New Songs: “Free to Dream” & “DYKYFbN?”
In 2024, Ozzie Andrews, Sara Gibson, and Stuart Tucker joined me in the studio to record a song that’s waited for 20 years. I wrote “Free to Dream” after my first year teaching, and David Roof (producer) helped me make this song a nice moment to mark the end of my 20th year in education. The song is no2 on all streaming options and Bandcamp: https://mikevial.bandcamp.com/track/free-to-dream-single. We also cut a piano song called “If You Know Your Fears by Name?”: click here.
I released a new song today called “Verona”! It feels good to be creating again, my first time releasing music since I became a dad! All streaming links in comment below.
Bandcamp: click here
Spotify: click here
Apple Music: click here
Amazon Music: click here
Six-year-old artist Alton says he is now famous because he did the artwork. I reminded him more people saw his work on display at the Hands on Museum than my music channels. Note, I did pay Alton in Pokémon cards for copyright usage of his abstract work; always pay artists.
100 Years Ago, 100 Years From Now…
100 years later, we don’t gaze upon these photos of perforation with pride. We see, with clarity, those choices as misguided actions; however, we also pause, and look upon other questions:
100 years from now, what will our great grandchildren observe about our actions during this coronavirus pandemic? What will our time capsules of social media reveal about our nature? Did we protect ourselves and neighbor? Or did we pierce and puncture holes in safety, then publicly share and propagate? We all play a role in this group project.
I pray that future generations can feel pride in our next four to six months. They may applaud our miraculous, scientific speed as we vaccinate populations, but they will also note the miracles present in your daily sacrifices, your stamina, your conviction.
Our Place in the Universe this Holiday Season
Progress Reports: Recharge Our Mental Health
Happy Saturday! Alton is still sleeping, so Paw Patrol is on pause here in the Vial/Burg household; however, DJ Ginny is awake, and the song of the morning is Trolls 2, “Just Sing”. I guess this is better than the “Pup Pup Boogie,” right?
Today will be a perfect autumn day: The myriad of colors in the trees remind me that no matter how disappointing this pandemic can be, there are moments to make the best of it. Ginny and I will take our dog, Lois, for her first walk in two weeks. (She’s not out of the woods with her pneumonia and health complications, but we think she is ready for a walk in the park.)
What will you be doing today, for you? Friday revealed to me that I needed a major mental health recharge. Do you feel that way, too?
I need to drink at least one less cup of coffee, play one more hour of guitar, lace up my running shoes for short jog; read a few poems by Rupi Kaur or Billy Collins, and pick out some happy poems for our class next week; read the new best seller novel Dear Justyce (the sequel to Dear Martin); go to bed at a reasonable hour tonight; call a friend I haven’t seen in seven months; write a little bit in my notebook, whether it be a few lines of verse, lyrics, or prose.
Like above, write our your list of actions that you want to do. Then go make some time to do it.
We are in a group project to “live with the virus” and protect others during the pandemic. All must participate, but we also must focus on recharging before Monday.
And Monday, progress reports are due for teachers at Huron, but today is Saturday. Let’s make Saturday about mental health. The world is bigger.
Sincerely, Mr. Vial
