Tuesday, August 31, 2010

September Lifestyle Challenge


Fall is here!!! Not officially, of course (that comes later this month), but the leaves are falling and school is back in session. It's time for the September Lifestyle Challenge!

For those new to the challenges, it isn't to compete against others. It's to push yourself to greater heights, have some company & inspiration along the way, and a few ideas the help get us focused. For example:

1) Exercise - Set a specific plan or goal(s). Keep us posted weekly (or more) on your progress!

2) Creativity - Music, art, writing, acting...set a goal to complete by month's end. Keep us posted!

3) Personal life - Re-affirm your personal relationships, get to that project/chore you've been avoiding, or just read a book you've always wanted to read!

4) Professional life - Set a work goal or change jobs or....just tell us what it is and keep us posted!

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So here are my goals....

1) Exercise - Continue with hard training, but add extra cardio. I may shoot for one of the pull-up or chin-up records again, so I don't wanna pull any extra weight. Gonna try to strip it down to under 10% body fat.

2) Creativity - Get back on track with writing for the new Alien Blue CD!

3) Get organized!!! Finish "Rant" (Chuck Palahniuk) and then read "Orlando" (Virginia Woolf). Then to other suggestions I've received lately. Also, I think I'll drink no alcohol and get more hard-core with my eating. Considering another 100% raw vegan month...or maybe that except for once a week raw meat treats!

4) Post both "Guitar Gods" interviews that I didn't get to last month (Dave Martone and Frank Marino), set up gigs for students (Woodsongs pre-show, a few coffee shops, & some pay gigs), and follow up on a couple of interesting projects that combine my teaching and my duo with cool gigs!

Sooo......what about YOU?

Thursday, August 12, 2010

August Lifestyle Challenge


Yes, it's been a crazy summer...many serious ups and many serious downs on this roller-coaster. Along the way, I fumbled on several things, including the monthly Lifestyle Challenges.

For those new to the challenges, it isn't to compete against others. It's to push yourself to greater heights, have some company & inspiration along the way, and a few ideas the help get us focused. For example:

1) Exercise - set a specific plan or goal(s). Keep us posted weekly (or more) on your progress!

2) Creativity - Music, art, writing, acting...set a goal to complete by month's end. Keep us posted!

3) Read a book - Old, new, or something in between. Start now, finish by month's end. Tell us what it is!

4) Professional life - Set a work goal or change jobs or....just tell us what it is and keep us posted!

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So, my personal stuff....I dropped the ball on the "Guitar Gods" interview series. However, in early June I did not one, but TWO awesome interviews that will go on-line this month:space-age guitar wizard Dave Martone and 70s guitar legend Frank Marino. Damn right!

We have several very cool gigs...just did the Almira Benefit at the KY Theater and are off to do "Heroes Night Out" for the wounded soldiers at Ft. Knox, then back to Lexington for the 2nd Almira benefit (this one at Busters), a few radio & TV interviews to promo the gigs, and then back into the rehearsal studio to complete the writing for the new Alien Blue CD (being recorded in Atlanta at Open Sky Studio).

I finished Jared Lanier's new book "You Are Not a Gadget" and have started re-reading "The Iliad". Nothing like that Greek sense of excellence!

Getting back on track with the workouts...they were pretty light throughout the past 4-5 weeks. Gotta add some extra cardio in there somewhere.

How about YOU?