CARY PIERCE'S BLOG @carypierceblog - Tumblr Blog

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I have a weird question but one that has been bugging me all day, I had a old cd of y’all live and it had a song on it that I really liked. The song was about long a Distance relationship. I remember one of the lines being something like…it’s 9:15, I’m waiting for the phone to ring…and then something about wishing I could be there to tell you it will be ok….I know, super weird but I can hear the part in my head where y’all are harmonizing about the time then there is a pause and it’s a slow song. I don’t have the album anymore and can’t remember the name of the song. Any ideas??? Thanks from a longtime fan that lost your live album

Hey! Back Next Year? Vineyard from Live from the Americas?

When I was kid I remember my mom sometimes saying that I needed what she called "2 by 4" Therapy. What she meant was: I was acting like an idiot and I needed a 2 x 4 upside my head.

Well recently I got some much needed bat "bat" therapy. No - I did not take one upside the head. I got to see the result of something coming out of someone else's head. And the idea came out in the form of a Baseball Bat - well, a baseball bat company, really.

I'm not sure I ever signed up for this guys newsletter but mysteriously after seeing him in passing a few times I started getting his One Fast Bufaalo "The Tread" emails.

I'm not sure why on this particular day I decided to read a little bit and even click through to a video link.

What I saw was simple and beautiful and perfectly executed. Something resonated inside of me with what I was seeing. It was a "Field of Dreams" moment. I was moved, compelled, inspired and restless all at the same time.

I've been talking about it and spreading it ever since. It may be the best thing I've seen this or last year. Not just the 2 minutes of flawlessly shot video and killer "Explosions in the Sky/Friday Night Lights" - type of background music but the actual bats and the company he created are just MOVING.

This guy's an artist. A big time designer, Ben Jenkins and his marketing/branding company, One Fast Buffalo, amongst a gazillion other things, has redesigned all of El Fenix's branding and was recently tapped to revamp Crested Butte's new look.

The video, the Warstic site - It's really quite a sight to behold: an artist turning his passion and his art into a tangible, useable and salable object: Bats.

He was directly inspired to start the bat company after reading and re-reading Tim Ferriss' wildly successful book, "The 4 Hour Work Week."But

Baseball. Hmmm.. To be honest, I'm not the biggest fan of the actual sport. I did not grow up playing it .

But going to Yankees stadium as the guest of star 1st bassman, Mark Teixera was a blast. I bought a few t-shirts for my boys with his name on them. I bought a brat and an ice cold beer and sat down in the NY summer sun to watch the game. Teixera gets up to bat and has a hit. That's my guy! That's my friend flying over first. Woo Hoo! I'm in. I GET IT now. It's an American thing. It's tradition.

I hope this video inspires and moves you like it did me.

Working on Super Serving our amazing fans and Destination Members. Everyone gets a handwritten, signed postcard ... I just started including the pick.. Our Aug 17 Martha's Vineyard Jackopierce Destination Show is already sold out ... Santa Barbara June 8 is over 50% sold .. You can check them at www.jackopierce.bigcartel.com

Newtown

I pulled this song out to find some peace in light of the recent nightmare in CT

I grew up not far from there in Westport, CT. My best friend growing up actually went to Sandy Hook.

This was from 9/11 but I still think there is some healing words in there ...

Obama quoted the first scripture I ever memorized - and my favorite to this day - from Paul's letter to the Corinthians (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).. I was moved to share these words..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvfogOIKVxc

#i believe in america #peace in newton

long time no post .. San Miguel is my new favorite town

Hey there! I think I've posted all of the chapters from my book-in-progress that I'm going to post for now. I hope to continue to post interesting and informative things here and there. If you're new to the blog, there are 30+ entries. I hope you'll browse them and spread what resonates with you.

What I'm most excited about today is designing the first Jackopierce International Destination Show in San Miguel de Allende, April 12, 2014. One of my favorite parts of creating these shows is the graphics - especially the sketches that lead up to the final graphic. I just got 3 sketches from www.HerringandHaggis.com. I love pencil drawn images. I love seeing where this will go. SMA is my favorite new town. I went there a couple months ago and it's awesome. It just got voted #1 Destination in Mexico by Conde Nast 2012.

