Year End Wrap 2008

(Following is the text of my podcast episode #26 - Year End Wrap 2008. I included the podcast link with my e-cards and am providing the text here for those who aren't able to play it.)

Well, we are about at the end of another year. Last year I did a "Year End Wrap" podcast and for the life of me I don't know why, but that ended up being one of my most popular shows for this year. So why argue with success—I figure let's do another one and I can also send a link to all the folks I send holiday wishes to instead of reading one of those annual letters (and maybe they will go out and listen to another podcast or two, ha ha ha!). OK, well, speaking of the podcast, my stats for this past year are showing me at about 18,000 hits which is double what I did last year (probably because I did more podcasts), and over 6,000 downloads that I know of. I also remained in the top 10 of my host site Cyberears' most listened to podcasts. So thanks to all who have listened.

It's been an amazing ride this year. It was my first full year here in Nashville. I'm still thrilled to be here and life for the most part has been pretty awesome. I had one major life change. I did something I swore I wouldn't do again...which is, I bought a home. But this time, no 100 year old single family house for me—I bought a condo which had pretty much new everything. What brought that about was the rising cost of rent and wanting to keep up one of my health practices, that is, use my mini-trampoline rebounder whenever I wanted to without noise complaints. So I found the place of my dreams west of the city –it's a lovely area that I wish I'd moved to when I first got here, but all things in their time, I guess. Also, I finally have the home office that I wanted for so long. I also am blessed with wonderful neighbors this time around.

I thought once I'd bought this place I'd be done with the long commute to work I'd been having. But as it turned out, I ended up with...no commute. I was laid off of my job one week after I closed on my condo. I'm grateful for this timing if it had to be since it would have blown my deal and I'd have lost out on my home had it been sooner. But you know, in this period, it's been some of the most wonderful times of my life. I started freelancing and doing musician promotion here and there, I got to experience some things I wouldn't have been able to do with a normal 9-5 schedule, and through it all the good Lord's been providing all my needs. I know a lot of us are in the same boat, so I continue to live in the present moment and remain hopeful each day.

One other significant thing happened this year. I walked into my local library and I found a flyer for Radio Free Nashville, a community radio station. It said "want to be on the radio?" Those of you who follow me know the answer to that one—well, yeah! At first I proposed doing a Sunday morning southern gospel show focusing on the music as a genre, but being that Radio Free Nashville is a station with a mission of representing the unrepresented, that idea didn't go down here in the buckle of the Bible belt. So I went with my alternative idea, which turned out to be a show I called "Never Too Old". It's a mix of oldies, reflective nostalgia, and some more current music made by folks of the "baby boomer" generation-- being squeezed out of mainstream radio these days. I found a slot on the Saturday schedule and also began a blog concurrent with the show (which makes my blog total out on the net at about 5 now, I think). It's been fun, and it's had its personal and musical rewards beyond anything monetary if I was paid for it (it's all volunteer) but it hasn't always been easy. I struggled with meeting my own standards and feeling worthy of airing alongside some folks on each side of my show doing some brilliant stuff. But I made some changes and decided to go with using what works—basically, writing my show. I also decided to include some of my encouragement pieces which may be of comfort for those of us in the baby boomer generation particularly feeling the pinch of the hard times. So now I'm starting to find my own voice, and it's challenged me creatively as well. I have also since kicked myself for giving away a lot of my vinyl and other items in my music collection which I sacrificed to make the move out here. Hey, I didn't know I was going to end up doing an oldies show, or I'd have kept more stuff! God's interesting sometimes.

Of course the biggest part of my life out here is being able to do what I came out here to do, which is to support and encourage singer/songwriters and other musicians here in Nashville. I had much to write about in my Wendy V's Nashville Blend blog over this year. I've been amazingly blessed to find some incredible talent out here, and made some dear new friends among them. These artists rewarded me over and over again by taking this non-music maker to heart and my mission seriously. Again, my fears that people here didn't need my brand of encouragement were largely unfounded. I instead found a community of artists hungry for support and affirmation in situations that some described as "sometimes feeling like December in July". I also heard stories of rejection, redemption and the ongoing quest for the dream that started to make me feel as if I'd been broken open inside, as if layers had been peeled off me. I felt myself becoming openly compassionate and I'm pretty sure that some of the tears that poured forth weren't due to change of life swings.

My faith continues to be the center of my life. My church family has been a great support to me and we're all looking forward to moving into our new home after years of meeting in a school gym. I also found a sweet prayer group run by some musician friends that I'll plan to visit when I can. This year I was part of one event, the Middle Tennessee Women's Retreat, which came along at the right time with a message which I needed. I also had a great experience once again being the "official blogger" for this year's Mark Lowry's Spring Fling Senior Trip event out at Opryland Hotel –I was proud of the work I did on the blog and humbled by the response it got.

So there's my year. It's been a blessing amidst the present challenges. The plan continues to live one day at a time, put one foot in front of the other, be thankful that I can do that and remember who's ultimately in control. If you want to keep up with me, you know where to go...head to my website at www.wendyv.com and click on the blog links.