My special group of friends at Venice beach last Sunday.

I decided it was time for a haircut! This was a situation that warranted something new and different, since my favorite hairstylist wasn’t available this week. I couldn’t wait. Lately, it has been fun doing things differently!

Yesterday, I had a morning tennis game. My friends know I’m in a “different” phase in my life. I never used to shout so loudly (and profanely) while playing tennis. I’m very inconsistent, and that is mostly due to my distractibility. I am thinking of how to revise songs while I am playing!

In a few, short weeks it will be six months since I began this blog.

I could hardly have imagined where I would be today six months ago! In the beginning, I felt like sharing what I had learned from my children would be helpful to other people in similar circumstances.

In the end, ironically my writing helped me the most. It has been challenging for me to change my focus from managing every aspect of my childrens’ lives. However, even though it has been difficult for my children to see me so distracted from them with my musical activities, they have risen to the occasion. They are so much more independent!

My voice teacher, Peaches, and I. We are outside at the public park in Winnetka where I take voice lessons.

Peaches and I palling around. We both decided it was okay to be “grungy” at the park!

BELOW ARE LINKS TO CLIPS FROM MY VOICE LESSONS – MY PASSION!

COVER SONGS – EXCERPT OF VOICE LESSON WITH PEACHES 7-27

A – EXCERPT OF VOICE LESSON WITH PEACHES 7-27

B – EXCERPT OF VOICE LESSON WITH PEACHES 7-27

I cannot write about my three teenagers anymore. They are all on their own journeys now. I’m still a mom, but I’m certainly not the same as before. I’m not fixing their food, for sure!

My parents are in a nursing/assisted living facility and I plan to perform there so I can share my music with them. Every day that they are alive and healthy has been a gift beyond anything else for me.

My journey has entered another phase now that I’ve begun more intense performing. I have no idea why I’ve put myself in such a vulnerable position. Being an artist for so many years doesn’t make me knowledgeable about the music business at all. I tentatively put out a few feelers to see if there was somewhere I could play other than an open mic venue with a single song.

Border’s fell into my lap, without much effort. I have no competition. If I wanted to, I could play there every day or evening. They are looking for “live entertainment,” and appreciate my effort to perform. For me, there is so much value in the practice and experience I will be getting. I have chosen not to look at this as “playing for free.”

When I sing and play my original music, my songs just feel better and better for me. I’m about halfway through recording and arranging them. I’m not certain I’ll ever compose or write any more music after that. Certainly, there has been a lot of revising that I’ve been doing on an ongoing basis.

I keep saying, “I am not a singer!” However, I am definitely singing and at some point I realize that those words won’t be true anymore. Gradually, I am getting more and more confidence and I’ve been delighted to share my progress through clips from my voice lessons.

Lately, I have been waltzing and singing through my day. Today, I am going to the recording studio to improve some of the vocals for my song recordings. I have no idea how that will go.

I am entranced and captivated by my music. A friend jokingly told me, “Wow, you’re really into yourself listening to your songs, aren’t you?”

That is probably true. However, my insight is that I am vulnerable and open enough to admit that. Performing is sharing, and that is what I want to do right now. Listening to my voice and songs inspires me to appreciate the joy of their reappearance in my life.

My songs are unfolding faster and faster now. My voice has been improving and my heart has been lifted so high that I never dreamed it would be possible.

My heart starts racing when I think about this upcoming weekend and my performing at two, Border’s stores. My unfolding journey is more amazing than I ever imagined. I am honest when I say that it doesn’t matter where it’s going. I just don’t want it to ever end.

I’m playing my guitar on my honeymoon in 1981 overlooking a beach in Ensenada.

© Judy Unger and http://www.myjourneysinsight.com 2010. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Judy Unger with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.