TRUCK STOP FASHION TIPS & STORIES FROM THE ROAD!

TRUCK STOP FASHION TIP #1:

BIGGER IS ALWAYS BETTER and a few fun stories from our tour along the way!

We had a great time browsing the truck stops of America, and in Albuquerque, NM this was one of the top fashion finds! In our quest to find traffic that could rival Austin's rush hour...we came up empty handed.  While Santa Fe had some road construction, the view was amazing and lasted a whopping 8 minutes!   In Estes Park we found 3 moose, a pack of angry elk with big racks (ha, ha, ha...she said racks), lost a camera in the National Park...then found the camera thanks to some good samaritans with big hearts! In Minnetonka,MN we found a new group of friends in music playing our hearts out to a crowd relaxing on the green grass, and gained a tribe of 3 year olds running and dancing past us at lightening speed. At our July 1st show in Minneapolis Hilary celebrated a Birthday with 5 cousins and 10 close friends that drove in from as far away as Kansas City to help her celebrate!  No...it wasn't a mile stone birthday...which made it even a BIGGER surprise!!! In Trempealeau, WI we sang with the trains, watched the sun set over a river barge and enjoyed some spotted cow after an inspired National Anthem with the crowd to close the show. In Duluth, MN we shared 4 shows with Bill and Kate Isles...and got a chance for some wonderful inspiration sharing life stories, hopes and dreams with some lemon-chello and home cooking.  In Kansas City we played a block party that ended with 2am tennis lessons from the local mega-tennis pro TK.  This morning we woke up in downtown Telluride listening to Bear Creek bubble past our bedroom window...and I hit my internal snooze button at least 5 times! So many great shows...adventures and memories made over the last 2 months.   Our hearts are full, bones are feeling a bit weary, and our souls are growing sore for that patch of dirt we call home back in Texas...but wow, has it been a great ride! Thanks to everyone for a great adventure!!!

Jumping in Heart First on Film

    How surreal to see your story from the outside looking in on a screen that is bigger then your entire living room floor? Surrounded by a room full of more strangers then friends, looking in through a lens who's angle even you can't predict;a truly bizarre experience indeed!

   I've been singing out loud and proud for a long time now, but this is the first time I've experienced living out loud so far on this planet! I started this journey in music with nothing to lose and the motto "I'm not afraid to suck out loud," knowing full well that growth as a performing artist had to start somewhere and the first step was to take a big breath, embrace the learning curve and jump into the deep end heart first.  After all, I've been jumping in over my head my whole life, why stop now? But even then, while performing songs on stage, you can hide behind the veil of a guitar and a melody line.  This documentary film thing is a whole other ballgame if you ask me!  

   In the film FOLK, the ups and downs behind the songs come to light and the veil is lifted on the stories behind my jump off the high dive.  I'm most comfortable being the funny girl, with a clumsy side and big smile.  I must admit when push comes to shove, I gloss over the pivotal moment when I found my voice and never turned back.  Once upon a time I lived in a world driven by fear and controlled by anger, and it is my folk & music family that has shown me a path where love leads the way.  

   With this film you will get the rest of our story as we chase our dreams in music and life. The ups and downs that usually stay hidden behind closed doors come to a head and that is a scary thing to share.  Sometimes the most beautiful gifts are revealed once you tear away the ugly wrapper.   I hope you will see what good your love, support and faith in others can do to make this crazy world a better place. Thank you for helping me find the beauty in this world when I need it most!

www.folkdocumentary.com

www.facebook.com/folkdocumentary

www.TheFlyinAs.com

   

Reflect, Refresh, & Renew

Reflect, Refresh and Renew

The last several months have been full of wonderful adventures. From a chance to share our music at the opening of Santa Fe's revolutionary Esperanza Shelter for Battered Families, to singing our hearts out on the main stage of the Lime Kiln Theater surrounded by the history of our forefathers in Lexington, VA...it has been a wild ride.

We’ve been laying low the past month to reflect, refresh and renew our commitment to life and music.  There are some exciting new developments at hand as we prepare for the release of the FOLK Documentary film. We are delving into the world of writing music, discovering our instrumental potential and solidifying our journey together in life and love.

  In addition, I am is stretching myself on the piano too. This week I begin working with Grammy winning pianist Floyd Domino in the weeks ahead to hone my skills on the ivory!

Once again we start another phase in reaching for our potential. Stuart and I admit that we are always searching to better our songwriting, instrumental skills and performance work. While some days it feels daunting trying to climb that hill of possibilities, most days it feels like a gift having the chance to try.

