Podcast appearances and mentions of dawn jones

Dawn Jones is a multi-passionate entrepreneur and founder of Pressed Fresh Collective, FreshNoise Distro, and Pressed PR. Originally a musician, Dawn shifted to promoting and publicizing artists through PR. Her work has landed clients in Billboard, Forbes, Huffington Post, and more, earning Pressed PR recognition as one of "The 10 Best Indie Music Promotion Services That Are Worth It." With a vision to empower artists holistically, she has created resources that guide artists from music creation to promotion.In this episode, Dawn shares how indie artists can build authentic connections, overcome industry challenges, and amplify their music with effective PR and branding.Takeaways include:How to define your unique voice as an artist.Leveraging social media and email lists for deeper fan connections.The importance of PR in creating sustainable artist careers.-----Learn more about Dawn Jones and her work at https://www.pressedfreshcollective.com/Book an Artist Breakthrough Session with the Modern Musician team: https://apply.modernmusician.me/podcast

Unlock the secrets of indie filmmaking and storytelling through our exclusive preview of the 2024 Tacoma Film Festival. Join us, Alex McCauley and Max Flosberg, as we highlight the festival's unique collaboration between the Grand Cinema and the Blue Mouse Theater, connected by convenient shuttle services for a seamless cinematic experience. We promise an illuminating journey into must-watch films like "Fish War," a documentary on Indigenous rights, and "Rainier: A Beer Odyssey," a nostalgic nod to quirky local beer commercials, sure to sell out with additional screenings scheduled.Explore a kaleidoscope of stories with films like "Vines," an eco-horror short hosting a Q&A session with Max, and "I'm Not a Robot," a thought-provoking European comedy. We celebrate diverse voices with "Donut Boy," a dramatic short reflecting the Asian community, and "Wild Dreams," which tackles identity and generational trauma. Our discussions span passionate interviews with filmmakers Don Jones-Redstone and Tommy Heffernan, providing a peek into the creative minds behind these vibrant films.Peek behind the curtain of the filmmaking process as we dive into the art of crafting short films under tight timelines and budgets. Tommy Heffernan shares his experiences with "Human Resource" and "Turbo Sean," revealing how the pressure of a 48-hour competition can spark creativity. Meanwhile, Dawn Jones-Redstone offers insights on "Feelings Experiment," discussing how the pandemic inspired a comedic exploration of emotional restoration. Together, we celebrate the therapeutic joys of spontaneous creation, advocating for a filmmaking approach that rekindles passion and creativity.Send us a textSupport the show

Dawn Jones' and team's research unexpectedly unveiled the use of scrapbooks as a new methodological approach to action research within practice as well as research studies. Dawn proposes that scrapbooks could provide a rich collection of documented evidence to support both the inspection framework and the EYFS outcomes.   Read Dawn's article here: https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/scrapbooks-as-a-methodological-and-practice-based-tool/   Listen to more: If you enjoyed this episode, you might also like to take a listen to and read Dawn's previous episodes and articles:   What do children have to say about their environment? -      https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/what-do-children-have-to-say-about-their-environment/   Problematising behaviour management systems -      https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/problematising-behaviour-management-systems/   Episode break down: 00:00 – Research context 09:00 – Scrapbooks as a listening tool 11:00 – Slowing down as a researcher and educator 14:00 – A collaborative tool for practice 21:00 – Empowering students to make an impact 25:00 – Scrapbooks as an analytical tool 30:00 – Scrapbooks for aiding inspection processes 32:30 – Collaborative tool and aiding joint observations 35:00 – Developmentally appropriate documentation 40:00 – Not having complete control as educator 44:00 – Slowing down, pondering and wallowing 46:30 – Accessibility of research   For more episodes and articles visit The Voice of Early Childhood website: https://www.thevoiceofearlychildhood.com

Reward charts, certificates and golden time – how do such behaviour management systems affect children's self-perception and the perception of their peers? Dawn Jones discusses her research, opening up conversations around adult and child power imbalances, listening to children, classroom design and much more. This episode is sponsored by ‘My Mood Stars'. My Mood Stars are resources that have been created to support emotional development; with the aim of encouraging children to talk about their feelings and emotions. To find out more about My Mood Stars visit: https://www.wendywoo.uk/mymoodstars/  Read Dawn's article: Problematising behaviour management systems – https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/problematising-behaviour-management-systems/    Listen to more: If you enjoyed this episode you might also like:  Learned helplessness: Are we setting children up for failure? with Dr Sue Allingham - https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/learned-helplessness  Growth mindset in early childhood with Matt Bawler - https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/growth-mindset-in-early-childhood/  Life skills over academic achievement with Zanna Clarke and Carmela Garcia Manas -   https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/life-skills-over-academic-achievement/  Telling hopeful stories of advocacy, agency and rights in ECEC with Dr Jo Albin-Clark and Dr Nathan Archer - https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/advocacy-agency-and-rights-in-early-childhood/  Essential skills for social sustainability with Carmela Garcia Manas - https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/essential-skills-for-social-sustainability/  Episode break down: 00:00 – Background into the research 04:50 – Why is ‘Golden time' problematic? 08:50 – ‘I have things to say & nobody listens' 15:10 – Creating a sense of helplessness 16:50 – Public shaming & negative perceptions of self & peers 22:35 – The power behind the teacher 23:20 – ‘The blue mat' – Developmentally inappropriate practices 27:50 – Old fashioned behaviour management systems 29:50 – Children spend so much time either ‘waiting' or ‘hurrying' 32:50 – Reward certificates – Some children will never get one… 34:50 – Judging children by standardised expectations 37:05 – Celebrating children for their unique selves 38:15 – Do we want critical thinkers or robots? 40:50 – Challenging standardised practice is a form of advocacy For more episodes and articles visit The Voice of Early Childhood website: https://www.thevoiceofearlychildhood.com 

In this episode Dawn Jones shares findings on a project closely working with children in gaining their reflections on spaces and places within shared worlds. In this 1st episode and article, in the 3-part series, Dawn shares how the findings relate to sustainable development goals, and poses some of the following reflections and questions: Co-collaboration on learning can lead to so many more avenues around sustainability beyond the ‘3 R's'. Children value quiet spaces and time to think... We have too much of a harsh approach of rushing our children… Are we brave enough to listen to children? Children can be far more engaged through an open and flexible approach Read Dawn's article: What do children have to say about their environment? - https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/what-do-children-have-to-say-about-their-environment/  Listen to more: If you enjoyed this episode you might also like: Education for social sustainability through sociodramatic play with Carmela Garcia Manas - https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/contributors/carmela-garcia-manas/ The therapeutic nature of the outdoors with Jenny Smillie - https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/the-therapeutic-nature-of-outdoor-play/ Episode break down: 00:00 – Listening to the voices of Reception aged children 02:00 – Top level findings of the research 04:30 – Recognising and following the child's knowledge 06:00 – Children's understanding of complex issues around sustainability 08:20 – The same findings across different schools 10:00 – A less ‘hurried space' was a recurring theme 12:00 – We make children do too much waiting 12:45 – Slow pedagogy and children as co-researchers 18:00 – Are we brave enough to step back and not intervene? 22:00 – Being an innovative and open-minded educator 23:00 – Harness children's curiosity, awe and wonder and embed this into the curriculum 24:30 – Consider the language you use – is it helpful? 27:30 – Experiences vs activities 29:15 – Linking research to practice 32:30 – ‘Fanning the sparks of wonderful practice' 34:00 – Upcoming episodes – behaviour charts and methodological tools 35:00 – Summary of the episode For more episodes and articles visit The Voice of Early Childhood website: https://www.thevoiceofearlychildhood.com 

Transcript included below…I'm coming to you today with a bit of an announcement and update, as we continue forward.When I began creating this blog and podcast two years ago, I wasn't sure exactly how far I would take it, but I'm very pleased to celebrate the fact that for two solid years, I've been able to release an episode every single week, with today being episode 105.I have colleagues who are podcasters who sometimes take a few weeks off, but thanks to the blessing of the opportunity to batch content, as well as the Lord's provision of a lot of creativity and perspectives on how to encourage you, I can celebrate that I've been able to consistently churn out some pretty encouraging and practical stuff, without a single break.I don't claim the glory for this – it's all glory to God.  I just want to celebrate.  Two years is a significant achievement for content creation on such a consistent basis.  I also want to give a shout-out to my podcast guests, who include Dawn Jones, Erin Pakinas, Mo Higgins and Jerry Chambers.  Their insights have added much more depth to what I've put together, because they've provided outside perspectives that have really enhanced this experience.In 2019, we launched GuitarSuccess4U, our online paid offering, which I've mentioned after many of these episodes here at Guitar Serious Fun.  And if you haven't learned about it yet because you've only recently subscribed, I do cordially invite you to consider joining us.The website for this experience is GuitarSuccess4U.com.  As you'll discover if you explore the website, we have a lavish, yet accessible offering for beginning and intermediate Christian guitarists. This means that it's not for everyone…but the people it's for really resonate with what we've put together.  And it's so much more than a guitar learning experience; it's the opportunity to go deep with our passions for the Lord and music and how they intersect.In the process of building out GuitarSuccess4U, my wife and I studied under Stu McLaren through a training experience called Tribe.  They've since changed their name to The Membership Experience.  Based out of Ontario, Canada, they've offered some solid counsel that has launched us forward into our teaching process of taking my 30 years of experience and imparting it through the portal and community that GuitarSuccess4U provides.One thing Stu is famous for saying is “Do more of what works, and less of what doesn't.” Which brings me to the change that's coming here at Guitar Serious Fun.  We've had a steady increase in followers and readers, but as we've checked our analytics over the past two years for how many folks have read the blog or listened to the podcast, the increase has not been as “up and to the right” as we would have liked.I love to create long form content, but in the case of this podcast, it's a lot like a journal.  As one of our Guitar Successors shared with me, some of what I've put together here has likely been for…me.  And it's been a great way to process my thoughts and journey.It has also, of course, been for you – my listeners or readers. Now, I know from our list of subscribers that a significant portion of those who follow Guitar Serious Fun are already members of GuitarSuccess4U.  Which is awesome. Perhaps you are not yet a member but are considering GuitarSuccess4U, and I sincerely hope you do.  I challenge you to find as meaningful and affordable of an experience as what we offer.So, this podcast and blog, Guitar Serious Fun, has been exactly that.But the avenues that seem to be gaining more traction and momentum for our ministry in this season are our GuitarSuccess4U YouTube channel and our GuitarSuccess4U Instagram account. You can find us on YouTube at youtube.com/@guitarsuccess4u.You can also find us on Instagram at instagram.com/guitarsuccess4u.We are posting almost daily on both YouTube and Instagram, and some of our shorts, vids and reels are getting some pretty good reach.  As of today's episode of Guitar Serious Fun, we have almost 900 followers on YouTube and almost 600 followers on Instagram.  Contrast this to just over 60 followers here.Now again, hear me when I say how grateful I am for your willingness to experience what I've put together.  Your investment of time and attention is a huge blessing to me.  But it is indeed time for a change. So, the change that's going to happen is this: at this point, I will be doing less of these episodes. Not that it's “not working” – but it's working less than I'd like, and as you know, we've all only got so much time to allocate to creating content, especially free content.  I love to create content.  It's something that gives me a lot of joy, and I have a working list and folder of concepts that are steadily making their way into the light.  People are loving a lot of what I'm putting together, and I've never experienced writer's block, which I guess is something that many people have struggled with.So I have no complaints.  Instead, a lot of gratitude!My wife and I serve under a 501(c)(3) non-profit ministry, appropriately called “David Harsh Ministries,” and our Board of Directors has graciously counseled us to take the new approach of a monthly episode of Guitar Serious Fun, so for the foreseeable future, that's what we'll do.The episodes that will be forthcoming will be audio versions of mini topical guitar lessons.  So, you can look forward to practical, encouraging episodes that will all link to a video version of what you'll hear, sometimes accompanied by some charts and tables.Speaking transparently, my intention is not to turn the Substack for Guitar Serious Fun into a paid experience, at least not at this stage, but instead to help you gain more awareness of how we can serve you inside GuitarSuccess4U. So…what do I need from you? Well, I think the best thing you can do is comment after today's episode.  Share your thoughts.  Let me know which episode or episodes of Guitar Serious Fun resonated with you and provided encouragement or wisdom.And then, consider providing some topics we could expand upon for future episodes of Guitar Serious Fun, future videos on YouTube, or future reels on Instagram.Will you do this?  Will you grab 5 minutes to share some feedback with us? Believe me, some entire episodes of Guitar Serious Fun have come to life as the result of a single question.I want to thank you for your time today and for however long you've been experiencing these episodes.  I do look forward to our monthly connection here.And I again hope to serve you inside GuitarSuccess4U, where I'm serving our members with most of my time and energy, as we desire to impact the Kingdom of God through a legacy of learning, as our members fulfill their callings in worship leading, songwriting, and the enjoyment of music at whatever level this season calls for.Thanks for reading, and I'll see you next time!Thanks for reading Guitar Serious Fun! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit guitarseriousfun.substack.com

