Author: Jody Whitesides

How often do you watch a particular movie? How often do you listen to a song or album (do you even listen to albums)? How much effort do you put in to anything that you do in life? What is the expected result? Is it like Christmas when you experience the end result?

These are some of the things that are pulsing through my head right now. Mainly due to how much effort I’ve been pouring into things for the last several weeks. Beginning with some technical shit that is meant to make your experience on this site better. The last step took two weeks of intense testing to make it work.

Before I get to the technical shit, I’m gonna write that I’ve gone off the deep end with the movie F1 starring Brad Pitt. Anyone who knows me knows that I’m a massive movie buff. Often I’m dropping weird movie quotes and references. While I don’t do drugs, I do often over imbibe on movies I enjoy. Right now – that is F1. I’ve watched the damn thing roughly 10 times in the last two weeks.

Director Joseph Kosinski has another amazing movie under his belt. The true thanks has to go to Ehren Kruger for a very clever script. While I don’t know how many of the lines are ad libbed, I will say there is a lot of fun and well-timed dialogue that really brings each character to life. F1 is just the backdrop to a story about loving what you do and ignoring all the noise beyond that love.

I apply that same mentality to music. Especially to the music I create. But also to the focus I place on listening to music created by others. It requires a great amount of concentration to really bring music to life.

The other day my significant other and I were chatting. I had intimated that I hold the Steve Jobs attitude to how I approach doing things. Meaning, if something isn’t seen front of face, it still requires perfection. This comes from the story of how Steve Jobs was ultimately concerned about how the inside of his computers had to look and feel just as perfect as the outside of those computers.

I apply this theory to music, sports, and all other things that I do. I find that if I don’t put in the effort it ends up meaning nothing to me and I derive no pleasure from the end result.

Often it’s based not only on the quality of the tools one has at their disposal, but their ability to self assess what they are doing.

Such is the technical issue I was dealing with for the last two weeks. It relates to my website, my email platform and of course how it operates. Without giving away the goods, I’ll say this. It’s something behind the scenes, not forward facing. What does it do? It’s keeps things smoother for you and improves things behind the scenes for me.

To that end, this is the re-release part 2 of a slew of Christmas music. Christmas Past. All you need to know is that it’s classic Christmas songs that I’ve put my take on. The re-release in and of itself is a new mix, improved arrangements, and new mastering.

All that adds up to an audio experience that I’m happier about. That will sound better to you. And if I shall be so bold, will get yet another experience upgrade next year.

For now, I’m wishing you and yours a very special holiday time. May it be filled with friends, family and awesome experiences.

Stay Tuned