Welcome back. You belong here.
Yesterday, I wrote regarding handling criticism. I sent my post to a few friends. One of them wrote me back, she is a singer and wrote of her experience with similar issues. It was great.
"I struggle with this SOOOO much as well. Since it is our "creative outlet", it cuts right to the heart when someone doesn't approve. In some cases I have been able to channel this into fueling my fire. My voice teacher will sometimes be disappointed in me, but when I come back the next week I practiced even harder and his approval means even more. God has given you such a gift and its important that you recognize that, and that HIS approval is above everyone else's. I have such a hard time with that! I am such a people pleaser, and it gets me down when I even sense disapproval. But God made us and gave us these talents, and He doesn't make mistakes."
Have a great day.
Into the future,
davidT
Read more...
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Friday, October 23, 2009
On Criticism and Your Art/Music/Passion
Welcome back. You belong here.
Ever been criticized on your art/music area of passion? On your creative outlet, your work? Yeah, me too. It hurts. How do you guys handle it? I wanted to give you my thoughts on a recent experience I went through regarding criticism of my music and what I'm doing to work through it.
I want to be honest with you guys about these things because I care about you guys and want to be an example to you when you face similar stuff. Many times, our parents, pastors, leaders, teachers, bosses, mentors only tell us their stories 'post-mortem' (that means after they're dead), but I mean "after-the fact", like "A long time ago I struggled with what you're struggling with". I want to tell you how I'm processing stuff as I deal with it, this month, this week, raw, honest, not perfect, but just as I am.
I love music, I love Jesus, I love people. Two weeks ago, during a survey we did at The Foot (Foothills) regarding Sundays, I got many, many, many positive comments, so don't think I'm asking for good feelings from anyone. But mixed in there I got some hurtful stuff, not many, but just enough to knock me off my rocker. Comments about my music, my skill set, talent, my musicianship, etc. Stuff that cut deep to how I perceive my strengths and who I am.
It hurt me and it's taken me a week or so to even know what happened! For the first few days I was all over the place, hating those people, to telling myself the worst - "I do suck!" "They are right, what am I doing playing music? I am terrible!" To the other side, just yelling and saying "They suck!" "Stupid people!" "I hate surveys!"
When things like this happen to me, especially about an area I'm passionate about, that I've been strong in for years, that I've been complimented on for years/years/years, that I've worked hard to become better at, I get anxious, I withdraw and check out. Others of you may use it as fuel to your fire. Many sports figures will say "I use those negative comments to make me better" "I'll show them kind of thing" I wish I was more that way. Instead, I pout, I get hurt and question myself and want to quit music all together.
But I'm not going to.
Instead I will use this to make me stronger and to make me better and to work on my music, but not defiantly, or to prove others wrong, mad, angry at people, or as a reaction or as a way to make me feel better and self-heal. Instead, I see this as an opportunity to improve and get better in something I love which is music.
Music is my #1 passion. Above all other things, I am addicted to music and believe it to be the reason I'm on this earth. Not to say that mentorship, mission and my other passions aren't important, but music is my first love, always has been, always will be. Even at 40, and I'm no longer in the "new artist" category by a looong shot, I still believe my best music years are ahead of me.
So this morning, instead of pouting, I put on my headphones and listened to 2-3 songs I've written in the last month and analyzed them - my skills, my voice, melodies, pitch, my thought process behind the songs. It's just me on a guitar, singing into a mic, you guys probably have 100's of such recordings, so do I!
And you know what I noticed? Two things:
1. I have some weak spots. I noticed stuff that I've always known about myself. Sometimes I go flat or sharp, sometimes my melodies or lyrics make no sense, sometimes I play the wrong chord or play off the scale. I've taken voice lessons, piano lessons, 2 years of theory, 2 years of choir, years of guitar lessons, to improve. I've spent time with great music directors who've taught me how to lead, I've spent time with amazing musicians who have taught me how to stand on a stage, how to speak in front of others. And you know what? It's time to do it again. It's been 3-4 years since I was last in a "place of learning" and the older you get, the harder it is to be in school, take lessons, etc.
But I will do it. So in the next month, I'm going to go "back to school" per say, and improve my skills, sharpen the saw, refine my musical skills and keep learning.
2. I like a lot of stuff about my music. As I listened to my songs, voice, melodies, chord progressions, intervals, ideas, etc. I often smiled. It met my standard of "good music", of something "I am proud of" and that's priceless. To be able to hear something you created and have it make you smile, it's a dream come true. And listening to my songs, I was there, taken by them into another place, imagining, crying, feeling, thinking, making life decisions (like this post). I was not filled with ego, or crazy pride or anything like that. It was just God filling my soul with hope, with his voice saying "David/Trig, I like what you're doing, I gave you those skills, songs and I want you to use them and not shy away. Keep going."
Has it been tough to hear negative comments? Yes. Is feedback hard? Yes. Do I like it? No. In fact, the survey itself was my idea and even though only 25 people or so filled it out, it was still useful, not just in positive stuff, but even in the negative hurtful stuff. I remember being afraid of the survey, no one asked me to do it, Steve didn't put a gun to my head saying, "ask people if they like your music or not". I did it on my own because I wanted to overcome the fear, the stigma. Even though I KNEW I was opening myself up to hurt, I felt God's Spirit leading me to be open and vulnerable and to grow, to trust Him in this area that's so dear to my heart.
You see, to me music is more than a talent or something I do in church. Music has been my savior. When I was 10 years old I had to leave my country, my home of Nicaragua and my mother and father, my sisters, my culture, who I was. I was raised by my grandmother in a 1 bedroom apartment, in inner city Long Beach, CA where I was the only non-English speaking, non-White kid on the block. I had no parents who drove their kids to school, with nice backpacks and cool shoes. My grandmother didn't shop at Safeway or Albertson's, instead we shopped at the corner Latino markets where the bread was a day or a week old and things were cheaper. We were Latinos, not White, and in those days, even in So Cal, it wasn't a cool thing.
I was often terrified, afraid, would cry myself to sleep at night missing my parents, feeling out of place and music and Jesus were my only comforts. I would pray and sing, pray and sing, go to church, play my guitar, sing, sing and pray some more. I would write, write and write, I probably (like many of you), have thousands, literally, thousands of notebooks filled with thoughts, songs, fragments, poems, scribbles, ideas, circles, etc. All ways for me to make sense of life. And my guitar was always my best friend.
So for some stupid person in a survey to "take away my music" is huge. And that's not how I feel anymore, they're not stupid and they're not trying to take away my life or my music. That's just my childhood speaking and my pain, and that's okay, Jesus knows me, he created me "taken and broken" as I am. I've been taken and abused by church leaders so many times, not everyone you play for or sing for cares about you, they just want your talent.
But many do care and most of all your family and our God care.
So this survey and criticism has led me to places I need to go. To process stuff with God, to even talk to counselors about this issue (not school counselors but therapists), to talk to my close friends about, my wife, even our children. To model for others honesty and being willing to fall apart in front of others, but to also reach out for the hand of God and to believe in what He wants to do in my life. And I'm not there, I'm still in process, ask me tomorrow and I may be quitting music again! But I'm fighting, and trying not to.
I may never be famous in music, it's not my personal goal (it could be yours and that's fine). My goal now as a 40 year old man, married 14 years to my love Rachelle, father to a 10 year old amazing daughter, an 8 year old beautiful girl and a 6 year old dream of a boy, my goal is to keep living, keep trusting God, keep believing, keep being myself, continue to dream and pursue life, passion, beauty, joy, dreams and reach for the stars (Psalm 8 - "when I look at the stars, what is man that you were mindful of him?)
