Music has always been a priority in my life, even when I wasn’t a performing musician. I learned to drive so I could get myself to a Peter, Paul, and Mary concert when my parents were out of town. When I was in graduate school (in the folk music center of the world) I got tickets to whatever concerts I wanted to see, paying for music before I’d pay for food, and never missed a concert for some detail like qualifying exams or a dissertation defense the next morning. Right now my academic life is starting to intrude on music. I’m writing a book that has to be finished by Monday. The first interference was in my gig this past Sunday in Lowell – I was writing up until the minute I had to leave for the show (and couldn’t stick around to see the folks playing after me because I had to get back to writing). The show was okay, but I was definitely distracted and not fully on my game, something I don’t want to let happen again. Two days later I wanted to go to see Susan Levine feature at the open mike closest to where I live. When I ruled out going to the full open mike and playing, I’d still hoped to make it there just to see her feature. But at the last minute I decided that I really needed to finish the chapter I was working on. Likewise, there was another show last night in Cambridge I would have wanted to see under other circumstances. But I’d been up working since 4 a.m. and the show didn’t start until probably 10 . . . I knew I wouldn’t enjoy it because I’d be falling asleep. It’s not a disaster. The Sunday show was fine, if uninspired, and it wasn’t a major show. I’ll get a chance to see Susan again – she lives around here. (And I made both those decisions knowing those things.) And it’s also the case that part of the reason I’ve gotten this close to the book deadline without being done is that I have prioritized music at other times this summer, especially in July – three festivals in one month, and my mini-tour, all of which I was able to fully focus on. Still, it’s hard to be in a position where I have to give up my first love – music – for that other part of my life. I’m lucky that I’ve been able to organize my life, for pretty much my whole life, so that I don’t have to do that. And tonight I’m in Harvard Square, getting some last-minute writing done in a coffeeshop, before I go to a concert at Club Passim . . . even as the deadline looms I’m still able to make some space to see a show I wouldn’t have another chance at. But I need to remember not to get myself in a situation where I need to start skipping music (or giving it less attention that it deserves) for other obligations.