House About That

Alzheimers Vs Halfzheimers

2010-08-15T07:35:00.001-07:00

My friend, Scotty, often jokes about the difference between Alzheimer’s and what he refers to as Halfzeimer’s. He doesn’t forget everything; just about half of what he’s supposed to remember. Scotty and I are pretty much the same age, height and weight and the white beards add to our resemblance. Our inability to remember the short list of items we are dispatched by the wives to pick up at the grocery store is another trait we share. Still, I maintain, two oughta three ain’t bad.

Old friends and acquaintances also occasionally mix us up, and one of my favorite stories is about the time he was sitting, having a bite at our favorite raw bar, Landlubbers, in Plantation, Florida. Someone who knew me walked up to Scotty and asked “Aren’t you Suburbanhobo?” to which he immediately replied “Yes I am.”

Well, the conversation continued on with the guy asking if I remembered, years ago, showing him a trick on the guitar and how he still uses it. He finally got around to asking what he’d been up to and Scotty, without batting an eye, tells him, he just got out of prison, but they had dropped the pedophile charges. About that time, the owner barged in and explained that Scotty was not me, and was having a little joke.

The memory issue, though, is one that does seriously infect us both, and this past weekend was no exception. I actually got a hat trick.

Visiting Jacksonville, to do a presentation at The University of North Florida Writer’s Conference, I had the opportunity to visit with family who also kindly gave me a bed for the night. Shortly after leaving the university, I pulled up at the house just as my brother-in-law was leaving to run an errand. I rolled down the window, had a short conversation, pulled in to the driveway, got out and realized I had just locked my keys in the car. 7:00 pm, Friday night. A great time to need AAA . Luckily, the locksmith was nearby and within a half hour I was saved. That was the first point of the hat trick.

Dinner with family was delightful and I later retired to my room, read a little, and suddenly realized I had left my guitar stand at the university. Point two of the hat trick. Luckily, the campus was nearby and as I was driving to Amelia Island for a book signing on Saturday at Books Plus in Fernandina Beach, I left a few minutes early and picked up my stand, made nice with the Event Organizers and headed north.

Now I travel quite a lot and am used to giving my room a last onceover to make sure I have everything I brought with me. Look in the bathroom. Check the computer desk. Take one last look around the room. Unfortunately, I neglected to look in the closet where my spare shirts were hanging. During breakfast, on the island, I remembered that. Point three of the hat trick. After the book signing I headed home, with a short detour in Jacksonville to pick up my shirts.

With my short term memory issues, I am always amazed I can recall all the song lyrics, poems, stories and jokes I tell. I guess in the end, memory is sort of like pie. A little is still better than

Technology Is Our (backstabbing) Friend

2010-08-15T07:34:00.001-07:00

July 15th I wrote an article titled Technology Is Our Friend. Two weeks have gone by and here’s a quick update.

IT ALL STILL SUCKS.

Dealing with the techno geeks, (bless their hearts) reminds of the story about 3 different people witnessing an automobile accident on a corner. Interviewed later by the police, each told a completely different version of what happened.

My personal techno geek, says it’s an ISP issue. The ISP guys shuffle me off to advanced techno geeks who, after repeating everything I just did with the front line TG’s, refer me on to engineering. The engineering guys just told me we should have everything under control within the next 5 – 7 days. In the meantime, I’ve been unable to originate and send email for nearly 2 weeks. I can receive, but not send. Thank you Lord for this mail which we are about to receive. I pray my reply reaches you in a timely manner. Forgive me Lord for not communicating with you more often, but, ya see… I’ve got this email issue.

It’s not like I am completely devoid of computer skills. There are lots of things I know how to do. Did you ever hear of Control, Alt, Delete? I wrote that. My first ‘puter was an antique IBM 5150. I was learning DOS for Christ’s sake. It was a divine blessing when Windows saved me from all that code.

Maybe it’s like the old saying “it’s the people with a little knowledge who are truly dangerous. “ I don’t want much. I just wanna be able to communicate with my friends and business associates. Is that asking too much? Maybe I’ll wake up and will have all been a dream. A horrible, never-ending dream where I spend my days talking to the false gods of the Internet, and I have cauliflower ear from the endless hours the phone has been pressed to the side of my head.

Hear my plea! Is there no light in the darkness? I just need one, truly competent person to hold my hand and walk me to the promised land of send/receive communication. I ask this blessing in your name… Amen.

Open Mic Night

2010-08-15T07:33:00.000-07:00

As a professional musician for more than forty years, I sometimes lose perspective. It gets easier to forget that what I do for a living is a gift and not a privilege, and yes, it does require a certain amount of ego to get up in front of an audience and perform.

I had gotten to the point where I would never play “Open Mic” nights, believing I had perfected my craft to the point where I didn’t need to do those anymore. It’s a pretty fine line between ‘needing to do and wanting to do’, and when my family moved from Ft. Lauderdale to Ft. Myers, I suddenly found myself as the new kid on the block. My 33 years of performing in Southeast Florida meant very little to the folks in Southwest Florida and I found myself playing anywhere I could, just to be heard. It was an ego check at first, and then something very interesting started to happen. I found I was showing up at these events, even when I didn’t need to. I found it refreshing to come play a few favorite songs for a crowd that was truly appreciative, even after performing four hours in a club where very often, the audience was more interested in dinner and drinks than my latest original tune.

I also found younger, less experienced performers would seek me out for advice and direction. I had made the jump from peer to elder statesman of the art and it was good to share my experience with the next generation; a generation of players who had yet to embrace the ravages of the road, the thousands of nights spent in bars, and the endless practice and rehearsal it takes to get ready to claim the title “Professional.”

Here in the Fort Myers area, there is one venue that has taken the “Open Mic” event to a new level. Nita’s Sweet Bean Café is in the most unlikely location; the lobby of a large Real Estate Office. She does the Gourmet Coffee and light lunch scene during the day, but in the evenings she offers entertainment to please a variety of musical tastes. At times she has had a regular bluegrass night. She has jam nights and from time to time features national touring acts, passing through on their way from Tampa to Miami and will squeeze in an extra show to help pay the bills.

The main event, though, is the weekly Friday night Open Mic, and performers are encouraged to arrive early to sign up to play as the list fills quickly. Some of the reasons for The Sweet Bean’s popularity are the state of the art sound system, complete with a sound engineer, pro lighting and a great stage. There is even a drum set for the regular band nights. Performers have video capability and the event is often streamed live on the Internet. That’s a lot for an Open Mic night and it shows in the quality of performers and the good taste of the audience who comes to listen.

I go there as often as my schedule allows, and it is always a good time. You are guaranteed to hear great music, familiar and original, and the quality of performers covers the spectrum from first timers encouraged by friends to give it a shot, to other professionals who are either out for the evening or finished a gig early.

Aside from music, Nita’s Sweet Bean Café also offers a venue for artists and photographers to display their work, and she has started a weekly craft fair. It’s a unique, eclectic place supporting all the arts, and if the mood hits you, you’re always welcome to check out available housing on the MLS.

There are many Open Mic nights in every city I know. The popularity may be part of the ongoing economic turndown. It is a way for a club to offer live entertainment without having to pay. No matter, it still offers a proving ground for my generation and the next generation of players to sharpen their chops. If you haven’t gone out to listen lately, put it at the top of your list of things to do.

She Deserves Better

2010-08-15T07:31:00.003-07:00

What is lovingly referred to as The Crisis in the Gulf is 100 days old today. I’m not sure if birthday greetings are in order or if we should still be shedding tears for the losses of all the people who make their living on and around the Gulf of Mexico, as well as the wildlife and plant life surrounding and inhabiting the waters and marshlands surrounding this magnificent body of water.

Finally heads are starting to roll, but is it too little too late? CEO Tony Hayward walking away with a $1.6 million dollar Golden Parachute doesn’t make me feel good about the damage that has already occurred and the BP commitment to compensation. Rumored replacement, Bob Dudley, President and CEO of BP's Gulf Coast Restoration Organization, has his work cut out for his as BP profits are plummeting and America’s confidence is waning.

Granted, the well is capped at the moment, and other measures are approaching completion with the ability to mitigate the disaster in the future, but for too many, the belief is that the damage is already done and perhaps irreparable. At the least, it will be years before we understand the ramifications of this event.

Here in SW Florida, we are lucky and blessed the spill and its aftermath has not destroyed our pristine beaches. Oddly enough, the deep running Gulf currents have swept through the delicate Florida Keys and actually impacted beach areas of Southeast and Central Florida. Round and round she goes and where she stops, nobody knows.

