Monday
Dec312007
It's a New Year, A New Song...
Monday, December 31, 2007 at 05:38PM
As you may or may not have noticed, the past few weeks since the Christmas tour have been Sabbatical, Part 2. It's been good to get away from business stuff for a little while. A much-needed break, for sure.
******
Right now I'm at Alison's parents' place in North Carolina. We've been here for about a week and are heading back to Nashville tomorrow. One of Alison's best friends growing up got married Saturday, and we were both involved in that. The rehearsal dinner was at a Brazilian steakhouse. People with giant swords of meat walk around and cut pieces off onto your plate. Needless to say, that was the highlight of the day for me. Maybe the year.
Right after I got home from the tour all three of the girls got sick, so most of Christmas and the days surrounding were spent as quiet as possible, with as much Vitamin C and liquids as possible. Everybody's back to health now, so that's good.
Our Christmas was nice. The second year with our own family at home for the day. A little crazy because of the sickness, but better than last year when we had the sickness and a three-week old! Ella's old enough to really get excited about presents and Christmas trees and the decorations, so that's really fun. These are the days I'll miss when they're gone, I have no doubt.
******
Well, the new year is upon us now, and I'm glad. This year has, without a doubt, been the hardest year of my life. Personally, business-wise, and in just about every other area, it's seemed to be a pile-on of disappointments and hardships. I'm so relieved to flip over the calendar, to start some new statistics.
There are a bunch of new irons in the fire now, though, and after a couple weeks off I'm starting to get excited about them. A few new melodies have been popping up, a new lyric here and there. I've got some meetings coming up, some crazy ideas to try out, a few records that ought to be made. It will be good to get into them, and I'm praying I can find new passion as I start again, and am able to leave the past disappointments out of the process, (besides having learned from them.)
I'm about to start working on a plan to get my Letters to the Editor EP printed up and made available so I can give them away on the Spring Caedmon's tour, and so you guys can have physical copies to give to folks you know. More on that in a day or two.
Also, it's looking like I'm going to be able to replace a few of the guitars that had to leave last year, and I've been having fun picking out finishes and options. I'm also going to re-do (wait for it) my pedalboard again. I have some new ideas. And that means I'll be selling some pedals, boards, guitars, etc... in the near future, as I move to a new phase.
I'm really looking forward to more fully embracing the guitar player in me. I've written before about how it's been hard to focus on one things amidst production, artistry, guitar playing, band membering, songwriting, etc... but the common link to all of those is the song and my guitar playing. This year, at least to start with, I'm going to be focusing on those two things. I feel like I've somewhat found my voice as a songwriter already (though that journey is never complete). My guitar playing feels like its on the verge of finally becoming something unique. My own voice. I just can't wait to dive deeper.
******
In a week the girls and I will be heading to Orlando, along with Paul Eckberg, Aaron Sands, Ben Shive, Mitch Dane, a few others and their families. We're going to be the house band for the YoungLife All Staff conference. I'm really looking forward to that. YoungLife has long been a huge part of my story, and it will be great to get to be a part of it again, and I'll be making music with my good friends. And I'll be in Orlando with my family. (We get a free day at a theme park. We have a 1-year-old and a 2 1/2 year-old, any suggestions on Disneyworld vs. SeaWorld?)
In a couple days we'll start rehearsals for that, and when people start getting back to work I'll be able to start putting some of my ideas/plans in process. Thanks to all of you for your incredible support this past year, and thanks in advance for loving and supporting me in this new one. I hope to honor your investment in who I am and what I do. Have a great New Year. I'll see you on the other side.
******
Right now I'm at Alison's parents' place in North Carolina. We've been here for about a week and are heading back to Nashville tomorrow. One of Alison's best friends growing up got married Saturday, and we were both involved in that. The rehearsal dinner was at a Brazilian steakhouse. People with giant swords of meat walk around and cut pieces off onto your plate. Needless to say, that was the highlight of the day for me. Maybe the year.