I hope my story so far can help you, maybe this is something you just read and store away in your mind, maybe it's just nice to know. And I don't want this to become gossip or information to use against each other. But whatever it is, I want to be an example to each of you and I write to you guys because I care and you are each in my life for a reason.
I see the amazing talents in each of your lives, your dreams, your passions. But I also imagine and know a bit of your pain, your ups and downs and so I want to walk alongside of you and most of all lead you back to Jesus, our friend and ultimate guide.
Have a great day.
Into the future,
davidT
Read more...
Ever been criticized on your art/music area of passion? On your creative outlet, your work? Yeah, me too. It hurts. How do you guys handle it? I wanted to give you my thoughts on a recent experience I went through regarding criticism of my music and what I'm doing to work through it.
I want to be honest with you guys about these things because I care about you guys and want to be an example to you when you face similar stuff. Many times, our parents, pastors, leaders, teachers, bosses, mentors only tell us their stories 'post-mortem' (that means after they're dead), but I mean "after-the fact", like "A long time ago I struggled with what you're struggling with". I want to tell you how I'm processing stuff as I deal with it, this month, this week, raw, honest, not perfect, but just as I am.
I love music, I love Jesus, I love people. Two weeks ago, during a survey we did at The Foot (Foothills) regarding Sundays, I got many, many, many positive comments, so don't think I'm asking for good feelings from anyone. But mixed in there I got some hurtful stuff, not many, but just enough to knock me off my rocker. Comments about my music, my skill set, talent, my musicianship, etc. Stuff that cut deep to how I perceive my strengths and who I am.
It hurt me and it's taken me a week or so to even know what happened! For the first few days I was all over the place, hating those people, to telling myself the worst - "I do suck!" "They are right, what am I doing playing music? I am terrible!" To the other side, just yelling and saying "They suck!" "Stupid people!" "I hate surveys!"
When things like this happen to me, especially about an area I'm passionate about, that I've been strong in for years, that I've been complimented on for years/years/years, that I've worked hard to become better at, I get anxious, I withdraw and check out. Others of you may use it as fuel to your fire. Many sports figures will say "I use those negative comments to make me better" "I'll show them kind of thing" I wish I was more that way. Instead, I pout, I get hurt and question myself and want to quit music all together.
But I'm not going to.
Instead I will use this to make me stronger and to make me better and to work on my music, but not defiantly, or to prove others wrong, mad, angry at people, or as a reaction or as a way to make me feel better and self-heal. Instead, I see this as an opportunity to improve and get better in something I love which is music.
Music is my #1 passion. Above all other things, I am addicted to music and believe it to be the reason I'm on this earth. Not to say that mentorship, mission and my other passions aren't important, but music is my first love, always has been, always will be. Even at 40, and I'm no longer in the "new artist" category by a looong shot, I still believe my best music years are ahead of me.
So this morning, instead of pouting, I put on my headphones and listened to 2-3 songs I've written in the last month and analyzed them - my skills, my voice, melodies, pitch, my thought process behind the songs. It's just me on a guitar, singing into a mic, you guys probably have 100's of such recordings, so do I!
And you know what I noticed? Two things:
1. I have some weak spots. I noticed stuff that I've always known about myself. Sometimes I go flat or sharp, sometimes my melodies or lyrics make no sense, sometimes I play the wrong chord or play off the scale. I've taken voice lessons, piano lessons, 2 years of theory, 2 years of choir, years of guitar lessons, to improve. I've spent time with great music directors who've taught me how to lead, I've spent time with amazing musicians who have taught me how to stand on a stage, how to speak in front of others. And you know what? It's time to do it again. It's been 3-4 years since I was last in a "place of learning" and the older you get, the harder it is to be in school, take lessons, etc.
But I will do it. So in the next month, I'm going to go "back to school" per say, and improve my skills, sharpen the saw, refine my musical skills and keep learning.
2. I like a lot of stuff about my music. As I listened to my songs, voice, melodies, chord progressions, intervals, ideas, etc. I often smiled. It met my standard of "good music", of something "I am proud of" and that's priceless. To be able to hear something you created and have it make you smile, it's a dream come true. And listening to my songs, I was there, taken by them into another place, imagining, crying, feeling, thinking, making life decisions (like this post). I was not filled with ego, or crazy pride or anything like that. It was just God filling my soul with hope, with his voice saying "David/Trig, I like what you're doing, I gave you those skills, songs and I want you to use them and not shy away. Keep going."
Has it been tough to hear negative comments? Yes. Is feedback hard? Yes. Do I like it? No. In fact, the survey itself was my idea and even though only 25 people or so filled it out, it was still useful, not just in positive stuff, but even in the negative hurtful stuff. I remember being afraid of the survey, no one asked me to do it, Steve didn't put a gun to my head saying, "ask people if they like your music or not". I did it on my own because I wanted to overcome the fear, the stigma. Even though I KNEW I was opening myself up to hurt, I felt God's Spirit leading me to be open and vulnerable and to grow, to trust Him in this area that's so dear to my heart.
You see, to me music is more than a talent or something I do in church. Music has been my savior. When I was 10 years old I had to leave my country, my home of Nicaragua and my mother and father, my sisters, my culture, who I was. I was raised by my grandmother in a 1 bedroom apartment, in inner city Long Beach, CA where I was the only non-English speaking, non-White kid on the block. I had no parents who drove their kids to school, with nice backpacks and cool shoes. My grandmother didn't shop at Safeway or Albertson's, instead we shopped at the corner Latino markets where the bread was a day or a week old and things were cheaper. We were Latinos, not White, and in those days, even in So Cal, it wasn't a cool thing.
I was often terrified, afraid, would cry myself to sleep at night missing my parents, feeling out of place and music and Jesus were my only comforts. I would pray and sing, pray and sing, go to church, play my guitar, sing, sing and pray some more. I would write, write and write, I probably (like many of you), have thousands, literally, thousands of notebooks filled with thoughts, songs, fragments, poems, scribbles, ideas, circles, etc. All ways for me to make sense of life. And my guitar was always my best friend.
So for some stupid person in a survey to "take away my music" is huge. And that's not how I feel anymore, they're not stupid and they're not trying to take away my life or my music. That's just my childhood speaking and my pain, and that's okay, Jesus knows me, he created me "taken and broken" as I am. I've been taken and abused by church leaders so many times, not everyone you play for or sing for cares about you, they just want your talent.
But many do care and most of all your family and our God care.
So this survey and criticism has led me to places I need to go. To process stuff with God, to even talk to counselors about this issue (not school counselors but therapists), to talk to my close friends about, my wife, even our children. To model for others honesty and being willing to fall apart in front of others, but to also reach out for the hand of God and to believe in what He wants to do in my life. And I'm not there, I'm still in process, ask me tomorrow and I may be quitting music again! But I'm fighting, and trying not to.
I may never be famous in music, it's not my personal goal (it could be yours and that's fine). My goal now as a 40 year old man, married 14 years to my love Rachelle, father to a 10 year old amazing daughter, an 8 year old beautiful girl and a 6 year old dream of a boy, my goal is to keep living, keep trusting God, keep believing, keep being myself, continue to dream and pursue life, passion, beauty, joy, dreams and reach for the stars (Psalm 8 - "when I look at the stars, what is man that you were mindful of him?)
I hope my story so far can help you, maybe this is something you just read and store away in your mind, maybe it's just nice to know. And I don't want this to become gossip or information to use against each other. But whatever it is, I want to be an example to each of you and I write to you guys because I care and you are each in my life for a reason.
