Yeah Justin,
You know that saying I have, YOU ARE NOT A JEDI YET."? That is part of what that means. Sure, you have started doing some writing with other people, artists, and yes, you are starting to be accepted as a friend. It is still a LONG way before you are on an even playing field. Will be a while before you play with the big boys, even if you get a little chance here and there. Sometimes a lot of these things are done out of the pro being nice, or just feeling like they are "giving back." But that doesn't qualify as "playing on the team." They let the underclassmen run a play every now and then too, but doesn't mean that they have suddenly made the "A" team.
Another fact of life that most people don't realize. TIME is the big equalizer. Until you have put in the physical years of being around, waiting in line, dealing with the crushing defeats, and done the SAME THING THEY HAVE, you are still not in that league.
I remember my own "humble pie" being put into a round with monster writers Paul Craft and one of my favorites DUANE BLACKWELL. It was in Tallahassee Fla, and I had been brought down to "play with the big boys." Duane was one of my favorite writers, having written GONNA HIRE A WINO TO DECORATE OUR HOME and FRIENDS IN LOW PLACES. The show was amazing and he and Paul seemed to be wowed by me. Every song I did hit home runs, the audience was in the palm of my hand and he and Paul would be saying "Damn! after my lines, "That boy can sing!!!" "Damn, I hate to follow that..." all those kinds of things. I really did kill em!
The next day, I was thinking "I'M IN NOW, HERE'S MY BIG BREAK!" We were all in this enormous mansion on the banks of the ocean. We all kind of had our own wings in this place. But there was a common area with a kitchen, and breakfast area. That morning, I went in to all these fresh baked pastries, coffee and newspapers. The people who owned the house were sponsors of the show and loved songwriters. So they turned their home over to us. I was sitting there for a little while when Duane comes in. I was pretty excited and he sat down and started reading the paper over coffee. We made small talk about his career, he was very nice and complimentary about the night before. Not over complimentary just very nice.
So I decided to go for it. "So..." I said. "When are we going to write?"
He barely looked up from his pastry and paper and said really matter of factly, "THAT AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN."
BOOOM!!!! I was shot down so fast my head spun.
The real reason was not that he didn't think I was good. He did. He was just trying to get out of the music business and move to Mexico and no longer HAD to write with anyone. He was on his own planet and certainly was not going to have to wet nurse new up and comers with stars in their eyes.
He gave me some great insights. And even thought at that time I had been here for about ten years, it was still like I was the new underclassman. But it taught me a lesson. Just when you think you have arrived, you are only at the gate. You may get to park their car, but you ain't going to be driving any time soon.
Justin, remember that while you have been writing, doing Internet stuff, comedy, etc. for a long time, you are BRAND NEW to this playing field. They will see you, get to know you, and maybe one day invite you in a little bit. But you can't read more into it. And you have to also be aware that THEY MAY NEVER TAKE YOU AS AN EQUAL. I know a lot of writers and artist who are great, are talked about and revered. But still are not invited into the inner sanctums. I'm kind of one of those.
YOU ARE NOT A JEDI YET. But at least you got to see a light sabre demonstration.
MAB
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