Living Proof

Not many people know I'm a songwriter or that I've been playing guitar since I was 10 years old. I started playing electric guitar first because it was easier on the fingers, and well, it was "cooler" back then. I learned how to play by ear once someone showed me the chords. A few years later, I chose to only play acoustic. I then started hopping from one band to the next and then I simmered down to open mic nights with a good friend of mine when I was around 23 years old. I have to say it was a lot of fun. My buddy Jen and I would practice for hours and hours not realizing that 10+ hours had gone by and the fact that my fingers were bleeding. (And no, it wasn't the summer of '69.) She's an amazing singer and we just collaborated so beautifully. We were so passionate about music that most of our time was practicing --- more like enjoying every single second of it. After time, we both eventually had responsibilities piling up and our paths went separa...

So I thought to myself, "Wow, I'm not even hungry," and it was nearing 8pm. I poured my second martini on a somewhat empty stomach and nothing was temping my palate at the moment. With my corny background music blaring Amy Winehouse's "The Girl From Ipanema", I was feeling a bit fuzzy - a bit "silent" in my mind. I had no thoughts, no words rushing through my head or the many questions I pose to the poor man up above who has to hear every single complaint that I toss into his box. I trekked onto my Facebook account and saw a "message from God" -- one of those little apps that make you feel like, "Oh wow! God sent me an email!" Well, not really. Of course it gives you an option to become an instant pastor and that you can always donate to them, if you're generous enough. It said that my life was full of my own "chatter" and to be still and listen to my spirit and the spirit that speaks to me. It told me to shut up...

(This photo was a Halloween shot at work. The theme was 'the futuristic office', so I chose my future would be working at home, hence the robe, towel, cup of coffee & flip flops. I'm actually wearing purple silk pajamas from Victoria Secret in there.) There was a time where I thought my life would only consist of a cubicle, dim florescent lights and a boss that would badger me for the rest of my days until the day I retired. Home life was all about resting. I didn't even notice the little things around me, like a beautiful view of the mountains, a hot cup of coffee to be enjoyed slowly or just listening to music, unwinding with a glass of wine. It was simple: get up, grab coffee on the way to work, sit in traffic, deal with bullshit at work, dive into traffic again, eat a quick dinner and go to sleep...do it all over again. I remember one of my coworkers had given our boss two weeks notice. One day, while sitting at the lunch table, we asked her why she was leavi...