Saturday, January 10, 2009

Vermont Music Blog Farewell

I hate to do this, I really do. But, in looking at life and goals and those things that hold us back, I must make this decision. As my primary job is running a public relations firm that works with Vermont businesses and organizations, my biggest challenge is finding enough time to meet everyone's demands and needs - both in my professional and personal lives, which are often intertwined.

I started this blog along with two others - a positive energy and travel in Vermont blog: http://vermontvibes.blogspot.com and a PR tips and commentary blog: http://rachelcarterpr.blogspot.com. I created these blogs around my three key interests (Vermont, PR, music) and as an experiment in blogging, new media marketing, and acting in a direct editorial role. Since starting the blogs (which happened soon after I started my Vermont PR business) I have moved from the Vermont hub of Burlington to a farmhouse in Charlotte, I have gotten engaged, I have brought to fruition my gardening passions and skills, and I have been successful in my business. This is all wonderful and I am blessed and humbled by these life developments. But with these changes, I now have gone from seeing live music two or three times a week to two or three times a month. This is not something I am sad about as I fully believe in quality over quantity and while live music is still a huge part of my life, the magnitude of it has been replaced with new and evolving interests and activities.

And besides all of this, the music I am most passionate about are the jam bands I follow. For a while moe. and Umphrey's McGee have led the pack and as neither are based in Vermont, they were not honest candidates for exploration in the Vermont Music Blog. And now with the reemergence of The Dead and Phish, my music "phun" and "deadication" will be very centered on making time and money to be able to experience the sanctity of all of the live music that stirs my soul and revitalizes my spirit. Of course I will still enjoy and support the talents of Vermont musicians, venues, and events, but I do not feel it is enough to write and support the Vermont Music Blog.

The Mitch - my best friend, soul mate, and heart-throb - while a hot drummer is also a teacher and in gradate school and in no way can be responsible for this blog. I will continue to keep it live and do hope to continue to update the listings as I know they have been useful to so many interested and supportive of Vermont music.

I close with a New England Cable News clip which starts in the Music Room at our farmhouse and I think wraps up one phase of music in my life, for another to begin again...