I don't know about you, but sometimes it seems no-one really gives two hoots about you or what you do.
I mean, lets face it; once upon a time, there were family around who used to be involved with your life. And as I recall, way back when, many teenagers wanted to leave home and ride the wave, take on the world and experience everything they could without the help of their parents. Well...lets just say, perhaps i'm speaking for myself to some degree. However, there was so much more about family and relatives back in the 70's and 80's and there seemed to be so much more fun and freedom. I look at my teenage daughters now, and they don't seem to really care. ?? Why don't they care ?? I know I left home at the age of 17; moved from a much slower paced city in South Australia, to a pace that I could just go.....Moving from Adelaide to Sydney was so much fun. I was out living the life, performing on national TV shows, working with some of the greats. But...I lost contact with my family...my roots. And somehow, I feel that if you don't involve your family in what you do, they wont support you. Perhaps the same thing goes with friends......or is it? Or maybe its just the case of "Out of sight, out of mind". ?? Perhaps we are expecting too much from everyone and our teenagers. There has been a major change in our way of living, and we, now as parents, have to get our head around the change and try to bring that balance to our kids, with how we knew it to be, and what it is today. I know that social media, especially Facebook, has lost that realism...the care factor. It either seems that everyone is having a party, or they are complaining...when in fact, it is possibly neither. This gives people the wrong perception of a person, and in turn, causes friction, and can often lead to depression or even worse..the unthinkable. I actually find Facebook, very draining. I much prefer Twitter actually. It seems a bit more light hearted in a way, but we all really still see the truth. My kids are always on the computer, when I ask them to get off, they are lost....this is the time I need to get involved and do something with them....but hey, they're teenagers, lol....do something with them...mmmm...a trying time.
Tonight though, I'm spending the banks money to take them out to a restaurant, which is a big deal for us of late. They say, if you are ever in trouble and need help, all you have to do is ask. Who said that anyway?? Now, here we are in 2017, and for the first time in my life, the past year, I have nothing, BUT...try to reach out, let people know what's been going on, (as someone once said, how are people supposed to know whats going on, unless you tell them) so I tried, and everyone I know, has backed right off, or just ignored it. Ok, I know we are all really busy...and frankly, I'm really getting sick of the "BUSY" life. If it's that much of an issue, and you don't enjoy it, then take some "BUSY" away. So, that's what I've tried doing....I ran myself into the ground, depression came back which has lead to quite dark thoughts.... I went from being bored and living an unexciting life, (but full on with kids)...to so full on, that everyone's demands of what they want now, has been difficult to keep up with. Lets take my Music Talks site...in some ways, this is taking off....well on twitter anyway...I get tonnes of emails, which must mean it's doing well, right?? Or not....?? I am the only person running this site, which means...I create all the content, (promo's, videos, special promo pictures...everything you see associated with MT) I do all the posting on all social media, and have done so for the past 16 months 24/7, I constantly try to increase the site content, learn more about...well, everything; from SEO, to marketing, to advertising, what everything means....signing up for just about every webinar, course and paying for apps to create better content, getting in touch and communicating through social media, keeping track of eight email accounts, let alone, placing everything up on the site several times a week...and creating more content...and more marketing...and trying more things and ways to get it out; Fixing problems which constantly come up with apps failing, and issues with subscribers not receiving information that was promised, because of a hitch with the website or mail server...(which is no fault of mine, and not to know unless I get told) ......and sooooo much more...... Then I get emails from people saying...why haven't I heard back from you.....Well...I really hope you get an idea as to why I haven't returned your email. After all, I did send one a week after, to say things were a bit crazy and I would get in touch regarding the placement of your story...but please, just because you are just waiting around wanting things to get done, I'm here trying to fit it all in...it's not personal. Looking back, since starting Music Talks, I have to say, the learning experience has been immense. I kind really get an idea of what the media have to put up with, good and bad. It's been hard work, and certainly not as easy as I initially thought it would be. In some aspects, it would have been just so much easier to just get my own music going again.... As a result, I think my family is suffering, I am suffering. It's that same feeling that I got some 17 years ago, when I felt depleted, as the lack of appreciation of great talent is just being taken advantage of. You give everything you have, including all your own personal finances, your family going without, you're own sanity and time is exhausted, and there are people who just keep pushing, asking for more! What The ___ Do these people ever give back?? Who knows, but it's often the people who just keep asking and pushing are the ones that often can destroy a good thing. But hey, they too, are the ones, that get somewhere...?? mmmm....And some don't. If you are truely talented, and you get people excited, they will get back to you....although, I must admit, I have seen some amazing talent, which has got me excited, and I haven't had the chance or time to contact them. So there goes that theory. We often forget, that there are people involved with these sites and emails we get. Although, I have to say, I am receiving a lot, (which I can opt out of) they keep coming in several times a day, it's so annoying, it makes my head spin. These emails are from people who promise you, to make $3,000 a day, just by doing this....ha ha...but there's always a catch. Which brings me to something else. With all the apps I have signed up for, and am using to help with certain things, because of late, I thought maybe I need these, maybe they WILL help more...mmmm....they have taken my money, and quite often these programs are not working....so what do you do...you contact the support person, only to get the email bounce back at you. So, I find the head person....Oh...and I am good at my research...I do find them.... I contact them directly, saying, the program I paid for, is not working.....guess what....I don't even get a reply, but what I do get,....wait for it.....is more emails, from the same person trying to sell me more of his product....No bloody way. If your product doesn't work, and I don't get any support back, why on earth am I going to purchase
another one of your products. ?? Oh..boy, I think I've touched on something else, and the other side of marketing and entrepreneurship. After all this....nothing in life is black and white....there is so much grey....and I have failed to mention the MOST important part....and that is to THANK those few people who do communicate with me regularly, it means the world to me, and I just want to thank you, for being patient with me, and putting up with my little rants and explosions of excitement and despair etc. You are the people who I will never forget, and who get it! And these are the people, that no matter what, will be bonded beyond Music Talks, no matter what happens. Thanks for reading my rant for today! Have a great weekend...I know I'm going to go out and enjoy a nice dinner tonight with my daughters! And I'm not going to feel guilty...maybe i'll Instagram and Tweet some pictures for you! :)) Much Love Tracey xx