Transition Time

The past few months have been rather eventful for me.  I went on what is very likely the last tour I will ever go on, my wife and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary by taking our first vacation in 10 years, and I turned the big "4" "0".  But the biggest pieces of news are that I am entering a semi retirement from performing, and also stepping in as....drum roll please...the Education Director for the East End Arts Council!

The chain of events that led to this development are most interesting and full of coincidences.  The major backdrop to all of this is that the situation with my hands (I have mentioned previously about having developed Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in both of my hands) have been deteriorating.  Additionally. because I had spent so much time on the road during the first half of this year and didn't have time to book any gigs, the second half of my performance calendar was looking more bare than I would had preferred.  On top of all of this I was concerned with the delays with the "EOS" (Event One Stop) project that I have hinted about in previous posts.  EOS was my primary plan for transitioning beyond my performance career.

These conditions all had me pointing towards a very uncertain future.

About a week before I left for my June tour, I received an email from an acquaintance.  Her name is Pat Snyder and she's the Executive Director of the East End Arts Council.  She basically said that she wanted to meet with me and was interested in finding a way to have me more involved with the organization.  I was more than fine with that and indicated so in my return email. 

Then, three days later I received another email from Pat commenting that she wanted me to interview for the position of Education Director, which had just opened up.  Naturally, I agreed to do the interview but mentioned that it would have to wait until I return from my tour.  Once I did return from the tour, two interviews were scheduled.  About two weeks after my second interview, I received a phone call from Pat Snyder in which she informed me that the position was mine.  Talk about excited...and nervous!  It wasn't until that phone call that I realized that I hadn't had a day job in 15 years.  

I officially started in my new position on July 29th, 2013 and what a ride it has been so far!  I really enjoy my work and feel like it is the right thing for me to be doing at this stage of my life.  My responsibilities include running the organization's school of the arts, designing programs for East End Arts centered around education, and providing career development opportunities for artists of all disciplines.

As for performing, I'm not giving it up entirely, but it will no longer be a major focus for me.  I will not be going out of my way to book any appearances.  I will entertain any calls I get to perform or make an appearance somewhere, but the conditions must be right and it also must not conflict with anything that I may already have going on at East End Arts.

With regards to my hands and the Carpal Tunnel Syndrome I have developed, I have an appointment to see a specialist in October.  From there, I will see what my next move should be.  But for now, if you should find yourself in Riverhead, New York, come down to 141 East Main Street for a visit and I will be happy to give you a tour of the grounds and our facilities!

by Shenole Latimer

Me and the John Coltrane Home

A few years ago, I was introduced to a gentleman named Steve Fulgoni by my long time saxophone tech Craig Lindsay.  In case you missed out on some of the past media surrounding Steve's name, he is the guy who basically saved the John Coltrane home, located in Dix Hills, New York, from being razed.

It's actually scary to me that the final residence of unquestionably one of the greatest jazz icons of the twentieth century would even be under consideration for demolition.  But, such was the case.

In any event, it was Steve's hope at the time to obtain a historic landmark status for the house and property, and then turn it into a museum (much like what was done to the Louis Armstrong House in Queens, New York) and make it the epicenter for educational jazz programming in the region.  Fulgoni had heard of my jazz programming and wanted to see if I could design something that could be used for the Coltrane Home Foundation to center their educational efforts on.

Though I came up with a draft or two, I was unable to continue my participation at the time, because my performance schedule suddenly became more dense then it had been in years.  Since that time, a board was formed and now efforts have been increased towards adding educational programming to both the Coltrane Home and to regional venues.  

In August of 2012, I was greeted after an appearance that I was doing for my program "What's All That Jazz About?" by Steve Fulgoni, whom I hadn't communicated with in two or three years at that point, and a gentleman who introduced himself as Ron Stein.  Long story short, they were looking to recruit me once again to design a program, or a series of programs, around the Coltrane Home Foundation.  This time, my schedule wasn't as much of a factor.  Not to mention, I had been searching for other projects to be a part of, as developing Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in both of my hands had left my performance career in question.

As of right now, we are in the middle of refining a couple of programming ideas that I had submitted for consideration.  Whether or not I am capable of actually performing on the saxophone anymore (I have actually been seriously considering retiring from performing, effective October, 2013), I plan to continue my involvement with the Coltrane Home. 

After all, it isn't everyday that you're asked to  help develop a centerpiece program for a foundation with a mandate to preserve the home of a major icon of American cultural history!

Whaling Museum

Whales are such incredible creatures!  Aside from the enormous size of some species, the fact that they live in an environment so different than ours as humans, and that one species (the Sperm Whale) is thought to be capable of diving nearly 2 miles down into the ocean depths, had led me towards the path of Marine Biology in college.  However, I switched my major during the second semester of my sophomore year. 

Lately, I find that the interest I had in whales earlier in my life has been returning.  Though it's too late for me to study Marine Biology and then specialize in Cetology, I would like to still take some small part in the public education of these amazing animals.

In a town called Cold Spring Harbor, on Long Island, that's about an hour away from where I live, there is a whaling museum that has been there forever.  I remember my mother taking me there as a young boy, because she was trying to foster the early interest I had in whales.  I was made an honorary tour guide that day by the staff, because I was reciting as many facts as the adult guides themselves.

In any case, I have decided that in Summer of 2013, I would like to volunteer some time at the Cold Spring Harbor Whaling Museum and see if I can't help bring some interesting information to adult visitors, and the excitement of discovery to some kids.

Hopefully, my schedule will definitely allow for me to volunteer.  And, if everything works out, maybe I'll see you down there for a visit!

Maintaining Weight Loss...1 Year Later

Up until October of 2010 I looked like the image on the left.  I weighed in at 285 lbs during the period that I was at my heaviest.  I then began a gradual modification of my diet, eventually added some exercise, and by October of 2011 I looked like the image on the right, which is me at 205 lbs.

The thing is, the image on the right isn't from 2011, it is from 2012.  In other words, I have beat the odds!

It's widely known that people who lose a great deal of weight often put it, or much more, back on.  I have managed to maintain my weight loss and the secret is encompassed within the first paragraph of this post.  Notice I used the words "gradual modification" and "eventually added".

The simple fact of the matter is, losing weight and keeping it off does indeed require a change in lifestyle.  And, lifestyles can't be changed abruptly and be expected to not revert back to what was previously established.  Changes that are made slowly and over time are far more likely to stay.

With that said, if you are looking to lose weight and maintain that loss, I offer you the blog post I wrote that details what I did to lose my weight.  And, heed my words..."gradually" and "eventually"!

