NEVER assume!

YES, that's right...NEVER assume! I did, and I quickly realized that indeed I can't predict the future reactions brought on by a future action. What I'm specifically referring to is the music I've written and then recorded...ok, now it's time to explain!

As some may know, I've been playing drums since I was fifteen. And most people don't know that I write songs too. I didn't know I could until one day about 10 years ago, I picked up a guitar, learned a few chords, wrote down a few thoughts on a piece of paper and with a bit of patience, I put them together and PRESTO! I couldn't believe my ears...I had written a damn song!!! I always assumed I was a drummer ONLY. While in Moncton, I wrote about a dozen songs within a 6 year span, some came naturally, some took a whole lot of work. I even recorded the drum tracks for some of these before moving to Ontario in 2007. When I moved to Toronto in September of '08 on the other hand, I wrote 15 songs in less than a month! Change was upon me; I was alone in this huge city with a personal goal and a whack load of inspiration. The first week in Toronto was when I had the most inspiration. All I had in the apartment was an air mattress, a book bag and a guitar. What was I to do between meals and job hunting?? WRITE SONGS! So I did. And they ALL came naturally this time. Things settled and time progressed...

After a few months of chaos, I started revising my goals: starting a pro career in music playing drums...but wait a minute, I just wrote fifteen meaningful songs from the heart, shouldn't I be sharing those with other people? Would other people enjoy them as much as I do? I assumed they probably wouldn't. But there was just one problem...my voice. I couldn't project what I head in my head and I didn't have the proper technique, which could take years to master! I'm the kind of person who believes that if you're gonna do something, you're going to do it right! I'm a DRUMMER, I have years of experience, so that's my forte, I'm the time keeper. Playing drums and singing is a difficult feat that few dare to attempt. I find that singers sound way better when they concentrate on JUST that...singing! So, my goal has now changed (or had been modified): I was going to start a pro career playing drums...to my songs! Now the question was: where do I begin?

It took about 4 months, but it was worth the wait, I had recorded some of my songs well enough to showcase them online (besides, I had a wonderful human being by my side kicking my ass every step of the way, she helped me realize it sounded good when I assumed it would all suck in the end). The first and most crucial step was to put them online and find that "diamond in the ruff" to sing them. This brings us to about 2 weeks ago. I put my songs on Myspace and started posting ads on classified sites. While doing so, I kept assuming that no one would respond as the vocal quality may be substandard or the songs would just plainly be dismissed. To my amazement, I started getting replies peppered with compliments...people actually wanted to sing this stuff!

I'm now in the process of auditioning singers, who would of thought! I came here assuming I would only be expressing myself behind a drumset, but ended up finding the courage and inspiration to form a group. NEVER assume!

myspace.com/theweirdthewonderful

~m~

Free beer...tastes even better!

Ever get a free keg of beer in the mail?? Well, I did last week! Let me explain...

For about 3 months, I've been filling out online surveys on my downtime. Now, most people would say: "why would I waste my time answering surveys?". My answer to them would be: $$$! Oh yeah, and free beer! I get on average about 2 surveys a day forwarded to my email ready for completion.The longest survey I've seen took about 15 minutes to complete. So what are the benefits you ask?

1. Every time a survey is filled out, you're entered into a quarterly draw to win $1000. My fingers are crossed!

2. 2 out of 3 surveys offer point values (200-500 points). Every 1000 points you get are worth $10 in gift certificates as well as a direct transfer to your PayPal account.

3. One in particular offers $3 per survey, and when you reach $50 you can have a cheque for that amount mailed to you.

4. FREE stuff to try out! And this is where the keg comes in...

There was one survey in particular that was about beer. It was said to be a three part survey where the 2nd part would be to try the product.When they said "free sample", I expected just that: a sample! Well, not long after I filled it out I got a big white thermo-insolated box in the mail with a keg of Coors Light nestled amongst a paper survey and a Purolator pick-up slip. The instructions were simple: Drink it, fill out the survey, put the keg back in the box, call Purolator and arranged a pre-paid pick. Until then: BOYS...WE'RE HAVING A PARTY!!!

