Last night I thought I'd check out the Open Mic music scene around the area - a lot of great places to share a meal and some music with nice folks. Last night, Matthew Brown, the owner of Estelle's Eatery & Bar, was kind enough to share his new patio stage (now open for the season) with me and many other talented musicians! Great venue - relaxing - and the food smells and tastes amazing (I wish my stomach was bigger - not really, but you get the idea)! Check it out! Come for the food, stay for the music! Open Mic every other Wednesday @ 5 pm.
Today is the first of the month which means I reconcile the finances for the prior month, pay bills, and update our financial statement. (That usually takes up half a day.) I'm also updating my tour schedule and social media with recent pictures and announcements. (I think beginning an exercise routine is also going to become a part of my new job as a touring musician. I'm already eating a little better and beginning to add some light exercise as well.) Then, I get to spend an hour talking with my good friend and brother in Christ, Pastor Jim Richter of The Vine Church in Grand Rapids, MI, as we record our weekly podcast talk for The Living Loved Life. (It truly is the only cure for shame.) Give it a listen! (We're trying to get more episodes edited and published - with over 100 waiting in the wings…) I also have to update/curate various files and web pages for posterity and future perusal, and that usually takes an hour or two.
I finally gave my mixing engineer a break by saying, “I'm done editing the songs for my new EP, The Chosen Ones,” so he was then able to send me the final mixes and they are now posted online for you to listen to and download! (Tell your friends!) But that also means that I now get to upload my new music to all the digital distribution places online, as well, so you can listen on your favorite platform: Spotify, Apple Music, Shazaam, iHeart Radio, Google/YouTube Music, etc., so those will be updated shortly!
We're also getting the house and refrigerator ready for our son, Orion's high school graduation party this weekend - congrats Orion! You did a great job! We are so proud of you!
They have Open Mic every Thursday night in the open air (also on their patio) at The High Court Pub overlooking the Root River in Lanesboro, MN! (Weather permitting...) so I thought I might check that out too! Tonight @ 7.
(I wonder when I'm going to have time to take a nap today…)