Right after I got home from the tour all three of the girls got sick, so most of Christmas and the days surrounding were spent as quiet as possible, with as much Vitamin C and liquids as possible. Everybody's back to health now, so that's good.
Our Christmas was nice. The second year with our own family at home for the day. A little crazy because of the sickness, but better than last year when we had the sickness and a three-week old! Ella's old enough to really get excited about presents and Christmas trees and the decorations, so that's really fun. These are the days I'll miss when they're gone, I have no doubt.
******
Well, the new year is upon us now, and I'm glad. This year has, without a doubt, been the hardest year of my life. Personally, business-wise, and in just about every other area, it's seemed to be a pile-on of disappointments and hardships. I'm so relieved to flip over the calendar, to start some new statistics.
There are a bunch of new irons in the fire now, though, and after a couple weeks off I'm starting to get excited about them. A few new melodies have been popping up, a new lyric here and there. I've got some meetings coming up, some crazy ideas to try out, a few records that ought to be made. It will be good to get into them, and I'm praying I can find new passion as I start again, and am able to leave the past disappointments out of the process, (besides having learned from them.)
I'm about to start working on a plan to get my Letters to the Editor EP printed up and made available so I can give them away on the Spring Caedmon's tour, and so you guys can have physical copies to give to folks you know. More on that in a day or two.
Also, it's looking like I'm going to be able to replace a few of the guitars that had to leave last year, and I've been having fun picking out finishes and options. I'm also going to re-do (wait for it) my pedalboard again. I have some new ideas. And that means I'll be selling some pedals, boards, guitars, etc... in the near future, as I move to a new phase.
I'm really looking forward to more fully embracing the guitar player in me. I've written before about how it's been hard to focus on one things amidst production, artistry, guitar playing, band membering, songwriting, etc... but the common link to all of those is the song and my guitar playing. This year, at least to start with, I'm going to be focusing on those two things. I feel like I've somewhat found my voice as a songwriter already (though that journey is never complete). My guitar playing feels like its on the verge of finally becoming something unique. My own voice. I just can't wait to dive deeper.
******
In a week the girls and I will be heading to Orlando, along with Paul Eckberg, Aaron Sands, Ben Shive, Mitch Dane, a few others and their families. We're going to be the house band for the YoungLife All Staff conference. I'm really looking forward to that. YoungLife has long been a huge part of my story, and it will be great to get to be a part of it again, and I'll be making music with my good friends. And I'll be in Orlando with my family. (We get a free day at a theme park. We have a 1-year-old and a 2 1/2 year-old, any suggestions on Disneyworld vs. SeaWorld?)
In a couple days we'll start rehearsals for that, and when people start getting back to work I'll be able to start putting some of my ideas/plans in process. Thanks to all of you for your incredible support this past year, and thanks in advance for loving and supporting me in this new one. I hope to honor your investment in who I am and what I do. Have a great New Year. I'll see you on the other side.
Reader Comments (26)
Welcome back. Hoping your trip is good and the New Year brings good things for us all.
excellent andrew. i vote disneyworld, though i love sea world, our babies like both.
i hope we all find rest in Christ over the holiday and throughout this new year.
Disney World is awesome. Excellence is in the details, and the Disney folks don't miss one. With one day in Disney, I'd choose The Magic Kingdom.
I must say though that the idea of Disney with a stroller is scary. My parents always vowed they'd never go back until all their kids were old enough to get around on their own two feet. We finally went two summers ago, and I understand their sentiment.
Sea World is great too (at least the one in San Antonio is), and in my opinion, much better for a one day trip. My sister still remembers our trip there when she was only two. I'd do Sea World this time and save Disney for later when your girls are a little older and you have more time to enjoy in the four different parks.
Happy New Year. It's great to have the blog back. (If the sabbatical is indeed over.)