So, having said all that, if anybody feels the need to use their free time productively, I put their links at the bottom. And on top of all this, these surveys help with market research to help make decisions to benefit us all in the end.

Cheers!

http://www.webperspectives.ca/

http://www.angusreidforum.com/

Facing a BIG fear

For the longest time, I've had a major fear of public speaking. I go into Cardiac Arrest whenever I was faced with this situation. But at one point in my life, I was introduced to a solution that would help me get over this fear completely and in fact help me become the public speaker everybody envies; the one with the confidence of a lion, the conviction of a dictator and the charisma of a rockstar...

Ever hear of Toastmasters? It's an educational non-profit organization that teaches leadership and public speaking skills all over the world. Well, I am currently a member of a TM club and attend meetings every Thursday. Basically, it's a one hour meeting of about 20-25 people that all have the same dilemma: FEAR OF PUBLIC SPEAKING = FEAR OF DEATH! (That's an actual fact btw!) What we do requires some explanation, and it can be found here: http://www.toastmasters.org/ . The main goal of the meeting is to have a maximum of 2 people to go up to the podium and deliver a speech no longer than 6 minutes. Apart from the speeches, the meeting has an agenda that consists of fun games and roles that encourage leadership and public speaking. Nobody is pressured to participate, as everything is voluntary. I'll admit, when I volunteered to do my first speech, my heart almost jumped out of chest...OUCH!

I had a week to prepare. My first speech objective was called "The Icebreaker" which consisted of a 4-6 minute speech about myself. After 3 days of brainstorming to come up with the perfect speech topic, I finally decided to speak about an event I have rarely spoken of before that seemed appropriate for the occasion: The reason WHY I'm so petrified of public speaking! NOTE: When I delivered my speech, I brought a reporter-type digital recorder and captured the whole thing. My next goal is to post that recording for everyone to hear...it was my first speech in 17 years, so BE NICE! lol

It's 12 AM, the following Thursday...I have to face one of my hugest, biggest most avoided fears: Deliver a freakin' speech!! The meeting starts with the striking of a gavel (judge hammer) on the boardroom table following some opening remarks by the Chairman/Toastmaster. Then our appointed Grammarian comes up on the eraser board to explain to us the word of the day. (which is a random, uncommonly used word every volunteer has to try to slip into their speaking role; lucidity was the word for that day). Then comes the joke of the week, which again is appointed to a volunteer. (ALL roles are voluntary). And finally comes the moment of truth, the dread of the week, the inescapable moment that was stuck in my head for SEVEN STRAIGHT DAYS...the introduction of ME, the first speaker! I admit, I was petrified. Besides, the last time I had attempted to deliver a speech I was in grade 10 English class. Anyways, to my amazement, it went really well! No major jitters, no frog in throat syndrome, a bit of sweat on the palms, but otherwise very satisfying. The feeling accompanied by the accomplishment: R E L I E F!! All that preparation, which is the key to successful speech, paid off. To become a "competent speaker" and be in a position to participate in regional/international speech competitions, I need to successfully deliver 10 speeches of 10 different difficulties. And my goal is to do JUST that. Since that day, my fear has been steadily taking a plunge into the abyss ONCE AND FOR ALL!

The point of this post is to encourage YOU, the reader to mentally say #%&K IT and just grab the bull (fear) by the horns...and believe me when I say this: IT FEELS GOOD!

♪♪~Mario~♪♪

♪\m/♪ THE BEAST FROM THE EAST ♪\m/♪

What better way to keep my family and friends from the East Coast and elsewhere in the loop regarding this ever-changing character of a man by the name of MARIO...I should of thought about this 2 years ago when I set out for Ottawa on my quest for greatness! I really think I'll have alot to post periodically, although one thing is for sure, I have ALOT of stories to tell about this whole experience since day one in Ontario!! It's been fun, amazing, inspiring, insane, awesome, overwhelming, daunting and frightening all at the same time! I could write a post as long as the Nile River and still not have covered all I want share, so I'll start with this intro and big "WELCOME YA ALL!" today...August 12th, 2009 and write about things I experience to entertain and update the people who wonder how, why, where and when things are going down in this chaps'new life in the big city! Plus, who doesn't like to write about themselves?? I say WHY NOT!!