Dawn Jones, Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer and Vice President of Social Impact at Intel, joins the show to discuss DEI in the workplace and specifically in the technology industry. This interview originally aired as part of Wharton Business Daily's DEI special. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcript included below…Today, we're going to talk about what it's like to be a clumsy guitarist, and seven intentional strategies for how to avoid being a clumsy guitarist.When I'm puttering around at home, I dress pretty casually.  One item of clothing that I tend to favor is khaki cargo shorts.  They're comfy. But sometimes, especially when I'm in a hurry, I occasionally catch the corner of the leg pockets of these shorts on some things around the house.  Like drawer knobs in the kitchen.  Or the corner of a license plate on my car in the garage.Catching the pocket on a drawer is startling, but not as startling as the loud “thwap” that happens when I bend the corner of a license plate.I know what you're thinking – maybe wear a different kind of shorts than cargo shorts.But that could be treating the symptom.Here's another idea I need to consider: slow down, be more deliberate, and be…less clumsy.I think this approach applies to a lot of different aspects of life, including…you guessed it…our guitar playing.Picture me practicing some guitar exercises or a song, whether I'm in cargo shorts or jeans or whatever.  What if I make my way hastily through said exercises or song?I'll get hung up on things, I'll miss things, or totally play something wrong. Is that ok?  Yes, I suppose.  Because I don't want to be so perfectionistic that the joy of music goes away.However, and I think you'll catch this – I can slow down a bit and really take some intentional steps towards setting myself up well for playing more accurately during my practice time.In Guitar Serious Fun Episode 34, “Can Practicing the Guitar Be Harmful?” I took some time to talk about the importance of mental focus.  I'll expand a bit on those thoughts and add a few more here today. 1.       Set yourself up for smooth sailing.If my guitar is in good working order, I'll be in great shape for a solid practice session.  In GuitarSuccess4U, one of the five instant bonuses I award to new members is a video called “10 Tips for Making Sure Your Guitar is Properly Set Up.”I'll probably not play as smoothly if my action is too high.  I may get clumsy.If my guitar is set up properly, it has a much better chance of staying in tune when I tune it.  And speaking of tuning, I also offer my new members another bonus – “How to Choose a Tuner.” In this video we go over the merits of tuners that are attached to the headstock of our guitars, thereby allowing the vibrations of the notes to be picked up and tuned precisely.We also talk about tuners you can plug into, whether handheld, or mounted on a pedal board.We even talk about sound wave beats that can be matched with a tuning fork.  All kinds of possibilities.But having my guitar set up and in tune is going to make for a great practice session.  Less clumsiness, right?2.       Make a bit of space.Having a space dedicated to your guitar practice can be a huge blessing, even if it's just the corner of a bedroom, or a space that serves multiple purposes (like an office or a study.) Being able to close the door of a practice space allows for fewer interruptions, but also the opportunity for me to play something repetitively without feeling self-conscious. If I'm sharing the space physically (or sonically) with someone else, I'll feel reluctant about practicing something diligently until I get it right, because the repetition may seem a bit tedious for my listeners.These practice space tips and others can be found in yet another of the five instant GuitarSuccess4U bonuses: a PDF called “10 Tips for Making Your Solo Practice Space Great.”  I include photos and descriptions for making your practice space a place that you love to spend time in. 3.       Give yourself the gift of solitude.I love to be able to close the door of my practice space, as I mentioned above.New members of GuitarSuccess4U get a fun door hanger that is basically a snazzy “do not disturb” sign for their practice space.  On one side, it says: “Hold that thought.  I'm practicing the guitar.  Please give me a few more minutes.  Thanks.”  On the other side, it says “Get in here – you've got to hear what I'm discovering on the guitar – wooo!”As you might imagine, having uninterrupted time at my instrument can promote better concentration.Now, we don't live in a vacuum, and there's “life” happening around us all the time, especially if we have children under our roof, which is a good thing.But setting aside time and expressing my need to have an uninterrupted practice session can be a huge gift.  It helps if this is a time of day that's consistent, like before breakfast, or after work, or just before bed, etc.  That way, my family can give me the allocated time to tackle my practicing, and then I can be free to engage with them after I'm done.What's the opposite of solitude?  Well, maybe chaos or at least a state of many distractions.Again, our world has lots going on, but if I allow sounds from a TV or radio to intrude on my concentration, I'll get clumsy.4.       Invite distractions on purpose.The only caveat I'd offer to having a distraction-free environment is that if I'm working to take something I already know well musically to the next level, I can actually invite distractions into my process from time to time.I can practice a song with totally different music playing in the background to provide a bit of mental resistance, much like a weight lifter can add more weight to strengthen their muscles.I can also have a TV on if I'm working on rudiments, etc., If I can persevere (and play well) amidst distractions, I will do better when it comes time to stand up in front of an audience, a congregation or a studio microphone.I was gearing up for a Christmas tour one year, and we had guests over for Thanksgiving.  So, I invited them to listen to me play one of my most technical songs.One of the guests proceeded to turn on her phone and capture me on video…from about four feet away. It was initially a bit startling and of course, very distracting, but ultimately, it served as a fabulous catalyst and strengthened my preparation on the song, which went much more fluidly on my Christmas tour.5.       Haste Makes Waste.If you've heard this expression (or lived it) you know that some things can fall off the wagon if we're too hasty.  So, one thing I recommend is to slow down and take things deliberately.In Guitar Serious Fun Episode 26, “Don't Get Caught in a Speed Trap,” I speak plainly about how I am prone to rushing the tempos for the songs I play.Sometimes this is because I'm overexcited in a performance or recording setting, or because I don't have a strong conviction about how to keep a rushing drummer in check.But sometimes, it's because I'm in a hurry to get through a guitar song or exercise.  Rushing through these types of things, especially early on in the formative season of the song, can never be a good thing. Why?  I'll give you a second to guess.It's because I'll likely get clumsy. And what do my hands know?  They only know what I tell them.  So, if I rush through my practice session because I'm in a hurry, I'll make some (or a lot of) mistakes.And then when it comes time to play the song “for real” (which, in my opinion, is a bit of a misnomer since we should always be playing with intention), I'll likely “re-state” the mistakes I've made in practice.As several wise music teachers have quipped, “Practice makes permanent.”  In other words, whatever is practiced becomes more permanent.It takes quite a bit of re-training to “undo” incorrectly practiced music.6.       Clean playing is rarer than you think.The idea of playing cleanly on the guitar is, in some ways, a lost art in some circles.I recall being at a Pierre Bensusan guitar seminar in his home studio in rural France (and as I string these words together, I'm actually enjoying listening to Pierre's solo acoustic album, Intuite.)When he was instructing me and a small group of students, he made it clear that playing clean should always be the goal.What is playing clean?  You probably know.  But it's basically articulating notes and chords in such a way that they ring out clearly.No string buzz, no unnecessarily muted (or unmuted) notes, and basically a very strong sense of purpose in what we do.I could probably dedicate an entire episode of Guitar Serious Fun to this discussion topic (and I may), but for now, I recommend being uncompromising in your execution of the notes you play.I'll ask a rhetorical question: is it better to learn forty chords that I can play fairly well, or just four chords that I can play cleanly?Based on what I've just discussed, the latter is superior. If I had a nickel for every volunteer worship guitarist I've heard play in a clumsy fashion, I'd have a lot of nickels. Usually clumsy playing comes across to me as an attitude of compromise.  I know that some guitarists are just getting started and they want to be available to serve, so I'll tread lightly.But if these guitarists can clearly articulate a strong G, C, D and E minor chord progression, not just with their individual appearances, but in context and in transition with other chords, it's a much more skillful offering than a bunch of chords that just don't sound quite right.And even though some listeners are musicians, many are not…and yet, most can discern the difference between clean and clumsy.You get it – play skillfully as the Psalmist exhorts us to do in Psalm 33:3. In GuitarSuccess4U, which you've heard me allude to a few times in today's episode and which you likely know a bit about (or are even a member of, perhaps), we leverage a tool of my own design called The Chord Kite Diagram, which I've never seen anywhere else.  Therefore, I had to create it.It details multiple “communication pathways” so as to allow chords to function very deliberately in context.  In creating the Chord Kite Diagram, I use an axiom that is inspired by Dawn Jones called “Reduce it to the Ridiculous.”You can listen to Dawn and me unpack the logic behind this in Guitar Serious Fun Episode 46, “Reduce it to the Ridiculous” – with Dawn Jones.A quick summary is the idea of zooming in (almost ridiculously) so as to get something done well.If our guitar playing is worthy (and I believe it is), it's important to zoom in and get things done well.Imagine if I was having a minor surgery and I was conscious and could hear the surgeon talking with his fellow staff as he or she worked on me.What if I heard the surgeon say, “Hmmmm…I guess that's good enough”?Would that promote confidence?  Probably not.Guitar and surgery are not at all on the same playing field, but you can tell if someone cares about what they do.I've had people say as much after one of my shows.  They've said, “You really care about what you do, don't you?”  Those are kind, affirming words, and they also show that my intentions as a guitarist have had the desired result.We communicate an unwritten message in the quality of our musical offerings.A clumsy offering communicates a certain message.  So, let's be the rare clean-playing guitarist, and communicate to our listeners that we care.7.       Get rest; don't be stressed.If we are rested, and our stress level is lower, our clumsy factor will decrease significantly.Yes, playing the guitar is an opportunity to de-stress.  But if we're leaning into an intentional practice session (not just strumming a song for the chance to wind down), it would behoove us to be rested and alert.Being stressed is also not going to help us with our concentration.Whether I'm driving a car or cooking a meal, I'm less of a safe driver and less of a deliberate cook, if I'm weary and overwhelmed.I'll make silly mistakes, which at the very least can involve horns honking at me on the road, or missed ingredients in the dinner.There's a whole continuum, of course, and some car accidents and burned meals have been the result of a certain level of clumsiness.So, in the words of Daniel Tiger, who took up the mantle of Mister Rogers, “Rest is best.”  And a low-stress environment, as each of us knows in our heart of hearts, is much more conducive to effective practice.In terms of applying this to our guitar playing, this is probably fairly obvious, but I still like to point out obvious things from time to time.Wrap-UpI'll touch on our seven tips today again for review as we endeavor to avoid being the clumsy guitarist. * First, set yourself up for smooth sailing with a guitar that's set up well and can be tuned to precision. * Second, make a bit of space for your practicing. * Third, give yourself the gift of solitude so you can be uninterrupted if that serves your season of guitar playing. * Fourth, invite distractions on purpose, if it helps you get stronger with your songs. * Fifth, remember that haste makes waste. * Sixth, recall that clean playing is rarer than you think (so let's stay rare with our playing.)  And…* Seventh, get rest; don't be stressed.As I've implied in my discussion here, the perfect scenario for guitar development won't always be there.  Many times, we work within a less than ideal scenario, and we just have to roll with how things are.  But being extra aware and tuned in is good.Now, if you're aware and tuned in to today's episode, you know that three previous episodes of Guitar Serious Fun have been suggested for your enjoyment.For the listener, you may need to spool back through.  For the reader, I hyperlink to other episodes on Substack, as I always have.If you've experienced all 93 episodes up to this point, then awesome!  But it's likely that you've joined us somewhere along the way and haven't had the pleasure of experiencing my thoughts (and the thoughts of some of my guests) in some of our previous episodes.If that's the case, please take the opportunity.  We've got quite the compendium of concise, well-organized topics here at Guitar Serious Fun.But if you're looking for the real feast, well, GuitarSuccess4U awaits you with a curated collection of progressive lessons, quizzes, interviews, exercises, and above all, a supportive Christ-honoring community of like-minded guitarists.  The best two parts?  1) It's highly affordable and 2) you get to set the pace.It's my privilege to be the founder and guide for this unique tribe.  And perhaps you are in a season where you might join us.  If so, we eagerly await the opportunity to welcome you in, and soon.If not yet, perhaps share today's episode, or at least our website, with someone you know who might be a good fit for this amazing online experience.The website is GuitarSuccess4U.com.  Thanks so much for listening.  Keep playing your guitar, and the clumsiness will become less and less as you become more and more the guitarist you were made to be.I'll see you next time. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit guitarseriousfun.substack.com

Transcript included below…Today, we're going to talk about 12 intentional strategies that lead to playing complete songs, which leads to a complete experience for you and your listeners and the expansion of your repertoire.I came across a Dave Matthews Band guitar songbook a while ago in my local Guitar Center called “Just the Riffs.”  It contained literally the most notable guitar riffs from some of their best songs. Around that same time, I heard a guy jamming in the showroom on some of those same riffs, but here's what I found interesting.  He was only able to start the songs.  He hadn't taken the time to learn any of the songs he was jamming on in their entirety.On the flipside, I found another book with complete transcriptions of Dave's songs, and I took the time to learn a few of those songs, note for note.  It took more time and more focus, but the rewards were much greater.Lots of music stores are haunted by guitar players who can play part of a song…like the intro or the signature riff. Maybe that's why the movie Wayne's World had that scene with the sign on the wall that said “No ‘Stairway to Heaven.'”Our guitar playing can be replete with small segments of songs.But what about learning a complete song?  That's sometimes easier said than done, especially if it's a more technical piece.  But I believe it can be done, with the right strategies.Here are 12 strategies for helping you learn a complete song.1. Invite the Lord into your process.Let's remember that the Lord is the Giver of our gifts.  He has endowed us with the ability to see, hear, and play music, and He is the One in whose strength we can walk best.To try to embark on any endeavor without the Lord is considered foolish. Psalm 127:1 reminds us that “Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain.” I love the idea of asking the Lord to guide me in the selection of my next song, and then to empower me with self-discipline and dedication to see it through.2. Start with a song that's within your ability.In my experience, it's much more motivating to tackle an easier song and move on to a more challenging song, than to go in reverse.  Hitting a ceiling and realizing we can't quite get there yet can be discouraging.I've mentioned this before, but several years ago I had a student come to my guitar studio for his first lesson with me (and his first lesson on the guitar) and he stated that the first song he wanted to be able to play on the guitar was Purple Haze by Jimi Hendrix. Again, he had never played the guitar before, so after I gently cautioned him to learn some beginning and intermediate skills so as to build up to such a challenging song, he left…and I never saw him again.I can only hope that he took a strategic approach to building his skill set before embarking on Purple Haze.It's about a balance – we want to play music that thrills us and sounds good, but we have to be realistic about what we're expecting of ourselves in this season of playing.  We can be overambitious, but that can lead to frustration.  This makes me think of the quote from the first Top Gun movie where Captain Tom “Stinger” Jordan says, “Your ego is writing checks your body can't cash.”Let's do what's within reach, and stay humble in the process, keeping our egos in check.Side note: humility is much more becoming to us as followers of Christ than arrogance.  Paul reminds us in Philippians 2:3, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.  Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.”This mindset will allow us to embark on songs that are within our reach.3. Choose just one song, and focus on it.In my experience, it can be easy to add half a dozen songs to the mix and not really make much progress on any of them.  The effort is more “wide” than “deep.” The songs end up competing with each other for quality time on your instrument.If you have a hard time deciding, list the songs in order of preference or interest, and start with just one, knowing that once you've tackled it, you can move on to the next one.4. Set a deadline for when you want to be able to play it.Being “able to play it” is a flexible phrase.  Do you mean play it “all the way through?”  Hopefully that's implied by today's discussion.  What about “at tempo?”  That's another level. I recommend being able to play it all the way through, at tempo.  At that point, I'd say you've become familiar with the song enough to say that you've learned it.Perhaps we'll dedicate a future episode of Guitar Serious Fun to the process of memorizing and internalizing songs for our repertoire.  Stay tuned…But setting a deadline acts as a catalyst.  Writing it down on the calendar (like Dawn Jones talked about in Guitar Serious Fun Episode 69 – “How to Read it on the Run with Guitar and More”) gives us much more momentum and increases the likelihood of getting it done by 60%.Contrast this to the all-too-easy mental thought process of “I'm working on it; we'll see when I can make time to get it done.”  Yeah, that's less definitive than setting a deadline.Want a real catalyst?  Commit to having the song ready for a worship set, or for a concert.  There's nothing like an upcoming endeavor in front of people to get you practicing and working on a song. 5. Ask for gentle accountability.Asking for accountability is like ordering a healthy meal at a restaurant.  You know it's going to be good for you, and once you've placed the order, you know it's going to be coming, even if you don't love the taste of it as much as the “less healthy” food.Having someone in your world who can check in with you in a friendly way, similar to a workout buddy, can act as another catalyst to spur you on towards completing the learning process on the song.If you set a desired completion date, you can ask them to check in with you at specific intervals with a quick text message or verbal conversation to see how it's going.Each time they check in, they provide a gentle reminder of what you're hoping to get done.6. Set digital reminders.Perhaps you're not quite ready to open a conversation with a real person.  That's fine.You can leverage your phone, e-mail, calendar, or even futureme.com (where you write a digital letter now to your future self, to be opened sometime in the future.)These digital reminders can be less intense than an actual person checking in on you, but they can also be less effective, because it's much easier to hit “snooze” or “delete” than to “ghost” a friend's communication when they reach out to you, especially if they care about you and remain lovingly persistent.7. Listen to a recording of the finished song…often.My daughter and I were reflecting recently on how much music stays in our minds after we've heard it. In the 1994 picture “The Shawshank Redemption,” inmate Andy Dufresne played an LP in the warden's office of the short duet “Sull'aria” from The Marriage of Figaro.  For broadcasting it across the whole prison and turning up the volume when the warden asked him to stop, Andy was punished with two weeks in “the hole,” a dark place of solitary confinement.When he returned to the general population of the prison and sat down to lunch with his fellow inmates, he said that his time in “the hole” was “the easiest time” he ever did.  They couldn't believe it.He said, “I had Mr. Mozart to keep me company,” to which his friend Floyd said, “So they let you tote that record player down there?”“No,” Andy said, motioning first to his head, “It was in here.”  Then he motioned to his heart, “and in here.  That's the power of music.  They can't get that from you.”Music is so powerful.  Listen to it.  If there's a recording of the song you want to be able to play, listen to it.  A lot. Just listening to it will allow you to experience the subtleties and nuances of it, including the artistry and dynamics, as well as the mechanics of tempo, chord changes, and melodies or other elements.8. Practice the song with a metronome.Try playing the song at varying speeds with a metronome.  See how well you can keep up.The metronome keeps us honest, because it won't slow down for us if we're dragging, and it won't speed up with us if we're rushing.  A metronome (or a metronome app) can be a huge blessing in helping us recover our tempo awareness on a song.  I tend to push the tempo, especially when I get excited or nervous (and yes, I still get nervous from time to time after over 25 years of playing the guitar in front of people.)9. Practice the song with the recording.This is a step I've rarely seen people take, especially when it comes to worship music.  They just want to show up and jam the song with the worship band, which is fine.But what about playing along with some really solid recorded musicians who really don't care how many times you want to go over the song? Honestly, this approach is even better than playing with a metronome, because it helps facilitate a level of memory work that can lead to more visual independence from the page.  I highly recommend it.10. Practice with the song recording in your desired key and position. I rarely play worship songs in their original keys due to the vocal ranges of some of today's worship vocalists.  But by leveraging a tool like NCH Software's WavePad, I'm able to take the purchased audio track and transpose it (down, usually) to a key that's more suitable for my voice.On a side note, WavePad has the capacity to change tempo and pitch independently.  So, if I need to decrease the tempo of the recording to 75%, this can make the song even more attainable in the early practicing stages without lowering the pitch. I will say that playing short segments at tempo is better than playing the whole song slowly, because playing at tempo engages the muscle memory much more effectively.But there are all kinds of digital tools that we can use to bring songs closer to us.  The key is to make sure we don't rely too heavily on the tools, but instead lean into actually practicing and learning.11. Play the song for a “safe” audience.Music is best when shared.  Before you “go public,” I encourage you to connect with a family member or a friend who's willing to listen to you play the song.You can invite them to give you their undivided attention and to offer their feedback based on their experience, or you can encourage them to listen with “divided” attention while they're doing something else (like cooking or folding laundry.) Just knowing that they're listening to you play can compel you to complete the song, much more so than if you were playing it alone in your practice space.A “safe” audience provides a “soft” opening before you step out into the real world and present the song on a stage or platform.Remember, the sound of the song is only a part of it.  Your body language and facial expressions, as well as your visual independence from your printed charts and even your guitar, are important additional elements.12. Keep the song fresh.Once you've got the song under your fingers (and if applicable, in your voice), ideally, it's good to play it frequently enough that your fingers (and voice) can make it happen almost on command.  This is the art of practicing and maintaining a repertoire.I read an article in a music magazine from the 1980s that reinforced this.  The author, whose name I cannot recall, said, “Don't forget to practice your repertoire.  Practice the songs you know.  Make sure these songs are ready at a moment's notice to be shared with your audience.”As worship leaders, our audience is the Lord, but you get it – sharing a song publicly is very different from practicing it alone in our rehearsal space. Re-capSo to review, I encourage you to take these 12 steps to be able to play through an entire guitar song:1. Invite the Lord into your process.2. Start with a song that's within your ability.3. Choose just one song, and focus on it.4. Set a deadline for when you want to be able to play it.5. Ask for gentle accountability.6. Set digital reminders.7. Listen to a recording of the finished song…often.8. Practice the song with a metronome9. Practice the song with the recording.10. Practice with the song recording in your desired key and position. 11. Play the song for a “safe” audience.12. Keep the song fresh.If you can think of more strategies for how to learn a complete guitar song, please leave a comment!  If this has been helpful to you, please leave us a 5-star review on your listening platform.And if you want to take your guitar playing to the next level where you have a safe community with good, gentle accountability, you just might want to check out GuitarSuccess4U.com. I eagerly await the opportunity to serve you there and to watch in delight as you learn to play the songs you want to learn to play…in their entirety.Thanks for experiencing what I've prepared for you today.  I'll see you next time.Thanks for reading Guitar Serious Fun! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit guitarseriousfun.substack.com

