http://jonathanlaird.net/blog.cfm Tue, 08 May 2012 03:25:05 GMT http://bandzoogle.com http://jonathanlaird.net/blog.cfm?feature=2315333&postid=2056817 Crossing the Finish LineOw ow ow, I think to myself as I begin the first leg of a arduous run around my neighborhood. It was only two days ago that I decided to do the same thing, each time incrementally increasing distance. It's been a great plan so far. I'm growing muscles I never knew I had. Each time I get to do better than my previous best, but today brought it's challenges with it.Right out of the gate, the soreness arose. The muscles were tense. As someone once said, "My puppies were screaming." However, if there's one thing I've learned about exercise and about life, it's that listening to how you feel all the time is one of the most unreliable things you can do. A person fasts or exercises atrophied muscles and the body yells back at the person, "What in the name of all that is good and sacred are you doing, you masochist? Pain! Awwww the horror!!" It's not restricted to health related issues either. Be it an ambivalent attitude towards a relationship that requires effort, or rationalizing that old dogs can't learn new tricks, it's human nature to listen to the deceptive voices, to believe things will always be the way they are, and that you might as well throw in the towel. There was a time, if memory serves, that I fasted on nothing but water and supplements for almost three solid weeks. The first three to four days are the hardest, because the petulant voice tells you how hungry you are when in truth, you may not actually know true hunger. If you can make it past that time, it's a cakewalk and there's a point where you feel like you can do it forever, even though you can't.In a world full of complications and distractions, where you find you may not have enough hours in the day to do everything in the world, focus on the things that matter. Hold fast to them with discipline, character and the realization that greatness and success are planned events. Keep your eyes on the prize and cross the finish line. You have what it takes!
Ow ow ow, I think to myself as I begin the first leg of a arduous run around my neighborhood. It was only two days ago that I decided to do the same thing, each time incrementally increasing distance. It's been a great plan so far. I'm growing muscles I never knew I had. Each time I get to do better than my previous best, but today brought it's challenges with it.

Right out of the gate, the soreness arose. The muscles were tense. As someone once said, "My puppies were screaming." However, if there's one thing I've learned about exercise and about life, it's that listening to how you feel all the time is one of the most unreliable things you can do. A person fasts or exercises atrophied muscles and the body yells back at the person, "What in the name of all that is good and sacred are you doing, you masochist? Pain! Awwww the horror!!" It's not restricted to health related issues either. Be it an ambivalent attitude towards a relationship that requires effort, or rationalizing that old dogs can't learn new tricks, it's human nature to listen to the deceptive voices, to believe things will always be the way they are, and that you might as well throw in the towel. There was a time, if memory serves, that I fasted on nothing but water and supplements for almost three solid weeks. The first three to four days are the hardest, because the petulant voice tells you how hungry you are when in truth, you may not actually know true hunger. If you can make it past that time, it's a cakewalk and there's a point where you feel like you can do it forever, even though you can't.

