I have been *so* stressed out lately – it’s all this responsibility and no one to really help out. The previous manager had to be let go for he just wasn’t very responsive and since then, just have been too busy to find a new one. And, an effective one just isn’t that easy to come by. Well, never thought that finishing an album would be this difficult. Only three of the twelve tracks can be called complete and that was great progress seeing how last night, only two tracks were done. I am way behind and the artwork still is yet to be finalized, sales and presales to distribution sites, promotional work, etc.., the list grows infinitely as I think about it – All this and only nine days to go. Nine days. It’s unheard of, and hopefully things just won’t flop and it all won’t be for nothing. Underestimating things and overall, it is enjoyable, but I never did imagine it to be so painstakingly draining. I now sit back in my chair as the sound engineer asks me, “What do you want to do? Well?”

“Give me a second,” I say. All I could do is look up at a light in the ceiling and exhale.

I awake suddenly and find myself in bed. “Peter,” Elizabeth says, “Peter, wake up.” I groggily open my eyes and see Elizabeth embracing Julian in her arms, “Can you hold Julian for a second?” I slowly sit up, hold out my hands, and realize it was all a dream. There is no album due. There are no vicious activities with unbearable deadlines deep-rooted with impending utter failure. Life is simple. I have a day job, a family life, and I am relieved. Weirdly so however, I’ve been having this nightmare for the last few days and even more weird is that each night, it progresses further as though it were the next day.

After some thought, I have realized where this is all stemming from. I have followed last season’s American Idol so closely and rooted for this one contestant from the start that happened to win. His name is David Cook and it just so happens that his album is due out in a little over a week. To show him support, I’ll probably go out and purchase it – or actually download it, whichever comes first. Nonetheless, Elizabeth calls me sympathetic, in her most endearing way – then snickers, of course.

Because that’s the type of guy I am – sympathetic. 🙂

(BTW – November 18th, David Cook, if you happen to be near a record store or iTunes.com.)