Introduction

     This blog is my latest effort in sharing my knowledge and gaining further knowledge about event and festival planning, organizing, and establishment. As a marketing/management/sales expert I hope to give others insight as well as aquire new insight and knowledge into this subject as the blog evolves.
   Before I get in too deep, let me introduce myself and tell you a little bit about my background. My name is Alan Leming, and I grew up in the midwestern town of Lafayette, Indiana. Some of my earliest childhood memories included listening to my mom's Led Zeppelin, Elvis Presley, and Doors albums.I still recall the warm smell of the albums as the tubes from moms record player warmed the vinyl up on the turn table. Since I was a kid of maybe 5 or 6 years old I've always desired to be a rock musician and I was always very envious of those who could create something so powerful that it reached out to people across the planet through radio waves. I knew deep down, instinctively, that music was a huge part of who I was and who I desired to become. I won't go too deep into my childhood here, but I would like to share a few other details. When I was growing up in the public education system I had many teachers that would tell me what was wrong with my dreams. I still remember Mrs. Banes, my kindergarten teacher's harsh rebuke as I stood in front of the class to share what I wanted to be when I grew up. I told the class that I wanted to be a rock musician like Jim Morrison of The Doors. She flew up out of her seat, got in my face and told me that I couldn't be that because it isn't a real job! Wow! I was floored! I remember being upset for days after that incident. Then in the 8th grade there was Mr. Morgan, the choir director at Sunnyside middle school. During choir tryouts he told me that I would never be a singer because I didn't have the voice for it! I begged and pleaded for him to just give me a chance but he refused and sent me back to class. Imagine how I felt! Around that same time period I had just started reading some books that heavily influenced me.  I was reading things by positive thinking guru's like Norman Vincent Peale, Wayne Dyer, Napolean Hill, Dale Carnegie, etc... This helped me to keep my eyes focused and not to let failure or what others had to say deter me from my dreams. I thrived on those books and they got me through some very trying times.
    You may wonder where I am going with all of this. Just to let you know, things are much different on the other side of my early years. I have played and recorded music as a guitar player and singer over the past 25 years or so. I have been a singer for the band Refrigerator Mother www.refrigeratormother.com for 20 years now. I have helped organize and schedule events at my work places, catered a few events, and have been part of gathering talent for a local music festival. I have built a decent network of contacts in and around my area through social media and face time, and my formal education includes marketing and management background. Notice that I put formal education last? I put much more stock in human interaction and experience than I could ever hope to get from the formal education process. It is my hope that through this blog we can share some experience, trade some ideas, and build some friendships. We are in this together and we learn as we go. Hope you join as a regular member to my blog and I look forward to getting to know you! Have a rockin' day!!!

Alan