So on the 100th day of the worst oil spill in world history, let’s take a moment and reflect on this latest disaster mankind has foisted on Mother Earth. She deserves better.

Facebook… 500 Million Strong

2010-08-15T07:31:00.001-07:00

I heard on Good Morning America, today, that Facebook registered member number 500 million. I’ve been an FB guy for a couple years and have in the neighborhood of 300 friends, some I don’t even know. I’ve been caught up in it, though I never went so far as to play Farmville.

Lately, though, it seems I am spending less and less time, contributing and reading posts from my friends. I think I am approaching that Woody Allen mindset where he states, he would never want to belong to an organization that would want him for a member. I don’t think I’m the only one facing this dilemma, either. I hear a lot of people saying they are spending way too much time on Facebook. What are we missing while pecking away at the keyboard, posting this, commenting on that, wishing someone a Happy fill in the blank?

I don’t mean to exclude myself from this group of people who are allowing the world and our lives to slip by without active participation. I have been in the weeds the last few weeks, between moving and getting the new home up and running, replacing my totaled car, with all the aggravation that goes along with that, and still trying to either work or find work as a musician. Regarding the musician situation, my omni-statement is “If you are a musician, you are either working or looking for work. There is no in between.” Nevertheless, it’s been too long since I was on a tennis court, saw a play, or even a movie, in a theater, attended a sporting event or volunteered for anything in my community.

Understand that I truly am grateful for friends who want to share their distant lives with me, and I appreciate having another forum to mention the good things in my life like small successes in my career and, of course, my wonderful wife, children and grandchildren. But the question will continue to resurface. What could I be doing, if I wasn’t spending time on FB? I could write a new song, story or poem. I could clean out my closet and donate all the clothing I have been saving for the day they might again fit, and donate them to any number of charities. I think my time might be better spent reading a good book or taking a leisurely walk through my lovely new neighborhood. The list of better ways to spend my time knows no end.

Technology is our Friend

2010-08-15T07:30:00.003-07:00

Usedtoy and I had an Internet business a few years ago. He and I ran it from our homes in Ohio and Florida. Daily phone calls were the norm, and we burnt up cyberspace with our plans and actions.

Whenever the computer gremlins would swing into their unpredictable action, we would re-assure each other with the words “Technology is our friend.”

The problem is… sometimes technology is so damned frustrating you want to toss it all and go back to writing longhand on a legal pad and snail mail the article to whomever is meant to receive it.

Case in point. I recently moved. As an adjunct to the move, we switched Internet Service Providers. Now this should not be a big deal. Right? But, again, noooooooo. First off, I developed a problem with my Outlook Express email program. It’s been my default email program for years. It got to the point where I could receive or reply to emails, but not originate any from my own side. I went so far as to reach out to the MS folks who took remote control of my ‘puter, copied my entire program including years of saved “important” communications, uninstalled the program, re-installed the program, putting everything back, and it worked fine… for about a month. Now it’s doing the same thing and I’m thinking, OK, forget OE and just use a different email program. So I switched to my old standby Yahoo account. I only used this one for people and things I really didn’t want to ever hear from again, and every couple weeks, I would go in, delete everything, and start over. Now I want to use it and I am sending messages, getting “Undelivered,” prompts, then getting replies from the people who supposedly didn’t receive the communiqué in the first place. I blind carbon copy myself. Sometimes I get it. Sometimes I don’t. I test message friends. Sometimes they get it. Sometimes they don’t. In the meantime, I don’t know if my messages are going through or not. Technology is our friend, right? Bull!

When all is working correctly, we may mistakenly believe all is right with the world. When the gremlins get to work… the frustration level must equal that of The American public witnessing the BP/Government failure in The Gulf of Mexico. Hmmmm, maybe it’s the underwater technology gremlins at work.

The Joy of Buying a Car

2010-08-15T07:29:00.001-07:00

Is there anything more frustrating than buying a new or used car? As many of you know, my car, that I was perfectly happy with, was destroyed when I was hit from behind about 3 weeks ago. I just received the settlement check from the insurance company; an amount they think is more than fair, and I think will barely buy lunch. At one point I yelled in to the phone “I spit on your offer!” It was not a pretty negotiation.

It’s not like my insurance company was paying. The other driver was at fault and their insurance company accepted liability. I’m talking to my rep thinking “alright, my brother… it’s time for Suburbanhobo to make out for a change.” Wrong. You’d think I was taking food out of my adjuster’s kid’s mouths. And this is the company I’ve sent thousands of dollars in premiums to for many years without asking anything in return.

So, now that part of the negotiation is over and it’s time to deal with the car salesmen. I do have several friends who sell cars, and they are all pretty nice guys. They know sports, like to drink, tell great jokes and all think they could play golf on the tour. I don’t really want to buy a car from them because if I get burnt, a friendship also goes down the drain. That leaves be dealing with the sharks and lowlifes populating the rest of the auto trades. If it’s not the guy who says he will call about a car of interest and doesn’t, it’s the salesmen who has nothing of interest and still refuses to leave you alone. Gimme a break.

It’s not like I’m trying to upgrade from my Hyundai Sante Fe to a Cadillac Escalade. I do need a car big enough to haul my musical sound system, and it would be great if it got better gas mileage than a Hummer. But the truth is I’m not really that much of a car guy. For me it’s primarily a way to get from here to there. I don’t want it to break down in the middle of the night. I don’t want black and won’t have red. I’d prefer an automatic but I can drive standard shift. That’s pretty close to my complete criteria. Sounds to me like it should be a lay down. But nooooooooooo. It’s only this much to buy, + tax, + tag, + title, + transfer, + dealer prep fees. You want a private extended warranty with that? Undercoating? I don’t need no stinkin’ undercoating. I just need to get out with a shirt still on my back. It shouldn’t have to be this difficult.

Well, wish me luck. As soon as the check clears, I am going to make some kind of decision. The weekend is here; prime time to separate me from my insurance settlement.

If you never saw the badger television commercials for the car dealer, check out these videos. I laughed till I cried at some of these. I’ve got a feeling these are not all the tears I will shed before Monday.

It’s a Foul Wind, Indeed, That Blows No Man Some Good

2010-08-15T07:28:00.002-07:00

Many of you regular visitors to Bolognabrain are aware of the trials and tribulations I have been suffering through as of late. Rehabbing my daughter’s new home, a couple of skin cancers removed from my face and my own family moving in to a new home about a week and a half back were enough to have me reminiscing about the Labors of Hercules. Then, last week, while I was leaving beautiful Amelia Island, Florida, after having played for the kids in all the libraries in Nassau County, as I was heading for I-95 and home, someone hit my car in the rear end and my insurance estimator called yesterday and told me the car was a total loss.

So where is all the good news in this epic?

I have yet to replace my car while I wait to see how much my insurance company values my former “ride,” so I have been using the cars of my wife, daughter, and mother-in-law.

My wife has a pretty cool PT Cruiser convertible, my mother-in-law has her conservative Toyota Camry, and my daughter has the obligatory SUV to haul the little one and all her trappings around. It’s a KIA Something or Other. So today I have the daughters KIA Something or Other and I’m looking around for some interesting CD from her collection to listen to. You may recall I’ve turned my back on radio. My daughter has her Master’s Degree in Theater from The Savannah College of Art and Design and has, what I consider to be, pretty good taste in music. After all, she’s my kid. I listened to You’re a Good Man Charley Brown. I’ve never seen the show and we talked about it for a while. I liked the music, thought the lyrics were too fast and jumbled and way too sophisticated for kids. Maybe I missed something, but it didn’t knock me out. Later in the day, I had her car again while I ran some errands and while fiddling through her CD collection, I ran across The Mommas and Poppas Greatest Hits. GOLD MINE!!! I hadn’t heard them in a long time and within seconds, I was singing at the top of my lungs, one great song after another. All the leaves are brown…, Monday, Monday, Words of Love, I Call Your Name, the autobiographical Creeque Alley, not to mention great covers of Twist and Shout, Do You Wanna Dance and Dancing in the Streets. The harmonies and arrangements were just great. Momma Cass had one of the best voices ever; another giant (no pun intended) silenced before her time. John Phillips, never mind the rumors or what might or might not have been going on with his kids, was a great lyricist and arranger and created a sound that was totally unique in a musical era when totally unique was re-defined on a daily basis. Michelle Phillips and Denny Doherty filled out the quartet, but John and Cass were the driving force. It is music that should be re-visited and honored for what it was. Some music is just too good to be forgotten. The Mommas and the Poppas are one of those groups.

