What the Ocean Taught Me About Imperfection

OK, so I'm always sharing music round these parts. 

Many moons ago, I shared a kick-A harp song by Anna Cate, who I happened to know in real life in Arizona. WELL, our paths have crossed again as we now live 5 minutes from each other in northern California. What are the odds? Last night we went to a local pizza place to listen to old people play bluegrass music together on their fiddles, banjos and dulcimers. Can't argue with that.

WELL, the aforementioned Anna Cate just released a new music video, which I love for several reasons, not the least of which is that it's filmed at sunset on a lovely NorCal beach, a setting my heart has grown fiercely attached to since moving here this summer. Le sigh. Anna wrote up her own thoughts about the music video, and I'm so super stoked to share them with you. When she's famous someday we can all say we knew her when, amiright? Give it a read and then be sure to watch/listen to her new video below!

What the Ocean Taught Me About Imperfection

by Anna Cate

I knew immediately that I wanted my video filmed by the ocean. It was for a last-minute music contest entry, and I was determined to record it at the beach. What is it about the beach that is universally soothing to everyone? The rhythm of the waves, the light on the water, the breadth of the landscape? A sense of awe and wonder never evades me when I visit the ocean.

But even with my love for the ocean, I couldn't have planned on one remarkable thing that happened as I was capturing the film -- something I wasn’t even aware of until I was playing it back.

A lot of little things went wrong during filming: equipment had been misplaced, batteries ran out, my favorite hat I wanted to wear was nowhere to be found. We only had a small amount of time to film before the sunlight was gone. We'd done a few takes, but decided to give it one final go as the day’s final rays from the sun faded on the water. The videographer had me move to a different position for lighting purposes, and I became more aware of the sound of the ocean. This is when the magic happened: without even noticing, my tempo caught up with the rhythm of the waves. As I looked out over the beach, the phrases of the song quietly tucked into the timing of the sea. I found myself breathing better and easier between the lines of my lyrics. The ocean was more than a pretty setting right then -- it was my metronome and my muse.

In the past I’ve felt the need to “comp” all of my songs, using hundreds of little pieces strung together to meet my expectations of what a good recording should be. With this video, I hit a milestone: I sang a recording that was 100% organic -- no syncing together. The audio is raw, not composited, and right next to the ocean. About as natural and real as you can get.

Of course there are little imperfections, but they are actually what I love most about the recording. The quiver in my voice when I sing the word “heart.” The part when I sing the end of the bridge and wander off pitch but then back on again. The details I once thought needed to be edited out, I now see as the parts that share my most authentic emotions.

The environment inspired a performance that was authentic and present, different than the glossed-over content that our tech-savvy society frequently delivers and consumes. I finally *get it*, that thing music teachers and sound engineers have always tried to explain to me: I understand now what it means to perform a song with genuine emotion, not unrealistic perfection.

Maybe heading back to nature will help more of us in our quest for beauty and art that’s real, not flawless. Present, not perfect. Connected by the rhythm of the ocean, not the beat of a click-track.

Aaaand now watch her awesome video:

p.s. If you like it, share it! If her video gets a significant amount of views, she can win all kinds of awesome equipment, as well as recording and performance opportunities. And let's be real, she deserves it, right? Right.

Queen Latifah + Me + Halloween

I can now officially say I've talked to Queen Latifah's "people."

Remember when I won that BlogHer award and Queen Latifah was the emcee at the awards ceremony? Right. I'm guessing that's how her people got my contact info. All I know is, one of them emailed me one day last week and asked if I wanted to write a Halloween-themed post for her site. Um, yes.

I wrote it so quickly that I feel unsure of its quality, but the eversweet Kerry told me she loves it and her word is good as gold. So, confidence restored!

