May 2024 Community Check-In & Calendar + 10-year Anniversary Party Poll (Patreon)

{Patron-only post: please click through and heart this post so I know you've seen it, thank you!}

Aloha Patrons!

Welcome to May and month three of 100 Days of Ukulele 2024! 100 Dayers, are you hanging in there?

A warm welcome to all the new Patrons! If you're a new Patron, please introduce yourself in the comments, and check out the New Patrons section below. Take some time to look around, check out the WelcomeGuide/FAQ, and post any additional questions below.

🎉 CL Patreon turns 9! Planning for 10-year Anniversary Party 2025!

Back in May of 2015, in the second month of my first 100 Days of Ukulele Project, and 2 years into my ukulele teaching, I started this Patreon as a way to gather the folks who were interested in supporting my music and learning with me online. Since then, this community has grown with me through Billboard charting records, a signature ukulele line, worldwide ukulele festivals, and 8 years of the 100 Days of Ukulele project. You've moved with me from San Francisco to Hawaii, and we've locked down together through a global pandemic. We shared our mutual ukulele journeys, and I am grateful for the thousands of Patrons who have flowed through this community. I work hard to cultivate the kind of space that I need to keep growing and learning, as a musician, as a community leader, as a human. It is truly my life's honor and reward to share this space and to watch your creative spirits blossom. For these past 9 years, I thank you. ❤️

Patrons Weekend in Hawaii, March 15-16, 2025!

For quite a while now, folks have been asking about a Patron event in Hawaii, and celebrating the 10th anniversary seems like a great reason! Save the date, and if you're even remotely interested, please fill out the Hawaii 2025 Interest Form.

My approach is to keep it simple, accessible, and laid back: one weekend in Honolulu with a couple of jams and mixers (and a sunset cruise!), with reasonably priced tickets. Folks can organize their own vacation around the weekend, and are welcome to bring their friends or family. Patrons can also connect with each other to share lodging and do island activities together like group hikes or ukulele factory tours (fun and free! although you may not be able to resist the discounted ukulele factory models!). Those who want a more intensive ukulele experience can sign up for Craig and Sarah's retreat, which is luxurious and meticulously planned. If you do sign up, please let them know that you are part of Cynthia's Patreon.

I'm coordinating the Patron Anniversary weekend to line up with the start of Craig and Sarah's retreat in mid-March, 2025. This is considered off-peak season for Hawaii, which means flights and hotels should be more affordable, especially if you book ahead.

I believe that Hawaii is a magical place, and I'd love for all of you to experience the feeling of aloha that you get from being here. Please do your research, talk to friends, ask other Patrons who live here or travel to Hawaii often. It's a long journey to get here, and everything here is pricey, but once you're here, you're in the home of ukulele and you can feel the connection.

 I will hopefully have more details for you all soon. And please fill out the Hawaii 2025 Interest Form. If it turns out that we don't have critical mass, then we'll adjust and find another way to celebrate 10 years.

Album Giveaway - Vinyl or Signed CD!

Follow my Instagram and Facebook for a giveaway I just posted. I'll be posting more giveaways on my socials (I'm legally not allowed to do giveaways for Patrons only, so they'll always be on my public-facing sites). Visit cynthialin.com/shop to get 20% off all albums by using the code “bandcampfriday” from now through Sunday.

May 2024 Community Reminders

🌈 Monthly Live Lesson: The April 2024 Live Lesson for "Losing My Religion" is now available to all Patrons ($1+). This is a fun one, and I encourage you to find a partner to play this with. Enjoy!

✈️ CL TOUR: Next up: Mighty Uke Day in Michigan. Meet and Greet tickets for Colorado in September are running low, so grab those if you're interested.

💯 JOIN US for the 100 Days of Ukulele project! It's not too late!  Our 2024 Facebook Group is open to you whether you're playing along or just want to watch and encourage those who are posting. You can also check out our Instagram and Youtube hashtag #100DaysUke2024.  There is also an option to post on the Patreon app chat thread, as a non-social media option.  Whether or not you're participating, you can check out the 100 Days FAQ and get inspired by the all the folks playing.  Many folks watch for a year or two before jumping into the Project.

💯 Upcoming 100 Day ZOOM SOCIALS: Community Manager Jenny is planning our next social for Day 75, May 14th. More details to come!

📌📣 Community Bulletin Board via comments: Feel free to use the comments section in this monthly check-in as a Bulletin Board for all things uke or Patreon.  Events, announcements, invitations, questions, requests, suggestions -- all are fair game.  We can also use the Chats in the Patreon App, and I'm open to using them for discussion in any way that benefits Patrons.