Transcript included below…Why Some People Quit Guitar (and How You Can Avoid It)I connected with a friend recently who shared with me that his son, though an avid saxophone player for many years, had recently lost interest in the instrument. There was not a real explanation, except that he had sort of fallen out of love with the saxophone.Now as we talked about in Guitar Serious Fun Episodes 17 and 18, “Guitar through the Seasons (Parts 1 and 2),” there are definitely different times in our lives where we play more or less music on our instruments, but what about stopping completely and indefinitely?We've all met people who have quit their instruments.  And usually, they regret it.Some people start out with great intentions, but along the musical road, some decide to stop, for one reason or another. If you're playing the guitar and you don't want to fall out of love with it, please consider these eight “catalysts” I have for you today. 1. Be realistic with how much you expect of yourself.As musicians, we can have lofty dreams of performing on grand stages, recording albums that have national distribution, and gaining a viral following on social media. But the Lord may not have this plan for us.  To that end, I think it's good to have reasonable expectations, so that we can meet those and exceed them.When it comes to the actual discipline of regular practice, if we ask too much of ourselves, it can be hard to sustain.Practicing 2 hours a day may work for someone for a few days, but once they miss a few days of this 2-hour regimen, regret and overwhelm can set in.  What about 15 to 30 minutes a day? That's a much more sustainable endeavor, especially for a hobbyist or someone who plays the guitar on the more recreational side.I'll add the pro tip that practicing at the same time, for the same amount of time, in the same place each day leads to even better consistency…even for people who just play the guitar for fun.2. Make sure you are playing some music that feeds your soul.Not all the music we will play will be in the center or our passion or taste, but some of it should be.Some of the things we play will be technique-building, and they may sound good, or they may sound monotonous.Some songs are more life-giving than others, and some songs are too difficult to play in some early seasons of guitar playing.However, easier versions of guitar songs exist, and when we get a taste of what's possible as we play an actual song, we can feel momentum. I had a young guitar student for several years who was just starting out, but who had a deep appreciation for James Taylor, whom she had seen in concert.  So, I found a way to simplify some of his songs so she could play them.Stephen Humphries, a national hammered dulcimer champion and follow of Christ with whom I've studied, offered this pearl of wisdom.  He said,“Technique is a means to an end. Make sure the music you want to play is that end.”Mic drop.If all we're doing is sharpening our musical techniques and rarely actually playing real music, it can be very easy to lose sight of our goals.That's why, in the five “joining bonuses” when my members join GuitarSuccess4U, they get instant access to a legitimate song I wrote about the joy of playing music on the guitar in a community. And they can learn to play it at one of 14 different levels of play, so even guitarists who have never played a note can be playing along with me right away.3. Set some realistic goals and write them down.Speaking of goals, as we talked about in Episode 69 – “How to Read it on the Run with Guitar and More” with guest Dawn Jones, if we don't write down what our goals are, we will get much less traction, and then we will feel much less progress.In that episode, Dawn said that “Research has shown that if you write something on your calendar, you have a 60% chance of completing it, compared to if you don't write it down.”So, write down some realistic goals.  And as we talked about with Dawn, put them somewhere visible so you can “read them on the run.”4. Seek out some quick wins.Believe it or not, learning to play a chord, or strum a strumming pattern, can be a great win that can fuel your desire to keep playing.But make it a quick win.  Not a huge endeavor.  If you're looking for some ideas for wins, I encourage you to check out Guitar Serious Fun Episode 55 - “Bookending Your Guitar Practice with Wins.”  Many of these are ones our member of GuitarSuccess4U have come up with on their own.5. Go see a guitar player you admire in concert.Remember, this is not the same thing as watching someone on YouTube, which can be good.  But there's something about the excitement in a live venue when a performer interacts with their audience and plays well.I will never forget seeing the late Michael Hedges in concert in 1995.  It was inspiring to my guitar journey on multiple levels, because his skill set was unparalleled.  Also, the journey he took us on with his multi-faceted concert, all within the limitations of just a couple guitars, a flute, and a piccolo, was captivating.I kept a journal for many years of concerts I got to experience, and I jotted down particular elements of those shows that impacted me as a music listener, and also as a musician.  The Michael Hedges concert was the inspiration for that journal, and that memory still keeps me excited about the guitar.6. Have some sort of musical outlet for your playing.I want to credit one of our guest experts in GuitarSuccess4U for this suggestion.  His name is Brian Reding, and he not only produced my best album to date, he graciously filmed a video interview with me about many different aspects of musicianship, especially centered around listening well.The members of GuitarSuccess4U have enjoyed this interview immensely.Brian has been a music teacher, a funk band leader, and also a worship leader.  In his words, a guitarist needs to have an outlet for their musical expression.When we play our guitar in a collaborative, live setting, it validates our efforts.  Think about this.  If we keep our guitar in the practice space, no one but us gets to enjoy what we're working on.But if we team up with a worship team, a cover band, or even jam in a song circle of hobbyists, we get to share what we're working on, and play in collaboration with others.These collaborations give us the opportunity to practice and prepare music, and to self-observe when we're “in the moment.”  I guarantee you that playing with others helps us raise our game as musicians.If we can break past the intimidation factor and allow ourselves to be humbled a bit by the process, we will emerge as better players in many ways.  Our tempos, our musicianship, our ability to listen, these will all be enhanced.Also, if we know the band is expecting us to come prepared, that will provide accountability, leading to more diligent practice, more wins, and more progress.7. Connect with a tribe of guitar players.If you've experienced these episodes of Guitar Serious Fun for any length of time, you probably know where I'm going with this.I am honored to lead an online community of Christian guitarists called GuitarSuccess4U.It's unlike anything I've ever seen before.  Inside this community, those who engage in the weekly Zoom calls find a whole new level of support and encouragement.We also hosted our first ever live “in person” event in 2023.  It was unreal.  We had discussions, worship, teaching sessions, jam sessions, guitar diagnostics, member spotlights, and we feasted together. There were laughs, tears, hugs, and people bonded, because they had Christ and guitar in common.And as the members returned home, I'm confident that they each had more wind in their sails, a greater sense of purpose, and a desire to go deeper with their skills.The African proverb I've quoted before to my members, and in Guitar Serious Fun says,“If you want to go fast, go alone.  If you want to go far, go together.”Lastly, I'll circle back around to the title of this blog/podcast…8. Have serious fun.The guitar can be challenging, but it can simultaneously be very fulfilling.  A good challenge that we can overcome can really spur us on as we continue forward.I have several friends who hunt.  Given the choice between going out into the woods and pursuing their prey, even in difficult conditions…and having a large, freshly slain animal carcass delivered to their front doorstep, they would pursue the hunt every time.It's all about the thrill of the hunt. People in our culture are swayed by an “easy” way to learn.  But this can be short-lived and misleading.Guitar can be hard to learn.  I don't mean to make it harder; on the contrary, I want to make it simpler and also more fulfilling.  And in GuitarSuccess4U, I've found a way to cut through a lot of the confusion.But as I've talked about in these episodes, we do ourselves a disservice if we expect the learning process to only be fun all the time.Because what happens when the fun stops?  Should the learning stop?  I hope not.So, engage in serious fun, and watch what happens when you overcome obstacles that you didn't even know you could.Then, you'll find yourself, like in Guitar Serious Fun Episode 3, saying “Yeah Buddy.”You've probably noticed in today's episode that I've alluded to no less than five previous episodes of Guitar Serious Fun.  If you've already experienced all five of them, awesome.  Maybe spool through them again.  But if you haven't, your Serious Fun homework is to do so. These episodes are served up with a great deal of care, and they're concise, so you can enjoy them swiftly and gather wisdom and encouragement in an efficient manner.As we close, I encourage you to proactively build some infrastructure around yourself so that when you think of quitting your instrument, you will have much more protection in place.When others give up, you will press on.  And then…the joy of music and the long game will be yours.Lastly, if you want to know where and how to accelerate your progress in a serious fun way, in a community of like-minded followers of Christ who are also pursuing their dreams on the guitar, I invite you to check out GuitarSuccess4U.com.  This experience could also act as a catalyst for your guitar and music longevity, if you lean into it.Thanks for experiencing another episode with me today. I'll see you next time.Thanks for reading Guitar Serious Fun! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit guitarseriousfun.substack.com

On today's show we sit down with filmmaker Dawn Jones Redstone to discuss her new feature film "Mother Of Color"! An indie drama that is making waves through the film festival circuit and on its way to distribution! Dawn shares with us the experience she had making the film, how great it's been hearing from her audience and how she went from short films to the mammoth task of making a feature! We also dive into distribution and the choice you have to make as a filmmaker. It's not an easy decision! With so many distribution company's out there... who do you trust? Who will really get your back?  We put in our two cents and share our experience with Filmhub and our opinion on Indie Rights and how the process works!  If you make films and want to know more about the process this is the show to listen to! Ladies and gentleman enjoy our conversation with the great Dawn Jones Redstone!Dawn Jones Redstone Website:https://www.dawnjonesredstone.com Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Entrepreneur Swag Shop! Get your swag! Identity is about being who you are meant to be! Use coupon code AROUNDTHEREEL & save 15%!Support the showCheck out our website!www.cccentertainmentgroup.comFacebookhttps://www.facebook.com/AroundTheReelPodcast/

I'm honored to welcome back a previous guest on Guitar Serious Fun. She was actually our first guest ever - and she's got more to say today.Her name is Dawn Jones, and she is an International Speaker, Executive and Leadership Coach, Author, and Presenter of more than 20 published books and audio/video programs including her best-selling Top 7 Personality Challenges. She has also created and produced programs on Time Management, Supervising People, Conflict Resolution, Women in Leadership, and more.For over 20 years, Dawn Jones has empowered over 70,000 people in more than 1,700 presentations in 8 countries. Whether she is working with Leaders, Project Managers, Engineers, or Businesspeople, she is passionate about helping people achieve their goals.Dawn helps people recognize and resolve personality and communication challenges, all while helping her clients strategically reach goals, build healthy & productive teams, and increase profits.In her free time, Dawn and her husband volunteer and support non-profit groups in America and East and West Africa where they help people build a hope and a future for the next generation. I met Dawn over 20 years ago through her incredible Booking Workshop and Successful Booking curricula, the latter of which she actually allowed me to present the voiceover for her introduction. Dawn and I have both presented at Christian music conferences, and we've have crossed paths with some of the same people, including Morgan Cryar and Tom Jackson, whom I've mentioned in past episodes of Guitar Serious Fun.This is the audio from a Zoom call that I hosted with Dawn, so I invite you to listen in, listen closely, and grab some helpful tools from Dawn. You can learn more about Dawn at dawnjones.net.Dawn joined us in Episode 46: Reduce it to the Ridiculous, and provided some tremendous insights.And she's back!Because this is an interview, you will only find the discussion in the podcast audio. There's no transcript for this episode.But that's ok, because our guest's highly articulate and intentional delivery will draw you in immediately.So please stay in touch, and if you haven't subscribed, please do.  I also invite you to like this episode and to share any of these episodes with others, so that more people can experience what we are working hard to make available to you.Lastly, if you're a guitarist and you haven't yet found your tribe for ongoing education and inspiration, please check out our one-of-a-kind experience at GuitarSuccess4U.com.  I'll see you next time.Thanks for reading Guitar Serious Fun! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit guitarseriousfun.substack.com

