Arsena Schroeder Blog

It’s been a moment since I’ve updated you guys on my creative happenings. I’ve had what a musician friend of mine has coined “a quarter life crisis”. I’m turning twenty five next month. While my older friends and family laugh at the thought of me freaking out over turning twenty five, my close-in-age friends have given me full license to. I suddenly woke up one morning and panicked, “What am I doing with my life?”, “Is my plan really to just play music and not make real money ever?”, “Oh God! I shouldn’t of given up that graduate degree!”, “I need a REAL job!’ A whirlwind of self-crippling doubt.

But if I learned anything from the book that inspired this blog series and the title of my album, "For My Artist Child”, I learned--WHEN IN DOUBT, CREATE! So that’s where I’ve turned my attention. C r e a t i n g.

You guys may (or may not) remember, a few posts ago, I talked about pursuing a creative life over pursuing a creative career. If you missed that post, you can check it out here. There, I listed some of my creative dreams. One of which was to record an Alternative R&B EP. Well fate linked me up with local songwriter, Tera Jackson, to start co-writing those songs.

Tera is awesome. And while it’s totally new to me, I LIKE co-writing. Getting to bounce your ideas off someone who shares your vision/mission, but executes it a different way really makes for stronger songs. It’s like iron sharpening iron. I’m shamelessly plugging some of Tera’s work below so you can check her out.

Tera’s work: https://soundcloud.com/terajackson

And I’ll keep you guys posted on this upcoming project as it develops. I start recording with Tera’s team next week. :-)

Keep creating.

Yesterday, I was sitting on the floor in our kitchen with my new and first ever electric guitar Stephen named Amber. It occurred to me that each year early-October marks another year in my musicianship. For the first year ever, I got excited. While I still have the annual feelings of, “I should be farther up the road”, I was able to appreciate the little I have accomplished.

Seriously, I quit my music career......at least once every other month (She’s 3.5 years old now). But making music is something I’ve vowed never to give up on. Even if it’s just on my kitchen floor. I enjoy it too much not to.

(Photo by Darius M. Evans)

So in reflective celebration, I’m challenging myself to list five things I’ve learned over the years and five things I’d like to work on:

I’ve learned:

1. Not to Fret Over The Stuff I Haven’t Mastered

My first year of guitar I’d leave most of guitar lessons ....so frustrated because I couldn’t do what my instructor did. I’ve always been a quick learner so to not be able to do the things I was shown instantly drove me up the walls. I’d get discouraged and I’d walk home from lessons angry. One day while walking, I met this guy who out of the blue encouraged me not to give up on guitar. He said, there will be somethings I can’t do right away. But I’ll wake up another day, and just be able to. With no explanation as to why. He was right. So I learned not to worry about the things I can’t do just yet. Someday, I will be able to. 

2. I Have To Enjoy It

This may be a personal thing, but I learned early on to avoid things that suck the fun out of my musicianship. That’s not to say there wont be things I need to learn that I don’t want to, but timing is everything. Being introduced to the wrong thing, at the wrong time....can make learning a drudgery. Like take music theory for example. If I started out trying to learn music theory first, I probably wouldn’t of been as excited to play, experiment, and make mistakes. After having years of fun playing around, I naturally grew the desire to learn why I play what I play. And why certain chords sound good together and not with others. That’s when I started learning theory and I enjoyed it. It made sense. It was fun. 

It’s my personal opinion, but I notice those that play with the most joy are usually those that approached their music as play first.

3. It’s Better To Suck, Than To Not Try At All

It’s kind of like this post I saw awhile back. It said something along the lines of not making fun of someone who speaks broken English, because it is, in fact, them speaking one more language than you do. I think of music and any art form the same way. We all have to start somewhere. We shouldn’t make fun of those who are actually making an attempt to be fluent in the language of music. Likewise, as a musician, we shouldn’t be afraid to try something new because we are afraid to be bad at it. At least we tried. Few do.