So in the days ahead be watching for some new material to show up a our live shows, and who knows, by the Spring maybe a new instrument or two as well!

Not what we meant when we said 

"This tour's gonna be on fire".

Driving through the rocky mountains there is an unusual haze that has covered the sky up here in Estes Park, Colorado.  We've been on the road 2 weeks and been lucky enough to dodge a few mistakes & mishaps...but one thing we can't avoid is the fires that seem to be engulfing this beautiful mountain range around us.

It brings flashbacks of the Bastrop fires in Texas last year, or last summers driving down I-25 watching the Los Alamos fires engulf mountain ridge after mountain ridge.

There are stories filling the papers and television of tragedy followed by heroism, and wow does it get your mind on the things that matter.

One story of a retired fire chief that happened to own the house where a fires started that claimed 22 homes and one life.  Another story of an 18 year old volunteer fire-woman who watched her family's home burn to the ground while fighting a fire on a nearby home.  

The stories never seem to end with things like this. Fire fighters from around the country all here in Colorado to save homes and lives, while many of them may be in jeopardy of losing their own in the process.

As we travel around this beautiful country sharing our hearts, minds and music...it's a harsh reminder of the gift of life we all have every day. My little catch phrase for this year has been:

"Live life like you mean it!"

I think it's taken on an even deeper meaning today as I watch the smokey haze dissipate over the rocky mountain range...slowly creeping in from the fires a few hundred miles away, that has already burned  hundreds of homes and thousands of acres.   You truly never know what is around the next bend, whether it is another great show, an idea that inspires the next song, or a harsh reality that bites you to the bone reminding you what life is all about.

So tonight we play a show at the Hempel Theater up here in Estes Park. This theater stage is one where I wrote some of my first songs when I was up here working for the summer. Back then the theater lights were all off, and alone in the dark I would sit on the stage and compose my songs singing to nothing but the clear mountain air and an empty room. 

Tonight we will take the stage, and I'll sing my heart out to hopefully lift a few spirits, inspire a few hearts, and maybe even give some of the audience a break from the firestorms that seem to be taking this state county by county.

So if you can, take time to take a deep breath and think about how to take today and "Live life like you mean it!" I promise you I'll try to do the same!

Hold up!!!!

Pack the bags, unpack the bags, do the laundry, feed the dogs, practice, pack the car, unpack the bags, and pack again.....AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! HOLD UP!!!

So, we've been on and off the road for quick trips the past 8 weeks, and are about to head out for a full 2 month tour, and while I can't wait...man, is the preparation a bllllleeeeeaaaahhhch!

It is times like this when I don't know what I would do without my partner in crime.  I can get overwhelmed looking around our house that seems to have had an explosion of laundry...not all of it is clean either!  From dishes, to the dogs, to the step kids...all 3 things I love having... sometimes I just feel overwhelmed balancing them all as we prepare to hit the road!

Whether it is a simple comment like "honey, why don't you take a quick break" to having a hot cup of tea ready for me when I wander first wander out of bed, I sure feel lucky having such a wonderful life partner.  We are going on 7 years of this crazy thing we call marriage, music and business together. Man, it's been a wild ride!

I have a feeling most musicians say that hitting the road isn't the hard part, it's getting all the work done so you ride the black top that is the tough part!

So as I sit on my couch in limbo, looking at the to do list that seems to get longer by the minute...I think I will take a quick break, have some tea, and keep my eye focused on the prize.

What is the prize I am working so hard for today? 

A hot cup of coffee on the dash, a sky painted dark purple as the first hint of dawn cracks through the dark blue horizon, our guitars in the back seat, and the low hum of the tires on the pavement as we head west.  

So right now my "to do" is to HOLD UP!!! 

Cause soon things will be moving along so fast, I will just be trying to hold on and enjoy the ride!

Forgiveness, Faith & Gasoline

Forgiveness, Faith & Gasoline

We are about to release our latest project...and I can't wait for these songs to have wings!

When people ask where my songs come from, my answer is always, my heart.  When people ask me if it bother's me if other people have a different interpretation or take on a song I've written then I do...and I say NO WAY!

I feel like when I am writing a song, there is a tender process where sounds, lyrics and soul first come together in my own secret & intimate experience. Once I get a chance to share that song out loud with the audience, I feel like that song takes on a whole new life and it's meaning belongs to whoever's ears it falls on.

This little 6 song album has 2 new Flyin' A's tunes on it that I can't wait to send out to the universe. They have been tumbling around in this head and heart of mine for way too long.