Transcript included below…Today, we're going to talk about what to do when someone criticizes our guitar playing.I'm taking a swing at another subjective, relational topic today.  So, if you experience these words and you agree, disagree, or have things to add…your comments are welcome, especially if they are constructive. I certainly encourage you to honor the Lord with your comments – but if you've been experiencing this content for even a few episodes, I'm thinking you are already on board with that.  I'd also like to extend a word of gratitude to my wife, Whitney, for helping me gather some thoughts for today's episode.If you're like me, you play the guitar.  And if you're like me, you want to get better at playing the guitar.But there are times when we get discouraged because of what people say about our guitar playing.I've got a few strategies I want to invite you to consider on your guitar journey that might give you some encouragement. Two main types of criticismCriticism can be divided into two basic categories.  First, the type that's designed to tear down, and second, the type that's designed to build up.If criticism is offered in such a way that it basically says, “What you're doing is not good, or not good enough,” with no suggestion for how to improve, I'd call that the negative, “tear down” type of criticism.We have an enemy.  Satan.  The father of lies.  The devil.  The accuser.  And he can often be a part of this kind of criticism.These kinds of darts he throws are intended to destroy, paralyze, and keep us from moving forward.  And sometimes something is said that is directly intended to wound, or it could be said in a less than intentional way and therefore perceived as negative criticism. There are things people have said to me in musical and non-musical circles that were very unkind.  And they were communicated in ways that could have been improved upon, or even not spoken at all.I saw a movie several years ago that I cannot openly recommend to fellow Christ-followers because the language was so coarse.  It was the 2014 movie Whiplash, where the protagonist, a very gifted drummer named Andrew, comes under the tutelage of a ruthless jazz teacher by the name of Mr. Fletcher.  Fletcher stops at absolutely nothing to get the very best from his students and shows no empathy or care for their feelings.  His words are crude, unkind, and he even resorts to shouting and slapping one of his students for not playing in tempo.This “quality at any cost” mentality is very much “of the world,” and I don't believe it has a place in our faith-based approach to music.Again, we are called to “play skillfully,” as Psalm 33:3 commands, but we are also called to “speak the truth in love,” as Ephesians 4:15 reminds us.As I watched Whiplash and observed the faces of the students under Fletcher's direction.  They wrestled with the pursuit of perfection and the simultaneous hurt they experienced from such harsh criticism.  They played better, but in my opinion, it wasn't a “win.”Criticism that is intended to build up, on the other hand, is typically offered in the form of constructive criticism.  Just as buildings are constructed, criticism offered with the intent to build up, is constructive.If someone offers me constructive criticism, it usually comes in the form of showing me what needs work…but then, wait for it…how to improve.This essential component of a suggestion for how to make something better really makes the criticism constructive.This type of criticism is from the Lord.  Philippians 2:13 says, “For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose.”  If He is working in us, He will bring people into our lives to help make us into vessels for His glory.So, constructive criticism is intended to help us remain humble, and to grow spiritually.  If we are teachable, we can be open to constructive criticism.Consider the sourceIf criticism of any kind is offered, we have to be careful not to simply accept it without thinking.  We need to consider the source.I've shared this story before, but a fellow dorm dweller in college heard me playing my very first hours of guitar, and said, “Dude, whoever's trying to play that music, just stop.  You suck.”  This was a source that probably was not worth listening to.  He offered no suggestions except to quit.  Not a great source to receive opinions from.I've also shared this story before.  I recently posted a video on social media of me teaching a basic guitar concept.  One person offered a single comment: the word “moron.”Now, that is instantly recognizable as negative criticism.  There was no suggestion for how to improve, just this simple negative word.  I was curious, so I clicked on this guy's profile.  All of his photos showed him frowning.  He looked, quite possibly, like one of the most unhappy people I had come across in a while.And he himself hadn't contributed anything for others to consume or enjoy.  A telltale characteristic of a critic is that he or she doesn't actually produce much – they typically spend most of their efforts cutting others down.  It's not a generous posture at all.Social media is tricky.  Not everything that's offered in terms of comments is worth considering, especially the negative stuff.  There are things people will type into a comment that they would never even think about saying to someone's face.  It's like shooting from behind a hunting blind or something.To use another description, when I was in my more mischievous pre-teen years one winter, I was outside with some of my colleagues, and there was one kid I didn't like very much because he had always been unkind to me. Rather than make efforts to reconcile and mend the relationship, I chose to make a snowball and lob it vertically overhead, with perfect precision so that it came down the back of the inside of his coat.I had thrown it straight up, but by the time the snowball got back to earth, I was turned and looking a different direction, and the expression on my face was “innocence.”  I had been a coward.  But he found me out and an adult had to get involved.People who offer negative, borderline anonymous criticism, are really not worth listening to.Anonymous criticism on a comment card at church carries zero weight with me. Things like “I didn't like that arrangement of that hymn,” or “Too loud,” without any contact info with which to engage, are really not worth my time.  If they include an e-mail address or phone number, I can open a conversation and get to know where they're coming from. Now, if someone offers criticism of a negative nature, and I have a chance to consider the source and realize that the thoughts were well-intended, if offered in a hasty manner, I can have grace for their miscommunication.  I think of younger kids in some of the school chapels I've presented.Sometimes, young kids might shout out things like, “That doesn't look right,” or “You played the wrong note,” or something like that.  No filter, right?  What they're trying to do is add their voice to the conversation, even if it's not presented eloquently or diplomatically.  I can let those comments go.If someone I care about says something a little harshly, I need to seek reconciliation, and to keep short accounts.  I'll need to go to them and say, “Hey, did you really mean what you said when you told me I was playing too fast?”And perhaps I was.But the relationship is more important than what is being criticized.I have had a handful of ministry relationships where I thought I had communicated my concerns and criticisms well enough while offering suggestions, but they were not received as I had hoped.  And looking back, I could have used a different method.E-mail is a way of communicating information, but it's really not great for communicating emotion, because people can read into it.Suffice it to say, when I've offered criticism or suggestions over e-mail, I've had mixed results.  The better solution would have been to gather with them in person, and have a conversation face-to-face, or at least allow them to hear the tone of my voice over the phone.When I've sent e-mails containing constructive criticism, some folks have chosen to discontinue their part on the team, but without giving me a chance to work through the misunderstanding with them.This can be really tragic, because not only can they harbor resentment without seeking reconciliation, they can actually convince others to leave with them.  And it's my conviction that this kind of behavior is not a way to honor Christ.  The deceiver loves it, because it causes division.Now, if I was rude or mean to a team member without explanation, they still have the burden to seek reconciliation, as Matthew 18:15-20 commands us.  But my desire to restore, even under the misunderstanding circumstances, has not always been accepted or received.Speaking of Christian circles, I wish I didn't have to say this, but some very mean, negative criticisms (without constructive suggestions) have emerged from the mouths of some people who profess Christ.  This is not a display of the Fruit of the Spirit. But since we're all sinful by nature, it's going to happen.  Let's be aware and prepared for it.Lastly, on this subject, don't forget that we ourselves can self-criticize.And what we say, we can start to subconsciously believe.  Words like “I'm so stupid,” or “I'll never get this,” are not only destructive to our process; they're insulting to our Creator.When we start to hit the “repeat” button on those words in our heads, even after we stop saying them, we start to believe them.Our inner critic can take something we say (or someone else says) and magnify it.  So, we need to take every thought captive (1 Corinthians 10:5) and to check it with what would honor the Lord and ourselves, as His children.Instead of negative self-criticism, we can say things to ourselves like, “I may not have this yet, but I'll keep working on it,” or “Rome wasn't built in a day,” or “This is the long game.”  But it needs to be less negative, and more constructive.So, we need to consider the source.  And if we are the source, let's be sure we're offering constructive criticism in a way that honors others and ourselves, as well as the Lord.Consider the motivationIf someone is offering criticism, they have some sort of motivation.  It could be to make themselves feel better by belittling us with an insult.  Or, it could be to help us grow as musicians, or even with our character.  Proverbs 27:6 says, “Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.” If the motivation of the person offering their opinion is to help us, we would do well to receive their counsel, even if it doesn't feel good.  On the other side of that conversation, we can experience growth, progress, and forward momentum.If they only want to be mean, we can allow the Lord to take those arrows, and then we can move on to the next conversation, or even more appropriately, we can take a little time in the Word to read what God has to say about us.Maybe try reading Psalm 139 as a start.But everybody has an opinion. And like it or not, any sort of ministry where we offer our musical gifts, especially up front on the worship platform or the stage, is bound to draw unsolicited input from congregants or audience members who would never in a million years have the courage to step up and do what we do.You are not your musicI book my own shows, and Whitney has helped me do this for several years.  We hired a few part-time booking assistants for a few months, but I'd say that most of the booking responsibilities, especially in recent years, have been mine.It's exciting and unpredictable to send e-mails, texts, and to hop on the phone, because you never know what people are going to say.  Some may be very responsive and excited, others moderately interested, and others disinterested, or even silent (which, over time, can communicate disinterest.)Early on, when someone was disinterested in hosting my ministry, I took it rather personally.  I thought, “Maybe I don't have something to offer.” But here's the thing.  I had played enough concerts and led enough times of worship that people had verbally expressed to me their deep appreciation…so I had temporarily forgotten that I did have something to offer. But not to everyone.Imagine if in the process of reaching out to five dozen venues or so (which is what I typically average in a booking session), every single venue said, “Yes.  Let's put something on the calendar.  And we can accommodate your honorarium, no problem.”First, I'd need to make sure I wasn't dreaming.  But second, if they all wanted to book me, my calendar would be overwhelmed with commitments, to say nothing of the physical toll it might take on me to have multiple days of engagements in a row.I've found my sweet spot of about 30 to 50 shows a year or so.  One year I did about 100, and it was too much.  There are other artists out there who can play 200-300 dates a year.  That's fine, but it's just not for me.If I want those shows on my calendar, I need to sift through the venues that aren't interested, to get to the ones that are interested.  If, every time someone said “No, we're not interested,” I decided not to get back on the phone or send any more e-mails, I'd be giving in to unnecessary discouragement.I received some helpful insight from Dawn Jones about this early on.  Dawn was our guest on Guitar Serious Fun Episode 46: Reduce it to the Ridiculous.  When talking about rejection in the booking realm, Dawn encouraged me to pick out an object on my desk.  I chose a mug full of highlighters.She said, “David, I want you to think of this mug of highlighters as your ministry talent – your guitar playing, your singing, your worship leading and your performing.  When a venue says they're not interested, they're not saying that they're not interested in you.  They're saying that they're not interested in your ministry talent.  It's like they're saying, ‘We don't have a need for highlighters with the projects we're working on right now.'”I literally printed up those words and put them on the mug of highlighters right where I could “read them on the run.” I know it can be easy to take things personally, and I'm working through this off and on as I do ministry, but the one thing I can keep coming back to is the fact that my gifts, abilities, and talents are not me.Tom Jackson, a performance coach I've mentioned in previous episodes, asks the question, “Is everybody who listens to your music going to like you?”  The answer is obviously, “No.”His follow-up question is simple but illuminating: “Is that ok?”And when we answer, “Yes,” we realize how incredibly liberating that is. I am not my guitar.  I am not my music.   I am not my abilities. Who I am is a child of God.  And being loved by Him, at the end of the day, is what matters most.Sturdy VesselsWhen I was on staff as a Director of Worship, I put together an audition process that allowed me to keep a moderately high standard for the musicians I brought on board. I say “moderately,” because in church ministry there can be a fine line between excellence and perfectionism.  And one person who works really hard and plays a few songs really well could actually surpass the merits of someone who's very talented but plays sloppily because they don't practice.Character is paramount, as well.So, when I auditioned people to be on the worship team, I made it very clear at the beginning that they need to be ok with the word “No” or the words “Not yet” after they audition.  They aren't automatically granted a spot on the team just because they auditioned.To those whom I felt weren't ready, I offered constructive criticism and gave them some things to work on, so that in three to six months, they could come back and audition again.  But even at that point, they still needed to be ok with the words “Not yet.”When I've said “No” or “Not yet” to some folks, they've been pretty upset, for one reason or another.  Perhaps they were allowed to offer their musical gifts at their previous church but weren't up to our standards yet.  Perhaps their level of self-awareness was not high. But for one reason or another, I've had to respectfully decline bringing them on board.  When they've gotten upset, their “true colors” of being offended or annoyed have shown me that their character was also not ready for the worship leading responsibility.Those who remain teachable and humble are much more suitable for the worship team, especially because they'll go work on their skills and come back.Now, on the subject of sturdiness, we need to be strong enough to take criticism without harboring resentment for receiving it. We need to acknowledge that the Lord makes each of us for various purposes.  2 Timothy 2:20 talks about articles that are for special purposes, while others are for common use.For the clay to tell the potter “Hey, I belong in a palace, not a small house,” may actually skirt the edge of telling the Lord that He doesn't know what He's doing.Maybe our intuition for guitar playing or music is not strong enough to be shared on a platform.  Ever.  Could we embrace that?Maybe it's something for us to share with friends and family, or perhaps in a Sunday school classroom.  Does that make it any less significant?In God's Kingdom economy, I'd say “no.”We need to be sturdy Christians who aren't bowled over by a little gust of wind in the form of criticism of any kind. We need to be able to take it, consider it, and benefit from it – wait for it – even if it's offered by a mean person in a mean tone.If someone says something truly unkind with absolutely no intent to edify us, we can still learn.  At the very least, we can learn from that exchange how not to speak to others.We're always learning…or at least we always can be, and this doesn't just include music, right?So, when someone criticizes your guitar playing, your singing, your hair, or whatever, ask yourself whether it is negative or constructive criticism.  Consider the source.  Consider the motivation of the person criticizing you.  Remember that you are not your music.  And stay sturdy. We are playing the long game.  To last long enough to play the music that the Lord has called us play, for the people He has called us to play for, we need to be sturdy and resilient.  The promises of His Word will be there to remind us that we are precious to Him.And if you want to play the long game with me and other like-minded guitarists who are followers of Christ in a seriously fun environment at your own pace, from the comfort of home, in a highly affordable experience that is unlike anything else, please check out GuitarSuccess4U.com. Lastly, if you enjoyed this episode, please comment.  If you didn't enjoy it, please also comment.  But if you have criticism, I encourage you to keep it…constructive.  Right?Keep showing up, and I'll see you next time.Thanks for reading Guitar Serious Fun! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit guitarseriousfun.substack.com

Transcript included below…Today, we're going to talk about fear.  Really?  Fear?  Yep.  Fear falls on the serious side of Guitar Serious Fun.Now, I know that fear is not what we might call a fun subject, per se, but it is relevant to our guitar journeys, so I believe it's important to talk about it. I've battled fear much of my life, and also over the course of much of my music career.  Fear has taken on many forms for me. The subject of fear has enough complexity to it that I believe it warrants a two-parter here at Guitar Serious Fun.  So today's episode is one of two episodes where we'll discuss the 10 fears we face.  We'll talk about five today, and five more next week. And spoiler alert: at the epic conclusion of all of this, as we talk about the 10th fear, it will be the only fear I believe we need to embrace.  The rest are fears we need to overcome in the strength of the Lord.As I address each of these fears, I'll provide some words of encouragement, and I'll cite some scripture at certain points as well.  Interestingly enough, the phrase “do not fear” or some variation of it, appears in the Bible 365 times. I'd say that's evidence that the Lord does not want us to be afraid. So, let's talk about how we can face fear.To start things off, I'd like to provide a window into some of the mission trips I've served on.High school and college were wonderful opportunities for me to step outside my comfort zone, to look outside my life, and to travel hundreds or thousands of miles to serve in a missions setting.  During high school and college, I went on 10 mission trips over the course of about 10 years. Whether doing inner-city street evangelism, or building houses for the impoverished, I encountered many different scenarios where I could have been afraid.Most of the time, I was supervised by adult leaders who had an eye on the situation, and there was also an over-arching missions organization coordinating the effort, so things were intentionally looked after.  But we didn't have cell phones in those days, so sometimes we felt a bit more vulnerable.One mission trip involved bringing hot meals into low-income urban housing where people were living out their final days in isolation, battling terminal illness. For this leg of the mission trip I had at least two other people with me as we brought meals to these fragile people.  It was coordinated through an organization that prepared the food, but needed teams to distribute it.I recall being in an elevator as we made our way to a dark, quiet floor in what was a pretty rough part of the city.  We knocked on apartment doors to give these people the meals they had signed up for.  Everyone thanked us, and most of the time they opened their doors just enough for us to hand them the food and leave. We were sophomores in college, and one of my teammates was trembling slightly as we did our work.  She seemed to be a little afraid. But for me, I had a strangely overwhelming sense of calm.  I can't explain it, except that I felt like the Lord was with me at every turn, and that He offered me His comfort, even in those dark corridors.I was doing His will, and He was with me.  And I suppose it was the fact that I was focusing on serving the Lord that kept fear from overwhelming me. Fear is something many of us battle on our musical journeys.  Some kinds of fear are more obvious; others are much more subtle.  And some are fears we struggle with…even though we don't even realize that we do.I've learned over the years that it's never healthy to make decisions motivated by fear.  It's also not good to live in fear. But fear can be prevalent, so I believe it's important to address 10 fears we can all face as guitarists.  Let's take the first five today, one at a time, in no particular order of significance.#1. Fear of LossIn Matthew 25, Jesus tells the parable of the talents.  This is a familiar story about a master who entrusts various amounts of talents to his servants before he goes on a journey.  I've alluded to this parable in a few different episodes of Guitar Serious Fun, including Episode 46, Reduce it to the Ridiculous – with Dawn Jones.Now, in the context of the parable, a talent was a measure of money.  And although two of the servants doubled their money by prudently investing and stewarding their talents, one of the servants physically buried his talent.This servant in the parable defended himself to his angry master by basically saying he didn't want to lose anything.  Fear of loss is hard, because we have no guarantee of tomorrow, and the reality is that we just might lose things or people who are precious to us. I myself am coming up on the 30th anniversary of the tragic passing of my younger sister.  Loss is a part of life.Even our own lives are not guaranteed to us, right?  So when it comes to music, perhaps we might not cultivate our talents because we're afraid that by investing in them we might lose something – perhaps the time we put into practicing, or the money we invest in resources or instruction.We may fear the loss of our instrument to theft.  We can take precautions, like not leaving our guitars in an unattended vehicle.  We can buy music gear insurance.  But our treasures are meant to be in Heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal (Matthew 6:20).Having open hands about our stuff can be pretty liberating.  I've heard stories of people who have had possessions stolen, and who have responded in faith with words like, “Well, I guess the Lord doesn't want me to have that right now.”  That's a pretty deep faith.We may fear injury.  Is it important to wear gloves when we handle rough items like chopped wood or sharp metal?  Yes!  Just like we'd wear a seatbelt when driving a car, we can take precautions to protect ourselves.Injuries happen, though – short term or long-term chronic injuries.  I've sustained both.  As of this episode, I can still play the music I want to play, and each day being able to do this is a gift from the Lord.The loss of love ones, our stuff or our abilities are real fears.  Perhaps those fears could lead us to avoid leaning into our musical callings in some way, for fear of loss.But I haven't met a single musician who worked hard or invested in musical development and wished he or she hadn't done so. The only musician I heard about recently who may have regretted purchasing a guitar is the one who, despite being warned not to leave it in his car, did so, and when it was stolen, ended up making payments on an instrument he no longer owned…for the better part of another year.But let's dispel that fear – the fear of loss. I'd rather look back on a life well-lived, and talents well-used, having played a decent guitar and enjoyed it, for however much time the Lord has allowed – than to have not invested in my abilities and some good gear, for fear of loss.#2. Fear of Failure“But what if I fail?”  I've spoken those words at various times in my life.There are many different areas where we might think or say those words.For example, have you thought about stepping forward to share your music with an audience, or to lead worship on the platform at your local church?  Has it occurred to you that some of your audience members might not appreciate your music, or that you might stumble and struggle to play well during a worship service?I've gotten up on the worship platform and played songs I thought I knew.  I've missed chords, dropped words, sung flat, and broken lots of guitar strings.  I've had mornings of worship where I've felt like a “pipin' hot mess”…and yet the Lord has somehow moved through my inadequacies to minister to His people.Interestingly enough, some folks have been very encouraging to me under those circumstances, thanking me for leading them “so well.”Contrast this to other mornings where I have played with great precision and artistry, and been met with “crickets” in terms of verbal congregational response. But over the course of many years, with dedicated practice and experience, I've raised my game and played and sung more and more capably.What about the music industry?  Have you given careful consideration to prayerfully taking the step of faith to pursue music vocationally on some level?  Has it come across your mind that you might “fail” at that? I'm an indie recording artist.  I decided a long time ago that success to me was not household name recognition and six figures of record sales.  It was: making enough money through the use of my talents to provide for my and my family's needs, including their spiritual and emotional needs.If someone's goal is to be a chart-topping platinum record selling artist, selling one million units, and they don't reach that, is that a failure?  I've only sold about 30,000 units total of all four of my albums. Is that failure?  Only when compared with the lofty goal of selling one million units, which, by the way is not realistic for an independent artist without the backing of a significant amount of personnel in the industry.  Side note: even with a label, a booking agency, and all the people involved with marketing an artist, platinum status is not guaranteed.On a related subject, if our goal is to perform concerts and have that be the only source of income to sustain our family, is that realistic, right out of the gate?  Artists who are signed to a label aren't guaranteed financial security in that situation. Some artists may actually need to rely on other sources of income for an extended season to keep their dream in motion.  If that's the case, is that failure?  Again, no. And speaking autobiographically, my performance career has ebbed and flowed from a few dozen shows a year to a hundred shows a year.  I took a full-time and part-time worship position to be more local and to provide more consistent income for my family for over a decade, while still touring part time.  Was that a failure?  I really don't think so.I believe failure is a rather subjective term. As I mentioned in Episode 45 of Guitar Serious Fun – “Glancing Back, Looking Forward,” Nelson Mandela once said, “I never lose.  I either win or I learn.”  And sometimes it's a learning experience that serves us the best.Sometimes our definition of failure hinges on our definition of success.   In other words, if our goals are unrealistic and we don't meet them, we could consider ourselves failures.  I believe we need to be realistic with our goals, and also to be realistic with how we evaluate our accomplishments in light of those goals.  In this current season at the time of this episode, my ministry is not limited to concerts.  It also includes guest worship leading, worship team consulting, and nearly a couple dozen seminars I teach.  I encourage you to peek at www.davidharsh.com to learn more about my onstage offerings, as well as my seminars. The other aspect of our ministry which is gaining momentum and significance is GuitarSuccess4U.  If you haven't discovered GuitarSuccess4U, it could be a game-changer for you or someone you know who wants to develop their guitar skills for the Lord.  The website for that is GuitarSuccess4U.com. Since I don't tour exclusively, have I failed as an artist?  No.  Actually, some touring artists have such a rigorous schedule that they risk missing out on relationships and family moments.  Remember how I stipulated that success for me was also providing for my family's spiritual and emotional needs? Making enough money to sustain them, but not being around for them, does not serve anyone well.I am fortunate to be able to say that I was able to watch each of my daughters' first steps.In Guitar Serious Fun Episode 9, “Do we need to Understand Music to Enjoy it?” I talked about my dad's favorite artist, the late Harry Chapin.He is most famous for a song called “Cat's in the Cradle” that speaks of a missed opportunity as a father, and it begins with these poignant lyrics:My child arrived just the other dayHe came to the world in the usual wayBut there were planes to catch, and bills to payHe learned to walk while I was awayMay it not be so.  If there's a failure that we could fear, that's probably one of them.  The failure to be a present parent.  But as a musician, especially one who is in pursuit of the Lord's will, there's no failure to be afraid of.Remember, it's God's calling.  If He wants to supply the need through other avenues, including working in a non-musical venture for a season, then perhaps that's what He wants to do.But let us not fear failure as professional musicians just because our sights have been set unrealistically high. When it comes to writing songs, will everyone love our music?  Nope.  I've been up onstage performing a concert where people have literally looked at their devices or looked away from the stage the entire time.  Is that failure on my part?  No, it's not.I've played for an audience of two thousand people.  Did two thousand people buy my CD that day?  Nope.  More like 50.  Does that mean that only 50 out of 2000 people liked my music?  No.  I take from these scenarios that it's God's economy, and it's really not about me.  So I don't need to fear failure with my art, my presentation, or my worship leading.  God can use it all.And even when I write songs that don't connect – there's an opportunity to revise them.  A songwriting coach once told me that “Great songs aren't written – they're re-written.”And making mistakes on the platform with my guitar are actually opportunities for self-examination and a better approach to practicing and preparing for next time.So let's not fear failure, because God can use it all.#3. Fear of the UnknownSome people thrive on the adrenalized feeling that comes with an unexpected outcome.  They love the suspense.  Others want to know what the plan is, even before step one is put into action.  I tend to be someone who likes to be “in the know.”  But sometimes we need to walk by faith.  There's walking blindly without any strategy, and there's taking intentional steps of faith, guided by wise counsel.We as musicians may be fearful of what may come in the future as it pertains to our music.  We may wonder what the Lord has for us, and if we don't know, we may hold back on cultivating our gifts.But when we listen to fear, we don't listen to the still small voice of the Lord who has the capacity to prompt us through the Holy Spirit, to step forward. Fear drowns out a lot of what could be a clear, guiding voice, telling us that we need to lean into our gifts. The unknown can be intimidating, but is it intimidating enough that it should keep us from cultivating our talents?  Perhaps not. Will we fully know what the Lord has for us before we embark on it?  I don't think so.  We need to live in the moment, trusting Him for the next season, or the next thing.This will allow us to get down to the business of working on our craft and taking steps to share it with a waiting world. #4. Fear of Hard WorkThis is a fancy way of describing what it's like to be lazy or complacent.  Thomas Edison once said, “There is no excuse for hard work.”  The soprano Beverly Sills once said, “There are no shortcuts to anywhere worth going.”I've been lazy or complacent at different seasons of my musical journey.  I've “phoned it in” and just played what I know.  Sometimes, time is not on my side to cultivate or create new things, and it's all I can do just to maintain my current repertoire.But there are new songs to learn, and to create or to arrange.  And what bridges the gap between not knowing a song and being able to present it capably and confidently?Good old-fashioned hard work.  And with hard work come patience and time, two things that some folks just may not want to invest, at least right now.Not everyone wants to work hard to fulfill their dreams, but those who do experience a tremendous reward of making things happen. But let's not fear hard work.  Some of the best music we will ever play is waiting on the other side of good, hard work.Lastly for today…#5. Fear of Losing Control of our ArtMy first recorded endeavor was a compilation I was invited to be on, where I contributed two of my earliest songs.  With the best of intentions on both sides, the recording came out, and the production aspect had taken both of my songs into new stylistic realms that I hadn't anticipated. I liked what they did.  Liked.  I didn't love it.And unfortunately, my expression of these sentiments wasn't timed well, because the disc was already finished and pressed.  And one of the titles was actually worded wrong in the CD insert.  But hey, that was an excellent learning experience for me. What I learned was this: I like to have some control during production so as to help achieve my vision for the finished product.  This was my first opportunity to record something, so I really can't fault myself or the team that invited me onto the project; there was a lot of “new.”In the years that followed, I acted as the producer for two of my albums, all the way down to overseeing the graphics design.  This had its upsides: I was at the wheel, but the productions hit a ceiling on multiple fronts. My fear of not having control of these projects resulted in what I look back on as amateur offerings for both projects.Another project followed, where I again produced, but incorporated some outside counsel a bit more, and was able to take the production standard up a bit more in how it sounded and looked, but still not to where I knew it could go.Finally, it happened.  I joined forces with a producer and multi-instrumentalist who was so gracious and so talented, and yet had such a clear vision for how to carry the songs across the finish line based on my artistic vision.  I also found a photographer who had an amazing eye for lighting and faces. It took me relinquishing some control to allow a great thing to happen with this album.  I will qualify this scenario: I was shown audio recordings of this producer's past work that met and exceeded my standards.  The same was true of the photographer.I did the diligence to make sure the work of these two artists was on par with what I would be paying them (which was a lot, but worth it) and also commensurate with my expectations.  And it became my best record to date.There can be a scenario where an artist relinquishes control to those who do not steward their gifts well, and the project does not turn out well.  I want to acknowledge that.  Rather than be fearful of losing control, though, I would recommend being diligent and vigilant.  Requesting samples of past work, and even referrals from past clients, can really provide clarity and peace of mind as well.But let's not fear losing control of our art.  God's got this, and we can lean into His sufficiency.As we wind down today, I'd like to go back to the story I opened with about my mission trip adventures.  I was prompted by the Lord to go on these trips.  And they were uncomfortable, had a lot of unknowns, and opportunities to be afraid.  But He was with me.  So I said no to fear.Is the Lord always with us?  Yes, He is, if we've surrendered our lives to Him and accepted what Christ has done.  Embracing the good news of the Gospel is all that's needed to be saved and brought into a relationship with the Lord of the Universe, in whom we find the peace that passes all understanding that will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7).With that, I think we'll let things rest until next week.Today, we talked about the first five fears we can all face as guitarists: Fear of loss, fear of failure, fear of the unknown, fear of hard work, and fear of losing control of our art.We'll come back next week for the epic conclusion.  Remember my spoiler alert?  Fear #10 is the only fear I believe we need to embrace.  Stay tuned for that.What fears are you battling these days?  Do any of the aforementioned fears from today's episode come into play on your journey?  I'd love to know.  Please include them in the comments for this episode.And don't forget to check out GuitarSuccess4U.com, and to like and share what I'm doing here, especially if you're hoping to experience more of these episodes. I'm working to develop my audience for Guitar Serious Fun, and I need your help.  Thanks for listening, and I'll see you next week as we bring this two-part series to its epic conclusion.Thanks for reading Guitar Serious Fun! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit guitarseriousfun.substack.com