In a world full of complications and distractions, where you find you may not have enough hours in the day to do everything in the world, focus on the things that matter. Hold fast to them with discipline, character and the realization that greatness and success are planned events. Keep your eyes on the prize and cross the finish line. You have what it takes!]]> Tue, 08 May 2012 03:25:05 GMT F24477BA63D9B5803258A876F27E2D29 http://jonathanlaird.net/blog.cfm?feature=2315333&postid=2023109 In a Timely FashionEveryone knows I'm excited about the growth of my business. New material is underway. Gear and processors are being shipped to HQ. Pre-production is in the works as we speak. None of this is more exciting than my vendors' choice to make the postal service it's mode of transportation for delivering the goods. What's more, one vendor only gave buyers the choice of paying $20 in shipping charges for the product. I forked over the cash without any reluctance, but if I'm gonna pay that amount in shipping, I expect tracking information, and I expect next day service. On the other hand, I may just be....antsy. With so much in my heart and mind ready to be poured out, I cannot wait till I get the chance to share it with each and every one of you. Won't be long now!
Everyone knows I'm excited about the growth of my business. New material is underway. Gear and processors are being shipped to HQ. Pre-production is in the works as we speak. None of this is more exciting than my vendors' choice to make the postal service it's mode of transportation for delivering the goods. What's more, one vendor only gave buyers the choice of paying $20 in shipping charges for the product. I forked over the cash without any reluctance, but if I'm gonna pay that amount in shipping, I expect tracking information, and I expect next day service. On the other hand, I may just be....antsy. With so much in my heart and mind ready to be poured out, I cannot wait till I get the chance to share it with each and every one of you. Won't be long now!]]> Fri, 27 Apr 2012 02:15:40 GMT F7031198716BD4ACAD371E207040AD39 http://jonathanlaird.net/blog.cfm?feature=2315333&postid=2010985 After a full weekend of being as busy looking like a cross between the guys of LMFAO, Run DMC and Andy Samberg, I have now stashed away the polyester jumpsuit for the week and exchanged it for something that makes the little nooks and crannies of my body look and feel a little less like a Munchkinland swimming pool. With some extra money, and some new perspective on not taking one's self too seriously, I prepare for the rigors of a new week. Fun times mixed in with a little forward-thinking momentum is a recipe for a satisfying livelihood and lifestyle, for that matter. Friday, Cheezee plays our first show, as this lineup, at Knight Moves in Hazel Green. I've been told we don't know what the turnout is going to look like, so it would be great to see those who can make it. Do come out and see us this weekend. Thanks guys for all the love and support!Jonathan
Thanks guys for all the love and support!

Jonathan]]> Tue, 24 Apr 2012 02:09:55 GMT 772775EBD417A7F139A2187E3EDAFCD2 http://jonathanlaird.net/blog.cfm?feature=2315333&postid=1970611 Connectivity is a great thing. In fact, it's downright essential to a business like mine which is all about networking. The thing is, balancing songwriting, playing in 4 projects, making time for family and day-to-day responsibilities can take it's toll on you. Nonetheless, here's an attempt to tell you what's up. I have started a work habit where I dedicate an hour and a half each day to writing. It might be good. It might not. I'll be concerned with that later, but there's new material in my repertoire. The new studio is coming along this month, I'll be ordering a recording interface and reference monitors. Aside from that, it's business as usual, which is always good! Thu, 12 Apr 2012 02:18:02 GMT FA0C8C5AB827208FCEB3E7B94FDC8966 http://jonathanlaird.net/blog.cfm?feature=2315333&postid=1554039 In a society infatuated with Glee and Snooky, seeing, tasting, feeling and experiencing all that life has to offer seems to have devolved. No modern day movie drives this point home to me quite like the Luke Wilson movie, "Idiocracy." The only problem at this point is, I don't know whether I should laugh or not.Although I'm a young man, I have an avid appreciation for the culture of the past. Don't get me wrong. This is, in it's own way, an exciting time to be alive. The technological breakthroughs we're experiencing are remarkable, but there are trade-offs.My parents (who enjoy the technology just as much as anyone) grew up in a time when it wasn't so ubiquitous. It affects us in unspeakable ways if we (gasp) run out of the house without our cell phones on us, powered, charged, and with 3G. Honestly, how did they ever survive....There wasn't an overarching media omnipresence either. They had a half hour dedicated to the news in the evening, and now, it's not that there's more news. It's the same amount of news with competing networks figuring out how to put the daily spin on the topics at hand. I don't know if it's a healthy thing for us to be bombarded with this stuff 24/7.Movies (not all, but most) just seem to cater to the lowest common denominator. A couple movies slated for release next year, I kid you not, are Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters which is to be followed closely by the highly anticipated Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.Long gone are the heady days of genius going into the can where we can anticipate something exquisite from this generation's Alfred Hitchcock, if he even exists. Music must be microwaved under four minutes which would keep many glorious works from Vivaldi, Led Zeppelin and The Beatles shelved indefinitely if they tried to release them today. Age of progress? In a day where many settle for socializing online as a replacement for personal contact (we can't be having that), where art doesn't get to live up to it's fullest potential in the public eye, and the premises of our entertainment are "dumbed" down lower than the intellectual capacity of a fetus that hasn't yet been conceived, I'm reminded of an event that shook my hometown....quite literally.When six tornadoes found their way through North and Central Alabama, we were forced to take inventory of a few things. People lost their places of business, their homes, and in many instances, their lives. The power was out for about five days, if memory serves. But in that time, we saw the best that mankind had to offer. If food in the freezer was thawing out, it was the perfect reason to cook it and invite the friends and neighbors over for a grilling session. The following days were beautiful, and there was an overwhelming spirit of gratitude that we were made fortunate enough to experience them. More importantly, this was our time to steer clear of the things that simply kept us busy, and made us more focused on being productive, being useful, and being healers. We could no longer be the center of our own universe because that universe was temporarily out of order. Now that we're on the other side of the storm, what have we learned? Anything?As we approach the end of another year, we enter into a time once known for it's benevolent spirit, it's compassion, hospitality, and it's warmth. Now, it seems as though much of the public either doesn't have time for niceties any more, or have taken a full 180 into abysmal misery.I encourage any and all of you, including myself, to refuse to be a component of regressive society, but know what it is to love, to be loved, and to have the audacity to live it out loud.
Although I'm a young man, I have an avid appreciation for the culture of the past. Don't get me wrong. This is, in it's own way, an exciting time to be alive. The technological breakthroughs we're experiencing are remarkable, but there are trade-offs.

