Everyone in their rocket ships! http://jilldawson.com/blog.cfm Fri, 10 Feb 2012 23:31:47 GMT http://bandzoogle.com Inspired by Leonard Cohen .... Leaving perfectionism behind in 2012 http://jilldawson.com/blog.cfm?feature=960514&postid=1769981 "Ring the bells that still can ring, Forget your perfect offering. There is  in a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in." ~Leonard Cohen ~Leonard Cohen]]> Fri, 10 Feb 2012 23:31:47 GMT 0D75B11FBE2B9AAE5700BC62C2538AC8 May 7th, "Top of My World" http://jilldawson.com/blog.cfm?feature=960514&postid=1006445 To all the overworked Mothers out there .... you are a TREASURE, a genuine GEM in the crown of life. Celebrate your beauty, inside and out.  Sharing a bit of streaming audio from "Top of My World," a song I wrote for my children while watching them play on the patio on a spring day  ... it's only a partial demo, but captures the wonder they have, and how we, as mothers, want to protect them and watch them fly at the same time.
Sharing a bit of streaming audio from "Top of My World," a song I wrote for my children while watching them play on the patio on a spring day  ... it's only a partial demo, but captures the wonder they have, and how we, as mothers, want to protect them and watch them fly at the same time.]]> Sat, 07 May 2011 19:10:00 GMT 620878D085EAE936F8287A8557B720B2 Creating Space ~Love is our true business http://jilldawson.com/blog.cfm?feature=960514&postid=807073 Life is busy, making our brains busy, and personally, that makes my insides very restless. So today, I create ...Yes, I'm focusing on creating space; space for quiet, for stillness. I'm creating space for contentment and love. With each inhaled breath, I bring all of these into my being. With each exhale, I release doubt, anxiety, worry and guilt. Today, I'm creating space for the Source of life to enter, to rest with me, and to speak as my soul listens.  "Come closer, come home" the Source whispers, and I am fully embraced with warmth, love, acceptance... with hope and renewal.  My soul responds with a knowing. My assignment is LOVE, that is my earthly occupation, that is what I am to do. As a conduit of this amazing resource, we must first fill ourselves, our beings with the unfailing kind of Love from which we all were created. With it, we soar, connect with the majesty of the heavens and all imperfections fade away. We are not failures, we are good, we are enough, we are loved and in turn we are loving.  We create the space for abundance, for healing our brokenness, and can tingle with amazement and joy. We come closer, closer to home, and we become the Love needed in this world. Life is busy, but Love is our true business.
My soul responds with a knowing. My assignment is LOVE, that is my earthly occupation, that is what I am to do. As a conduit of this amazing resource, we must first fill ourselves, our beings with the unfailing kind of Love from which we all were created. With it, we soar, connect with the majesty of the heavens and all imperfections fade away.

We are not failures, we are good, we are enough, we are loved and in turn we are loving.  We create the space for abundance, for healing our brokenness, and can tingle with amazement and joy. We come closer, closer to home, and we become the Love needed in this world. Life is busy, but Love is our true business.

]]> Thu, 03 Mar 2011 22:40:00 GMT EB10EFFFC89B364F4953EBDC973BF970 Deep Breaths, Acceptance, and Forgiveness http://jilldawson.com/blog.cfm?feature=960514&postid=323410 Everyday I try to make the best choices based upon what I value, yet, I make mistakes. I promise things I want to deliver, but sometimes am not able to. I strive to be better, but miss the mark. Finally, no matter how hard I try, I unravel, and cry unconsolably, convinced I am so much less than who I truly am meant to be. In this moment, I take a deep breath, and allow my heart to empty the frustrations with myself and others. I take a deep breath, and allow my mind to empty the projections of the future that I fear may never be realized. I need that deep breath to accept and recognize that I am here. Whatever obstacles are in my way, I am here. To breath in, breath out, and simply receive only this moment.  I accept I am human, I accept I have flaws, and I accept I have not accomplished all that I have set out to do. I dry my tears and forgive myself.  I forgive others, and let go of the anger that displaced love. I take a deep breath, bringing in truth, light and love to guide tomorrow's choices. I am here, and I will not surrender. LYRICS TO DEEP BREATHS & FORGIVENESS (c) 2010 Jill Dawson Every heart ever broken by careless words regretfully spoken has wound that's in need of repair Every flower yearns to blossom Every tree yearns to grow  Bitter roots delay the process of the beauty of the bloom Deep Breaths and Forgiveness are beautiful things Deep Breaths and Forgiveness are the most beautiful of things Every hour we spend livin with Rights undone and wrongs unforgiven will not Yield any fragrance of trust  Tender hearts with Grace and compassion can Heal again and Love Deep Breaths and Forgiveness are beautiful things Deep Breaths and Forgiveness are the most beautiful of things
In this moment, I take a deep breath, and allow my heart to empty the frustrations with myself and others. I take a deep breath, and allow my mind to empty the projections of the future that I fear may never be realized. I need that deep breath to accept and recognize that I am here. Whatever obstacles are in my way, I am here. To breath in, breath out, and simply receive only this moment. 