(wondering what a Destination Show is? click HERE)

Here's how I described SMA to some friends:

Many of you have heard me talk about our potential Destination Show in my favorite new city, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.

We got to spend 3 days down there this summer and we were blown away.

It's cobblestone streets, multicolored stucco buildings, gardens, courtyards and gorgeous cathedrals are basically the same as they were in the 1600's.

The beauty, the history, the heritage, the food, the galleries/museums, the shopping, the kindness of the people is just jaw dropping. We weren't just thinking about "coming back one day" - we were literally thinking about how we could live there for the entire summer.

On a quest for the perfect Jackopierce Destination Show venue, I spent 9 hours touring some of the most breathtaking properties I've ever seen: ranches, hotels, haciendas, theaters and public spaces. My tour guide was our new best friend and San Miguel's premier event/wedding planner, Guadalupe Alvarez. Together, we found it.

Oh man, did we find it. This, my friends, will be the trip of a lifetime.

Let me tell you about the house where the Jackopierce Destination Event will be held Oct 19:

Oh man, did we find it. This, my friends, will be the trip of a lifetime.

Let me tell you about the "house" where the Saturday Jackopierce Destination Event will be held and where we'll all be staying: (see photos below)

Casa Hyder is a magnificent 11 bedroom, 14,000 sf Colonial home located in the heart of San Miguel. It sits on nearly 3/4 of an acre in a walled, park-like setting. Exceptionally furnished, with beautiful terraced gardens and its own private park, it is the ideal place for special events, or just to relax and get alway from it all. It comprises 3 different buildings, has 3 kitchens, numerous courtyards, heated pool

Read about Casa Hyder in the New York Times HERE

Watch a great, amateur video "walking tour" of Casa Hyder HERE

Here are the sketches of the artwork

#san miguel de allende #jackopierce san miguel

THREE OF US IN A BOAT

Today I'm going to dissect one of my songs I wrote when I was 19.

I grew up in Westport, CT and used to run into into this girl from the neighboring town of Weston. She was pretty and sweet and I liked her from afar. Once I went off to college at SMU in Dallas, I thought that would be it.

But the first day of freshman orientaton - who walks in the door? This girl, Ray. It was fate! We were meant to be together! The only problem was this little detail of her having a boyfriend. Hence - the song: "Three of us in a boat... doesn't look like this boat's gonna float...." It was our first jackopierce original. www.jackopierce.com

Jackopierce is my band that I started with Jack O'Neill at SMU in Dallas in 1988. Next year will be 25 years of JP. Wo. "Three of Us in a Boat" can be found on our latest album, "Everywhere All The Time":

Everywhere All the Time - Jackopierce

I loved you and you know it

So I wrote this song just like Farley Mowat

(Farley Mowat is a Canadian author who wrote the book, "The Boat Who wouldn't Float.")

For a little while I was your dual lover

(there was another guy involved - Jerkface. Well I was really the Jerkface. Her boyfriend got sent home from school to go to rehab and I saw opportunity).

I knew this would happen one way or another

Looks like I’m gettin ready to swim

The chances of his walkin the plank are lookin pretty slim

(this is maybe the fastest line that I've ever sung. It's a lot of fun live and I think you will enjoy it when you hear it. I just realized that in this verse I resolve to give up. I'm the one jumping! Why didn't I push him out? It's more fun this way. I had moved on anyway. He could have her).

Three of us in a boat

Doesn’t look like this boat’s gonna float

Three of us in a boat and it won’t float

(I have a fantasy of making a video of this song (the reggae version). It would be Jack and I wearing a cardboard boat costume with a very pouty, tall, disinterested super model type between us. Everywhere we go, we have to go together. We get in and out of cabs together, in elevators, try to walk up stairs, go into restrooms. Genius)

Hope you have some agility

Hope you have some aquatic ability

(Jack and I were both in the ATO fraternity at SMU. It really was the foundation of our career. Pretty anywhere we would play, 20-40 of our brothers would come out. We had some tradition at the house for Big Brother night where we had to go swimming. Aquatic ability was essential. That's all I'm gonna say).