I see the amazing talents in each of your lives, your dreams, your passions. But I also imagine and know a bit of your pain, your ups and downs and so I want to walk alongside of you and most of all lead you back to Jesus, our friend and ultimate guide.
Have a great day.
Into the future,
davidT
Read more...
Welcome back. You belong here.
Ever been criticized on your art/music area of passion? On your creative outlet, your work? Yeah, me too. It hurts. How do you guys handle it? I wanted to give you my thoughts on a recent experience I went through regarding criticism of my music and what I'm doing to work through it.
I want to be honest with you guys about these things because I care about you guys and want to be an example to you when you face similar stuff. Many times, our parents, pastors, leaders, teachers, bosses, mentors only tell us their stories 'post-mortem' (that means after they're dead), but I mean "after-the fact", like "A long time ago I struggled with what you're struggling with". I want to tell you how I'm processing stuff as I deal with it, this month, this week, raw, honest, not perfect, but just as I am.
I love music, I love Jesus, I love people. Two weeks ago, during a survey we did at The Foot (Foothills) regarding Sundays, I got many, many, many positive comments, so don't think I'm asking for good feelings from anyone. But mixed in there I got some hurtful stuff, not many, but just enough to knock me off my rocker. Comments about my music, my skill set, talent, my musicianship, etc. Stuff that cut deep to how I perceive my strengths and who I am.
It hurt me and it's taken me a week or so to even know what happened! For the first few days I was all over the place, hating those people, to telling myself the worst - "I do suck!" "They are right, what am I doing playing music? I am terrible!" To the other side, just yelling and saying "They suck!" "Stupid people!" "I hate surveys!"
When things like this happen to me, especially about an area I'm passionate about, that I've been strong in for years, that I've been complimented on for years/years/years, that I've worked hard to become better at, I get anxious, I withdraw and check out. Others of you may use it as fuel to your fire. Many sports figures will say "I use those negative comments to make me better" "I'll show them kind of thing" I wish I was more that way. Instead, I pout, I get hurt and question myself and want to quit music all together.
But I'm not going to.
Instead I will use this to make me stronger and to make me better and to work on my music, but not defiantly, or to prove others wrong, mad, angry at people, or as a reaction or as a way to make me feel better and self-heal. Instead, I see this as an opportunity to improve and get better in something I love which is music.
Music is my #1 passion. Above all other things, I am addicted to music and believe it to be the reason I'm on this earth. Not to say that mentorship, mission and my other passions aren't important, but music is my first love, always has been, always will be. Even at 40, and I'm no longer in the "new artist" category by a looong shot, I still believe my best music years are ahead of me.
So this morning, instead of pouting, I put on my headphones and listened to 2-3 songs I've written in the last month and analyzed them - my skills, my voice, melodies, pitch, my thought process behind the songs. It's just me on a guitar, singing into a mic, you guys probably have 100's of such recordings, so do I!
And you know what I noticed? Two things:
1. I have some weak spots. I noticed stuff that I've always known about myself. Sometimes I go flat or sharp, sometimes my melodies or lyrics make no sense, sometimes I play the wrong chord or play off the scale. I've taken voice lessons, piano lessons, 2 years of theory, 2 years of choir, years of guitar lessons, to improve. I've spent time with great music directors who've taught me how to lead, I've spent time with amazing musicians who have taught me how to stand on a stage, how to speak in front of others. And you know what? It's time to do it again. It's been 3-4 years since I was last in a "place of learning" and the older you get, the harder it is to be in school, take lessons, etc.
But I will do it. So in the next month, I'm going to go "back to school" per say, and improve my skills, sharpen the saw, refine my musical skills and keep learning.
2. I like a lot of stuff about my music. As I listened to my songs, voice, melodies, chord progressions, intervals, ideas, etc. I often smiled. It met my standard of "good music", of something "I am proud of" and that's priceless. To be able to hear something you created and have it make you smile, it's a dream come true. And listening to my songs, I was there, taken by them into another place, imagining, crying, feeling, thinking, making life decisions (like this post). I was not filled with ego, or crazy pride or anything like that. It was just God filling my soul with hope, with his voice saying "David/Trig, I like what you're doing, I gave you those skills, songs and I want you to use them and not shy away. Keep going."
Has it been tough to hear negative comments? Yes. Is feedback hard? Yes. Do I like it? No. In fact, the survey itself was my idea and even though only 25 people or so filled it out, it was still useful, not just in positive stuff, but even in the negative hurtful stuff. I remember being afraid of the survey, no one asked me to do it, Steve didn't put a gun to my head saying, "ask people if they like your music or not". I did it on my own because I wanted to overcome the fear, the stigma. Even though I KNEW I was opening myself up to hurt, I felt God's Spirit leading me to be open and vulnerable and to grow, to trust Him in this area that's so dear to my heart.
You see, to me music is more than a talent or something I do in church. Music has been my savior. When I was 10 years old I had to leave my country, my home of Nicaragua and my mother and father, my sisters, my culture, who I was. I was raised by my grandmother in a 1 bedroom apartment, in inner city Long Beach, CA where I was the only non-English speaking, non-White kid on the block. I had no parents who drove their kids to school, with nice backpacks and cool shoes. My grandmother didn't shop at Safeway or Albertson's, instead we shopped at the corner Latino markets where the bread was a day or a week old and things were cheaper. We were Latinos, not White, and in those days, even in So Cal, it wasn't a cool thing.
I was often terrified, afraid, would cry myself to sleep at night missing my parents, feeling out of place and music and Jesus were my only comforts. I would pray and sing, pray and sing, go to church, play my guitar, sing, sing and pray some more. I would write, write and write, I probably (like many of you), have thousands, literally, thousands of notebooks filled with thoughts, songs, fragments, poems, scribbles, ideas, circles, etc. All ways for me to make sense of life. And my guitar was always my best friend.
So for some stupid person in a survey to "take away my music" is huge. And that's not how I feel anymore, they're not stupid and they're not trying to take away my life or my music. That's just my childhood speaking and my pain, and that's okay, Jesus knows me, he created me "taken and broken" as I am. I've been taken and abused by church leaders so many times, not everyone you play for or sing for cares about you, they just want your talent.
But many do care and most of all your family and our God care.
So this survey and criticism has led me to places I need to go. To process stuff with God, to even talk to counselors about this issue (not school counselors but therapists), to talk to my close friends about, my wife, even our children. To model for others honesty and being willing to fall apart in front of others, but to also reach out for the hand of God and to believe in what He wants to do in my life. And I'm not there, I'm still in process, ask me tomorrow and I may be quitting music again! But I'm fighting, and trying not to.
I may never be famous in music, it's not my personal goal (it could be yours and that's fine). My goal now as a 40 year old man, married 14 years to my love Rachelle, father to a 10 year old amazing daughter, an 8 year old beautiful girl and a 6 year old dream of a boy, my goal is to keep living, keep trusting God, keep believing, keep being myself, continue to dream and pursue life, passion, beauty, joy, dreams and reach for the stars (Psalm 8 - "when I look at the stars, what is man that you were mindful of him?)
I hope my story so far can help you, maybe this is something you just read and store away in your mind, maybe it's just nice to know. And I don't want this to become gossip or information to use against each other. But whatever it is, I want to be an example to each of you and I write to you guys because I care and you are each in my life for a reason.
I see the amazing talents in each of your lives, your dreams, your passions. But I also imagine and know a bit of your pain, your ups and downs and so I want to walk alongside of you and most of all lead you back to Jesus, our friend and ultimate guide.
Have a great day.
Into the future,
davidT
Read more...