No Surgury is Small When They Are Cutting On Me

2010-08-15T07:28:00.000-07:00

No surgery is small when they are cutting on me, but in the big picture, the three recent procedures I have undergone are not quite as earth shattering as say… open heart operations. They are dealing with Cancer, but the dermatologist informed me right away the growths were benign and so I haven’t been too troubled by this news.

I don’t like needles. To a large extent that’s why I’m not a junkie or covered with tattoos. I don’t like people carving on me, and that keeps me out of Doctor’s offices unless I REALLY have to be there. No ‘well baby” care for me, if you know what I mean. Preventive medicine is great, but I’ll just wait until I’m sick before I go. The other thing about Doctors and their offices is the interminable waiting period to see the mystic, master healer. If I make an appointment with someone, I think they have a right to the expectation that I will honor that commitment to their time. After all, time is all we really have. What we do with it is what defines our lives. So when my Doctor makes an appointment to see me at 1:00, and I rearrange my schedule to make sure I can meet him on his turf at his convenience, I believe he should be punctual. Certainly things happen that can throw one off schedule, but everyone I know seems to have the same problem and I’m not certain there are that many things happening to throw every Doctor off of every schedule everywhere in the world. Gimme a break.

Granted, I come from a family where my parents taught me punctuality was a sign of respect, and I am one of those crazy people who will, in an effort to be sure I’m on time, go find an unfamiliar destination prior to the appointed time, then go kill time somewhere else before returning on time. Old habits die hard.

As difficult as it is to believe, some Doctors will charge you if you don’t cancel an appointment early enough. I had an appointment last Friday. I was there 10 minutes early, looking like crap from the Wednesday appointment when they cut my nose off. They finally got me out of the waiting room because I was scaring the other patients of the plastic surgeon who was repairing the gaping whole in my face. Almost an hour later, the Doctor finally shows. In what other business is that acceptable? What about my time? Is there no value associated with my lost productivity waiting for Doctor God to show up with his magic fingers and tell me what a great job he did and I’m going to be soooo happy? I don’t need a cheerleader. I need a specialist who respects my time as much as I respect his. Is that asking too much?

Years ago I had a partner; a piano player who was never on time for anything. Not for rehearsal, not the gig, not dinner plans, not just to hang out, NEVER. I used to introduce him on stage as “The Late (insert name here)”. Needless to say, he’s not my partner any more. Maybe I’m anal about this, but I believe respect for other people’s time is important. Time is a precious, non recurring asset, non-renewable commodity and we should treat it with deference. I’d like to explore this subject further, but I have an appointment in a little while so I have to go now. I’ve run out of time.

To the Chinese

2010-08-15T07:26:00.001-07:00

As much as American students have been unable to dominate International Educational Competitions, it is harder and harder for me to continue my hardcore Nationalistic tendencies. I prefer to believe that no one, no where can do anything as well as an American. It seems like I am getting my comeuppance all the more frequently, and personally, I don’t like it at all.

Still, when another country does something better than we do, sometimes it is difficult to not acknowledge the fact.

Recently on the news it was reported that China had executed their citizen who had entered a school April 29th, stabbed 28 students, 2 teachers, and a security guard. There has been a spate of attacks on school children, and China has acted quickly and resolutely in disposing of these brazen killers. (It took all my restraint not to call them wonton killers.) Justice has been dispensed rapidly in two of these cases and in approximately thirty days from the time of the crime, executions were carried out.

So why is it that murderers languish in American jails and prisons for years before justice eventually prevails? I am a firm believer in Due Process, but when there is overwhelming evidence and a confession involved, let’s remove these monsters from society and let the aggrieved families begin the healing process. I don’t believe endless appeals that tax the court system accomplish anything except extend the lives of the guilty. Now if there is a question of guilt, every avenue of defense should be utilized to insure that an innocent person is not convicted and executed. In the last few years, there have been too many examples of people behind bars being released because new evidence exonerated them. It’s a pity so many years have been lost to these victims. But when guilt is beyond reasonable doubt, let’s follow the Chinese lead and get the job done.

I know there are many who would like to see the death penalty abolished. I am not one of those people. The Death Row Information Center reports that “Death row inmates in the U.S. typically spend over a decade awaiting execution. Some prisoners have been on death row for well over 20 years.” I can’t stress enough on this touchy subject that I don’t want to see individual liberties limited or discarded, but in the face of overwhelming evidence of culpability, I see no reason to give killers more rights than were received by their victims. I question Chinese human rights violations, and I think they take advantage of the US in international trade regulations. But when it comes to speedy trial and the dispensation of justice, I think they got this one right.

I Hope I'm Wrong - Cancer

2010-08-15T07:07:00.000-07:00

In the last few weeks, I have participated in an American Cancer Society Relay for Life event where I performed and walked, provided music for a Chico’s/White House Black Market “Making Strides Against Breast Cancer fundraiser, and…last week had a benign skin cancer removed from my face. At this point, I’m thinking I’m pretty well personally invested in the worthy cause of eradicating this horrible affliction. I’ve lost immediate family and have current friends suffering even now.

So, here’s the thing. I know this will not be popular, but I am forced to question why no cure for cancer has yet been found. I’m sure just throwing money at a problem is not the solution. Just ask our government. But how many billions of dollars have been raised to fund research to prevent or cure cancer?

Here I go pointing out the $$$ issue again, but I’m forced to consider how big a devastation, worldwide, would be created if a cure or prevention were found. Doctors and their staffs who specialize in treating cancer patients, pharmaceutical companies, research centers, charitable organizations supported by their fundraising efforts, but do pay officers, staff and advertising agencies raising awareness of their efforts… and the list goes on.

I am aware and grateful for advances and technologies that are the fruits of research funded by all these honorable, caring businesses and individuals, and I hate to suggest, even consider, that there may be advances going unannounced because of corporate self preservation concerns.

In years gone by when fuel prices where spiraling upward and Americans were aghast at the price of gas, ideas were floated that there may be technologies locked away in someone’s safe that could revolutionize the energy industry. A new type of motor or an inexpensive, cheap to produce, environmentally safe fuel source would potentially put the world’s major producers and their employees out of business. That would create an economic disaster in its own right. But is it ridiculous to consider the possibility that scenario might have viability?

I doubt if there is a central clearing house that could put any accurate dollar amount on what has been spent on caner research, but I’m certain the number would be astronomical. It just surprises me that with all the money thrown at the Big C, there are really very few major advances to hang our hats on.

God, I hope I’m wrong.

A Little More Oil On My Beach… if you please

2010-08-15T07:01:00.001-07:00

Sometimes I start these articles with a distinct idea in mind, and before you know it, I’ve opened a Pandora’s Box of other issues lurking just behind my conscious thought, waiting for the proper moment to butt in to the controversy of the hour.

Rather than trying to connect two totally different issues, I should be more precise and just go after one at a time. But it’s so hard.

Today, I am so over this oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. I am tired of the major players, pointing fingers at each other. I am angry that our government has let this drag on into a second month without the pipe leak even yet being capped. And I am sickened by the devastation that will continue for who knows how many years to the wetlands and the Americans who depend on the waters of the Gulf to provide a living for their families.

The problems created by this oil spill will have such far reaching consequences, no one can even predict with any degree of accuracy how widespread its reach will extend.

Discussing this with my friend, Mike, yesterday, he commented that, at this point, containment efforts and blame games are rather like trying to figure out how a fire started before you put out the flames.

Bloomberg.com reported at the end of April that BP profits increased from $2.5 billion dollars a year ago to over $6 billion in the first quarter of 2010. Why don’t they stuff that pipe with dollar bills? It sounds to me like they could choke a whale just using petty cash.

Halliburton, also under scrutiny in this fiasco, reported consolidated revenue of $3.8 billion for the same period.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Money is not only the root of all evil, it is also the root of all good. Yet all too often anymore, the greed factor is creating issues where no one wants to take responsibility. Whether it’s Wall Street or Washington, The Gulf of Mexico or the Persian Gulf, Europe, Africa or America, it’s time for the fat cats to stand up with a mea culpa.

I don’t know who’s responsible. I’m not sure I care. I only want someone, other than our government, to step up, plug the oil leak and take a leadership role is fixing this problem. We must not allow to linger for one more day.

CD Release Parties… Taking the Rage by Nation

2010-08-15T07:00:00.001-07:00

I am participating in a CD release party this Saturday night. I’ve been involved in the release of other albums in the past; mine and the work of others, and was thinking the event has become quite the sensation.

I Googled CD release parties, and there were several pages of how to’s, try this’s and even one crime/news article from Oakland, California detailing the aftermath of a CD release party where there were 2 deaths and 4 people injured by gunfire. They really know how to party in California, huh?