The Challenge of Facing a Career Change

More people than ever are changing their careers.  Though the primary reason may be because of the state of the world economy in the past few years, other reasons could be simply feeling unhappy with one's current career and desiring a change of scenery, or it could even be health related.

In my case, it is the latter that has changed the game for me.

As a musician, my hands mean everything towards what I do and how I earn a living.  But now, I'm faced with having developed Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in both my left and my right hands.

I think for some people, changing their career can be a very difficult challenge.  For me this has not been the situation.  I first began having problems with my hands (it was my left hand first) back in 2008.  With those initial problems I encountered, something snapped instantly in my mind.  I realized that my days as a performer may be numbered, and so I set forth with trying to make peace with this realization.

I was a bit depressed at first.  After all, in my 39 years on this planet, I have been playing instruments since I was about 3 years old, playing the saxophone since I was 8 or 9 years old, performing live music in public since I was 16, and making a living as a full time musician since I was 24.

Sometime around 2009 I realized that, though music has been virtually all I've known my entire life, I have many interests outside of music.  Furthermore, I also realized that there were far more angles to music than just the performance end of it.

With all of that said, I have decided that, if my performance career must end, a pursuit in web design and application programming will be the next interest I follow, but with a concentration on...well...the music industry.  As has been said by many successful entrepreneurs, "to make money in business, stick with what you know."

I am currently working on a joint project, of my conception, with my oldest brother, my father, and a family friend with a very strong background in both business and engineering.  Much has been accomplished, but there is still much left to do.  My hope is that we may have this project up and running by the time my hands and my tired body scream out "I've had enough", with regards to performing live music.  Publicly, I have hinted at a retirement date of sometime around late Fall of 2013.

In sum, I would say that a career change doesn't have to be a course filled with dread.  It may be an opportunity for you to look upon yourself and say, "this is me 2.0!"

How Much is Left?

They say that boxers have about 100 fights in them before they hit a wall and their bodies basically shut down from being able to take the abuse that comes with the sport,  marathoners have but so many miles that they can run, and so on.

How many performances does a full time musician have in them...particularly the ones with no management or outside help?

I have been thinking, lately to myself, that there seems to be so much happening to my body in the past 6 months or so, which all seems to have something to do with the constant pushing that I've been doing over the past nearly 15 years, that perhaps I may be starting to reach the borders of my own limits. 

First, there is the CONSTANT tiredness I have been feeling for the past 5 or 6 years.  Then, there are the several times I have almost passed out during performances.  Also, there is the hearing loss I have experienced, as well as what seems to be a slight loss in short term memory.  The latter I blame on sleep deprivation (up until recently, I basically averaged 3 to 5 hours of sleep a night for nearly a decade). 

The newest item to add to this list is my development of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in both my right and my left hands, which has been diagnosed as being a side product of the countless hours spent on my computer researching venues, typing emails, designing my website, updating all of my social media, designing all of my graphics and promotional materials, typing press releases, and the list goes on!

When I look at some of the greats of the past, such as Miles Davis, they have all either taken a short break of some kind, an extended hiatus, or have retired from music all together.  As I look at what is happening with the breakdown of my body of late, I'm caught asking myself, "How much do I have left?"

by Shenole Latimer

How I Lost 70 Pounds

Back on Tuesday, April 7, 2009, in a blog post I titled "Crunch Time", I mentioned how my weight had ballooned to 270lbs and that I wanted to do something about that.  Unfortunately, my good intentions were out-weighed (no pun intended) by the rigors of life as a full time musician and of being a home owner.

Time went on and then something happened.

One day in October of 2010 I was putting on a pair of slacks to wear for a gig I had later that day.  They felt sort of tight.  I happened to glance in the mirror (I was in profile) and I truly was appalled at what I saw.  I quickly pulled out the scale and took my slacks off.  I stepped on the scale and saw the needle go all the way to 280lbs!

I realized then that I was closer to being 300 lbs than I was to even being 250lbs (still overweight for my height of 6'3").  I was instantly depressed.  I thought about how athletic I was in high school and college, and also about the nearly 30 medals, 2 MVPs and 1 MIP that I had won as a track star.

My depression lasted all of about 30 seconds, because I realized then that this was it.  The only direction my weight gain would go would be backwards rather than forward.  I'm proud to say that since the first week of October, 2010, and as of the morning of writing this blog post, I have officially lost 70lbs!  I'm only 5lbs heavier than I was when I was a competing athlete in college.

Ok, enough with the background and set up, here is what I did.

STEP ONE:  Figure Out Goals and Game Plan (Time Frame = 2 Days)

I already knew that one of the main reasons that some people fail at weight loss is because they don't have a game plan.  I also knew that another important reason that some people fail at weight loss is because they don't set logical, realistic goals.

I decided that, in order to be successful, I needed some time to figure out a game plan and a goal that was realistic for me.  I took two days from my schedule and cleared them out of as much as I reasonably could so that I would have NO DISTRACTIONS.

After much research and honest consideration, I figured that a realistic goal for me, considering my age, time I had available, current weight class, etc., was to try and get down to somewhere between 215-220lbs.  This is because I didn't think my body, age, and demanding lifestyle as a musician would allow me to get down to my dream weight of 205lbs (my college weight as an athlete).  I also thought that it would be realistic to give myself a year and not fall for the 5 and 6 month plans I was coming across online.  People seeking weight loss often make the mistake of trying to lose too much too fast.  Ultimately, they end up gaining it all back and then some!

My overall strategy was to make small changes over the course of time that would allow me to ease into an eventual and complete change in my eating and rest habits.

STEP TWO:  Set the Plan in Action (Time Frame = 12 Months)

I mentioned 12 months as the time frame for this step, but in reality you can really break it down into "phases".

(PHASE I:  Oct - Dec, 2010) - During the first phase of my weight loss plan I decided to completely cut out drinking soda.  At the time, I was drinking up to 2 or 3 litters of soda a day.  Soda was MY water!  Also, since I had begun to tour a lot (which meant doing a whole lot of driving by myself), I was drinking Coca Cola for the caffeine to help keep me awake on the road.  This is because I don't drink coffee.

The other thing that I did at first was to cut down my portions a bit.  I still would eat ANYTHING I wanted to, just less of it.  Instead of 2 slices of pizza, I would only have 1.  Instead of having 2 plates full of food for dinner, I would only have 1, etc.

