Anyway, the after party was a blast. About 15 people from the concert went with us down to "Goro Sushi" restaurant and ate. Of course, the sushi was AMAZING, the sake as TASTY and we had a piano there for any musician to play. I played about 3-4 songs, Todd Kelly played 3-4 songs, Bob Baker played 1 and David Lanz played 2.

Rosemary Butler was there as well and I got to joke around with her and take some funny pictures! All in all, what a great night and I will write about it more in depth a little later when I have the video and pictures to go along! I'm so motivated after these concerts, now on to get my next album recorded! Woo Hoo!

~Chad

Based on web traffic and other factors before the promotion, I figured it would potentially take a month to give the CD's out. We had lined up some businesses to help shipping and promotion starting in July. They were shocked that we already sold out and now really want to work with us in the future when we do more promotions!

BUT... when checking out the server logs, cafemom.com was all over the place! Doing more research, I found out my friend from college posted an entry on her account there, and like wildfire, it spread the forums and landed on journals. In fact, the response was so huge that when googleing "chad beall", an amazing journal entry about my music was posted and landed on #3 in the search! WOW! Just in case it ever moves down in the ranking, here is the journal entry. (I hope "Lb128f" doesn't mind me linking to her article I don't have an account and I haven't been able to get to the orders to search for her.

What can I say? I am extremely blessed and am excited to hear more from all of those who ordered the CD's. I am planning on writing everyone back that sent me a personal message as soon as I can as well.

A huge thank you goes out to cafemom.com and my friend Kristi for posting there and ultimately, it leading to a wildfire of responses from amazingly awesome individuals that I hope I can get to know better. A thank you also goes out to everyone that helped, especially my parents and girlfriend for putting in long hours with the crew to get the CD's out as quickly as possible. Below is a picture that was taken of me after working on orders long into the night where I grabbed some tape and put it over my mouth... then my girlfriend decided to draw a nice look onto it. Enjoy!

Orders Orders Everywhere

Chad

Back to earth. I hope I'm ready for these warm up concerts coming up. It's incredibly challenging to be prepared to play the music just as it is... but to set up a whole show and get the timing of jokes down etc etc is fairly daunting. But, that is why the first few concerts are warm ups in front of friends and family. I also want to try some new things out: jokes, song order's, me singing (oye) and really bring everything up a notch.

It's just nice getting out there again even though I'm anxious about it. The time away has been nice, but I much prefer being in the game.

Finally, the website will be getting a much needed overhaul within the next 4-12 months so that is great. Keep your fingers crossed as I hope to restock Dedications and record my second album within that same time frame as well.

May this year be great to all,

Chad

Two Lights

"Tear out my heart, feed it to lions... for this one wish I beg you this tonight. Show me no mercy, spare me my pride, I'm going for a drive..." -Five For Fighting [Song: "Two Lights"]

It's been way too long for me to dig through my layers into my core vulnerabilities. It's too often we forget just how human we are. Life isn't always what we expect it to be. It's those mistakes that stay with us forever which also convince us that there is no way to not regret aspects of your life. I wade through the realities we create for ourselves -- how it is the everyday living and the mundane aspects we encounter that so easily provide us the security we long for... but when we achieve it, we so often become numb. We go through motions and slowly become robots to our own reality - sometimes we become jaded, sometimes we look to the heavens for answers, sometimes we go for a drive.

Sometimes we listen. Sometimes we run. I pray.

The songs I have quoted are from Five For Fighting (obviously)... and that really was the soundtrack for this Nashville trip. What a trip it was. I have been so wrapped up in work, averaging 100+hours a week for the last two months that I was burnt out. I had an 18 hour drive to let my mind fly wherever it wanted/needed to go. I had a week in the city that started it all. I met up with a dear friend that was my impetus to play piano and write music forever. Then, I had another 18 hour trip to reflect, rewind, and just think. It was good - there were no deadlines, no fires to put out... just time and raw emotion.

Time gives me clarity. Time reminds me, when faced with it, to live for now... to feel, to strive, to love... to pray. I wonder what life will be like in three years? What truths will I learn about myself... about others? What will my reality mirror my perception of it? I don't know, but it's a riddle I look forward to finding the answer to.

