Just a quick mid-week post/word of encouragement/rant.

I've had a few goals in mind for myself since the beginning of the year. The only problem was figuring out how to approach said goals. 

I was thinking too big.

In an age of instant gratification, I've become trapped in the mindset that if I want to accomplish something then it needs to be accomplished immediately. Things shouldn't take time, I shouldn't have to put in long hours of work. They should be done as easily and as quickly as possible no matter how big. 

This is a dangerous way of thinking and I'm sure I'm not alone.

So I've decided to switch gears. Let's start small. I have four big goals I would like to achieve and I am going to accomplish them slowly, one day at a time.

I've put together a personal daily log to record each small step I take. One step per day is my minimum. This could be anything from setting aside a small amount of money or going out for a job interview. The whole point is never letting a day go by without doing something productive and/or beneficial. 

​An original idea? Probably not.

Helpful? Most likely. 

I haven't set a deadline for any of my goals, the timing of them being accomplished is ultimately not up to me, but I look forward to the completion of each and every one.

- JZ

P.S. New EP this Friday.

There's been an usual amount of warm weather in New Jersey lately, and normally, this is something I'd complain about.

​I've gone on many rants to others about how cold seasons should always be cold and warm seasons should always be warm. A 60 degree day in January doesn't feel quite right and a chilly day in July is never my cup of tea.

However, there's been streak of warm days as of late and the funny thing is, I've enjoyed each and every one of them immensely.
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I got the opportunity last week to spend the day outdoors snapping photographs with a friend. It was a near perfect day for such a thing. It was Saturday, the sun was out, and one of my favorite places to go had just reopened after being closed for months.

Needless to say, that afternoon was a much needed breath of fresh air.

There's been an overarching and frustrating season of coldness as of late with my being unemployed. But that day - that one simple day - was a warm one indeed. There weren't any distractions or frustrations, just a day spent in God's creation.

A metaphorical day of warmth in a metaphorical season of cold.

​It's been over six months since I've placed any photos here so I'm happy to add these new (if somewhat typical) images to the gallery.

Be it literal or metaphorical, there's something truly special about a warm day in a cold season.

​There's no better feeling than having lunch in a diner with a couple of friends at the end of a lousy week. It's always a delight when I'm feeling down and my dog happily and unexpectedly jumps into my lap. Joy is ever present when I get to create music with a group of friends after a long day.

And nothing beats a bright sunny afternoon in the middle of February.

- JZ

361 days to be exact. So close enough.

Since the end of 2016, I've been reflecting a lot on the past year that I have had. With my 26th birthday being last week and the one year anniversary of this website being next week, the thought of the past 12 months has continued to be at the forefront of my mind.

But rather than dive into personal events again, I'd like to fill this week's blogpost with reflections on this website, what's been added here, and what it has all meant to me. 

It all started out of frustration. 

Maybe "desire" is a better word.

It all started out of a desire to discuss creativity, a subject I have yet to find anyone in my circle of peers really interested in. Everyday we find ourselves in circumstances beyond our control and there are a small group of us that respond through being creative. I wanted to explore that so badly. And with no one willing to discuss it with me, I instead made a place where I could do so whenever I wanted to with whoever wanted to listen.

That was the initial idea.

But lately I've found that the broad topic of creativity has become more narrow and more personal. It's become difficult anymore to write about creativity as a big idea and communicate it in terms for a large group of people. Instead, each post has become more about my own personal walk and how meaningful it has been in both my everyday life and my spiritual life.

Is that a good thing or a bad thing? I don't know. But I do think it "works". 

Looking forward, I'd like to continue what I've been doing over the last 12 months. I'm going to continue to try my best to post something every Friday. I'm going to keep making music (keep an eye out for a new EP in the next few weeks). I'm even going to finally get some others to contribute to the blog (contact me if you're interested).

This is a place that's been a great outlet for my own creativity and I hope it has been a place for you to find some sort of inspiration to be creative yourself. The only thing to do now is keep on going.  

The last 12 months weren't ideal, they were never perfect, and they contained more valleys than mountains. My life was weird, unexpected, and never predictable. Every creative endeavor here is because of the bizarre, and yet oh so wonderful journey I've been given to live.

To quote Edward Norton from the ending of Fight Club, 

                                                        "You met me at a very strange time in my life."

And I hope it continues to be.

- JZ

Music is a funny thing. 

I often find that small musical ideas are randomly placed in my head. Things such as melodies, chord progressions, and even song titles seem to pop out of nowhere. 

I was on a break from work a few months ago when the title of this piece came about. I didn't know what it meant or if it had any real significance (and i still don't) but I kept the single word in my head and pondered what a piece of music with such a title would sound like. 

Four months later, this is what finally came out.

At almost 7 minutes long, it's a piece that definitely requires some patience. It takes its time and I think it works all the better because of it. Once you reach that last minute and a half, everything that came before makes a lot more sense.

I didn't think much of it when it was complete and I listened to it for the first time. However, I've been playing it all week and I've grown to appreciate it more each time I hear it. 

​There's something about this one, but I can't quite put my finger on it just yet.   

I debated whether or not to simply add this onto the end of my most recent album. It would make for a great final track and shares quite a few instrumental similarities with the rest of the music.

​I ultimately decided no.

Instead of it being the end of something old, I'd rather this be the beginning of something new. 

"Sunflower" can be downloaded for free here. Click "Buy Now" and enter "0". 

Thanks for listening. 

Nothing to share today save for this quick piece of music. 

See you next week. 

- JZ