One other thing that I did was to stop eating past 7pm in the evening.  Because of late night performances and the general demands of my schedule as a full time musician, I was often eating big meals after midnight and then going to bed about an hour or two after that.  In other words, I never had the chance to burn it off.

By the way, I think it's important to mention that I substituted drinking soda with drinking seltzer water.  I had come to discover that it wasn't necessarily the sweetness of the soda that I was hooked on, but the fizzle of it!

After about 2 months and losing about 25lbs I hit my first plateau or road block.  As hard as I tried I just could not break the 255lb barrier.  This is when I decided that I needed to go into another phase of action...PHASE II!

(PHASE II:  Dec, 2010 - Feb, 2011) - I cut out ALL fast food, with the exception of Subway, Quizno and Chipotle's.  I stayed with these places because they all offered filling meals that contained less fat than comparably priced meals from McDonald's, Burger King, etc.  Also, the former establishments' foods were generally less caloric than the latters'.  To put it succinctly, I started watching both my calorie intake and my fat intake.

This worked!  I got past the 255lb barrier and proceeded to lose about another 20lbs.

By the time I went on my February 2011 Tour I had managed to get down to about 237lbs, which is when I hit another barrier (plateau).  This was a VERY tough barrier to get through.  It was at this point that I realized I had to adjust and enter...

(PHASE III:  Feb - June, 2011) - I pondered and pondered what my problem could be.  I then realized that it was two fold.  One issue was that I wasn't doing any exercising what so ever up until this point.  Frankly, my schedule in both my business and personal life had become too dense.  My house was in foreclosure, my wife was out of work for a total of 2 years by this point, and I was gigging and touring on the road like a mad man to try and pick up the slack.  I was hoping that yet another dietary change would be enough.

Finally, I figured out that I was taking in too many carbs.  I was still eating a lot of pastas and white bread.  I made the switch to whole wheat and rye breads, and then cut my pasta intake by a good 80%.  That did the trick!  It took longer than it had for the previous phases, but by June, 2011 I had gotten my weight down to the 225lb mark.  And then, you guessed it, I hit another plateau!

(PHASE IV:  June - Sept, 2011) - Progress was slowing way down for me by this point.  I was beginning to think that it was not feasible for me to get any lighter than I already had.  It would take a lifetime search for something completely unrelated to my weight loss, and a medical scare, to get me to the next level.

In July, two things of great significance happened.  The first thing was that I managed to track down my biological father and 7 half siblings that I didn't know I had.  The second thing was that I began encountering spells where I would almost pass out on stage during performances.

How these two completely different things tie in together is that, when I met my second oldest brother (Kenny, who lives in New York City) for the first time, I told him about nearly passing out during several performances and how I thought it may be tied in with either my diet, or that perhaps I was encountering a blood sugar imbalance...maybe even becoming a diabetic.  He then told me (and this would become useful to me again later) that the men on  my father's side needed to eat frequently...five or even six times a day.

I thought about it and realized that I basically needed to speed up my metabolism.  One way to do that is to eat more frequently, and also smaller (fist sized) portions at each meal.  My father further advised me to take my regular 3 meals a day and simply divide them in half.  This was good for another 5lbs of weight loss!

By the way, I hope you are starting to see a few patterns here.  One of the patterns being that, as you get closer to what your target weight is (or perhaps should be), it becomes increasingly difficult to lose any kind of weight...certainly at the amounts that were previously possible.

(PHASE V:  Oct - Dec, 2011) - An interesting thing happened to me exactly one year after I had first started trying to lose weight.  I was packing up my car to go to a gig when I suddenly noticed that the large speakers that I use as part of my sound system seemed unusually heavy to me.  I couldn't understand why this seemed to be the case, as I had actually had plenty of rest the night before, and was not hungry or dehydrated.

It suddenly hit me like a ton of bricks.

All of this time I had been focused on weight loss, but I never considered doing any weight training to minimize the loss of muscle mass I would experience from losing so much weight from dieting alone.


DUUUUUUUuuuuuuuhhhh!

I promptly set about creating a weight training routine for myself.  I realized that by increasing my muscle mass, not only would I not lose anymore of my strength, but the added muscle would also help me to burn fat and keep my metabolism up.  This was good for another 5lbs of weight loss over the course of about a month.  My weight by the week before the Thanksgiving holiday was 215lbs.


(PHASE VI  where I'm at now) - Fortunately, Thanksgiving did not add anything to me that I couldn't get rid of within 3 days of going back to my usual routine.  But by now, I had decided to change my goals.


I realized that I had managed to get to my target weight range, but I felt I could actually make it to my "dream weight".  Not only that, my confidence has allowed me to come up with the goal of reducing my overall body fat to around 8-10% (beach body/underwear model body) by Summer, 2012.  This will take a lot of work!  I think I look good now, but I'm just now curious to see what I'm capable of. 

My oldest brother, Luis (he lives in Port St. Lucie, Florida), has lent me a hand by providing me with a book on weight lifting and nutrition.  What he and I both like about the book is that it is all based off of several studies that have been done in the last decade.  In other words, there is some science to back up what they have to offer you in terms of work outs, nutrition, etc.!  The book is called "The Men's Health Big Book of Exercises".  There is a similar book for women.

So anyway, following the advice in the book, I have managed to lose another 5lbs in about 2 weeks. 

IN CLOSING - I think if anything is to be taken from this marathon of a blog post that I have done, it is:

1 - Set realistic goals

2 - Come up with a sensible game plan to reach those goals

3 - Plateaus will happen.  Use those times to evaluate and adjust your tactics.

4 - Give yourself a realistic time frame to work with. (I first gave myself a year and am adding another 6 months to achieve my new goal).

5- It's cliche but it will take discipline, sacrifice, hard work, and time!


So, I sincerely hope that this post will help someone out there.  Just remember, if a 38 year old, self employed, full time musician (who is constantly gigging and touring on the road), father of an energetic daughter, and former home owner (who had to deal with doing his own house repairs, landscaping, etc.) can lose 70lbs, so can you!   : )

Written by Shenole Latimer

Possible Crossroads?

I personally believe that there comes a time, at least once in everyone’s life, when there is a special convergence of forces that can dictate the rest of how that person’s life will progress… a crossroads, if you will. I believe I may have reached such a point in my life.


I’ll start with things concerning music.


To date, I have completed several extremely successful tours with my program “What’s All That Jazz About?”. Without exception, every single venue has asked me to make a return. But, what pleases me the most are the connections I’ve made. One connection I am particularly happy to have made is with a musician that I met in Spartanburg, South Carolina, by the name of Daniel Z, who would very much like to become a partner of mine in expanding my programming.