Ever been criticized on your art/music area of passion? On your creative outlet, your work? Yeah, me too. It hurts. How do you guys handle it? I wanted to give you my thoughts on a recent experience I went through regarding criticism of my music and what I'm doing to work through it.
I want to be honest with you guys about these things because I care about you guys and want to be an example to you when you face similar stuff. Many times, our parents, pastors, leaders, teachers, bosses, mentors only tell us their stories 'post-mortem' (that means after they're dead), but I mean "after-the fact", like "A long time ago I struggled with what you're struggling with". I want to tell you how I'm processing stuff as I deal with it, this month, this week, raw, honest, not perfect, but just as I am.
I love music, I love Jesus, I love people. Two weeks ago, during a survey we did at The Foot (Foothills) regarding Sundays, I got many, many, many positive comments, so don't think I'm asking for good feelings from anyone. But mixed in there I got some hurtful stuff, not many, but just enough to knock me off my rocker. Comments about my music, my skill set, talent, my musicianship, etc. Stuff that cut deep to how I perceive my strengths and who I am.
It hurt me and it's taken me a week or so to even know what happened! For the first few days I was all over the place, hating those people, to telling myself the worst - "I do suck!" "They are right, what am I doing playing music? I am terrible!" To the other side, just yelling and saying "They suck!" "Stupid people!" "I hate surveys!"
When things like this happen to me, especially about an area I'm passionate about, that I've been strong in for years, that I've been complimented on for years/years/years, that I've worked hard to become better at, I get anxious, I withdraw and check out. Others of you may use it as fuel to your fire. Many sports figures will say "I use those negative comments to make me better" "I'll show them kind of thing" I wish I was more that way. Instead, I pout, I get hurt and question myself and want to quit music all together.
But I'm not going to.
Instead I will use this to make me stronger and to make me better and to work on my music, but not defiantly, or to prove others wrong, mad, angry at people, or as a reaction or as a way to make me feel better and self-heal. Instead, I see this as an opportunity to improve and get better in something I love which is music.
Music is my #1 passion. Above all other things, I am addicted to music and believe it to be the reason I'm on this earth. Not to say that mentorship, mission and my other passions aren't important, but music is my first love, always has been, always will be. Even at 40, and I'm no longer in the "new artist" category by a looong shot, I still believe my best music years are ahead of me.
So this morning, instead of pouting, I put on my headphones and listened to 2-3 songs I've written in the last month and analyzed them - my skills, my voice, melodies, pitch, my thought process behind the songs. It's just me on a guitar, singing into a mic, you guys probably have 100's of such recordings, so do I!
And you know what I noticed? Two things:
1. I have some weak spots. I noticed stuff that I've always known about myself. Sometimes I go flat or sharp, sometimes my melodies or lyrics make no sense, sometimes I play the wrong chord or play off the scale. I've taken voice lessons, piano lessons, 2 years of theory, 2 years of choir, years of guitar lessons, to improve. I've spent time with great music directors who've taught me how to lead, I've spent time with amazing musicians who have taught me how to stand on a stage, how to speak in front of others. And you know what? It's time to do it again. It's been 3-4 years since I was last in a "place of learning" and the older you get, the harder it is to be in school, take lessons, etc.
But I will do it. So in the next month, I'm going to go "back to school" per say, and improve my skills, sharpen the saw, refine my musical skills and keep learning.
2. I like a lot of stuff about my music. As I listened to my songs, voice, melodies, chord progressions, intervals, ideas, etc. I often smiled. It met my standard of "good music", of something "I am proud of" and that's priceless. To be able to hear something you created and have it make you smile, it's a dream come true. And listening to my songs, I was there, taken by them into another place, imagining, crying, feeling, thinking, making life decisions (like this post). I was not filled with ego, or crazy pride or anything like that. It was just God filling my soul with hope, with his voice saying "David/Trig, I like what you're doing, I gave you those skills, songs and I want you to use them and not shy away. Keep going."
Has it been tough to hear negative comments? Yes. Is feedback hard? Yes. Do I like it? No. In fact, the survey itself was my idea and even though only 25 people or so filled it out, it was still useful, not just in positive stuff, but even in the negative hurtful stuff. I remember being afraid of the survey, no one asked me to do it, Steve didn't put a gun to my head saying, "ask people if they like your music or not". I did it on my own because I wanted to overcome the fear, the stigma. Even though I KNEW I was opening myself up to hurt, I felt God's Spirit leading me to be open and vulnerable and to grow, to trust Him in this area that's so dear to my heart.
You see, to me music is more than a talent or something I do in church. Music has been my savior. When I was 10 years old I had to leave my country, my home of Nicaragua and my mother and father, my sisters, my culture, who I was. I was raised by my grandmother in a 1 bedroom apartment, in inner city Long Beach, CA where I was the only non-English speaking, non-White kid on the block. I had no parents who drove their kids to school, with nice backpacks and cool shoes. My grandmother didn't shop at Safeway or Albertson's, instead we shopped at the corner Latino markets where the bread was a day or a week old and things were cheaper. We were Latinos, not White, and in those days, even in So Cal, it wasn't a cool thing.
I was often terrified, afraid, would cry myself to sleep at night missing my parents, feeling out of place and music and Jesus were my only comforts. I would pray and sing, pray and sing, go to church, play my guitar, sing, sing and pray some more. I would write, write and write, I probably (like many of you), have thousands, literally, thousands of notebooks filled with thoughts, songs, fragments, poems, scribbles, ideas, circles, etc. All ways for me to make sense of life. And my guitar was always my best friend.
So for some stupid person in a survey to "take away my music" is huge. And that's not how I feel anymore, they're not stupid and they're not trying to take away my life or my music. That's just my childhood speaking and my pain, and that's okay, Jesus knows me, he created me "taken and broken" as I am. I've been taken and abused by church leaders so many times, not everyone you play for or sing for cares about you, they just want your talent.
But many do care and most of all your family and our God care.
So this survey and criticism has led me to places I need to go. To process stuff with God, to even talk to counselors about this issue (not school counselors but therapists), to talk to my close friends about, my wife, even our children. To model for others honesty and being willing to fall apart in front of others, but to also reach out for the hand of God and to believe in what He wants to do in my life. And I'm not there, I'm still in process, ask me tomorrow and I may be quitting music again! But I'm fighting, and trying not to.
I may never be famous in music, it's not my personal goal (it could be yours and that's fine). My goal now as a 40 year old man, married 14 years to my love Rachelle, father to a 10 year old amazing daughter, an 8 year old beautiful girl and a 6 year old dream of a boy, my goal is to keep living, keep trusting God, keep believing, keep being myself, continue to dream and pursue life, passion, beauty, joy, dreams and reach for the stars (Psalm 8 - "when I look at the stars, what is man that you were mindful of him?)
I hope my story so far can help you, maybe this is something you just read and store away in your mind, maybe it's just nice to know. And I don't want this to become gossip or information to use against each other. But whatever it is, I want to be an example to each of you and I write to you guys because I care and you are each in my life for a reason.
I see the amazing talents in each of your lives, your dreams, your passions. But I also imagine and know a bit of your pain, your ups and downs and so I want to walk alongside of you and most of all lead you back to Jesus, our friend and ultimate guide.
Have a great day.
Into the future,
davidT
Read more...
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
On Spiritual Vertigo
Welcome back. You belong here.
While we're on the theme of Vertigo, what about spiritual vertigo. Awesome post.
Have a great day.
Into the future,
davidT
Read more...
While we're on the theme of Vertigo, what about spiritual vertigo. Awesome post.
Have a great day.
Into the future,
davidT
Read more...
Vertigo, Dizzyness and Anxiety
Welcome back. You belong here.