I accept I am human, I accept I have flaws, and I accept I have not accomplished all that I have set out to do. I dry my tears and forgive myself.  I forgive others, and let go of the anger that displaced love. I take a deep breath, bringing in truth, light and love to guide tomorrow's choices. I am here, and I will not surrender.

LYRICS TO DEEP BREATHS & FORGIVENESS
(c) 2010 Jill Dawson
Every heart ever broken by
careless words regretfully spoken
has wound that's in need of repair

Every flower yearns to blossom
Every tree yearns to grow 
Bitter roots delay the process of the beauty of the bloom

Deep Breaths and Forgiveness are beautiful things
Deep Breaths and Forgiveness are the most beautiful of things

Every hour we spend livin with
Rights undone and wrongs unforgiven will not
Yield any fragrance of trust 

Tender hearts with
Grace and compassion can
Heal again and Love

Deep Breaths and Forgiveness are beautiful things
Deep Breaths and Forgiveness are the most beautiful of things
]]> Wed, 16 Jun 2010 00:55:00 GMT C1E95FF3D8C7B106FF739C8EF71DB514 Thank you! http://jilldawson.com/blog.cfm?feature=960514&postid=225767 A quick shout out to say thank you to all who supported me at my most recent show.  How awesome it felt to share all new material, and have it received with cheers from the most gracious audience! I'm open to playing out more this coming year, but at the same time want to be sure to stay focused on getting decent demos completed. In the immediate term, I've completed writing a theme song for nonprofit LeaderSpark, and we will be recording it in the coming weeks. This song will be released as part of the MELODY FOR CHANGE PROJECT, with a promotional video to raise awareness for LeaderSpark leadership programs for youth.  Then, it's back to business on the Basement Tapes CD, which will take longer than original planned. Due to corrupt files, I will need to re-record many of the songs. But with most things in this universe, I truly believe this happened for good reason. I'll now be able to include a couple of new songs I've written in the past couple of months, and ensure the timing and keys make each song the best it can be. In the meantime, enjoy a couple of the free downloads, and I'll be in touch!
In the immediate term, I've completed writing a theme song for nonprofit LeaderSpark, and we will be recording it in the coming weeks. This song will be released as part of the MELODY FOR CHANGE PROJECT, with a promotional video to raise awareness for LeaderSpark leadership programs for youth. 

Then, it's back to business on the Basement Tapes CD, which will take longer than original planned. Due to corrupt files, I will need to re-record many of the songs. But with most things in this universe, I truly believe this happened for good reason. I'll now be able to include a couple of new songs I've written in the past couple of months, and ensure the timing and keys make each song the best it can be.

In the meantime, enjoy a couple of the free downloads, and I'll be in touch!


