I Desire Connection

Hello! How’s it going? Hope you’re having a great week!

I had an idea, and I’m curious what you think about it.

I’d love to make a documentary about this journey I’m on right now… ya know, the semi-old guy who wants to be a pop star in Europe? I think there’d be some awesome topics to explore, like: Not letting age dictate what we do, the value of being curious and adventurous, never giving up, addressing fears that I’ve been working on overcoming, what is hope, what is success… I think it’d be super fun…and a great way to connect with others and inspire all of us to keep living as long as we’re alive!! YES! What dya think?

What’s Going On ➡

This past Saturday, I visited the Twin Cities Book Festival and saw a huge room full of immensely creative people wanting to share their work with others. I also wanted to give some love and support to my friend Eme Mc Anam who was talking about her latest book Freefalling (a senior romance novel!). (click on her name to find out more about it!)

I had a little bit of a difficult time walking through the aisles of tables because I want to be nice to everybody and encourage them and take interest in their work. But that’s impossible, so I end up just smiling and nodding to most, hoping they’re enjoying themselves.

It also can be very discouraging because you’re literally face to face to a ton of people who are (like me…) just trying to be heard and hoping to find their audience. To their credit, some may already have an audience, and they’re just sharing/selling their work or experiencing the camaraderie.

As a creative person, I possess a strong desire (need?) for connection. Creating something from nothing is an intensely intimate process, as I try to listen to the inspiration that may or may not be very loud in my head. The next step is the sharing process….sending this newsletter out in the world, or posting something on social media…or releasing a new song out into the Universe. The desire is to create engagement…to solicit emotion or inspiration…and hopefully, garner a response. MOST of what I send out into the world receives no engagement. And part of my never-ending journey into maturity is learning to be okay with that, yet still working extremely hard to find new, creative ways to invite people to engage with my creative stuff. Which leads to….

How Can You Engage Today ➡

Please check out the song I just released last Friday by clicking on the video above (it’ll take you to YouTube) — I’m so proud of this song and hope that people are empowered to keep going after hearing it—to refuse to listen to the negative voices always trying to get us to be “more reasonable.” Or the internal voices that say, “Who do you think you are” or “You’re too old to go after a music career”… that kind of ridiculousness!

Stream “Just Watch Me” on SPOTIFY — or APPLE MUSIC — or AMAZON MUSIC

And please follow me on social media (FACEBOOK or INSTAGRAM) and comment from time to time, like, share…all this kind of engagement is SUPER HELPFUL for me to keep reaching a wider audience. In technical terms, we’re trying to “work the algorithm” !!! Let’s do it!! and THANK YOU!!!!

What I’m Enjoying ➡

I had heard good things about the TV show “Welcome to Wrexham” (Hulu) for a while. But I wasn’t anticipating what a giant heart this show would have. Basic premise: a real life “Ted Lasso” sort of (a show I also loved very much). Two Hollywood stars, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhanny, on a strange whim decide to purchase a struggling football (soccer) team in Wales, UK. They hope to improve the team, and bring hope to the small town of Wrexham. And they do! This show is a documentary that follows all the proceedings (Ryan and Rob are hilarious!) but takes moments to dive into incredibly emotional backstories of certain players and fans. It’s done wonders to the industry in this small town with people from all over the world wanting to visit—I can’t wait to visit myself, meet the townsfolk, and cheer on the team. I hope I get that chance! It makes me wonder if I could ever be a soccer fan…? Perhaps!! (FYI: this show uses about the same amount of F-words as “Ted Lasso”)

Thanks for reading all this! I’m always open to your comments and feedback…and cherish the engagement, however you’re able.

Sending you love - Mark