The timing of meeting Daniel is interesting, as I had just been complaining about my lack of help in my endeavors. I had also begun to think about expanding my programming to encompass more venues along the east coast. Plans have also begun towards my first sortie into the west coast.


Then there are some physical matters that have been of recent concern.


My hands are starting to show the signs of too many hours on the computer in an unnatural position. I have continued numbness in the last three digits of each hand, making it more difficult to type and, most unnervingly, making it more difficult to play my saxophone. But this isn’t where my physical concerns end. I have also been experiencing light-headedness, shortness of breath, and some weakness on a few of my recent performances when it has been the hottest and I have had to perform outdoors. Interestingly enough, I usually feel better after eating some food.


Could this be a sign of diabetes, high blood pressure, or even heart disease? One thing I know is that my body is clearly trying to tell me that it is nearing its limits pertaining to the type of daily abuse it must endure in order to maintain self-employment as a fulltime musician.


Now I shall move into an occurrence that is more of a personal nature.


When I was about two months old, my mother and father decided to separate from each other. Absolutely all contact was lost with my father and I was subsequently raised by my mother and grandmother. Later, my stepfather George Clark stepped into the picture. Unfortunately, my stepfather passed away on August 6, 2010. In any case, growing up, I had always had a curiosity about my biological father. I wanted to know who he was, how I may be similar or dissimilar to him, and whether or not I may have any half-brothers and sisters.


Just recently, in what seemingly would only be nearly impossible feat, I managed to find my biological father! Not only that, but I have also found out that I have seven half-brothers and sisters. I have met all of my siblings except my youngest brother, who was on a trip to Bolivia with his mother, and two of my sisters who live in Canada and that the rest of my family had lost touch with within the past few years. And, of course, I have had the opportunity to meet my father face to face.


One of the things that I find so striking is that none of the males on my father’s side of the family, not counting my youngest brother because he is only 6 years old, are shorter than six feet, three inches tall. Another thing that I find interesting is how similar my father, my two oldest brothers, and I are to each other. That is to say, that all four of us have the spirit of an entrepreneur, are intelligent, are very computer and internet savvy, and are readily comfortable talking to and approaching people.


So what is the point of all of this?


All of these things have occurred within an incredibly short amount of time, making me feel like there is both a convergence of forces taking place in my life, and that I am at an important crossroads of sorts. I have this strong sensation that the decisions I make at this juncture can have a massive impact on the rest of my life. There are other factors and occurrences that I have omitted for the sake of saving time and space within this blog entry, but suffice it to say that there are too many things, that potentially carry great significance to me, that are happening all at once or in near synchronicity.


My situation reminds me of the “choose your own adventure” books that were popular when I was a young teenager. Do I step into one doorway of the unknown or the other? The thing is, this time I can’t cheat and look ahead at what awaits me.





By Shenole Latimer

The Hardest Thing

It's been a while since my last post. This is mostly because I've been so busy with performances, booking appearances for 2011, upgrading my website, and a laundry list of other things that would be too long and boring to go on and on about.

But here I sit, in my hotel room in Columbia, South Carolina, at the beginning of my first tour of 2011, and I've been giving deeper thought to a question that someone asked me earlier today.

"What's the hardest thing about being a musician," was a question that a gentleman asked me, who has a son thinking about majoring in music in college. Of course, I explained that the level of competition is extremely intense and that it isn't enough to be really good at your instrument. I also mentioned the thick skin needed for the numerous rejections one receives over the course of time. However, now that I think of it, none of those things are the hardest thing about being a musician...at least for me.

To me, the hardest thing about being a musician is leaving my family and loved ones for weeks at a time when traveling for tours.

Touring isn't the partying night after night that MTV, VH1, and the movies like to portray it as. Just like everything else about being a musician, it's A LOT OF WORK! In order for a tour to be profitable, you need to cram in as many performances within a given time span that you can. In the case of the tour I'm on at this very moment, I will be doing 26 engagements, in about 17 cities, in 5 states, over the span of 3 weeks.

Yes, going on a tour is exciting, but if you were to ask me if I'd rather go on tour or stay home and spend time with my wife and daughter, then that is a complete no brainer...stay home, of course! There are things that help bridge the distance...Skype, for example. I always look forward to calling my family on Skype because then we can both hear and SEE each other. But it's still not the same as actually being there.

When you're traveling far from home and leaving family behind, there are the added stresses of wondering if everything is alright back home, did you forget to take care of anything important before you left, etc.

In any case, I guess I should wrap up this blog post. I'm looking to go to bed early. It's just that I found it funny that, as much as I was excited to be able to go on this tour (or any of the other tours I've been on for that matter), I'm just as excited, if not more so, to get back home to play with my daughter and spend time with my wife.

By Shenole Latimer

A Couple of Artist Friends I Look Up To!

I just received a phone call from a good friend of mine in Ohio. She's a spoken word artist who's stage name is "NeoSouljah".


I first met Neo in 2008 during an event held for an internet radio program out of Philadelphia known as Spotlight on Jazz and Poetry. Neo and I were among several other artists that the host of the show, Clayton "Big Trigger" Corley, chose to showcase. We became friends and kept in touch, with the desire to do some work on each others' future albums at some point.


Long story short, Neo beat me to the punch and had me featured on one of the tracks of her newest album that has just been released.


This is where the phone call comes in...


NeoSouljah wanted to let me know that a major music software company called Propellerhead, that endorses the producer of her new album (her producer's name is Mike Loyd and he is credited with mixing many of the albums that came from the Death Row Records label), has decided to feature the track that I recorded on for her on their website!


But that wasn't all.


Neo conferenced in Mike Loyd and proceeded to tell us that the Fox network has a heavy interest in using that same track that I recorded on as the theme song for a new TV series that they will be airing soon.


After hearing all of that, if I would have smiled any bigger, my head would have exploded!


And then there is the text message I got a couple of days ago from another friend of mine. Her name is Jill Washington Burrus and she lives in North Carolina. Jill and I met and dated together between 1991 and 1992. Jill is an artist and has shown herself to be a very talented painter, with a very recognizable style that she can call her own.


In any case, Jill was texting me to let me know that she had just secured a building that will become her very own art gallery!


Both the news from Neo's phone call and Jill's text message were truly exciting to me. But, you may be asking yourself, "what does that have anything to do with the title of this blog. And, why should I care?"


