The Flame That Never Dies

[karmasoup]

Fire Within

Look to your left

Comments

[i_17bingo]

I needed to read this today. I won't say why, but I did.

[karmasoup]

I'm glad it spoke to you, even though you don't say why. I'm always happy to reach out and connect with people, on any level.

[roina_arwen]

I saw Donny Osmond perform in "Joseph..." back in the day. It's always been one of my favorite rock operas. Alas, I have no singing ability to speak of, so when my summer camp performed it one year, I got cast in a non-singing role. (I was one of the Ishmaelites)

[karmasoup]

Well, at least you got to be part of the fun of it... that's worth something! Thanks for sharing!

[rayaso]

This was such a great personal story, and you wrote it so well. I loved the picture, and wondered what choices you made to get to this point in life in relation to your art. Excellent job.

[karmasoup]

Well, mainly, I've been distracted along the way. I've never been very good at keeping up with the 9 - 5 grind, and I've had a few missteps in career tracks off-the-beaten path, that in many cases ended up taking me almost farther in the wrong direction, because at least with a 9 - 5 gig, you get to go home at the end of the day, and leave your work behind you.

I've built, run, and sold companies multiple times, because I'm just not the sort to work for anyone else. I've been a professional contractor for 20 years now, because I like freedom, flexibility, and not having to make a long term commitment. I've had businesses fall apart due to failed partnerships, and that's a real learning experience.

These days, I have a much lower-key operation that really doesn't depend on anyone but me, and I like that best so far. My time is my own, and at this point, so is my destiny. The future is wide open.

[reckless_blues]

Dear God, is American Idol that old?

...Is it still on? Jeez, it's still on. I have no idea what's happening in the outside world anymore. (Needless to say, I can relate to focusing so much on your work that it becomes your life.)

[karmasoup]

It looks like it still is... I wouldn't have known that, except when I went to create a link for it, the site is still live, and I just checked... yep, it says at the top left corner it's coming back in 2015. Looks like Harry Connick, Jr. has been brought in to replace Steven Tyler. That might almost be enough to tempt me to tune in for a bit, as I do luvs me some Harry, but, I'll have to think on it. Not sure the rest of it is worth putting up with.

All work and no play makes Mick a dull gal.

[penpusher]

A fantastic memoir entry of your personal experiences around the machine that is the music industry and your reflections on creativity in general. No pun intended, but it definitely strikes a chord when it comes to a lot of what we, in the Western World, deal with about artistry, approach to experience, reality television, dreams versus practicality, and defining oneself in spite of the definitions that are placed on one by all the outside observers.

P.S. This is going to be Harry Connick Jr's. SECOND season as a regular judge on American Idol. My (distant) cousin was a contestant on AI last year and Harry had some really weird things to say to her, and then she got voted out that week, right before they started the "regular" show voting.

[karmasoup]

Thanks - glad we could be in synch on this! ;) That's too bad about your cousin. I've been out of the loop on it for a bit... I'm a bit surprised the show is still around.