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Where will you be Easter Sunday?

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John Mark McMillan – Skeleton Bones from john mark mcmillan on Vimeo.

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Many times we are driven to surround ourselves by talent rather then passion. As if being around talent, will make us talented.  I always get star struck when I meet people  I am a fan of… Until I am up close and realize they are just like me, a human being with wrinkles and pimples. The only difference between them and me is probably millions of $ and tons of fame. Not much eh? Ha!  Some of them are not approachable at all. Some are just letting me live in their world… I always thought, how cool would it be to be friends with ______________. You are a total liar if you have never thought the same thing or said the same thing! We just don’t ever admit to it. A year ago I was hoping to meet certain people in town. I wanted to connect in a new city. I wanted to meet “cool” people…That got old really fast! When you are new, nobody cares about what you do, other then you and maybe a few of your family members. It’s the unwritten culture of a town that breeds innovators and visionary’s. Don’t get me wrong, this is where I belong…Why? I am constantly challenged!   From being a better artist and innovator, to being a better husband and Dad. To starting a life here and everything else that follows.  I learned the hard way that if anything was gonna happen it had to come from me. Nobody will pave the road but me. There is no way around hard work and dedication. At this  point, the best thing I could be, is ME.  I have a story and a journey. I have a voice and an idea. I have tons to offer and tons to give. Until then, let the journey continue…

So be confident and know that, nobody can succeed and fail, the way YOU do. Someday down the road, someone will take notice of the noise you are making…

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First and foremost let me just say that I am so humbled that our home church would embrace us the way they have since our arrival in Nashville. Finding a community of faith was on our #1 list when we moved here.  We totally connected with Crosspoint, Reina loved it, our kids loved it and I loved it. What’s hilarious about the whole thing is that I’ve been reading Pete Wilson’s blogs for a few yrs now and  followed the church via the internet. Never did I imagine being part of the church, serving and being connected with this community. So here we are, 1 yr later… The things that I love about my church is how passionate they are about the city, it’s people and engaging it’s culture…So having said that,

As of today, 01.01.11 I have accepted the role as campus coordinator for the new Crosspoint Downtown campus launching on 01.16.11 at Rocketown in Nashville TN. Reina and I are so excited about me taking on this role and it’s challenges. The Campus will target College students and we feel deep inside our hearts the campus will do well.  Our hearts beat super fast for young adults and artists with a passion to do something great with their lives. I will admit, I am a bit nervous, but we’re taking it in one breath at a time. I am so freakn excited to be part of an amazing leadership team at Crosspoint.

In 2006 Reina and I founded “the living room sessions“in Chicago, A community of artists with a heart for the city. Since then it has been in our hearts to continue to grow that community we were part of. So Reina, myself and a few artists friends will be putting together our first annual “Living room sessions” conference in Chicago, this fall. This is going to be an amazing opportunity for Chicago artists to network and engage in full conversations with other artists pursuing their passions and living out the life they were created to live…It’s going to be an amazing time.  If you want to learn more about what we are doing please contact us!!! We want you all to join us! More info coming soon.

The Saturn Project is working on a new Record as we speak. We will be hitting the studio in the next few months to begin tracking what will be an EP or our follow up album to “anthems for a broken world” released in 2009… Which will finally be available on itunes with some new art work as well.  The band will also be heading to Chicago to shoot a video for our track “Chicago”. Be on the look out for that and more on live performances and a new site.

Fuser EP. I will continue to write away for what will be my first ever Solo EP. I am really excited and nervous about it. The project is coming together in ways I could have never imagined. Lots of music being made! I’ll be sharing soon!!!

Misfortunes make Giants…I have been journaling for many years now. I am constantly sharing stories and memories with friends and family.  And everyday I feel is another story in the making. From Chicago to Miami and now in Nashville…So much has gone down and up. Good, bad and ugly…I have been trying to record these stories into a video blog series and possibly a book format, but it has been a mission to get it started. Reina reminds me everyday to get started, my family encourages me to start it… I MUST start it. It’s a project I have been trying to get off the ground for about 4yrs now…So this new year I will attempt to get the engines going and get it done.