"I'm almost home, the sun's to rise. I've got to know I've been drivin' all the night. There's our corner up ahead, I'm alive and I am dead. I drive right through the stop sign, I turn my head as I lift my eyes... my eyes burn." -FFF

I'm truly blessed with my life. A past with regrets has led me to not make mistakes I feel I made, ever again. It has afforded me solace that I have become a better man, a better musician, and given me the tools to embrace fate, destiny, and any divine intervention. Life has a way of fulfilling you with a twist of circularity... a way to dive into the depths of your soul. And I can do nothing but embrace all that is ahead of me and take any twists life may throw, and to be thankful for every second.

"She's lost in my arms, her head on my heart - and softly she whispers the words... I Just Love You - I don't know why, I just do... when are you coming home, I'm coming home soon - and I just love you too." -FFF [Song: I Just Love You]

Chad

My dog, Meko

I recently wrote about my little dog, Meko and submitted it to the "Border's Pet Project." Now I'm sure there are a billion applicants and thus, making the submission most likely not publishable, but what the hey! Below is the document:

When I was younger, I had a Golden Retriever named Kody. He was a big dog, so we wrestled and played hard! Unfortunately, he passed away early on due to bone cancer. After this tragedy, I felt like I never could get a dog again, much less a lap dog. But, then came Meko.

The beginning was difficult. He loved mommy, but not so much daddy. I made the mistake only once to take him outside to do his business without a leash. He darted away as quickly as possible in search for that once in a lifetime meal that all dog's seem to search their lives for. He darted across a street where a roaring car passed seconds after. I ran as hard as I could and finally was able to catch him. "Never again," I promised to myself as I panted in terror. In fact, I learned two things: never take him anywhere without a leash, and get in shape because I was becoming fat and lazy!

As time passed, and akin to the taming of the fox from "The Little Prince," Meko and I began to bond. Lately, I have taken the job as a role model for him as well. He does what I do - If I sit in a chair, he will find the closest chair next to me and sit. If I play the piano, Meko will jump up on the piano bench and sniff around the keys in his attempt to mimic me. When I eat, oh I'm tellin' ya', he has to eat too! It is so ridiculous because he won't eat breakfast or dinner unless I eat... It's insane, but you just gotta' love him.

When mommy and I cuddle, goof around, or engage in a conversation - Meko HAS to be a part of it. He'll wedge himself in the middle of us and then stick part of his tongue out and look at us adoringly. Mommy then spends the rest of the time with him because he is "SOOOOOOOO CUTE!!" It is a recurring event for me to wake up in the middle of the night and see him nestled in closely with mommy, but right in between she and I. The only times he is anywhere else on the bed at night, is when we literally pick him up and place him... but he has to be so tired he can't even move or he will attempt to gain back that perfect spot!

Meko has brought mommy and I tremendous joy. He has been the catalyst to allow mommy and daddy to enjoy life more vibrantly and not worry about mundane things. He has even been the reason for some of our friends to visit us more often!! Meko embodies the most important qualities I strive to achieve and maintain on a daily basis. Meko gave me the what I was missing when I was just a boy... closure for my first dog, Kody.

Well, a couple of weeks later my student's father became devastatingly ill. The weekend prior to the lesson, he had slipped into a coma. When the day of the lesson came about, my student brought me in to see him. He was having difficulty breathing and it was irradic. We then started the lesson. We worked on the "boring" theory for a bit and then on a beginners version of "Steal My Heart" that I am writing for her. Finally, the lesson was coming to a close and she wanted to hear me play. So, I played for her a song called "Never Forget" which relates the point of keeping your life cherishable.

"Never Forget" is basically about how our lives are filled with moments for us to cherish, reflect, and not take for granted. I'm sure I'll explain that song in much greater detail later... And as I finished the song, my student gave me a great big smile while her mother went to the back. I asked her what she would name the song, and she said "Flashes of Light" Her mother came back and I discussed to them what the song was all about. I could feel something in the air... it wasn't sad, it wasn't happy, it was an inmistakable energy that wasn't there before.

For, after I finished playing "Never Forget"... my student's father passed away. He went quietly and calmly. In fact, I was told that during the song he rolled over onto his back and began to breath more steadily. I'm sure when he heard his daughter's laugh, he could see her giant smile... and knew that it was his time to pass.

And that energy I felt: It was his legacy... his immortality seeping into his family (and maybe even a little into me) - where there is absolutely no question that he will always live through them.