"The Elephant Diet" Day # 72 Creating a Theme

"Take Another Look".

It's the theme that I'm rolling around in my heart for the Christmas show.

The holidays can be full of wonderful memories and moments.  They can also be full of disappointment and loneliness.  I've experienced both and I've written many of the CD tunes based on those experiences.  It's all based around one particular Christmas when I stepped back to "Take Another Look" at the holidays, the Christmas story, and my own expectations.  It was a life-changing year for me.  Now I want to put my story into an art form for others in the way of a CD and a show.

I need someone with a creative brain to help me put together story boards in order to create a short video that will capture the essence of the show.  The video will become part of my crowd funding project with Rocket Hub.  I heard a podcast recently from an on-line mentor of mine who used Rocket Hub instead of Kickstarter to fund a creative idea she had.  I've done research and have discovered that they seem like a better organization than Kickstarter for what I need.

I made a phone call tonight to someone who I believe could help me put together a video for Rocket Hub to help me raise funds to do this Christmas show.

It's just one more step.

RocketHub

Hear the interview about Rocket Hub with Ariel Hyatt and Bob Baker.  (Episode # 75)

"The Elephant Diet" Day # 8

How will my Christmas CD project make a difference in the world?

Bob Baker (from http://www.thebuzzfactor.com) quoted Seth Godin on the podcast I listened to today and asked that question of us as artists.

It's been the thrust of my thinking ever since I heard it. It's the only chance I've had today to work toward the CD.

Here's my best try at it for now.....certainly much more to process in the days to come:

"I hope that by creating an authentic, meaningful Christmas CD, I can help people who dread the holidays or struggle to find meaning over this time of year experience encouragement and refreshment as they listen to the songs. As I give voice to my own past struggles with the holidays, maybe it will give others permission to express their feelings and all of us can find a new freedom in walking this journey together."

I was even more determined to find a way to make a difference with my music as I talked with a friend who attended a funeral today of her friend who committed suicide this week: A fifty-six year old woman who became grandma to a little boy born the night before she died.

We need each other to make it through the tough times!