The last few months have been very stressful for me. In July I felt heart palpitations for 3 straight weeks while in LA, a lot of it from the fears and stress of being back at a place I consider painful.
Since then, I've been dealing with stress at work, criticism, feeling inadequate. Turning 40 this year has been a huge deal for me, it's made me feel old and like my body is falling apart. I used to be in great shape (two years ago), but the last year or so have not been great. I've eaten too much and not exercised.
Vericrose veins, overweight, teeth problems, other stuff all have bummed me out. Then my wife began to work full time for the first time in our marriage and it touches that loneliness part of me, it's been a huge change.
Moving here to CO a year and a half ago has been hard, a lot of great things, and I always feel bad because people really want your experience moving to their area to be nothing but glorious, and some of it has been. But I left the comforts of home, relationships, the affirmation, I was at the top of my game in all areas - physically, artistically, professionally, realtionships, connections, longevity, respect, etc. But the hole in my soul got exposed and the "bringing you down from the clefts of the rock" (Obadiah) began.
I have dealt with anxiety and depression my whole life. I fear dying like people in my family have, I fear I'm inadequate in my skills, I fear being left alone, I fear failing as a person, husband and father. I've been in counseling over these issues, I've just begun to scratch the surface, I'm trying to see another counselor here soon.
So with all that as backdrop, last week I began to get dizzy, Vertigo type symptoms. I'm still dealing with it. The doctors have done some tests, blood work, nothing. No CT scans or MRI's as of now, the dr. says I don't need it, that it would be very strange if I had a brain tumor or such, I'm too young. He gave me a sedative to relax.
The weekend before the Vertigo, we went up the mountains, I had been feeling pretty dehydrated all week long, then the temperature dropped about 30 degrees overnight and the Vertigo kicked in.
It could be an ear issue, it would be anxiety, it could be "who knows". I'm trying not to fear the worst, being that my grandmother died of a brain anyurism, but truth tells me that's not me. But I have a hard time believing the truth.
In Jan-Feb-March of 2006 I dealt with almost the exact thing. A lamp fell on my head in Nov. 2005, a mild concussion, not much came from it, I felt fine. Then the 1st year anniversary of my abuelita's death who died from a brain anyurism Jan. 3rd 2005 at age 78 wacked me out, and with my head feeling a bit off, I went into a downward spiral. Dizzyness, Vertigo, panic, anxiety, fear, very similar to what I'm dealing with now. That went away on its own after a few months. I have not hit my head recently or anything like that, but I have been dealing with some major stress and anxiety.
The lessons I'm trying to get into my head are two:
1. What is TRUE. True in all my areas of fear, what are lies from Satan and tapes I play that I am swallowing hook and sinker. What can I do to believe the TRUTH. It doesn't mean ignore my symptoms, but it means taking it one day at a time and not overdoing it with my fears.
2. Stand against the Lies. Satan, tapes of my past, all these things haunt me and I believe them so easily. Sometimes I'd say I'd rather believe the lies than the truth, because it feeds my "I can do this without God" syndrome which is like my addiction. My whole life since being a little boy, I have felt I'm on my own, I have to take care of myself on my own. God is sort of trust worthy, but to "walk into the propeller" or "face my fears" is not fun. I'd rather take control and maybe things will get better. This is not working for me.
So I'm in the process of believing God again. Can I trust God if I fall apart? If I have to face my fears of past failures, of inadequacy, of death/illness of being left alone. I know the answer is yes, but I don't believe it half or almost all the time. The other day I was sitting on our bench in the front porch and I realized this was a decision of "Do I believe there is a God" or "Do I take care of this on my own". How do I know I love Jesus and believe in God? That day I once again said to the heavens, "God, these are the times I know you're real, and yes, I believe in you, help me". To me that is real faith.
I find that when I cry out to God he comforts me, doesn't fix it, and this anxiety is not going away, but like Psalm 131 "I have stilled and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with his mother, so is my soul within me." I have found that God is a "stilling" God, the God who as my mom says makes me "calmadito" (calm).
The other day I spoke to a friend about all this. He said, do you have resolve in any of these areas? I said yes, this one. He said, then move it over. It's no longer in the "fear column" or the "I'm in control" column, move it over, in my words, to the "God has it" column.
He also told me that at some point in my life as I age, I need to stop looking at the past and look at the future, to say "How can I live differently from here on out?" That has hit me between the eyes. I often think, "40 more years of this! I can't do it!" I want to change for the sake of my health, my amazing wife, and our three beautiful children. Plus the call upon my life to do something significant, and wait, not to DO, but to BECOME a more peaceful, less critical, less fearful, less anxious, less selfish man. That's what I want.
I am struggling to do that with my health, getting older, feeling inadequate, thinking of past choices I've made that haunt me. But I am trying each day, each moment, to stand against the lies and pursue the truth, call the lies what they are, lies, resist the Enemy/Satan, hang out with some great friends (hopefully funny ones) and strain to hear God in the middle of it all.
Have a great day.
Into the future,
davidT
Read more...
The last few months have been very stressful for me. In July I felt heart palpitations for 3 straight weeks while in LA, a lot of it from the fears and stress of being back at a place I consider painful.
Since then, I've been dealing with stress at work, criticism, feeling inadequate. Turning 40 this year has been a huge deal for me, it's made me feel old and like my body is falling apart. I used to be in great shape (two years ago), but the last year or so have not been great. I've eaten too much and not exercised.
Vericrose veins, overweight, teeth problems, other stuff all have bummed me out. Then my wife began to work full time for the first time in our marriage and it touches that loneliness part of me, it's been a huge change.
Moving here to CO a year and a half ago has been hard, a lot of great things, and I always feel bad because people really want your experience moving to their area to be nothing but glorious, and some of it has been. But I left the comforts of home, relationships, the affirmation, I was at the top of my game in all areas - physically, artistically, professionally, realtionships, connections, longevity, respect, etc. But the hole in my soul got exposed and the "bringing you down from the clefts of the rock" (Obadiah) began.
I have dealt with anxiety and depression my whole life. I fear dying like people in my family have, I fear I'm inadequate in my skills, I fear being left alone, I fear failing as a person, husband and father. I've been in counseling over these issues, I've just begun to scratch the surface, I'm trying to see another counselor here soon.
So with all that as backdrop, last week I began to get dizzy, Vertigo type symptoms. I'm still dealing with it. The doctors have done some tests, blood work, nothing. No CT scans or MRI's as of now, the dr. says I don't need it, that it would be very strange if I had a brain tumor or such, I'm too young. He gave me a sedative to relax.
The weekend before the Vertigo, we went up the mountains, I had been feeling pretty dehydrated all week long, then the temperature dropped about 30 degrees overnight and the Vertigo kicked in.
It could be an ear issue, it would be anxiety, it could be "who knows". I'm trying not to fear the worst, being that my grandmother died of a brain anyurism, but truth tells me that's not me. But I have a hard time believing the truth.
In Jan-Feb-March of 2006 I dealt with almost the exact thing. A lamp fell on my head in Nov. 2005, a mild concussion, not much came from it, I felt fine. Then the 1st year anniversary of my abuelita's death who died from a brain anyurism Jan. 3rd 2005 at age 78 wacked me out, and with my head feeling a bit off, I went into a downward spiral. Dizzyness, Vertigo, panic, anxiety, fear, very similar to what I'm dealing with now. That went away on its own after a few months. I have not hit my head recently or anything like that, but I have been dealing with some major stress and anxiety.