Well, lets put it this way...these women are getting it DONE!


It's so inspiring to see other artists, especially ones that I know well, work their way through some really rough times, only to finally gain an important triumph. All of us artists gain strength from such stories, because it provides us with the hope we must always keep in our back pocket that the incredible trouble we go through to live the life that we do, and produce the art that we do, is worth it all at the end.


In a broader sense, the reason that you should care is because these women should serve as a reminder that we ALL need to find a source of inspiration and hope during the challenging times that most of us are finding ourselves in these days. And, we all need to remember that, no matter how difficult things may get at times, there is always a way to triumph as long as we are willing to work hard enough and find new ways to be resourceful.


I'm so proud to have these two incredible artists as friends and I marvel at how good they are at their respective mediums. I would encourage anyone who reads this blog entry to at least check out their work, even if you don't end up purchasing anything. Here's where you can find them:


NeoSouljah - New CD release is located at Amazon.com and iTunes (just put her name into the search engine of either website).

Jill Washington Burrus - her website is at www.thecreativelounge.org and the address to her new brick and mortar art gallery is 300 S. Main Street, Winston-Salem, NC





Written by Shenole Latimer

In Memoriam: George E. Clark (1937 - 2010)

This past August 6, 2010, I lost my step dad to bone cancer. He put up a valiant 5 year fight and, though he eventually lost his fight, my family and I have taken comfort in knowing that he is in a much better place. The following is the eulogy I wrote for his funeral.

This eulogy could have very easily taken the form that most eulogies take. That is to say, with the life of the dearly departed narrated within the parameters of a chronologically arranged format. However, such an arrangement of words and form seem too ordinary for a man who meant so much to those who knew and loved him.


That having been stated, it would not be fair to save mention of such important life events as his award winning college football career, his first marriage that saw him partner with his childhood sweet heart Barbara Preston, the birth of his daughter Linda Fay Clark, his honorable and courageous service within the ranks of the United States Army during the Korean War, or even his second marriage (several years after the passing of his first wife) to a new life partner Emma Lee Latimer. This last marriage would see George welcoming Emma’s son, Shenole Maurice Latimer, under his wing. These are all immensely important things that cannot, and should not, be forgotten.


But, perhaps what is more important is to remember George Edward Clark for the incredible and rare kind of man that he was. George personified the qualities that many people seek to add to themselves, but are not always able to acquire…qualities such as strength, dependability, and courage.


Perhaps it was his being a product of The Great Depression (George was born on October 13, 1937), or the fact that his early childhood and formative years were spent with World War II as a backdrop, that would provide George with the strength to adapt to changes and challenges that would frustrate or defeat many other men. No matter how formidable a challenge was, George would always find a way on top, while still managing to further enriching both his life and the lives of others.


George was given the name “Edward” as his middle name by his parents George and Margarite Clark. But, for those who knew him best, and for those who were privileged enough to meet his acquaintance, it would seem that “Dependable” would be a better fit. Whether it was the kind of dependability sought by employers, or the special kind of dependability he lovingly exhibited to family and friends, George ALWAYS delivered and NEVER faltered.


Unfortunately, the space limitations within these pages will not allow for a more thorough recital of George Edward Clark’s remarkable character. However, this eulogy would not be complete without venturing forth into at least a brief description of the trait that would ultimately define his character…his incredible courage.


Volumes could be written about the many examples of courage George showcased. One obvious example can be taken from the courage it took to rebuild his life after the tragic loss of his first wife. His courageous commitment to the United States Army, during a time of war, could surely serve as a clear example. One could also point to his involvement in the Huntington branch of the NAACP, and his fight for the rights of others (even if the issue at hand was politically unpopular), as one of his most understated examples of courage.


However, without a doubt, the greatest display of courage that this war veteran would exhibit came from a brutal battle, with an insidious biological foe, that would cost him 9 inches of his physical stature, 50% of his body mass, and eventually his life. That ghastly enemy was cancer. And, although he did lose this final fight, he NEVER lost his pride, NEVER complained, and remained DEFIANT until the end.


George Edward Clark…a rare kind of man indeed.

Life's Curve Balls

It's been some time since my last post. In fact, I haven't posted anything since returning from my tour this past April. I've been absent for a combination of reasons.

The first thing that kept me occupied was all of the preparation I was trying to do in gearing up for my recording project. Besides trying to take care of any last minute logistical challenges, I was also working frantically to finish a couple of songs I had left to complete for the recording session.

But then, something happened...

I stated months ago that my wife had been laid off of her job back in January of 2009. Unfortunately, our mounting bills forced me to utilize the money I had put aside for my share of the recording costs (Tierra Records would have been flipping for part of the bill too), so that we could try and catch up with at least some of our bills. Needless to say that my follow up album has been put on hold.

After realizing that my album was not going to get recorded within the time frame I had originally planned, and seeing my wife struggling with trying to start her fledgling accounting firm, I decided to sacrifice the time I normally dedicate during the day towards finding and contacting new venues to book myself in, to helping my wife build her business and find clients.

To me, the logic for this move was simple. I have nearly 15 years of experience being self employed and marketing myself, were as my wife has no experience in this realm what so ever. She has always worked a "9 to 5" job. However, she has experienced multiple lay-offs and has grown quite weary of working for any other companies where she doesn't have direct control over her position and situation (those of you who know me well probably think that sounds familiar!).

In short, I came to the conclusion that I could be more helpful to her with what she is trying to do with her career than she can be towards me and my career. Almost all of the skills I have acquired up until this point can be utilized in more "conventional" businesses than the music and entertainment industry. Meanwhile, none of the skills that she has acquired over the years working in a cubicle can help me get more gigs or achieve more notoriety for what I do.

So, for the moment I'm putting a freeze on actively pursuing any more performances for the time being, until Renee's accounting firm takes off more. However, that doesn't mean that I will be disappearing from the scene completely. I will still accept performances that I am offered from people contacting me. Also, at this point I have appearances already booked that go into January of 2011.

And there you have it...life has thrown me one if it's curve balls and I had to respond.

With all of that said, if you would like to see some of my handy work for my wife's company, I invite you to visit her website at http://www.rdlaccounting.com/. I designed the website for her, and am also acting as a marketing agent and technical advisor. Feel free to drop me a line or leave me a comment to let me know what you think of her website.

Shenole Latimer

Musicians Shouldn't Get Paid

There's a phrase I hear a lot of. And, I've been hearing it long before the economy tanked. It goes something like this: "I love how you guys sound! I'm an organizer for (just fill in the blank here) and I would like to hire you to give a performance there. We don't have much money though."