]]> Fri, 02 Apr 2010 02:00:00 GMT FE219A4AB259D835B41812440168FE9B Changes in the Melody and Melody for Change http://jilldawson.com/blog.cfm?feature=960514&postid=190288 Though I haven't touched base in a while, it doesn't mean I haven't been thinking of you.  I've had a spurt of creativity and songwriting again, so rather than recording, and promoting, I've been enjoying going back to basics, which for me is validating the muse and creating. I've recently realized that the majority of my songs are written either in the months of Sept/Oct or Feb/March. Not wanting to ignore these short creative windows in my musical journey, I did put recording on hold to capture what is musically being given to me at the moment.  In all honestly, part of that decision was made for me since I've been having technical difficulty editing the files for The Basement Tapes. The result is I think I will be forced to rerecord a good handful of those songs. Perhaps it was the universes way of ensuring more songs that need to be heard get written :) So, I promise to keep plugging away at it, and in time, we'll get there. If you've been checking out any of the latest posts, you may have also run across the mention of the Melody for Change Project. Around the time my song "Faith" was added to the "Songs for Haiti" vault, I woke in the middle of the night with the words "Melody for Change Project" rattling around.  It's no secret I've pursued songwriting and a music career in the past, and walked away for a variety of reasons. One of them being the self-centered focus it required, leaving me feeling empty and unfulfilled. Thus, when I decided to start sharing my music again this past fall, I promised myself that the focus would be on making a difference in some capacity.  This is where my concept for the "Melody for Change Project" comes in. The nonprofit endeavor is to partner songwriters/musicians with nonprofit organizations, and even companies, that are truly making tomorrow a better place, either through empowering youth, helping those less fortunate, or educating on environmental concerns. So, the initial stages of this will be writing songs that will be used to promote these organizations and companies. The recorded songs will be used in viral videos and at fundraising events. Hopefully, a set of songs will be released on an EP of which the proceeds will fund the continuation of the Melody for Change Project. I've got lots of additional ideas of how it can grow, but for now, I'm at the baby steps stage. I just finished a demo for LeaderSpark, and they loved it. I have another song called "We R" that will highlight heroes of tomorrow, and am working on a few others that I will share in time. It is something very dear to me, because I truly want my musical imprint to inspire others to use music for change.  Well, off to the next note, the next lyric, the next song.   
If you've been checking out any of the latest posts, you may have also run across the mention of the Melody for Change Project. Around the time my song "Faith" was added to the "Songs for Haiti" vault, I woke in the middle of the night with the words "Melody for Change Project" rattling around.  It's no secret I've pursued songwriting and a music career in the past, and walked away for a variety of reasons. One of them being the self-centered focus it required, leaving me feeling empty and unfulfilled. Thus, when I decided to start sharing my music again this past fall, I promised myself that the focus would be on making a difference in some capacity.  This is where my concept for the "Melody for Change Project" comes in. The nonprofit endeavor is to partner songwriters/musicians with nonprofit organizations, and even companies, that are truly making tomorrow a better place, either through empowering youth, helping those less fortunate, or educating on environmental concerns. So, the initial stages of this will be writing songs that will be used to promote these organizations and companies. The recorded songs will be used in viral videos and at fundraising events. Hopefully, a set of songs will be released on an EP of which the proceeds will fund the continuation of the Melody for Change Project. I've got lots of additional ideas of how it can grow, but for now, I'm at the baby steps stage.

I just finished a demo for LeaderSpark, and they loved it. I have another song called "We R" that will highlight heroes of tomorrow, and am working on a few others that I will share in time. It is something very dear to me, because I truly want my musical imprint to inspire others to use music for change.  Well, off to the next note, the next lyric, the next song.   