We all know this is your ship my dear

Don’t say a word it’s perfectly clear

I’ve got my suit on – I’m goin in

(I often say "Speedo" and get a good chuckle. I was a swimmer throughout my youth and wore many a Speedo. My fave was the star and stripes BiCentennial edition. My sister had the one piece to match. From grades 1-6, I lived in North Harbor/Sandy Springs/Atlanta and we had neighborhood swim teams. I remember all the other kids would eat powder Jello but our mom would make us Gazpacho (cold tomato soup). I also did 2 years at Staples HS in Westport, CT as a "diver" on the swim team. I was a rare bird that could do a back flip and walk on my hands. Since diving was considered one of the swimming events - and the swimmers were only able to compete in x amount of events... the team literally needed a guy to jump off the board. Woody called it "falling with style."

With a heart as fragile as mine why did we even begin

(yah - I 'm a sensitive guy. I was asking for it)

I’ve found new days of sunshine

(this line used to be "I miss my Ray (her name) of sunshine." Wow. That was pathetic.)

Looks like we’re in for nasty weather (should have said you're in for nasty weather - she and boyfriend started fighting over phone).

But if you’re meant to be than you’ll stick together

Don’t come cryin to me when your horizons turn dark and grey baby

(remember that scene in Swingers when the old girlfriend FINALLY returns his call? But she's too late. He's got Heather Graham on the other line. He's moved on. Things started to get rocky with her beau so she calls me up and wants to "see what I'm doing." Uh uh girl. You chose him - good luck.. I'm out.

#threeofusinaboat #three of us in a boat #cary pierce #carypierce #jackopierce

WORST CASE SCENARIO

(This is an excerpt from a book I am working on about Being Creative for a Living. I will post a new chapter most Fridays - or as close as I can get… I genuinely hope this blog inspires you… thanks for following)

We don't have to be scared.

But we are scared - a LOT.

We are scared to start a new company or launch a new product. Scared to leave our current job for a better one. Scared to pick up the phone and call that girl. Scared that we'll show up to the party and not know anyone.

Some fear - like running across the highway at rush hour - is healthy fear.

But I would contend the number one fast and slow killer of dreams is fear.

Tony Robbins says "we'll do more to avoid pain than to gain pleasure."

We know going to the gym and getting in shape will bring us nothing but pleasure - but we're scared it will be painful working out. It's easier to have another couple donuts (less pain).

We're so scared.

But what's the worst thing that could happen?

When I was going through my divorce, I was in serious pain, was in deep debt and thought I was in real trouble. I was paralyzed.

A good friend asked me, "what's the worst thing that could happen to you." I thought long and hard about it. If everything fell away and I had nothing - no house, no car, no income - what would that look like?

It's important to define your worst case scenario. What does the WORST CASE SCENARIO look like for you? It may not be as bad as you think.

For me I thought long and hard about it. I would have to move into my parents house. It would be incredibly humiliating but they would not let me starve. I don't need any new clothes. I could take public transportation but I could probably borrow one of their cars a lot. It would not be great but things could be a WHOLE LOT WORSE than that.

Once I realized my worst case scenario, I was able to stare it in the face - see it for what it was, and then move on.

Regardless - if it's worse or better than you think - it's good TO KNOW WHAT IT IS.

When embarking on a new endeavor and you're scared, anxious, unsure just get real clear on your worst case scenario. Define it, stare it in the eye, shrug your shoulders because you are now free to move on. Like the monster that doesn't exist under the bed - it can't scare you anymore. This might be one of the most freeing things you ever do as an Artrepreneur.

#worstcasescenario #worst case scenario #jackopierce #carypierce #cary pierce

YOU CAN'T DO THAT

(This is an excerpt from a book I am working on about Being Creative for a Living. I will post a new chapter most Fridays… I genuinely hope this blog inspires you... thanks for following)

Get used to hearing that.

Better yet - get used to ignoring it - becuase you can do just about anything.

My band, Jackopierce, was told for years: "we don't book acoustic duos;" "we don't do seated shows;" "we don't do non-smoking shows." "You can't do that." So we just quietly, slowly, kept growing our fanbase across the country to the point where we could dictate our terms instead of being dictated to.

You can do just about whatever you are willing to put your mind to - period.

