New Season

So it seems I am upon a new season in my life. A new job (so I have 2...3 if you count the Music Director at church), a new momentum, a new perspective. It also seems like it is a season of "No B.S." with others. I don't have time for it. I am spread pretty thin for right now which is fine but "it is what it is". I don't have time for attitudes, expectations, egos, entitlement, whatever! This isn't sitting too good with some people but that is o.k. I have to put my wife and kids and our life first. I have found you can't please everyone so don't even bother trying. Be who you are and if people don't like it they don't have to be your friend. Those who want to will be and accept you for who you are. My only reponsibility is to please God. I feel I am. He is my first priority and my wife and kids are next. Then I have to contend with my professional responsibilities and then my friends get what is left. I am o.k. with this. I have no idea how long this season will last and what the next will bring. I just know there is a lot to do in the season and it is an exciting time in our lives. I believe it is the beginning of some really cool things we are going to be able to do over the next few years. I will keep ya posted for those who care. If you don't, that is o.k. too as I am not offended :). We all just keep pressing on! Until next time...

Chillin' in Asheville...

So here I am in the garage studio on my Mac watching Steve lay some tracks. Pretty cool. I am having a great time down here and learning as much as I can. I love writing, recording and creating music. Nothing beats that in my mind. A song well done is so amazing and satisfying. I know this is just the beginning for me. I love hanging out with people that are already doing this. It is so inspirational. Especially with these characters! :) The music they are creating is awesome! I am definitely inspired and at the same time pleasantly suprised that I was heading down the same path sonically and stylistically. That is weird and very cool at the same time! I am hopefully going to send some stuff their way to co-write with me and my team. No egos here just the desire to make some amazing music. I love it!!

Let This Decade Begin!!

So we have started the 2010-2020 decade. Man is it going to be huge! The rate technology is rapidly advancing and things are changing, I cannot imagine what 2020 will look like! There are already 3D televisions, you can do almost anything on phones now (I so want an iPhone!!), you can find pretty much anything on the internet...as long as technology doesn't turn us into robots and we forget what it means to be in relationships. I have vision for this decade and my and my family's lives. Here is what I am believing for and want to see happen this decade:

1. record/produce 3-5 major albums

2. spend some time in Scandinavia (Norway, Sweden, Denmark)

3. take the worship band on some cool trips

4. write some worship songs that impact churches

5. see people's lives radically transformed

6. live in another country for a bit

7. help people position themselves for a better life

8. have my own studio that kicks butt

9. see my kids develop into the amazing people they are

10. get an iPhone :)

The Future is Unclear...

So this should be an interesting year to say the least. It seems like so much it up in the air. I can honestly say I have no idea what the future holds for me and my family. Things could stay relatively the same or could drastically change. I have no idea. Not worried about it at all either. Our life is in good hands. There are a few things I do know for this year however. I am going to shape up even more (physically, mentally, spiritually, etc...), I am going to Asheville to learn as much about recording/producing, etc...in one week as I can (which I believe will just be the start of more of that), I am going to record/write/produce as much as I can this year, and am looking at getting another job which has presented itself to me this week or so which would really help with saving up some money and getting us better positioned. I still think this will be an amazing year of transition but I just have no idea what that will look like. I just know it will be good. There are big things on the horizon and I just have to walk them out. I have vision for my life and I am learning how to let it happen. I am stoked! My goal for the next few years is to have an awesome fun life that is an adventure and a journey...I WILL NOT settle for mediocre and just o.k. I want excellent and adventurous! So this is really "New Year's Resolution" stuff...it is life goals and direction stuff...LET'S SEE IT HAPPEN!!

Happy Ho Ho Ho To You!