]]> Wed, 24 Feb 2010 04:20:00 GMT D85FAAB07890D23D1DEC3F95E223B757 Today's not an easy day, nor will tomorrow be ... http://jilldawson.com/blog.cfm?feature=960514&postid=157081 In Memory of my step-sister, Julie A beautiful person with an infectious laugh, A mother of two girls, a loving daughter, and a friend to many. She was killed on January 9th, 2009. ------------------------------------------- Today's not an easy day, nor will tomorrow be ....  The degree to which you will be missed is immeasurable.  We'll miss that beautiful smile & exuberant spirit you brought into any room.  We'll miss your infectious laugh which is now, no doubt, music to ear's of angels.  We'll miss your friendship, your phone calls, your hugs.  You've inspired so many with your passion for people, and  generous love for your family.  You've inspired us to be strong, to be honest, and  enjoy each moment in life together.  We can not say good bye, for we know you live on...  Live on in our hearts, in the spirits of your gorgeous girls, and with the Lord  whose cradled you in his arms and welcomed you home.  Heaven is even brighter and more beautiful than ever.  We are comforted knowing you now sit among the angels,  but we are struggling.  We are struggling to find a sense of peace. No,  Today's not an easy day. Nor will tomorrow be.  So, we must pray, and pray hard.  Our prayer for today ...  We pray for His Hand to hold ours in our time of sorrow.  We pray we can open our eyes to the blessings in front of us,  and be guided by God's grace  We pray to be present to receive love,  and fully absorb the moments we have with one another.  And for tomorrow ...  We pray that as a sunbeam shines, someday  we can smile as you, Julie, smiled  We pray that as a wind brushes gently by, someday  we can inhale the exuberance of life as you did  We pray that as a bird sings his morning song, someday  we can hear your laughter and laugh with you.  We love you, Julie. 
In Memory of my step-sister, Julie
A beautiful person with an infectious laugh,
A mother of two girls, a loving daughter, and a friend to many.
She was killed on January 9th, 2009.
-------------------------------------------
Today's not an easy day, nor will tomorrow be .... 
The degree to which you will be missed is immeasurable. 
We'll miss that beautiful smile & exuberant spirit you brought into any room. 
We'll miss your infectious laugh which is now, no doubt, music to ear's of angels. 
We'll miss your friendship, your phone calls, your hugs. 
You've inspired so many with your passion for people, and 
generous love for your family. 
You've inspired us to be strong, to be honest, and 
enjoy each moment in life together. 
We can not say good bye, for we know you live on... 
Live on in our hearts, in the spirits of your gorgeous girls, and with the Lord 
whose cradled you in his arms and welcomed you home. 
Heaven is even brighter and more beautiful than ever. 
We are comforted knowing you now sit among the angels, 
but we are struggling. 
We are struggling to find a sense of peace. No, 
Today's not an easy day. Nor will tomorrow be. 
So, we must pray, and pray hard. 
Our prayer for today ... 
We pray for His Hand to hold ours in our time of sorrow. 
We pray we can open our eyes to the blessings in front of us, 
and be guided by God's grace 
We pray to be present to receive love, 
and fully absorb the moments we have with one another. 
And for tomorrow ... 
We pray that as a sunbeam shines, someday 
we can smile as you, Julie, smiled 
We pray that as a wind brushes gently by, someday 
we can inhale the exuberance of life as you did 
We pray that as a bird sings his morning song, someday 
we can hear your laughter and laugh with you. 
We love you, Julie. 
]]> Sat, 09 Jan 2010 23:00:00 GMT 46E42384F54329EC1C6F725C6709AE47 Into a new decade ... 2010 http://jilldawson.com/blog.cfm?feature=960514&postid=150409 Wow, the end of 2009 is today, and we begin a new decade. I wish I could say all has been magical and full of delight this past year, but we've had some emotional lows from loss. Yet, on the other side of the pain, I've experienced a very personal spiritual transformation and witnessed amazing strength and grace within those I love. So, we end this year with a sense of hope, optimism, and motivation to live our best lives, hour by hour, making choices that reflect what is truly important to us. On a musical note, I'm grateful to be back writing songs and sharing music, and look forward to keeping the creative momentum going. Balancing of the holiday busyness and family responsibilities, I'm not as far along finishing up the Basement Tapes, but will be returning to that project in the coming weeks. In the meantime, I'm taking deep breaths, and soaking in the precious moments of the holiday season.  Sending my very best regards to you and your loved ones
On a musical note, I'm grateful to be back writing songs and sharing music, and look forward to keeping the creative momentum going. Balancing of the holiday busyness and family responsibilities, I'm not as far along finishing up the Basement Tapes, but will be returning to that project in the coming weeks. In the meantime, I'm taking deep breaths, and soaking in the precious moments of the holiday season. 

Sending my very best regards to you and your loved ones

]]> Thu, 31 Dec 2009 21:45:00 GMT 0A0A8DF7DEFBA0F415C3F2AEAE6248F4 Rain or shine, continuously plant the seeds http://jilldawson.com/blog.cfm?feature=960514&postid=124100 I received an email recently with the following quote from Ecclesiastes 11:4 "Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant. If they watch every cloud, they never harvest." I wanted to share this with others to encourage them to take risks when it comes to pursuing dreams. I myself halted taking steps toward my true passion because I was waiting for the "perfect conditions." It took considerable time and loss to realize I was waiting for something that doesn't exist. We have to do the best we can with what we are given, or we will end up with nothing but regret. I think it is actually fear that fuels the "perfect condition" excuse. It's very easy to let the fear of failure or even of success be a saboteur.  The truth is life is messy, situations are rarely perfect, and humans are far from it.  Unfortunately, if you pick up a magazine these days, too many of us are unfairly comparing ourselves to illusions. We need a movement to prove there is real beauty in authenticity.  I'm working hard to move beyond the paralyzing trap of perfectionism. That's not to say I'm not striving to be the best I can be. I am, however, now able to share my original music, in all it's messiness. In fact, many of things I'm going to share on this website in the coming months may not sound "radio ready." They will, however, document my journey as a singer/songwriter completing songs, rewriting them, experimenting with arrangements, etc. My recordings may have imperfections, but I hope I can capture the authenticity of a performance that travels beyond your ears and into your soul.  Rather than wait for more time and more money, I am taking the leap to share what I can with you with what I have right now. The songs are my seeds. I plant them by sharing them with you. Rain or shine, I will continue to do so. It's unclear what form the harvest will take, but regardless hope the pure action of planting them will inspire you to plant your own. "Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant. If they watch every cloud, they never harvest."