The lessons I'm trying to get into my head are two:
1. What is TRUE. True in all my areas of fear, what are lies from Satan and tapes I play that I am swallowing hook and sinker. What can I do to believe the TRUTH. It doesn't mean ignore my symptoms, but it means taking it one day at a time and not overdoing it with my fears.
2. Stand against the Lies. Satan, tapes of my past, all these things haunt me and I believe them so easily. Sometimes I'd say I'd rather believe the lies than the truth, because it feeds my "I can do this without God" syndrome which is like my addiction. My whole life since being a little boy, I have felt I'm on my own, I have to take care of myself on my own. God is sort of trust worthy, but to "walk into the propeller" or "face my fears" is not fun. I'd rather take control and maybe things will get better. This is not working for me.
So I'm in the process of believing God again. Can I trust God if I fall apart? If I have to face my fears of past failures, of inadequacy, of death/illness of being left alone. I know the answer is yes, but I don't believe it half or almost all the time. The other day I was sitting on our bench in the front porch and I realized this was a decision of "Do I believe there is a God" or "Do I take care of this on my own". How do I know I love Jesus and believe in God? That day I once again said to the heavens, "God, these are the times I know you're real, and yes, I believe in you, help me". To me that is real faith.
I find that when I cry out to God he comforts me, doesn't fix it, and this anxiety is not going away, but like Psalm 131 "I have stilled and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with his mother, so is my soul within me." I have found that God is a "stilling" God, the God who as my mom says makes me "calmadito" (calm).
The other day I spoke to a friend about all this. He said, do you have resolve in any of these areas? I said yes, this one. He said, then move it over. It's no longer in the "fear column" or the "I'm in control" column, move it over, in my words, to the "God has it" column.
He also told me that at some point in my life as I age, I need to stop looking at the past and look at the future, to say "How can I live differently from here on out?" That has hit me between the eyes. I often think, "40 more years of this! I can't do it!" I want to change for the sake of my health, my amazing wife, and our three beautiful children. Plus the call upon my life to do something significant, and wait, not to DO, but to BECOME a more peaceful, less critical, less fearful, less anxious, less selfish man. That's what I want.
I am struggling to do that with my health, getting older, feeling inadequate, thinking of past choices I've made that haunt me. But I am trying each day, each moment, to stand against the lies and pursue the truth, call the lies what they are, lies, resist the Enemy/Satan, hang out with some great friends (hopefully funny ones) and strain to hear God in the middle of it all.
Have a great day.
Into the future,
davidT
Read more...
Sunday, September 13, 2009
I Love Collaboration
Welcome back. You belong here.
One of the things I've discovered is that I enjoy collaboration. I vividly remember a few meetings when I first noticed this.
I remember I had this "creative types" call out a few years ago. About 8-10 of us gathered in a circle around 9pm on a Sunday night, actors, painters, musicians, a fun group. Looking back on that night, what I enjoyed most was "bringing people together", collaborating, working together towards a common goal, giving everyone a voice.
The second meeting was at a friend's house with a similar invite. There was a pool, lots of food and 15-20 people. When it was time to meet and talk, I did my usual asking people for their interests, got them talking (not my strength), facilitated the conversation. At the end of the meeting, a friend who'd never seen me lead teams said to me "I didn't know you could do that!"
The other day someone noticed me "at work" and wrote a few things I do when leading collaborative teams
1. Listen
2. Ask Just the Right Questions to Keep the Ball Rolling
3. Write Ideas Down
4. Listen
Collaborating is one of my joys, something I do well. Often, I find myself doing things I do average, but collaboration and facilitating innovation, creativity, communication and team work is something I do freely.
Have a great day.
Into the future,
davidT
Read more...
One of the things I've discovered is that I enjoy collaboration. I vividly remember a few meetings when I first noticed this.
I remember I had this "creative types" call out a few years ago. About 8-10 of us gathered in a circle around 9pm on a Sunday night, actors, painters, musicians, a fun group. Looking back on that night, what I enjoyed most was "bringing people together", collaborating, working together towards a common goal, giving everyone a voice.
The second meeting was at a friend's house with a similar invite. There was a pool, lots of food and 15-20 people. When it was time to meet and talk, I did my usual asking people for their interests, got them talking (not my strength), facilitated the conversation. At the end of the meeting, a friend who'd never seen me lead teams said to me "I didn't know you could do that!"
The other day someone noticed me "at work" and wrote a few things I do when leading collaborative teams
1. Listen
2. Ask Just the Right Questions to Keep the Ball Rolling
3. Write Ideas Down
4. Listen
Collaborating is one of my joys, something I do well. Often, I find myself doing things I do average, but collaboration and facilitating innovation, creativity, communication and team work is something I do freely.
Have a great day.
Into the future,
davidT
Read more...
Saturday, August 15, 2009
In the Name
Welcome back. You belong here.
This morning my wife and I spent time doing Lectio on Psalm 143 and the verse "For Your Name's sake O GOD, give me life! In your justice, get me out of this trouble!"
For me the focus the Spirit led me to was the word "Name". Sometimes I follow names or brands, Obama, church leader's names, Apple, Google, we all tend to follow things we like. And we sometimes stand for those names, we can feel strongly about all things California, or all things Republican or Democrat.
The best thing I can do is to be about the Name of God. To let God be my focus and the Name I seek to honor and follow. At the school where I volunteer, in my relationships with friends, in how I respond to criticism in the church (yeah, shocking I know), my focus needs to be God's Name not my Name or another name.
Practically, that means spending time with people whether they know God or not, and being a man of God everywhere I go by speaking of the Name of God. In the church it can be overdone and outside the church it can hardly be done.
I hope this Fall I can focus on God's Name and have that be my inspiration to all I do.
Have a great day.
Into the future,
davidT
Read more...
This morning my wife and I spent time doing Lectio on Psalm 143 and the verse "For Your Name's sake O GOD, give me life! In your justice, get me out of this trouble!"
For me the focus the Spirit led me to was the word "Name". Sometimes I follow names or brands, Obama, church leader's names, Apple, Google, we all tend to follow things we like. And we sometimes stand for those names, we can feel strongly about all things California, or all things Republican or Democrat.
The best thing I can do is to be about the Name of God. To let God be my focus and the Name I seek to honor and follow. At the school where I volunteer, in my relationships with friends, in how I respond to criticism in the church (yeah, shocking I know), my focus needs to be God's Name not my Name or another name.
Practically, that means spending time with people whether they know God or not, and being a man of God everywhere I go by speaking of the Name of God. In the church it can be overdone and outside the church it can hardly be done.
I hope this Fall I can focus on God's Name and have that be my inspiration to all I do.
Have a great day.
Into the future,
davidT
Read more...
Thursday, July 23, 2009
How to Speak the Truth
Welcome back.
You belong here,
The other day I had to write an email describing how I felt about an issue.
How do I respond when I don't even know how I feel?
What I did was write that I'm not too sure about the decision and gave a few reasons why and said that ultimately I trust their decision.
That's the best I could do.
Have a great day,
Into the future,
davidT
Read more...
You belong here,
The other day I had to write an email describing how I felt about an issue.
How do I respond when I don't even know how I feel?
What I did was write that I'm not too sure about the decision and gave a few reasons why and said that ultimately I trust their decision.
That's the best I could do.
Have a great day,
Into the future,
davidT
Read more...
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Communication in Marriage, Helping Each Other Out
Welcome back. You belong here.
I've been meaning to write this post for a while on communication in marriage and more specifically how what wife and I communicate.
Today was a perfect example. Our almost 8 year old had an allergic reaction to a cat and got a puffy eye. At the same time, our sister in law who just had a baby yesterday, called my wife needing some help as her three year old and two day old were doing what three year olds and two day olds normally do. So my wife called me to ask "I'd like to go help my sister, but our girl has a puffy eye, what shall we do?"