Bingo! There it is! The "we don't have much money" statement.

Now, that is all well and good. People are always going to try and get your services for free or next to nothing. Also, there are certainly times when that statement may be legit. However, I recently heard this statement when I was a sideman for an artist, who I will not name. A woman came up saying that she was the event coordinator for a yacht club, that I will also not name, and she said the very same words that are in the first paragraph of this post.

OK, here's the thing. First of all, I grew up near this yacht club and have seen a number of the events that they have. They are pretty lavish. Secondly, I knew people, during different periods of time, that have worked there. Every last one of them, including someone who has worked there within the last 4 months, have each told me how much money flies around there...and not just from the clients. With all of that, and the fact that it is a YACHT club, I'm I expected to think that I (or I should say the artist that I was the sideman for) can't ask for at least my normal performance fee?

Yeah...I could swallow that one, just like I could a 10 pound horse pill!

Look...non-musicians...people who would hire a musician or a band for their services...do you expect to have a plumber, who charges say $300 for a job, come to your house and do the job, but accept that you will only pay them $50 because you like how they clear up your plumbing but you don't want to pay their rate? How about taking your car to the shop. A lot of shops charge about $90 per hour for labor. Do you realistically think that you're going to bring your car to a shop...any shop...and have them agree to only charge you $15 because you tell them that your car isn't running correctly, you like how they fix cars, but you don't have much money. What would happen is that shop would send you on your way and ask you not to come back.

Musicians...you cats that play instruments or sing for a living...WAKE UP! Has it ever occurred to you that people don't take yourself seriously because you don't take you seriously? Before you bristle your feathers over that, what I mean is that you don't present yourself in a business-like fashion. The truth of the matter is, one of the problems for us is that too many of us have too casual a manner about ourselves when we are conducting business. Some of us forget that the person on stage is the entertainer and the person that steps off that stage is a business person. We have to wear different hats and be able to switch them, at times, instantaneously.

If you're not going to get serious when you conduct your business, at least come up with a pricing plan to cover different situations, so that you're not stuck looking like a deer in headlights when someone asks you what you charge. All of the serious musicians I know, including myself, have a pricing "menu" for all sorts of different performance situations and configurations. Every now and then someone will come up to me and ask me what I charge for a situation I have not thought of. You know what I tell them? I say that I'll have to call them back because it is a situation I haven't done before and I need to sit down and consider a fair way to do it.

One more thing, musician type people. If someone offers you a price that is well below your normal asking price, or even ask that you perform for free, there is a magical word that you can use that will stop you from playing a 2 - 4 hour gig that you end up regreting, hauling all of your gear, and listening to unhappy bandmates who are underpaid. This incredible word is "No". You have to remember that the people hiring you have absolutely no clue that you've spent thousands and thousands of dollars on your gear, many hundreds or even thousands of hours practicing and honing your skill, sacrificed valuable time with family and friends, etc. But, YOU know and that is my point!

With all of that said, by no means does that mean I don't work with people regarding rates. But, I won't be giving the farm away. I have done this long enough now (I've been playing music in a public fashion for about 15 years and full-time for over 10 years now) that I know the minute someone says that it doesn't pay but it's good exposure, or that they don't have much money, that the gig will most likely not be worth my time. In my 15 total years of doing this thing called music, what I have learned is that those kinds of gigs almost always end up being much more stressful than most of the gigs I have that pay better. Every once in a while there are some "exposure gigs" that are good, but you have to really weigh those and give them a lot of consideration before you do them.

Well, I guess I've said what's on my mind. I'll tell you one thing, though. If a band is just playing terribly and stinking up the place, and they are not conducting themselves in a professional manner, those are the times that musicians shouldn't get paid!

written by Shenole Latimer

Look...DON'T TOUCH (The Musician's Universal Plea)

A couple of weeks ago, I had an experience that has put me on a personal crusade to educate people about musicians and their equipment.

Now first of all, if you are a fan of mine, I hope that you will not take offense to this statement, but people simply don't have a single clue as to how expensive our equipment is and why nobody, other than the musician who owns it, should ever bother trying to touch ANY OF IT! So, with that said, here's what happened a couple of weeks ago.

I was in the auditorium of a library and was setting my gear up because I had one of my educational presentations that I do. It was still at least 30 minutes before the program was suppose to start, and I was pretty much finished setting up, when two ladies walked in. We then struck up a conversation. Eventually, the conversation went more towards just one of the ladies, while the other walked away. Something told me to look in the direction of the woman who had walked away. And, it's a good thing that I did! I was horrified to see the second woman proceed to grab my alto saxophone by the neck in order to pick it up off of the sax stand that I had it placed on. I immediately started yelling, "no, no, no!"

I arrived just in time to grab my sax from her before she could fully lift it up. By the time I reached my sax, I was actually fuming mad because I had just spent $500 getting extensive and much needed work done on it. At the same time, I was trying to stay polite and in control of my overall reaction. The lady then told me that she only wanted to look at it and that she knew what she was doing because her father had been a musician. Her comment almost made me loose it because, if she had indeed grown up around a PROFESSIONAL musician, surely one of the first things she should have learned was DON'T TOUCH. Besides, he may have dabbled with music, but was he a FULL-TIME, PROFESSIONAL musician like me? As I always say, "just because you can screw in a light bulb, it doesn't make you an electrician. "

More to the point of things, it was MY equipment that she was handling and I simply DO NOT LIKE people touching my stuff without my permission.

Still trying to keep my composure, I went on to explain that my sax was not a cheap beginner's model and that I depended on it for my livelihood. I then politely clued her in that she didn't actually know as much as she thought she did, because she was about to pick the sax up in the worse manner that you could possibly pick a saxophone up by. The neck is a separate piece from the body of the sax and can be very easily separated, even after applying the screw for the clamp that holds it in place. In other words, she would have picked the sax up by the neck, the body of the sax would have detached and fallen on the ground, and I would have been looking at anywhere between $500 - $1,500 worth of damage. Experience has taught me that, once an instrument falls to the ground, it NEVER plays quite the same ever again, no matter how much money you dump into getting it repaired.

The end result is that I managed to get her to understand the situation.