You've heard the stories.. Sylvester Stalone took his script, "Rocky" to over 1,000 different people. He actually sold his dog to stay alive. Everyone told him he could not sell his script nor could he EVER dream of starring in the movie. "Rocky" was eventually made for $1.1 million but grossed $117 million. It was nominated for 10 Oscars and ended up winning 3 - including best picture. It also spawned 5 sequels.

Roger Banister was told he could not run a four-minute mile. It was a physical impossibility. His legs would explode from the pressure and impact. In 1954 he broke the four-minute mile. Now high school kids do it.

Sell bottles of water? Sell expensive coffee? Make a record? Write a screenplay? Make a movie? "You can't do that!"

Bah! Yes you can.

#you can do anything #carypierce #cary pierce #jackopierce #carypierce1

GET UP EARLIER

(This is an excerpt from a book I am working on about Being Creative for a Living. I will post a new chapter every Friday - or as close as I can…Thanks to all my new Followers who found me through TuneCore & other places. I genuinely hope this blog inspires you to grow, learn and have FUN).

I have a silly saying: "It's hard to get out of bed when you're still in it.."

If you really want to get something done, get up a little earlier than everyone else. Once you actually get out of bed and get moving - there's a magic to being one of the only ones up. You've started your day - you've started your life.

Master legal-thriller writer, John Grisham, wrote his first book by waking up every day at 5am to write for 2-3 hours before work (he kept his day job). He did this for three years. He started his next novel the day after he finished his first - and since 1988, he's written a novel a year. There are over 235 million of his books in print.

Most of the great leaders of all time got up early.

Time to get up.

#6am #carypierce #carypierce1 #jackopierce #wakeupearlier #getup #wakeup #wake up #wake up earlier #get up

GET OUT

(This is an excerpt from a book I am working on about Being Creative for a Living. I will post a new chapter every Friday - or as close as I can…Thanks to all my new Followers who found me through TuneCore. I genuinely hope this blog inspires you to grow whatever it is you wish to grow).

Nothing can replace FACE TIME. Plant Seeds. Send out Ships.

Financial Coach, Rick Ruby, said "if you're spending most of your time behind a desk, you're not doing business. You gotta get out there, take meetings, meet people."

Great advice.

I just got back from"exploratory" trips to both Santa Barbara, CA and San Miguel de Allende, Mexico for Jackopierce Destination Shows we have coming up (June 8 SB, Aug 17 MV - working on SM for Oct '13). A more detailed explanation of Destination Shows can be found here: http://carypierceblog.tumblr.com/post/20535571990/a-bit-of-history-of-destination-shows

And more info can be found in our store: www.jackopierce.bigcartel.com

I have spent a LOT of time researching online. I've looked at tons and tons of pictures of hotels, rental houses, venues and places to see/things to do but nothing could replace going to these places, meeting these people face to face, walking the properties where the events will be held. Nothing comes close.

My manager had put a lot of calls into places for me to go look at but nothing compares to meeting someone face to face and seeing things for real.

I got more done is the days hanging with the local experts than I would have in weeks of trying to figure things over e-mail and scouring websites. They gave me the scoop on the places to visit, the restaurants to eat at, the things to do and the hotels to recommend. I also had the opportunity to walk to property and spend some time talking over the details of our Destination Show. I could now see the event unfolding.

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

Other "Get Out's"

I was talking to an artist in Dallas about producing her record. She invited my wife and I out to her show. While I was there, I saw the owner of the club. We chatted for a bit and he mentioned that he had thrown Jackopierce's hat in the ring to play an extremely lucrative festival. I immediately called our manager and got him to work on getting us the show. He did. We got it. We got paid extremely well, sold thousands of dollars of CD's, T-shirts, played in front of over 5,000 people and had a blast! I'm glad I "got out" that night and saw that guy!

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

I love to go to Nashville every 2-3 months. I leave at 7am and I'm in my first writing appointment by 10am. I write for 2.5 days straight, take meetings in between, have lunches, dinners and I'm back home - only 2 nights away from home but I probably get more creative work done than I might in a month in Dallas - or if even if I lived in Nashville. Each trip costs about $800 but every one is paid back in spades. The more time I'm there and the more I write songs, and the more face time I spend with my manager, the more things seem to happen.