It was a great moment. During our daily "coffee time" where we talk in the mornings about life, our day, our feelings, etc. we had talked about working together on such moments.
So I recommended she come home and I could take care of our children and she go back to her sister's, but it's a long drive so she said she'd rather not. I then called back and recommended she go to her sister's with the children and I go pick them up so she could stay there, she said she'd rather come home being that her other sister was on her way to help with baby Sam.
I then recommended after she come home and we do the night time routine (our little ones need to be in bed by 8pm tonight!), she go back and join her sister for an impromptu "late night sister's night". That sounded like a great idea to her. It was a great moment.
This is simple, daily life stuff, nothing earth shattering. But with so many emotions in the picture, family needs and two sets of expectations, these moments can easily become a tug-of-war, a "what's more important?" our children or her baby? struggle. (And trust me, I can be a butt in those situations).
But instead we chose to communicate and work together. And it was all a result of trust in our marriage and daily, constant communication. That 2-3 minute phone conversation was a result of my wife calling to check in with me, asking for my advice which makes me feel respected and valued, and I responded in kind by offering to help and supporting her in her desire to help our sister in law.
Right now, our 8 year old is doing better, I just helped her get ready for bed. My wife is getting dinner ready, and I'm helping set-up 30mns or so of the "Polar Express". Normal stuff, normal life, but a strong commitment to communication and leaning on each other, working as one.
This is one of the things I love most about our marriage.
Have a great day.
Into the future,
davidT
Read more...
I've been meaning to write this post for a while on communication in marriage and more specifically how what wife and I communicate.
Today was a perfect example. Our almost 8 year old had an allergic reaction to a cat and got a puffy eye. At the same time, our sister in law who just had a baby yesterday, called my wife needing some help as her three year old and two day old were doing what three year olds and two day olds normally do. So my wife called me to ask "I'd like to go help my sister, but our girl has a puffy eye, what shall we do?"
It was a great moment. During our daily "coffee time" where we talk in the mornings about life, our day, our feelings, etc. we had talked about working together on such moments.
So I recommended she come home and I could take care of our children and she go back to her sister's, but it's a long drive so she said she'd rather not. I then called back and recommended she go to her sister's with the children and I go pick them up so she could stay there, she said she'd rather come home being that her other sister was on her way to help with baby Sam.
I then recommended after she come home and we do the night time routine (our little ones need to be in bed by 8pm tonight!), she go back and join her sister for an impromptu "late night sister's night". That sounded like a great idea to her. It was a great moment.
This is simple, daily life stuff, nothing earth shattering. But with so many emotions in the picture, family needs and two sets of expectations, these moments can easily become a tug-of-war, a "what's more important?" our children or her baby? struggle. (And trust me, I can be a butt in those situations).
But instead we chose to communicate and work together. And it was all a result of trust in our marriage and daily, constant communication. That 2-3 minute phone conversation was a result of my wife calling to check in with me, asking for my advice which makes me feel respected and valued, and I responded in kind by offering to help and supporting her in her desire to help our sister in law.
Right now, our 8 year old is doing better, I just helped her get ready for bed. My wife is getting dinner ready, and I'm helping set-up 30mns or so of the "Polar Express". Normal stuff, normal life, but a strong commitment to communication and leaning on each other, working as one.
This is one of the things I love most about our marriage.
Have a great day.
Into the future,
davidT
Read more...
Friday, July 17, 2009
I'm Tired of Social Media
Welcome back. You belong here.
I'm into social media, from the MySpace days to yesterday's Facebook and the current Twitter. I use my iPhone and TweetDeck to tweet and try to keep up with the latest apps out there. But I'm getting tired of the whole thing.
Here's why....
It all seems fake to me. In my life, I need more "human interaction" not less. As a musician, as a person helping others form, as a creative type, as a collaborator and innovator, one thing I've learned is that it's about sitting in a room, bringing people together and watching things take off.
In fact, three months ago I cancelled my Facebook account (no easy task), a few years ago I stopped using MySpace and stopped doing Podcasts. Recently I stopped using iGoogle and I'm days/weeks away from closing down my Twitter account. Btw, I think blogging has more "legs" than the rest and as a writer, I'll keep blogging.
Now, I've never been more excited about Innovation, Collaboration and Communication, bringing people together. I'm still a huge fan of the phone (duh!), and email, Google Docs, of Blogger and the WeatherChannel on my iPhone. I'm still a huge fan of Evernote, Basecamp and Remember the Milk. I'm also a huge fan of talking to people one on one, imagine that.
But social media and Web 2.0? I don't buy it. I've been there done that and have not seen it improve my life style that much (now, I must admit that my Innovation network on Twitter has led me to some great links.)
My plan is to let social media run it's course and slowly watch it leave my screen and life style. Soon, the latest and greatest app will catch my eye, I'll try it for a few months and discard it like an old pair of socks.
At the end of the day, I'd rather spend my time talking to people in real life or emailing them pictures (or video thank you 3GS) of my son's birthday piñata than updating my status every 10mns.
It's just not that important.
Have a great day.
Into the future,
davidT
Read more...
I'm into social media, from the MySpace days to yesterday's Facebook and the current Twitter. I use my iPhone and TweetDeck to tweet and try to keep up with the latest apps out there. But I'm getting tired of the whole thing.
Here's why....
It all seems fake to me. In my life, I need more "human interaction" not less. As a musician, as a person helping others form, as a creative type, as a collaborator and innovator, one thing I've learned is that it's about sitting in a room, bringing people together and watching things take off.
In fact, three months ago I cancelled my Facebook account (no easy task), a few years ago I stopped using MySpace and stopped doing Podcasts. Recently I stopped using iGoogle and I'm days/weeks away from closing down my Twitter account. Btw, I think blogging has more "legs" than the rest and as a writer, I'll keep blogging.
Now, I've never been more excited about Innovation, Collaboration and Communication, bringing people together. I'm still a huge fan of the phone (duh!), and email, Google Docs, of Blogger and the WeatherChannel on my iPhone. I'm still a huge fan of Evernote, Basecamp and Remember the Milk. I'm also a huge fan of talking to people one on one, imagine that.
But social media and Web 2.0? I don't buy it. I've been there done that and have not seen it improve my life style that much (now, I must admit that my Innovation network on Twitter has led me to some great links.)
My plan is to let social media run it's course and slowly watch it leave my screen and life style. Soon, the latest and greatest app will catch my eye, I'll try it for a few months and discard it like an old pair of socks.
At the end of the day, I'd rather spend my time talking to people in real life or emailing them pictures (or video thank you 3GS) of my son's birthday piñata than updating my status every 10mns.
It's just not that important.
Have a great day.
Into the future,
davidT
Read more...
Friday, June 26, 2009
The Launch Went Great, Now the Work Begins
Welcome back. You belong here.
The launch of our Communication, Innovation, Collaboration (CIC or KICK) team went amazing, now the real work begins. The four members of our team presented, and we debuted The Rack, our communication site.
During our Q&A people asked three common questions:
1. Will this mean more meetings?
2. How will this benefit my department?
3. What about the admin assistants, what is our role?
Over the next few weeks, we will follow up with everyone at our launch (about 12 people) to answer their questions and help them apply these principles to their areas.
Our KICK Team, which is the four of us at the helm of this process of Innovation, Collaboration and Communication are continuing to discuss our new roles, our next steps and starting on our first project: August Agenda.
