Work on the new record continues. We had a second day in the studio. We managed to get keeper vocals on 3 songs, fiddle on 2 tracks, dobro on one track, and piano on 2 tracks. It was a good day!! I like how unexpected things come up, like telling that piano playing fool, Steve Cox, "since you came all the way down here, let's find another track for you to play on." And you end up with piano on a song that you hadn't originally planned to have piano on! I think the trick is to plan what you can but leave enough open that you can let talented people do what they do. Have a roadmap, but be willing to say, "hey...let's veer over HERE." I am looking forward to singing a big 'ole country music male/female duet on this record. That's something new for me. And I have some cool background vocalists lined up. I'm not going to drop any names 'til it all goes down. I've been getting artwork ideas, looking at photos and drawings, spending hours sampling fonts, that sort of thing. I need to have a photo shoot but want to wait until it's a little warmer. I'll be going with an outdoor theme again, like my last record. The title calls for it. I don't want my mug on the cover this time, though. Maybe a back cover shot, an interior shot, we'll see. Those kinds of decisions are hard to make. But I just don't want to be on the cover. That simple. It's cold outside and there's snow on the ground. We're hoping to stay in and get lots of work done today. We actually have a deadline for our perceived 5 best tracks. We've got 2 weeks to meet that deadline. Tom's teching on another big tour this year and they're keeping him pretty busy. They're also giving him steady paychecks, so can't complain too much. I'm already feeling a little sad that this whole thing will be done before we know it. The excitement that comes from giving shape to new music will be replaced with phone calls, mass mailings, and meetings...and lots of nail biting. So, for now, I'm going to enjoy the process. I'm going to enjoy this period of time that bears little criticism and self-doubt and thoughts of what anyone ELSE will think about it. I will revel in my musical hedonism and cups of chai tea and having snow on the ground on a Sunday morning.