I'm grateful for many things. Including you. For being here. Reading my little message. I hope there's something meaningful here for you.

Over a decade ago, I set out to become a better composer. Starting part time. Little by little, while I worked a demanding day job. Over the years, I've written a lot of music and now I'm writing a lot more and, I think, better music than ever before.  

So over the last year, I've been working hard to get the word out.  I've published a lot of my works for plucked strings at SheetMusicPlus.com. I'm writing more pieces in collaboration with musical artists that I admire, which is very rewarding.

Also, I just made the ‘genius’ marketing decision to delete my Facebook account, where I had hundreds of connections that I had built in my 20 years service as Compliant Meta Drone #200567. I do sure love being connected with friends old and new.  But the harsh reality is that I've spent far too much time ‘opting out’ of a never-ending stream of weird, bizarre, unhelpful, insidious, and downright perverted posts fed to me unconditionally by the algorithm, while Facebook suppressed posts from my actual human friends. Sure, I really like being where all my friends are, but when we are all languishing in a dystopian war zone, it loses it's luster.

So, I'm trying some new things. I've started some new feeds on Bluesky for Plucked String Music and Music of Joel R Hobbs.  I hope to be posting more content on my Youtube channel. Maybe I'll find some time to get active again on MandolinCafe.com. And I will endeavor to post here on my blog more frequently to get the word out.  

Let's make that a loop. I encourage you to contact me and have some good old-fashioned communication; you know like texts, emails, phone calls, letters, telegrams. If you don't have another way to get in touch with me use the contact form on this site to strike up a conversation.

I want to hear from you. I want to plunk out some real music with you with on wood and wire.  I want to have meaningful interactions with real friends. And I want to have more time to focus on living an abundant life and writing music that I can share with you.  

With gratitude,

Your {UNFRIEND} real fellow human-being, 

Joel