The unique thing about this one coming up in Fort Myers, is that it encompasses the work of five different artists. We are all friends, perform in many of the same venues, and are pretty much involved in the greater “acoustic” genre.

The hostess for this event is a fairly amazing young woman, too. Nita Flores runs a coffee shop in the lobby of a real estate office. Hmmmmm. But in the evening, it is not uncommon to find a hundred or more people performing or listening to musicians including professionals, touring and local, amateurs getting their first taste of audience feedback, comics, poets, and there is even band and bluegrass nights. Her Sweet Bean Café has attracted an eclectic following and this Five CD Release Party is just the latest in a series of events with Ms. Flores at the center of some of the most creative individuals in SW Florida.

The players are a varied lot starting with Joe Virga. Joe has a huge voice, beautiful guitar chord patterns, and graceful melodies that embrace emotional lyrics delivered with passion. His newest CD, Stardust Land, takes you on a musical trip from the tropical tune Cabbage Key to the emotional ballad Tender Loving Lies.

Alan Bradford drifted away from music for several years but has come roaring back with more than 30 new songs written in the last year. His introspective lyrics and soft, quiet delivery reminds one of the tenderness of Harry Chapin and Dan Fogelberg.

Roy Schneider is releasing his 3rd CD, Erleichda, and it fits perfectly with his original repertoire that relies focuses on folk, rock, reggae, blues, and bluegrass, a bit of grit, a splash of humor and a twist of lemon. Excellent guitar and vocal skills are helping Roy develop a national reputation and he will be doing a European tour later this year.

John R. Butler writes funny songs, but in the heart and soul of each work, you will probably find a theme or lesson giving you a subtle poke in the eye. Butler is an excellent guitarist, vocalist and lyricist and his latest CD, Soup’s On, is another winner. Gross Exaggeration Magazine calls him, "perhaps the most important songsmith of his--and any other--generation."

I am the fifth performer in the line-up, and regular readers probably know too much about me already. My newest CD is spoken word poetry, Speed-b-b-b-bumps, and has recently earned Parents’ Choice Gold recognition. I know I will have the guitar with me, but I mostly I am going to emcee Saturday nights event.

These CD parties are a great opportunity for artists and listeners to get together to share a communal love of original art, and I’m thinking maybe we should be contacting Guiness Book of World Records for the Largest CD release party on Record. Or CD.

Out of my mind. Now I’m back.

2010-08-15T06:59:00.001-07:00

The last two weeks I have not contributed very much, as I have been out of town and involved in some very time consuming projects. I hope you’ve missed me. Although parts were work and parts were pleasure, I wouldn’t have missed a moment for anything. Many of you know that in addition to my commitment to BB, I also write children’s stories, music and poetry, Last week I was involved in a three day Young Authors Event at a school here in SW Florida. Between planning and executing the daily presentation schedules, leaving home at the crack of dawn and returning at dusk, it consumed my life. But it was worth it. During the conference I played for over 800 students, had lunch with many of them, was entertained by many others, and finished it all up with a family night concert for the parents. I made it in early enough to do a short poem on the morning announcements every day and was high-fiving kids on their way to mom’s car on the way home at the end of the day. By the third day, I walked through the cafeteria and nearly caused a riot as the students left their trays and crowded around for one more question or poem. My friend, Scotty, tells everyone I have a huge fan base, but none of them are over 4 feet tall.

That pretty much ate up the first week, and then the craziness began.

I mentioned Scotty. He’s been a great friend for more years now than I remember, and there are moments when I can’t recall a time when I didn’t know him. We are like long lost brothers who re-connected somewhere along the line. We think alike, tell the same jokes…over and over, and even resemble each other. We are big guys sporting long white beards. We both love to play tennis and we have our own league. It’s the 250 pound and up league, but the truth is, all are welcome. If you can’t make weight… just bring a pizza.

So Scotty turned 60 this week, and we had the opportunity to scoot down to the southernmost point in America to celebrate. Key West. As many years as I have been visiting there, when I cruise on to the island, I always say, “man, I could really live here.” As I leave it’s always the same too. “I could never live here.”

At the outset of the drive, we hit a little raw bar we like in Plantation, Florida for some wings, fries and a couple cool ones. Not that I endorse indulging when one is driving, of course. An hour later we’re in Florida City, and stop to stretch at The Last Chance Saloon. Not that I endorse driving and indulging. We jumped on Card Sound Road, and shortly pulled up in front of historic Alabama Jacks. They have great bands on Saturday afternoons, so we stopped to wet our whistles. Not overdoing it, because restraint is what we are all about.

Next thing you know, we’re heading south again, through Key Largo and Islamorada. We passed on Holiday Isle, and decided to rest for a while at Zane Grey’s for cigars and martinis. We’d been driving a long time and thought it wise to conserve our energy for when we got to Key Weird. We had to go outside to smoke and it was hot as sin, so we passed on the martinis and cigars, had a couple quick beers and hit the road again, commenting on what a good decision is was to not add hard liquor to the mix at that point, because it’s just not a good idea to drive and drink.

Just before Marathon is the Sunset Grill and it was only 45 minutes from Key West, and it was happy hour, so we decided to make one last stop and soak in the local culture.

The Keys are one of natures’ gifts and stretches of US 1 allow you look to one side at the beautiful Atlantic Ocean, turn your head, and gaze out at the gentle Gulf of Mexico. The mangrove islands create an artistic vista that is unmatchable. We finally cruised in to Key West, went to the condo, met up with our friends, and feasted on fried hogfish Reuben’s… sauerkraut, 1000 island dressing and all. Unbelievable.

The rest of the trip is kind of a blur, although I do recall giving literary presentations to two AP/Honors English classes at Key West High School. The tennis was great. The company was better, and on the trip home, we stopped at our most favorite spot, The No Name Pub on Big Pine Key. We were actually so good on the way home, that if you averaged out the trip down and the trip back, we would have never even caught a buzz.

Oh well… looking back it reads like a “Fear and Loathing in the Florida Keys” trip, but it was really nothing like that. It was just some good friends celebrating another birthday milestone on that highway to the hereafter.

Do It Because It Makes You Feel Good

2010-08-15T06:58:00.001-07:00

I woke up this morning and drank in that good feeling you have when you know you’ve done something good for someone else. The truth is, I don’t have that feeling often enough, but I do get out, from time to time, and try.

Yesterday was Relay for Life in Naples, Florida, and as a member of the Naples Parrothead Club, I participated in the walk. Even better, they had a day long concert and

I played a set for several hundred people who were doing something positive in the fight against cancer. I have friends who are currently fighting the good fight. I have family who lost the battle. It is an insidious disease and worthy of our combined efforts to eradicate it. Just like the world did with polio years ago, a cure or prevention must be found.

Yesterday’s Relay is just one very good example of how we can tap in to that “feel good about yourself because you did a good thing feeling.” So many people volunteer these days it is becoming a national trend. I’ve never been labeled as “trendy” but this is one I am comfortable embracing.

In the past I have volunteered as a reader in schools, and am always ready to contribute my meager talents as a performer in support of a charity or benefit. I enjoy making music so much I am generally eager to have any opportunity to play. My wife tells people that when I open the refrigerator door and the light comes on, I do 20 minutes. That’s an exaggeration. It’s more like 10.

There are many opportunities to contribute. I mentioned The Parrotheads earlier. And no, it’s not just a Jimmy Buffet Club. It is a lot of people who tend to enjoy that tropical, laid back lifestyle, though. A lot of these clubs rally around the theme of Party with a Purpose, and to those ends, we support many different charities, participate in beach and highway clean-ups, and use every opportunity to be sociable and enjoy a cool libation.

It’s a good feeling when you help or contribute to a cause that you know in your heart is worthwhile. The next time an opportunity presents itself to you, whether it’s a charity golf/tennis/softball tournament, a chance to volunteer at a school or library, or to make a donation to Goodwill, Salvation Army, or American Veterans, get off your duff and do something nice for someone else. You’ll feel good about yourself. And you might even get a t-shirt.

Throw the Baggage Out

2010-08-15T06:57:00.003-07:00

Watching the local news this morning, they were covering the potential party switch of Florida Governor Charlie Christ as he jockeys for position in his campaign for a US senate seat.

I used to be fairly politically active but over the years I have become more and more disinterested. I have a political affiliation but I don’t vote strict party lines. I was raised to believe every vote counted and it was important to voice your opinion in the booth on Election Day. Since then I’ve become more jaded and I think a lot of Americans feel the same way. The polls are agreeing with me when they show less than 40% of the electorate is supportive of incumbent politicians.

