Who’s Zoomin Who
Last night I had virtual dinner with a friend. Not a Zoom Cocktail Party, or a Google Hangout. Just a quiet meal via FaceTime with someone I love dearly and who is spending all her time alone these days.
Suzan Koc is the poster child for an independent woman who enjoys her own space. But now that company is not an option she’s feeling well…in her own words: “Involuntarily disconnected. I have too much time with the noises in my head that only a hug can shut down.” 💔And that’s coming from an optimist whose glass is always pretty full.
Needless to say this new abnormal is easier for those of us who have a partner or a family to isolate with. Even if we don’t talk to each other for a few hours there’s still an awareness of another breathing human in close proximity.
Whether we look at quarantining as a mandatory chill pill or dispiriting solitary confinement (I go back and forth), there will be silver linings when it’s over. But first we have to get through it. And so…Suzan and I set our respective tables, timed our meals accordingly, lit a candle and voila. Pass the virtual salt.
It was like there was no screen between us. I told her how for me, releasing music in a global pandemic is not exactly the experience I planned for, but neither is life, right? You gotta roll with it.
As for Suzan — my long-time-work-wife, the ultimate song whisperer, teacher and mentor to hundreds — she wanted to use this time to give back to creatively-starved songwriters who are feeling similarly isolated from their community.
So she put together a 2 day Zoom-Writing Camp where writers could turn their lonely — or whatever it is they’re feeling — into art. After careful consideration of an applicant’s strengths and weaknesses she pairs them up with another writer. Each twosome collaborate in a private “zoom” while she remains available peripherally to guide, critique and “unstick the stuck.” At the end of the second day everyone shares their song with the group.
The larger picture here is that it’s not just a co-writer that one gets to know but the entire group of 12. If there’s someone else who inspires you, you can reach out to them for a potential collaboration in the future. Suzan says the workshop has been so productive and therapeutic for everyone involved that she’s decided to schedule some more.
I tell you this not just to share an example of how colleagues are staying busy but because many of you are songwriters and may be interested in signing up. I realize there are a multitude of virtual programs out there right now. But I can vouch for this one and I have no doubt Suzan will make a more mindful songwriter out of anyone who participates. (She was my publisher when my career got off the ground and she kept me on my game for a very long time. )
The Fine Print?
Suzan does not mince words
She will bust you for the one unconvincing line in your otherwise brilliant song!
If you’re interested, here’s the link to apply.
And here’s her website if you want to go deeper.
No pressure.
Alternatively if you’re not inclined to “workshop” (used here as a verb) I hope you’re all staying engaged. There’s so much uncharted inner life to examine during this crazy time…material you never would have imagined. Personally, I can’t keep my mind still. Stay close to your medium.
And don’t forget to reach out to a friend, a colleague, a sister who’s dining alone. Tell them to set the table tonight and uncork the Chardonnay. Fire up the FaceTime. Ask them what’s going on in their head. Tell them what’s happening in yours. It’s the next best thing to a hug.
Stay safe. 😷
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