#Get Out #jackopierce #send out ships #carypierce #carypierce1

FAIR HAS 4 LETTERS

(This is an excerpt from a book I am working on about Being Creative for a Living. I will post a new chapter every Friday - or as close as I can…Thanks to all my new Followers who found me through TuneCore. I genuinely hope this blog inspires you to grow whatever it is you wish to grow).

Take fair out of your vocabulary. It is possibly the most ridiculous word in the English language. Take it out.

FIGURE OUT WHAT “WORKS FOR YOU.” DECIDE if a decision is "amicable," "agreeable," "equitable." Figure out if something "makes sense" for you.

When I hear people, "that's just not fair" it drives me crazy.

Of course it's not fair. Nothing is fair because "fair" does not exist.

My interpretation of what's "fair" will always be (even if only slightly) different than the guy next to me.

Some people want to be taller. Some people want to be shorter, skinnier, bigger, lighter, darker. Some people want more "success." Most people want "mo money." A lot of people think that when they don't have the things they want that life is “unfair.”

So many people who have “made it” in this world being Creative did not get stuck in the "fair" game. They knew from the get-go that things were not fair and they went about creating anyway.

To sit around and worry about what's fair and what's not will not get you what you want.

To shake your fists “why?!” at the gallery owner that puts the "inferior" art of the "cool guy/cute girl" instead of yours into his gallery - or to sit around and wonder why everyone hates your book are bad questions to ask yourself.

Ask a bad question - get a bad a bad answer.

Quit asking "why" and start asking "How" or "What."

Instead of "why did I not get into that festival?" start asking "how can I get into that festival?" or "what do I have to do to get more shows on my calendar?"

Instead of asking "why am I so fat?" start asking, "what do I need to do to lose weight?"

I just saw the movie, "Flash of Genius." It's based on the true story of inventor, Bob Kearns - a Creative that invents the intermittent windshield wiper for cars. Ford steals the idea. At one point in the movie, he is offered $300,000 (this is 25+ years ago) to settle. The lawyer (brilliantly played by Alan Alda) and Kearn's wife urge him to take the deal. Alda implores him, saying that Ford will bury him in paperwork for the next 10 years, He says fighting them will turn him grey and old. But since the Kearns wants Ford to do what's "fair" and admit that they stole from him, he declines. Eventually he is offered THIRTY MILLION dollars to settle but he refuses again.

His battle started in 1969 and did not end it until 1995 (36 YEARS LATER) after spending over $10,000,000 in dollars in legal fees. When he invented the wiper, he was a happily married 42 year-old-man and a father of six kids. When he won his nearly $30,000,000, he was divorced. He would die 10 years later at 77, of brain cancer complicated by Alzheimers.

A lot of people spend their lives trying to "even the score" - while the successful ones are out there doing what they can to make the world a better place. Some through invention, some through charity work, some through influence in industry or government. When things don't work, they reassess, make changes, and forge on. They took fair out of their vocabulary a long time ago.

#fair #jackopierce #carypierce #cary pierce #Flash of Genius

TAKING AUGUST OFF & INFO

Hey there reader! Thanks so much for following me. I'm taking August off from posting on my blog. BUT -

Some cool stuff coming up:

Aug 14 - our new Jackopierce album, "Everywhere All The Time" is avail for presale at http://jackopierce.bigcartel.com

Wed, Aug 15 - I do my third www.StageIt.com show. I play live in my studio (never recorded or archived) and you get to chat/request with me and fans from all over the world.. It's a BLAST and I get to play some stuff that I don't always get to play live. Tix avail here: http://www.stageit.com/carypierce

Oct 19 - we added another Destination Show at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC.. tix and info http://jackopierce.bigcartel.com/product/jp-in-asheville-nc-on-october-19-2012-friday

please follow me on Twitter @carypierce1

If interested in me or Jackopierce for a private event, please contact our manager, David McCollum, at [email protected]

upcoming jackopierce/cary pierce events:

Aug 15 - www.stageit.com CARY SOLO

Aug 30 - The Beaumont - Kansas City, MO

Aug 31 - Denver, CO - Soiled Dove

Sept 13 - Houston, TX Warehouse Live

Sept 14 - Ft Worth, TX - McDavid Studio

Sept 15 - Austin, TX - Stateside at the Paramount Theater

Oct 11 - Boston, MA - Club Passim

Oct 12 - Philadelphia, PA - TBA

Oct 13 - Washington, DC - The Hamilton

Oct 14 - NY, NY - City Winery

Oct 19 - Asheville, NC - Biltmore Estate Destination Show JUST ADDED

Oct 20 - Asheville, NC - Biltmore Estate Destination Show SOLD OUT

Nov 9 - Atlanta, GA - TBA

SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF

(This is an excerpt from a book I am working on about Being Creative for a Living. I will post a new chapter every Friday - or as close as I can...This photo below is not of me).

