Reports on my forays into web design and coding.

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tky-wtf
The erstwhile enigma.

Michael, an astute reader in Philadelphia, commented the other day on my Facebook page that the print music for “To Know You” (the Parisian-café-esque track from Something Begun) was clearly visible in the header photo for the Shop page, but the music itself wasn’t actually available in the shop.

Oops.

Long story short: the printout in the photo was the trio version that Jason, Deb, and I originally recorded.  But because there are so few trios out there with our particular combination of vocal ranges, I wanted to condense the piece down to a solo version for public release.  Michael’s observation prompted me to disenduffify myself and get the charts ready.

So!  (drumroll here…)  If you’d like to take a gander at “To Know You” (and maybe figure out exactly why it’s so impossible to dance to without looking like the coffee isn’t the first thing you’ve had to drink today, ifyouknowwhatImean), you can do that here.  If you want to add the piece to your repertory, click the “Add to Cart” button and you’ll get two copies of the piano/vocal score plus a free bass chart, all for less than the price of a grande latté.  (And do let me know if and when you perform the piece.  I love to hear about my songs finding new homes!)

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One of the songs I wrote while we were working on Something Begun that didn’t quite make it to the record, “Before Me” is one I play for myself during those rare quiet moments of “me time.”  It’s one of a few pieces I’ve written that I call “Muse Songs”—although I know I’m the one that first typed this particular set of lyrics into the laptop, I find new wisdom here that couldn’t possibly have originated in my head.  You know those little parables that feel both familiar and profoundly insightful?  Yeah, this is one of those.

(Also, music geeks will enjoy discovering a bit of Arnold Schoenberg’s twelve-tone technique employed in the structure of the vocal line, but that’s an Easter Egg for the “behind the scenes” tour.)

Visit the shop to take a listen to a solo demo performance of the piece, and order a copy if you’d like to add it to your music library.  It’s included in my “Completely Non-Holiday-Related Website Launch Sale,” so get that cart up to at least $40 and you get 50% off your entire purchase.

Either way, I’d love to hear your thoughts on the song.  Comment away!

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Do I look relieved?
Do I look relieved?

It’s not perfect yet, and I’ll be tweaking styles and formatting forever, I’m sure.  (Sounds like my life, eh?)  But we’re LIVE!

If you notice anything that doesn’t seem to work correctly on the site, please don’t hesitate to let me know.  If I can’t figure it out, I’ve got lots of good friends to help.

I’d also love it if you’d take a moment to leave a comment on at least one of the posts in the “News” area of the “About” section.  To avoid robots and trolls, I require you to submit a name and email before posting, but feel free to create a pseudonym if you like to live life mysteriously….

Whatever other areas of the site you explore, though, please take advantage of the “Completely Non-Holiday-Related Website Launch Sale” I have running from now through December 31.  Simply purchase at least $40 worth of products in my Shop, and you’ll automatically receive 50% off your entire order.  Couldn’t be simpler.  (No, really.  If there were an easier way to give you a discount I would have found it.)

I’ll look forward to seeing you soon, either online or in person!

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So after a pleasant drive in the capable (but Google-Navigation-skeptical) hands of dear Anne; a relaxed afternoon of “guy talk” with Elaine‘s husband and his college buddy; a wonderful evening on Broadway with friends Allison and Cullen, seeing George Takei’s powerful new musical, Allegiance (which needs to be seen by lots of people); and an absolutely soul-soothing night of sleep (where did you buy that mattress, Elaine?); I’m up early and here at the Starbucks across the street from The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, just around the corner from Shetler Studios, where I’ll meet Kris to take our photos.

(Apparently I use complicated, long-winded sentence structures when I’m nervous.)*

Oddly, I’m feeling pretty comfortable and relaxed, although it may just be that I’m focusing so hard on not sweating through this shirt before Kris arrives.  At least I have a jacket to put on.

*and possibly always

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sabre-toothed tiger
Smilodon populator statue in Tierpark Berlin, sculpted by Erich Oehme, 1964. Source: Wikipedia.

Sabre-toothed tigers.  This is apparently what my physiology believes are waiting for me this weekend.  This is the only explanation for the trembling hands, scattered thoughts, and tense shoulders.  Fight or flight and all, which I suppose had its purpose in evolutionary epochs gone by.

What I’m actually going to be doing is driving up to New York with a good friend and mentor (yay), meeting the husband of a friend I haven’t seen in a couple of years (yay), having dinner and seeing George Takei’s new show on The Broad Way with another good friend tonight (yay), and then waking up at 7 AM tomorrow to go get head shots taken (AAAAAAAAAAAAACK!).

Yes.  Photos.  Of me.  All I have to do, basically, is not throw up on the photographer and he (and PhotoShop) will do all the work.  And yet… sabre-toothed tigers.  Maybe I’ll just start the day with a nice, tall Bloody Mary.  Except that I don’t like vodka.  Or tomato juice.

So, sober it is.  Wish me luck.