This has been a year of endings and beginnings (thank goodness for the beginnings!) - but all the way through, music has remained a partner to me. I've averaged 2 gigs per month - and I wouldn't get to do that without you. Thank you for coming and listening. I love sharing my music. It's just not the same if it stays in my living room <grin>.

And thank you for listening in *your* home. For buying my CDs and making my songs into your songs - my stories and your stories converge.  I love that we share that.

I don't have any gigs posted for December (I've got a couple of private performances) but I'm so excited and thankful about a show I'm doing on January 26th. My dear friend and sister-of-the-heart, Rosann Winn will be sharing the wonderful stage at Avo's (Avogadro's Number).  Please mark your calenders - it will be a night to remember.

Lastly, I want to give you a special offer. Until January 1st, All my CDs are BOGO - Buy One Get One FREE. Send me an email and I'll get you the CDs. How's that for easy shopping? Happy Holidays. And thank you again.

Another way the conversation goes is when I see people singing along, nodding their head, or tapping their feet to the beat. That tells me the kinds of songs that they are enjoying and I can add more of those to my set list. I call the music I play at a Farmer's Market "Shopping and Bopping" music. I *love* to see folks "bopping" along. I catch their eye and smile or nod; and I know that we've connected.

And that leaves two obvious ways the communication goes 1) tips and CD sales (pretty self-explanatory and BTW thank you!) and 2) Talking. I actually get to talk to folks in between songs.  Thanks to all who wait for a chance and then tell me about your favorite songs, or introduce me to your dog or kids, or ask about my instrument, or just say "Hi."  Nothing separates us - no stage, no lights.  We get to share the music together. And that's why I love to play at Farmer's Markets.

We can tell ourselves all sorts of stories.  We can make them happy or sad. Positive or negative.  Now I'm off to another adventure. I'm scared and excited. Tired and fired up.  I'm going to be working on my songs. I'll make some better, write some new ones, and let some go.  I'll make new friends and see old ones. I'll be missing my family and renewing parts of myself. That's the magic of it all. 

We tell ourselves all sorts of stories.  Let's make them the best stories.  Let's make ourselves, our best selves.

Songs are fragile things. They walk on wobbly legs after they are born.  Only in a kind and nurturing place like Song School can they develop and become stronger.  That's what I'm counting on. I have many new, wobbly songs.  I'm looking forward to seeing them fly!

So what is it? Simply this - write and record a song in a day; better yet, an hour.  Some of them are pitifully bad; but some are surprisingly good.  The hardest thing I did was commit to write a song a day for a week.  Some days I was up until 3am - but there was a song!

Leonard Cohen takes about a year to write a song - how can anything written in a day be any good?  I don't know.  But I know this process helps me tap into the Great Creative Energy (for lack of a better name).  Songs just come out and I have no idea where they came from. But they come. And that's the most inspiring part.

So next time you hear me play, there will be songs you've never heard before.  Some will be better than others, but many will be "Fearless"

(By the way, don't forget to "Like" me if you are on Facebook.  Look for "Vicki Pompea - Musician")