They are a combination of blood, sweat, growth and tears.

It's weird, but it feels like I've been carrying those experience silently for a long time, and the chance to send them out to the universe feels so cleansing.

In life we meet people that inspire us, and then there are those that challenge us to find a new direction. One thing I am starting to realize is that even the WORST relationship's effects can be good in the end, and I think it's time I finally found forgiveness for those who seem to have left the deepest scars.  After all, it's the tough times that makes us appreciate the wonderful ones right?

So with this EP,  Faith & Gasoline, I think I am going to throw a little forgiveness out into the world with it too.  

After all, we all walk this earth for a limited time...why not try and carry a lighter load?

A step away from Mother's Day!

   
A Step Away From Mother's Day!

      Many of you may know that with my union in music and life, I have two wonderful step kids.  I don't talk much about it, but with Mother's Day looming close I couldn't help but take a minute to share my experience in this part of our lives.
     I walked into our union as a twenty something, only knowing the responsibilities of a self sufficient young woman, and have since learned to carry many "hats" as my journey with Stuart has moved forward.  Being so much younger then the kids mom, and also, making sure not to cross the "sacred thresh hold of mother-dom" hasn't always been easy.  At times as a step mom you feel invisible, but other times it can be amazing.
    With two teenage step kids now, it is exciting to see them growing into young adults.  They are so capable, and it is exciting when they have a break through or get to see their potential unfolding.  I must say, I find "Mother's Day" a bit annoying when people try to say "it's your day too".  I don't believe in making something out of nothing, and in no way am I treated like a "mother" and why add fuel to the fire when you have a "real mom" that is very focused on the importants of her role in all of this.  I do feel like maybe some day the kids might just look back and see some of the quiet behind the scenes work I've done to support them. The times they've come home feeling like life was too much to handle and I gave them a pep talk, a good snack and a smile. Then again, maybe they won't...but isn't that the trick in life?  Sometimes it is the good things we do that go unnoticed that have the most impact when we leave this earth.    I don't do a "good job" as a step mom I suppose for the credit...I just love my husband and his two offspring...and ultimately want them to have a chance at happy and healthy lives once they leave the nest.
     So, to all you step mom's out there...keep up the kind work. To all you mom's out there...remember, no one can take away your bond with your children, including us step-mom's. We aren't a threat...we are a potential team member and friend to you and your kids.   We step-mom's are well aware that we are low on the totem pole of the "blended family system", and while that isn't always the most rewarded role, sometimes it does provide a window to see things that can be helpful to the family as a whole.  I always joke that I married Stuart and his "ex-wife".  Honestly, we are all family and what happens to one of us, effects all of us. So why not try to love everyone through this journey.
   After all, I read a study once that said "12 out of 12 people don't make it out of this world alive". I figure why not spread as much love around as we can before it's over!  So happy Mother's Day to you guys...afterall...in order to make it on this planet, we all had to have at least one!!! :) hilary

'Tis the Season Tips Anyone?

'Tis the Season Tips

for staying jolly?

Here is the latest Flyin' A creation. A whole lot of glitter, and a whole lot more of what we like to call "home made hilary"! Thought it was fitting for the question at hand!

So does anyone out there have tips for making it through the holidays with all the sanity we start them with?  I love my family, love my friends, but it never fails, there is always at least two or three days during the holidays I feel like my head is going to explode!!!

I don't know if it the media, the inner pressure for the "ideal" experience, the old baggage that dates back to the 12 year old in me or what...but during the week before and after Christmas you will find me  in tears atleast once, frustrated atleast 3 times...and overwhelmed, well a lot of the time.

I must say, it never stops me from being excited about decorating the tree, making that 3rd cup of hot cocoa, or planning that extra get together so I can see the extended family one last time...but what is it about the "holidays" that gives rise to so many emotions???

Yeah, don't get me wrong...I love the jolly emotions, and I sure do look more jolly at the end of the 2 week binge connected to all those nutty emotions then at the beginning of them, but I would love to get through just one holiday without the downs of it all.

I know, that is probably asking too much...a "manic" holiday with out the "depressive" parts might not be realistic these days. But I am going to try to find a happy balance...focus on the highs, and hey, at least the lows provide perspective?

Any advice on the holiday roller coaster is much appreciated...just make a quick comment and share how you deal with it? I know I have a lot to learn! 

Are You Ready For Your Close Up???

FOLK, the documentary film that features the Flyin’ A’s, is almost
ready for the edit room!!!!!
The million dollar question:
"Are You Ready For Your Close Up???"

