From the...West Michigan Symphony

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From the West Michigan Symphony

Late last night, after wrapping up my "party for 2" Mardi Gras celebration with my daughter, we spoke about Lent and what it meant. I'm not a religious person, even though from birth, I've been a baptized "good Methodist woman" and even married a Methodist man, but we never go to church. We, like most people I know, celebrate the holidays and I get what I get out of lessons from the Good Book and get on with it. Christmas and midnight mass, Easter egg hunts and what not and I usually take the Lenten season to do something ridiculous like cut out carbs. :( Not doing that again.

This year, I decided that social media was stealing my soul slowly and honestly, I didn't feel like I was really connecting with anyone on a deeper level about music or art. It felt like the Matrix; we all aimlessly posting and liking and clicking and scrolling and judging others and ourselves and making bad decisions....basically looking for validation. Love. Acceptance. All of this from a tiny, blue thumb.

Yuck.

On that note, I am an independent artist and I rely on the internet to sell myself. I know, sounds gross. No really, I needed to connect with you all during my 40 days of no socials, but only through my personal website. These blog posts are only for anyone who's decided to join my mailing list because they really want to be here. I don't care if you like it or even bother to read it, but it's an outlet to share my adventures. So far, I feel free. I read the newspaper today (wow, what a concept!) and did my laundry. I packed neatly and got to the airport on time. I was calm and organized. I didn't have Twitter telling me how I should feel about the attack on Ukraine or Instagram begging me to buy the Lumen device to measure my metabolism through CO2. I'm sorry, WTF???

Today, I'm in Michigan singing with the West Michigan Symphony. There's a marquee with my name on it. I'll never be too cool to not see something like that I think, wow that's unreal. It's extremely humbling.

xoxo

8 comments

Mar 3 2022 12:40 AM

I think you will not miss the socials...I started a similar experiment a few months ago and now I wonder why I ever spent so much time doom scrolling on Instagram (I mostly gave up Twitter years ago)...the peace of mind (and the time back) is priceless.

I think you will not miss the socials...I started a similar experiment a few months ago and now I wonder why I ever spent so much time doom scrolling on Instagram (I mostly gave up Twitter years ago)...the peace of mind (and the time back) is priceless.
Mary Wetterauer Worthington OH
Mar 3 2022 6:20 AM

Good for you! Great to see your name on the marquee. 💜

Good for you! Great to see your name on the marquee. 💜
Gerti Minneapolis
Mar 3 2022 7:41 AM

Shayna - always leading us to the light with your spirit and incomparable artistry. Lift your voice.

Shayna - always leading us to the light with your spirit and incomparable artistry. Lift your voice.
Vincente Los Angeles
Mar 3 2022 10:26 AM

Happy Lent! I enjoyed your blog. Looking forward to your tour date in Los Angeles surrounding areas.

Happy Lent! I enjoyed your blog. Looking forward to your tour date in Los Angeles surrounding areas.
Paul Ryarsh, England
Mar 4 2022 12:54 PM

Like you, my mother was Methodist and I was baptised into the faith and I'm not religious either. (I do love gospel though) As far as social media goes, I realise you need it to connect to the generation that rely on it, but I've managed so far without it and I think I'll carry on, got by without the web or mobile phones for about 40 years! By the way looking forward to the new album and please come back to the UK soon. Peace & love.

Like you, my mother was Methodist and I was baptised into the faith and I'm not religious either. (I do love gospel though) As far as social media goes, I realise you need it to connect to the generation that rely on it, but I've managed so far without it and I think I'll carry on, got by without the web or mobile phones for about 40 years! By the way looking forward to the new album and please come back to the UK soon. Peace & love.
Thomas H Gulfport, MS
Mar 4 2022 12:59 PM

I'm so happy to see you are living life to the fullest.

I'm so happy to see you are living life to the fullest.
Léa Paris, France
Mar 4 2022 3:41 PM

I definitly love this form of connection. I do rely myself on social media (it's part of my generation + networking so...) but cutting it off from time to time is grounding because it's can easily be bad for the sould and become an addiction. Really looking forward to your next project and blog post (and you name on a French marquee!).

I definitly love this form of connection. I do rely myself on social media (it's part of my generation + networking so...) but cutting it off from time to time is grounding because it's can easily be bad for the sould and become an addiction.
Really looking forward to your next project and blog post (and you name on a French marquee!).
Shayna Steele
Mar 10 2022 7:14 PM

Thanks so much for responding you guys. It means sooooo much to me that you took the time to read. I don't regret leaving socials for 40 days. it's caused me to reevaluate my time spent there. Mary, I'll never get used to seeing my name on a marquee...ever. I still gasp and have the excitement of a kid Gerti-wow, thank you. I try. I try to be transparent and keep it real. Vincente- yes, I need to find a new spot in LA. Unfortunately, Blue Whale closed during the pandemic and I'm pretty bummed about it. Paul, I'll be back! Hopefully, you can bring friends to my UK show when I come back. My first and only concert there was...lightly attended! :) I have a good attitude about it though...I just need to come back Thomas-thank you. I try everyday. I will come home to play soon. I hear the Blues club in Biloxi is dope! Lea- I'll be back!!! I just mailed your merch out 3 days ago. it'll be there soon!

Thanks so much for responding you guys. It means sooooo much to me that you took the time to read.
I don't regret leaving socials for 40 days. it's caused me to reevaluate my time spent there.
Mary, I'll never get used to seeing my name on a marquee...ever. I still gasp and have the excitement of a kid
Gerti-wow, thank you. I try. I try to be transparent and keep it real.
Vincente- yes, I need to find a new spot in LA. Unfortunately, Blue Whale closed during the pandemic and I'm pretty bummed about it.
Paul, I'll be back! Hopefully, you can bring friends to my UK show when I come back. My first and only concert there was...lightly attended! I have a good attitude about it though...I just need to come back
Thomas-thank you. I try everyday. I will come home to play soon. I hear the Blues club in Biloxi is dope!
Lea- I'll be back!!! I just mailed your merch out 3 days ago. it'll be there soon!

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