Tag Archives: achieving goals and dreams

Sammy Hagar Gives Author Patricia Walker the Ultimate Shout-Out

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During his recent concert at Cabo Wabo in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico on October 9, 2012, Sammy Hagar talked about how important dreams are and how one must never give up on one’s dreams. He said that he wouldn’t be where he is today if he hadn’t held fast to that belief.

 

 

Joe Satriani performs with Sammy Hagar at Cabo Wabo

 

 

 

Then, to my complete surprise, he introduced me to the crowd, saying “I wanna bring up Pat.” (Video used with Sammy’s permission)

I didn’t know if he wanted me to get up onstage with him or if he just wanted to tell people about me. It happened so fast that all I could do was stand there in total disbelief as Sammy came over and grabbed my hand. Then he went on to tell the crowd that speaking of dreams, I was a perfect example of someone who had made her dreams come true. He said that I sent him poems many years ago, beautiful poems, and mentioned that I told him that I wanted to write a book someday about all my incredible experiences. Then he said that I went on to do just that. “She wrote this great book and people bought it…”

Sammy Hagar Cabo photo by Patricia Walker 2012

Sammy kept on talking and before I knew it, he was playing “Dreams” slow and low. “Dreams” was the song that started everything for me. It was the song he was playing when I had my out-of-body-experience during his concert back in 2003. I had never heard that song before that night.

By this time, tears were streaming down my face because my emotions were over-the-top. I felt like he was playing that song just for me although I knew he really wasn’t. Or was he? (After the show, a member of his road crew told me that “Dreams” wasn’t even on the setlist that night.) Then Vic Johnson, Sammy’s guitar player knelt down on one knee in front of me while playing his guitar. When I looked up at him, he too, had tears in his eyes…

What a night.

 

Sammy and his band The Wabos perform with Jerry Cantrell (Alice in Chains) and Matt Sorum (Velvet Revolver) at Cabo Wabo

 

Sammy also sells my book in the gift shop of his Cabo Wabo Cantina in Mexico:

         

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Since this incredible shout out, sales of DANCE OF THE ELECTRIC HUMMINGBIRD have skyrocketed. Yes, dreams DO come true. I am living proof. Thank you, Sammy!

Just in case you’re wondering, you don’t have to be a fan of Sammy Hagar or rock music to enjoy this book. It is for ANYONE who is looking for more out of life.

Oh, the Drama of Writing (and Achieving Goals)

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January 17, 2010

I’m scared to death. My book is finished. I’ve been sending queries to prospective agents. Last week, one of them emailed me back and requested my manuscript. Oh my God…

A million thoughts are running through my mind. What if she doesn’t like it? What if my writing is no good?

Worse, what if she does like it? What if she finds a publisher for me and my book is released to the world? Then, what? I might as well stand stark naked in the middle of I-25 at rush hour, with a blinking neon sign and arrows pointing to me! Am I really willing to do that?

I sometimes compare my book to The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. If you haven’t read this, I highly recommend that you do. DANCE OF THE ELECTRIC HUMMINGBIRD is a modern day and true story version of this fictionalized tale about a shepherd boy seeking his Personal Legend—the purpose of his life. And just like in The Alchemist, now that I’m standing on the edge and I need to let go and jump into the abyss—solo and without a parachute, I’m paralyzed with fear.

“Just DO it,” Nike says. Yeah, easier said than done, pal.

Apparently this is a common reaction. We want our dream to come true. We want it with all our might, have perhaps even spent our entire lives working toward it. And then, just when we are about to see it come to fruition, most of us back off. Why? Because of all of those fears I mentioned. Then the final hurdle consists of facing the notion that we may actually be more afraid of achieving our dream than we are of not achieving it!

This isn’t as absurd as it sounds. Now that I’ve arrived at this point, I find myself wondering, What if I’m successful? Then I’ll have an entirely new set of conditions to deal with and right now, I have no clue what they could be. It’s much safer to remain with my known world; I pretty much know how to deal with that.

So what am I doing about the letter from the agent? I’m stalling. I’m finding all kinds of excuses to keep from emailing my reply. I’ve written it, but I can’t seem to make myself push “send.” “I have other queries to get to other agents,” I tell myself, so I work on them instead. And I’m writing this post! I’ve also come across a very good lead, and I’m doing the same thing there—stalling instead of writing to the author involved.

Oh, and www.addictinggames.com keeps seducing me with stupid tactics like: “You need a break. Your mind is tired. Just play a few rounds and then you’ll be able to think clearly again and write a better letter.” Wink, wink.

Like the boy in The Alchemist, I must make that leap into the unknown, let go of the trapeze bar, fling myself to the mercy of the void and trust that there’s another bar out there coming toward me. I haven’t worked this hard to stay where I am. But still…

And then this morning, I receive an email that says: “If we don’t change, we don’t grow. If we don’t grow, we are not really living. Growth demands a temporary surrender of security.” —Gail Sheehy

I suppose I should take this as a sign that the Universe is trying to tell me something!

Give me a minute. A hot cup of tea is calling. Oh wait; I’ve already used that excuse. I’ll get to the email tomorrow when my mind is fresher. Really, I will!

(P.S.–I sent it.)