This week we welcome writer and director Dawn Jones Redstone to talk about making her first feature film Mother of Color, how she came up for the idea for the film and how she raised the funds in an untraditional way. We also play another round of the Game, enjoy! Order The Alternate on Itunes Out Now: https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/the-alternate/id1640576609?ls=1 For 20% off your Jambox subscription use code MMIH @ jambox.io Check out the ISA at: www.networkisa.org

I'm super excited to welcome our first guest on Guitar Serious Fun.Today's episode includes a discussion for what it means to “Reduce it to the Ridiculous.” Because this is an interview, you will only find the discussion in the podcast audio. There's no transcript for this episode. But that's ok, because our guest's highly articulate and intentional delivery will draw you in immediately.Her name is Dawn Jones, and she is an International Speaker, Executive and Leadership Coach, Author, and Presenter of more than 20 published books and audio/video programs including her best-selling Top 7 Personality Challenges. She has also created and produced programs on Time Management, Supervising People, Conflict Resolution, Women in Leadership, and more.For over 20 years, Dawn Jones has empowered over 70,000 people in more than 1,700 presentations in 8 countries. Whether she is working with Leaders, Project Managers, Engineers, or Businesspeople, she is passionate about helping people achieve their goals.Dawn helps people recognize and resolve personality and communication challenges, all while helping her clients strategically reach goals, build healthy & productive teams, and increase profits.In her free time, Dawn and her husband volunteer and support non-profit groups in America and East and West Africa where they help people build a hope and a future for the next generation. I met Dawn over 20 years ago through her incredible Booking Workshop and Successful Booking curricula, the latter of which she actually allowed me to present the voiceover for her introduction.  Dawn and I have both presented at Christian music conferences, and we've have crossed paths with some of the same people, including Morgan Cryar and Tom Jackson, whom I've mentioned in past episodes of Guitar Serious Fun.This is the audio from a Zoom call that I hosted with Dawn, so I invite you to listen in, listen closely, and grab some helpful tools from Dawn.  You can learn more about Dawn at dawnjones.net.Spoiler alert: Dawn will be back for at least one more episode in the not-too-distant future as we talk about what it means to “Read it on the Run.”So please stay in touch, and if you haven't subscribed, please do.  I also invite you to like this episode and to share any of these episodes with others, so that more people can experience what we are working hard to make available to you.Lastly, if you're a guitarist and you haven't yet found your tribe for ongoing education and inspiration, please check out our one-of-a-kind experience at GuitarSuccess4U.com.  I'll see you next time.Thanks for reading Guitar Serious Fun! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit guitarseriousfun.substack.com

Monday's South Bend Common Council meeting was cancelled, and council members and Mayor James Mueller blame city clerk Dawn Jones for failing to formally post the meeting 48 hours in advance, which is required under state law. Jones says the claim is electioneering by council members who want her out of office. The clerk and council members have been at odds, council members claiming Jones is not fulfilling her duties. The trial of 15 year old Anthony Hutchens for the murder of six year old Grace Ross nearly two years ago is expected to wrap up today. Gruesome details of the little girl's condition when found were detailed Monday. Hutchens is being tried as an adult, with no jury at the request of his attorney. The judge will decide his guilt or innocence. Four Oath Keeper defendants were found guilty Monday of seditious conspiracy in the January 6th, 2021 US Capitol riot. Prosecutors said the men used a "perverted version of American history" to justify their actions. The maximum sentence for the rarely used Civil War era statute is 20 years in federal prison. Former Notre Dame baseball standout Trey Mancini is officially a member of the 20-23 Chicago Cubs. He says he's enthusiastic about the Cubs prospects this year. Mancini says he's willing to play first base, outfield, or DH as needed. In the NBA: the Chicago Bulls won at home, 111-100 over the Atlanta Hawks. The Bulls are in Indianapolis tonight against the Indiana Pacers. In hockey, the Chicago Blackhawks are at Vancouver late tonight. The Detroit Redwings host San Jose this evening.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It will be later this month before the South Bend council looks at a resolution for racial discrimination reparations in the form of spending on minority communities in the city. A dispute over the legalities of putting the resolution on the council agenda for yesterday led to the delay, with city clerk Dawn Jones asserting she has authority to add items, and some on the council claiming proper protocol was not followed. The council is expected to take up the resolution January 23rd. President Biden has declared a state of emergency in California because of heavy rains causing major flooding across the northern half of the state. The pricey city of Montecito, home to Oprah and Prince Harry, has been ordered evacuated after more than eight inches of rain in the last 24 hours. Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin has been released from the hospital in Cincinnati, and is now back in Buffalo continuing his recovery from cardiac arrest on the field during a Monday night NFL game January 2nd. Hamlin collapsed after making a tackle in the first quarter of a game against the Cincinnati Bengals. College football's national championship goes to the Georgia Bulldogs for the second straight year. Georgia dominated TCU from start to finish last night in Los Angeles, 65-to-7. Notre Dame men's basketball hosts Georgia Tech tonight at Purcell Pavilion. The tipoff is at 7. In the Big Ten, Michigan State is at Wisconsin tonight, and Illinois is at Nebraska. NBA: the Chicago Bulls lost at Boston, 107-99. The Detroit Pistons play at Philadelphia tonight. Hockey: the Blackhawks downed Calgary in Chicago, 4-to-3 in overtime. The Redwings host Winnipeg tonight in Detroit.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dawn Jones is our guest today. She is sharing the story of her life as a mom of a child with MD. Spencer recently passed away at the very young age of 12, but his family is determined to keep his legacy alive by helping other families in need.

In this episode, head of the Health & Her clinic Dawn Jones shows us the best way to approach talking about menopause in the workplace. Find out more about Health & Her here: https://healthandher.com/ Your host is life and career coach Joanne Mallon. https://joannemallon.com/ Joanne is the author of 7 self help books including Change Your Life in 5 Minutes, Find Your Why and How to Find Joy in 5 Minutes a Day. She's been coaching clients around the world for over 20 years and is one of the UK's most experienced life and career coaches. Get in touch on Twitter and Instagram @joannemallon or email joanne@joannemallon.com If you find this podcast helpful I'd love it if you could support it by leaving a rating or review, or by buying me a coffee here https://ko-fi.com/joannemallon If you'd like to take part in a future episode and share your wellbeing tip, fill in the form here https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfP9KJfUK_31wsp1fv_aFrNXlpHyINClJKn2wYctTEnweW5FA/viewform