Thanks for reading, for being here, for supporting my journey and for sharing yours.

xo cynthia 🌺

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May 2024 PATRON EVENTS CALENDAR

See all Patron events on our Patron Google calendar (set on Pacific Time, click the bottom right corner to add to your Google calendar). Please double-check all times. Hawaii Time does not participate in Daylight Saving clock changes. Lesson weeks will continue to shift to accommodate my travel/gigs.

• Tues 5/7, 5/14, 5/28 @ 10AM Hawaii Time - Weekly Voice Workshop ($30+ Patrons)

• Thurs 5/2 @ 2:30PM Hawaii Time / 5:30PM Pacific Time - Mindful Beginner Live Jam ($10+ Patrons).  Pre-lesson Zoom Social at 2PM HT / 5PM PT

• Thurs 5/23 @ 2:30PM Hawaii Time / 5:30PM Pacific Time - Patron Monthly All-Levels Live Lesson ($5+ Patrons). Pre-lesson Zoom Social at 2PM HT / 5PM PT

• Thurs 5/30 @ 2:30PM Hawaii Time / 5:30PM Pacific Time - Intermediate Level-Up Jam  ($20+ Patrons)

• plus tune in many Wednesdays at 5pm Pacific Time for my weekly 5@5 LIVE show, streaming on my LIVE YouTube channel.  I often share new arrangements for upcoming lessons. (on YT, on IG) In May, note that 5@5 is canceled every week other than May first and twenty-ninth.

Details for all Patron events will be posted separately.  To edit your pledge level, visit https://www.patreon.com/join/cynthialin and select your desired reward tier.  (Patreon will only charge you for the difference in the upgrade).

Access the Patron Google calendar and get notifications for events on the Cynthia Lin Patron App, created by our Patron Community Manager, Rich!  Download: Android app | iOS app

Our Patron Community Manager and NYC Squad leader Jenny hosts 4 monthly free play-alongs at both USA- and UK/Europe-friendly times. Find this month's dates and more information here.

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April 2024 Recap - News, Patron Events and new Videos

• In our Mindful Beginner Songbook Jam  ($10+ Patrons), we focused on your requests for "Come Away with Me" + "Yellow" + "Linger" from the Beginner Songbook.

• For the Live Lesson ($5+ Patrons), I taught my arrangement of "Losing My Religion."

• For the Intermediate Level-Up Jam ($20+ Patrons), I updated the Intermediate Songbook and we worked on advanced skills in "Losing My Religion" and "All is Found."

• Voice students ($30+ Patrons) met on four Tuesdays in April.

• I shared a post about Patron plans for Mighty Uke Day. Will you be joining us?

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Special note for new Patrons

If you're new, I invite you to take some time to get to know the platform - there's a lot here, and it may take a while to navigate the many lessons and posts.  The community WelcomeGuide/FAQ post is a good place to start.

To find a specific song or lesson, learn to use the updated Cynthia Lin Song Index.  Thank you to the Community Managers for creating and maintaining this helpful resource.

Please introduce yourself in the comments: I'd love to hear how long you've been playing, what kind of uke you play, if you have a group to play with, what songs you've been working on, or anything else you'd like to share.

If you have questions about Patreon, I encourage you to post your questions in the comments below or to one of our Community groups. Our community has tons of friendly folks who love sharing their uke experience. Join our Patron-only Facebook group (be sure to answer BOTH membership questions).

Seasoned Patrons, I always appreciate it when you help me answer any newbie questions in the comments of this or any post.  Thank you! Feel free to post your questions in the comments as well.

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COMMUNITY NOTES:

1. Join our private Facebook group: In the Facebook group, Patrons can share videos, advice, support, and encouragement! Be sure to answer both membership questions so that Community Managers can verify your Patron status. If you wish to connect and are not on Facebook, you can share a post on the Community chats in the Patreon app. If you have questions about Patreon or ukulele or otherwise, posting the question to our very helpful and active Community will generate the fastest answer.

2. Facebook public groups - we're using Facebook as our community gathering place because it has the best community features. Find all the CL groups using the link below, including the CL Uke Newbies group, an all-levels group, and several active regional groups (NYC / LA / the Pacific Northwest / Hawaii and more).  https://www.facebook.com/cynthialinmusic/groups

3. Learn to use the Cynthia Lin Song Index, created and maintained (and updated recently!) by the amazing CL Community Managers! The super helpful CL Song Index organizes all CL songs, Patreon posts, YouTube videos, and tutorials.

4. Download the Cynthia Lin Patron App, created by our Patron Community Manager, Rich! Android app | iOS app

5. Find all Patron events on our Patron Google Calendar

6. Find answers to many Frequently Asked Questions in our New Patron Guide/FAQ post.

7. To edit your pledge, visit https://www.patreon.com/join/cynthialin