Aloha from the beaches of the Kohala Coast.

Well, yesterday was certainly an interesting experience . . . . 
There is an amazing amount of talent here; not only from this diverse group of people who have so graciously given their time to come across the ocean and bless us with their knowledge; but from the attendees as well.
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As in all things, (at least for me) the surprise is always the details that lie in the shadows and around the corners of a life that is nothing but corners with surprises hiding in their shadows.
Many people, and many cultures maintain that all is a circle; with no end and no beginning. But as I grow older I am finding that this circle of life seems less a circle than a pinball table where the capricious flippers of fate slap you willy-nilly about; sending one bouncing through a brightly colored world; where, depending on the skill of your chosen/assigned operator, you roll around, banging your head on one wall or another, gathering or losing points as you go. And, in the end, are sucked down into a hole. 
And if you wish to insert reincarnation into the equation, if your operator/god wants to play you again, he/she just pops in another coin/ (choose you own metaphor here) and off you go for another round!
Sorry, I got sidetracked . . . (see my second post for an illustrated example of what you may expect from my ramblings.)
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On second thought, surprise may be the wrong term here; perhaps I should say that I'm stunned by the depth and width of the field. Money is at the top (no great shocker there) with composing for TV and film the quickest way to the big bucks, with heart being at the bottom of the list. But in all fairness,  the point of this endeavor is finding some degree of commercial success in the hopes of freeing myself from the drudgery of working day after day with the constant struggle of meeting my financial obligations a primary concern. 
So, I suppose I'm back to my middle paragraph: My life as pinball.
I had been wondering how to get my stuff to the right people; I heard of this event on the radio as I drove to work; and now I'm here bouncing around the musical table, hoping for a high score . . .. 
I just hope my player knows what he's doing.

D.C.