And now you may read it: Awkward Childhood Costumes

p.s. Remember last year when I compiled that Halloween playlist? Thought it might be time for y'all to bust it out again. Please give ample attention to Monster Mash and Dead Man's Party, my personal favorites.

guest blog: Imma Hoarder?

hey kiddos!

i've got a guest blogger up in the hizzle today.

her name is elisabeth & she blogs over at imma walking fashion crime.

and, i like her.

and, turns out we both might have the same problem...

...which we are blogging about today.

so read her post below, 

then check out my own thoughts on hoarding over at her blog.

ready...go!

Hmm..hoarding? That's such a negative word. I like to call it storing.

I don't store just any old stuff either.

It's the good stuff.

(Okay. We all know that's a lie, but I like to think that I hoard store good stuff.)

I store letters.

Nothing else. Just letters.

The old birthday cards from grandma & grandpa. 

The thank you notes & the I love you notes.

I have them tucked away in a GIGANTIC shoe box.

(A size 17 in men's shoe box probably...)

When I moved away to go to college, my parents were astounded by my "collection" of letters. 

Seriously.

I've kept everything. (including some stuff that I probably shouldn't keep...oh well).


Storing is just second nature.


I think I keep the letters because they mean so much to me.


The little notes of admiration keep me going & help me realize that there are people out there that love me.


Yay for love! :)


Shout-out to the amazing katilda! She rocks! If she gave me a letter, I'd totally hoard it.

...um, trust me that i have my own box of letters.

and that i now feel really inclined to write elisabeth a letter.

so she can hoard it.

i mean savor it in a totally healthy way.

ok now go read about my own potential problems.
then confess your hoarding tendencies in the comment box below.
yep, i'm looking at you.

cleopatra in da-nile,

katilda

guest blog: worst date ever

hey kiddos!

today's blog comes to you via zack of easter closet.

oh here he is:

he even LOOKS important!

and he's totally funny and stuff.

anyway, he and i decided to swap blogs today, so go ahead and read about his worst date ever and then head over to his blog to read about my worst date ever.

but with no further ado, here is zack's woeful tale...

The Worst Date Ever

It was a double date--I asked out this beautiful girl I didn't know too well, and set up my roommate with my cousin. Fail-proof date. Fun no matter what....? Right?

Wrong.

We started off going mini golfing (I was only a few months home from the mission, don't judge). We get to the first hole and she decides she is going to kick everyone's golf balls. Funny...kinda.

Then she does it on hole #2.

And #3.

And then decides she is going to jump to hole #10.

Then she hit someone else's ball that wasn't even in our group.

We were done early, needless to say.

So off to dinner. At this point I was just trying to salvage the night. We sit down and she proceeds to start talking to my roommate and then asks him out on a date for the next weekend. My "I'm Done" meter was pretty high right about here.

In a pathetic attempt to add some humor to the date, I mentioned that a sheep truck had just driven by (it had). She incredulously inquired (+2 point alliteration) how I knew that. I teased that I had been in the sheep truck driving union for a few years (I hadn't).

And I kid you not, she responded with, "Well, while we're in the lying mood--I'm having a great time and would love a second date."

Silence. A fork dropped in the other room.

I raised my hand for the waiter. When she asked what I was doing, I told her that I was going to cancel our order. She said she wanted to eat. I told her it was her choice, but I was ready to go.

Then I couldn't take it. I asked, "Okay, if you were to go on 100 first dates, how many of them turn into second dates?"

"How many do you think?" She responded. Not the right answer.

"Based on tonight, I can safely assume, not very many."

I took her home.

The next day she bumped into me on campus and I offered her some advice, "on the house. If you want to go on second dates, you need to treat guys better. That really was one of the worst dates I have ever been on." (I put it gently.)

BUT, in true form of irony, she ended up being one of my best friends. And although she is married with a kid and has since unfriended me on Facebook--I wish her the best and I'm sure she does me.