Have Americans lost faith in their elected leaders? I think that’s an unequivocal yes, and it’s my belief there are minimal basic issues contributing to this apathy. As much as I believe money can be the basis of all good things, it can also be the foundation supporting all the bad. I wrote a couple months back that I thought it was wrong when the Supreme Court allowed corporate America to underwrite political campaigns to whatever excess their business plan would allow. It opens a Pandora’s Box letting the minority that controls most of the money to influence the majority who sits at home, watches television and believes everything coming down the information highway.

The second big problem, as I see it, is professional politicians. When freshman congressmen arrive on Capitol Hill, and their first order of business is to get busy getting re-elected, that’s a problem. I want these representatives of “the people” to, first and foremost, look out for us.

I resent the fact that Congress has so many entitlements that Joe Public doesn’t get. From Social Security to medical insurance and lifetime pensions, it’s the best job there is. And they not only spend more time extending their political careers than they do conducting America’s business, they are ineffectual at that. This in-fighting has to stop. It’s time to put America first. I’d like to see an end to politicians who spend their entire careers on the dole.

I suggest we further restrict term limits. How about a requirement for volunteer or public service prior to any type of run for office? Maybe we should just have retired people who have the time to dedicate to the needs of America calling the shots in Washington.

I just know it’s time for a change. Let’s throw out all the useless baggage and start over.

It’s Not My Job

2010-08-15T06:57:00.001-07:00

My introduction to the work force came fairly early in my life. It was about 1962 and I got a neighborhood paper route delivering my hometown newspaper. It didn’t last long because shortly thereafter I broke my leg. It was a skateboard accident. This was in the days before there were designer skateboards. I had a piece of 2x4 about 18 inches long. I took apart one of my roller skates and nailed the front wheel section to the front of the board and the back wheel section to the back of the board and Voila’, I had my skateboard and a ticket to my first broken bone.

I started playing music for tips in coffeehouses in the early 60’s and until I graduated high school that was pretty much it for my employment career.

After school I found a job as a disc jockey at a radio station in Kentucky and that occupied the next five years. The problem was that I was making more money playing guitar in bars than I was earning at the radio station working 40 hours a week. I finally left commercial radio and decided I was born to be a live performer.

That worked for many years until my wife and I decided to embark on the parenthood journey and being the local folksinger was not going to get the hospital paid. A friend recruited me in to the mortgage business and I spent the next five years earning 100K per year and even had insurance. That’s something unheard of if you’re a musician. Then the recession of 1990 hit, and all of a sudden I was making the same money as I had been playing guitar in a bar and getting trashed with my friends every night. This decision was a no-brainer.

No-brainer. That’s a pretty appropriate word. Aside from being extremely well read, I’m not overly educated. I received my high school diploma, but my career training is dreadfully inadequate for anything except being a musician. Still, you can’t live as long as I have and not picked up some skills along the way. And that’s the rub.

I’m not a mechanic, carpenter, electrician or plumber, but I can do a little of all of those jobs. Circumstances and a spouse who has loads of confidence in my ability to do most anything have turned me in to a weak DIY guy.

The reason I mention all this, is my daughter and her husband recently bought a new home. It’s one of those foreclosures that sat vacant for way too long after being neglected by the previous owner who knew he was going to lose the house anyway.

Ninety-five percent of the rehab is being done by my son-in-law’s family and me. So far, I’ve painted the entire inside of the house, including new ceiling paint, tiled and grouted two bathrooms, installed 5 ceiling fans, removed and replaced 2 toilets and assorted vanities and lighting fixtures.

There have been incidents along the way. Like the evening I was connecting the water shutoff valve beneath the sink when it exploded off the water pipe hitting me straight in the face and chest, soaking me to the bone and threatening to ruin all the hardwood flooring that had just been installed. I felt like I was staring down Niagara Falls. I shoved towels into the cabinet, shut the doors and ran outside to turn off the main water supply.

The point is, even though I can do some of these things, I’m not a professional. I’m a musician. The only reason I’m doing this at all is because it’s for my daughter. I hate painting, plumbing, mechanical and electrical work. It’s not my job.

Farmer's Market

2010-08-15T06:56:00.001-07:00

A Farmer’s Market. I know it’s not a new tradition, but the event seems to be exponentially expanding these days. And I think it’s a good thing. As we keep leaning towards greener lifestyles, a place where you can acquire locally grown, organic foods rates a big + in my book. The ability to ignore expiration dates and ingredients that guarantee a shelf life into the next ice age makes me more comfortable than buying some mass produced, chemical laden concoction that is manufactured by the ton.

Growing up in Ohio fresh corn on the cob, green beans, tomatoes, lettuce, cabbage, radishes, and carrots were the norm. I’ve spent the last 35 years living in Florida and locally grown citrus is a given, but there is nothing like having fish, clams, oysters and lobster that were still in the ocean just a few hours ago.

Besides the FF, (freshness factor) we are supporting local business; friends and neighbors who rely, to some extent, on these sale opportunities to put bread on their own tables.

Another side of the Farmer’s Market is the fact that they are becoming more and more of an event. Many areas have a monthly gathering, but even more are doing it on a weekly basis, and many are expanding to include live entertainment.

Just last night I played music at what was called The Twilight Chef’s Market. It was hosted by a local French bakery and the other vendors included original jewelry, fresh local honey, information from the local performing arts center, a jam and jelly provider and best of all, the local liquor store was offering a large wine tasting. This was a small event, but every Thursday in a waterfront park off downtown Fort Myers, there is a real farmer’s market with all the fresh produce you could want, locally grown flowers, and dozens of other items. Some of these events have grown in scope to the size of a small county fair, and dinner tables and lunch boxes are all the richer for what these folks bring to our neighborhoods. Publix, Kroger and Winn Dixie got nothin’ on the local farmer.

Maybe it’s just that I have a farm boy background that I enjoy these encounters so much. When I was in elementary school, my brother and I used to milk cows in the morning before school. We tended the garden, canned and consumed what we grew. It’s a long way from the life I lead now, but my appreciation for that fresh from the field flavor has never diminished and I hope it never does.

Check your local paper and see if there is not a farmer’s market somewhere near you. I know you’ll enjoy the experience and your stomach will thank you.

Florida Writers

2010-08-15T06:54:00.001-07:00

Florida has been a very entertaining place for me to live for the last 35 years. It is populated by some of the most intelligent, empathetic, caring people I have ever known. It is also made up of the dregs of many other states whose castoffs seem to drift to our southern climes. The beaches and the weather probably have a lot to do with that. If you had to sleep under a bridge, better to be where it’s warm.

These crazies have spawned a literary genre of which I have become a big fan - Crime Fiction.

When years ago I first discovered John D. MacDonald and his reluctant hero, Travis McGee, the wheels were set in motion for a long term love affair with mysteries and tropical settings. In more recent years I have discovered many similar authors and have spent significant hours escaping into a fictional world that is made up of people who, at first read, you would say “there couldn’t be anyone like that.” Then a moment later you think, “Wait. I know people exactly like that.”

My re-introduction to these stories that can actually make me laugh out loud was when a friend sent me a novel by Carl Hiaasen, a columnist for the Miami Herald and prolific novelist whose outlandish characters are culled from actual South Florida news stories. After reading the first novel, I proceeded to read everything else he had written. Hiaasen now also writes for children, as do I, and I find his stories appealing and entertaining.

After exhausting the Hiaasen collection, someone suggested reading Tim Dorsey. Dorsey is another newspaper man turned novelist and one of the earliest reviews claimed that he “out Hiaasens, Hiaasen.” I’m not sure that is accurate, but his stories are extremely engaging, populated by a lead character who is described as a “lovable serial killer.’ Serge Storms never kills anyone you would not agree should be “offed.” His victims are a collection of scum and other unsavory people who just don’t understand how one should act in a civilized nation. He also finds the most interesting ways to dispense with these lowlifes. Accompanying Serge is his loveable, drunken, drugged out side kick Coleman who helps drive the plots of these insane stories and always provides additional comic relief. After reading Dorsey’s novel, Florida Road Kill, I was hooked and proceeded to read all his books. I still find myself looking forward to each new adventure and just finished Gator-a-go-go; his latest novel and tribute to Florida’s multi-city Spring Break history and odyssey.

For a while I ran out of stories that made me laugh and I turned to SW Florida favorite Randy Wayne White. He is a great storyteller and his protagonist, Doc Ford, is more along the lines of Travis McGee. He is a Brett Maverick, Rockford kind of hero. The kind of guy who would prefer not to get involved, but a moral code that makes it imperative that he right the wrongs and save the girls from whatever evil is about to befall them.

