I’ve spent a week in a small village, not even a town, population 470 year round, and that may be part of it, But lately it seems like all the good thing are shrinking.

When I was a kid it felt like this whole place came to life, and maybe for the kids here during the summer it still does. There was A big handful of families that came here generation after generation and that number seems, like all good things, to have shrunk. Maybe that’s just the nature of life. Younger generations have moved on to their own experience.

I think it’s also a function of the times and perception. There’s so many options for peoples time and that spreads us out all over the place. When you are a kid everything is smaller, many times just because you are.

I was thinking about live music through this lens yesterday while out running. From 1988-1999 or so that was my world. We went to see bands almost every week. Murphy’s, the Varsity, The Art Bar/Church. I mean I know people are still out there playing, but I recently saw a IG story of a band I know playing to no one. Believe me, I’ve done that. I’ve also played in small towns to a packed house because a band is playing. It makes me sad.

It makes me sad because it feels like we have traded the good things for nothing. For being busy. Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe everyone is doing cool niche things. It just doesn’t feel that way from here.

But I’m just as much of the problem. I’ve got three friends in bands who’ve played a half a dozen times this past year and I haven’t made it to a show. For what? Sleep? Lame.

It’s not just about live music though. It’s about everything. All the good things seem to be shrinking, replaced by nothings.

As this week threatens to start again. Take some time and try and go out and be a part of a good thing. Art, music, nostalgia, whatever you can.

#hugsandhi5s