Dream Cuts; The Blessing and the Curse
It's taken me a while to come around to writing this one. I feel like this is a pretty universal feeling: Every writer has a list of "Dream Cuts"...maybe even "Wildest Dream Cuts". At least in my case, a lot of my writings are influenced by these "Dream Cuts". Sure, I can write with others in mind, but somewhere in the depths of my soul, I'm hearing certain artists wail the notes I'm imagining. I'm feeling the solos that I can't play, but that I can interpret from the song. Dream cuts are an amazing motivator.
Then comes a day when that dream cut simply ceases to exist. I'll never forget the day that it happened. For years, I'd been writing thinking "All I need to do is get published, then get some cowrites going, and if we work hard enough, it'll happen."
September 8, 2017. That's when the dream ended. I was checking social media to keep tabs on the island, which had just been destroyed by Irma when I first saw the news. I thought it was a hoax. There was no way it could be true.
For years, I'd told everyone that someday, somehow, I'd get a Montgomery Gentry cut. I was the idiot fan breaking all of the rules of the industry by handing off a demo CD to a stage hand after a show, knowing that it would end up in the trash, but holding onto the dream. I relentlessly held onto that dream for as long as I can remember. Just like that, I woke to the reality that the dream wouldn't come true.
Now, I know that the band is carrying on as best as they can, and that they are even releasing new music. But somewhere in the depths of my being, I feel that the dream is now nothing more than a memory. Sure, I'll keep writing with Montgomery Gentry in mind, but it's just not quite the same. To be honest, it kept me from writing for months. I was scared to even acknowledge my other "Dream Cuts". Of course, I know the odds of them actually coming true are one in a million, but the chance that they could, maybe, possibly, actually happen fueled me for years. I didn't want to feel the heartbreak again.
But now, I finally feel like I might be ready to dream again. I mean, it's no secret that Gary Allan is my other big "Dream Cut", and lately I've been feeling island vibes (I mean, just look at the blog revamp!), so Kenny is another one. Instead of fearing the end of the dream, I finally feel like I can just ride the wave, enjoy the surf, and hang on until I either come out on top or the tide fizzles out. Dream cuts can bring loss, but they are also one of my biggest motivators. So from this point on, I'm going to launch a "Dream Cuts" series. I'm going to try to post more videos, and actually share who I have in mind while I'm writing. I hope y'all will join me on this journey as I develop my craft and once more reach for the stars.
Then comes a day when that dream cut simply ceases to exist. I'll never forget the day that it happened. For years, I'd been writing thinking "All I need to do is get published, then get some cowrites going, and if we work hard enough, it'll happen."
September 8, 2017. That's when the dream ended. I was checking social media to keep tabs on the island, which had just been destroyed by Irma when I first saw the news. I thought it was a hoax. There was no way it could be true.
For years, I'd told everyone that someday, somehow, I'd get a Montgomery Gentry cut. I was the idiot fan breaking all of the rules of the industry by handing off a demo CD to a stage hand after a show, knowing that it would end up in the trash, but holding onto the dream. I relentlessly held onto that dream for as long as I can remember. Just like that, I woke to the reality that the dream wouldn't come true.
Now, I know that the band is carrying on as best as they can, and that they are even releasing new music. But somewhere in the depths of my being, I feel that the dream is now nothing more than a memory. Sure, I'll keep writing with Montgomery Gentry in mind, but it's just not quite the same. To be honest, it kept me from writing for months. I was scared to even acknowledge my other "Dream Cuts". Of course, I know the odds of them actually coming true are one in a million, but the chance that they could, maybe, possibly, actually happen fueled me for years. I didn't want to feel the heartbreak again.
But now, I finally feel like I might be ready to dream again. I mean, it's no secret that Gary Allan is my other big "Dream Cut", and lately I've been feeling island vibes (I mean, just look at the blog revamp!), so Kenny is another one. Instead of fearing the end of the dream, I finally feel like I can just ride the wave, enjoy the surf, and hang on until I either come out on top or the tide fizzles out. Dream cuts can bring loss, but they are also one of my biggest motivators. So from this point on, I'm going to launch a "Dream Cuts" series. I'm going to try to post more videos, and actually share who I have in mind while I'm writing. I hope y'all will join me on this journey as I develop my craft and once more reach for the stars.
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