Transcript included below…I remember my first full-length concert.  I had been playing the guitar for four years…long enough to develop some solid guitar chops, and to write some of my first songs.The concert was hosted by some of my parents' friends, in their living room.  Everyone sat in a circle with me, as I played my guitar, introducing each song before I played it.  I performed for about an hour to an audience of a dozen people.  It was clear that everyone really enjoyed what I shared.  I was a little nervous, because I was playing and singing, sharing my original music, and although I had had some performance experience as a vocalist, I had not played my guitar for a full-length set in any kind of public setting.Although this was a private concert, I'd still call it a public offering, because I wasn't just playing the guitar for myself or my parents; there were people at this concert who had been invited from various circles of friends, so I rose to the challenge to perform for this audience.This first concert was a free event.  I wasn't in a position to charge admission or even receive donations; I was just getting started and learning the ropes of a live event.Fast forward a couple decades, and I've had the privilege of sharing music on stages in front of audiences of several thousand people.  And for many of these events, there has been financial compensation.Even as I am putting this episode together, I'm in dialogue with some venues who are super excited to book me, and willing to honor my talent value, either with an honorarium, a freewill offering, or both.I won't go into detail about what I currently charge to serve at a venue, but I will say that I am now playing for pay in most of my endeavors.  One pair of resources I was blessed to discover early on was the Booking Workshop and Successful Booking by Dawn Jones.In this curriculum, Dawn puts together a spreadsheet that outlines the criteria for what to charge at which stage of your journey. Spoiler alert: I'm looking forward to hosting Dawn on a couple future episodes of Guitar Serious Fun.You may or may not aspire to playing your guitar for pay.  Perhaps you play for the joy of music, and you want to share what you've created with whomever will listen.  That's a great way to offer your gifts.Alternatively, you may be thinking about what it might take to bring in some income as you play your guitar.Some musicians I've known have full-time jobs that are not related to music, but they perform for pay and use that income to maintain or purchase music equipment. Others book their own appearances like I do, and that makes up a significant portion of their household income.  Still others are on a roster for a booking agency which takes a commission based on the events the agency books them for.I'm looking at today's discussion from the perspective of someone who now gets paid to play, but at one point did not.So, when it comes to people who play their guitars onstage, what separates the seasoned musicians from the newbies?  I can think of three things in particular: experience, skill and uniqueness.Let's look at the paradigm of an up-and-coming guitarist.  This individual has honed their craft, learned some songs (their own, or perhaps some covers), has some onstage gear, and is willing to get out and share their gifts.Where do they begin?  Well, I would literally say “anywhere someone is willing to listen.”  There are so many venues that appreciate good music, from farmers markets to coffeehouses.  This first collection of venues is not likely to offer much in terms of pay, because the performer is probably not well-known, and the venue's budget is limited.Is it worth playing some of these venues in the early years of musical development?  Absolutely.  Even if the venue can't pay at all, they are providing a place to share, and hopefully, an audience of some kind.And even if the audience is divided in their attention, meaning, they're chatting at their tables, they do still hear what's being played from the stage.From a practical standpoint, these venues are where you pay to play.  Even if they offer you a small stipend, which is generous, based on lack of experience, you are still paying with your preparation, time, and energy.  The real reward for you here consists of the onstage performance opportunity, as well as some exposure.Sure, you can leverage a mailing list, social media, and other organic channels for drumming up excitement.  Those are all good things.  At the end of the day, though, these kinds of venues are where you start, and hopefully not where you stay.In my experience, playing my guitar in my man cave practice studio is a totally different level of pressure from playing through a PA in a live venue, even if people aren't paying much attention.  The pressure goes up, because the expectation is that we play complete songs with a level of skill and commitment.  And when the pressure is on, we get refined as guitarists and performers.The more performance experience we get, the more comfortable we become as we relate to an audience.  The more relaxed we are, the more freedom there is in the room.  And incidentally, this can lead to more consistent tempos as well. Lastly, the more established our presence is onstage, the more artistic we can be as we play.Once this tier of venues has become quite familiar, it's time to start listening for people in your circles who say things like, “My church youth group would really like what you do,” or “There's a Women's Bible Study that has a summer picnic coming up and they always feature a musical guest,” or “What would you charge to lead worship for our Family Camp?”Did you catch that last one?  “What would you charge to lead worship?”  It's not common with minimal experience to be able to state an honorarium early on, but if someone opens a dialogue and there is money involved, you need to start thinking about your talent value.Reconcile what you think would make it worth your time to prepare, to travel, and to spend the necessary time to bring a quality offering…and then pitch them a monetary amount.Remember, you're taking time away from your schedule, and maybe even your family, so there is a cost.  So, think about what you might charge.  They might counter with a lower offer, but unless it's like a $10 Starbucks gift card, I say take the gig.Remember, even if you're not being paid to play like you'd eventually like to be, the main share of your payment comes in the form of experience and exposure. And if you are a good steward with your gifts for each venue that comes along, those who host you will bring you back, and they may even tell others about you.We do need to be realistic about our expectations in the early stages of our development, though, because in those early years, we have neither experience nor skill on a level commensurate with pay.As you grow in your ability and experience, you'll get to the point where you can distinguish a “tire-kicker” from someone who truly values what you share and wishes they could pay more.  This comes with time, as you develop your ability to sense who you're interacting with and their motives. And yes, even in Christian circles, there can be examples of people who are reluctant to pay for value, who would do well to consider their conduct in light of scripture.  In Luke 10:7, Jesus says, “The worker deserves his wages.” If you're in that much need of income from a gig, you can accept it for a reduced fee, but perhaps after the event, I recommend gently letting the decision maker at the venue know that the next time you do a ministry endeavor with them, you'll need them to come closer to accommodating your talent value.  This, of course, needs to be something you feel out, based on how pleased they seem with what you did.It wouldn't hurt to have some kind of web presence, perhaps with samples of your playing (audio or video) so you can direct potential ministry hosts to it.  You'll want to have something that's available 24/7 as a marketing tool.  People are very digitally-minded these days; they will probably ask you for a link they can visit.One other thing about that – if you post examples of your music online, make sure you feel good about the quality.  You never get a second chance to make a first impression, right? I met a producer from Nashville several years ago named Morgan Cryar who said that most of the time when an artist hands him a copy of their album, they include an apology with it. Let's not put things out there that we feel like apologizing for.  Take the extra step to go with quality over quantity.A press kit can also be super helpful, with testimonials from specific people who have appreciated your ministry.  That's an episode topic of its own, that I may embark on in the future here at Guitar Serious Fun.But have some tools that can provide a hosting venue with what they need to know about you, especially if you're booking your own shows.I've never been signed to a label; that's just a personal choice of mine.  I've appreciated the freedom that comes with being independent as an artist, but the price is less exposure, because labels can provide more power to help get their artists in front of people; this benefits the label as well.I have known of artists who were signed to a label, and one of the main tasks they embarked on was to tour as an opening act for a more established artist. Opening on a tour can be rough, though, because much of the audience isn't really there to see you.  A portion of the audience may not even arrive in time to hear you.  And you need to play in venues where the headliner plays.If you've got a great performance set, you may win the hearts of some of those audience members.  But an opening act on a tour is most likely paying to play.  The funds that come from their efforts, whether CD or merch sales, are often used to help pay for their expenses on that tour. There are those who would rather pay to play and get in front of tens or hundreds of thousands of strangers and garner some following, than play for pay, but only play for hundreds.I'm of the latter disposition; I love those organic, grassroots venues that are small but captive audiences.  I like to be able to see the whites of their eyes and watch their emotional responses, rather than look out at a huge mass of people in a stadium.  I've played for both, and I know what is best for my approach.Something else to consider as you become the musician you believe the Lord is calling you to be: do something that no one else does, at least not in quite the same way.  Don't try to be totally wacky, but do carve yourself a niche so that you are known for something unique.  My tagline for my concert ministry is “Family friendly, message-driven musical creativity.”  When I take the stage, people know that they are in for an exciting time with multiple instruments, looping technology, storytelling, audience participation, and even perhaps a song where I play two guitars at once – one with my feet.It's an all-ages show that has been shaped an added to over time.  Some things work, some things are less effective.  I've made changes based on how people respond, and I cater my set to the demographic I plan to serve at the venue.Tom Jackson is an incredible performance coach from Nashville.  I had the privilege of having him coach me onstage for one of my songs, and I've taught at the Christian Musician Summit when he's been on the faculty. He emphasizes that it is crucial for performers to develop their live show, because if they don't, they'll need to learn these six words well: “Would you like fries with that?”  Basically, what Tom is saying is that as a performer, there have to be things about your performance that allow you to engage with the audience, thereby helping you to stand out in the huge sea of performers out there.Now, just to be clear, I'm not talking about trying to impress people.  As I've stated previously in Episode 11 of Guitar Serious Fun which is titled “Guitar Player, Guitar Owner, or Both,” we, as followers of Christ are not in the business of impressing others.  That's not something that should be in our repertoire. But we can honor the Lord by being creative, having been made in His image.  I can still do a super fun, innovative, and highly musical show, and give God the glory.  I work hard to be musically engaging, both in the sound and the look of the performance.There are a lot of variables when it comes to putting together a show, because we have to know our audience and what their needs are.  We may be playing background music for a formal Christmas party.  We may be closing out a high-energy week of Vacation Bible School with an all-ages concert.  We may be leading worship for a couples' retreat.  Each of those audiences has very different needs.Side note: worship leading and performing are two totally different postures – that's a potential future episode that could also be a worthy discussion.There are also some venues where the currency of the realm is renown.  It's a bit of a catch-22; you need a following to increase exposure, but you need exposure to gain a following. Some artists are less skilled, but they have enough chops and enough of a presence or a brand that people flock to hear them do their thing, so they draw the crowds.  That's great – let them do what they do.Some artists are incredibly talented, but they haven't taken time to create the administrative framework necessary to get their dreams off the ground.  They may be “sittin' on go” for a long time, which could result in them remaining relatively undiscovered and not making the progress they want to make towards fulfilling their dreams.As for you, perhaps the best next step is to develop a clear vision for what success means to you in terms of the types of venues where you want to serve.  You need to sample the menu of venues a bit, of course, but you'll eventually find your ideal people. Once you know what you want to play and who you want to play for, lean into that calling.  Take action, even in small steps. Always remember that you are playing for people.  Keep it relational.  Honor those who have entrusted you with a platform.  Treat everyone, including the tech crew, with great respect.Perhaps even embark on the lost art of the handwritten thank you note.  For over 20 years, I have mailed a handwritten thank you note (or several) to the people who have made each of my appearances possible.But enjoy the process.  Stay focused, and over time, with prayer and dedication, you'll develop momentum, perhaps a following, and eventually be paid for your work.  That transition from paying to play, to playing for pay may take some time, so be patient, but diligent. As with many Kingdom-related endeavors, this may not be easy, but it will be worthy.  Remember, even if you aren't being paid to play yet, you're still doing good Kingdom work if you're pointing to the Lord with your gifts.Let's work hard to see a harvest, but also remember that treasures in heaven are what we're really storing up.  So, play your guitar, have serious fun, and be ready for where the Lord might lead you as you seek His will.P.S. If you're looking for some guitar tools in the early or intermediate stages of your playing, GuitarSuccess4U could have just what you need, in a flexible and fun learning environment.  Check out GuitarSuccess4U.com to learn more about whether this unique experience might be a good fit for you.  This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit guitarseriousfun.substack.com

Transcript included below…I remember my first full-length concert.  I had been playing the guitar for four years…long enough to develop some solid guitar chops, and to write some of my first songs.The concert was hosted by some of my parents' friends, in their living room.  Everyone sat in a circle with me, as I played my guitar, introducing each song before I played it.  I performed for about an hour to an audience of a dozen people.  It was clear that everyone really enjoyed what I shared.  I was a little nervous, because I was playing and singing, sharing my original music, and although I had had some performance experience as a vocalist, I had not played my guitar for a full-length set in any kind of public setting.Although this was a private concert, I'd still call it a public offering, because I wasn't just playing the guitar for myself or my parents; there were people at this concert who had been invited from various circles of friends, so I rose to the challenge to perform for this audience.This first concert was a free event.  I wasn't in a position to charge admission or even receive donations; I was just getting started and learning the ropes of a live event.Fast forward a couple decades, and I've had the privilege of sharing music on stages in front of audiences of several thousand people.  And for many of these events, there has been financial compensation.Even as I am putting this episode together, I'm in dialogue with some venues who are super excited to book me, and willing to honor my talent value, either with an honorarium, a freewill offering, or both.I won't go into detail about what I currently charge to serve at a venue, but I will say that I am now playing for pay in most of my endeavors.  One pair of resources I was blessed to discover early on was The Booking Workshop and Successful Booking by Dawn Jones.In this curriculum, Dawn puts together a spreadsheet that outlines the criteria for what to charge at which stage of your journey. Spoiler alert: I'm looking forward to hosting Dawn on a couple future episodes of Guitar Serious Fun.You may or may not aspire to playing your guitar for pay.  Perhaps you play for the joy of music, and you want to share what you've created with whomever will listen.  That's a great way to offer your gifts.Alternatively, you may be thinking about what it might take to bring in some income as you play your guitar.Some musicians I've known have full-time jobs that are not related to music, but they perform for pay and use that income to maintain or purchase music equipment. Others book their own appearances like I do, and that makes up a significant portion of their household income.  Still others are on a roster for a booking agency which takes a commission based on the events the agency books them for.I'm looking at today's discussion from the perspective of someone who now gets paid to play, but at one point did not.So, when it comes to people who play their guitars onstage, what separates the seasoned musicians from the newbies?  I can think of three things in particular: experience, skill and uniqueness.Let's look at the paradigm of an up-and-coming guitarist.  This individual has honed their craft, learned some songs (their own, or perhaps some covers), has some onstage gear, and is willing to get out and share their gifts.Where do they begin?  Well, I would literally say “anywhere someone is willing to listen.”  There are so many venues that appreciate good music, from farmers markets to coffeehouses.  This first collection of venues is not likely to offer much in terms of pay, because the performer is probably not well-known, and the venue's budget is limited.Is it worth playing some of these venues in the early years of musical development?  Absolutely.  Even if the venue can't pay at all, they are providing a place to share, and hopefully, an audience of some kind.And even if the audience is divided in their attention, meaning, they're chatting at their tables, they do still hear what's being played from the stage.From a practical standpoint, these venues are where you pay to play.  Even if they offer you a small stipend, which is generous, based on lack of experience, you are still paying with your preparation, time, and energy.  The real reward for you here consists of the onstage performance opportunity, as well as some exposure.Sure, you can leverage a mailing list, social media, and other organic channels for drumming up excitement.  Those are all good things.  At the end of the day, though, these kinds of venues are where you start, and hopefully not where you stay.In my experience, playing my guitar in my man cave practice studio is a totally different level of pressure from playing through a PA in a live venue, even if people aren't paying much attention.  The pressure goes up, because the expectation is that we play complete songs with a level of skill and commitment.  And when the pressure is on, we get refined as guitarists and performers.The more performance experience we get, the more comfortable we become as we relate to an audience.  The more relaxed we are, the more freedom there is in the room.  And incidentally, this can lead to more consistent tempos as well. Lastly, the more established our presence is onstage, the more artistic we can be as we play.Once this tier of venues has become quite familiar, it's time to start listening for people in your circles who say things like, “My church youth group would really like what you do,” or “There's a Women's Bible Study that has a summer picnic coming up and they always feature a musical guest,” or “What would you charge to lead worship for our Family Camp?”Did you catch that last one?  “What would you charge to lead worship?”  It's not common with minimal experience to be able to state an honorarium early on, but if someone opens a dialogue and there is money involved, you need to start thinking about your talent value.Reconcile what you think would make it worth your time to prepare, to travel, and to spend the necessary time to bring a quality offering…and then pitch them a monetary amount.Remember, you're taking time away from your schedule, and maybe even your family, so there is a cost.  So, think about what you might charge.  They might counter with a lower offer, but unless it's like a $10 Starbucks gift card, I say take the gig.Remember, even if you're not being paid to play like you'd eventually like to be, the main share of your payment comes in the form of experience and exposure. And if you are a good steward with your gifts for each venue that comes along, those who host you will bring you back, and they may even tell others about you.We do need to be realistic about our expectations in the early stages of our development, though, because in those early years, we have neither experience nor skill on a level commensurate with pay.As you grow in your ability and experience, you'll get to the point where you can distinguish a “tire-kicker” from someone who truly values what you share and wishes they could pay more.  This comes with time, as you develop your ability to sense who you're interacting with and their motives. And yes, even in Christian circles, there can be examples of people who are reluctant to pay for value, who would do well to consider their conduct in light of scripture.  In Luke 10:7, Jesus says, “The worker deserves his wages.” If you're in that much need of income from a gig, you can accept it for a reduced fee, but perhaps after the event, I recommend gently letting the decision maker at the venue know that the next time you do a ministry endeavor with them, you'll need them to come closer to accommodating your talent value.  This, of course, needs to be something you feel out, based on how pleased they seem with what you did.It wouldn't hurt to have some kind of web presence, perhaps with samples of your playing (audio or video) so you can direct potential ministry hosts to it.  You'll want to have something that's available 24/7 as a marketing tool.  People are very digitally-minded these days; they will probably ask you for a link they can visit.One other thing about that – if you post examples of your music online, make sure you feel good about the quality.  You never get a second chance to make a first impression, right? I met a producer from Nashville several years ago named Morgan Cryar who said that most of the time when an artist hands him a copy of their album, they include an apology with it. Let's not put things out there that we feel like apologizing for.  Take the extra step to go with quality over quantity.A press kit can also be super helpful, with testimonials from specific people who have appreciated your ministry.  That's an episode topic of its own, that I may embark on in the future here at Guitar Serious Fun.But have some tools that can provide a hosting venue with what they need to know about you, especially if you're booking your own shows.I've never been signed to a label; that's just a personal choice of mine.  I've appreciated the freedom that comes with being independent as an artist, but the price is less exposure, because labels can provide more power to help get their artists in front of people; this benefits the label as well.I have known of artists who were signed to a label, and one of the main tasks they embarked on was to tour as an opening act for a more established artist. Opening on a tour can be rough, though, because much of the audience isn't really there to see you.  A portion of the audience may not even arrive in time to hear you.  And you need to play in venues where the headliner plays.If you've got a great performance set, you may win the hearts of some of those audience members.  But an opening act on a tour is most likely paying to play.  The funds that come from their efforts, whether CD or merch sales, are often used to help pay for their expenses on that tour. There are those who would rather pay to play and get in front of tens or hundreds of thousands of strangers and garner some following, than play for pay, but only play for hundreds.I'm of the latter disposition; I love those organic, grassroots venues that are small but captive audiences.  I like to be able to see the whites of their eyes and watch their emotional responses, rather than look out at a huge mass of people in a stadium.  I've played for both, and I know what is best for my approach.Something else to consider as you become the musician you believe the Lord is calling you to be: do something that no one else does, at least not in quite the same way.  Don't try to be totally wacky, but do carve yourself a niche so that you are known for something unique.  My tagline for my concert ministry is “Family friendly, message-driven musical creativity.”  When I take the stage, people know that they are in for an exciting time with multiple instruments, looping technology, storytelling, audience participation, and even perhaps a song where I play two guitars at once – one with my feet.It's an all-ages show that has been shaped an added to over time.  Some things work, some things are less effective.  I've made changes based on how people respond, and I cater my set to the demographic I plan to serve at the venue.Tom Jackson is an incredible performance coach from Nashville.  I had the privilege of having him coach me onstage for one of my songs, and I've taught at the Christian Musician Summit when he's been on the faculty. He emphasizes that it is crucial for performers to develop their live show, because if they don't, they'll need to learn these six words well: “Would you like fries with that?” Basically, what Tom is saying is that as a performer, there have to be things about your performance that allow you to engage with the audience, thereby helping you to stand out in the huge sea of performers out there.Now, just to be clear, I'm not talking about trying to impress people.  As I've stated previously in Episode 11 of Guitar Serious Fun which is titled “Guitar Player, Guitar Owner, or Both,” we, as followers of Christ are not in the business of impressing others.  That's not something that should be in our repertoire. But we can honor the Lord by being creative, having been made in His image.  I can still do a super fun, innovative, and highly musical show, and give God the glory.  I work hard to be musically engaging, both in the sound and the look of the performance.There are a lot of variables when it comes to putting together a show, because we have to know our audience and what their needs are.  We may be playing background music for a formal Christmas party.  We may be closing out a high-energy week of Vacation Bible School with an all-ages concert.  We may be leading worship for a couples' retreat.  Each of those audiences has very different needs.Side note: worship leading and performing are two totally different postures – that's a potential future episode that could also be a worthy discussion.There are also some venues where the currency of the realm is renown.  It's a bit of a catch-22; you need a following to increase exposure, but you need exposure to gain a following. Some artists are less skilled, but they have enough chops and enough of a presence or a brand that people flock to hear them do their thing, so they draw the crowds.  That's great – let them do what they do.Some artists are incredibly talented, but they haven't taken time to create the administrative framework necessary to get their dreams off the ground.  They may be “sittin' on go” for a long time, which could result in them remaining relatively undiscovered and not making the progress they want to make towards fulfilling their dreams.As for you, perhaps the best next step is to develop a clear vision for what success means to you in terms of the types of venues where you want to serve.  You need to sample the menu of venues a bit, of course, but you'll eventually find your ideal people. Once you know what you want to play and who you want to play for, lean into that calling.  Take action, even in small steps. Always remember that you are playing for people.  Keep it relational.  Honor those who have entrusted you with a platform.  Treat everyone, including the tech crew, with great respect.Perhaps even embark on the lost art of the handwritten thank you note.  For over 20 years, I have mailed a handwritten thank you note (or several) to the people who have made each of my appearances possible.But enjoy the process.  Stay focused, and over time, with prayer and dedication, you'll develop momentum, perhaps a following, and eventually be paid for your work.  That transition from paying to play, to playing for pay may take some time, so be patient, but diligent. As with many Kingdom-related endeavors, this may not be easy, but it will be worthy.  Remember, even if you aren't being paid to play yet, you're still doing good Kingdom work if you're pointing to the Lord with your gifts.Let's work hard to see a harvest, but also remember that treasures in heaven are what we're really storing up.  So, play your guitar, have serious fun, and be ready for where the Lord might lead you as you seek His will.P.S. If you're looking for some guitar tools in the early or intermediate stages of your playing, GuitarSuccess4U could have just what you need, in a flexible and fun learning environment.  Check out GuitarSuccess4U.com to learn more about whether this unique experience might be a good fit for you. Thanks for reading Guitar Serious Fun! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit guitarseriousfun.substack.com

