Have you ever found yourself revisiting a particular dream more than once?
I love this question so much! In fact, I was talking to my mentor about this last week. Not always the same dream, but the same scenario. I am at a gig, and I am called on stage to play the drums. I have not rehearsed for this gig, but we’re about to start. I take a seat behind the drum throne and the drums are in every sort of disarray… pedals not hooked up right, toms not on their mounts…kit spread out and not in paying shape…yet the leader gives the downbeat and I am NOT ready! I have to play a groove while trying to assemble the drums. Of course, in the dream it’s someone famous I am playing with and my whole future relies on me getting my crap together and being professional.
The people I play with (or situations I am called to play in) change, but the kit is always in disarray. Had that dream this week, in fact!
Funny twist on this: When I dream I am playing keyboards, this is not the case. The keyboard is ready and I play just fine.
I have a degree in percussion performance and can pretty much sit at any kit in real life and after a count off, hold the drum throne down. I should not be dreaming of the drums in chaos.
My mentor said that’s because I am the drums in my dream and I am insecure about my skills there, even though I know I should be playing at that level. The keyboard dreams are not the same, because subconsciously, the keyboard is just an instrument. The drums are who I am.
In your opinion, what is an essential life experience that every individual should undergo at least once?
Failure. From it you grow.
Here’s the thing: the experiences we “don’t prefer” (which we often call failure) are the situations that cause us the most growth. When we are in our comfort zone—when things are going smoothly and there is no disruption—our goal is to stay there. It’s the whole follow pleasure and avoid pain thing.
But when we are forced OUT of our comfort zones, when things don’t go our way or we fall short, we must grow …or collapse. The choice is ours. If we put on our big boy and big girl pants, dust ourselves off, and get back on the horse, we expand past what we were into something new. …and trust, if you have failed PUBLICLY, you NEVER forget that lesson. While it sucks, I highly recommend it.
What’s currently playing in your ears?
Not really a fair question as I am currently mixing my new track, “Persistent Motion of Water”, so that is on repeat as I tweak the iterations. It’s a song I composed on my RAV Vast B Celtic Double Ding handpan. I mixed it with some nature sounds, electronic sounds, a Native American inspired drum I made, udu and rainstick. It’s non-stop motion and an evolving melody. I am super excited to release it soon.
From a more mainstream perspective, I recently downloaded “Bloom (Mother Mary) by Larisa Stow and am vibeing with that. A friend of mine from Colombia recently shared a salsa playlist with a few friends and I am digging that scene as well.
In a Pure pop bliss vein, “Meltdown” from Naill Horan and “Water” from Tyla are on my workout mix.
What is one book that changed your life?
Embraced by the Light by Betty J. Eddie. It was the first book that helped me understand there was no such thing as death—that our souls are truly eternal. I mean, sure, they teach that in church, but in a dry, non-emotional, academic way. Her was a woman who had BEEN THERE and came back to talk about it! Powerful read when I was at that point in my journey. Really helped me understand I need to question all that I had been taught.
If we’re treating, what beverage would you choose?
Surly Furious, please. Surly Brewing Company is a Minnesota-based brewery that specializes in IPAs. I absolutely love the hoppy fullness of Furious
Share with us a significant dinner memory that stands out for you.
I call this one, “The night I learned the importance of salt.”
An ex and I were having a dinner party for a friend. I was getting into the wisdom of reducing my sodium intake. I decided to do chicken alfredo from scratch for this particular dinner. However, without testing the idea of lower sodium alfredo sauce, I made dinner and served it.
Here’s the secret to good alfredo—salt! Without it, you just have warm garlic cream. Yuck! Luckily our guest was gracious and once I brought out the saltshaker, all was right in the world.
Or there is the time a friend took an olive oil bottle from the dinner table and shoved it up his… best save that story for another day.
Can you recount a challenging work experience that you consider to be the least enjoyable?
Let me set the stage: I am the kitchen supervisor for a casual restaurant in a local department store. I was promoted to the role of kitchen manager in an attempt to drive me out of the company. How do I know this? I know this because I was promoted to kitchen manager when all I knew how to do was boil water.
