...I have none. Inching along at trying to finish this album. Taking forever. Really wanna be done, but also do not have any intention of rushing the thing. Don't mean to sound manic, I'm honestly just a little impatient. Want to move on to playing shows again. Soon enough.
How are you? Drop me a line, you who actually read this stuff. Say hello, and fill me in on what you are doing, on whatever you are impatient about!
Cheers,
J
Friday, September 12, 2008
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Truly just rambling...nothing deep here.
So I'm sitting at work...my day job that is. Just wasting a little time before I actually get to work. he he. I think the good news is that when all is said and done, I'll get to go work on the album. I tell ya, for anyone who has a dream of making music, it just seems so important to go out and find a day job that doesn't kick your ass too much. It needs to be the kind of job that leaves you with enough energy and inspiration at the end of the day, that you still want to make music. If, at the end of your day, you want to blow up an elementary school, you probably have the wrong job!
Well, back to the grind for now.
This has been a truly useless piece of information, by yours truly.
Work hard, play harder!
J
Well, back to the grind for now.
This has been a truly useless piece of information, by yours truly.
Work hard, play harder!
J
Friday, August 15, 2008
Friday Morning
Sitting at the desktop, a little bummed because things are not moving faster. Man I tell you, as I get closer to the album being completed, it is crazy how much more impatient I seem to get. I just want to be able to devote all my time to it. But I think that is one of the healthy checks on not getting too consumed by a project. You have to stop to eat. You have to sleep. You have to make time for the people that matter. Man it's intense.
Anyway, today is another day.
Don't waste it.
J
Anyway, today is another day.
Don't waste it.
J
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Los Angeles - August 10th, 2008
So just got back from a little vacation on Friday. Went to Kauai for six days. Man...paradise. That's all I can say. If you haven't been, go. If you have been, go again. It was so good to getaway. I didn't listen to a single song, and didn't touch a single instrument. I tell you, it's funny how when you do what you love, you really can't see the need to put it down every once in a while. But when you force yourself to take a little vacation, it really puts things back into a healthy perspective.
The island is beautiful and we had a great time. Now that I am back, I feel reenergized, and newly inspired. Today I performed a new song called "Picture Show" in Pasadena, and it was so fun. I got all nervous before going on stage, and was reminded of why I love this career so much. I look forward to getting back to work on the record tomorrow, and will definitely have updates for you ASAP.
In the meantime,
Mahalo.
J
The island is beautiful and we had a great time. Now that I am back, I feel reenergized, and newly inspired. Today I performed a new song called "Picture Show" in Pasadena, and it was so fun. I got all nervous before going on stage, and was reminded of why I love this career so much. I look forward to getting back to work on the record tomorrow, and will definitely have updates for you ASAP.
In the meantime,
Mahalo.
J
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Los Angeles, April 29th, 2008 9:43AM
Work is a really interesting thing. I’m not talking about working hard at what you are passionate about. I’m talking about work as in my day job. I feel like I could write a book on the subject (though I promise not to do that here).
I think I’m just fascinated with the way one’s day job can really help them to figure out what it is they really want to be doing with their life (I wonder if prison is like that!). I really think that for the average working class dreamer, the pursuit of your dreams and the type of day-job you have are inexorably linked. Their relationship is so direct that they affect each other constantly.
It’s almost like finding nirvana if you can manage to have the perfect day job. It’s like there’s this cosmic dance going on between your chosen quality of life, the cost for that quality of life, the job you choose to help you afford that quality of life, the pursuit of your dreams (or your craft), and the pursuit of the freedom to pursue those dreams. Now that sounds like a mouthful, but believe me it’s a complex system and there are many decisions to make.
For me one of the biggest recent decisions I’ve made has been to have a day gig that has nothing to do with the entertainment industry. For years I operated under the philosophy that you should find a day gig in the same industry that you want to be successful in. And for the last few years I made most of my living doing “entertainment.” But wow those air-quotes sure do cover a lot of ground. Much of the ‘entertainment” that has made me a living wasn’t in line with my dreams at all. After years of doing it this way I finally wised up and rejected this philosophy.
