December 2015 Tishnote

Happy December Amigos!

Holiday greetings to mundotish friends wherever you are! December is always a crazy but wonderful month for me. I had my birthday a couple of weeks ago. It was celebrated in San Antonio at one of my favorite little cafes, "Casbeers". I couldn't ask for better of a fun party. My brother, my sisters, my kids, old friends, new friends, fan-friends surrounded me and my favorite musician friends from Austin played some great music. The presents were funny and fun and thoughtful. Thanks to my family for all the hard work and to all who sent greetings and good wishes. What a beautiful beginning to my 60th year on this little planet!

As 2015 comes to an end, I want to reflect on how although it is important to plan a course to accomplish projects and passions, as the famous quote goes "life happens", and we just have to do what we can. I had to put a few projects on hold that I had hoped to have off the ground by now. One of those is a recording of traditional, regional, and favorite spanish songs with my long-time San Antonio friend and musical icon, Flaco Jimenez. We both encountered medical issues that slowed us down in our plans, but managed to get a couple of songs recorded over the summer and they sound great, so I feel we are on a good track to try again in 2016. At this point, I am ready to relax, enjoy the holidays and welcome in the New Year. 

Tonight, December 18 (9pm-1am), is my final show for 2015: I will be playing at one Austin's coolest little honky-tonks, Ginny's Little Longhorn, with Marvin Dykhuis on guitar, Glenn Kawamoto on Bass, Rich White on drums, and Richard Bowden on fiddle - full tilt COUNTRY!! (...Chip Dolan has another gig but may join us late with his accordion.) If you are in Austin, please join us if you can, and bring your dancin' boots!

To wrap things up, I want to say a warm thanks to everyone who brightened and enlightened my 2015. As far as the world goes, right now there are lots of disturbing, disillusioning, and saddening things going on all around us. Let's stay positive and pass on as much peace, good will, and kindness to our fellow beings as we can. Love is a strong force!

Wishing you all a safe and joyous holiday season and the best in the coming year!

Con Amor,

Tish 

Fall 2015 Update

Dear Friends,

It is now autumn here in Mundotish, Texas. Halloween, Thanksgiving, and the December holidays are right around the corner. I’m about to unpack my fall and winter clothes and putting away the summer sun-dresses and shorts. But first, I want to send out a quick hello.

I feel bad that so much time has gone by since my last newsletter/Tishnote. I was going through a lot of readjustment and recovery over the summer months. I’m happy to report that since my May newsletter, my health has improved. I have a few new scars to welcome my sixtieth birthday coming up in December, but I am otherwise not doing bad!

I suppose no one loves discovering new lines and wrinkles in the mirror, however, the alternative, and I don’t mean plastic surgery (!), I mean, like meeting the grim reaper, sounds like far less fun. As I mentioned in my last note, when I had my medical emergency last March, I came pretty close to finding out what “The End” felt and looked like. I learned a few things in that experience: One is that, even if things aren’t going great in one’s life, when something suddenly threatens to pull the life rug out from under you, you try like hell to stay here. Two, I now understand that if it really your time to go, beautiful angels and peace surround you. I learned a third lesson too: There is more left to do here in my world.

I’m satisfied looking ahead at the rest of my life. Sixty doesn’t look sad or scary. Sixty looks adventurous, rewarding, and fulfilling. I am also grateful for my older brother and sisters who have taught me that seventy and even eighty will look pretty good!

Like everyone, I have some challenges, even struggles in my work and in my personal life going on at this time. It’s probably strange to use a word like “fight” here, but in a way, I think that when inescapable negative things are going on in our life, we sometimes have to fight to hold that negative side down in order to let the positive, the good, and happiness, stay on top. Ok, there’s my sermon for the fall!

On to the present! I am excited for my west coast tour coming up in November! If you are on the west coast, or have friends and family out there, please check the tour dates on my website and pass on the word. I’ll really appreciate seeing everyone who can come out. It will be lots of fun. I’ll be playing solo. The nice thing about solo concerts is that they encourage more one on one and spontaneous fun with the audience. I like that! I hope you will join me!

Another thing is that my website CD store (Tiendita Tish), is now located at Mundotish Headquarters in Austin. This means that when you order CDs, you can include who you want the CD dedicated to, if you would like that, and I can personally autograph it and it will be sent promptly. Nice idea for upcoming Christmas gifts. So please do visit the website store soon! And by the way, I may possibly have copies of the out of print CDs: “Homeland”, “Destiny’s Gate”, and “Dreaming From The Labyrinth”. I occasionally acquire original vinyl copies of  “Homeland” too! We will add these to the menu at the website store so you can check there for availability.

Well, I’ve gotta go for now. I promise to be in touch at holiday time to send  greetings and to give update of projects I have begun working on and hope to complete in 2016. I hope you are having a colorful autumn wherever you are!

Abrazos,

Tish