Growing up in Colorado I became accustomed to dramatic season changes. Moving to Boston during college and experiencing Fall in the Northeast was the only thing that I’ve seen come close to the dynamic beauty of the Rockies in October. In Los Angeles, we’ll probably have 70 degree weather throughout most of the year. However, Fall is happening if you look for it. A few weeks ago it started with the light changing. Next, the early mornings and late afternoons got a little crisper. Now you can see the leaves and colors changing in the city and on the trails, and if you LOVE Fall as much as I do, even these subtle changes bring incredible beauty to your day.

The Summer was a season of resolution. My company, Shmedia, is now a year old and we’ve spent the first year of business learning how to manage ourselves and figure out how NOT to spend all our time being sales people so that we can just do the stuff we enjoy and are good at. Now that Shmedia is primarily consumed by one client, I’ve finally reached a point where I can manage this business and continue to pursue my music career at full force and NOT be pulling my hair out. My college roommate Stephanie told me this past weekend that I’ve ‘made it’ in this regard. I don’t have a boss and I can do what I wish with my days, and that is a freedom that I understand may not last forever and is indeed priceless.

However, I have a lot I still want to do. What this reprieve really is, is a chance to be relentless and hard working. These are the projects and goals I have going into this new season:

1. Finish making a kick-ass record. I’m excited about the songs, the arrangements, and the musicians playing on my record. I’ve raised the money to complete the project and I am READY to have this thing done! I’ve never been more proud of something and I just can’t wait for it to be finished already. Of course, now that the record is getting close to being finished, I have even more to do. Pursuing radio, putting together a tour, getting licensing spots – all fall on my list of things I will accomplish next.

My home away from home at Pendulum Music. Scott setting up the microphones to record piano.

2. Launch my secret project that I keep talking about launching. I don’t want to give it away until it’s ready, but I’m working on a website and possibly a mobile app that was inspired by this thought: When we’re kind to each other, we’re happier and it’s contagious. Stay tuned.

3. Get ultra-marathon ready! It’s been too long since my last race. I’ve eased back significantly with running this past year as a result of an injury (not due to running) in combination with being busy and overwhelmed. Training for ultra-marathons gives me a lot of time to think and be productive AND lots of time to not think at all. That’s the beauty of long runs, you can meditate for hours or think for hours and still have a ways to run. I feel so powerful after running for hours. I think a 50k before the end of the year would be a good way to ease back in.

With views like this I can run forever! Thanks, Kevin Chan, for the photo

4. Meet new people! Los Angeles is designed to keep you in your social bubble. It’s good to have a community, but there are SO MANY interesting people here doing novel and creative things. I want to become more involved with the Los Angeles community as a whole and contribute in more diverse ways. I am hoping that item 2 will help with this goal.

5. Be a better “weekday vegan”. This is Max and I’s term for our current diet. When we grocery shop, we buy animal-free food. We started this a year ago and immediately looked and felt better. When we eat out or go over to someone’s house for dinner, pretty much anything goes. We eat what we crave or what is being served and figure that we’re reaping a lot of the health benefits but not totally depriving ourselves or making it difficult for people to accommodate us during a meal. What ends up happening is you start to crave animal products less, the less you eat them. Over the Summer I’ve been eating out a lot more and haven’t been feeling the same benefits of a primarily plant-based diet. I’m being more conscious of this now, which will probably help me quite a bit with getting back into ultra-marathoning.

My strategy for becoming a hot grandma someday.

Anyone else feel compelled to set new goals during the Fall?