Many first jobs are not forever jobs, but that's not how it worked out for Dawn Jones at Intel. Now Chief Inclusion and Diversity Officer, Dawn began her career at Intel almost 25 years ago, thinking that she'd only stay for a few years. Intel's support for her and her goals – from paying for her higher education to offering an inclusive culture – was what made the difference. The result is an incredibly committed and intelligent woman determined to advance inclusion for future Intel employees, and for the industry at large.Intel's purpose is to create world-changing technology that improves the life of every person on the planet. Dawn's work directly brings this purpose to life, driving inclusion internally by embedding it in Intel's culture and advancing inclusion externally through language in coding, bringing more girls in STEM, and providing educational support to underrepresented students in STEM at community colleges.Listen for Dawn's insights on:Why listening and respecting others' perspectives are the best mindsets when collaborating.How to work with a diverse and representative workforce to activate them for good, whether it's in the work that they're doing or in the community.Why it's important for industry leaders to collaborate in standardizing goals and metrics, for the industry and world as a whole.Why it's important to devote time and resources to pursue awards and rankings.Resources + Links:Dawn's LinkedInCSR at Intel2021-2022 Corporate Responsibility Report2030 RISE Strategy and GoalsAlliance for Global InclusionIntel Commits $50 Million with Pandemic Response Technology Initiative to Combat Coronavirus

In Focus: 5/22/22 - Lesley Jones and Dawn Jones, Christian Women's Job Corps

Dawn Jones from South Africa shares her journey into Vetrehab, how the business model she has implemented has changed and evolved over the years, and how she gives back to the future of the profession through clinical mentorship and guidance of the diverse group of Vetrehabbers in her team. Learn more about Dawn Jones: https://animalphysicalrehab.co.za/    To learn about Onlinepethealth, watch a free webinar, or join any of our Facebook groups, click here: https://onlinepethealth.com/podcast

OUTSIDE THE BOARDS™ PODCASTSEASON #2 | EPISODE #8: Dawn JonesRECORDED: February 14th, 2022On this Episode of Outside The Boards Podcast, I am really excited to introduce player, patron and co-founder of the Women In Polo Network, Mrs. Dawn Jones.Dawn Jones is one of the most active women in American polo, both on and off the field. Some may know her as the wife of actor Tommy Lee Jones. However, she has grown into a well-known figure and power within America and women's polo in her own right.Dawn is a professional photographer by trade, and WIPN's connector and fundraiser extraordinaire. With a 1 goal mixed and 6 goal women's handicaps, her home base is the San Saba Polo Club, in San Saba, Texas. You will find Dawn supporting women's polo and playing in tournaments around the globe.Dawn has made it her mission to create opportunities for women to play polo through the Women in Polo Network, which she co-founded with Pamela Flanagan. A guest you might recognized from Season #1. Dawn mentors young players and advocates for women to compete at the highest level in polo.Dawn is incredibly bright and one of most motivated and ambitious leaders in the sport. She has become a great friend and we share some the same interest and ideas surrounding this beautiful game. Dawn continues to do great things for the game and women's polo as she continues to advocat and mentor many people. I am happy to commit my time to her efforts. WELCOME TO OUTSIDE THE BOARDS™ PODCASTThe OTB™ Podcast was created with the goal of introducing listeners to people, places and stories and provide a unique behind the scenes perspective of the sport of polo that breaks all the common stereotypes. While discussing key issues affecting the sport today and the constructive sharing of ideas, insights, solutions and best case studies for the purpose of advancing polo globally. The Podcast will have honest conversations with polo industry leaders, enthusiasts and awe inspiring people who make this sport great and fun to be around.ABOUT THE GAY POLO LEAGUEThe Gay Polo League (GPL) is the only LGBTQ polo organization in the world that is dedicated to producing high-end LGBTQ polo events and experiences. Its mission is to inspire and empower those individuals who identify themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender via the promotion of and participation in the sport of polo.The GPL promotes the sport of polo to provide equality, pride, inclusion and confidence for those individuals who face discrimination simply due to identifying themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual, gay or other non-traditional sexual or gender identities.  GPL works to create an atmosphere that affirms and supports the understanding and acceptance of all individuals regardless of race, sex or sexual identity and works to promote goodwill and camaraderie in the community. Its ongoing goal is to raise money at GPL events to help LGBTQ organizations better serve their communities.  Our battle cry is “the slightest difference makes all the difference”. GPL is changing perceptions in the LGBTQ community, athSupport the show

In this episode we introduce you to our good friend, Dawn Jones. She shares her testimony of having an encounter with love before she knew it was Jesus.  Dawn Jones' bio: Kingdom strategist who loves bringing encounter without religion wherever she goes. This was a powerful conversation! You will be invited into an upgrade as you listen. Podcast Details: - Dawn Jones Introduction and background - When we partner with God we partner with the gifts and callings inside of us - We impart God into others lives by declaring the heart of God into their lives - Ask the Lord to enlarge your bubble - You can only influence out of your overflow - God has created a place of encounter for you Get signed up for the next event HERE  Connect with us: Facebook  Instagram   YouTube Channel  The Undivided Heart Website

Story Stitchers youth leaders discuss domestic violence with Dawn Jones, Licensed Professional Therapist, MA, LPC, EMDR and owner of Legacy Counseling Services. Her specialties include trauma and helping people who have been victimized by domestic violence. Recorded in Zoom on January 25, 2022.   Pick the City UP Art Interlude Different I & II Saint Louis Story Stitchers, 2017.   Saint Louis Story Stitchers is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts. On the web at arts dot gov. Story Stitchers is supported by The Lewis Prize for Music's 2021 Accelerator Award. The mission of The Lewis Prize is to partner with leaders who create positive change by investing in young people through music.  Additional support for StitchCast Studio and Story Stitchers youth programs was provided by the Spirit of St. Louis Women's Fund, City of St. Louis Youth at Risk Crime Prevention grant of 2021, Lush Corporation's The Charity Pot, and March For Our Lives Aid & Alliance.

In this episode, we would like to introduce our special guest, Dawn Jones. Dawn is a nurse for 26 years and now focuses as a Holistic Nurse Coach. She practices self-compassion, Heart-Centered healing, and conscious wellness. Incorporating coaching and healing modalities that integrate body-mind-emotion-spirit-environment. Join us as she explains why she thinks wellness is a skill and why you should start paying attention to the other parts of your holistic self. Holiday Sale  25% Off Sitewide  Save on all online courses, workshops, books, and more. Sale ends 1/9/2021 https://www.nursingworld.org/continuing-education Use Code: HolidaySale21   0:00 Introduction 0:59 Sponsor Ads 1:28 Cup of Nurses introduction 2:45 Episode Introduction 3:10 Dawn Jones Introduction 17:03 How did you get past PTSD? 23:27 How do you uplift yourself and your patient? 30:09 How important is communication to get over PTSD? 34:35 How do we promote a healthcare system that evolved in holistic wellness? 44:34 Where did you learn holistic wellness? 51:09 Trusting yourself 58:35 Top 3 things to empower yourself and cultivate wellness 1:05:22 What's the emotional process of a Kidney Donor? 1:08:45 Where can people find Dawn Jones?

What messages have you been told about your body and your sexuality?   At the coffee shop with Juli are two friends; join these women from different cultures for a candid conversation about what they were told and believed about their sexuality. Their stories are unique, but they share a common thread: the messages were powerful and confusing. Listen in to hear how God brings redemption to their lives to walk free from body shame. "A White theological understanding of sexuality cannot be the only voice. You have to leave room for our voice, for our experiences... If you leave room for our voice too, we find a more robust, a more consistent biblical understanding of sexuality". –Dawn Jones Guests: Danisa Suarez, LPC, MA and Dawn Jones, LPC, MA "Rethinking Sexuality" (Juli's book) Legacy Counseling & Consulting, Dawn Jones's Practice CCI Counseling, Jorge & Danisa Suarez's Practice Leave us a rating & review on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or in your podcast app. Follow Authentic Intimacy on: Instagram: @authenticintimacy Facebook: @authenticintimacy Follow Juli on Twitter @DrJuliSlattery

Dawn Jones is CEO at Pressed PR and a musician.  She started successful business before she was 25 and continue to grow it today.  She is an inspiration for young entrepreneurs, starting up with no experience.  Dawn launched PRESSED PR in 2017 as a passion project that would empower other independent artists to succeed. As a musician herself with experience performing, touring, recording, and writing music, Dawn learned that intentional and personal public relations take you far in the music industry.  She wanted to develop a modern company that embodied the essence of intentional, personal, and innovative marketing with a team that displayed the strongest work ethic for their artists... thus Pressed PR was born. Website link: Pressed PRDo you have a story on business development, real estate investing, or other wealth increasing tips?  Please request to be a guest on the Wealth Watchers Podcast by clicking HERETo find out more about what the hosts, Adam Lendi and Justin Hoggatt, check out: happycampercapital.comFollow on Facebook @WealthWatchersCommunity or @HappyCamperCapitalSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wealthwatchers)

In this episode of the Digital Digest, we roundup the biggest stories of the week, and from Chanel vs Huawei to DCs for Bees, it's been a surreal seven days. In the world of data centres, Natalie brings us the news that Bulk Data Centers has a new EVP and IPI Partners has raised $3.8 billion for re-investment. On project news Microsoftis to develop its first data centre in Malaysia – which it said will create more than19,000 jobs – and Teslais building its own data centre in China. On the satellite front, Alan brings us the story behind OneWeb'snext launch – scheduled for 26 April – and explores why Amazon's order to ULA doesn't have a delivery date. Meanwhile, Natalie has the story behind SES's MoU with the government of Kazakhstan. In the telecoms roundup, we hear all about the subsea system connecting Brazil and Argentina while Chile's internet connectivity has increased 62%. And flying the flag for women in telecoms – as well as International Girls in ICT Day – Globe has appointed its first female CCO. Other high-profile female appointments of the week included those of Annette Murphy, Kris Schaffer and Dawn Jones. Also in telecoms, in the UK this week the Telecoms Diversification Taskforce has published its report while Meng Wanzhou has received some good news from the courts. This week also marked Earth Day 2021, in the spirit of which Alan talks about the societal goals being explored by NGMN around 6G and the targets driving Deutsche Telekom's green cloud project. Season 2, episode 14 is presented by deputy editor Melanie Mingas, and features editor-at-large Alan Burkitt-Gray and senior reporter Natalie Bannerman.

Mental health is one of the most complex and far-reaching issues in our community. It crosses every racial and socio-economic line. It affects 1 in 5 people in the United States. Yet, it is an issue that is greatly misunderstood and our community is woefully under-equipped to serve those struggling with their mental health. Listen in as Pastor Michael Byrd has a conversation with Ms. Dawn Jones with Legacy Counseling & Consulting Services on The Church and Mental Health.

Today we sit with Kisha Jarrett and Dawn Jones Redstone to talk about the new short film "See Me" now playing at the Portland International Film Festival.

In this special edition of Brooke USA On The Road, it's all about the polo! In this salute to the Brooke USA Sunset Polo and White Party Special Edition: Latin America, podcast host Julianne Neal speaks with four polo influencers to learn more about the sport, while previewing aspects of the upcoming fundraising event. Gil Johnston, Brooke USA Board Member, is a British-born horsewoman, breeder and steeplechaser. She has been a part of the Honorary Committee responsible for planning the Brooke USA's Sunset Polo & White Party for several years and her commitment has led to the event's financial growth. Gil is a great supporter of equestrian sports and charities across several disciplines, including polo and show jumping. She is also Vice President of the Polo Training Foundation. Tareq Salahi is an award-winning entrepreneur, travel, tourism and marketing expert, winery owner, television personality and top-rated social media influencer. He also just so happens to be a top-notch polo player! Tareq serves as the Ambassador and Team Captain of the International Polo Tour, traveling globally representing luxury cruise lines while bringing the love of the game to a wider audience. He is passionate about advocating the sport of polo, supporting polo clubs, events and organizations worldwide. Hope Arrellano is a fourth-generation polo player and the youngest woman to ever win the Women’s U.S. Open. Her father, Julio Arellano, was the highest rated American Polo Player for many years. At the age of 13, Hope was the youngest player to win the 12-goal USPA Pete Bostwick Memorial tournament with her two brothers and her father, making it a meaningful family event. Not only is Hope a Brooke USA Ambassador, she is also a Global Brand Ambassador for the U. S. Polo Association.Dawn Jones is one of the most influential women in polo, both on and off the field. As the founder of the Women's International Polo Network, she has been able to support such goals as encouraging clubs to create women’s tournaments and garnering support from the Associations and Federations within the sport In addition to her successful career as a stills photographer and camera operator in the motion picture industry, she also serves as a Celebrity Ambassador for Brooke USA.The mission of Brooke USA is to significantly improve the welfare of working horses, donkeys and mules and the people they serve throughout Asia, Africa, the Middle East, the Americas and the Caribbean by raising funds and responsibly directing them to the areas of greatest need. This is accomplished through a holistic approach to funding which includes capacity building, sustainability programming, female empowerment and international advocacy. Brooke USA raises funds to support a wide variety of programs for working horses, donkeys and mules to help them become (and remain) healthy and happy, now and in the long-term, which also benefits the poor families who depend on those animals to help them earn a living. For more information visit www.BrookeUSA.org. To learn more about podcast host Julianne and her partner Bruce Anderson, visit www.naturesview.us or tune in to "Whinny Tales: Horse Stories, Pony Legends and Unicorn Yarns," the official podcast of The Marley Project, an equine and arts-based 501 (c)(3). The Edge, a documentary about their work, is available on The EQUUS Film Channel and on their website at http://www.naturesview.us. Julianne's production work can be found at http://www.jamediaconnections.com. She also hosts and produces the EQUUS Film and Arts Fest Podcast.

With excitement, let me introduce you to Dawn Jones Redstone. This quote is her reality “The power of a written word” Her word led into a sentence.Her sentence led into a paragraph. Her paragraph led into chapters.The chapters awarded purpose! The day came when the story inside of her wanted to breath on its own. Her writing comes from the revolution in her heartShe doesn’t just believe in writing the story she believes in the power of the story. Her stories give life to awareness, possibilities, and presence. She became an award-winning queer, Latinx writer/director. She was named the Woman of Vision by Oregon Daily Journal of Commerce. In addition, she served as a union carpentry and training manager for a combined total of 15-years.She continues to change the world by making a choice to pick up a pen and camera. When we dare to own our stories, we get to create a brave new ending. Connect With Dawn:Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/HeyDawnJonesRedstoneInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/dawnjonesredstone/?hl=enTwitter:@dawnamo https://twitter.com/dawnamo @sistashortfilmhttps://twitter.com/SistaShortFilmWebsite: http://www.dawnjonesredstone.com/http://www.sistainthebrotherhood.com/LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawn-jones-redstone-b98a7912/Book:Make It Happen!Judaline Cassidy https://bit.ly/2Zw4cNBIf you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review and rating on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. I truly appreciate and love reading your reviews! Support the show (https://secure.givelively.org/donate/tools-tiaras-inc)

Yo! This is the last episode of the year and we were blessed with out very first guest! Our former counselor and now life coach, Dawn Jones! This woman here dropped a lot of gems in our life and has helped us through some tough spots together and individually. Check out our conversation and make sure you show her some love!!! Check out Dawn Jones: https://www.dawnjonesnetwork.com IG - @soulfilldtv Follow us! Ebonics Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/ebonicspodcast/ Ebony: https://www.instagram.com/ebonyshumpert/ Nico: https://www.instagram.com/Nicoshumpert/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ebonicspodcast/support

We're Back! It's been a minute since we last posted, but this week Jeff Horn, Assistant Superintendent of Operations for Moore Public Schools joins Superintendent Dr. Romines and Dawn Jones to discuss the completion of installing ionization systems in all 35 MPS schools.

A conversation w/ Music Public Relations Expert Dawn Jones. Stream on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes release every Thursday. Visit us at MusicMeetsTheBoardroom.com to learn more about our upcoming conferences and services. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/musicmeetstheboardroom/support

Welcome to another episode where we discuss politically relevant filmmaking, miracles of nature, and the connection between money and diversity with Portland filmmaker Dawn Jones Redst...

Welcome to Island Influencers, where my guest this week is Dawn Jones. Dawn has been one of the most high-profile lawyers on the island, involved in many headline-making cases over her 30-year career as an Isle of Man advocate. I hope you enjoy hearing her story, including what she is up to now and her hopes for the future. Here's my conversation with Dawn Jones in episode 22 of Island Influencers.

