i'm reposting this so that you don't have to dig through the journal to find it...love to hear your thoughts and how some of this can apply to you, or help..tb

NEARLY EVERYONE HAS PLACED THEIR HAND ON A MUSIC INSTRUMENT OR SUNG ALONG WITH THEIR FAVORITE SONG AT SOME TIME IN THEIR LIFE. FOR SOME, IT'S A NEAR "OUT OF BODY" EXPERIENCE. TRANSFORMATIONAL, EVEN AT A REALLY YOUNG AGE. THIS MIGHT BE YOU. OR YOU MIGHT BE THE PERSON WHO WORKED OUT A LITTLE RIFF OR CHORD PROGRESSION ON A GUITAR AND YOU THINK YOU'VE GOT SOMETHING..MAYBE YOU DO, MAYBE YOU DON'T. BUT YOU WILL NEVER REALLY KNOW UNLESS YOU TAKE THAT INSPIRATION FROM THE START, TO WHERE MANY, OR REALLY MOST, FAIL TO GO: THE FINISH. 
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TO A CONCERT WHERE YOUR FAVORITE ARTIST WALKS UP TO THE MICROPHONE AND SAYS "I'M GOING TO PLAY YOU A SONG FROM MY NEW ALBUM! BUT,IT'S NOT FINISHED YET, I'M STILL WORKING ON THE LYRICS. ALSO, I MIGHT SING IT IN A DIFFERENT KEY WHEN I RECORD IT, BUT I WON'T KNOW UNTIL I GET TOGETHER WITH MY PRODUCER AND HE TELLS ME WHAT TO DO"? I DON'T THINK SO. 
HAVE YOU EVER BOUGHT A NEW SONG ON ITUNES THAT COMES WITH AN EXPLANATION AS TO WHY THE MIX SOUNDS DULL? I DON'T THINK SO. THERE'S NO TEXT MESSAGE THAT COMES WITH THE TUNE THAT SAYS "THE SONG STILL ISN'T MASTERED BUT I WANTED TO SELL IT TO YOU FIRST". 
UNDERSTAND THAT THE AGENDA HERE IS TO HELP YOU FIND YOUR WAY TO A FINISH. TO THAT END, THIS AGENDA APPLIES TO ALL ARTISTS. THE BASEMENT BAND, THE BEDROOM GUITARIST, THE "ONE GIG A MONTH BAND", THE ALT-ROCK BAND WITH AN INDIE LABEL DEAL, THE INTERNATIONAL SUPERSTAR ARE ALL THE SAME IN THE CONTEXT OF MAKING ART. SUCCESS, AND HOW YOU DEFINE IT, IS UP TO YOU. SUCCESS TO SOME WOULD BE TO HAVE ONE SONG RECORDED, MIXED AND MASTERED READY TO BE SENT TO FRIENDS BY EMAIL OR POSTED ON A PERSONAL MUSIC WEBSITE. TO OTHERS IT MAY BE TO ACHEIVE ASTRONOMICAL SALES OF THEIR WORK AND TOUR THE WORLD SUPPORTING IT. TO ANOTHER IT WOULD BE HAVING A FINISHED SONG THAT THEY CAN STRUM ON THEIR GUITAR FOR THEIR GIRLFRIEND OR BOYFRIEND(WITH ANY INTENTION OF EVER RECORDING IT, OR SELLING IT).  
IN A WAY "THE FINISH" IS ACHIEVED WHEN THE SONG OR SONGS IS READY TO BE LISTENED TO BY AN AUDIENCE(EVEN IF THE AUDIENCE IS JUST YOUR DOG), WITH NO CAVEATS...NO, "WELL, I'M NOT QUITE DONE WITH THE VOCAL", NO-"THIS ISN'T THE FINAL MIX", NO-"IT'S NOT MASTERED YET", NO-"I'M STILL WORKING ON THE ARRANGEMENT" ETC, ETC. 
THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF BOOKS, PROGRAMS AND WEBSITES THAT OFFER INFORMATION YOU CAN USE TO HELP TO SOLVE THE MYSTERY OF SELLING YOUR PRODUCT, BE THAT A SINGLE SONG, ALBUM OR WHATEVER YOU DESIRE. HERE, I’M DETERMINED TO HELP YOU FIND THE OPTIMAL WAY FOR YOU TO DELIVER. IF IT'S NOT FINISHED, IT CAN'T BE ON ITUNES . IF IT’S NOT FINISHED, IT CAN'T BE IN A LOCAL RECORD SHOP. YOU CAN'T OFFER IT AS A FREE DOWNLOAD ON YOUR WEBSITE, EVEN IF YOU ARE SO GENEROUS. IT WILL JUST BE TRAPPED ON YOUR HARD DRIVE OR TAPE DECK, OR ONLY IN YOUR HEAD, FOREVER. 
IF YOU FINISH, GOOD OR EVEN GREAT THINGS ARE POSSIBLE; YOU CAN SELL YOUR ART ON ITUNES, AT YOUR SHOWS, IN STORES AND ON YOUR OWN WEBSITE. OR, YOU CAN GIVE IT AWAY! MAYBE THIS IS WHAT YOU WANT TO DO. THERE IS NO WRONG OR RIGHT, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE THESE OPTIONS IF YOU DON'T FINISH. 
FINISHING ALLOWS OTHER THINGS TOO. IT ALLOWS YOU TO EXPOSE YOUR ART TO THE MASSES, OR JUST TO FRIENDS. IT ALLOWS YOU TO MONITOR THE RESPONSE IT GETS FROM DIFFERENT AUDIENCES, RADIO STATIONS(IF YOU'RE LUCKY) AND LISTENERS. WITH THAT FEEDBACK YOU CAN DECIDE TO DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY THE NEXT TIME AROUND OR, MAYBE YOU'VE HIT ON SOMETHING AND THE FEEDBACK IS GREAT........MORE ON THE WAY SOON