I wanted to share this with others to encourage them to take risks when it comes to pursuing dreams. I myself halted taking steps toward my true passion because I was waiting for the "perfect conditions." It took considerable time and loss to realize I was waiting for something that doesn't exist. We have to do the best we can with what we are given, or we will end up with nothing but regret. I think it is actually fear that fuels the "perfect condition" excuse. It's very easy to let the fear of failure or even of success be a saboteur. 

The truth is life is messy, situations are rarely perfect, and humans are far from it.  Unfortunately, if you pick up a magazine these days, too many of us are unfairly comparing ourselves to illusions. We need a movement to prove there is real beauty in authenticity.  I'm working hard to move beyond the paralyzing trap of perfectionism. That's not to say I'm not striving to be the best I can be. I am, however, now able to share my original music, in all it's messiness.

In fact, many of things I'm going to share on this website in the coming months may not sound "radio ready." They will, however, document my journey as a singer/songwriter completing songs, rewriting them, experimenting with arrangements, etc. My recordings may have imperfections, but I hope I can capture the authenticity of a performance that travels beyond your ears and into your soul.  Rather than wait for more time and more money, I am taking the leap to share what I can with you with what I have right now.

The songs are my seeds. I plant them by sharing them with you. Rain or shine, I will continue to do so. It's unclear what form the harvest will take, but regardless hope the pure action of planting them will inspire you to plant your own.]]> Tue, 17 Nov 2009 09:50:00 GMT 5B63C19B33CE69F9AED2DD98FEDA95F5 Pigtail Pals! http://jilldawson.com/blog.cfm?feature=960514&postid=94996 I was so excited to learn about the apparel company of Pigtail Pals, which actions strongly support it's marketing tag "Redefining Girly". These words are about encouraging our girls to embrace their individuality. To put it in the words of my 4 year old daughter, she proudly states "Um, I'm a different kind of person than you" when people question what she wears or plays with. Each child is a gem with unique interests, and we should let them define their own dreams and encourage them to do so without judgement. In fact, the song "When I Dream" was inspired by my daughter's request to build a rocket ship to fly to outerspace. Let's retain that sense of wonder and possibility in the next generation, and abandon the stereotypes that are limiting them. A tremendous thank you to Pigtail Pals for embracing that philosphy. I'm proud to have "When I Dream" be part of what is not only a clothing line, but a movement. ]]> Fri, 09 Oct 2009 22:01:42 GMT A85955E93732FE2D42389BABCBED3F8B Everyone in their rocket ships http://jilldawson.com/blog.cfm?feature=960514&postid=94120 After nearly a 5 year hiatus, my musical flame has been reignited. In 2004, I stepped away from sharing my music publicly for many reasons.  The most important was I had a young son, and shortly thereafter in 2005, had a young daughter.  I've always used songwriting as an outlet to balance my life, but in the last couple of years never ventured up from the little music room in my basement. Then, early this year, a tragic family event shook me. The fire for songwriting intensified, and a strong need to share what I was creating grew within.  I now see my music as a legacy, and each song as an opportunity to bring joy and/or comfort to others. The universe seemed to agree and has started to nudge me toward musical opportunities that are in sync with these intentions. So, thank you to those who have been a part of this exciting transition. Now, let's everybody get in our rocket ships and join in for not only the launch of a new website, but a new creative journey.  Blasting off! Thu, 08 Oct 2009 19:20:00 GMT C4AB4B07F14F110B543D9C2405C6CA12