New week starting... I'm on evening and weekend call for my day job this week and no sooner had I gotten to the house than I had an urgent call to drive 30 minutes back to the office.  That episode took about two hours to complete so my evening had a two-and-a-half  hour delay.

That meant I missed my normal doggie and kitty time, exercise and light supper before other stuff like practice and writing.  Instead, I had a honkin' big piece of  home made apple pie, spent some thinking time and finally got started practicing guitar which is a very enjoyable "release" time as well as preparing me to play out.  Gotta build those chops!

Saturday I had the enjoyment of being in Ben Wheeler, Texas at The Forge with my friend Carol Ann Hicks.  There we saw The Magill's (Matt and Megan) perform.  Always great to hear live music and they were very high quality entertainment!

Capping off tonight, I took a break from guitar practice and wrote the lyrics to a song I'm calling "Jack and Diane and Me" -- apologies to John Mellencamp.  It just sorta "came" while I was playing guitar and I will go to bed shortly with most of the song finished.  I like that!

I had the pleasure of seeing Travis Tritt perform solo tonight for over 2 1/2 hours.  As he said after the opening medley, we would hear some song tonight that might not sound like they did on the radio, but would sound like they did when he wrote them.

His performance was not flawless, but it was energetic, engaging, masterful -- both his vocals and guitar playing, and he had the audience from the get-go.  It was a wonderful example of a great singer/songwriter.  I knew that since he would be performing solo, it would be a good way to set the bar for how to do a songwriter night .

Well, my first writers' night is behind me.  I drove to Little Rock yesterday afternoon for the monthly Songwriter Night held by the Little Rock regional NSAI chapter at Kahlil's.  I was in the second of 5 rounds and heard some very fine songs performed by some very fine writers.

Folks, I was really nervous.  Like I posted on Facebook, I stand up in front of audiences to speak all the time with perfect composure and humor.  I sing solos in church and sing in duets/trios/quartets routinely with perfect ease.  I was a knee-knockin' newbie last night!  I did not sing well.  OK that is the negative.

For the positive, songwriter coach Marc-Allen Barnette is always banging the drum about getting out and performing your work.  Basically, we all go through this.  Though I will continue to rely on demo singers to put the best polish on my songs, I am resolved to be my songs' best cheerleader by performing them well, with excellence!  So I will work harder at that.  It is on list of songwriting goals for 2011.

I prayed on the way yesterday, that I would love, serve and give through my songs last night (and always).  When I stand up in front of a little songwriter gathering, I want to take what God has given me, turn to the crowd and make it a gift to them.  Pray for me to get that done with excellence.

Can that be true? TGIM? Well, yes... This has been a very hectic time in my day job with lots of administrative chores to get done in the midst of crises and other "boots-on-the-ground" things to get done.

If all goes well, I will leave work Monday afternoon and drive to Little Rock for my first-time participation in the Writer's Night that Charlie Crow and the Little Rock NSAI folks do at Kahlil's once a month.  I will be singing to tracks of three of my songs (not ready to play and sing just yet).

It is one of my goals as a writer this year to do writers' nights at least six times.  So, hopefully the first will be Monday!