...most days my friends.  Be good to yourselves.

PS> Discount chocolate on tomorrow.  You heard it here first.

 So the music community in all cities I'm sure can begin to feel quite small after a while.  You try to see as many shows as you can and are constantly rating, comparing, networking, socializing and communicating with musicians from everywhere.  

After a long talk about the music therapy profession the other day a friend said to me "How's your personal life?"  and I was

completely.

Perplexed.

I wasn't sure what that meant.  So much of my life feels personal, feels social, feels joyful and effervescent.  Much of what I do doesn't feel like work.  And I consider myself very lucky to feel that way.

I took up a teaching position at Theatre Works Calgary, teaching 10-14 year olds vocal pieces over the next 7 weeks.  It's been a while since I've done anything like this and I'm totally pumped at the prospect of hanging out with kids and learning about their music and goals.  I find youth to be incredibly invigorating to be around.  Don't get me wrong, you couldn't pay me enough to be a teenager again but I just love the sense of possibility that surrounds them.  

Remember your teenage years?  Weren't they hell?  Aren't you so glad they're over?

And does anybody stand out in your mind as a mentor, as a leader, as a coach or hero?  Somebody older and cool that you didn't have a crush on, you just thought they were incredibly inspiring?

That's my goal.  And I'd like to do it being personable.  Being myself.  

That's my personal life.  Loving my work.  Trying not to call it work.  Not being "busy" but doing fun & exciting things.  

Anyway.  That's all a bit random.  I blame the picking out harmonies from the Beatles, the creation of songlists for children ages 3-4 and youth ages 10-14, texting with my polish buddy about her cat and the consumption of coffee & kahlua and then a glass of wine.

Staying in Fridays.  

It's underrated.

sv

 For me it feels over now on Christmas eve.  There's been at least one meal, Bailey's far too early in the morning (is there such a thing?) and lots of children in different places all at once.  It's the anticipation the week before that's my favourite thing now.

Some special moments were:

-riding a stagecoach home from church, certain that death was imminent
-seeing the entire milky way from aforementioned stagecoach
-having my niece cough directly into my mouth while we woke up from a delicious nap
-shopping with my mom for new clothes for her
-hitting a Boxing day birthday party in the tiniest house filled with so much love
-seeing a snowy owl twice in 2 days flying through the brown and crusty prairies
-talking to a lot of loved ones spread across the world
-knowing that I am lucky to know the people that I do and work the jobs that I work

Happy week before new year's kids!

sv

 In a nutshell:

-reindeer came to the ACH and wow'd the families, children and staff.  Also, Santa was there but didn't make as big of a splash.  My workplace is magic.
-started a new tune.  Pumped to do some writing in 2012!
-filmed a music video of the The Night He Arrived.  Find it here! 
-realized I've only spent 1 Christmas away from my immediate family...so special
-birthday parties, epiphanies about doing my calling, staff Christmas parties, MCing youth for Cornerstone Music Cafe recital.  Beautiful.  My favourite thing is watching you make music.  
-so in love with all my workspaces and my life
-discovered a Scotch that makes my mouth feel like a warm blanket is being pulled over it.  Ask me about it.....

Happy Christmas friends & fans.  Big love from small town Alberta...

sv

 Today it happened.

A day early.  My "No Christmas Songs Until December 1st" was broken.  Ok, officially it was last week (see below) but today it was made official.  I just can't resist making harmonies with one of my fave clients.

Got to hang with Chantal Kreviazuk.  She had a long day in the air and then on the air.  I think it was nice for her to play a beautiful piano in a beautiful space.  She seemed happy, anyway.

Music therapy strikes again.  Thanks Chantal.  And ACH.  

Bring on the reindeer.

sv

Oh right.  Playing a little at Mikey's tomorrow with the lovely Amy Thiessan.  And again on Friday with she and Brittany Robart.  Charity event Friday.  For a good cause!  (def: charity - review)  See you out there!

 Gosh.  

What a beautiful evening.

Special shout out to the Ferreiras, Graham Sharkey, Valerie & Paulina, Leela & the boys who made the videos and pictures.  

And of course all the people who came out.  Great to meet everyone and find out a little more about the circles that exist in this fine city of ours.

Working on some new tunes and hope to have a video of the The Christmas Song (you know what I'm talking about - The Night He Arrived) up in the coming weeks!

Also, this is happening THIS Friday...get your tickets now!  This is an event to benefit 2 families in need for the holidays.  Hope to see you there!

SV

Also> Calgary, stay out of the wind.  Especially you small people with umbrellas...  

 Yeah, it's nice to play shows.  It's nice to watch people's face when I play.  There was a lovely birthday party/music festival/house concert last weekend at Hidden Springs where the people were splended, the living room inspired, the music effervescent.  Made some new friends, got some new music and a few new fans.  Thanks to the Whites for hosting, to Ailen & Kelsey for their passion, to the musicians for inspiring me.

Also.  2 year olds have no personal space.  Practice this with a friend.

1) Stand with a guitar.
2) Have your friend walk up to you and put their face 6 inches from yours (literally.  6 inches).  
3) Hold.
4) Alternate looking between their eyes and their mouth.
5) Don't smile.

Just another reason to hang with kids.  Challenge your personal space.

 Fraught with too much Christmas already.

It's all about balance thought because I'm crushing so much on my life right now.

I have all these fantastic jobs where I get to hang out with kids all day and play music.  I see progress and smiles where there was none before.  I make new little friends all the time.  And I have all these fabulous friends that I get to see and spend time with.  Here's a few I've gotten to see this week:

Shannon Robinson

Sylvia Johnston

Jocelyn Alice

Joe Nolan


Seriously.  There are people in this town doing some incredibly inspiring and remarkable work.  And they're my FRIENDS.  How lucky am I?

sv

 Oi.  Kids in costumes are ridiculously cute.  I think they make the bums on those costumes purposely big.  Ridiculous.

Also ridiculous: Christmas music being played in the stores.  I feel for the people working in retail.  I have a rule about Christmas music and that is; NO Christmas songs until December 1st.  (there is a small caveat that if you are a child in the hospital and want to hear a Christmas song I will play it for you...)

This is partly because the entire month of December is filled with Christmas songs and partly because....well.  There's no other part.  I can only handle Christmas music for 24 days.  That's it.  My limit.  

Also:  Eleganza!  http://www.ecoleholtcouture.myevent.com/  November 20th!  Mark your calendars!

There is also talk of a house concert which I will keep you updated on.

How was your Halloween?  I am simultaneously looking forward to and dreading the leftover chocolate bars in the chocolate drawer at work tomorrow.  It's not good chocolate but they're little so you can eat 15 before you've even noticed.

See?  Dread.  And excitement.

Got to jam with a wicked artist this evening, love hashing out songs with others of the same ilk.  (like milk but without the m)  Check her out here: www.amythiessen.com

Down at Mikey's this Wednesday!  And Cornerstone Saturday!  Ooo-de-lolly!  Have a great week!

sv

 Oooo, isn't it so lovely & crisp outside?  

Not too cold to play a little guitar on your porch though, after clearing out the herbs and plants that thrived there all summer.  (when you remembered to water them)

So FYI there are a couple of shows happening in November!  A couple of new songs in the pipe as well so please come and join me when you can.

I'm so pleased to have a little down time in the last few weeks, there's been a lot of cooking and reading going on.  Oh and I watched You Don't Know Jack, the Pacino movie about Jack Kevorkian.  Heavy topic and ethically complicated but I am fully in support of assisted suicide for those people suffering debilitating diseases.  Your thoughts?