Leaving (March 29th - April 4th)

By the time anyone reads this I will be on a 30 hour drive.

This was the week before leaving on a Western Canada tour and naturally, I was busy getting it all ready. I filed paperwork, sorted merchandise, ran logistics, did rehearsals, all while releasing and promoting a new song, and working a full-time job.

As the days got nearer I started to feel anxious about the less enjoyable parts of tour: crossing borders, cramped hotel rooms, missing my partner, the lack of sleep, and this monster of a drive to Vancouver just to start.

On Thursday morning, I woke up to the news that a local Chicago musician, beloved in the community, had passed away. By all external measures, he had so much going for him: still in his thirties, in a well-known band, and co-host of a popular podcast.

I didn’t know him personally, but we have close mutuals I see regularly. From what they’ve shared, and from the tributes I read, it feels like we would’ve gotten along.

The news sat heavy with me.

And just like that, the things I’d been anxious about lost their hold on me. The cramped spaces. The border lines. This long drive. All of it is something I still get to do.

What became clear is that there is only one real priority: to be alive to experience it all. The fun, the stress, the joy, and the discomfort.

This week is a reminder to myself and anyone reading: We’re alive. We’ve already won.

Here’s my week:

Band Admin: 31h

Music (playing): 2h

Writing: 4h

My living room; the epicenter of chaos