The Shrine Down the Hall

We are contacted all the time about media/art/music projects honoring the fallen.

Here is one I ran across in the New York Times that I thought was worth sharing.

It's simplicity is striking.

One can imagine that these rooms never looked so neat and tidy during everyday life.

Only in death do they look so pristine and lonely.

Back to reality...

So, I have been a bad blogger lately. I have been at a loss for words and felt less than inspired to tackle blogging in addition to all the other year end things that we all do.

While we lost power last night and the house was eerily quiet, I felt it. It was the extended thought of wanting to peck away at the keyboard and get back into the swing of the daily grind here at TTFR. I imagine that those of you that make music have periods of time where nothing flows quite like you mean it to and days pass with little more than the thought of time passing by, but not accomplishing all that much.

Turning the calendar to that first month in January of a New Year is like wiping the slate clean and getting back to whatever it is you do best.

Working Through Grief

I have worked through grief. I've gone right through the middle of it and come out the other side battered and bruised, but still a relatively whole person albeit a bit more jaded. Last week was like going back in a time machine seven years when grieving was my full-time job. Two close friends of mine experienced a similar loss as me shortly before Thanksgiving and it was like Death showed up at my door again very unexpectedly and without an invitation.

It's only Monday, but I feel behind. Not only do you have to work through the actual grieving process, but the majority of us actually have to work, as in a J-O-B. It is hard to be motivated and find personal satisfaction when your mind is elsewhere.

Since I don't make music, listening is a great vehicle for me to get my head on straight. The lyrics speak to me about something totally in-line with what I'm feeling or totally different if I need that distraction.

The holidays can be particularly hard for anyone grieving the death of a loved one. With all this superficial happiness strewn about, please take a moment and touch base with someone who is working hard at grieving.

Whet your appetite with some TTFR news

In business and personal relationships, I have learned that the best things happen when people or companies come to you. They saw something in what you offered, whether it be friendship or marketability, that intrigued and enticed them to pick up the phone or friend you on Facebook. Partnerships that have come to TTFR via an online search or word-of-mouth have been really successful. Everyone has ideas to share, but when you can find an organization that complements yours perfectly, you better pay attention and get on board before the opportunity passes you by. TTFR is working on such a partnership now and the scope of how far-reaching it can be, is truly awesome. Stay tuned in the next few weeks to hear what we've got planned for America's military.

Repugnant Marketability

While driving back and forth to WRAMC in preparation for my son's surgery, I happened upon a business named, Quickie Beckie's. Quickie Beckie's takes care of kids. That is one of the worst names I have ever heard! I was intrigued as to how anyone could think "Quickie" could be an appropriate moniker for anything other than a fast food joint or somewhere you get a happy-ending and I don't mean the dessert at Friendly's.

Quickie Beckie's might be a decent name for a band, but a childcare program?

We have gotten music submissions from some crazy-named bands. The one that takes the cake for me, which could have had the BEST sound in the whole world, but I could not get past their awful name, was "Drunken Fetus." I couldn't find the humor in the choice nor did their image match who I thought they were as musicians. I found it to be repugnant and therefore not marketable. Choose your band's name wisely. Whether you like it or not, you will be judged on that choice often before anyone even hears your sound.

Say It Ain't So Fort Hood

About the only place I feel relatively safe nowadays is on post. It is the one place where uniform wearing service-members hold the door as you drag your kids through AAFES, your Power Zone purchases are tax-free and you get your own friendly grocery bagger to walk you to your car. It's like a safe haven in this cold cruel world we live in for those who call themselves military.

I'm sad for everyone right now. I hope it was an "outsider" who came into our collective house and wrought this calamity. It is easier on the spirit to think so.

~Sidney

The Other Half of TTFR

Fool me once

I was recently involved in planning an event that had multiple coordinators who, prior to this particular project, had never met. One person immediately took charge and the rest of us took the path of least resistance and let them run with it. I figured they must have done this before, so I will sit back and manage my little corner of the event while they tackle the over-arching goals. The gathering didn't go so well. It wasn't a total disaster, but clearly it didn't flow as smoothly as I would have envisioned or hoped. At the event, this person shared they had NEVER done this before. What?!?

It was apparent that I didn't do my due diligence. I failed to dig deeper and play more of an active role in helping this person get it together. Shouldn't I know better? In fact, yes I should. TTFR has hired firms that on initial interview are enthusiastic go-getters that have a clear vision in response to whatever it is we are asking of them. Early on, we didn't dig deeper. We took these professionals at face value and hired them, sometimes at a significant cost to our bank account, as well as our reputation. It didn't matter that TTFR paid them a lot. We got burned more than once at different price points. At least we shared the love.

So the event happened. That was a plus. Was it as great as it could have been? No, but I know better for the next time.