The basic idea is that you somehow work your way up the ladder, and then some day get promoted into your dream job. Now I don’t mean to knock this theory entirely. I know it actually works for some people, and there is definitely value to gaining experience in your chosen field. However, I feel that this method can really have a confusing affect on one’s vision (which often times is under-developed to begin with), particularly if you are trying to make it in the arts.
In my experience, one can very easily delude oneself into thinking that they are actively pursuing their dreams when in fact they are really only working a day-job in the vicinity of their dreams. If you have a cloudy vision to begin with, this might be great for you, because working there can most certainly lead to opportunities to do a host of different things. But if you have a clear vision, many times working in the industry, might just sweep you away on projects that are ‘kinda like’ your dreams, but not quite exact.
In contrast, when you are a shoe sales man (which I actually did back in college, and whoa did it suck!), you know for a fact that you are definitely not pursuing your career when you are at work (my apologies to those whose actual dream is to be a shoe salesman. I just needed an example). So what ends up happening is that work becomes a place where you develop your vision for your dreams. It becomes crystal clear to you.
Now one might say, “Hey Johnny, it seems to me that a person who is working in the industry that is close to their dream profession is at least somewhat near to the right path, where as the shoe salesman spends his whole day dreaming, but is nowhere near to actually living out their dreams right?” To which I would reply firstly, ‘Don’t call me Johnny,” but then I would go on to explain, that this is where the art of the day-job really rests.
The artist (and by artist I mean anyone who has a life giving passion and vision) must seek out the right kind of day-job. It has to be perfect. Basically his/her day-job has to be something that allows them to afford to live at their current chosen “quality of life”. Which, by the way, is pretty much a whole chapter in the imaginary book I’m writing. You have to make some serious decisions about what standard of living you are going to have, and what sacrifices you are going to have to make while on the journey toward pursuing your dreams. I know so many people who hate their jobs and feel like their dreams are fading away all because they have such a high quality of life that they are slaves to their jobs. But I digress.
Like I said, working a day job in a different field helps you to hone your vision and your dreams and to really know what you want. It helps you to keep true to your vision as well and to be able to communicate it better as well. Also, if the artist/dreamer can find the right job (and this is crucial) it will be one that doesn’t deplete them of all of their energy.
In fact, the right job leaves the artist with plenty of time and energy to make deposits of time and energy into pursuing their dreams. This is the art. To find the perfect job to stay afloat while you create an artistic as well as business vision for the future of your dreams. I really feel that if you can keep the focus of the whole effort on making a meaningful impact on the world around you, then your dreams will flourish and really affect people. So, okay I lied, and wrote ten times more than I planned to.
And by now you all probably think I’m crazy. But trust me, pursuing a dream or a vision is no sane business.
Okay…back to work!
p.s. if anyone has thoughts on this topic, I would love to hear them. email me at johntorresmusic@yahoo.com!
I think I’m just fascinated with the way one’s day job can really help them to figure out what it is they really want to be doing with their life (I wonder if prison is like that!). I really think that for the average working class dreamer, the pursuit of your dreams and the type of day-job you have are inexorably linked. Their relationship is so direct that they affect each other constantly.
It’s almost like finding nirvana if you can manage to have the perfect day job. It’s like there’s this cosmic dance going on between your chosen quality of life, the cost for that quality of life, the job you choose to help you afford that quality of life, the pursuit of your dreams (or your craft), and the pursuit of the freedom to pursue those dreams. Now that sounds like a mouthful, but believe me it’s a complex system and there are many decisions to make.
For me one of the biggest recent decisions I’ve made has been to have a day gig that has nothing to do with the entertainment industry. For years I operated under the philosophy that you should find a day gig in the same industry that you want to be successful in. And for the last few years I made most of my living doing “entertainment.” But wow those air-quotes sure do cover a lot of ground. Much of the ‘entertainment” that has made me a living wasn’t in line with my dreams at all. After years of doing it this way I finally wised up and rejected this philosophy.
The basic idea is that you somehow work your way up the ladder, and then some day get promoted into your dream job. Now I don’t mean to knock this theory entirely. I know it actually works for some people, and there is definitely value to gaining experience in your chosen field. However, I feel that this method can really have a confusing affect on one’s vision (which often times is under-developed to begin with), particularly if you are trying to make it in the arts.
