Patron Guest Post: Day 100 of #100DaysofUkuleleSongs! (Patreon)

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Join us on Friday 8/9/2019 at 12pm Pacific for the YouTube Premiere of our 100 Days Celebration Video!  Click here or on the video above to see a countdown for your timezone.

Patron and Community Manager Jenny Selig shares her experience with 100 Days of Ukulele Songs 2019.

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July 10, 2019 was the official end date of this year’s #The100DayProject and Cynthia’s spinoff challenge, #100DaysofUkuleleSongs. Participants shared songs on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook, and I had the privilege and pleasure of helping to organize the community of participants, while also posting my own 100 songs. I had some great moderators helping me (thank you all!), and we were shocked to watch our Facebook group swell to over 2,000 members before the challenge ended! There was a very large group posting on Instagram as well.

One of the great things about 100 Days is that there are no rules -- much like Cynthia tells us about our ukulele playing. Some people posted daily. Some took days off, then caught back up later. Some posted fewer than 100 videos or worked on specific songs or skills. Some are still going, on their way to 100 or another goal.

I first did the Project in 2018, when I shared 100 covers, and I challenged myself this year to write and share an original song every 25 days, as well as covering 96 new songs (actually 95, because I re-recorded one song I'd done the year before).

Here's what I wrote to my fellow 100 Days participants about my final song, an original I titled "Something Rare":

[This song is] about love of community/humanity. It’s definitely my most celebratory piece to date, [and] it . . . acknowledges how I feel about my ukulele friends and the ukulele community — we are Something Rare, each and collectively. Thanks for playing and following and commenting along this year. It’s really been a blast.

At Day 50, Cynthia shared a video with clips from a group of our fabulous participants (see it here), and we’ve got another one for you to celebrate Day 100, with even more players. 

Watch the 100 Days Celebration video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/DjQ92S_qlro 

Players in Order of Appearance: Cynthia Lin @cynthialinmusic (Hawaii); Heather Ellen (Waikanae Beach, New Zealand); Flor @parecidauke (Uruguay); Aminah @aminahsanto from @uke2love (Netherlands); Anni @ukulele_anni (Germany); Ankita @raat.jaaga.tara (Varanasi, India); Elfi @friedchen_27 (Germany); Renee @tiffomcfarland_ukulele (Sydney, Australia); Conrad @conradcaymanmusic (Los Angeles, CA); Linda @dancingfish.music (Forest Grove, OR); Makiyo @makiyomaekawa (Osaka, Japan); Janice @janicequekcollins (Martinez, CA and Singapore); Beth @bethantal (Cleveland, OH); Arym @MySalOrd68 (Marche, Italy); Jackie @Jackiebluebeautytips (Wisconsin); Maggie @maggiemusesmusic (Akron, OH); Carolyn @carolynflegukulele (San Francisco, CA); David (Yamhill, OR); Charissa @sunset_uke (San Francisco, CA); Jenny @newukenewyork (Brooklyn, NY); Angel @UkuleleChengy (Chicago, IL); Crystal (Sarasota, FL); Vicki @vlolaj (Dallas, TX); Jacki (Queensland, Australia); Mo (Oxford, UK); Danielle @danielleke74 from @uke2love (Netherlands); Claudia @claud201273 from @uke2love (Netherlands); Frances and Mishky @franceslearnsmusic (Philippines); Dorain (Greensboro, NC); Angela @abennett415 (San Francisco, CA); Virginia @vkaycoff (NYC, NY); Deborah @DeborahRedfern (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada); Jessica (Singapore); Aminah, Danielle, and Claudia of Uke 2 Love @uke2love (Netherlands); Ben @bovard6 (Munroe Falls, OH); Mia @miadogbuttz (Cuyahoga Falls, OH); Chiharu @Rinnoane (Crete, Greece); and Kim @kimagery.live (Australia).

I'd like to leave you with inspiring words from other #100DaysofUkuleleSongs participants, who gave me permission to share a portion of what they wrote in reflections on Day 100.

Virginia, who wrote her first song “in decades,” reported “This has unlocked something in me! It’s been a really wonderful—and tiring and frustrating—100 days, but so glad I did it…I had just wanted to see what it felt like to make a video but immediately became engaged with the amazing community and the experience of sharing music. And of course soon started wanting to challenge myself to keep up, and also to find pieces that would be interesting to everyone!”

Angela said, “Thank you for EVERYTHING! This has been one of the most amazing groups to be a part of. I've grown so much and I love every single person who has participated.”

Kim told us, “A huge shout out to all the admin for providing us with a safe and supportive environment to share and grow in our own ukulele journeys. Also a big 'Thank You' to all of you uke enthusiasts for stepping out of your comfort zones and sharing your stories, journeys, songs and resources with all of us. We have become each others biggest fans. “

Mo wrote, “Such fun playing with you guys over the last 100 days! Thank you for all the encouraging comments, the enthusiasm, the laughter - this is the best group possible, and the best boost to ukelele playing that I have found anywhere! Big hug to every single one of you!”

For Day 100, Deborah played a twist on “You Really Got a Hold On Me," and commented, “It is a love song to my ukulele. Not only has the intense practice 'got a hold on me' but the sharing of each other's lives got a hold on me too. I will miss it. It has been amazing being here with all of you for these past months. Yes, this ukulele playing has got a hold on me! And I just have to say that I wouldn't be here without the support of everyone who encouraged me.

On Instagram, where a large group posted and encouraged each other just as was happening on Facebook, Angel wrote, "From the bottom of my heart, I want to tell all my family and friends here in Ukelandia and beyond, how much I appreciate your presence and support in my life. You are genuine and kind, fierce and rad, funny as hell, and so, so inspirational. I could not accomplish this #100DayProject without you, and I am beyond grateful for you, and proud of what we are doing individually and collectively. I could never imagine the personal growth I experienced through this project. Thank you for witnessing my process and celebrating my progress. Most importantly, thank you for accepting me and sending love and positivity when things are rough. I hope you know you’ve got a friend in me- we have now been bonded by this hashtag #100DaysOfUkuleleSongs forever, as long as the internet shall exist."

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And that was what it was all about for me -- not just the ukulele playing and the joy we take in our chosen instrument, but the joy we took in each other. We were able to create truly supportive pockets of internet and musical bliss and friendship. What a ride!

The 100 Day Project takes place each Spring, beginning in early April. We hope you'll think about joining us next year, for your first or next time! -- Jenny