My parents (who enjoy the technology just as much as anyone) grew up in a time when it wasn't so ubiquitous. It affects us in unspeakable ways if we (gasp) run out of the house without our cell phones on us, powered, charged, and with 3G. Honestly, how did they ever survive....

There wasn't an overarching media omnipresence either. They had a half hour dedicated to the news in the evening, and now, it's not that there's more news. It's the same amount of news with competing networks figuring out how to put the daily spin on the topics at hand. I don't know if it's a healthy thing for us to be bombarded with this stuff 24/7.

Movies (not all, but most) just seem to cater to the lowest common denominator. A couple movies slated for release next year, I kid you not, are Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters which is to be followed closely by the highly anticipated Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.

Long gone are the heady days of genius going into the can where we can anticipate something exquisite from this generation's Alfred Hitchcock, if he even exists. Music must be microwaved under four minutes which would keep many glorious works from Vivaldi, Led Zeppelin and The Beatles shelved indefinitely if they tried to release them today. Age of progress?

In a day where many settle for socializing online as a replacement for personal contact (we can't be having that), where art doesn't get to live up to it's fullest potential in the public eye, and the premises of our entertainment are "dumbed" down lower than the intellectual capacity of a fetus that hasn't yet been conceived, I'm reminded of an event that shook my hometown....quite literally.

When six tornadoes found their way through North and Central Alabama, we were forced to take inventory of a few things. People lost their places of business, their homes, and in many instances, their lives. The power was out for about five days, if memory serves. But in that time, we saw the best that mankind had to offer. If food in the freezer was thawing out, it was the perfect reason to cook it and invite the friends and neighbors over for a grilling session. The following days were beautiful, and there was an overwhelming spirit of gratitude that we were made fortunate enough to experience them. More importantly, this was our time to steer clear of the things that simply kept us busy, and made us more focused on being productive, being useful, and being healers. We could no longer be the center of our own universe because that universe was temporarily out of order. Now that we're on the other side of the storm, what have we learned? Anything?

As we approach the end of another year, we enter into a time once known for it's benevolent spirit, it's compassion, hospitality, and it's warmth. Now, it seems as though much of the public either doesn't have time for niceties any more, or have taken a full 180 into abysmal misery.