Along the way I also discovered Lawrence Shames, a New Jersey transplant to Key West and J.D. Gordon whose hero, Chicago firefighter Eddie Gilbert fits right in with stories set in South Florida and The Caribbean. I know there are other authors I’ve omitted, but theses are a few of my favorites and if you have experience with any of them, I’d love to hear your comments.

It’s no secret that I love to read. Getting lost in a good story is one of my favorite diversions and my family understands that when I am involved in a book, I seldom do more than eat and go to the bathroom. It is an all encompassing experience where I submerge myself and only resurface when I reach the end.

I know everyone who likes to read has different preferences, but if you’ve never tried a good Florida crime mystery, give it a try. You might just fall in love with this insane state I call home.

I Don’t Need No Doctor

2010-08-15T06:53:00.003-07:00

I haven’t weighed in on the Health Care debate, primarily because I try to avoid entanglements with doctors whenever I can. I think of myself as something of a manly man. The rest of my family thinks I’m stubborn, getting senile or just plain crazy.

Pick one. Maybe I’m just old fashioned but I think “well baby care” is for babies and real men only go to the doctor when they are sick. So much for preventive maintenance.

I guess part of my problem with the medical industry is that once they get their hooks in to you, they don’t want to let go. I go see this doctor because of this issue, and he wants me to see four other doctors to have a battery of tests to determine if there are other issues that I probably don’t want to know about in the first place. Just fix the problem I came in for and let’s part friends. But noooooooooo!!! Let me refer you to Doctor A for a stress test, Doctor B for a colonoscopy, and how long has it been since you had blood work done? Truth be told, I prefer my wife’s advice. She suggests that if I feel tightness in my chest or numbness in my arms or legs to “Just lie down. Don’t call anyone. Go in to the light.” She can be so thoughtful, sometimes.

As I get older, I find that I am going do visit doctor’s way more than I ever wanted to. I always imagined the worst possible death would occur while waiting to be called in some sterile waiting room.

Recently I had a bacterial infection. It was on a Sunday so I went to the walk-in clinic. They took good care of me in short time with a quick antibiotic injection and a prescription. I was OK with that until the Doc added, “How long since you’ve seen a Urologist?” I could see it coming. As luck would have it, the Clinic had a relationship with my family doctor and so they made the appointment with someone they knew was in my insurance circle. Lucky me.

I had also become aware that I could possibly have a couple small skin cancers on my face. I mentioned it in passing to my family doctor as I was seeing her to get my annual prescription re-fill on hypertension meds, and again, they were kind enough to make an appointment for me with a Dermatologist within their circle.

Now here is where it starts to get interesting. I had the appointment dates on my calendar and even had the correct doctors’ names, but confused which physician I was seeing about which issue.

I arrived at the Dermatologists’ office, good book in hand so I could read until either the nurse or St. Peter called me. Later that day I was summoned to see the doctor. He finally comes in to the examining room and as I’m preparing to show him the spot on the end of my nose, he says drop you pants and underwear. I’m thinking to myself that I’m not that kind of girl, when, with a blinding flash of clarity, I realize I’m either at the wrong doctor for the right ailment or the right doctor for the wrong ailment. No matter what, I was not prepared for what followed. Turn your head and cough. Put your elbows on the table and relax. RELAX??? Are you g#k&%8j@ me? There are just some encounters one must mentally prepare for, and I was not in the moment.

A week later I finally see the real Dermatologist and he biopsied both areas of concern plus one to grow on. When I left that office I had enough white bandages on my face to get a supporting actor role in The Return of The Return of the Mummy.

I guess I know in my heart of hearts that the medical community does have my best interests in mind, and discovering something serious early is better than having some disease devour me alive. But I still feel like they arrange appointment after appointment after appointment because the doctor’s car payment on the new Jaguar is due.

Anyone for Tennis?

2010-08-15T06:53:00.001-07:00

I’m sitting here at the computer writing. I have the Sony Ericsson Tennis Tournament from Key Biscayne, Florida on the flat screen. I really like tennis. Not like I like the NFL, but a lot. The difference is I don’t play football. I do play tennis. I’m a hack. 3.5 USTA guy. But I love to compete in singles or with my friends and/or teammates in some doubles league play. I prefer to win, but if I lose, it’s still better than not playing at all.

I have three friends scattered around the state, and we gather every year to attend the tournament on the first Monday. It’s always good matches and we’ve had the opportunity to see the best players in the world on the stadium and grandstand courts, also at some of the smaller outside courts; the ones that are not televised. A couple years back we even had the chance to watch, rom about 15 feet away, Andy Roddick right next to Maria Sharapova on side by side practice courts. I appreciate Andy because he’s passionate about his sport and he’s an American. Hey, I’m nationalistic. America first. But on the other hand, I do have this thing for Maria Sharapova. Tennis aside, she’s beautiful and a few years back she did a Canon camera commercial that ended with this “come hither” smile, that still makes me have to go to the bathroom just thinking about it. Yeah, yeah, yeah, sometimes she’s a little weird and grunts too loud, but then again, she’s like the song “Tall and tan and young and lovely, the girl from Siberia goes walking and when she passes each one she passes goes, aaaahhhh.”

So anyway, this year we were rained out, the first time in our history of attending the event. I not only missed what is always a great day of sports, I missed the camaraderie of my friends. I have competed against and with all of them, and it’s a regular boys’ day out.

One of the other traditions that accompanies our annual trip to The Tennis Center at Crandon Park, is the trip home. All us poor schmucks park on Virginia Key and they bus us 10 minutes over to the park. At the end of the day, they bus us back. We usually have a cold one in the parking lot in preparation for the battle back up I-95 to Fort Lauderdale. It never fails that we exhaust or supply of “cold ones” as we talk over the events of the day. That’s where the highlight comes in.

There is a place on Virginia Key that is like no other. It’s called Jimbo’s. It’s a fish camp with cold beer, smoked fish and a clientele that refuses to be pigeonholed. Ya have to see it to believe it. The site is so unique it has been used as a location in several movies, magazine cover settings, video backgrounds and scenes in countless novels. It’s probably an environmental hazard but the people who continue to patronize Jimbo’s know it is a piece of Florida history that could never be re-created if it were lost. I know I missed watching great tennis this year. I am diminished because I lost an opportunity to share time with friends who I don’t see often enough anymore. And then again, I missed the chance to visit one of the most charismatic locations in Florida… Jimbo’s.

Use Your Turn Signal

2010-08-15T06:52:00.001-07:00

I travel a lot. The truth is I like to travel. As a musician and performer, for many years it was necessary for me to be close to home. My wife had a real job, and I was usually home during the day. I took the kids to cheerleading, softball, dance, piano… whatever the diversion of the week happened to be at the time. It worked well that I had the flexibility to “be there” and I think my relationship with my kids is a direct result of the time we spent together and the conversation we shared. They would go to bed and I would grab my guitar and head out to the club to make music, have a cocktail with friends and get paid. Life was good but, by necessity, it was always close to home.

Now, my girls are grown, having kids of their own. My Mrs. has a career where she is capable, highly respected, and very successful, and I have the ability to pursue my music and art at ever greater distances. When I was young and unencumbered, I loved being on the road. The freedom to go when and where I wanted was great. The confidence derived from my self sufficiency was immeasurable and I embraced it.

Of course there is a downside to travel. Other drivers. There are probably motorists who think the same thing about me but, of course, they’re wrong.

Here are just a few of my pet peeves or suggestions to improve life on the highways, byways and side streets of our lives. Some of these are so easy I wonder why everyone doesn’t simply comply without being asked.

Use your turn signal. How easy is that? Let traffic ahead, behind and approaching your vehicle know what you intend to do with your multiple tons of automobile. If it pays to advertise, inform other motorists of your driving intentions and make the streets a safer place. Even pedestrians will appreciate your kindness. And, by the way, if your turn isn’t sharp enough for the auto “return the signal indicator back to the neutral position” device to activate, turn it off manually so everyone doesn’t think your turning… but you’re not!!!

Highway driving contains a whole set unique hazards that, again, can be handled with common sense. Rule 1. If cars are passing you on the right, you are in the wrong lane. Period. Move over. Look first. Use your turn signal. Rule 2. Be aware that people on long distance trips may be using Cruise Control. Boxing them in behind a slower car just interrupts the flow. If you know you’re going to pass, do it efficiently so as not to disrupt the cruise. Never. May I say never… ride side by side with another car impeding the ability of drivers behind you to pass. If they are speeding, it’s not your problem. It’s the cops’ problem and you should just get the hell out of the way. And again… when you move over, use your turn signal.