Yeah, man. Call me on the printing-it-up plan. :)
I'd probably do Sea World, too. And when your girls are old enough to love it, we'll be flying rockets again out of Florida, and I'll see what strings I can pull to get you a nice place to watch it happen. You can do a few days of The Mouse and an afternoon of rumbling, fiery awesomeness.
[Not that I'm biased.]
Glad you got your sabbatical in again.
As a former Florida resident of 17 years I would vote the magic kingdom park of disney world. I remember when we were little my toddler sister got bored at sea world alot quicker than the disney parks...but to each his own...and to Geof a little more
miss you dude. we are long overdue for a hang.
Sea World!!! for a day trip no contest.
disney is pretty hard to digest in one day, i've always felt like sea world was a lot more relaxed. but if you're going to disney, i agree, magic kingdom.
trust me. i used to be in disney commercials.
keep us posted on your new projects and idea's, i'm excited to see what will happen this year.
Go for Seaworld, for sure. Our girls are just 8 months older than yours, and we've always had a great time at any zoo or aquarium. Disney is cool, but it's just so commercial. Enjoyment of the place is often built on familiarity with the Disney entertainment empire, and I'm not always thrilled to have their heavily-commercialized version of myth give shape to my kids' developing imagination. It's a bit easier to be thrilled about Seaworld: "Isn't it amazing how God made whales...?"
We're looking forward to your next effort. Happy New Year.
It's a new year, it's a new year. Yay!
Interesting. My family and I will be in Orlando at the same time; I think we'll be at Disney World. I have no suggestion about which would be better, though.
Disney - Magic Kingdom. Sea World is great but I loved the MK with my little girls. They do it right.
Disney.
nope. sea world.
wait for the mouse until the kids are a bit older and can actually remember it...
as for the brazilian steakhouse you spoke of, if it was in durham, it was probably this one owned by a friend of mine. http://www.chamas.us" rel="nofollow">Chamas
there's a similar place here in downtime memphis, but it's a chain...
hope you had a merry christmas, despite the sickies, and a happy new year to one and all...
nice to have another post. I'm glad your Christmas went well.
I have some pedal board questions. I'll email you.
Andy, I just took my wife and 18 month old little girl to Disneyworld, and we had a blast. There are tons of things for even the smallest kid to enjoy. For little girls (and big ones) there's nothing like the Magic Kingdom. I NEVER wanted to go to Disneyworld myself, but I ended up having a blast. Granted, I've never been to Seaworld, but as a dad of a little girl, I say go see Cinderella and Mickey. You won't regret it.
Happy New Year!
I went to Disney for the first time when I was two and a half or so and Seaworld on the same trip and I have to say the only thing I remember is being too scared to do Space Mountain and dropping my sunglasses in the dolphin tank. So I basically think either would be fine. I haven't actually been back to SeaWorld, but I;ve been to Magic Kingdom since then, and it is really amazing. I think you just need to recognize that it's ambitious to be in a theme park on that magnitude and you won't see everything, and you'll probably only see what the kiddles want.
at MK one definitely fun for the kids--Mickey's Orchestra thing. I can't remember the name, but it's a 3-D show, and it's amazing.
waiting anxiously for the auctions to begin........
Sadly, we must be in the midst of Sabbatical, Part 3
Any chance that Brazilian steakhouse was Rio in Raleigh? I've been there, and it was crazy filling!
Leaving the Disney/Sea World debate to the experts, I wanted to say that "Glimmering Gates" is a fantastic song. I would love it if your next record follows along the same acoustic lines! I could listen to it over and over, oh wait, I have!
Best wishes!
I think Andy's mower came back for the rest of him. What gives?
Didn't you hear?
Sabbatical, Pt. 3
Regarding YoungLife,
While you were at the conference, was there much talk on the Young Life Controversy? If you haven't, check it out here (http://www.ysmarko.com/?p=2374).
I don't want to alarm anyone, but I'm pretty sure Osenga ripped off "Hold the Light" from this song. Its questionable at best.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=3af9US_D0Is