I'm stoked because CD Baby, one of the biggest and best online distributors of indy music in the WORLD has asked me to be part of a showcase in the 2004 Folk Alliance Conference in San Diego this coming February. This is a huge honor because the pool of folk musicians represented on CD Baby is vast. Anyhow, if I can scape together the money to go, it would be a phenomenal opportunity to meet people in music and media, including people involved with labels, booking, etc. Most importantly, I'd meet other musicians going through the same struggles and triumphs that I have found myself dealing with of late.

The most frustrating thing for me right now is that money makes the rocking world go round. I don't mean I need to MAKE tons of money to be happy, but I mean that I simply don't have enough to get me to the places I need to be to advance my career, and that is SO frustrating. I don't want to whine though, as that is not what this is for...but if you're reading this, please send your thoughts and best wishes my way. I really want to get to this conference and perform!

Wow...after a long 48 hours, I am back from a gig we played in Bloomington, Indiana last night at a club called Vertigo. It was a learning experience, and a bonding experience for myself and for the band members who were able to come along. Now the men in my life (the band) say things like, "if Hilary's happy...we're ALL happy." Yes, it's sort of a joke, but you learn so much about yourself and each other when you're tired, cranky, hungry, have been driving for too long, share a hotel room, whatever the case may be!

But the one thing I take from our experience on the road this weekend is that we still love the music and I don't think that's ever going to change. Actually, we got along marvelously, and met some great new people in Bloomington. Every show is different, some are packed with people, sometimes no one knows you're playing and you end up doing an "intimate" show to a few dozen people. But no matter what, you're essentially always doing the same thing: music. I love playing and singing and connecting with people. Be it one person at a time, I'm sharing my music with the world, and having experiences I would never otherwise have had. All in all, I'm thrilled with what was tested and re-affirmed this weekend: my love for music, which has proven to be stronger and vaster and more important than all the little discomforts of the road.