tl;dr summary of this post: 1.) housekeeping, 2.) Streamer Song Swap charity drive updates and my song contribution, 3.) life updates, 5.) new trad tunes on Bandcamp! 4.) links
1.) Hey, y'all! I know I've been quiet this year, so first a little housekeeping:
Because I post inconsistently, I have my Patreon set to only charge you when I release something. If I skip a month, you will not be charged.
Further, this post is not a charged post since it's not new, original material from me.
If you want to support me in the off-season, as it were, the best ways are to share my music, buy it for a friend, stream it on Spotify, YouTube, Google Music, etc., follow my social media, and watch my livestreams. I also have a Kofi for tips! A ton of links are at the bottom of this post. <3
2.) It's May! For the past two years, music livestreamers on Twitch have produced a charity album of original music with a twist: we cover each other's original songs! This year, I produced a cover of @JakeMartins' song \"Sapphire\", featuring me on guitars and the main and mid harmony vocal and the talented David Tyberg of the Extraordinary Contraptions on upright bass, percussion, and the high harmony vocal. My song \"I Choose You (The Pokemon Love Song)\" is being covered by the amazing nerd comedy musician Meri Amber!
There are going to be about 30 tracks on the album, professionally mastered by Jake Wallace (aka @JakeMartins). The album will be availabe on June 1st to anyone who donates to the Saving Music Live charity drive here: https://tiltify.com/@savingmusiclive/mmmh19
This year, our charity is To Write Love on Her Arms, a non-profit movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury, and suicide. TWLOHA exists to encourage, inform, inspire, and also to invest directly into treatment and recovery. You can connect with them here: https://twloha.com/
The album will eventually be available for free on the StreamerSongSwap Bandcamp, usually about 3-6 months after the charity drive ends. Volumes I and II are available now, and I have music on both of them! https://streamersongswap.bandcamp.com/
I really can't tell you how much livestreaming on Twitch has meant to me. I've made great friends, brought the Social Justice Bards together, improved my musicianship, and been able to contribute to a community that's so encouraging and supportive.
3.) As for life updates, I have been SLAMMED and it's good and bad. The biggest thing is that I've stopped drinking alcohol because I was developing dependencies I wasn't comfortable with. I've long used alcohol to self-medicate my anxiety and sleep problems, and over the last few years (frankly, the political climate and continuing erosion of my human rights as someone of breeding age with a uterus haven't helped) it had gotten worse. I wasn't binge drinking so much as just constantly drinking. Like, whiskey in my coffee mug at 9am drinking. In order to give adjusting my meds a better chance, I stopped drinking alcohol entirely. As of this post, I am 76 days sober.
I may eventually re-introduce alcohol into my life, but for now having the chance to really work on my mental and physical health without it is the way to go.
In lighter but related news, the alcohol was masking other consumption-related compulsions; like, a desire to consume harsh condiments like hot sauce and vinegar. I weaned myself off of those (my digestive track thanks me) and then starting craving baking soda? Like, I mixed baking soda with water in a shot glass. Then it was soap and certain kinds of glossy paper, which tasted gross. Anyway, I started taking a new med that actually immediately helped quell that, and it was *so* exciting to be able to see that kind of noticeable improvement.
This all may be TMI, but it's important to me personally to be open about my mental health struggles to help normalize it.
In general, though, I'm doing great! The house is a wreck, but I'm happy.
Oh! I also started working part time at a local yarn shop, Warm 'N Fuzzy in Cary. I love it! I'd long been a customer, and the owner is a woman about my age. It's a delight and super flexible, which is a great fit for me.
4.) I recorded versions of some of my fave Celtic tunes: \"Nancy Whiskey\", \"The Selkie of Sule Skerry\", and \"Man You Don't Meet Everyday\". Those are available on Bandcamp at https://metricula.bandcamp.com/ as well as in the Sub Recordings Dropbox for y'al, for free! https://www.dropbox.com/sh/uwoelw23c2ay774/AABXAJfapte1gAC9uYWgh0tZa?dl=0
5.) Link party!
People I mentioned above:
David Tyberg: https://davidtyberg.bandcamp.com/releases
Meri Amber: https://www.meriamber.com/
Jake Wallace: https://twitch.tv/JakeMartins
Tip Jars:
Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/metricula
StreamElements: https://streamelements.com/metricula/tip
Socials:
Twitch (watch livestreams): https://twitch.tv/metricula
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/metricula
Twitter: http://twitter.com/metricula
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/metricula
Site: http://metricula.com/
Chat with me on the Social Justice Bard Discord! https://discord.gg/tqd62tF
Sub Recordings Dropbox: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/uwoelw23c2ay774/AABXAJfapte1gAC9uYWgh0tZa?dl=0