I encourage any and all of you, including myself, to refuse to be a component of regressive society, but know what it is to love, to be loved, and to have the audacity to live it out loud.]]> Mon, 28 Nov 2011 14:49:58 GMT 38588061C57691471DAA2916F20E6A2B http://jonathanlaird.net/blog.cfm?feature=2315333&postid=1431983 Last night, maybe for the first time in a good, long while. I took a nice leisurely stroll, and gazed at the stars. It was a welcome time of deep introspection, and for someone like me who is all or nothing, either takes on tasks at 90 miles an hour or stalls out completely, it was good just to regroup and get away from everything.Some say that with the nature of my work, it demands that I keep a watchful eye on that inbox, that I have the phone on and with me the entire time. The truth is, until recently, I might've agreed were it not for the fact that I was spent....and frustrated.I realized that my all-or-nothing mentality was getting in the way when it came to doing anything I actually enjoy or want to do at the expense of doing "what had to be done." Also, when you have a goal to book 250 shows with an all-or-nothing mindset, you will go to bed inevitably disappointed because it's too much work to tackle all at once.The moral of the story? Everyone, whether they know it or not, could probably benefit from taking one day out of seven, and resting, recharging and learning to live in and enjoy the current moment at hand.Try it! You'll like it!
Some say that with the nature of my work, it demands that I keep a watchful eye on that inbox, that I have the phone on and with me the entire time. The truth is, until recently, I might've agreed were it not for the fact that I was spent....and frustrated.

I realized that my all-or-nothing mentality was getting in the way when it came to doing anything I actually enjoy or want to do at the expense of doing "what had to be done." Also, when you have a goal to book 250 shows with an all-or-nothing mindset, you will go to bed inevitably disappointed because it's too much work to tackle all at once.

The moral of the story? Everyone, whether they know it or not, could probably benefit from taking one day out of seven, and resting, recharging and learning to live in and enjoy the current moment at hand.

Try it! You'll like it!]]> Wed, 26 Oct 2011 02:05:57 GMT 76E4EECF342762B9B9B29899A1EE4FD2 http://jonathanlaird.net/blog.cfm?feature=2315333&postid=1317802 Well, things just keep rolling along here, the Charmin for instance... At any rate, songs are being written in some way, shape, matter or form daily, which is very cool. Not only has the website been updated on the shopping and fan pages, but new merchandise is coming in next week, too. A week from today, we will have T-Shirts, CD's, Posters, Stickers, and Postcards available both at shows, and for purchase on the web. If you feel so inclined, please consider checking out some of the really cool wares we have to offer. A good time will be had by all!Thanks!Jonathan
Thanks!

Jonathan]]> Thu, 22 Sep 2011 06:31:48 GMT D4F5E02C29813E85972D54A441D05B69 http://jonathanlaird.net/blog.cfm?feature=2315333&postid=1272654 Hey guys! Some of you may have gotten invites to shows over the past couple of weeks and came out only to find that I wasn't playing. One of these venues scaled back my shows without my knowing the details until I was literally on the way to the performance. The other shut down their business. This has been a tremendous setback and I want to apologize to anyone and everyone who came out to see me and didn't get to do so. In the meantime, I have new merchandise, which basically means I'm ready to go out on the road and play some more shows out of town. If you have any recommendations for venues that may enjoy my brand of music, feel free to shoot them my way and I'll see what I can do!Thanks everyone!
Thanks everyone!]]> Thu, 08 Sep 2011 11:23:22 GMT B54B6FC2585840E6145DDB236FEBAE90 http://jonathanlaird.net/blog.cfm?feature=2315333&postid=1251454 Ladies and gentlemen,It is my privilege to announced that we have officially made our first round of t-shirts, bumper stickers and posters for tour. Want one? For details drop us a line at jonathan@jonathanlaird.net. Hopefully, we'll be able to offer this online in the near future, but for now, any interested parties can contact via email or at live shows and we'll hook you up.Holla!
It is my privilege to announced that we have officially made our first round of t-shirts, bumper stickers and posters for tour. Want one? For details drop us a line at jonathan@jonathanlaird.net. Hopefully, we'll be able to offer this online in the near future, but for now, any interested parties can contact via email or at live shows and we'll hook you up.