How I get rid of the images that keep popping up in my mind? How can I rebuild trust with my husband when access to porn (his smartphone) is always in his hands? How do I begin having conversations with my kids? Juli and her guests answer these questions and more in this panel discussion on pornography from our 2019 Reclaim Conference. Grab your java and join us! Guests: Jonathan Daugherty, Dawn Jones, Brennan McCarthy, Courtney Maloney Mentioned: sexualdiscipleship.com Grace Based Recovery Axis.org Rethinking Sexuality

Join our Moore, Westmoore, and Southmoore High School Class Presidents as they chat (via Zoom) with Superintendent Romines, Dawn Jones, and Producer Brandon. Get the latest updates and plans for what Commencement 2020 will look and feel like this summer!

Jimmy Martin, Managing Director of Federal Programs, Zoom'd with Dawn Jones, Superintendent Romines, and Producer Brandon to highlight the wonderful work that the Child Nutrition staff has been doing over the last six weeks.

This week's recap of distance learning focuses on our secondary student experience. David Peak, Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Education Zoomed in with Dawn Jones, Superintendent Romines, and Brandon Wilmarth to discuss Canvas, student and teacher highlights, and future event plans.

School in MPS looks quite a bit different since we last posted. Check out what we've been up to and how our first week went as Dawn Jones, Dr. Romines, Shannon Thompson, and Producer Brandon recap all things distance learning.

In this episode, Dave D talks with Dawn Jones, aunty of the late Daniel Fox, who died after being stabbed in St Helens in 2016. Aimed at 11 to 16 year olds, this episode talks about the effects of knife crime, consequences of carrying a knife and what the Daniel Fox Foundation are doing to tackle knife crime, following the death of Daniel. It is mostly - but not exclusively - relevant to 11 and 16 year olds.    Also in this series aimed at 11-16 year olds - "Resilience", "Your Morning Routine" and "Health, Fitness and Pacman" Find us online for more information: website: http://www.maximumedge.org.uk Twitter: @MaxEdgeCIC Facebook: @MaxEdgeCIC YouTube: Maximum Edge Thanks for listening, please like and share if that's your thing!   Featured in this episode: Dave D: @incrementalgainz Dawn Jones (Daniel's Aunty), from the Daniel Fox Foundation  Non-urgent crimes, which do not need immediate police presence (for example someone you know carrying a knife) can be reported completely anonymously to the charity Crimestoppers, either online here or by calling 0800 555 111. Photo by Scott Warman on Unsplash #NoMoreKnives #BladeFree

Our December 2019 Agile Marketing Indy live event featured a stellar panel of sales and marketing professionals. Hear from: Brad Brown, Senior Business Development Manager at Zylo; Sarah Harnish, Marketing Manager at Denison Parking; and Dawn Jones, CEO of 29Eleven Media – as they discuss growing sales and marketing alignment from the ground up, how to better communicate between both departments, and how strike a balance between a marketing-managed and sales-personalized brand. Thank you to Sandler for hosting our event and to Share Your Genius for producing the Agile Marketing Podcast: https://www.shareyourgenius.com/

School safety, mental health awareness, and school violence prevention best practices are all important topics discussed this week as Dawn Jones, Superintendent Romines, and David Peak, Assist. Superintendent of Secondary Education, highlight the district's new School Violence Prevention Training.

Dawn Jones, Superintendent Romines, Dustin Horstkoetter, and Producer Brandon sit down to answer questions that have come up across social media. Winter weather, MPS K9 security, transportation issues, Moore Love, and more...

Did you hear about all high school students receiving a laptop next school year? Join Jun Kim, Director of Technology and Brandon Wilmarth, Director of Educational Technology as they chat with Superintendent Romines and our host, Dawn Jones, to discuss all things MPSOne in Moore Public Schools.

Moore Public Schools has a lot to be thankful for. Check out Dr. Romines, Dawn Jones, and Producer Brandon give thanks to the patrons, staff, students, and more in this mini episode.

This week I like to share some of my favorite moments of my first ten episodes. I love these awesome men and women that I've had the honor to interview. Make sure you go back and revisit each one in its entirety. I guarantee, it'll better the second time around. You can reach CJ Warfield on all social media... Facebook: CJ Warfield - Twitter: @CJWarfield - Instagram: @CJWarfield23 - Snapchat: cwarfield23 Joe C. Elliott Contact - Instagram: jcelliott3 - Email: jcelliott3@gmail.com Demetrius Daniels can be found on all social media sites You can contact Debra Des Vignes at - debra.desvignes@gmail.com If you would like to learn more about the Indiana Prison Writers Workshop click on the following link- http://inprisonwritersworkshop.org/ To get in touch with Audrey Kay, contact her at, clrh20@ameritech.net You can email Brenda E. Cortez at - brenda@howltheowl.com and follow her on Instagram - HowlTheOwl To purchase her books go to www.howltheowl.com To learn more about Dawn Jones and Women of Audacious Faith - https://myaudaciousfaith.com/dawn/ You can contact Stefano Tomasi at - stef.tomasi@gmail.com To contact Adrian Shepherd you can email him at - info@isucceedbook.com If you would like to connect Paul Lester Jr, or order from his company, The People's Cookie of Indianapolis - Facebook.com/PaulRevere25 Facebook.com/ThePeoplesCookie Instagram.com/ThePeoplesCookie Don't forget...If you have a suggestion or would like to be on Worldly Church Girl, shoot an email to https://worldlychurchgirl.com/contact/

Have you heard about MPS's Moore Love philanthropy campaign? It's grown every year, and this year looks to be even bigger. Dawn Jones and Dr. Romines sit down to discuss it's history, what's going on this year, and the impact it's making on students, the district, and greater Moore schools community.

Did you know MPS has Career Specialists singularly focused on helping our 9th-12th grade students explore opportunities during and after high school? Our host Dawn Jones sits down with the Director of Career Tech & Federal Programs and his two Career Specialists, Jennifer Peters and Micah Willeford, to discuss this innovative role in our district.

Join Clayton Ramick, Executive Director for the Moore Public Schools Foundation, and Nubia Holland, Development Coordinator, as they sit down to chat with Superintendent Dr. Romines and our host Dawn Jones about all things MPS Foundation.

In 2004 Dawn Jones started Mojo's Backyard in Tallahassee, Florida and was almost immediately successful. At the time there was no dog daycare or dog boarding in Tallahassee. In 2006 Megan Federico joined the team and eventually became the face of Mojo's Backyard with Dawn. After 12 years of continual growth Dawn and Megan decided to fix something that didn't seem to be broke. They changed everything and became Camp Mojo's.

Recruiting the best teachers and retaining our current teachers is always at the top of MPS's priorities. Listen to Assistant Superintendent of Elementary Education, Michelle McNear, and our new Elementary Instructional Resource Specialist, Kelley Gappa, sit down to chat with Dr. Romines and our host, Dawn Jones.

Tiffany Speaks with Breast Cancer Survivor, Dawn Jones

Dawn Jordan Jones is a branding, marketing, and social media strategist and is the Founder and CEO of 29Eleven Media, LLC. She is also the founder of Lord Three65 (lordthree65.com) which shares a God-inspired message 365 days a year. Dawn’s extensive background includes almost 30 years in advertising sales and marketing. She is an award-winning professional. She has worked with clients such as State Farm, Hardee’s, AARP, Pepsi, Sam’s Club, Walgreen’s, Popeye’s and Proctor & Gamble. She also has extensive event management experience to include co-coordinating the Radio One Raleigh Women’s Empowerment for three years (A $1M+ show with annual attendance 20,000+). Dawn has certifications in radio, digital marketing, and branding and holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Marketing as well. Dawn has articles have published in Rolling Out Magazine and Black Enterprise. Dawn also serves as the Digital Media Coordinator for her church, the New Beginnings Fellowship Church. Additionally, Dawn is also proud to be a member of the 2016 BOSS Influencers (thebossnetwork.org). Dawn currently serves as the Program Manager for Women of Audacious Faith, a Christ-centered community for women business owners here they grow their faith and their business (myaudaciousfaith.com). Dawn resides in the Indianapolis area and is the proud mother of a 15-year-old son, DJ. She also enjoys reading, cooking and is a diehard Dallas Cowboys fan. Dawn views herself as a servant leader in all that she does. She serves her clients by providing a transparent approach to marketing and branding. By offering her experience, she helps her clients avoid some of the hard knocks businesses they can encounter. To learn more about Women of Audacious Faith - https://myaudaciousfaith.com/dawn/ Don't forget...If you have a suggestion or would like to be on Worldly Church Girl. shoot an email to https://worldlychurchgirl.com/contact/

Social media can be tricky, especially for a school district this size. Join Dustin Horstkoetter, Director of Safety and Security, Superindent Robert Romines, and Dawn Jones as they discuss MPS's new board approved social media policy and much more.

It's BACK TO SCHOOL time and there is a LOT going on across the district. Dawn Jones discusses all things back to school with Cori Moody and Aimee Hicks to help you get ready for August 15th!

Shannon Thompson, Dean of Academics, and host Dawn Jones discuss the MPS #ReadMOORE Book Bus as well as summer reading requirements and other summer reading opportunities.

Moore Public Schools introductory podcast features host Dawn Jones, Director of Communications, and Superintendent Dr. Robert Romines discussing the district's various projects and what can be expected in our weekly series.

http://pressedfreshpr.com Dawn Jones had a burgeoning career as a talented violinist, songwriter, session player and performer, and was convinced she was destined for Nashville to pursue a country music career. However, she felt called to go a different direction, one that meant starting her own business from scratch and supporting other artists with her music PR firm, PRESSED PR. During this music careers episode, Dawn chats about her roots in country music, getting a music business degree at Fort Lewis College, and her first steps as young music biz entrepreneur. Dawn also discusses the vital importance of stories in music, how to make a lasting impression, the best way to leverage music PR, and more.

Learn how to implement effective promotion strategies for your brand and music with PRESSED PR founder, Dawn Jones. To have an effective music PR campaign, an independent artist needs to be doing more than just making music. Today we will dive into the promotion of tours, album releases and getting attention with Dawn Jones, of PRESSED PR. Dawn brings a unique view to music PR because she is an independent artist herself and understands the business behind the music. She’s able to relate to her clients on a personal and professional level so she can take independent artists far in their music careers. This episode of the Female Entrepreneur Musician Podcast is brought to you by the FREE Musician’s Profit Path Masterclass. If you are an artist ready to grow your fanbase and expand your income from music, this masterclass is for you. I’ll show you the 5 stages of music career growth and help you gauge where you are now, what you need to focus on and what not to focus on so you’re not wasting time and money. You’ll also learn benchmarks relating to live performing, fanbase growth, social media, recording and more. Free classes are running everyday! Music PR Tips Have something new to pitch – music, tour Look for new angles to pitch Pitch to media and outlets outside of the music industry Start by pitching local media Artist Branding Your brand must be cohesive across all platforms Lack of cohesiveness makes people question who you are as an artist Find your lane. Find what works for you. Don’t try to be someone that you’re not Determining Who Makes Up Your Audience Social media numbers can be deceiving Look at the people who are coming to your shows Get out and talk to your audience Ask how they found out about you Using Music PR to Amplify What You’re Doing on Tour Creates a buzz and make people aware that you’re playing a show Helps grow interest with people that have never heard of you Make sure that your event is listed in event calendars Newsletters can be really helpful for new artists to keep fans engaged Resources The Crafty Musician Blog  Girl Code  by Cara Alwill pressedfreshpr.com Resources Email your questions for Bree to answer on the show: Bree@FEMusician.com Leave your audio questions for Bree to play on the air and answer (you can promote yourself too): SpeakPipe Subscribe to the show on iTunes Give us a review on iTunes Listen on Soundcloud Show Editing by Jen Edds at 317 Sound Design Music by Stella Ronson ABOUT HOST BREE NOBLE Bree Noble is an entrepreneur, musician and speaker. She founded Women of Substance Radio, an online radio station that promotes quality female artists in all genres, in 2007.  She launched the Women of Substance Music Podcast in November 2014, a 5 day per week show which promotes Independent female artists. Her podcast has hit #1 in New & Noteworthy for the Music, Arts and Society & Culture categories and #4 Audio Podcast on all of iTunes. She draws on her extensive experience running her own music business, both as a solo musician and as an Industry professional, to train and mentor other female musicians. Learn more about the station, the show and the artists atwww.wosradio.com. Connect with Bree on Twitter @BreeNoble or on Facebook or on Instagram

(https://www.addtoany.com/share#url=https%3A%2F%2Ffemusician.com%2Fmusic-pr%2F&title=FEM178%20Lessons%20In%20Music%20PR%20with%20Dawn%20Jones) Learn how to implement effective promotion strategies for your brand and music with PRESSED PR founder, Dawn Jones. To have an effective music PR campaign, an independent artist needs to be doing more than just making music. Today we will dive into the promotion of tours, album releases and getting attention with Dawn Jones, of PRESSED PR (https://www.pressedfreshpr.com/) . Dawn brings a unique view to music PR because she is an independent artist herself and understands the business behind the music. She’s able to relate to her clients on a personal and professional level so she can take independent artists far in their music careers. This episode of the Female Entrepreneur Musician Podcast is brought to you by the FREE  Musician’s Profit Path Masterclass (http://musiciansprofitpath.com/) . If you are an artist ready to grow your fanbase and expand your income from music, this masterclass is for you. I’ll show you the 5 stages of music career growth and help you gauge where you are now, what you need to focus on and what not to focus on so you’re not wasting time and money. You’ll also learn benchmarks relating to live performing, fanbase growth, social media, recording and more. Free classes are running everyday! (http://musiciansprofitpath.com) Music PR Tips Have something new to pitch – music, tour Look for new angles to pitch Pitch to media and outlets outside of the music industry Start by pitching local media Artist Branding Your brand must be cohesive across all platforms Lack of cohesiveness makes people question who you are as an artist Find your lane. Find what works for you. Don’t try to be someone that you’re not Determining Who Makes Up Your Audience Social media numbers can be deceiving Look at the people who are coming to your shows Get out and talk to your audience Ask how they found out about you Using Music PR to Amplify What You’re Doing on Tour Creates a buzz and make people aware that you’re playing a show Helps grow interest with people that have never heard of you Make sure that your event is listed in event calendars Newsletters can be really helpful for new artists to keep fans engaged Resources (http://www.thecraftymusician.com/) (https://www.amazon.com/Girl-Code-Unlocking-Happiness-Entrepreneur/dp/0525533087) pressedfreshpr.com (http://pressedfreshpr.com) Resources Email your questions for Bree to answer on the show:  Bree@FEMusician.com (mailto:Bree@FEMusician.com) Leave your audio questions for Bree to play on the air and answer (you can promote yourself too):  SpeakPipe (http://www.speakpipe.com/femusician) Subscribe to the show on  iTunes (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/female-entrepreneur-musician/id981305947?mt=2) Give us a  review on iTunes (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/female-entrepreneur-musician/id981305947?mt=2) Listen on  Soundcloud (http://www.soundcloud.com/women-of-substance) Show Editing by Jen Edds at  317 Sound Design (http://www.317sounddesign.com/) Music by  Stella Ronson (https://soundcloud.com/stella-Ronson) ABOUT HOST BREE NOBLE Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/breenoblemusic)  or on Instagram (https://www.addtoany.com/share#url=https%3A%2F%2Ffemusician.com%2Fmusic-pr%2F&title=FEM178%20Lessons%20In%20Music%20PR%20with%20Dawn%20Jones)

Having a mobile clinic has its pros and cons. I speak to Candice Ramsay and Dawn Jones and find out what it is that they love about it and what their biggest struggles with being mobile are.  They share some great tips on how to maximize your time and be more productive. Link to our previous Podcast with Dawn Jones: Episode 13: Considerations for Rehab Practice Design

In this episode of Danelle's on the fly 'Activation Through Motivation' show, Danelle chats with Dawn Jones from Pressed PR and hears her view on the topic 'What is Success?'. Subscribe to hear more from others and connect with Danelle to be a guest. Have a fab one! Music: 'Feelings' by Danelle Harvey | © 2008 Tygahoney Music Publishing © 2018 Danelle Harvey

2018 is the year of partnership and connection. Listen to Dr. Dawn Jones discuss The Law of Exchange.

2018 is the year of partnership and connection. Listen to Dr. Dawn Jones discuss The Law of Exchange.

2018 is the year of partnership and connection. Listen to Dr. Dawn Jones discuss The Law of Exchange.

2018 is the year of partnership and connection. Listen to Dr. Dawn Jones discuss The Law of Exchange.

2018 is the year of partnership and connection. Listen to Dr. Dawn Jones discuss The Law of Exchange.

2017-04-16 Dawn Jones - dawnjones.net - Pt 1 by Heart of the CitySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2017-04-23 Dawn Jones - dawnjones.net - Pt 2 by Heart of the CitySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the Obama Administration directs billions of dollars toward reshaping America¹s economy and environment, millions of jobs are part of the plan.  But before the current employment shortage, there were many people who already couldn¹t find good work‹including women,people of color, immigrants and youth.  On this edition, we hear from community advocates in Portland, Oregon, who are working to make sure the money in the Green Jobs initiative ends up benefiting those who need it the most. This program contains segments of a panel discussion presented by the National Radio Project, April 2009, in Portland, Oregon. Featuring:Jeremy Hays, Green For All field director; Dawn Jones, journey level carpenter and Oregon tradeswomen instructor; Jo Ann Bowman, Oregon Action executive director; Francisco Lopez, CAUSA executive director; Alan Hipolito, Verde executive director; Joe Biden, United StatesVice-President.   The post Making Contact – Green Jobs, Race and the Economic Recovery appeared first on KPFA.