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Starlight Telepath Update
a year ago
General
The last few weeks have been exhausting in many ways and my top patrons have prescribed me rest so that I don't hurt myself on the road or otherwise. I have been doing my best to take it easy and minimize the amount of work I must do by prioritizing Premier rides with Uber on weekdays (since they're infrequent on weekends) - this has lowered my weekly hours by ~10 for the same pay. But I am still tired. I will probably be short for the orchestra recording session when that comes on August 26th. By how much, I'm not entirely sure, but I will need to ensure that my basic expenses are covered before I can pay them.
What does this mean for Starlight Telepath? Well, according to Musiversal, I can pay the second half of the recording fee whenever I'm able - they'll just hold all deliverables until I do. The orchestra session stream will still happen that day regardless - it will be a one of a kind experience and an in-depth look into modern music production for anyone interested, as well as the first time an openly therian composer has ever recorded with an orchestra. The whole thing will be filmed on video. A lot of people ask me if I'm actually going to Prague to record with them - I will be advising them and viewing remotely with everyone else.
So, I've mentioned certain deadlines before. I previously planned to upload the album 3 weeks before release (on 8/29) so that it has a chance at being featured in editorial playlists on Spotify. But if I can't upload the album on or before that date, it probably won't hurt my chances of getting tracks placed in film or video games (which is my main priority from a business standpoint). I will still have the video recordings to use for music videos, which will probably do much more for me than Spotify ever will. Spotify has never featured my music before and despite the significant increase in the production quality of my music with this album, I have no reason to believe that they will. Worst case scenario, if I can't pay until the middle of September, I can still upload the album to be ready for the 19th.
I drastically underestimated how much this project would require of me when I announced it; even moving it back 5 months was cutting it close with all the unexpected surprises that met me this year. I am overextended, exhausted, and the sheer amount of work I've put on myself has become a point of contention in my relationships. I have been horrible at managing myself and my ambitions. But I don't want to postpone this again, I probably don't need to, and I probably shouldn't given the fact that I've already sent out a press release with a concrete release date to 30+ outlets. Thankfully, the extra 5 months has given me ample time to refine it to perfection. I have never been so satisfied with my music - I can listen through the album from start to finish without feeling like anything is out of place or like any of the motifs are stale or uninspired. I know there's no such thing as perfect, but close enough is good enough for me.
Going forward... I will still produce new music and artwork after this, but not in this capacity. I do not intend to begin a new musical project or start my work on Tenera until my debt is paid off and I'm able to minimize my expenses. That means paying off my car and the rest of my debt, finding a cheaper apartment to live in with dedicated parking (which costs me way too much right now), and to be honest... taking a long break from working 80+ hours a week like I have been for the past 5+ years. I work full time for Uber and then put in full time hours into my projects at home. I want to live, explore Pittsburgh, and meet new furry and therian friends. I can't be there for that if I'm grinding myself into the ground like I have been.
While this is a sore topic for some, please understand that many of the reasons I started pushing myself so hard were valid - it helped me escape a toxic relationship and get on my feet here in Pittsburgh, and will likely set me up for success for years to come. I also struggle with C-PTSD, which I've previously found relief from by working and keeping my mind engaged. I usually feel out of place if I'm not actively trying to solve something, and I don't regret how hard I've worked for that reason. But...I'm free now and I want to exercise that freedom and overcome my PTSD in a healthy way. I will not be imprisoned by my own creative ambitions any longer. When I do inevitably start work on my next project - which will not happen until 2026 at least - it will be in a capacity that is respectful of my health and general well-being, respectful of everyone else involved, with a reasonable, flexible amount of time to reach objectives. There is no need to hustle myself into oblivion.
For now, I just need to finish this. I'm in the final stretch - I only have about 2-3 weeks of work left. Once the album's out, I'll be going camping for a week to reset. I'm sorry for any undue stress I may have caused y'all.
Thanks for listening.
https://linktr.ee/baumarius
https://ko-fi.com/baumarius
What does this mean for Starlight Telepath? Well, according to Musiversal, I can pay the second half of the recording fee whenever I'm able - they'll just hold all deliverables until I do. The orchestra session stream will still happen that day regardless - it will be a one of a kind experience and an in-depth look into modern music production for anyone interested, as well as the first time an openly therian composer has ever recorded with an orchestra. The whole thing will be filmed on video. A lot of people ask me if I'm actually going to Prague to record with them - I will be advising them and viewing remotely with everyone else.
So, I've mentioned certain deadlines before. I previously planned to upload the album 3 weeks before release (on 8/29) so that it has a chance at being featured in editorial playlists on Spotify. But if I can't upload the album on or before that date, it probably won't hurt my chances of getting tracks placed in film or video games (which is my main priority from a business standpoint). I will still have the video recordings to use for music videos, which will probably do much more for me than Spotify ever will. Spotify has never featured my music before and despite the significant increase in the production quality of my music with this album, I have no reason to believe that they will. Worst case scenario, if I can't pay until the middle of September, I can still upload the album to be ready for the 19th.
I drastically underestimated how much this project would require of me when I announced it; even moving it back 5 months was cutting it close with all the unexpected surprises that met me this year. I am overextended, exhausted, and the sheer amount of work I've put on myself has become a point of contention in my relationships. I have been horrible at managing myself and my ambitions. But I don't want to postpone this again, I probably don't need to, and I probably shouldn't given the fact that I've already sent out a press release with a concrete release date to 30+ outlets. Thankfully, the extra 5 months has given me ample time to refine it to perfection. I have never been so satisfied with my music - I can listen through the album from start to finish without feeling like anything is out of place or like any of the motifs are stale or uninspired. I know there's no such thing as perfect, but close enough is good enough for me.
Going forward... I will still produce new music and artwork after this, but not in this capacity. I do not intend to begin a new musical project or start my work on Tenera until my debt is paid off and I'm able to minimize my expenses. That means paying off my car and the rest of my debt, finding a cheaper apartment to live in with dedicated parking (which costs me way too much right now), and to be honest... taking a long break from working 80+ hours a week like I have been for the past 5+ years. I work full time for Uber and then put in full time hours into my projects at home. I want to live, explore Pittsburgh, and meet new furry and therian friends. I can't be there for that if I'm grinding myself into the ground like I have been.
While this is a sore topic for some, please understand that many of the reasons I started pushing myself so hard were valid - it helped me escape a toxic relationship and get on my feet here in Pittsburgh, and will likely set me up for success for years to come. I also struggle with C-PTSD, which I've previously found relief from by working and keeping my mind engaged. I usually feel out of place if I'm not actively trying to solve something, and I don't regret how hard I've worked for that reason. But...I'm free now and I want to exercise that freedom and overcome my PTSD in a healthy way. I will not be imprisoned by my own creative ambitions any longer. When I do inevitably start work on my next project - which will not happen until 2026 at least - it will be in a capacity that is respectful of my health and general well-being, respectful of everyone else involved, with a reasonable, flexible amount of time to reach objectives. There is no need to hustle myself into oblivion.
For now, I just need to finish this. I'm in the final stretch - I only have about 2-3 weeks of work left. Once the album's out, I'll be going camping for a week to reset. I'm sorry for any undue stress I may have caused y'all.
Thanks for listening.
https://linktr.ee/baumarius
https://ko-fi.com/baumarius