As the documentary film following us gets closer to coming to fruition, more and more people have asked about why we are letting strangers document my and Stuart's journey through this
 life in love and music.

Is it intrusive? Do they set up scenes? Do you feel self conscious? Do they manipulate your relationships? Is it like reality tv? 

All I can say is that the experience is nothing like what I expected. 

The answers to the above questions are- no, no, no and no!

Okay you caught me, a big YES to the self conscious thing...
I wouldn't be a girl if I didn't worry a little bit about how
big my butt looks on a friggin' "wide" screen!!!!!!!!
How is that fair??? Who came up with that idea???
:)

It is the strangest experience, and the only way I can explain it is like a recipe.
As we've gotten to know the crew, each of the are:

one part cinematographer

one part sound man

one part documentarian

one part friend

one part marriage counselor (while they don't ever say a word, they just listen, it is weirdly therapeutic)

one part roommate

and one part obsessive dog lover (you know I can't help loving other dog lovers!!!).

DIRECTIONS: Mix it all together, and whaaaa-laaaa; the lines naturally blur between work, personal life, friendship, and it all cooks up for an easy
 look into our life.  

Why dare risk letting someone else tell our story?
(while the ups are easy, the downs are the hard part to share)

Honestly, when I left my old life for this new one in music, I made a conscious decision to challenge my self, my heart and my mind every day.   

In the end of it, I figure if there is something from our journey that inspires someone else out there to fight for their dreams, work through a tough spot with a loved one, or at least let them know that they are not alone in this world
then in my heart of hearts, I think it will all be worth it.

Where can you get involved and see this "film trailer" anyway????

They’ve got one of the best editors in the documentary world lined up
to edit the film!!!

If they can put together the funds to get the editing started, then the next step is to submit to Sundance and SXSW film festival...hard to believe it is all starting to come together!

If they get the funding, this is going to be really great break for us...
Please give the trailer a look!
If you feel inspired, there is even a place to help fund the project and join the team!
Click below to check out how wide this bootie of mine looks "wide screen style"!!!

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1950031841/folk-a-feature-length-documentary/backers

Am I ready for my close up?
Depends on what you are zooming in on!!!!!!!

How old are you???

How old are you anyway???

This is one of the top questions people seem to ask when I walk off stage and start a conversation.

Now, Grandma Niecy raised me to know how to be polite, 

and this was on the definite list of things NOT TO DO, 

along with asking a stranger with a big belly..."when are you due?"  

Now, that being said, I know as a performer if you have a good show, hopefully the audience will not only enjoy your music, but we will all have a moment or three where we become friends along the way. So, with that being said, I would like to think that is why people want to know?

So many times in this life we get stuck on age as a way to define ourselves and those around us? 

With a world so obsessed with age, beauty and capturing youth;a world where botoxed foreheads and butt lifts are available for a few generous monthly payments, I guess it shouldn't be any wonder people are so curious about my age. 

No, no butt lifts or botox on my resume for those who wondered.

I will admit, I usually handle the question with humor, then make up an age that I think will satisfy the person asking.  I figure the more ages out there, the better!

Is it my little way of avoiding the question? 

Sure, but it's also my way of quietly proving the point that I believe that it isn't necessarily about where we are on this time line compared to the next person that truly defines us.  I have met some of the wisest people that are only age 12 and some of the most immature people that are 70...so why do we care so much about our "born on date"?

I believe that we all have a limited time given to us on this earth, and it's not about the birthdate on your drivers license...it's about today's date.

I truly strive to live in the moment, and while I don't always do it well...it is something I always strive for. My big question back to those who ask is....why do you really care how old I am?

There are a lot more interesting questions to ask like what is my favorite food? Who do I admire most in my life? How much do I weigh?(Niecy hated that one too) How did I meet Stuart? How did I get into this music business? What things do I care about most?

Okay, enough of all that...how old am I? Well I figure if you read this far down, you deserve to know. You have put up with my pontification long

 enough to see if I will ever brave the question...so here goes.Hilary Claire Adamson's born 

on date is July 1, 1974.  That's right...some of you reading this are doing the math and realizing I've given you atleast 3 wrong ages...some older, some younger, maybe a few that were correct.

I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me for playing my little age game? I just couldn't help it!  

I just think our society is so silly about age...but now you know the truth!

Do with it what you will...but maybe help make up a few ages along with me too.

After all, I truly believe you are only as old as you choose to be at heart!

