FAST MOVING TRAIN

Life is moving pretty quickly, and I’m cool with that as long as it’s mutually satisfying for myself and others. Well, I’ll settle for it being satisfying for myself, as I have no control over your happiness or perception of what satisfying means. The goal is happy people, but I’ll settle for Happy Me, knowing he’s more likely to help make others happy than Pissy Me.

There are times when you find yourself sitting around new tables of people, or talking on the phone with a whole new cast of characters like the start of a whole new television season. You have attracted these people for a purpose, and they have attracted you. Are they more interesting, better connected, and more inspiring that the people from last season, or your last job, or your last year? It’s should be a good indicator of things to come, because you know that no man or wo-man is an island. We can’t manifest this stuff on our own.

There’s a significant difference in the quality of the people I interact with on a daily basis these days, versus those in my past. There are definitely people I miss like crazy, but I have to accept that there are clear reasons  (on both our parts) to not interact. We are out of phase with one another, and that’s cool for now.

This Hamell On Trial experiment has been really interesting. It started by me saying something like: “As a fan, I’d love to get more out of your website. A consistent, easier to read blog, more music, bootlegs, your whole story and body of work, etc.” I then insisted that I would never have or create the time to undertake something like this. Once you get through those layers of time and availability, those barriers to what we’re truly capable of, some serious shit starts to happen.

In my experience, I realize I’ve been asking for and looking for ways to generate a living off of creative output. The old way of doing that never quite worked for me. It’s not like I could get back on a school bus and play 200+ shows a year for $100 per week after expenses. There’s no going back. And long prior to the idea of a digital business was the need of a consistent approach to songwriting and channeling the creative juice.  By removing my ego and the need to make it all about me ME ME, I’ve been able to get a lot of work done for Hamell,& make us both some money, but most importantly inspire us both to create this new world: 100% ownership and responsibility for every dollar we make, based solely on creative output. We’ve sold paintings and thousands of songs already,  and that was only the first wave of product: A 7 song EP and less than 10 paintings.

I never planned on being an art dealer, or a motivator, or a sales person for that matter. I couldn’t have foreseen that our online activity would spark the interest to produce a documentary, and that Henry Rollins and Ani Difranco would be immediately on board as Hamell fans. These are wildest dreams scenarios that happen out of nowhere, right here in Akron OH. It’s more proof of the principles I’ve tried to live by the last few years. Below are some of the Cliff’s Note’s:

• Our true value lies in our service to others, which is our contribution to All That Is.
• We are the accumulation of all of our trial and error. (Law of Accumulation).
• Our creative potential is limitless, and has nothing to do with age. Hamell’s post recently on his 125+ songs with no end in site was inspiring.
• People would much rather work with and help the happiest mofo in the room, and you can’t fake it.
• Being happy is the most noble, important work you can do.
• Saying YES to everything may run you ragged, but in the end it’s a  lot more beneficial to your life than saying NO.
• Waiting for other people to help you or do it for you is giving your power away. Start somewhere and figure it out. I’m currently eyeballs deep in code figuring out the HamellTV.com store, distribution, customer service processes etc. I can’t say it’s fun, but I can say making money while we sleep will be cool.
• Build your own church: Running, meditation, Emotional Freedom Therapy, Reading, writing, blogging, eating well, time with your family, etc. It’s infinitely more beneficial than wasting time in anyone else’s church.

This year has me crazy excited. We’ll be taking some trips as a couple, and also as a family. I’ll be working on Hamell’s next album and documentary along side some freakin HEROES of mine. If I’ve run 13 miles, I’ll do it again with another 26 to follow in the Fall. The challenges are growing, which only means I’ve gotta expand in response to them. So so so so so much more I want to do with my time here.

I’m not sure if I’ve ever stated this so explicitly, or if it’s only implied: If there are any topics related to any of the above that you may find useful in your own path, please let me know. I’m happy help save you some trial and error time.

Much love and Happy Tuesday.