Music Success in Nine Weeks - Week Three

This week's challenge is about optimizing your website, which is something I did when I was working with Ariel before.  Not a lot of changes I need to make to the existing status quo from the last time I worked this chapter, but I may change my pitch and add it to the My Space, Twitter, and Facebook pages.

My biggest problem?  Lack of consistent follow-through.  I have great ideas but don't execute.  I write great songs but don't record them or finish them.  I get email addresses at my gigs but don't add them to the list until 4 months later and/or never send a newsletter.

I signed up for this blog contest to hopefully stimulate some more consistency from myself.  Because I feel like the consistency will pay off.  

It's not like I just sit on my duff, though.  I am still recovering from a pulmonary embolism and blood clots in my leg from March.  I have an almost 5 year old who I am the primary caregiver for 4 days a week (wife works those days).   I played 9 gigs a week all summer long.  So I am still catching up, but I am hoping this contest stimulates my "follow-through" muscle.

For example, I look at all the awesome-looking websites that the other participants have and see how I have not updated mine in eons.  I even got Dreamweaver as a Christmas present last year, but here it is Christmas again and I still have just cracked the first page of the manual.   Can't afford to hire a web designer.

One tool that Ariel provides which really helps to list FIVE SUCCESSES every day.  Because otherwise So I am going to start with that (making 2 of them music related):

1)  Had 2 musically successful gigs the last two days - played some originals at both of them (mostly I play covers).

2)  Sold 10 CDs Friday night, Sold 7 CDs last night.  Average price paid - $6.   The CDs are original music.

3)  Writing this blog is a big step toward consistent action!

4)  Took my daughter trick-or-treating.  We went to just enough houses and had a really great time.  She gives up most of her candy so the "Halloween Fairy" can give her a present.

5)  Got home from the gig last night at 4 AM (it's 2 hrs away).  Got to bed at 6 and slept a full 8 hours until 2 without waking up.  With all my sleep issues of the last couple of years, this is a major thing!  

6)  Did not get angry at the little things today.  Contained the impulse to lash out.  :-)

Anyways...on to week 4.  I may re-examine this chapter to make sure I've really worked it to my satisfaction, but my time is short and I am volunteering to make phone calls for my congressman tomorrow to get out the vote.   Vote Patrick Murphy for Pennsylvania's 8th District!