However, I am a survivor. So, after a quick crash course in the basics of cooking from a corporate chef, I am released into the wild to see how I fare.
Enter Mother’s Day Brunch. Now keep in mind, typically, Sundays were our slowest day (those of you who work in restaurants already know where this is headed).
Never having worked a restaurant on Mother’s Day, I figured everyone would be celebrating with their mothers…at home. We had a special brunch menu for Mother’s Day, which did not trigger anything in my head. It should have, but we’ll get to that.
I placed my order and prepped the entire menu myself based upon my forecasts from the previous month of Sundays (which were NOT Mother’s Day).
What ANYONE had failed to tell me is that Mother’s Day is one of the busiest brunch days outside of the holiday season. They ALSO failed to mention they had taken out full-page newspaper ads to advertise our brunch.
I am feeling confident in my plans for the day, until someone mentions a line has already started to form at the door. I thought that was odd. Then…the doors opened.
For the first 5 minutes there was calm. Then the printer stared going off as the tickets started rolling in. 20 minutes into our day we had exhausted all of my brunch prep and had moved back to our regular menu.
Stacy, the restaurant GM, was running the expeditor side of the wheel and I was running the cooking side of the wheel. At one point and hour or two in, the District Manager walked in to the kitchen through one door, and continued her trek out the other door without a word (which was super smart on her part).
As we began to run out of our regular menu items about 2 and a half hours in, I had the thought, “You know, I could put my apron down now, walk out that door and never come back.” The printer snapped me out of my reverie and I chose to stay.
That day ended, and I came back to work the next day. You remember that scene in season one of “The Bear”? Yeah. That was it in real life.
THE most important lesson for me was, when I had the choice, I dug deep.
Reflect on the day that brought you the most joy in your life.
Ok…. Done.
Oh, you want me to share about it? My bad.
It was when my now-husband and I first connected as more than just friends. I was ending a very bad relationship, but I had given my word that I would stay with this individual forever. And being a Cancer, creating home and loyalty are my superpower and my curse.
Taking back my power from someone else and choosing for ME was a moment of profound joy. When I finally released the power of someone else over me and followed my intuition and path forward was an amazing moment.
I encourage everyone reading to embrace their own personal power and NEVER give it to someone else.
If you had the chance to jet off anywhere right now, where would your destination be?
I just got back from Laguna Beach, so that itch has been scratched. I would have to say Hawai’i. I felt really connected to that place when I visited before. I would like to feel that again.
Who holds the title of your favorite fictional hero?
Luke Skywalker. I am a huge Star Wars geek. His story is the epitome of The Hero’s Journey (yeah, I know Lucas meant Anakin’s story to be the hero’s journey, but I joined the party in 1977…so sue me).
How would you like people to remember you?
As a positive light in this world—as a healer.
On August 321, 1986, I wrote in a journal I started in college, “I love to make people feel. Let that be my goal: to make as many people moved through contact with me as possible.” I actually went and dug that journal out to make sure I had it right.
I have never forgot that statement. Through my music and through my spiritual business I endeavor to help people—either by entertaining them or by showing them pathways froward from where they are.
Musically, I made the decision long ago to only add to the positive music oeuvre. There are plenty silly, self-indulgent, co-dependent love songs out there—why add one more? I want to try to inspire people. I want to teach them accountability (meaning don’t blame someone else for your life, figure it out. Seek help if you need it, but understand if it isn’t going how you think it should, modify your behaviors to achieve a different outcome.
Spiritually, through my spiritual mentoring, speaking and tarot card reading, I hope to do a similar thing. I know I move energy (always have… just meet me, you’ll understand that statement). When I work with someone, even if it is a tough situation, I hope to show them there is ALWAYS a way… and it’s always a simple way, but seldom an easy way.
Where can our readers find additional information about you and your work?
The best place to connect with me and keep track of new music coming out is on my website, https://PaulDavidMusic.net
I am on all socials (linked in my website) and streaming on all platforms. Thank you so much for the opportunity to sit and chat. Now everyone, go listen to my music and buy it, please!