Our three major projects are:
1. Human Trafficking Sunday
2. Launch of Elijah Series called "Braveheart"
3. Free Zone Services Sunday
Have a great day.
Into the future,
davidT
Read more...
The launch of our Communication, Innovation, Collaboration (CIC or KICK) team went amazing, now the real work begins. The four members of our team presented, and we debuted The Rack, our communication site.
During our Q&A people asked three common questions:
1. Will this mean more meetings?
2. How will this benefit my department?
3. What about the admin assistants, what is our role?
Over the next few weeks, we will follow up with everyone at our launch (about 12 people) to answer their questions and help them apply these principles to their areas.
Our KICK Team, which is the four of us at the helm of this process of Innovation, Collaboration and Communication are continuing to discuss our new roles, our next steps and starting on our first project: August Agenda.
Our three major projects are:
1. Human Trafficking Sunday
2. Launch of Elijah Series called "Braveheart"
3. Free Zone Services Sunday
Have a great day.
Into the future,
davidT
Read more...
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Reflections on This Day...
Welcome back. You belong here.
Perhaps part of the whole of being a father is being loved by a father(s).
I lost my father almost 10 years ago, it seems like yesterday. In reality, I feel I lost my father countless times prior to that, not because he wasn't around, but due to the war in Nicaragua which caused me to grow up without him at age 12.
Since then, my actual father (mi padre, David Trigueros Sandoval as I called him) loved me every day of his life, through letters, phone calls, 2-3 visits in 15+ years. I spent 2-3 weeks with him a few months before he died. I flew from LAX to Miami to Managua on Dec. 31st (around midnight) on the day he died. He loved me until the very end.
I have also had other fathers along the way:
1. Ray Ramos - my pastor when I was in high school. He believed in me, gave me a chance to do Bible studies, lead music
2. Dad Baker - my father in law. During the low times in my life, loss of my dad, in marriage, in ministry, he showed me grace, took me to basketball games to help me distract, gave me words of kindness and perspective
3. Steve Harling - my current pastor here in Colorado. I've known him for about 5 years; he's been to my house in Long Beach, CA and now working together, I see his character and example first hand.
So today, I called Steve, left him a voice mail and told him how I feel about him. I am grateful that although mi padre is gone, God continues to bring men around me to help me along.
Perhaps this is part of the whole of what it means to be a father, to love our children and those around me, but to also continue to receive and remain a son.
Have a great day.
Into the future,
davidT
Read more...
Perhaps part of the whole of being a father is being loved by a father(s).
I lost my father almost 10 years ago, it seems like yesterday. In reality, I feel I lost my father countless times prior to that, not because he wasn't around, but due to the war in Nicaragua which caused me to grow up without him at age 12.
Since then, my actual father (mi padre, David Trigueros Sandoval as I called him) loved me every day of his life, through letters, phone calls, 2-3 visits in 15+ years. I spent 2-3 weeks with him a few months before he died. I flew from LAX to Miami to Managua on Dec. 31st (around midnight) on the day he died. He loved me until the very end.
I have also had other fathers along the way:
1. Ray Ramos - my pastor when I was in high school. He believed in me, gave me a chance to do Bible studies, lead music
2. Dad Baker - my father in law. During the low times in my life, loss of my dad, in marriage, in ministry, he showed me grace, took me to basketball games to help me distract, gave me words of kindness and perspective
3. Steve Harling - my current pastor here in Colorado. I've known him for about 5 years; he's been to my house in Long Beach, CA and now working together, I see his character and example first hand.
So today, I called Steve, left him a voice mail and told him how I feel about him. I am grateful that although mi padre is gone, God continues to bring men around me to help me along.
Perhaps this is part of the whole of what it means to be a father, to love our children and those around me, but to also continue to receive and remain a son.
Have a great day.
Into the future,
davidT
Read more...
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Communication Team Goes Live Next Week
Welcome back. You belong here.
Over the last few months, I've been blogging here about Communication, Innovation, Collaboration. Our Communication Team has been preparing for the launch of this effort. Well, the time has come, next week we're going LIVE.
Our team is ready and eager to address some of the issues ahead of us. We're working on the tools, the system, the brand, obstacles and definetly planning on having fun.
Should go well. I'll have more to post once we get this off the ground.
Have a great day.
Into the future,
davidT
Read more...
Over the last few months, I've been blogging here about Communication, Innovation, Collaboration. Our Communication Team has been preparing for the launch of this effort. Well, the time has come, next week we're going LIVE.
Our team is ready and eager to address some of the issues ahead of us. We're working on the tools, the system, the brand, obstacles and definetly planning on having fun.
Should go well. I'll have more to post once we get this off the ground.
Have a great day.
Into the future,
davidT
Read more...
Friday, May 29, 2009
Sparking Imagination in Others
Welcome back. You belong here.
A couple of days ago I was at our boy's K-graduation, very beautiful. It was outdoors, and behind the ampitheatre, were 5 or so posts, bare, with nothing on them.
Guess what I said to myself "we need to communicate on those posts!" I imagined banners waving in the beautiful warm sun, filled with our values "diversity - accessability - creativity."
After the event, I spoke to Lisa who is a parent and a painter. She told me she agreed with my perspective and that she was willing to work on this project. She's into "value-driven art". The conversation seemed to spark her imagination.
Graduations are the perfect time to communicate core values. It is a time when parents come on campus for the first or second time all year.
The organizations that major on communication at these type of "first-impression" events, can go a long way in gaining followers and greater support.
Have a great day.
Into the future,
davidT
Read more...
A couple of days ago I was at our boy's K-graduation, very beautiful. It was outdoors, and behind the ampitheatre, were 5 or so posts, bare, with nothing on them.
Guess what I said to myself "we need to communicate on those posts!" I imagined banners waving in the beautiful warm sun, filled with our values "diversity - accessability - creativity."
After the event, I spoke to Lisa who is a parent and a painter. She told me she agreed with my perspective and that she was willing to work on this project. She's into "value-driven art". The conversation seemed to spark her imagination.
Graduations are the perfect time to communicate core values. It is a time when parents come on campus for the first or second time all year.
The organizations that major on communication at these type of "first-impression" events, can go a long way in gaining followers and greater support.
Have a great day.
Into the future,
davidT
Read more...
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Be True
Welcome back. You belong here.
Watching Larry King tonight, I kept hearing "Be yourself, be true."
It fills me with confidence and motivates me to continue being myself. I just wished I had learned to by myself in my 20's. In many ways, I feel I have spent 10-20 years being somebody else, someone safe who others would like or not be offended by.
I don't mean to offend anyone, but often being myself means others will not like what I have to say, it's not the norm, the conservative path of what others expect. But I feel this year is my year to be true to myself.
Spiritual formation, communication and collaboration, social justice, equality, immigration reform and calling out racism and abuse, are some of the themes that are true to my passions and gifting. My commitment to myself and to others is to persevere and become stronger and stronger in who I am.
Have a great day.
Into the future,
davidT
Read more...
Watching Larry King tonight, I kept hearing "Be yourself, be true."
It fills me with confidence and motivates me to continue being myself. I just wished I had learned to by myself in my 20's. In many ways, I feel I have spent 10-20 years being somebody else, someone safe who others would like or not be offended by.
I don't mean to offend anyone, but often being myself means others will not like what I have to say, it's not the norm, the conservative path of what others expect. But I feel this year is my year to be true to myself.
Spiritual formation, communication and collaboration, social justice, equality, immigration reform and calling out racism and abuse, are some of the themes that are true to my passions and gifting. My commitment to myself and to others is to persevere and become stronger and stronger in who I am.
Have a great day.
Into the future,
davidT
Read more...
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