In my experience, one can very easily delude oneself into thinking that they are actively pursuing their dreams when in fact they are really only working a day-job in the vicinity of their dreams. If you have a cloudy vision to begin with, this might be great for you, because working there can most certainly lead to opportunities to do a host of different things. But if you have a clear vision, many times working in the industry, might just sweep you away on projects that are ‘kinda like’ your dreams, but not quite exact.
In contrast, when you are a shoe sales man (which I actually did back in college, and whoa did it suck!), you know for a fact that you are definitely not pursuing your career when you are at work (my apologies to those whose actual dream is to be a shoe salesman. I just needed an example). So what ends up happening is that work becomes a place where you develop your vision for your dreams. It becomes crystal clear to you.
Now one might say, “Hey Johnny, it seems to me that a person who is working in the industry that is close to their dream profession is at least somewhat near to the right path, where as the shoe salesman spends his whole day dreaming, but is nowhere near to actually living out their dreams right?” To which I would reply firstly, ‘Don’t call me Johnny,” but then I would go on to explain, that this is where the art of the day-job really rests.
The artist (and by artist I mean anyone who has a life giving passion and vision) must seek out the right kind of day-job. It has to be perfect. Basically his/her day-job has to be something that allows them to afford to live at their current chosen “quality of life”. Which, by the way, is pretty much a whole chapter in the imaginary book I’m writing. You have to make some serious decisions about what standard of living you are going to have, and what sacrifices you are going to have to make while on the journey toward pursuing your dreams. I know so many people who hate their jobs and feel like their dreams are fading away all because they have such a high quality of life that they are slaves to their jobs. But I digress.
Like I said, working a day job in a different field helps you to hone your vision and your dreams and to really know what you want. It helps you to keep true to your vision as well and to be able to communicate it better as well. Also, if the artist/dreamer can find the right job (and this is crucial) it will be one that doesn’t deplete them of all of their energy.
In fact, the right job leaves the artist with plenty of time and energy to make deposits of time and energy into pursuing their dreams. This is the art. To find the perfect job to stay afloat while you create an artistic as well as business vision for the future of your dreams. I really feel that if you can keep the focus of the whole effort on making a meaningful impact on the world around you, then your dreams will flourish and really affect people. So, okay I lied, and wrote ten times more than I planned to.
And by now you all probably think I’m crazy. But trust me, pursuing a dream or a vision is no sane business.
Okay…back to work!
p.s. if anyone has thoughts on this topic, I would love to hear them. email me at johntorresmusic@yahoo.com!
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Los Angeles, March 16th,2008 - 3:27PM
So I slept in this morning after a really amazing show. I performed at a fundraising event called "To Write Love On Her Arm." TWLOHA is an organization that serves people struggling with things like depression, suicide and hopelessness. The name refers to a young girl named Renee who used to be a "cutter," and who has since really received help and grown immensely because of it. I highly recommend checking out their site and learning more about them. They are an international organization and they are really making a difference! The show was so much fun and it was show live around the world. Anyhoo, so today just rested and recovered. What a great night. I hope to partner with Jaime and his team again in the future.
Cheerio all!,
J
Cheerio all!,
J
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Los Angeles, February 20, 2008 – 10:43AM
I seriously need to find a way to come to diners and not drink ten cups of coffee. You see there is a dilemma here in that I pretty much associate doing work with drinking coffee. This must be marketing at its finest. I mean the coffee companies must really be celebrating every time some schmo utters such a remark. So here I am, sitting at a Carrows, typing away. I love times like this. There is a strange romantic feeling when you are alone at a restaurant, processing thoughts and planning your future. It’s great.
Things are moving smoothly. I am just booking shows, and working on music regularly. Trying to write as much as possible, and working on the record. At this point, I am setting an un-official Release date of Thanksgiving. I think if I just keep plugging away at this pace, I can get it done. We’ll see.
Things are moving smoothly. I am just booking shows, and working on music regularly. Trying to write as much as possible, and working on the record. At this point, I am setting an un-official Release date of Thanksgiving. I think if I just keep plugging away at this pace, I can get it done. We’ll see.
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