So much more is in the making behind the scenes, but for now Please keep us in your thoughts, prayers and support as we take on this new year with all we’ve got. Reina and I will also begin training for a half marathon…she believes we can do the full marathon…we’ll see. Time to get to work!!! If you are interested in teaming up with us on any of this projects please, please don’t hesitate to contact me! It’s amazing how God orchestrates life around us… I wish you all an amazing 2011!

Hasta la victoria, siempre

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How are you preparing for the new year?

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Leading from the back of the line may be your only option at this moment in time, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. That could possibly be the best thing in this present season of your life. You see,  some people are extremely talented but feel they just can’t get that break.  Some people just seem to get all the doors closed in their face. Some people just can’t get the support they need. Some people can’t seem to land the job they really desire. Some people feel they are worth more then what they are settling for. The reasons can go on and on.

So you feel you’re at the back of the line? Maybe you are last in this line, but in front of the next line that will follow? You probably never considered the fact that  many people follow you. People are listening. People are reading. People are inspired by your life. People care about what you are doing. Most importantly than anything, God believes in you. He believes in you enough to let you face life’s toughest challenges in order to build you for the dreams and desires you have deep in your heart. Serving is a huge element that composes the fundamentals of great leadership. When you learn to serve, you begin to lead.

I say start leading from where you are. You are not gonna remain there forever. If you bicker and complain enough about your present situation, job, status etc… there is a better chance moving forward towards your destination will never happen.   Maybe you are cleaning toilets to pay the bills, in order to eventually ____________________. Maybe you are working in a job that requires non of your creative input but hope to eventually __________________? Maybe you are waiting tables and washing dishes by day, in hopes that one day you can be  ___________________ and get paid for it. Maybe.. Just maybe….

Lead from the back of the line means to be the best at what you are doing now. Be the best waiter that restaurant has ever employed.  Be the one out of all the cubicles that can lead, inspire and unite the office. Before you know it, everyone will take notice and see you!  Not as your present role but as what you are destined to be. See you for what you deserve to be.  Who says a revolution can’t be lead from the back of the line?  Embrace your present, be hopeful of a better future and act on it.

paz

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This album cover visualy describes what goes on in my head...

It gets crazy inside my head sometimes. So much I wanna do, so much I love to do, so much I wanna keep doing, and so much I have to say no to. I am just not sure it’s all possible or not. I hate saying no, and maybe that’s a start for me. I am a story teller by nature, it’s in my Santoyo blood.  I love writing stories and memories from my childhood…. I love films. I have a few film ideas that I create per week. Some I write down, others drift off into the sunset on my drive back home. I love writing music, creating melodies and hooks. Sometimes I hear a full orchestra in my head with syncopated percussion and ambient sounds in the background. I love being on stage performing with my band!!! It’s a rush!!! As far as I can remember I always enjoyed the thought of being an actor.  I enjoy the challenge of  becoming a character and bring him to life for the camera.  It’s awesome!I love being in a production environment. There is this urgency in the air to create a masterpiece through shooting, editing and designing…

I am passionate about people. We love being in community, organizing community, leading community anything having to do with passionate people.  I love to talk and talk and talk and talk. I enjoy listening to people talk about their dreams and in return I enjoy encouraging them to share about how those dreams can become a reality. I love talking about Jesus…It’s a deep passion of mine. I am fascinated by his words, his life, his friends, his conversations and his parties. I love to entertain people through food. We’re always inviting strangers over for dinner…It’s just something we love to do…

A piece of my heart is in Cambodia. I’ve been quietly working on a huge arts movement that would impact 3rd world countries… Now do you see my dilemma? Yes I know…Focus on one thing. Focus on one thing. Focus on one thing…It’s easier said then done my friends… Can all this vital parts work together for something I am not seeing?

I was fortunate enough to sit with this totally rad dude who lives in Franklin TN… He’s a cultural architect, an artist, an entrepreneur, a painter, an author, a chef…this dude  rocks!  It was truly  an honor that he would take time to sit down for coffee  and talk with me… I was in desperate need of some creative advice and I sure got it! There has to be a core to my creative chaos and madness. It is all stemming from somewhere. The question is, what is that eye of the storm in my creative passion? How do I narrow it down and corner it! I need order…Big time!!! It’s something I am working on…

What are your thoughts and Insight? Anyone else suffering from Creativechaosthatneedsorder?

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