Like many of us, my first driving lessons came from my father and the best lesson he ever taught was to always drive defensively. Expect the other driver to do the unexpected and you won’t get surprised. With more and more cars on the road everyday, we have growing numbers of younger and older drivers to contend with. And that’s not to say that all of us in the middle are doing that great a job to begin with. The rearview and side mirrors have a purpose use them. A lot. Look over your shoulders before you change lanes. And should I add, use your turn signal.

One last request. Look out for Bikers. Look twice. I know some of them have a death wish, doing a 100 on the Interstate, weaving in and out of traffic like a slalom run, but most don’t. And they don’t deserve to die prematurely because someone didn’t see them.

It’s not about bigger or faster cars anymore. A small, energy efficient hybrid can kill you just as easy as an SUV. Drive safe. Use your seat belt. And use your turn signal.

Fathers Be Good to Your Daughters

2010-08-15T06:51:00.001-07:00

Out of my mind, be back soon. The last two weeks have been such a blur; I have to write down where I’ve been in an effort to justify why my body is currently rejecting me.

Friday, March 5th, 6 – 10, played music @ The French Connection, Fort Myers

Saturday, March 6th, 7 – 11, played music @ Cheeseburger in Paradise, Fort Myers

Sunday, March 7th, 7 a.m. – Walk in Medical Clinic Fort Myers. 102 degree fever, bladder infection, injection + antibiotics

Sunday, March 7th, 7 p.m. – Flew to Atlanta to assist son-in-law with move back to Florida where daughter and granddaughter will return to the nest while he serves in the Army. Go Kyle. We’re all proud of you.

Monday, March 8th, crack of dawn till 2:30, load truck, clean house in Georgia, drive to Orlando for the night

Tuesday, March 9th, Drive to Okeechobee, Florida and eliminate ¼ of the truck load

Tuesday, March 9th, continue on to Fort Myers warehouse and eliminate another ¼ of the truck load.

Wednesday, March 10th, some truck items come in to apartment, some apartment items go on truck.

Wednesday, March 10th, back to warehouse to unload some items that didn’t get unloaded Tuesday.

Wednesday, March 10th, drive to Deerfield Beach, Florida and unload rest of truck in the garage of the foreclosure house my other daughter bought on Tuesday, March 9th.

Wednesday, March 10th, drop off truck in Fort Lauderdale, drive home to Fort Myers in time for dinner.

Thursday, March 11th, drive back to Deerfield Beach and unload my car full of other items that go to the new house.

Thursday, March 11th, see Gordon Lightfoot perform at Parker Playhouse, Ft. Lauderdale. Great show, BTW.

Friday, March 12th, remove crappy track lights in new house and cut in ceiling paint in preparation to paint the ceiling. Later that day, paint the ceiling.

Saturday, March 13th, cut in paint in preparation for painting the rest of the inside of the house.

Sunday, March 14th, paint the inside of the house. Finish at 5:00, drive home to Fort Myers in time for dinner.

At this point I have +/- 300 trips in and out of a moving van. Several hundred additional trips up and down ladders, spent hours straining to look up while painting a ceiling, and rolling paint throughout the rest of the new house.

I’m tired. I ache. And if my daughters needed me to do it all over again, I would start now.

I love them, and am so proud of them. Emily has given us a beautiful granddaughter, Olivia, who just turned 11 months old and they are now living with us. Jessica will be bringing a bouncing baby boy into our world in late May or Early June. At dinner a couple nights ago, it was announced that Olivia will have a sibling and the rest of the family will have someone special to celebrate at Thanksgiving this year. Three grandchildren under the age of 2. Aches and pains be damned. We are truly blessed.

Go Red White and Blue

2010-08-15T06:50:00.001-07:00

As the Olympics are winding down, I still have a buttload of nationalism coursing through my veins like a an out of control White Freightliner careening down a black ice covered I-75 heading North, downhill out of Jellico, Tennessee. I can’t seem to help having this “America against the world” mindset, and I often extrapolate that feeling into other areas where my country competes with the rest of the planet.

Consider the American trade deficit, and it’s easy to see we are losing that battle on so many different fronts it should embarrass any worker, business owner or government official whose job it is to market our products worldwide. Even though the Chinese are exporting tainted toys and pet foods, and Japanese auto giant Toyota is being “outed’ for hiding and denying existing problems with their automobiles, they are still selling more to us than we are buying from them. Advantage: The Far East.

In education our kids have been playing catch-up in international math and science competitions for years now and, according to Answers.com, the top five nations in terms of “Countries with the best educational systems”, in order they are: Finland, China, United Kingdom, Japan and the good old U.S of A. Finland???

There is some good news here, though. Graduation rates, as a nation have been on a gradual rise in the last few years. Nearly 70% of high school students are now graduating although there are areas that don’t even come close to that. Nevada only graduates about 42% of its seniors. And say what you will about New Jersey, they get 82% of their kids out the door with a diploma.

Education is key to America’s success in a world market and creating an environment where our kids can learn is of paramount importance. The current global economic slowdown has wreaked havoc with millions of our neighbors, as well as our friends around the world, but if we short change our educational systems, we are going to find ourselves in a downward spiral that can only end in disaster. When schools are not receiving the funds they need to create an atmosphere where our kids can succeed, that’s wrong. When The Arts are not included in school curriculums along with Reading, Writing and Arithmetic, that’s wrong. When teachers are being denied tenure, yet the federal bureaucratic payroll is increasing, congressmen are getting pay raises and lobbyists are defining Washington’s agenda… THAT’S WRONG.

I love competition. I believe it is one of the forces and factors keeping America great and strong. And I give a lot of credit to schools like Navy, Boston College, Notre Dame, Stanford, Wake Forest, Duke, and Air Force who graduate more than 90% of their student athletes.

Competition requires participants to excel to succeed. Whether it’s in business, education, sports or politics, the best always rise to the top. It’s the nature of the beast. Survival of the fittest.

Personally, like Lee Greenwood, I’m proud to be an American, and I am so proud of our Olympians, whether they won medals or at least had the opportunity to compete on a world stage. Let’s see our legislators, business, and educational leaders do as well. Go Red White and Blue.

All Ya Need is Love

2010-08-15T06:49:00.001-07:00

I’m not the most religious guy you ever met, but I know I am imbued with a modicum of spirituality. I believe in The Golden Rule. I think the 10 commandments are pretty good ideas to live by, even if you don’t adhere to one or another religions’ dogma.

It’s almost as if The Golden Rule was a constitution and the defining commandments an ancient bill or rights… or wrongs.

The GR makes it all so simple, and it works on so many different levels it has the potential to cure nearly all our ills if we just heed the message.

Eleven words that have the potential to define every human relationship – Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you. They are elegant in their simplicity, yet the message is so deep that if everyone embraced it, the potential for changing the world for the better is enormous.

It can be as innocuous as offering a smile or kind word to a stranger, allowing someone to make a left turn or merge into traffic ahead of you, giving your tennis opponent the benefit of the doubt on a line call or showing, rather than telling, your family what they mean to you.

I have a very good friend who attends a “Mega” church, and I have joined him for services a few times. The music is amazing with a 12 piece rhythm section, a dozen featured vocalists, and occasionally a 65 voice back-up choir. The arrangements sound like something John Williams would have composed after Star Wars or Superman; very inspirational. The minister, Pastor Bob, has a Las Vegas showroom background, and has a delivery as smooth as any “Headline” comedian. The thing is… he’s not extremely preachy. He talks about all of us taking care of each other. It reminds me of growing up in the 60’s when we were all hoping to go live on The Beatle’s private island. And there are times, when I sit there surrounded by 4000 strangers when I feel like he’s talking just to me. It’s very weird, yet very comforting. I have another friend, a bartender with whom I work in a pub where I play music sometimes. She and I were talking and it turns out she attends the same church. She says the reason she goes is because “she feels better when she leaves.” I’m not ready to jump in to this pool head first, but it’s hard to find fault with an event that makes you feel better just because you were there.

As I read the newspaper or catch the latest on Good Morning America, I am more and more appalled at man’s inhumanity to man. From violent crimes against women and children to the atrocities committed by governments and terrorists worldwide, we need to stop and re-focus. Simplify. Come on people, now. Smile on your brother. Everybody get together. Try to love one another right now. Right now. Right now.

Books Change Lives

2010-08-15T06:48:00.001-07:00

Books changing lives was the theme for the 2010 Amelia Island Book Festival in Fernandina Beach, Florida. After nearly a decade of producing this large, always successful event in Northeast Florida, the directors, volunteers, sponsors, and visiting authors have created a gathering that is becoming one of the jewels of the national literary scene.

I have been selected to participate as a children’s author and musician at the last four AIBF’s, and it has become my favorite reading festivals.