Feelin' The Love

Feelin' The Love

This first month home has been one of rest, reflection and reconnecting.

I must say I get addicted to the road's adventure and never ending dotted lines, it really feels like our second home at this point, and one we love none the less.

Sinking our roots back in our community back in Austin has been pretty cool too. 

This morning I was lucky enough to be on the "First Timers" panel and share what I've learned with a lot of new, up and coming artists. It was a little surreal thinking about my first time sitting in the SWRFA panels, freaking out in the back of the room, trying to soak in as much information as I could, while scared $#!^less that I might say something wrong to someone important. Much to my horror that weekend, I would accidentally steal oreos from one of those people I was so scared of.  I hadn't eaten in 24 hours and on the way home in the car, pulled the double stuffed treats out of my backpack and quickly broke the seal and dug in.

Stuart turned to me with a weird look and said...."Hey where did you get those?"

"You bought them for us right?"

(long awkward silence...)

 Little did I know, those stolen oreo's have become a running bond with those "scary venue people", and they are some of our closest friends!

In the past 6 years I almost feel like I've become an adrenaline junky...stretching myself musically, artistically and emotionally in so many ways. Some risks have been well received, others opportunities to learn, but man, where would we be today without so many friends along the way pushing us to keep on keepin' on.

Today I am feeling the love, and I hope I am sharing a ton of it too. 

After all...there's always enough love to go around if we are willing to spread it!

Two Steppin' Is My Religion

When two steppin' is done correctly you get a chance to enjoy the music, use that beautiful body God gave you and connect with a new friend.  Note, I don't mean "connect" in a weird way...if it is a true dance partner you just follow their lead, sing your heart out with some great music and two step your way to bliss.

Too often honky tonks are associated with too much beer and fist fights.  I will admit whole heartedly that I have found more love, compassion and true friendship in a honky tonk then anywhere else in my days. I say that out loud in public and people act like I am crazy. The beauty of true Texas honky tonk is that if that is where you are standing, you know who your standing with. There is no need to say who you "are" and what you "believe"...it is just understood...we all love good Texas Music, a cold beveridge (be it a soda, Lone Star, ice tea or chardonnay) and that is that.

So tonight I send out a special thank you to my new friend Tommy. He is a man I met at The Broken Spoke tonight. He was close to 80 years old, he had tremors you could feel a mile away, but danced like there was no tomorrow and he told me "Girl, you got it all...I will remember this the rest of my life...".

I say to that..."Tommy, thank you for taking the time to ask me to dance, and I'll remember it the rest of my life as well." Life is precious, and there is only one thing you can't get back and that is time. What a gift Tommy chose to share with me...and I'll just say it...he was a great dancer to boot! (even if his boots hurt so much he had to dance in his socks).

Life is good, I feel blessed to have had the chance to meet Two Steppin' Tommy tonight. So there you go, my thoughts on religion!  IT IS ALL ABOUT LOVE AIN'T IT????

Two Steppin' Is My Religion

When two steppin' is done correctly you get a chance to enjoy the music, use that beautiful body God gave you and connect with a new friend.  Note, I don't meen "connect" in a weird way...if it is a true dance partner you just follow their lead, sing along with some great music and two step your way to bliss.

Too often honky tonks are associated with too much beer and fist fights.  I will admit whole heartedly that I have found more love, compassion and true friendship in a honky tonk then anywhere else in my days. I say that out loud in public and people act like I am crazy. The beauty of true Texas honky tonk is that if that is where you are standing, you know who your standing with. There is no need to say who you "are" and what you "believe"...it is just understood...we all love good Texas Music, a cold beveridge (be it a soda, Lone Star, ice tea or chardine) and that is that.

So tonight I send out a special thank you to my new friend Tommy. He is a man I met at The Broken Spoke tonight. He was close to 80 years old, he had tremors you could feel a mile away, but danced like there was no tomorrow and he told me "Girl, you got it all...I will remember this the rest of my life...".

I say to that..."Tommy, thank you for taking the time to ask me to dance, and I'll remember it the rest of my life as well." Life is precious, and there is only one thing you can't get back and that is time. What a gift Tommy chose to share with me...and I'll just say it...he was a great dance to boot! (even if his boots hurt so much he had to dance in his socks).

Life is good, I feel blessed to have had the chance to meet Two Steppin' Tommy tonight. So there you go, my thoughts on religion!  IT IS ALL ABOUT LOVE AIN'T IT????

Frankly My Dear Watson...

WHAT A TRIP!!!

