Random thoughts

I decided to move to a once a month board meeting. This gives us a chance to get things done in between meetings. So far, I heard from a couple of board members about their availability. Personally, I think it is a good idea to have a standing meeting. 

I also decided to keep moving forward with some of the tasks that need to get done. It makes the most sense to keep things moving for the association. I'm also thinking of starting my own steel pan orchestra. There are a ton of little duos, trios, part time community band, but no full time big band. Wouldn't that be great. 

I was wondering if Pan! A Modern Odyssey is getting anywhere close to finishing. I would do what I can to get it shown in Denver. It looks like it will be a great film.

Practiced yesterday. I think I spent about two hours playing pan. It seemed more like 30 minutes. Anyway, it was nice to get back on the pan. It feels so good. I have a gig on my own next Saturday. Should be fun. There are a ton of songs I know by heart. I just have to play as well as I can- which is pretty good. I just need to focus and not get too distracted with the goings on around me. When I do that, I'll be fine.

I'm giving myself a goal for next year, get my very own first steel pan in 2014. Should it be a tenor? Should it be a double tenor/second? That I'm not sure about.

I played along to a Trini to the Bone recording on You Tube last night. The arrangement was by Calypsociation. It was a little different than the sheet music we got on Monday. Still, it was fun to play along and to see where it was different and try to pick out what they were doing. I got some of it. 

Anyway. I'm off for the day. Play later. 

Where to Start?

Working on a couple of things as a result of a conversation I had with another nonprofit founder. I've been thinking about this one a lot. She had recommended that our board be between eight and twelve people. The main reason being you'll have more people to dole out responsibilities. It would help tremendously in separating different committees. 

I was going to pull together another board meeting, but wonder if I shouldn't get an agenda that includes this process. We could use people with development, legal, and accounting experience on it. I should have the existing board members help pull together names. I think I'll do that.

On another note, I've been thinking of just pursuing some of the things I know we need to get going. We need a blog, a Facebook page, a website. I'm not sure what I'm waiting for. The board doesn't meet often enough to get those areas addressed. I think I will start those and at least bring them up to speed at the next board meeting. Also, I do think we need an event to plan for. This would help in terms of coming up with membership and $$.

I still think the whole thing is doable. I just want to make sure I don't get too far away from my original intent, which is to grow steel pan in the Rockies.

Show Me the Money

One of the toughest things I have run across is starting an organization with no money. It has been difficult for the Steel Pan Collective to get going. However, I received a great idea from someone who started her own. She said get a letter writing campaign going. Ask everyone we know to contribute to getting it going. All you have to do is ask.

We don't have a 501(c)(3) designation yet. This is one of the things we are raising the money for. We would still proceed with that process. We would also let people know that our designation is pending. The monies raised will help in our initial funding.

I thought this was a brilliant idea. What is the worst thing that can happen - someone says no. Rejection is part of the process. You just get one step closer to getting a yes.

I thought of waiting to get the board together to begin this process. However, I think this is something I can start and enlist help via email from the board and other people. We can all get together shortly thereafter. Why not? It will be a great way to see the interest in the steel pan community for this type of organization.

So we begin.....

Move Forward in Your Desires

I mentioned in the previous blog that a fellow musician offered to help me grow as a musician. It was a very enlightening experience. He clearly had more experience than I and was willing to share it. I am grateful for that. For him to take time out of his day to spend it with me was inspirational. I had several key takeaways from the experience.

1) We have to make the move towards those things we want. It can be a thought, a discussion, a physical act. For musicians, it is the art of practicing and performing. I'm always reminded of the Beatles who worked very hard before they made it big. They all were from working class neighborhoods, had no formal music training. They stuck to playing everyday and when they got stuck in their learning, they asked for help from other musicians. I'm also reminded of Andy Narell. I'm not as up on his background, but clearly his father laid the foundation for him to be a solid pan player. He entered into a field where he would be a minority, but it was his desire to be a solid player and his love for the pan that drove him forward. Nothing deterred him and he is now known as one of the world's premier jazz pannist. So move towards your goal!

2) Establish good habits. Focus on those things most important to you. Ignore and discard those things that don't help you or lead you away from your goals. For me, it was a recent job that sucked the life force out of me. I had no energy or desire to move forward with my own goals. I was doing something that I did not like and I felt that it started to show. So find those things that help you everyday and lead you forward. If you get a chance, you watch a steel pan group rehearse. They play songs endlessly, it is even more if they have learned the piece by rote. They never waiver. They establish good habits from the start.

3) Share your hopes and desires. You never know who'll be listening. Get your joy out there. Most people will do anything to help you. I think the universe moves to help align things to help you as well. I found it more frustrating when people didn't know what I wanted to do. I kept those desires to myself, but got nowhere. It wasn't until recently with my desire to launch a steel pan foundation that things started to move in that direction.

So, I'll keep these things in mind as I move forward with steel pan playing and the work associated with it. I will also keep it mind as we move forward to starting our steel pan organization.

The Non-Profit Gets A Nod of Approval

Life is truly amazing. Here I am, back at my blog. After weeks of intermittent writing about steel pan, we are beginning to make some headway on the association. I think I mentioned previously that we have a board of five people. We have had several meetings and I get the sense they are eager to move forward.

I had a recent phone conversation with another non-profit founder. She told me about their journey to viability and what to look for as our organization gets going. The conversation was enlightening and I enjoyed it immensely. She even took the time to write up her answers. I shared those with the other board members.

A couple of areas she mentioned was expanding our board to 8 to 12 members, forming that advisory board of five people and getting that 501(c)(3). Now, I need to set up another meeting and get each of those items worked on. The larger number on the board will give us the freedom to break into committees. We also need to come up with some sort of fundraiser in addition to the steel pan festival.

I shared with her our ideas for the organization and she was pretty excited about it. So, we continue to move forward.

On a personal note, got some personal instruction on steel pan playing from one of our board members. It was extremely helpful as I grow into an accomplished player. I know the more I practice the closer I will get to achieving that goal.

Yes We Pan

Been awhile since I've been on these pages. So much has happened. All good too. Got a board for the pan association. They all are very talented and motivated. Most importantly, they are genuinely interested in getting the association off the ground. So we'll be kicking things off before the end of the year. The biggest issue is money - but I know that one will be solved. Everyone else does it. There is money out there. We just have to go get it.

I am so optimistic about the whole thing. I guess that keeps me going. It is pretty cool to create something out of just a desire, an idea and this time I'm right in the middle of it. Way cool.

The new association will have its own blog, so I'm sure I'll be blogging there as well. I won't neglect these pages though. Why should I? They've been very good to me. They helped me stay focused and now look where we are. Ready to go.

Camp is Fun

Last week I was at steel drum camp. It is held every year in Denver and features players and instructors from all over the country. It was my first year at this event. I really didn't know what to expect. What I got was something I will always remember. It was a chance for me to play steel drums all day long, no distractions, no errands, no outside pressures. It was steel drums from 9-5pm. It was great. We learned five new songs and played them all at a final concert. I learned songs by rote and traditional sight reading. It really depended on the instructor. I met people from all over. I bounced my idea of a steel pan association and conference and it was very well received.  I left feeling more confident as a steel pan musician.

The whole week got me to thinking. What if you could spend a lifetime just doing what you want? How happy would you be? For me, I would be very happy. It was a wonderful feeling - one that you don't want to lose. The worse part came when the week was over and you had to return to your "normal" life. It took a few days to get over that withdrawal feeling. I am determined more than ever to get back to that feeling somehow.

If I had a wish for anyone, it is to do what you love as much as you can.