When grownups asked you what you wanted to be when you grew up, how did you usually answer? I remember going through a few different phases of replies. There was a period of time when I wanted to be a psychologist and eventually, for the longest period of time, a reporter. Secretly, I know a part of me always wanted to be a performer in some way, whether it was acting, radio, comedy, singing — anything! — but when you’re a shy girl with her head in a book, you start to believe all the people who tell you that you’re destined for something more academic than the stage or that it’s not realistic to aim for a career in the arts. So you bury that dream and look elsewhere.
Ahem, lesson #1 to kids everywhere: listen to your heart, not old wives tales.
As we get older, we begin to fine-tune the answer to that burning question. Sometimes we end up in the same lane as our earlier dreams and others, we forget about and move on to interests we may develop in college or in the workforce years later. And sometimes, we might even find them rekindled watching a reality competition program.
With most of the season finales done, I’m finally getting to catch up on the DVR and those shows that took a backseat to the favorites who get first dibs on my attention. I had taped the first two weeks of a new songwriting competition show produced by Adam Levine of Maroon 5 and longtime judge on “The Voice.” The new show is called “Songland,” and the impact I had on me after just two episodes was profound.
The show is good —nothing earth shattering, although I will admit to personally being electrified watching any creative process in motion, and this show gives you the opportunity to watch a performer and songwriter, collaborate with talented producers in the room tossing in their 5 cents, and the overall result, is quite fascinating. Okay songs suddenly become much more interesting. Catchy numbers grow into a friendly earworm by the end of the night.
I mention this because one of my lost dreams that keeps popping up from time to time is my desire to write a song. Heck, maybe a whole album. I’ve always felt like between my love for music and dialogue, I have it in me — I just haven’t figured how to mine that out yet. I’ve taken stabs at it along the way. I don’t read or write music though, so it does make the process of mapping out the accompanying melody a little tricky. Aah, my trusty MP3 recorder has been subjected to many potential tunes with promise and others that just go in a ditch.
Yes, as a writer, I’m glad to check off a new thing each time I am able to successfully write a new platform or format like sticking a pin in my own personal map. I got to do that when I completed my first novel, as well as my first short story, poem and anthology. But I still have a few stops on my ‘lost dreams highway’ to make.
I’ve always wanted to write a play. I’ve blogged about the subject before but honestly, it’s so far back, I might have to dust away some cobwebs to find the entry. And I’ve always wanted to write songs and share a piece of myself that way. It seems like it would be the most intimate thing I’ve ever written, because when you write a song, it is as if you are delving deep into your tissues to pull out every joyful, painful, spirited or crushing experience and translating it into lyrics. Now doesn’t that sound easy peasy? Nah, I agree with you. It sounds pretty damn hard.
But I’m still up to the challenge. And thanks to a silly TV show that you know I’m going to watch again next week and the week after that and the week after that… a longing monster of a dream that was lying dormant for so long has been awakened. Guess I’ll have to feed the beast and see what musical thoughts I might string together.
Hey, maybe I should write a musical and take care of two dreams simultaneously… and to answer the question you only thought quietly to yourself, yes, in fact, I do like making life harder for myself. That seems to be my modus operandi.
So I told you mine. You tell me yours. What dormant dreams have been sleeping that maybe it’s time to blare the alarm clock in their ear and WAKE THEM THE HELL UP?
Life’s short. Do what makes you happy. Or at least set out to do it. Thanks for reading. ~ Chris K.
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