4. Not To Get Rid Of Equipment Until I’m ABSOLUTELY Sure I Don’t Need It

So this new guitar I just got, I got it by trading in a PA system my parents bought me years ago when I decided music was what I wanted to do. When I won a grant earlier this year for a newer and bigger PA system I still decided to hold on to the PA system my parents got me. For sentimental reasons and because I learned....you don’t need it until you don’t have it. I have gotten rid of so much that I later wish I didn’t and had to RE-BUY. So be extra sure you don’t need something before you get rid of it. And stay away from the pawn shops. lol

5. Fellow Musicians Are My Co-Workers, Not (Always) My Friends

This lesson probably sounds the most....harsh. But imagine how I felt learning it. I meet a lot of musicians, some organically, some inorganically. I’d say there are probably only one or two I deem good friends. You know, someone I know personally, outside their work and music talk. Others are awesome, but other than music...there’s not much we have in common so we play music and go back to our personal lives. I’ve had to learn not to confuse the two over the years. It’s complicated, and has different layers. But it’s saved me a world of heartache knowing the difference and creating that boundary. I leave my work at work.

I’d like to work on:

1. Not Comparing Myself To Others

Everyone gives the stellar advice of not comparing yourself to others, but if I were to be honest, I have yet to master that.

2. Leaving My Comfort Zone

My Cover Song Series is an attempt at this---learning music that I wouldn’t necessarily care to learn. But even still I need to push myself in my technique and my songwriting. Two days ago, I learned a Tool song for Stephen called Right in Two. It’s one of his favorite songs. That was a challenge. It’s a genre outside my comfort zone and the lyrics are in NONE of the places I would put them. lol! I need to do stuff like that more often.

3. Being More Vocal About The Services I Offer

For years now, I’ve been giving beginner guitar lessons, sometimes voice lessons, and most often artist consultations. I never publicize it because I’m always worried someone more experienced will step in and say, “Hey. You’re not qualified to do that.” But I’ve had a great handful of students over the years who wanted to learn what I’ve accomplished and I’ve enjoyed teaching them while growing with them. It also gives me income to keep creating. So I need to work on coming out my teacher’s closet. lol

4. Not Shying Away From (or Letting Others Define) My Sound

From the start, defining my genre has always been a challenge. I think it’s a dilemma most artists have. But it’s even more difficult when your sound is constantly developing. Naturally, people define my music neo-soul. They see the black girl, with the curly hair and the acoustic guitar, and she does a vocal run (or twelve lol). She must be neo-soul. But I’ve never really liked that box. Nor do I feel like it describes the music I (want to) create. So I’m working on not shying away from my sound whatever it may be. Hey, it is soulful. That’s not something I can change. I wont shy away from that. It’s also folk. It’s also alternative. It’s also easy listening. I wont shy away from that either. But I can’t let others define it for me. Because everyone has an opinion, and they have been all over the place. I’ve been told I was country. WRONG. Ive been told I was gospel. WRONG. I’ve been told I was blues. WRONG. I’ll just let the music be what it is. Music is music.

5. Not Letting Others Define Success For Me

This is a big one, because again, everyone has an opinion. It may be with good intention, but it’s rarely with personal insight into my unique calling. So I have to work on letting words go in one ear and out the other when people tell me what steps they think I should try taking to be “successful”. They unknowingly send you on a wild goose chase that in the end wastes your time. So I have to a) define success for myself and b) takes steps towards that.

YAY. Six years in music. So far to go. But I celebrate how far I’ve come. Thanks for reading. And if you’re a musician, be encouraged!

Arsena

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This past Thursday, I got to spend an entire day doing what I love----creating. I got up super early & headed to make up artist Carmen Younts for an hour of “face beating”. Then spent the rest of the day shooting with RAWartists Photographer of the Year Darius M. Evans.

This summer, my artist child had this nagging desire to create with images instead of words and melodies. So I was super thrilled when Darius agreed to collab with me on a shoot idea. I met Darius while I was the RAWartists production assistant back in 2014. Not only is he a veteran, he’s a highly creative full-time artist.

My idea? Let’s capture the darker side of this bohemian, free-spirited woman our culture celebrates. We often celebrate her “freedom” and ability to just pick up and go...but everything is not always as it seems. In my personal experience, running from one thing to the next is often a sign I’m avoiding something.

