songs to sing. When I found one, I would insist that we sing it, over and over again, until it became a part of the repertoire.
My nieces and I would sit around with a crappy tape recorder and make up songs, pretend to be radio D.J.s and various other corny things that were incredibly fun. I'd say around 4th grade I started writing the words down. Of course, every few years, I'd look at what I'd written, decide it was all sappy crap and trash most of it. I took piano lessons briefly, discovered just how lazy and impatient I was.....then took guitar lessons.....again, too lazy and impatient to learn scales and such, and settled on just writing words. Plus, most of the songs I liked back then were terrible and required very little guitar.
But I always loved to write and sing. I was raised on a dairy farm (like Lemony Snicket), and I often had to run the cows into the barn when it was time to milk them. Now, there are plenty of ways to scare a cow....but pretty much any kind of loud noise will do in a pinch. I'm sure to this day, that many cows have fevered nightmares about me singing/shouting various curse words and declarations of love at them, flailing my arms in the twilight. Why the combination of singing, swearing, and declarations of love? Well, where else does a shy kid from a good Christian family get his rocks off, but on the open range?
Flash forward to high school, when I always sang loudly with the radio. Hell, I loved high school dances, just so I could sing at the top of my lungs....much to the dismay of my sore-footed dance partners with ringing in their ears. Finally, I was given an outlet when I started hanging out with Joe Keaton. Along with Adam Clausing, we formed a band called Azre-el. I got my first taste of actually singing with a band. I also started playing around with a guitar around the same time. I took a couple of lessons from Joe, who is quite an accomplished guitarist, but ultimately, I just hated learning other people's shit. We recorded a 4 song demo, and I got my first chance to write a song, set to music that Joe wrote. I LOVED it. By the time we recorded, I wrote my own song, lyrics and music. I had caught the songwriting bug. Afterwards, I started writing all the time. The band wanted to learn 3 hours worth of covers, so we could start making money, which makes perfect sense. But, I just wanted to write. So, I quit/was replaced.
That's pretty much how I spent my time with music for a long time. I played with people here and there, most notably with my friend Luke Chamberlin, but I just focused on writing and finishing my English degree. By the time I was finished, I was a little sick of words and tired of most of the music I was hearing. After graduating, I moved from Athens back to Ironton for a year, where I was exposed to a musical renaissance by my friends Patrick and Brandy. Nearly every time I visited their apartment, I came away with music by 3 or 4 bands that I had never heard. I was shocked that so much music existed under the radar. It also exposed me to a method of discovery and distribution of music that I hadn't yet considered, probably because I didn't have access at the time......The Internet.
During the time that I worked on my Master's in Library and Information Science, I had the opportunity to really learn and explore the internet in a way that I previously hadn't. The major thing I discovered about the internet and its relationship to music (and in fact, most forms of media), was that the old way of doing things was slowly dying or evolving. In the old days, the major record labels essentially held a monopoly on distribution and exposure. What this did, and what ultimately led to my past disgust with the music available.....is that it created an artificial scarcity of goods. It wasn't that there wasn't a massive amount of music produced, it was that only a small fraction of that music was available in stores/on radio stations. Specifically, the music that these massive corporations are trying to sell. The internet, or more specifically, those that access and utilize the internet to access, promote, and distribute music, cracked the game wide open.
I've seen it elsewhere, and I believe it.....a musician can make a living if he or she has 1,000 true fans. A true fan is someone who will pay for every CD, not because that's the only way to access it, but because they truly want to support the artist. But that's only a tiny part of it. Even if they can't afford to buy it, they'll be promoting it, or will dish out the money to see a show. The most important thing seems to have been lost on the major media corporations. Focus on making something first. Make it your number one priority....the MAKING. If you make something with your heart and soul in it, SOMEONE will like it. It's what needs to happen....more people that make music because they HAVE to. They're internally compelled to. Just because it's what they do. My generation has been bombarded with advertising all our lives, and we're desensitized enough now that hype alone will not make us fans. Now, we create our own hype. There are too many different kinds of people for everyone to like the exact same music.
So, what was the point of that rant about the music business? The point is that the same renaissance that revived my critical interest in other people's music has also reawakened my desire to create and distribute my own. I have around 30-40 songs that I've written over the years, and I'm still writing. I have an old album that I recorded on a shitty tape recorder, years ago. I have it up on last.fm for free streaming, right now. Along with some stuff that I recorded with Joe's help a couple of years ago. There are some tools that I've recently learned about, as well as some new recording equipment I just bought (thank god for tax returns). So, why am I telling everyone about it? I don't really know...maybe because it's like an adventure to me....and I think all of this stuff is so damn cool....
So, I'm gonna start blogging about what I'm doing with all this stuff. What I'm doing, what I'm using, where I'm at on the internet. I have the luxury of a full time job, so I'm certainly not afraid to try shit out and fail miserably. Success, I'm told, is often far scarier. Right now, my plan of attack is as follows (I'll go into more depth in the near future):
1) last.fm - full track streaming - people listen to your music for free, they pay royalties now based on how many listens you get (plus links to buy albums)
2) Use new recording equipment to make album on the cheap
3) Amazon's CreateSpace - On Demand Publishing (Very Cool)
4) Use recordings to recruit additional band members, give fellow friends/musicians a chance to learn my songs...
5) Play every open mic night known to man (until gas money runs out)
6) Get paid to play my own music (The Dream)
7) Fly around on a hover-board, dropping jellybeans on people as they clock in for work, thereby throwing them off schedule by a few minutes and severely angering The Master Timekeeper, like in "Repent Harlequin, Said the Tick-tock Man," by Harlan Ellison, except I won't get caught (the other dream)
Click for My last.fm Music Page
Click for My MySpace Music Page
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