Dear Portland . . .

Dear Portland,

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways: a Whole Foods on every corner, the people here care about the environment, your abundance of green reminds that the earth is alive, you are the mother of Powell's Books (the finest bookstore in the all the land), art is not a luxury, but a necessity for you, and lastly, the people here are open-minded and accepting towards strangers. Thank you for receiving me so graciously. I'll leave you with a few photos of my time on stage with you. Such a fulfilling night for me:


















































































(All photos by Vaughn Hughes)

Good Morning, Oregon!

This morning, me and my awesome bedhead awoke to the yummy smell of rain in Hood River, Oregon (about an hour outside of Portland). I went to my hotel window and opened it, letting the cool air hit my face trough the screen.

The view reminds me of the picture I saw from my bedroom window when I lived on the north coast of California as a child. I love this landscape. It feels so familiar. I'm off to discover the old town of Hood River, but I'm looking forward to seeing many of you at the Venetian Theater tonight! (I promise I'll comb my hair). If you still need to get tickets, you can do that right HERE.

10 Apologies

1. I'm sorry to my family that I don't extend any effort beyond Ramen Noodles and Little Ceasar's for dinner.

2. I apologize to all the authors of the world for not being able to finish reading any of your books.

3. I feel badly that I have 9,216 unanswered emails in my inbox.

4. Won't someone please forgive me for that moldy cheese plate in the fridge? I swear it's just a science experiment.

5. I regret the whole package of Snackwells Devil's Food cookies I ate in one day this week. (But, only a little).

6. Can I have a do-over for that time I yelled at the teenager who kept getting my order wrong at the drive-thru window last Tuesday?

7. I'm ashamed to keep finding random Christmas decorations around the house.

8. Is there redemption for a girl who only shaves her legs biannually?

9. Please excuse my mustache.

10. And finally, I beg your pardon for being so pathetically apologetic.

Tomorrow will be filled with bright and beaming, confident victories.

Adios Boss

My arms throb as I hold my two year old over the toilet to vomit for what seems like the 14th time in a day. He is sick. He has never been this sick. I am beyond exhausted. Just as he finishes emptying his little stomach, I hear the latch of the front door open and then click shut. Relief, I think to myself. I peer around the corner of the bathroom door to see my big, burly husband in his familiar black, leather jacket. His unusually happy demeanor is a site for sore eyes. Dragging my weary feet down the stairs, ready to collapse in his arms, I stop dead in my tracks. A ball of fluff emerges from his coat pocket. My two-year-old smiles and perks up for the first time in a week. I fall into a heap on the floor in a mess of tears.

Mindy, meet Boss.
Boss, meet Mindy.

Boss and I got off to a rough start. Of course he was adorable, but I was not ready for a dog. I tried to explain this to the groomer the first time I took him in after he had acquired some gnarly dreadlocks.

"He was brought into my home against my will. I just don't have time to brush him."

She stared at me in disapproval and returned him later that day, shaved down until he looked like an overgrown rat.

My husband assured me, "He'll be my shop dog and come down to work with me every day."

I can count how many days Boss worked as a "shop dog" on my right hand.

Inevitably, Boss really became my dog as I potty trained him, fed him, took him out to do his business multiple times a day, and snuggled him every day for the last five years. I've come to learn that whether human or animal, when you serve a living being that long and that diligently, you come to love it so deeply. And by golly, that dog loved me back even more fervently, as cranky and begrudging as I often was.

Tonight, while we were putting the boys to bed, the wind was blowing so fiercely outside. It blew the front door wide open, and Boss took off on an adventure. He didn't get past the second house up the street when he was hit by a car. And just like that, he's gone from our lives.

So tonight, as my husband carried Boss' fluffy little body through the door in his big, burly arms, I found myself right where I was the first day he brought him home: a heap on the floor in a mess of tears.

Signs of Spring

Photos, courtesy of Zan Baker.

This week, I am looking for signs of Spring, because after all, Winter is officially OVER. I would definitely say that outdoor concerts are a sign of Spring. Thank heavens for Sam Schultz (owner of Sammy's Café) who not only brings a little night life to my town of Provo, UT, but also has the BEST MILKSHAKES in town at Sammy's Café (where he often blocks off the street and holds outdoor concerts).

And, look! What is that parking terrace behind me? Why, that's the very parking terrace where we hold the Rooftop Concert Series (beginning in May this year). These are FREE, amazing concerts that we hold during the summers here in Provo. I'm on the committee, so trust me, the lineup this year is going to knock your socks off.
And so are Sammy's milkshakes should you care to grab one while you're at one of these outdoor concerts.

But, enough about concerts in Provo. I'm coming to quite a few towns this Spring. Check out the list below to see if 'll be in your neck of the woods!

Thanks to Chase Baker for playing guitar!

• March 29: Portland, OR
• March 30: Olympia, WA
• April 1: Yakima, WA
• April 7: Provo, UT (at Velour)
  
• April 14: Los Angeles, CA (at The Hotel Café)
• May 5: Idaho Falls, ID (details soon)
  
• May 6: Rexburg, ID (details soon)

Whole Wide World - New Music Video!

Happy St. Patrick's Day! And oh yeah, the Whole Wide World music video is officially out today. Feel free to post it on your blog, Facebook, Twitter or wherever. Hoping this gives you a little spring in your step (say that last sentence like a leprechaun. $20 bucks that you smiled.).