I wanted (no, needed) to illustrate my frustration with music this past summer. From being personally invited out to NYC for a private audition for The Voice, and then getting rejected. My grant proposal not going through and the shows that fell through the cracks. I had a lot I hadn’t taken time to SIT DOWN and process. Instead I kept going from one adventure to the next. Always on the go, go, go!!!!

So these pictures were a collaborative effort to capture the essence of this free-spirited woman AND her underlying frustrations. Here are a few Behind the Scenes shots.

A great shot and concept Darius came up with.

I was reluctant, but he got me out in the water for the most serene set of the day.

Back at the studio preparing to do some really cool silhouette shots.

Here’s a sneak peek at (just a few) of the photos!

I’m really excited about them and how great they are turning out! We took SOOO many that I’d like to compile them into a lyric-photo book called: NAKED Words Volume 1. The book will feature some of these photos and compile my song lyrics from previous projects. And maybe unpublished lyrics as well.

I can’t explain how fulfilled my artist child finally is. Woo.

A few months ago I blogged about my new adventures in Thriving Food for my artist child. I’d completed a 10 day detox, gone pescatarian, and learned to make green smoothies as a good source of protein and fiber since I’d given meat the boot. That was over two months ago, and I’ve kind of neglected/avoided sharing my progress. Not because I haven’t made any, but because I have made progress. I don’t know, I guess I can sense the uneasiness when I want to talk about health or my progress. It quickly turns into a, “That’s good for you, but let me list all the reasons I’d never do it...“ conversation with those not making their own stride. So I’ve tried to minimize my progress, but after a talk with a friend this morning...I realize I shouldn’t. Health is a big part of my journey, so why not share it?

On the left is me four months ago sound checking at The Evening Muse for The 9 Songwriter Series (Pre-Detox). On the right, is me last week playing the same stage (Post-Detox). I’m not sure if it’s noticeable to you or not, but I’m 13 lbs lighter on the right. I have way more energy. My skin looks so much clearer.  There are a whole list of other things I notice (like my choice in clothing to hide weight on the left), but whatever. The point? I feel much better. Inside and out.

Before the detox, I was already a regular at the gym, but I ate whatever the heck I wanted. When I wanted. How I wanted. In fact, it was my reason to. I thought, “I worked out so now I can indulge”. Post-detox, I decided to continue lifting weights but to up my cardio by a lot and to *dun, dun, duuunnnnn*.... COUNT CALORIES again. Counting calories really changed my perspective. I started to see how twenty minutes of cardio (which burned about 150 calories at the time) was not zeroing out the 700 calorie ice cream cone I was rewarding myself with. So I increased my cardio and chose better rewards like a 170 calorie chocolate protein shake with lots of cinnamon. My body thanked me and so did my artist child. I can sing better, breath better, and I wake up rested.

I’m still making green smoothies (as meal replacements). Now that it’s getting  chilly in the mornings, I don’t freeze all the ingredients like I used to. Refrigerated or room temp smoothies are more fitting and I’ve found that adding warm ingredients helps make it more appropriate for the fall time----maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, or healthy fats (like coconut oil, nut milks, and avocado). This is still my favorite thing. It’s so refreshing. I don’t own a juicer (yet) so I go out to buy my juices from Jamba Juice when I want one.

I also enjoy these type of breakfasts with the world’s largest wheat biscuits.

And I’ve discovered meatless ground beef. It tastes SO good. It looks JUST like meat, but tastes better. Buh-bye heartburn.

I guess the greatest changes since the last update have been:

The smell of meat cooking makes me nauseous. It’s burning flesh.

After going back and forth much, I decided to try hot yoga and will probably try it once or twice more before I decide if it’s for me or not.

I have to watch a good number of food documentaries each month to remind me why eating clean is important.

The number of people with diabetes in my family has increased so it’s been motivation to find new ways of eating because diseases are easier to prevent than they are to reverse.

Oh and I learned the appropriate serving of wine is 5 ounces....who knew.

So here’s to sharing and cheers to you wherever you are in your journey. It is a journey!

To find out your daily calorie budget: www.calorieking.com

Recommended Documentaries via Netflix:

Food, Inc. (2008)

Fat, Sick, & Nearly Dead (2010)

Far, Sick, & nearly Dead (2014)

Food Matters (2008)