CATTAILS

Today was a day like no other--full of life's ups and downs.

I got up early to go to ROMS. I am doing a mini doc on the school's music program and have been following the band around for a couple of days. (On Friday I get to go to Cedar Point with the kids and film them marching and entertaining the crowd.)

From there, I met Alison. I was late. But we had a really great meeting and came up with a killer TV show idea. I don't want to share too much--but it's good. Really good.

After Alison, I met with Teri. I was late again but we had a really productive meeting. We have a retail partner for a project we are working on for the homeless of Oakland County. I can't wait to write about what we're up too, but until we have everything worked out I am reluctant. But a big piece of the puzzle was set in place today. We have a partner. A BIG partner.

Finally this evening, I worked a project for my dear friend Barb. I met her in a memoir writing class I taught at Gilda's Club. She was my star student. For the last couple of weeks I have been helping her put together a book of short stories about her cat of 19 years--Ollie. Barb is battling lung cancer. I went and visited her in the hospital yesterday. She looked so frail, but beautiful. She's having a hard time talking but not listening. I could tell she was aware of everything going on around her, but she didn't say much.

Tonight I got together with my other students from Gilda's and we each read one of Barb's stories. I'm going to bring Barb a CD tomorrow. I know she will love listening to all her great tales about her beloved cat.

WILLIE IN THE NEWS!

This little blurb appeared in a ROMS band email blast:

The Honors Band will perform Into the Storm, 1812 Overture and Everest. Everest is a brand new composition written for Concert Band. It is an honor to be the first to ever perform this selection. This selection was written and composed by ROMS very own 8th Grade trombonist Willie Davids. What a privilege for us. Mr. Kohring and Mrs. Von are very proud of Willie for this major accomplishment.

FORTE MUSIC

Wille has spent the past three months working on a musical composition titled "Everest". We encouraged him to share it with Mr. Jensen at Royal Oak High School and he did. Mr. Jensen gave Willie many good suggestions and the piece is finally finished.

Last week Willie got some thrilling news. The high school Wind Ensemble is going to record "Everest". If that wasn't enough, the middle school honors band (of which Willie is a member)
is going to play the song at their final concert on June 9.

Willie is so serious about music. He hopes to attend Michigan State one day and be a music major. I made him a website today. Check it out at http://fortemusic-mi.com/.

MARK SLY'S SECRETS

My rock star story is simple. I met Jack White. I thought he was cool. I wanted to be cool too. I signed up for guitar lessons. I started a band. I printed some t-shirts. I made some gig posters. Launched a website. The rest, as they say, is history.

I never intended to be a great guitarist. I only wanted to be a rock star, so I focused on the aspects of being in a band that made me happy and didn’t worry if I hit a bad note once in a while (or for that matter most of the time!)

Since the early days of the Mydols, I have gone from being nothing more than a “trained monkey” on the guitar to knowing several chords and occasionally I don’t even have to look at my fingers when I play! Quite an accomplishment for someone who first learned how to play at age 42.

Well this past week I got a DVD to review that I wish I would have got 7 years ago. It’s Mark Sly’s Secrets. It’s the best DVD on how to play guitar that I’ve ever seen. I watched it with my son, Dylan, who is just learning to play and my husband who doesn’t play at all and everyone LOVED it. Mark really makes playing guitar and fun and as easy as possible. He cuts right to the chase, and reveals the secrets of playing other guitar teachers won’t tell you.

I recently caught up with Mark over the phone. He truly has a great story—inspirational. Mark was on the 48th floor of the World Trade Center on 9/11. (While trying to break into New York’s music scene, he worked as a temp at a bank.) As the building was being evacuated, he got as far down as the 30th floor when he made a pact with God and himself.

The stairway was so crowded and chaotic, he began to give up hope that he would ever make it out alive. He got off and he called his loved ones and as he said his goodbyes, he decided if by some miracle he made it out alive he would dedicate his life to his true passion, music. The next thing he knew, he heard a voice shouting “There’s a stairway over here!” Less crowded than the first one he tried, Mark made it out to safety. He left New York and his banking job and moved back to back to his hometown of Warwick, NY, where Mark started teaching guitar full time.

Mark’s philosophy is simple. Don’t learn to play—PLAY to learn. He taught his students to play the songs they loved—bypassing music theory and such—knowing that if his students got really excited about the music they would want to learn that stuff down the line anyway. And you know what? They did. The more they played to have fun the more fun it was to learn all the theory BS!

If you or your kids are at all interested in playing guitar, I would encourage you to pick up this DVD. I can guarantee you’ll be playing and having fun in no time at all. You can learn more about Mark and his DVD by visiting http://www.slymarkmusic.com/

After an all day (and night) whirlwind trip to Arizona, I am back on the road again. This time I’m in a van driving to Nashville. My nephew graduates from high school tomorrow. Go Danny!

While we’re in town, we’re going to check out Vanderbilt University as Dylan has some interest in attending the Nashville university. (Al Gore went there!) It’d be nice for Dylan—to go away to school but to have the comfort of knowing he had lots of family in the area. My sister Kim works within walking distance of the university and Dylan loves hanging out with his cousins. We’ll see. He still has a couple of years yet to choose a college.

I was in Tempe, AZ all day on Thursday. I had the pleasure of being a guest on The Author Show. Host Linda Thompson and producer Danielle Hampson could not have been more professional. I really enjoyed being part of the show and was lucky enough to spend some time with these two nice ladies when we finished taping. What a wealth of knowledge and advice they have. I thoroughly enjoyed talking to them . I felt it was worth the long trip there and back. I can’t wait to see the finished product. Stay posted. In the mean time check out some of the other interviews they have done at http://www.theauthorsshow.com/

CATTAILS

I have a dear dear friend who has cancer. Her name is Barb McGrew and she is one of the most wonderful people I have ever met. Even though I know she is not feeling well, I have never seen her without her hair done, lovely clothing, jewelry and a big lipsticked smile. Barb really lives like everyday is significant. She makes every visitor in her life feel important.

I have spent the last few weeks helping her put together a fantastic book of short stories about a cat she had for 19 years. The book is terrific. It's funny. It's clever. And it celebrates two amazing lives--Barb's and a cat named Ollie.

Soon the book will be on sale and all the proceeds will go to help Barb win her fight against cancer.