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Alternative Blog Post Title:

"I Don't Have Time To Write Songs for a Kids Album!

...Or Do I?"

I've got a lot going on these days - writing a book and getting ready to release a new album. As part of raising funds to release this album, I've set an album pre-order level for anyone to commission an original or cover song.

It turns out, when you're across the country from your sister who just had her second child, the overwhelming urge to write a song is too hard to deny. Earlier this week I ha…

Did I know when I woke up this morning that I'd be going to Portland today?

No, no I did not. 

Did I know at 12noon I'd be going to Portland today?

No, no I did not. 

Did I know at 2pm?

No, no I did not. 

Did I know at 4pm?

No, no I did not.  

I made the decision at 4:30pm to arrive at the train station at 5:30pm.

I can hear you saying, "Oh my god. Emily, you are insane."

Don't worry, I'm not.

I was furiously packing to catch the last train of the day and *simultaneously* talking my…

So the idea to pull together a little playlist of all the bands represented by the musicians who play on Velveteen just came to me the other day. LITTLE DID I KNOW, this playlist would become one of my. favorite. playlists. 

It just further illustrates how stinkin' lucky we all are (you too!) to have this group of musicians on this album.  

I have such talented friends on this album. They ALL do such kick-ass stuff and partake of so much awesome music here in Seattle. 

Here's a list of just…

Yep. That's right.

A song about all the types of guys you'll find while online dating, written by yours truly.

If I'm being honest I've been working on this song for the last 10 years during my 5 bouts of 'being online.' I've gone on sooo many first dates with all types of guys. Most of them were really lovely and I love getting to meet new people.

However. There's a lot of sorting and culling through some strangeness out there before that first date happens.

I started noticing some trend…

This might shock you as much as it does me.

Allow me to explain...

Nathan Hollifield is a friend from way-back. His story and mine intersected about 7 years ago but just for a little bit and from a distance. In between that time he moved to the East Coast, got married, had a kid and became a Methodist pastor.

I, on the other hand, left the church. I was told I asked too many "toxic" questions. I got hurt one too many times. So when it comes to church, I'm more than jaded.

When it comes to Go…

(piece by piece this book will be finished!)

Well, the month of March certainly just flew by, didn't it? I spent it doing the following...

1. Moving into my new little house in Tacoma, WA.
2. Going on a short little tour of house concerts in Spokane, Leavenworth, Whidbey and Orcas Island.
3. Celebrating my 30th birthday!
4. Hosting my mom visiting the Pacific NW from Wyoming.
5. Telling her how high I wanted the pink velvet curtains hung in my living room.
6. Collapsing from exhaustion while she nailed s…

I've moved around a lot. The other night I counted.

Since high school I've moved, get this, SIXTEEN TIMES.

I've moved SIXTEEN times since 2004. 

*headdesk*

So many boxes. So many trips. So many apartments. So many houses. So many cities. So many boxes of pizza. So many hours filled with the ear-piercing sound of tape getting yanked off its roll.

So what does one do with all that expertise? Duh. Write a blog post! ;)

Here's my list of ten somewhat helpful yet questionable tips for your next…

In the lulls between songwriting, album-making, and concert performing, I've been slowly working on writing a book.

Well, actually re-writing a book.

My plan is to completely overhaul a previously (and quietly) released version of a book I put together last year. The old version is currently unavailable to purchase, because it will be re-released newer, better, bigger, and more wonderful all-around. So you'll just have to sit tight and hold your horses.

Until today, this total overhaul proces…

Full Disclaimer: I Was Homeschooled.

It was pretty okay.

I got to take the classes I wanted to take in the places I wanted to take them from the teachers I liked best. I spent all but one class of my senior year in college classrooms, which allowed me to graduate high school with about 15 college credits. (Possibly the only reason why I have a minor in French.)

Homeschooling through high school afforded me the aforementioned discovery of my LEAST FAVORITE PIECE OF LITERATURE. EVER. and of cou…

photo by Fimb 

Allow me to explain...

I spent 10 years (2004-2014) moving a lot.

Sometimes as frequently as every 6 months. College life, new roommates, living abroad, moving to a new corner of the US, new roommates, new neighborhoods, new jobs...

I got really good at picking up everything and moving around based on who I wanted to be near. My artistic and personal spaces have been defined by the people I intentionally surrounded myself with. 

But as I get older, I'm discovering a change (b…