As for the public at large, people simply have no idea the worth of musician's instruments. Between the 5 saxophones that I own ( 2 altos, 2 sopranos, and a rare C melody sax), I'm looking at around $23,000. And that's just my saxophones! If you add up all of the equipment that I own for the purposes of making my living in music, the grand total is just under $41,000. Believe it or not, that isn't even on the more expensive end of things regarding what some professional musicians have spent on their gear. Todd Coolman, the esteemed bassist who was my first jazz instructor at Stony Brook University and is currently the head of the SUNY (State University of New York) at Purchase Jazz Program once confided in me that his prized bass, which is the one he uses on important gigs and recording sessions, is worth about $85,000. He uses a different bass that is worth (I think I remember him saying) about $12,000 for most of his other gigs.

Anyway, the point of all of this isn't to just give you a tally of how much we spend on our instruments and gear. The simple fact is that you should NEVER handle a musician's gear, period. It isn't even your stuff to handle in the first place! Look...DON'T TOUCH!

written by Shenole Latimer

You Don't Know Unless You...

...ask. Be inquisitive. Always be curious to find out the how and why. These are things that were instilled upon me when I was in school to be a scientist (marine biologist). That is, of course, until I decided late in my sophomore year of college to study music instead.

Now, I find myself falling back to that analytical mode of thought in regards to figuring out what my next move should be with my music career. Up until now, I have done well for myself in regards to figuring out my goals and then moving towards them. Every 2 or 3 years I have come up with new goals and game plans, while also evaluating my current status at the time and then what tactics had worked or failed up until that point.

So far, I have accomplished every goal I had set for myself in previous planning sessions, except for performing at the Inter Media Arts Center (IMAC) in Huntington, New York. That goal will never happen now with both the closing of the IMAC and the death of Michael Rothbard, the patron of the arts that ran the concert hall. But, based upon the ground work I have managed to lay down in 2009, the large number of bookings I already have for 2010, and the types of contacts I've been recently having access to, I feel as though I'm in a very delicate point where my decisions will weigh much more heavily on the future than they ever have up until now.

There was a blog I posted back in October that I think was the genesis of my thinking at this very moment. The thoughts I had in that blog dealt with whether or not I had been looking enough into the careers of past and current jazz musicians, as well as my own, to see if there is anything I'm doing wrong or could do better to try and boast myself up to the next tier in the jazz scene and the music scene in general. My answer has come back to me that I am in deed doing something wrong. I'm not seeking enough advice from my peers or from certain contacts I have access to within the industry. These are the folks who can help me figure out what I need to do to get to where I want to be, based on where my career stands now.

I will not mention names, but there have been other artists that I've performed with that were, or currently are, in a similar "critical phase" of their career where making certain decisions could mean elevating their careers or just maintaining the status-quo. I can remember thinking to myself that they needed to seek some advice, or at least listen to the advice that they were given by their peers and qualified people who understood where their careers were at. Now, I'm thinking that I should heed those thoughts I had.

One of the important things that we (those artists and myself) all have in common is that we are all used to having to do absolutely everything ourselves and find it difficult to give up control or even delegate tasks to others. The thing I DO NOT want to have in common is career stagnation. This isn't necessarily a knock against those artists or where they are in their careers now or then. I'm simply stating that they all could probably have advanced much faster and further if they had seeked advice rather than try to figure it all out themselves.

So, in sum, I believe that one of the major mistakes I'm making is not seeking enough help or advice. I work so hard at what I do that sometimes it becomes very easy to make incorrect judgements or come up with the wrong game plan because of a distorted view of a situation. Forget not seeing the forest for the trees. If you have your nose buried too close to the ground, you won't even see the trees for the grass.

As for what my next move should be, I guess I won't know for sure until I ask some trusted and knowledgeable contacts that I have for their advice and thoughts.

Those Who Don't Know Their History...

There's a saying that I know we all have heard before. It states that, "those who don't know their history are doomed to repeat it". I think that's something that we can all agree on...it's a very logical statement.

Now, here's something that may not seem so logical. There are people who believe in a "universal collective consciousness" that helps to guide our actions in a way that is perhaps more subliminal than obvious. Take from that what you will.

So what am I getting at? Damned if I know! But, I have been experiencing something very interesting in the past few weeks, and that is this reoccurring theme of "those who don't know their history are doomed to repeat it". It's been everywhere...TV shows, people's actions, books I've read, the news, you name it! But, where I really took notice and felt a strong reaction to it was during a program on PBS that I was watching about Marvin Gaye. And, here's the weird thing. I have absolutely no recollection of what was said in that program, and yet I felt a VERY strong connection to whatever it was that was said. Someone go figure that one out!

And then, just yesterday, I was listening to a podcast that I had downloaded a couple of weeks ago but hadn't had a chance to listen to. And then something was said that hit me real hard again. Without going into details about the subject matter or what have you, it was basically said that all of these young people, or "new guard", were entering into a scene and working harder than they needed to, because they were taking the same routes that had already been travelled in the past by their predecessors, which had already been proven to be unsuccessful. But, because they hadn't done the research needed to know their history, their concern for the "here and now" was causing them to make the same old mistakes.

That's when I had an epiphany of sorts.

Have I done enough research concerning musicians (jazz musicians in particular) to keep from making some of the same mistakes that have doomed them to either fail, or not ultimately reach a sustainable level in their career? In other words, are there any mistakes that I'm repeating because I have over looked them from just being too focused on the present and future? And, let me get a little weird here, is the "universal collective consciousness" trying to tell me something?

Well, my mother always did teach me to listen to my "inner voice", so I have decided to take a real close look at my overall career strategy to see what flaws there may be, what evidence I'm not taking a close enough look at, and whether or not I'm not heeding any reoccurring themes regarding tactics that just aren't working or showing results. I'm also going to take a look at some artists that I may have personally known, or read about, to see if there are any similarities between what they did to cause them to fail and what I'm currently doing in my overall strategy.

Once I've taken adequate time to look over and absorb the information that I come across, I'll try to remember to post my findings in a sort of "Part II" to this post.

Keeping Busy

I have to start this post by saying that I am definitely blessed! And yes, I don't mean fortunate, I mean blessed...blessed that I'm such a hard worker at what I do that I have miraculously managed to stay incredibly busy, even with this downturn of the economy. That's not to say my wife and I are on easy street, but we certainly could be much worse off than we are.

One thing that I haven't shared too much on this blog is the fact that my wife was laid off of her job back in January of this year. When that happened, we lost about 47% of our household income literally overnight! As it were, we already were living with pretty tight belts, but her lay-off hurt.

One reason it was such a terrible hit for us was because we were still trying to recover from her last layoff, which had taken place about 16 months prior. That one stretched our resources and this one pretty much killed everything else off.

