Moving Forward

Moving forward can be challenging, there are obstacles, and the fear of the unknown. It is often thought of as treacherous, and cold. But there is more, much more in store. It's exciting to feel alive when you are, in fact, alive. Yes, there will be hard times, lonely times, and there is less comfort than before. But, as the great lyricist David Wilcox pointed out "all the roots grow deeper when it's dry".

I still have my guitars, and a deep passion for what I do. I write music, I teach, I play and sing, and I read voraciously. I'm learning and growing every day. I have a ton of music projects going on right now, some performance driven, some driven by writing and recording new material. My website is getting near completion, and it's time to greet the world again as a new man.

I am grateful for my history, and for the future, much of which is unknown. I'm grateful to you, you know who you are. I'm grateful for my family and friends, for my students and colleagues. I'm grateful for the music that helps me through even the darkest hours. I'm grateful for the books and authors who knew just what to write, and managed to get those words to me when I needed to read them.

I hope that you are well, and that you find what you're looking for.


Merci, Danke, Thank You, Dhanyawaad, Cheers, Gracias,





 

Rule number 6

I need to remember rule number 6. Not to take myself so efriggin seriously. Maybe some of my beloved readers need to remember this too.... Naaaaaaaaaaaaaa, not you. But me, yesIthinkso, because when I get stressed out, or divorced, or something happens, small or big, or medium sized, I frequently get all wound up, and things seem worse than they are. Now some of the bigger things are pretty major, and take time. But adding stress to any situation makes it worse - that's my point! I want to enjoy my life. Make some music, do some teaching, traveling, writing, recording, have some fun. Maybe in some small way make the world a better place. I know it's idealistic, and I'm a dreamer... "but I'm not the only one."

Today would have been my dad's 78th birthday if he was still alive. I miss him, and he's still a part of my life every day. I wish that he, and I both new how much he meant to me when he was here. I hope that the rest of my family and friends know how much they mean to me, even if I'm not so good at saying it sometimes.

Love and good things to you! I hope you can wake up happy, and listen to some music. Sometimes making minor changes can help trigger larger changes in our lives.

Maybe you could even pick up my next couple cd's when they're complete... I have 2 different ones in the pre-production phase right now.

See ya,

-Dany

Begin

"Whatever you think you can do
or believe you can do,
begin it.
Action has magic,
grace and power in it.
-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

I have started preparation for recording and instrumental EP this spring/ summer.
I've been writing and arranging songs for it, and arranging for some other musicians to be on board.
I collaborated today on a surf song with an amazing guitar player that lives in Vancouver named Al Carness.
I also met with Scott Haselwood who is creating a web-site for me. 

I've been having some good days and some really bad days. I'm still healing from my divorce, and trying my best to make healthy choices, and balance my life. I just finished reading a book by Julia Cameron, who is AWESOME, called Transitions. I'm also reading another book of hers called The Artist's Way which I couldn't recommend more highly for recovering artists.

I believe the Beatles lyrics "All you need is love", but it is a challenge as you know when love needs to change and evolve. There are Seven stages of grief which are: shock and denial, pain and guilt, anger and bargaining, depression (reflection and lonliness), the upward turn, reconstruction and working through, acceptance and hope. I'm not sure that it goes that way in precisely that order all of the time. I sort of started working through, and realized I was in denial... But as Wallace, of Wallace and Gromit fame, says "All's well that ends well."

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."
-Confucius

So I begin... writing, creating, healing, being kind to myself, being the loving, benevolent, positive person that I am. I begin getting to know myself again, reading, writing, drawing, growing, laughing, refining my methods and skills. Always persevering and doing my best.

I am extremely grateful for the years that Laura and I spent together, for all that we shared, and all that we've learned and grown. I am also very grateful for our continued friendship.