So from strangers to worst date to best friends back to total strangers...I think in the end, life has its way of evening things out.

male's eye view: break-ups 101

hear ye, hear ye!

today i welcome my very first guest blogger

i figure a little outside perspective is a good thing

especially when the topic is dating

and that outside perspective is male

introducing, mr. reed willis

he doesn't have his own blog for me to link to...

yet

[umm this is totally like i'm oprah and he's dr. phil and i'm launching his career]

[please don't grow a creeper moustache, mr. willis]

so let's be encouraging and give him some comment lovin'

ready, go!

---------------------------------------

I must admit right off that I am not a blogger. This is my first post. Ever. As such, I ask that all negative comments be directed to the E.I.C. of the blog (Katie) for letting an amateur wreck the enjoyment you receive from reading the witty and insightful writings of Katie. And by reading this far in the blog, you've agreed to follow the above procedures for any complaints....I'm a lawyer (confession #2).

I'm an old, single guy that has tried to find his lucky girl (because she'll be lucky to have me!) (confession #3-humility is not a strong point). In my years (yes, years) of dating experience, there is one thing that I always dread....the DTR, the end of the relationship, the talk, or whatever euphemism you want to use to describe the horrible process where a heart is broken and dreams are dashed. It doesn't matter which part I'm playing (the breaker or the breakee), it stinks.

Here are some observations about breaking up, and some suggestions on what to do. I'm curious to see other suggestions people have in the comments section. So please share the stories! The messier they are, the more enjoyable they'll be for everyone else.

1. People never say, "We need to talk" and have it end well.

2. Please don't say the other person is great. It's already assumed that they're great or you wouldn't have wasted time on them! Plus, the breakee will often think the breaker is either crazy (which may be true) or a liar (I'm great, but you don't want to date...false).

3. Trying to spin "the talk" makes the breaker seem shifty and disingenuous. It's not gonna be a soft landing. Ego, pride and a heart are involved...it'll hurt no matter what.

4. Because "the talk" can be hard, people avoid it. Don't.

And now the suggestions:

1. Realize that it is personal, and not business (unless you're Hitch, or a matchmaker).

2. Get over yourself (both the breaker and breakee). I once was trying to end things with a girl by spinning it (see #3 above), and she said, "You're great, but not that great. It's okay." Awesome. Seriously.

3. Be honest, and receive the talk with an honest ear/heart.

4. Remember, "[F]aith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, [and] compassion." See "The Family: A Proclamation to the World". Learning how to communicate honestly and openly is needed in any relationship. Your future spouse (or current one...let's not neglect those married people! Holla!) will thank you for practicing it.

5. Have hope and faith

6. Laugh. You've had good times. Remember those and the lessons you've learned.

7. And remember two great songs by Beyonce: "Irreplaceable" and "Best Thing I've Never Had." Other songs in this category include Darius Rucker "This," and Rascal Flatts "Bless the Broken Road." The list could go on, but the Academy of Break-up Songs nominated these four. These do not reflect any personal preference, but were the first ones that came to my mind.

[via amazon]

Good luck breaking up!

me, elsewhere

you know when you do something normal in a new situation and then it's more fun?

like...

um...

i don't know, eating a corn dog.

see now, i always love eating corn dogs

[a hot dog in a delicious sweater! mmmboy]

but one time i ate a corn dog on the beach

in oceanside, calif. w/ my besties

and the sun was setting

and at one point i had my hoodie pulled up over my head

[what is it about hoodies that make me so dizzarn happy?]

and my toes in the sand

and well...

that's probably the best corn dog i've ever had.

[let's not focus on how utterly special we each look in this photograph.]

that corn dog is kind of like guest blogging.

[just pretend my analogy is totes working...smile and nod, kids. smile and nod.]

i know you get to hear from me every day,

but today i'm somewhere new and different!

so check it out

[remember that other time i guest blogged, for someone i didn't even know? that was fun...and i've actually met her in person now. good bloggin' times.]

also,

my dearest lovemuffin miss chantalion wrote THE NICEST BLOG EVER about little ol' me last week

you should probably check that out too

it makes me cry.

gee i love her!