Another reason that it really hit us hard was because both layoffs were completely unexpected...no warning what so ever! I have to jump in by saying that maybe there are a few things, being self employed, that I don't have readily available to me, but I have NEVER been laid off or fired. And, I ALWAYS know the state of my business and can foresee months down the road if I may encounter a problem that I may have to find a way around or prepare for.

So, anyway, the third reason that this particular layoff has been more challenging is because now we have an extra mouth to feed! By the way, that is actually part of the "blessed" feeling I have!

But getting back to the first thing I wrote in the blog posting, which was feeling blessed that I'm such a hard worker at what I do, I know of so many other musicians who aren't working anywhere near as much as I am. I have really managed to put my bookings into afterburner this year, and next year is already looking to be even more busy.

I have really worked hard at getting my name out there, marketing myself, cultivating new relationships, and so on. Yes, I have new bags under my eyes, but the pay off has been a busier performance schedule than I have ever had at any point of my 10 or 12 years as a full time musician. In fact I can actually remember a time when I used to wish I was this active. Back then, I can remember having the number of gigs in a span of 4 months that I now have in just 1 month's time.

What that means is, though I have not entirely made up the 47% of income that our household lost when my wife got laid off, we have managed to stay in this house for a longer span of time than either some of my friends or even some members of my family had thought we'd be able to achieve.

So why am I making my wife's and my financial woes so public? Well, it boils down to one simple thing. INSPIRATION!

I'm aware of other musicians and artists who read my blog and follow me online in other formats. I've been made aware; via emails, chatroom comments, Facebook messages, and so on, that I'm looked up to by some others in the arts community because I am one of the few full time artists that can say that they are a homeowner and lives some semblance of a "normal" life, (wife, kid, etc.). I have been told by some artist friends that if I can't pull out of this, they don't know what hope that they have for their own futures because I work so hard.

Well, that is exactly my point. I work so hard because I know that there is hope as long as I work so hard. I'm not, and never have been, one who waits for that hope to arrive. My motto has ALWAYS, from day 1, been "if you can't FIND a gig, then MAKE a gig"!

So, I say to my fellow artists who may read this blog, that if I can last for 9 months plugging up holes in a ship that's far from shore, with two other people depending on me and all of the responsibilities that come with trying to support a family by just my income as a full time musician, then YOU should be able to do likewise or even better if you are a musician or artist that doesn't have anybody depending on you, or any home ownership responsibilities.

These times are the ones that will let us know if we REALLY want to try and make a living at what we do. These are the times that will show if we REALLY have what it takes to make it in such a competitive and saturated field.

Don't give up and don't lay down....just work hard and KEEP BUSY!!!!!

One for the Road

For the past 4 years, I have enjoyed an extremely talented and well aquainted line up with my jazz quartet. People know my group to consist of Kenny MacKenzie on piano, Thomson Kneeland on bass, and Kyle Struve on drums. But now all of that is going to change.

Today will be a very special performance that I have to do because it will be the last one with Kenny MacKenzie being part of the quartet. In just a few days, Kenny will be moving to Florida. This was very sad news for me as I have always thought of Kenny as an indespensible incredient in the make up of the quartet...whether it be in terms of our sound, the band's chemistry, or what have you. There's no doubt in my mind that Kenny is the most musically gifted piano player I've ever had a chance to play with. His playing really reaches listeners. Not to mention, he is an incredible composer and just simply a real nice guy!

I won't be saying goodbye to Kenny though because we will still be in touch via Facebook, email, and we have even talked about possibly doing some gigs together in Florida. And then, there is my plan to fly Kenny up to do my next CD with me and the rest of the guys.

Thomson Kneeland, the bassist for my quartet, has given me a few players that I can contact to take over the piano duties. I am familiar with almost all of them and they are all great players. But somehow I don't think it will be quite the same with Kenny not on the bandstand with us. In any case, the show must go on, and I'm feeling too much momentum lately to stop now!

So, I guess that's it for this post. I'm excited about the gig today and will be sure to enjoy every minute of it. HERE'S TO KENNY MACKENZIE and one for the road!

The Latimer Legacy

I come from a family that has strong ties to the arts. Aside from my cousins who have performed and recorded with some major names in music, and of course me carrying that musical torch, there is also my uncle who is a painter, and my aunt who was an acrobat and dancer in her younger days.

And now I wonder, with my 10 month old daughter constantly around me and my musician and artist friends, will Alyssa have some kind of involvement in the arts as well?

The picture that you can see over in the above right hand corner is of me and Alyssa relaxing on a couch that was backstage at the Boulton Center for the Performing Arts in Bay Shore, New York. This was a couple of hours before I had to go onstage with "Jack's Waterfall", which is a band that I love to perform with when they need to have me in their line-up.

At this point I've had Alyssa backstage with me on a few occasions and she has even been present for some of my live performances and educational lectures. She knows it's me onstage too because she reaches her arms out at me and yells for me so I can come over and pick her up. Laughter and smiles come out from the audience and it makes me wonder what is going to become of her with all this public attention and adoration.

There are so many similarities between the two of us that it's almost scary. For example, I often mention on my blog how I always am on the go or am on some kind of schedule. Alyssa seems to need constant activity and to see new things as well. And, she already has a good sense of schedule because she seems to understand that her favorite TV programs come on at a certain time, and God forbid if we aren't near the television at THAT time! Also, it looks as though, just like me, she will skip the crawling phase all together and go straight to walking. Then there is the little fact that we both share the same birthday...though I guess it's more HER birthday now!

So anyway, I guess I need to wait about 20 or 30 years to see what she will end up doing with herself. I really don't care whether she gets involved with the arts or not, as long as she can at least develop a healthy appreciation for them. As for me, lately I've been wondering what my legacy or the Latimer legacy will be. I'm the youngest Latimer male left in my family, with the next one in line being at least 15 years my senior. Hopefully, the Latimer name will mean things like hard workers, trust worthy, dependable, serious, intelligent, and imaginative. And, hopefully, that will be a legacy that Alyssa finds herself both inheriting and continuing.

Sleeping Angel

It's real difficult trying to type with just one hand, but my other one is supporting a sleeping angel. My 9 month old daughter has decided that it"s nap time on daddy!

What a nice little moment!

I feel like telling her to get all the sleep she can, because us Latimers are ALWAYS on a schedule and ALWAYS on the run, and she'll wish that she could get some sleep when she's older. But for now, I think I'll just sit here alone with her, in silence, and just enjoy this moment.