Last night, I had one of the most surreal and memorable moments of my life. I had been feeling stressed to the limit, seriously considering the reality of spontaneous human combustion. But then I got the master of my CD. THE MASTER! It turns out it needs some tweaks, but esentially, this is the END! I have been working on this project for two years! Slowly learning, continuing to write, having studio musicians come in, working around David's schedule etc. It's been FOREVER. Not at all a normal recording amount of time. But this wasn't a project so that I could become a big star. I just wanted to make a CD. So that I could tell my kids and grandkids, "Hey look what your mom/grandma did."
I can't even begin to explain the difference the mastering makes in the sound of the CD. It sounds so REAL. And some of the songs are totally slammin', especially Shouldn't, which I DID decide to leave on the CD. It was a hard decision and I regret that it might bother anyone, but I am very happy about it myself.
Listening to the songs and hearing how great some of them turned out, makes me want more. I always thought this was my one big goal- to finish this one CD. Now, I think I might just need to get off my ass and write MORE! And listening to the songs on this CD that I just LOVE, points me in the direction I want to go.
I still have major work to do on design for the package, but the fact that this project is within site of ending is just amazing. Nothing more so than writing David the LAST CHECK last night. I am totally going to miss him. I had to awkwardly ask if I could e-mail and keep in touch. Over the last two years, I have seen him almost every week and we know all the big things going on in each other's lives. But we have had this weird professional, adoring fan/mentor friendship going on and I hoped we could keep it up. And he definitely agreed.
Keep posted for a CD release party hopefully in August. I want the whole world to come! All right- just everyone I have ever met.
Posted by kristen at June 18, 2004 12:50 PM | TrackBackyeah! glad it's done and you made a final decision about Shouldn't.
Posted by: jenny at June 18, 2004 01:09 PMYay Kristen!
Posted by: Julia at June 18, 2004 01:32 PMAwesome! Can't wait to hear it.
Posted by: rev_matt at June 18, 2004 01:51 PMI think it's great you're done with the CD. I look forward to hearing it.
I'm not seeking to spoil the moment with bringing up the whole thing with "Shouldn't" again because obviously you already made the decision. But I found it interesting that two sentences before saying you left it on, you state that someday you will be proud to say, "Hey look what your Mom/Grandma did."
Really? Well, At least you're not "in a box."
I am very happy for you Kristen. In light of the previous discussion of "Shouldn't," the irony was just too much for me not to question.
Posted by: Tom Campbell at June 18, 2004 02:55 PMAnd what about those of us whom you haven't met - will we be invited too? :)
Posted by: ReviewGuru at June 18, 2004 03:30 PMwho's doing the cover design? i know you just met linda, but she's got some really really really awesome design work - design is her specialty. you might want to think about talking to her about it...if you weren't planning to do it yourself, or if you don't already have someone doing it. i think she'd do a really professional job. her blog has a link to the awakenings CD cover she just did: http://www.poetshome.com/linda
Posted by: tanya at June 18, 2004 03:42 PMCongratulations!
I want to hear the CD - just from reading your blog I have decided that I will like the CD, w/o ever hearing what you sound like. Oh well.
Congratulations again!
Yay!!! How exciting. I can't wait to see what it looks like when it's all done. Your CD release party will be FUN!
btw I also agree with Tom that I thought that was a little weird. I'm just sayin.
Posted by: Kristi at June 18, 2004 05:30 PMI knew that dichotomy when I wrote it and it didn't bother me because I am proud and confident about who I am. And I will share all of who I am with my children at the appropriate times. I am not ashamed.
Thank you to everyone else for their well wishes. I am SO exitced. I certainly want everyone who reads this page to come to the party. It WILL be fun! I will keep you posted.
Tanya- Christian and I are going to design it together.
Posted by: Kristen at June 19, 2004 12:09 PMare you going to post some MP3s?
Posted by: aaron at June 19, 2004 11:20 PMEventually, if I can figure out how. Also, don't want to post them all because I would rather you buy the CD. I am so broke from doing this. But I plan to eventually build a site to accompany this one that will be just for music. I will post at least a couple MP3's or some partials like the Javier Mendoza Band does (linked to the right).
Posted by: Kristen at June 20, 2004 11:23 AMI just want to say that I am the same person I have always been. I am stronger in my faith than ever. I wrote the song Shouldn't long before I was asked to be a godparent. My friends all know my strengths AND weaknesses. They make me the person I am. I am good with children and I know how to be a role model, especially in our challenging faith. I will always be there for those I love. This song doesn't change a thing. I have prayed about it and thought long and hard. Asked people I love what they think. But in the end, the decision was mine and I am happy about it. It's not that bad of song. It's a part of me and I am far from a bad person. What any parent does with that song is his/her own choice, but I had to be allowed to make mine. Please don't lose confidence in my guidance. What does your heart say?
Posted by: Kristen at June 20, 2004 11:32 AMToday I will become a godmother to my third godchild. I asked my sister whether or not her view of my guidance changed. She said, "No way" and reminded me that she had asked me to care for her children if anything had ever happened to her. She feels just as strongly that I am the person to do that as ever.
Posted by: Kristen at June 20, 2004 11:34 AMk, we can always take a cue from iTunes and Amazon and post excerpts.
yayayayayay!
Posted by: c2 at June 21, 2004 10:15 AMPosting snippets is much smarter than posting the entire tune, and it will help save bandwidth and download times as well.
Posted by: ReviewGuru at June 21, 2004 12:14 PMoh! good plan.
as for the song, just warn parents/grandparents. maybe add a note on the outside or liner notes. other than that, glad you made a decision that YOU are comfortable. Besides, I was going to buy it regardless of what you put on it.
Posted by: jenny at June 21, 2004 12:33 PM