From our second chance to play Main Stage at Kerrville Folk Festival, to running through the streets of London in a rain storm, what a trip this first half of 2011 has been!

Best quotes from the road:

"It's time to grace the red velvet."

"Would you like a crumpet?"

"You should look  in the mirror and start singing like a white girl." (yeah, I don't get that one)

"Excuse me Miss, is this your backpack? Your gonna have to come with me..."

"Let me wire you up, we're just gonna sit and interview you for 10 minutes." 

"It's not the size of your paddle, it's what you do with it."

"See that rock? They call it poison rock;one drop and it will kill ya!"

"Sure, tell another joke..." (don't worry, I didn't!)

Highlights from the road:

1. FRIENDS- from the mini paddle ping pong matches in the mountains of Truchas, NM and long talks in the forest of Floyd, VA to cruising in the "VAN" with our buds the Roselly's in the UK...and all the friends we saw and made inbetween...you all are a huge highlight of our adventures!

2. My new shiny Taylor 816CE...it is my new best friend, and yes I kiss this guitar in public too! I know it may be dorky, but thank you Taylor for endorsing me so I can have this beautiful instrument. It's already made me a better player knowing you guys are backing me!

3. The Royal Academy Workshop- I learned so much about singing it truly blew my mind.  It has helped me really start thinking about my sound and how to ensure longevity. Thank you Mary King!

4. Reconnecting- This summer's tour really helped Stuart and I reconnect after 5 years of working to build our family and our music. Having so many new adventures together, as well as time to just enjoy each day and new city has been wonderful.

5. Inspiration- so many people had bits of inspiration and advice to share on the road. It was like as we turned each new corner there was a bit of wisdom waiting to find us!

Thank you to all of the venues, festivals, friends, and fans who have spread the word and come out to make all of our shows such a blast. It is an honor to get to share our music with so many wonderful people.

It truly means more to you then I can put into words!!!

Note the wonderful double chin addition to my look...we definitely enjoyed ourselves playing music, and tasting the local flavors!  Now time to find those running shows again!!!

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS

It's all a choice...seeing things in shades of blue or rose colored clarity?

Watching CBS news lately has been NUTS!  Natural disasters, peaceful protests crushed by violence, mass murders, drug wars, floods, droughts, fires, melt downs, recessions, budget cuts...

...sometimes I can't help but get the blues listening to all of the insanity going on around us. 

I have been spending a lot of time working through issues on the home front as well as taking in all this madness that seems to be unraveling around us.  

Luckily the new album has been a breath of fresh air this year, and really helped us when we have needed most amongst the financial crisis and madness...thank you to everyone who has picked up a copy or downloaded a song!  But, with two step kids and a household to maintain, on top of the music, this year has stretched us both on and off the stage.

I have been hearing those annoying voices in my head screaming "What if...? How will you...?  Are you gonna...?" and letting my nerves unravel feeding on anxieties built on negativity, worry and all in all just plain stupidity that I've let sink into my psyche. 

My good friend Irene said it best...be careful who's voice you're "giving free rent to in your head"!
She hit the nail on the head (pun totally intended), I've been letting the wrong things manifest in this little head of mine.
 (True confession- I actually do have a small head...I wear a bike helmet size meant for an 8yr old, but my dad promises me that is no reflection of IQ!)

So lately I find myself  fighting to keep my head in the positive reality of our lives.

 Throughout my life I've been accused of seeing things through "rose colored glasses" and I'll be honest about it...often I choose to see things on the positive side. Lately the weight of the blues have been settling in, and I'm not entirely sure why. I think I have been letting my mind buy into the "stresses" of life when in reality those "stresses" I catch myself worrying on are just the "what if's" instead of the "what is"!  

So today I am choosing to put my rose colored shades back on, and start focusing on what is going right. 

The list starts with great friends, great family, great opportunities to explore and share our music, great travels ahead, and a beautiful sun that seems to shine bright every day no matter what shades I choose!  

Perspective is a choice, and today I commit to choosing the sunny side of life through my favorite pair of rose colored glasses. Want to join me?

WILD RIDE

SXSW is in full swing, and we’ve already made so many wonderful new friends as well as old friends in town with us. From our friends in film and internet marketing world, to fellow musicians streaming into town for the end of the week...Austin is NUTS!

The last 4 days have flown by, and things are just gonna get crazier. I look around and see a life I’ve worked hard to build these past 7 years with Stuart, and life before all this just seems like a dream I am glad to forget.   I finally feel like my world has healed and my heart is open to new heights of love and laughter.  

