A Year of Song

Today is my Ottawaversary- the one year mark of packing up everything, moving back to Ontario, and re-focusing on the things that make me happy, namely music and art.

I am happy to say that I have seen more concerts in the past year than I have since high school. I have spent hours drawing, sketching and painting, started designing fabric (some of which even made its way into pillows on the office couch of one of the top producers at CBS!), sold artwork in support of one of my local galleries, and drawn inspiration from the oddest of places (as "He-man would say..."). I have discovered more new bands, recommended more music to friends, and spent more hours listening to stuff that makes me excited about life, than ever before. Its been fantastic.

A lot of the credit for this phenomenal year goes to the places I pass the time time (Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto, and Gravenhurst, with a little bit o Guelph-Kitchener-Waterloo thrown in for good measure) and the bands I unabashedly love (Elliott Brood, Library Voices, Graveyard Train...), but I can't forget the people who have helped make this year unforgettable. Being geographically closer to family has been amazing, as has it been reconnecting with old friends, and making amazing new ones all the while getting lots of updates and visits from my loverly Hali-chums.  Thanks everyone for being you. Yous. Vous. Merci.

So what will I be working on for my second year in Ottawa?
Of course I will be continuing to see tons of live music, but in addition to writing about it here, I'll also be doing reviews for Grayowl Point and looking at Canadian music on The Road Less Traveled. On a more personal note, I'm making it my goal for the year to improve my music-recommendation skillz, honing it into a science. So if you know me in person, I apologize in advance for all the questions about your musical tastes, but hopefully it will all be worth it in the end! I'll also be working on getting better at various instruments including the ever-adorable ukulele. Luckily you won't have to endure all of that practicing, but if you see my roomie maybe throw her a quick smile for putting up with me ;o)

At any rate, tomorrow I'll post my top concert of 2011, then its back to the grind; starting a new year off in the best way I know how. With a show. Geez I sound like I'm in an old Muppet movie! Ah well, there are worse things...!