People do not become obese in a day.

People do not usually go broke in a day. Books, screenplays, records, etc are usually not written in a day.

I have to sweat a lot of small stuff or my business ventures would fail.

Especially in this recessed economy, we see that a lot of people in a lot of companies did not sweat the small stuff. They were too focused on the "big picture" - too focused on growth – more, more, more. More employees, more product, more manufacturing. But a lot of people were not sweating the small details like: demand, cashflow, savings, prudence, frugality, taking it slow.

Yes, I am a Big Picture Guy. I envision a new CD or an event and have people handle a lot of the "small stuff." But to completely ignore the small stuff is a big mistake. Great companies are usually great delegators. They get others to do the stuff they are not best at - but ultimately they are responsible for how those employees perform.

You always gotta keep your finger on the pulse.

I love the popular book, "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff." Great stuff. But I think it has given license to a lot of us to think of ourselves as "big picture" thinkers and forget about all the small stuff that goes into any major (or minor) undertaking.

Even with my kids, it's the small stuff that matters. It's spending enough time with them to notice things about them. Has one of them picked up some new words or a new habit? With kids it's all about the little things: little gift, a little time spent, an encouraging word.

There will always be a constant battle between sweating and not sweating the small stuff. Accept it.

For a lot of wealthy people, it's all about the small stuff. It's about budgets, curbing spending, splitting meals, forgoing a new car or clothes or trips. It's about not overpaying when you're out with friends - not being the "hero" by picking up the check (something I used to do all the time.)

If you think Millionaires are all out having caviar on their yachts, you need to read the "Millionaire Next Door," by Thomas Stanley and William Danko. They make it really clear that, for the most part, American millionaires are, indeed, sweating the small stuff of budgets and expenses. For most of them, that's how they became millionaires in the first place. They drive used Fords, buy suits off the rack and wear Timex watches.

If that's not enough, read just about anything that Warren Buffett says. He's ALL about the small stuff.

Here's to playing "small!" ;-)

#carypierce #carypierce1 #jackopierce #sweatthesmallstuff #dontsweatthesmallstuff

KNOW UNTIL YOU KNOW OTHERWISE

(This is an excerpt from a book I am working on about Being Creative for a Living. I will post a new chapter every Friday - or as close as I can.)

I don't want to come off metaphysical or airy-fairy here but you have to Know that things are going to happen.

I knew when jackopierce (my band - www.jackopierce.com) started, that we would eventually make records, travel in a Tour Bus and sign to a major label and publisher.

Often things will not turn out exactly like you "knew" they would. Then you "know" different.

Successful people Know. Others hope, dream, scheme, wait, wonder.

When you Know something is going to happen, you can see it in the distance and you have something to aim for. You're just working towards getting "There" because you can "see" the "There."

Apparently, airplanes are of- course 90% of the time. But they usually get to their destination.

They get there because they know where they are going.

Know where you are going. Know until you know otherwise.

#carypierce #carypierce1 #jackopierce

THERE IS A SEASON.. TURN, TURN, TURN

(This is an excerpt from a book I am working on about Being Creative for a Living. I will post a new chapter every Friday - or as close as I can.)

To Everything

Turn, Turn, Turn

There is a season

Turn, Turn, Turn

And a time to every purpose, under Heaven

A time to be born, a time to die

A time to plant, a time to reap

A time to kill, a time to heal

A time to laugh, a time to weep

A time to build-up, a time to break down

A time to dance, a time to mourn

A time to cast away stones, a time to gather stones together

A time of love, a time of hate

A time of war, a time of peace

A time you may embrace, a time to refrain from embracing

(adapted from the book of Ecclesiastes by Pete Seeger)

Remember that things are seasonal. In producing a record, there is the season of writing, then the season of recording and then the season of mixing and then the season of all of that being over. The next season could be more shows, writing a book or giving a talk or seminar - or all of it at once.

