Yes.

Tomorrow, I’m going into the studio with the amazing and wonderful Rachel Russell. She was the assistant engineer on “Race the Light” and has been doing some really cool shit in the (cough) 4 years since its completion.

She moved to Venice Beach a while back, but I was too fulla my own bullshit to get out and see her. I think I was scared. I wanted to work with her, but didn’t know how to ask. I had stepped so far out of the game— at least in my own mind— that I didn’t have confidence that I had anything to offer. So, I let go of it and stayed in hiding.

After my wide-eyed wake-up call referenced in the last blog, I decided that, at a minimum, I needed to see her. I love her so much and she was such a bright light in the darkest times of recording and it had been too long since I’d hugged her.

So, I 405’d down to her house in Venice. We went out to her back yard, sat down on some cinder blocks, and she brought it up herself after, like, 2 sips of wine. I’m thrilled.

We’re just doing simple guitar and voice and I’m not particularly concerned about the end result. If we get one good song, great. If we get 5, AMAZING. If we get none, we’ll try again. The point is motion. And I’ve been standing still for soooo long.

In other news, the lovely Keeley Valentino is going to be backing me up with some harmonies at Hotel Cafe on the 28th. I’m STOKED. This girl has the sweetest voice and an even sweeter soul. It’s time to mix it up a bit, and I don’t have the budget for any kinda band. Please check out her music! You won’t be disappointed.

Tonight, I’m watching the debates. Such a crazy time in this country. Whoever you support, just VOTE.

And if you are in California, PLEASE vote NO on Prop 8. I love my husband tooooo much to go back to being boyfriends ;-)

xoxo, cjd

Even though it was 83 degrees today in the Valley, in the early morning and evening it feels like fall.

My new apartment has a private patio on the roof. If the wind blows, it shakes the tall trees that tower over my building and brings a shower of leaves. My cats just through them and it’s pretty much the coolest shit.

I love the Autumn. It feels like a very creative time.

This has been a good fall. A lot of parties with red wine and late night laughter…Backyards and dartboards…. Road trips that remind me how much I like movement. Moments of sudden, shocking clarity that happen at the most unexpected times.

I have a lot to tell, but for some reason very little desire to tell it.

There’s a looooong story that starts at the conclusion of my last tour and ends about a few weeks back when I decided to stop killin’ my dream and face this deadly combination of fear and inertia head on…

But the details are silly and the point is HELLO!

A lot of exciting things happening!

On September 23rd, my bday, MPress Records released “New Arrivals, Volume 3” on iTunes and I’m honored to have contributed my song “Nighttime in the City.” The compilation aims to raise money for eating disorder awareness and includes songs by Glen Phillips, Rachael Sage, and Ember Swift. It’s released in stores nationwide on October 28th. Please check it out. It’s worth it!

ALSO on October 28th, I’ll be playing at the Hotel Cafe. The show starts at 8pm and I’ve got a load of new songs to play for ya. I may even have a surprise…. but we’ll see :-)

I have loads of new songs for ya and I’m in the process of recording them. We’re going really simple this time around because it feels right…. and because I’m ruggedly broke.

But I am bursting with excitement to get these songs out to you in whatever form possible. There will be acoustic demos and living room youtube performances to look forward to.

It’s a great time for me. I thank you so much for supporting me through such a long spell of quiet. I’m back and excited to share.

Drop me a line :-)

lotsa love, cjd

p.s. become my fan on Facebook! You KNOW you want to!