(no subject)
OK guys, so I'm taking a time-out from my somewhat busy day to write a live journal post to all of you who never drop by my new home at MySpace to say hello. And, no one reads this journal anyway, so I can vent here freely without the worry of anyone maiming my good name.
First of all, let me catch you up from about the beginning of last year. Cindy and I had moved to Houston, TX so that she could begin school as a chiropractor, and she started in January of 2007. I had taken a few semesters off from completing my M.M., just so I could breath a little. The break was much needed. I was going crazy after that first year (Sam, I appreciate the support, buddy)
So we moved to Houston in the summer of 2006. Some of you came to our Christmas party. Some of you didn't. It's all about moving on and having a life of your own. So anyway, that was that. The hands of time turn once again, and here we are.
About January, things started crapping out with work for me here in Houston. It was good and bad all at the same time. With your wife being gone all day (and night) to school, getting layed off from one job because of a store closing and not being able to collect from the other one (LONG story on that one) it kind of forced me into a corner.
Do music. Or don't do music.
So I decided to do music. Well, Houston wasn't exactly the hippest place for a working musician when I got here (or maybe I didn't wait or look long enough) so I interviewed in places away from the city. I finally decided on something in New Orleans, but wow, was THAT ever a drive. So in March I packed up my bags and headed to the Big Easy for about 5 or 6 months.
While I was gone, my marriage slowly deteriorated, despite my repeat visits every weekend, driving six hours on a Sunday morning after the end of a gig at 3AM. What happened? To this day, I still couldn't give a solid answer. All I know is that whatever was going on was bad enough to pull me back to Houston in July and give it one last solid fight.
This was also about the time when I decided that it would be in my best interests to return to school and finish my Masters. It didn't take long to get all that paperwork ready, and I re-enrolled at ULL in August. Back on the road every week to Louisiana. Wow what a trip last year was for me.
So between finishing a thesis, trying to figure out why the hell my marriage was going down the drain, and figuring out what I was going to do about it, I just about lost my mind. Last year was probably one of the most grueling years I've faced as a human being.
So, finally, after a long year, it finally ended in December. Both ends of the candle just burned up. At least one end kept burning after the completion of a huge accomplishmnt. I did come out of the ashes of graduate school with a Master of Music degree. I'm still damn proud of that degree.
Unfortunately, the marriage didn't make it. I won't lay blame here. I did all I could. There's no reason to get into pitiful details about what worked or why it didn't work. Let's just say Cindy wasn't holding up her end of the commitment on many (if any) levels and finally decided I deserved better.
So, in January I left. I haven't looked back since then. Right now, I'm working in Houston for a locally owned record label, building their street team, fan club, and helping with some of their online marketing tactics. I'm also building my own fanbase through areas such as Second Life, online means, and generally selling more CDs of my music than I ever have. I've been to the West Coast to perform, and I've done more concerts for my own music this year than I ever have before. I'm teaching music business classes, and really having a good go of it musically here in the city.
And as amazing as it may sound, I'm having a wonderful time dating. I've been seeing the most AWESOME GIRL ON THE FACE OF THE PLANET for about four months. You know how sometimes things just work? Well, they are working here in ways I cannot even begin to describe. But I'll leave that for face-to-face conversations.
So, how are all my friends, Monkey or otherwise?
First of all, let me catch you up from about the beginning of last year. Cindy and I had moved to Houston, TX so that she could begin school as a chiropractor, and she started in January of 2007. I had taken a few semesters off from completing my M.M., just so I could breath a little. The break was much needed. I was going crazy after that first year (Sam, I appreciate the support, buddy)
So we moved to Houston in the summer of 2006. Some of you came to our Christmas party. Some of you didn't. It's all about moving on and having a life of your own. So anyway, that was that. The hands of time turn once again, and here we are.
About January, things started crapping out with work for me here in Houston. It was good and bad all at the same time. With your wife being gone all day (and night) to school, getting layed off from one job because of a store closing and not being able to collect from the other one (LONG story on that one) it kind of forced me into a corner.
Do music. Or don't do music.
So I decided to do music. Well, Houston wasn't exactly the hippest place for a working musician when I got here (or maybe I didn't wait or look long enough) so I interviewed in places away from the city. I finally decided on something in New Orleans, but wow, was THAT ever a drive. So in March I packed up my bags and headed to the Big Easy for about 5 or 6 months.
While I was gone, my marriage slowly deteriorated, despite my repeat visits every weekend, driving six hours on a Sunday morning after the end of a gig at 3AM. What happened? To this day, I still couldn't give a solid answer. All I know is that whatever was going on was bad enough to pull me back to Houston in July and give it one last solid fight.
This was also about the time when I decided that it would be in my best interests to return to school and finish my Masters. It didn't take long to get all that paperwork ready, and I re-enrolled at ULL in August. Back on the road every week to Louisiana. Wow what a trip last year was for me.
So between finishing a thesis, trying to figure out why the hell my marriage was going down the drain, and figuring out what I was going to do about it, I just about lost my mind. Last year was probably one of the most grueling years I've faced as a human being.
So, finally, after a long year, it finally ended in December. Both ends of the candle just burned up. At least one end kept burning after the completion of a huge accomplishmnt. I did come out of the ashes of graduate school with a Master of Music degree. I'm still damn proud of that degree.
Unfortunately, the marriage didn't make it. I won't lay blame here. I did all I could. There's no reason to get into pitiful details about what worked or why it didn't work. Let's just say Cindy wasn't holding up her end of the commitment on many (if any) levels and finally decided I deserved better.
So, in January I left. I haven't looked back since then. Right now, I'm working in Houston for a locally owned record label, building their street team, fan club, and helping with some of their online marketing tactics. I'm also building my own fanbase through areas such as Second Life, online means, and generally selling more CDs of my music than I ever have. I've been to the West Coast to perform, and I've done more concerts for my own music this year than I ever have before. I'm teaching music business classes, and really having a good go of it musically here in the city.
And as amazing as it may sound, I'm having a wonderful time dating. I've been seeing the most AWESOME GIRL ON THE FACE OF THE PLANET for about four months. You know how sometimes things just work? Well, they are working here in ways I cannot even begin to describe. But I'll leave that for face-to-face conversations.
So, how are all my friends, Monkey or otherwise?