With kids it's easier to gauge seasons and keep track of them because you are slowly enjoying where the child is now but knowing that soon he will sit up, walk, talk and then demand a cell phone.

Parents with kids who have grown and left home are in a new season.

Living in Dallas, the seasons are not nearly as dramatic as they were growing up in Connecticut. When it was winter, it was WINTER - cold, rainy, snowy and dark. When spring started to poke through - it really buoyed your spirits and made you even more anticipatory. I remember those first May evenings where you would catch a bit of warmth in the air. It was awesome. It was the "Promise of Summer."

Give yourself the gift of knowing that everything is seasonal.

You're in an uninspired season right now? OK. That should not keep you from working but it will pass. You're in a season of little or no work? OK. That should not keep you from creating either.

You're a living being on a living planet that is completely based on seasons. Things are born. Things die. Things get stronger while others wither. Sometimes it's rains and sometimes it's clear. You, too, have seasons and that's ok.

In an abundant season? Relish it. Write about it. Remember it – so when it passes, you know It will re-“turn” – turn, turn.

#carypierce #carypierce1 #jackopierce #promise of summer

USE SOMEONE ELSE'S MAP

(This is an excerpt from a book I am working on about Being Creative for a Living. I will post a new chapter every Friday - or as close as I can. this chapter gets sent out from Santa Fe, NM as I wrap a 2.5 week family vacation. The sky looks just like this picture. I love this town. I hope to put on a Jackopierce Destination Show here next summer.)

Until you find your own way.

You used your parents' map of how to walk and talk. You used your older brothers and sisters' maps. You've used authors/speakers/coaches/mentors' maps to get you here.

I used The Beatles, Bob Marley, James Taylor, Tom Petty and hundreds of other songwriters' maps to learn how to write songs.

I used Sting, Mick Jagger, Bruce Springsteen, Bono's and a lot of other performing artists' maps to learn how to perform in front of a crowd.

When I was really young, my sister and I used to perform songs from Chorus Line, Annie, Oliver and others. We'd drag my parents down to the basement. We'd have costumes and all.

The band, Vertical Horizon, used our map for a while. We loved them and took them everywhere we could as our opening act. They picked up a bunch of the stuff we were doing. They followed up with a lot of the venues where they were opening.

We would study the schedules of bands that were playing where we wanted to play: Widsepread Panic, Samples, Blues Traveler and countless others. I just did it the other day with Katie Herzig's schedule. I was checking to see if she would be in town to write while I was in Nashville. While I was on her site, I saw a bunch of dates/venues listed that caught my eye. I sent a list to my manager and asked him to check them out.

But sometimes nobody is doing what you're doing or what you want to do. Or they are doing it too differently or going after a different audience. You have to go out on your own and then be followed or become the next cautionary tale. You have to chart a new map.

Until then, it's OK to use someone else's as a guide. We all do on our way to charting new ground for the next guy.

#jackopierce #carypierce #carypierce1

GOOD FRIENDS ARE HARD TO FIND

Take good care of them. You will need them. Work on relationships - they take work.

I have good friends that held me accountable to write this book. They hold me accountable in my marriage, in my career, as a husband and a dad.

They also inspire me and challenge me. They give me perspective and insight. They see strengths and weaknesses that I don't see.

When I wrote this, I was in Nashville on a songwriting trip with 2 of my friends (Jon Abel and Patrick Ryan Clark) from Dallas. We shared hotel rooms. We had a blast.

We're all Dads - with 8 kids between us - and we were laughing so hard at the Wendy's late-night drive thru, you'd think we were all 16.

I meet with Jon Abel and Creede Williams almost every Friday morning at 6:30am. Regular, scheduled time with these guys is crucial for me a Creative, as a husband and as a dad.

They know me and know what's going on now.

It's no wonder that there are so many groups of Creatives that get together in groups around the world on a regular basis.

An old proverb says, "Iron sharpens iron." We all need to be sharpened. I need it regularly and consistently.

#carypierce #jackopierce #carypierce1 #friends

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