Holla!]]> Thu, 01 Sep 2011 11:12:45 GMT 01DABB04BE1D3AF9840A5F02502F2F10 http://jonathanlaird.net/blog.cfm?feature=2315333&postid=1113879 So, today was pretty interesting. I paid off the old credit card, followed up on some gig opportunities, wrote some lyrics, practiced piano, and have started a piano solo transcription for guitar (Dave Grusin's Mountain Dance...good stuff.) It's a been very productive day and will be a very good week. Rehearsal tomorrow with Bonner Black for Saturday's show at The Flying Monkey (be there, by the way), Wednesday's open mic at Blackwater Hattie's (we finally have A/C, thank you Lord!), Friday is up in the air, but if all goes well, that'll be on the books, too. And now, I bid you adieu while my gone but not forgotten sandwich digests. Tue, 19 Jul 2011 10:42:09 GMT 1A634D5FF37D5EE06A4FEB2BAD870926 http://jonathanlaird.net/blog.cfm?feature=2315333&postid=1097886 From the book What they don't teach you at Harvard Business School by Mark McCormack:"Mark McCormack tells a study conducted on students in the 1979 Harvard MBA program. In that year, the students were asked, "Have you set clear, written goals for your future and made plans to accomplish them?" Only three percent of the graduates had written goals and plans; 13 percent had goals, but they were not in writing; and a whopping 84 percent had no specific goals at all.Ten years later, the members of the class were interviewed again, and the findings, while somewhat predictable, were nonetheless astonishing. The 13 percent of the class who had goals were earning, on average, twice as much as the 84 percent who had no goals at all. And what about the three percent who had clear, written goals? They were earning, on average, ten times as much as the other 97 percent put together."The more I do what I do, there is a resounding truth that comes to me time and time again. I like to say it this way, "You will never rise beyond your level of expectation." Take my industry, for instance. There are no shortage of doe-eyed, uninitiated newbies who have the dream of one day "making it" in the business. (By the way, I love it how in our vainglorious attitudes we like to call it "the business," as if there's no other kind, but I digress.) Making it in this line of work looks a lot more like this:November 1, 2011I have a full-length CD of 10 songsI sell 300 copies of the disc every month (this can and should be broken down weekly, by the way)I sell 25 of both T-shirts and hats each monthI sell 500 stickers every monthI am booked for 200 dates out of the calendar yearDaunting? Maybe. Going it alone. Out of the question.No matter what you do, it is in a person's best interest to play to their strengths and delegate the things that are someone else's strengths to, well....someone else. Goals are the gateway to those accomplishments. From getting that pet project done, to deciding who's on your team, goals are invaluable. A person with a fraction of the talent may well run circles around another who has superior talent and no clear direction on where they are going and what they are doing. What would you desire out of life? Now is the time to decide, for it will never come again, and you may never rise above your level of expectation. It's time to raise the bar!
"Mark McCormack tells a study conducted on students in the 1979 Harvard MBA program. In that year, the students were asked, "Have you set clear, written goals for your future and made plans to accomplish them?" Only three percent of the graduates had written goals and plans; 13 percent had goals, but they were not in writing; and a whopping 84 percent had no specific goals at all.

Ten years later, the members of the class were interviewed again, and the findings, while somewhat predictable, were nonetheless astonishing. The 13 percent of the class who had goals were earning, on average, twice as much as the 84 percent who had no goals at all. And what about the three percent who had clear, written goals? They were earning, on average, ten times as much as the other 97 percent put together."

The more I do what I do, there is a resounding truth that comes to me time and time again. I like to say it this way, "You will never rise beyond your level of expectation." Take my industry, for instance. There are no shortage of doe-eyed, uninitiated newbies who have the dream of one day "making it" in the business. (By the way, I love it how in our vainglorious attitudes we like to call it "the business," as if there's no other kind, but I digress.) Making it in this line of work looks a lot more like this:

November 1, 2011

I have a full-length CD of 10 songs

I sell 300 copies of the disc every month (this can and should be broken down weekly, by the way)

I sell 25 of both T-shirts and hats each month

I sell 500 stickers every month

I am booked for 200 dates out of the calendar year

Daunting? Maybe. Going it alone. Out of the question.