The Making of a Music Video: A Photo Essay

On Thursday, the music video for "Whole Wide World" will release.
This video has taken an eternity to make, but it was mostly just an eternity of having
A LOT OF FUN.
Please enjoy this photo essay of some of the behind-the-scenes moments while filming.

Director, Julian Acosta and camera operator, Derek Pueblo survey the dunes in Delta, UT.

I practice on the dirt bike for a few simple scenes, while my the camera crew is busy filming my stunt double on some killer jumps. Wish I could've done the jumps!

Producer, Jared Harris is mostly there to make me laugh.

This Apache helicopter just happened to fly into this scene while we were filming. We totally kept it in the video. How could we not?

Running through colored puffs of smoke in St. George.

I got plastered. (It's really just chalk dust, not smoke).

I tried to do ballet. It was a disaster. I couldn't walk for days afterward due to a sore booty.

Running with some awesome girls. We originally shot this scene in Arizona and the footage didn't turn out so we had to redo it in Utah. I've been feeling terrible about it. If you volunteered in Arizona, I really hope you can forgive me.

We chase the camera man in the truck (Derek Pueblo).

Recognize these little beauties?
There are quite a few fun cameos in the video of people you will recognize.

Look! There's another familiar face! Blogger, Marilyn Lott, happened to be in town for this. I was so happy she could make an appearance!

We filmed the last scene at the ice castles in Midway, UT after I chopped all my hair off (also a scene in the video. You get to watch all my hair fall to the floor).

Many thanks to all who were involved in the video. I'm excited to share it with you!
Come back Thursday!

Conveyor Belt Fun

Last night, my oldest son overheard me talking on the phone with someone about my upcoming shows in the Pacific Northwest. He got teary-eyed. It's never easy for him when I leave and it honestly leaves me with such a sick feeling in my gut to know that he struggles with that. It's always the saying goodbye that's the hardest part. However, it's interesting to hear from my husband that this particular son does just fine when I'm gone and only gets emotional when I come back. And I would say that according to this video clip below, no one is having a terrible time while I'm gone:


(My husband takes a ride down the conveyor belt at hid dad's warehouse; something our family likes to do in our free time).

I'm looking forward to seeing many of you at these shows! If you have family and friends in the PNW, be sure to let them know I'm coming :-)

3/29: Portland, OR
3/30: Olympia, WA
4/1: Yakima, WA

Also, I think it would be great fun to set up a house concert in Seattle on 3/31 because I happen to have that night off. Send me an email if you're interested in hosting a fun music-filled evening for your family and friends! mindy@mindygledhill.com

Happy Birfday to ME!

Photo by Jefra Starr Linn

Today I am 30.

30 is young.
30 is lucky.
30 is successful.
30 is strong.
30 is healthy.
30 is wealthy.
30 is bliss.

And it just keeps getting better from here.

I never make a big deal about my birthday. But I've always promised myself that I would do something smashing for my 30th birthday. I'm really not one for parties. So, I asked my husband if we could go to Disneyland with our kids over the weekend instead of having a big birthday bash. I wanted to feel the rush of Space Mountain, spin my guts out on the Teacups, smell the orange groves in Soarin' Over California and eat Disneyland churros and frozen, chocolate-dipped bananas. He happily complied and last Wednesday we had bags and car packed and picked up the kids from school without even telling them beforehand that we were going. It was spontaneous, adventurous and downright FUN. I have decided that I need more fun in my life. So my theme of the year 2011 is just plain "FUN." That's it.

In honor of my 30th birthday, I'm making a list of 30 FUN things that I can do this year. I have some really swell ideas, but I'd love your help here. Will you share some of your ingenius ideas with me in the comments section below?

Thanks for all the birthday wishes today on Facebook and Twitter!

xoxo

Mindy

The Lower Lights in Your Town! (Plus, Exclusive Photos)

Tomorrow night (Friday, the 4th) the Lower Lights will illuminate the stage in Boise, ID. I wish I could be with them, but I won't be too sad because I'm at Disneyland celebrating my upcoming 30th birthday (just days away!). However, I have a ton of family in Boise as well as Tri-Cities and Spokane, so I am totally bummed to miss out on seeing all the cousins. But listen up, friends and cousins alike. You have GOT to see this show. It is beyond awesome. Friday: Boise. Saturday: Tri-Cities. Sunday: Spokane. I put those in the primary colors so you wouldn't forget. You're welcome. Click here for all the details. And now, some exclusive photos I snapped with the Lower Lights at the Post Theater in Salt Lake City:

Dustin Christensen likes to squeeze his way into photos. And I like to give him a squeeze when I see him, because he's my friend and his voice rocks.

Dyllan Schorer plays mind boggling solos on slide guitar.

D-Fo (or Debra Fotheringham) will mesmerize you with her magical voice and spot-on rhythm on percussion.

Sarah Sample is a stunning. Always.

Look! What did I tell you about Dustin! Cherie Call is a sweet, sweet friend and amazing musician.

Lookie here. It's the ring leader of it all: Mr. Scott Wiley.
Don't miss these shows! For more information about the Lower Lights and how to book them in your town, visit: www.thelowerlights.com