Should I Stay or Should I Go?

Hello?  Tap. Tap. Anyone still here?  If you are, you probably are wondering if I am still here. Sort of.  But not for long, I think.  Life has simply become to busy to find time to get the Room going (at least as I was trying to).  Why?  Not because I haven't been listening to lots of music--I have half a dozen posts stored up about albums I have been listening to and questions I have about what others think about different aspects of music.  No, the real answer is simple.  Time. It is just in too short of a supply and other priorities need what time I have.

Of course there is work which is just all consuming and travel has been particularly heavy lately. Since Miami there have been trips to NY, California, and another one coming back to NY and probably Ohio, well, you get the picture.  On top of that I realized that trying to keep the Room updated was taking away some of my energy from the work blog and that one actually helps pay the bills.

More importantly there is the family and home life.  Keeping up the blog was also clearly taking precious time away from the ones who deserve more attention--not to mention that The Artist was getting worried that the Room was getting more attention than the Brothers K blog (invite only--friends and family let me know if you want one so you can see all the antics of the boys--the video they took of themselves dancing to "It's Raining Men" is worth it all on its own!).

And ultimately, when I started this not that long ago, it wasn't because I thought the world need another music blog or that I was even a real music blogger.  Rather, I was hoping that it would evolve into a place where the many friends I have would congregate to talk about music and share ideas.  That happened to some extent and I am so happy about reconnecting with some long, lost folks and to be talking with them again not to mention meeting some other great music bloggers on-line.  But really, I think my time would be better spent just working on keeping those connections alive rather than assuming that everyone wants to communicate via the Room.  No, I am not fishing here, just being honest and a little embarrassed at stopping so soon.

So, for now, we are taking a very long, probably permanent break.  There is a slight chance I might change the focus of the blog to not just be music which I find takes more time to write about than other things.  And I still have a hope of eventually starting a more group oriented blog with some friends that will cover music and more, but I think (hope) next time I will be start enough to figure out who might be interested in that before starting rather than going with the "build it and they will come" strategy.

Until then, thanks for all who have stopped by, commented and sent emails--it really has been fun to do and it surely has made me get back into music as I once was.  Of course, I reserve the right to be totally fickle and randomly at any time go back on this decision and just start again when time and energy allow.

Ciao for now.

Sounds of Miami

Just a quick note to say that things here in the Room will be even slower than normal as work has headed into overdrive. I will be headed off to Miami for a week--and before anyone starts thinking this is about fun and pleasure, let me just say that I will be working nonstop with little time for fun or music. That said, we will get a night at the The Freedom Tower in Miami for an evening reception that will include Cuban food and music. For those who don't know the Freedom Tower, it was originally the home of the Miami News, then became the building that handled the refugees from Cuba who fled from the Castro government and is now a museum to Cubans who emigrated to this country.

I am not trying to wade into the whole question of Castro, Cuba and the U.S.--just noting that about the only chance I will get to enjoy some music (and food) will be that night. Here is hoping the tunes sound something like this.

If by some chance you were not one of the millions of folks who picked up the Buena Vista Social Club's album in the late 90's, then do so now. You won't regret one minute of that decision. And when I return in ten days or so, I am pretty sure I intend to suggest some changes here at the TR.

Until then, let's hear what you all are listening to as we get ready to change seasons.