With the documentary crew in the picture they’ve been asking a lot of questions about my past and the challenges I’ve faced. It’s been hard to admit out loud some of the scary moments from my first marriage. It’s funny, I catch myself thinking about it more like a movie myself, it just doesn’t seem real compared to this world full of so many wonderful people and experiences. 

It’s seems hokey, but I really sincerely wish those from my “other” life well in the end.  I hope they are finding the same place in their life that is peace filled. 

Some people consider themselves lifelong “survivors” of their experiences, and I can respect that. I must say, my take on my life is a bit different.  I think in my life, while yes, I did survive a horrific marriage and some pretty nutty experiences along the way, they are just experiences...memories can haunt me in dreams at times...but over time I’ve noticed the more positive memories I fill my mind with, the less room there seems to be for the ones I am glad to leave in the dust. Plus, a lot of great songs have come out of those less then pleasant experiences. There are a couple of songs on the new album that I was told “wouldn’t ever amount to anything....” and some of those very songs are getting play on airwaves around the world.  I must admit, it’s a sweet little taste of success that makes me smile a little wider. That kind of “revenge” sure feels good!

It’s the ups and downs of this crazy ride that keeps it interesting and keeps me growing. I finally feel like my life is on the right track, and sometimes I can’t believe the love that my friends in both music and life share with me every day.  

HILARY HIT MUTE...IS THAT POSSIBLE????

Jan. 9, 2011

A TECHNO-FREAK OUT!!!

No pictures, no beeps...no nothing...I put technology on MUTE!!!!!

I took a full 4 days and purged myself of all technology from Dec. 27-30, and I

hate to admit it, but it TOTALY ROCKED!

Now, in the same breath I admit one way we make it as “Indie” artists is our web presence and following. Thank you to all of you cats out there that find us, “follow” us, check out our live unedited video on youtube and then buy our music and come to shows!

This is a crazy time we live in. It seems like at all times I have at least one little apparatus with me that beeps every 23 seconds with something I need to know. I hear that I can be tracked by satellite at any given moment if I have the wrong “app” on...and God forbid I miss a new Facebook feature...I am told that all my personal laundry will be hangin’ out in a matter of seconds to the whole world!

Well, here is some news for you guys:

#1. I ALWAYS wear shorts under my dresses and skirts...ALWAYS.

#2. I am as pale in person as online and that is by choice!

#3.Really people, not everything has to get posted for the world to see...can we just have a fun moment without “Big Brother”?

#4. Okay, well if I look really “hot” in a place that is cool, and people might like me more because of that...then go ahead and post it...(yeah, shallow I know BUT ONLY IF I DON’T LOOK FAT!!!!)

#5. Haaaa...Haaaa.....Haaaa....let’s all agree to quit taking ourselves so dag nabbit seriously and just enjoy each beautiful sun that rises, and try and add one act of kindness 

to the world within a 24 hour period!

#6. Confused yet....MMMMEEEE TOOOO????

#7. I think I’ll stick with #5 and just call it a day...or a year...or whatever!

NOTE: This post is not a reflection of any type of reflective anything and therefore no longer subject to the general or specific rules of reflectivity as noted or therefore projected by law or any other type of celestial rule or being as of date or any date to come.

OFF the couch!

Here I sit on the couch trying to get myself in gear.  Green tea- check, computer- check, ideas-check, dog in my lap with his butt on my computer- NOOOOO!

Talk about persistence, Conway Cole is one to never give up easily.  Something that is so frustrating, but something I have always found inspiring too. You can tell this little fuzzy bugger "no" 10 times, and he will still jump up on the couch and try to claim your lap...where the lap top is supposed to be.

Not to long ago someone mentioned to me that I should blog about the journey Stuart and I are taking to be independent musicians and our journey as a couple more directly. I've tried to stay away from too much of the nitty gritty...but sure, I'm willing to give anything a try...here goes...

So, OFF the couch has more meanings today than just a command for my dog Conway Cole. I've been fighting the couch potato blues for a while now. So much to do, so little time, only so much energy...and balance? well I gave up on that a long time ago.  In the past year Stuart has quit his job teaching full time, and we are putting our energies into our music. This was a long time goal of ours, but the transition isn't one we've made without a few bumps in the road, and then there are those 3 am wrestling matches with worry...so much fun!  There are so many bases to cover, and it takes time to get the ball rolling when you make such a big change. That's what my head tells me, but my heart and soul want all the ducks to be in a row NOW!!!!