So it is almost Christmas...for some reason this year, I ain't feeling it. I have no idea why. To me it feels like Christmas is still weeks away. Wish I could figure that one out. Maybe it is the busyness, or the tons of other things going on. I feel like there are tons of distractions in my life right now that can keep me unfocused on almost everything. My brain may also be numb from the stretch of cold we had that was so bitter. Hopefully next week I will be feeling very "Christmas-y". I have to say I am really looking forward to the New Year. I think it is going to be an amazing year ahead for me and my family. I do believe it will be a year of opportunity. I am not one for New Year's Resolutions. I try and make "Life Resolutions" throughout the year and actually change myself for the better if I can. I am always wanting to change and become a better person. My wife and I are constantly pushing each other to do this. That is awesome. Lately as in my last post, I have been really feeling the need to be less self-centered and not so self absorbed. I am going to keep challenging myself on this. In every situation I keep telling myself "It isn't about me, it is about those around me. How can I affect those around my in a positive light?" My goal is to be selfless. Here's hoping! I also want to kill these last 40-50 lbs. and get as fit as I can. That would be awesome. Gym/pool membership time and a lot of self discipline. That will be awesome. Other then that I am pretty good! I am planning on taking a trip down to North Carolina to see a friend and learn a bunch of recording techniques/info/know-how a month or so....I cannot wait. I think this could unlock my future some what! Anyway, life is good and Merry Ho Ho!! Hope everyone has a great holiday and gets to spend some quality time with friends and family. I am looking forward to hanging with my kids on their break from school. God Bless you all and thank-you God that You are the reason we can celebrate together. Peace out!!
- Vaughno Claus

Snow Shoes and Self Absorption

Man is it cold now. After a very decent November we have been smacked with some winter that literally takes your breath away...but not in the good way. In the I can't breath because my lungs have started to instantaneously freeze! I am amazed at the amount of people that have no idea how to drive in winter. I think unless you have have 10 years experience driving in winter conditions you should have to take a course on winter driving living in cities like Edmonton. Brutal! I have also become increasingly aware of how self absorbed so many people are. I don't think I talk that much about myself but now I am going to be even more aware of it! I honestly don't understand why everyone thinks other people care that much about every little detail of their lives. Do you not think that they have their own lives? Do you think that their lives are so boring that your trivial information about you is much more interesting then thinking about what is going on in their world? Don't get me wrong, I like hearing about the big things that go on in people's lives like "Hey I just got a promotion at work!" or "Dude, you should gotta hear this hilarious thing my kid did yesterday!"...that is all good! But leave it at the good stuff. So many times I have witnessed people interrupting someone talking and start talking about themselves....what the heck is that?! Seriously!! You are NOT that interesting!! I appreciate the people I share life together with but it really is a two way street...try and make it a one way street and I will be taking the nearest off ramp!! How is that for a metaphor? I just wish people would think about what they are talking about more and put themselves in others shoes. Really people, it ISN'T all about you. Maybe it is the tabloid era we live in now (which I despise!) where we are bombarded with insignificant details about "celebrities" and their lives. I DON'T CARE!!! So if you feel you are so important then everyone should know everything about you and only talk about you? I am going to try my darndest to only talk about me when someone ASKS me about myself. And will probably only actually listen to people when I ASK them about themselves. So just a heads up...if you are going on and on about yourself and I have asked you to do so...that blank look on my face is probably there for a reason. Again, I am open to talking about life, what is going on, current events, sports, music, whatever...just remember it is a dialogue not a monologue!! Until next time...in the words of Red Green....keep your stick on the ice!

Change is in the wind...

I can smell it...things feel like they are shifting. To what extent? I am not sure. But I know it is for the better. Some days I feel like I need to participate in a polar bear swim. Ya know, where the group of people go jump in the ocean in the middle of winter and give there system a shock...they say it makes them feel alive. I want to give my life a shock. Shake things up a bit. Start living life to the fullest. Seizing ever opportunity and running with it. Get out of my comfort zone and push the envelope and see stuff happen as a result of the work of my hands! I want to walk up to that cliff and take the plunge! And I think I have run out of metaphors. I feel I/we are on the edge of something big and going to start walking into it. How it will look, I have no idea. Now it will work, I have no idea. How it will all unfold I have no idea. All I know is if I perservere and am relentless it WILL happen. Time to walk in some faith. And now it is time for bed. Until next time....peace out y'all!!