"I intend to feel good."
Dr. Wayne Dyer

What I Want to do

I've been alive almost 40 years, now I'm finally fine-tuning what I want to do. I grew up playing soccer (in leagues...), recreational hockey, basketball, football, riding unicycle, riding bikes, cross country skiing, swimming, working, and eventually learning guitar, and playing in a rad band which switched names more than I changed my socks... (well, not quite). After I graduated from High school I, in a roundabout way, decided I was going to study music. I thought I would go to Vienna and study composition, then write musicals/ rock-operas. Then I moved to Oregon (not quite Vienna). I did learn German fairly well, but that's about as close as I've gotten to Vienna so far. Ever-since I learned to play I was teaching guitar a little here and there, so I decided to make that a more permanent fixture in my life. I also played in some bands here and there, at a church for a while, and founded Coolbeans with Morgan Locklear (who rocks by the way!!!!) We released the smash hit album (in our own minds) WABASH in 1998 while we were both attending Portland State University. It was a tremendous and wonderful experience and is a fun album with some pretty great songs on it.

During my first marriage, before and a few years after my son was born I continued teaching full time 6-7 days a week, Performing most weekends, and taking other odd jobs to try to support my family. I was a zombie. Eventually my first marriage ended.

I continued working too much.

A couple years, and bands: The Climb, Server-X, Bev and the Boys, S-L-A, Mike Soto, The Martins, Dany Oakes (solo acoustic), Dany Oakes Trio,  later, I got married again, This marriage, sadly ended as well, but only after six very interesting and wonderful years together. This time I have no regrets, I just miss her, and love her very much still. We both did the best we could, and eventually realized that the best we could do for each other, and ourselves is to let go, so we could be healthy, and progress the way our lives were pulling. During that time I gradually performed less frequently, and with fewer bands, and focused more on teaching, and re-learning what my goals and dreams are. I began setting up recitals for my students, and focusing more on my instructional books, reading, and starting to think more about doing some video lessons. Now I've bought a small digital camera which will allow me to make some video recordings at home, while I'm planning to go into a studio and record some more within the next few weeks.


This is what I want to do:

• Teach guitar, bass, and ukulele to the best of my ability
• Offer opportunities for students to perform regularly
• Write instructional books to help students learn to be the best musicians they can
• Write and record music
• Arrange and compose music
• Perform music
• Read, learn and grow (even though growing hurts)
• Live a relatively normal, debt-free, balanced life
• Travel, and see the world
• Have health and dental insurance
• Feel alive
• Enjoy each and every day with peace of mind
• Eat, Pray and Love (it's a great book!) (Believe me, I know most guys are like "what are you talking about - it's a chic book!") Maybe we all need to open our minds a little. If you're man enough you would read it, and probably learn a thing or two! HA!

Enjoy!

I hope you enjoy it. I'm going to re-record it soon and add some other songs, some original and some covers.

Enjoy!

A Great Book (for right brained people)

I just finished this book called "Ignore Everybody and 39 Other Keys to Creativity" by Hugh MacLeod. I was looking up books on creativity at Barnes & Noble, and the lady found this title which intrigued both of us...
It's expensive for the size of the book, but it inspired me unlike many other books which I've spent much more $ on. In fact that is what got me started blogging.The author has his own blog, which is how he got started on his book check out
gapingvoid.com

Since I finished it last night, I started my blog, which I'm still trying to figure out how to work all of this stuff, I started drawing and doodling again, reading The Gift (by Lewis Hyde) which is much slower, and less entertaining, but very good in its own way, and trying to allow the creativity to flow. I am aware that this is not a pro drawing, it's just supposed to be amusing, and it amuses at least me - which I think is the point. I was a kid, like many, who thought that any schmuck with a guitar could become instantly rich and famous. I had to learn many things the hard way, but "...experience... it's a brutal teacher, but by-God you learn." Anthony Hopkins portraying C.S. Lewis in "Shadowlands". I don't know if that's an actual Lewis quote, but it is a fitting, and great one!

I hope you have a tremendous day, and that many happy, and lucky coincidences happen your way.

My first blog

Be the change you want to see -Gandhi

I love life, I've got the opportunity for another new start. I am excited, apprehensive, afraid, and sad about some recent changes. I'm looking forward to writing and recording some new music in the very near future.
I am so grateful to all of the people who helped shape who I am for their influence and inspiration along the
way. Thank you for the love, support and for believing in me.

Time to carpe diem! Wish me luck, and I'll extend the same courtesy to you. I intend to make the most out of my sleep tonight and my day tomorrow. I intend to be authentic, passionate, diligent and uniquely me.

 Humbly,


 Dr. Music