At a show recently someone asked if music is all we do. I felt a bit of pride as I shared "yes", and realized music is all I've done for my whole adult life. Sometimes teaching it, sometimes recording it, sometimes writing it and always singing it (even if at times it was just to my dog or best friends late at night).  Stuart has been the jack of many trades, always playing music along side other projects, and it is an exciting chapter for him to be in music so deep these days...but in the same breath I have to admit it is a challenge. Almost anything worth it in this world doesn't come easy, and this is no different. It is a blast to perform, a gift to share our hearts through song, and a joy to feel the audience connect...and we are working hard to put all those pieces together on and off stage.

The new album is almost ready, the gigs are starting to come fast and furiously, the audiences have been receptive and enthusiastic for the new stuff, and the new material is sinking in.  Still, sometimes I feel like I am that little duck at the end of the line. I am paddling so hard underwater, while doing my best to look like I'm not breaking a sweat on the surface.  But here you go friend, I'm sweating it a lot.  I feel like I push it as hard as I can...and then hit a wall hard and here I sit on the couch trying to regain my energy and focus for the next push.

OFF the couch...keep the faith, keep paddling, sweat it, paddle harder, take a rest, and then paddle some more...OFF the couch...make the phone calls, create the artwork, order the t-shirts, play the show....OFF the couch...go to Nashville, have the meetings, take the notes, write the song, learn the song....OFF the couch!

So here I am, on the couch...getting ready for the next push.  Conway Cole  is defiantly nestled in (I'm gonna tell him the 10th time in a second), and I am sharing what our journey is really like. Right now, I'm getting OFF the couch for the next push...I promise to write about exactly what that is...once I figure it out!

FOR RICHER OR POORER

FOR RICHER OR POORER

The latest reports on the news say the recession is over, but I'll bet we all know more people now out of work than we did 2 years ago when this madness started.

We've had a close to a month home and have been catching up on all those things we left untouched while on the road. A month to catch our breath has given us time to think through where we stand as musicians, partners, spirits as well as members of our beloved Texas family.

On the road we talked to so many people in transition, whether it be from a job loss or a change in geography; I can't help but think we are in the middle of major cultural shift.

With the new album coming out as an independent release we are buckling down to make sure we can do it right. We are eating rice and beans, riding our bikes around town whenever possible rather than in the car, and focusing more and more on time doing things instead of time spending things.

As I look around at the world that surrounds me I look at my generation that are now in their early and mid thirties I realize that while we are breaking the "standard of living" on the low side of the income bracket, we are coming out on the high side as far as quality of life goes if you ask me.

As we gear up for a new set of Texas shows, I feel an excited tingle in my stomach for what lies ahead. There are so many friends in music we haven't seen since we've been gone, and so many new friends to make. We all know that money can only buy you so many friends, and they are usually bought on credit...and as we are realizing here in the US that credit can only get you so far.

So rice and beans it is, biking in the beautiful fall breezes of Austin, and many wonderful memories are waiting for us to make with friends and family in the months ahead.

Oh yeah, and that new album to release in January.

Life is good.

FOR RICHER OR POORER?

I think in life and love we're on the rich end, even if the Flying A Productions bank account doesn't make the "Fortune 500" list.

Top Ten List after 3 months on the road!

We are spending our last week on the road in Nashville making phone calls, meeting with people, making phone calls, meeting with more people, smiling, thanking, and making new friends!

My smile muscles are fatigued, my taco bell belly is full, and while it has been a full out blast across this beautiful country...that Texas Border is calling our names. Here are the top ten highlights of our tour:

10. Discovering McDonald's serves pretty darn good coffee on a musician's budget.

9. Realizing that the sun comes up at 4 a.m. in Minnesota this time of the year, and

being thankful there is plenty of time left to snooooooze till coffee time.

8. The look on John Jennings face when we surprised in Minneapolis at his show with Mary Chapin

Carpenter.

6. Meeting "Humpy" the security guard at the MCC Concert and almost getting tackled b/c he didn't see

John wave me over! (yep, that's his real name!)

5. Laughing at the phrase "...I need something healthy, let's go to Taco Bell."

4. Meeting Keith Urban and having him introduce himself to me as "Keith"...crazy.

3. Laughing for 20 minutes strait after hearing myself say the phrase "...I need something healthy, let's go to Taco Bell."

2. Hearing my husband say..."It's ten more pounds to love."

1. Having new and old friends come out to see us, and even some that loved us enough to let us stay

extra 2-4 days because you landed a last minute gig/radio show/meeting when we least expected it!

(You know who you are...and we LOVE YOU!!!)