Now
What am I doing now?
Updated May 21, 2026, from a sunny day promising the dry, cool season to come.
(This is a now page in the style of Derek Sivers.)
Writing a lot of songs
(This one carries over from my previous update.) I started the year off with something very, very cool: a songwriting and production workshop with Blake Mills via the School of Song platform. I had not heard of School of Song; it was through Blake's social media post that I learned of the workshop and got excited. I have been an admirer of Blake Mills for five or six years now, like, I really admire him. I love his work! The month-long workshop was so satisfying: I wrote and recorded three new songs in January and met some new people online. (School of Song workshops are online.) I noticed a couple artists from my hometown (I recognized them from a band that I really like) were also attending and participating, so at the end I reached out to one of them for a wee messaging chat. Glad I did, because next thing you know he invited me into an online songwriting group that he manages! Now, part of his group, I've written two more songs and am about to (today) start a third. If I keep this up—writing a song every two weeks—I'll have over 25 new ones by the end of the year. However, it's the ongoing activity and exercise of the art form that I was really craving, and I feel satisfied with this path. The only issue is I feel a new confusion: I have been letting go of practicing my repertoire. I feel pretty strange about it. Old, old songs only need to be revisited a handful of times per year and I won't lose them. But songs (covers and originals) from more recent years need more attention, and I don't want to lose them. I am spending most/all of my available me-music time now on songwriting and producing what I've written. I think I best return to an evening per week where I run through a handful to refresh my memory. [Update, I have failed at that, except for one good week.]
Keeping busy with a new client
A new client has found me on AirGigs and we are now five or six songs deep into recording a new album. I'm doing just guitars while he works on the vocals and mixing the rhythm tracks he already recorded in Montreal (bass, drums, some keyboards). He's been also getting some other goodies from AirGigs, like cello, bagpipes, and more. It's been nice for me as he's a great songwriter, a solid and stylish singer, and he knows his way around a mix (including some cool outboard gear). When he sits down to put it all together, it comes out sounding tight and very good... even exciting! I've been recording entirely electric guitar and mostly using a few great amp models I have, along with some great cabinet IRs I've collected. I have, also, recorded my Swart AST combo, but most of his songs aren't calling for the sound that this amp is great for. The project has left me longing for a second guitar, likely a telecaster; alas, I can't afford nuttin'.
Reading
I'm still reading David Copperfield (Dickens) and Brighton Rock, by Graham Greene. The print in both of these books is quite small; last update I mentioned I was using a cheap magnifying glass. I'm finding if I keep the book a fair enough distance, I can still make out the words (sans magnification) and hold the line without having to deal with my recent, oncoming inability to close-focus. Oh, I've ordered a hardcover of Mike Campbell's Heartbreaker memoir and am excited for it to arrive. For a year or so I've been wanting to sit and just go through some of his great solos and feel them under my fingers; I love his swagger and style.
Watching
Perhaps my favourite film of the past few months is It Was Just an Accident, by Jafar Panahi (Iran). I loved the near-end where... (okay, I won't spoil anything). The premise of this film and what they accomplished with their constraints are very fine: entertaining, touching, at time humorous, empathy-inducing, and just satsifying. I liked it. 👍👍
Listening
There are so many new releases coming at us all the time; it's difficult to prioritize: can I just sink in further to something I loved or should I keep abreast and listen to something new? The new Milk Carton Kids album, Lost Cause Lover Fool, got some extra spins around here.