Loren's Musical News & Ramblings

This November, in Key West, I'll be attending the second annual Trop Rock Music Awards (TRMA). Organized by the good folks of the Margarita MAFIA (Members And Fans In Alliance), we will for the first time have our awards ceremony as part of the official schedule of the Meeting of the Minds! The ceremony will be held on Friday night on the Main Stage at the Casa Marina Hotel! How cool is that?

As I did last year, I have again signed up as a sponsor of this event. I believe strongly in the future of Trop Rock music as a viable genre, and this is one small way in which I can support that.

If you're not currently a MAFIA member, why not? Dues are reasonable, and you get a free T-shirt and breaking news about all of your favorite Trop Rock artists every month. Follow the above link to their Website and sign up!

This year, for the first time, I have an album eligible for the TRMA. My current album, Every Day's a Holiday, was released last August, and is therefore eligible for Album of the Year. I don't know yet whether I'll get nominated, but I've got my fingers crossed. Stay tuned.

Labels: Casa Marina, MOTM, Parrothead, trop rock

I've been named the "Artist of the Month" at Web Radio Puget Sound!

There's a very studly picture of Every Day's a Holiday on their home page, and they are featuring songs from the album on their streams.

It's just one of many places where my music is getting airplay these days. And I'm thrilled - it's great when folks get a chance to get the whole "tropical attitude" experience.

Hiya,

I've just updated my Shows calendar into June. I've got a whole bunch of May dates in the Bay Area, and two southern California shows in early June!

If you'd like more information on when and where I'm playing, or just want to share in the ongoing story of my "escape art," join my mailing list. It's free, and you get free access to MP3s pretty much every month. There's a signup form right there next to my schedule.

Labels: schedule, shows

I just read a fascinating article on MSNBC, about how a layoff can be an excellent time to travel *and* learn a new career. Some of the options included yoga, cooking, diving certifications, and more, in locations all around the world.

Of course, I've been talking and singing about this for some time. The title song of my current album, "Every Day's a Holiday," is about the last time I got laid off, nearly seven years ago now.

It was one of the best opportunities of my life. I got out of a job that I was becoming increasingly irritated with, got the free time I'd been complaining about not having, managed to get my first album recorded, and for the first time truly learned how to define myself by something other than what I was getting paid to do.

And when I *did* find a job, six months down the road, I had such a full life, with music and volunteering and social activity, that I had a bit of difficulty cramming it all back into the smaller time boxes that I had available. Plus I ended up with a better job, for a better company, for more money. :)

Yes, in times of economic hardship it's important to focus on survival issues first - food, shelter, safety. But once those are covered...enjoy the abundance of free time. You'll probably be complaining about not having enough of it later.

Labels: economy, Holidays, layoffs, MSNBC, music, Vacation

Here's a CNN article about how some people are making the best of our current difficult economic times.

I'm certainly amazed at the creativity that people are showing. In some ways, this feels to me like a time in which our society is undergoing tectonic shifts - the possible demise of conventional newspapers in favor of online, old business models falling by the wayside, people doing an array of things to get by rather than relying on conventional employment.

I've taken to rationing the bad news, myself. It does me no good to read about another 20,000 people laid off, and it can only make me depressed and fearful for my *own* job. I'd still rather focus on the positive as much as I can. That's why I make the music that I do.

So...what's been going good for *you* today? Your comments are welcome.

Labels: CNN, economy, hope, layoffs, pink slips, recession

Like so many people, I'm pissed at what's happening to our economy. I'm annoyed at what's happened to what little nest egg I have, and even more annoyed that the people who seem to be getting the most goodies from the government are the ones who are contributing most to the problem - the billionaire big-shots who are still taking million-dollar resort vacations using *my* tax dollars!

Well, I say screw them! Bail *me* out instead! So I wrote a song, and recorded this video of it. Given that I'm bemoaning bad economic times, it's easy to get away with a *very* cheap production.

Check it out. If you like it, rate it, comment, and tell your friends.

And let's get this message out to Congress: Bail *us* out too!

Labels: bailout, Congress, depression, economy, music, recession

It's about 10 AM here on Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, at the Holiday World Music Center, in scenic Castro Valley California, just a few minutes' drive from the beautiful San Francisco Day. The temperature is probably fifty-something and it's overcast, with prognosticators at the National Weather Service suggesting we might see the sunshine later. I just finished off a tasty breakfast scramble that worked out even without eggs - the ones I have, have obviously been in my fridge too long. That's the life of a bachelor for ya. But the orange-pineapple juice is still good, and goes well with a bit of rum and a slice of lime. And my iPod is currently giving me some lovely, upbeat steel band music.

Whats *not* to be thankful for? :)

I've been reading the new book about Captain Tony, the "Salt of Key West," and it's beautiful. It's roughly equal parts biography and philosophy, and the "life lessons" he offers are lessons I've been working toward understanding and embodying for years: "Compassion" is the most important word in the dictionary. Find the "jewel" in everyone you meet.

What hasn't been said so far, but that seems semi-obvious after a bit of reflection: Have compassion for yourself, and find your own "jewels." In order to "love thy neighbor as thyself," one must first love thyself. :)

I'm already starting to use these words in my own life in a stronger way. It'll probably be one of those "two steps forward/one back" things...but it seems well worth working on.

I'm still above ground, and that's always a big one to be thankful for - without that, we're kinda screwed anyway, after all.

I've got a roof over my head, food on the table, and some excellent friends and intentional "family."

I've got friends and fans who think that I create worthwhile stuff.

I have some excellent mentors, in real life and in the books I read.

And, to quote Candide, I live "in the best of all possible worlds."

Have a beautiful, thankful day, whenever you read this. And thank *you* for being connected to me and my life, even just by reading these words.