No matter what you do, it is in a person's best interest to play to their strengths and delegate the things that are someone else's strengths to, well....someone else. Goals are the gateway to those accomplishments. From getting that pet project done, to deciding who's on your team, goals are invaluable. A person with a fraction of the talent may well run circles around another who has superior talent and no clear direction on where they are going and what they are doing. What would you desire out of life? Now is the time to decide, for it will never come again, and you may never rise above your level of expectation. It's time to raise the bar!]]> Tue, 12 Jul 2011 07:28:06 GMT BD912F5B9ED23348F473229EA06E4F47 http://jonathanlaird.net/blog.cfm?feature=2315333&postid=1065232 I am pleased to announce that I am once again giving guitar instruction. This is extended to anyone living in Huntsville or the surrounding areas. If anyone is interested, feel free to shoot an email to me at jonathan@jonathanlaird.net. Tue, 28 Jun 2011 07:25:08 GMT 2797D700DD9F7CD4871E8E71F267D504 http://jonathanlaird.net/blog.cfm?feature=2315333&postid=902831 Hey everyone! New Website changes underway! Check it out and keep coming back for more updates! Wed, 13 Apr 2011 14:07:09 GMT 065BDE99F30C5CD21E94995FAF39A872 http://jonathanlaird.net/blog.cfm?feature=2315333&postid=902744 Hey, guys! I want to point out, once again, that the CD's that are being sold at shows are copies of the first EP. If you already have a CD of mine, chances are pretty good it's the same one. All the sales of this CD will go towards developing the full-length disc, as well as the rest of the merchandise table for touring purposes. Hope this clears up any confusion. See y'all soon! Mon, 07 Feb 2011 12:42:39 GMT D4B6F90EA87AD150F9A80C701BDFB5EF http://jonathanlaird.net/blog.cfm?feature=2315333&postid=902745 Hmmm....let's see. A quick recap of the past 24 hours: I finished my dealings with a gentleman who handles the bookings for a local club, after being told several times they would get me in on the calendar and when I needed to call, the man possessed neither the decency nor integrity to be good for his word and do what he said. Lesson learned. I ran a good distance in some very cold, wet weather and that didn't settle well with me later on. I got a flat tire last night, and my ATM card wouldn't work on the store's machine when I needed an instant transaction.Now, it would be easy to focus on the more pejorative attributes of the evening if it weren't for the fact that I realized that a man who is not honest at the outset, is not a man with whom you should want to do business. I had AAA to come and fix the tire, I found the money to buy some Zicam, I just signed up with BMI, and my CD's and business cards finally arrived.The message is simple: "Shut up, Jon. Life is good."
Now, it would be easy to focus on the more pejorative attributes of the evening if it weren't for the fact that I realized that a man who is not honest at the outset, is not a man with whom you should want to do business. I had AAA to come and fix the tire, I found the money to buy some Zicam, I just signed up with BMI, and my CD's and business cards finally arrived.

The message is simple: "Shut up, Jon. Life is good."]]> Wed, 02 Feb 2011 12:00:00 GMT B429B40D0B8F4CECBD141F5A2CAAF25F http://jonathanlaird.net/blog.cfm?feature=2315333&postid=902746 Hey guys! Man, the good news just keeps on rolling in. Here's a primer: I should have 100 hard copies of the original three song promo CD within the week. My goal is to sell 200 copies of this thing to family, friends, at shows, and really to any interested parties, in general. All proceeds will go to the completion of the final full-length album.Also, I've been shooting emails back and forth with Ira, from A&R Select. They really act as a liaison between artists and industry insiders. They've represented acts like Britney Spears, (those of you who are familiar with my cover of 'Toxic' should get a kick out of that) and they have brokered artist placement on C.S.I. and Verizon, as well as several other forums.Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers! Keep them comin' cause we're gonna go to a whole other level!
Also, I've been shooting emails back and forth with Ira, from A&R Select. They really act as a liaison between artists and industry insiders. They've represented acts like Britney Spears, (those of you who are familiar with my cover of 'Toxic' should get a kick out of that) and they have brokered artist placement on C.S.I. and Verizon, as well as several other forums.

Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers! Keep them comin' cause we're gonna go to a whole other level!]]> Mon, 17 Jan 2011 12:00:00 GMT 68B91E8CC02B3F540E4026E8CEF3E469 http://jonathanlaird.net/blog.cfm?feature=2315333&postid=902747 As I trudged down the corridors of my hallway in a quasi somnambulistic state, I realized that I had money to cash in from last night's show. For those of you who have never had the privilege of visiting Huntsville, it is a very charming city. It is a veritable amalgamation of physicists, engineers and rocket scientists. It is also one of the last places you want to be when a major snow storm hits. Get someone who has spent his or her days behind a steering wheel who has never ventured north of the Mason/Dixon line in these conditions, and negotiating traffic becomes a losing proposition. And yet, the pale luminescent atmosphere draws me back to times when I was in Kindergarten in West Virginia. This is the first white Christmas that I personally remember in my lifetime, although I've been assured there were others. I remember thinking it was the only thing that I wanted this year. I will affectionately remember that moment in my mind, as a kiss from God. Perhaps, it's a sign of what's to come. New undertakings, new places, new strengths revealed, new passions to embrace. These are a few of my favorite things. The winter landscape reminds me of this: Life calls me, beckons me to live in an eternal state of newness, to live like a child and still be able to make adult decisions. It's a new year and a new season is just around the bend. My hope and prayer is that each of us grabs the fruits that each day has to offer so that we can say we laid hold of every opportunity and seized them by force. Then we may be living embodiments of these immortal words from Harold Thurman: "Don't ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people that have come alive." Thu, 13 Jan 2011 12:00:00 GMT 25AB233FB5283380E6BF2161371551C3 http://jonathanlaird.net/blog.cfm?feature=2315333&postid=902748 Wow! What a day! Not everyone gets to experience something as cool as this, but I went to The Tracking Room studio in Nashville. For the two of my friends online who know what that is, you'll be impressed. For the rest, let me start by giving you the web page at www.thetrackingroomstudio.com. You can check out the client roster from there. It's pretty cool to know that I got to sing on the same mic that Shania used to record the number one selling country album of all time. As if that weren't enough, I met writers for Alabama, Miley Cyrus and George Strait while I was there with my dear friend and co-writer Lee Pinson. Incidentally, we were recording one of his originals entitled "Fall Apart." It should be posted soon, but for now, enjoy his other goodies at www.leelovesyou.com. The players and engineers were all top notch at their jobs and quality people on top of that. Can't wait to head back up for next Wednesday's session!See ya soon with more updates!Jon
See ya soon with more updates!

Jon]]> Thu, 04 Nov 2010 10:00:00 GMT 435DB7B126CC40D7DB30212D1A06B7E1 http://jonathanlaird.net/blog.cfm?feature=2315333&postid=902749 Discipline. It's a four letter word to most people. It strikes terror in the hearts of those who hear it. The consequences of pondering its meaning are unspeakable. The reality is, through the exercise of discipline, there is an unsettling truth. The one who chooses its path, cannot remain unchanged. That scares us. Many of us are complacent by nature. We love routine. Many live by and for routine, and why not? Routine is comfortable. It streamlines the habitual lifestyle. You always know what the outcome is going to be, so it's safe and secure. For the dreamers, it could be the bane of their existence. The man who is at home with his writer's block, nurtures it and takes it on as a veritable pet. The woman who finds herself becoming a slave to her day-to-day to do list, may have convinced herself that any ambitions beyond that station in life, are nothing but pipe dreams. Discipline spurs me on toward the completion of my goal, because in the end, each and every one of you deserve the best out of me that I have to give. Thank you all for always being there. Now go out and become who you were born to be. It all begins with a fundamental question: Who do I want to be today? Tue, 12 Oct 2010 10:00:00 GMT C781260180C7CD0F571845BB434A68A3 http://jonathanlaird.net/blog.cfm?feature=2315333&postid=902750 Hard at work here, guys! It's been a very good week for writing. Almost halfway to the writing goal! They've been pouring out left and right. They're almost ready for the musical production phase. After I work out some kinks, they're gonna be ready for video. Why do these songs stripped down? I'm working with the philosophy that a good song should stand on it's own. With your help, I've got a feeling that this is gonna be a great project, and I'm thrilled have you guys be a part of it. If you're reading this, and don't know what I'm talking about, visit www.jonathanlaird.net for more details. Well, back to work! See ya soon!Jon
Jon]]> Fri, 01 Oct 2010 10:00:00 GMT 235F0BFE081A2E55EFEB5840C7809559