A book festival is a variety of events that include author workshops, school visits, concerts, poetry, & storytelling, all in celebration of the written word.

Pat Conroy (Prince of Tides, Beach Music) and his daughter, Melissa, who is debuting her new children’s book, Poppy’s Pants, hosted a dinner. Jeff Shaara, (Gods & Generals) son of Michael Shaara, Pulitzer Prize winning author of The Killer Angels which became the television miniseries Gettysburg, hosted an author luncheon where 16 other featured authors anchored a table of guests. Yours truly was honored to head a table and was also recognized by the Book Festival board of directors as The Outstanding Children’s Author for the festival, an award given in memory of the late Kyla Roberts.

Friday, the 12th, started with an author visit to Bryceville Elementary School, where I performed 3 shows that included all the students from kindergarten through 5th grade. The kids were great, and my program of interactive music, poetry, and storytelling was received with enthusiasm. Later that afternoon, I did a concert at The Boys & Girls Club of Yulee, a suburb of Fernandina Beach, and it too was a wonderful experience. Nearly 200 kids, with an average age of nine, gathered in a room for my presentation, and at one point, in the middle of a story, you could have heard a pin drop. I mention this in appreciation for those kids and their kindness to me. Hearing music and stories they had never heard before, it had to be a struggle to sit still and pay attention for nearly 45 minutes. They rose to the occasion and we ended up with a major win/win situation. They were so good, I just wanted to do the best show I could for them, and in return they let me know that the material I have created is not only high quality, but highly entertaining. I love that.

Saturday was mostly author signings and our last evening on Amelia Island was filled with a delicious waterfront dinner, cocktails, and a return to our room with the fireplace.

I’ve been a musician and performer for over 40 years, and anyone in this business knows it takes a certain amount of ego to go out there and put your talent on the line. I’m ok with that, but even having written and performed for kids for the last 15 years, I am still searching for acceptance in this genre. I agree that Books Change Lives, but so do Book Festivals. Thank you Amelia Island for taking me under your wing.

Don't Call Me Shirley

2010-08-15T06:47:00.001-07:00

A generation ago, back in the 60’s, when Rowan & Martin’s Laugh In, The Smother’s Brother’s Comedy Hour and Saturday Night Live were not only in their prime, but absolutely cutting edge, no entity was too big to be spared the hilarious, surgical dissection that was a trademark of those shows. The government, the military, multi-national conglomerates were all taken to task for the follies they perpetuated on the American public and the world in general. I want to believe they had an effect on policy, but they made sure that everyone knew what was going on in back rooms, and behind bureaucratic closed doors.

The only survivor or those days is the ubiquitous Saturday Night Live, but any way you look at it… this is not your parents’ Saturday Night Live. Seth Myers’ Weekend Update is generally the highlight of the show, but still falls short of the old days and the way they took the powers that be to task for the idiocracy they continue to perpetuate on all of us struggling to keep our heads above water.

Just this morning on GMA, Jake Tapper was reporting a story about California’s largest insurance company, Anthem Blue Cross, raising rates nearly 40%. More than 10 times the rate of inflation. At the same time, their parent company, Wellpoint, Inc. earned 2.7 BILLION dollars in the LAST QUARTER of 2009. WTF. Long deceased Illinois Senator Everett Dirksen is credited with the line “a billion dollars here and a billion dollars there, and before long, you’re taking real money.”

Here’s the kicker. Anthem Blue Cross is justifying this increase with the argument that the economy and rising health costs are forcing people to drop their insurance creating a smaller insurance pool, and the people left have significantly higher medical needs.

After years of gargantuan profits, when they have to start paying back, they, unjustifiably, add more pain to the suffering middle class.

Personally I’m sick of it all. Going to a hospital and paying $25.00 for an Advil is ridiculous. When you can’t afford to get sick, something is wrong with the system.

And that is just one of many systems that are broken.

I’m in the middle of switching Internet Providers. Between Internet, digital telephone, and cable TV, the bill is over $200 per month. How can that be? And that’s not including what I spend on AT&T. I guess I’m just getting old and stupid. We just bought a loaf of multi-grain bread for nearly $4.00. IT’S A LOAF OF BREAD. My favorite breakfast cereal is more than $4.00 a box. Cheezits are more than $4.00 a box and I don’t even want to start talking about toilet paper. The whole world is out of control. Like Howard Beale in Network, “I’m as mad as hell and I’m not gonna take it anymore.” We need to simplify and the sooner the better.

With the record freezes we’ve had recently, even in the face of our catastrophic Global Warming, we are already told to brace for higher prices on produce and citrus. Florida Power and Light sent me a lovely note last week, preparing me for the fact that my next bill was going to be significantly higher than the previous one due to that cold snap. I think they were softening me up for the kill shot. I was thinking of Mohamed Ali when he used to “jab, jab, and follow with the big right hand.” How’d ya like a nice Hawaiian Punch? Surely I’m not doing that old joke. And don’t call me Shirley.

The Day After the Music Died

2010-08-15T06:46:00.001-07:00

I am blessed. Not only have I loved music as far back as I can remember, I have been honored to be a musician and performer for 50 years. Not only have I played for pay in

at least a thousand bars and restaurants, I have been invited to bring my music in to friends living rooms, back yards and garages. I have been a musical part of weddings and funerals. The last few years I have played in more than 60 schools, hundreds of libraries and lots of reading festivals. I have truly loved the music that has defined my life.

For some time now, I’ve had an idea for an article I wanted to write, but with the best Grammy Show in years airing a couple days ago, and yesterday being the anniversary of the day the music died, I felt like I should hold off for a bit. Today I decided it was OK to go ahead and this is what I wanted to say.

That day, 50 years ago, when we lost Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper and Richie Valens was, indeed, devastating. But in retrospect we know the music didn’t actually die. If it had there would never have been a John Lennon, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, or Harry Chapin. My issue is I think we’ve been slowly but surely killing it ever since, and a big part of the problem is audiences.

Maybe this subject is a little personal to me because I’m that guy up there behind the microphone. But speaking for all of us who put of hearts, not to mention egos, on the line in an attempt to entertain, earn a living or as Kris Kristofferson wrote “feed that hunger in my soul”, a little respect, now and then, might be in order.

I have never expected everyone who comes to places where I play to sit and hang on every word. I understand that not everyone is there to marvel over my mastery of an instrument or my extraordinary way of delivering a lyric, but you don’t have to make my job harder. Case in point. On a recent Saturday night, towards the end of the evening when things were slowing down, a group of 8 adults with 10 kids came in to the place where I was playing. Normally I like playing for children and have focused my creative energies on writing for them for nearly 15 years. But adults who refuse to parent are another matter. After the little ones had their quick dinner, the parents allowed them to run wild, inside and outside the restaurant. There were other parties still finishing meals or drinks and the amount of noise and commotion created had an impact on everyone’s evening.

I use this as an example of people showing up “fashionably late” to concerts and theater productions, creating a nuisance for everyone who planned adequately and showed up on time. Whether it’s an amphitheater, a concert hall or a high school gym, there should be etiquette and respect for the art, even if not for the artist. It will be the rare musician who hasn’t had a group sit right next to the bandstand and then complain about the volume. I used to say, “If you think it’s too loud, you’re too old.” I got older and I don’t say that anymore, but give the guy on the stage a break. By the same token, as a one man band, acoustic guitar and vocal, no drums, no bass, I have often had large parties sit next to my stage and drown out the music that I am purposely keeping low and mellow so as not to interfere with their evening out. It’s just so difficult to perform You’ve Got a Friend while some idiot is cheering and screaming about The Stinking Jets.

Part of the problem, as I see it, is not recognizing talent when one sees it. As a nation, we are allowing The Arts to be eliminated by budget cuts in our schools, and kids are not getting the opportunity to develop an appreciation of real music done really well. I recently received an email with this story from The Washington Post dated April 8th, 2007. It is the story of one of the greatest violinists in the world today, playing one of the finest instruments in existence performing for nearly an hour at a train station in Washington DC. This story and video are well worth the few minutes it takes to read and listen, and you decide for yourself if we are, indeed, committing musical murder.

My Getup & Go (and my memory) Got Up and Went

2010-08-15T06:45:00.001-07:00

Recently, I received an email joke showing the Google toolbar. You could read the search line and it read, “Where did I leave my keys?” Below was the response… “On top of the refrigerator, (expletive deleted).” It made me laugh because I could relate. I seem to be having more memory issues than I used to have; at least more than I can remember. Hmmmm. I mentioned recently that I turned 59 in December and I am still having difficulty embracing that number. I keep telling myself that 60 is the new 40, but I’m not as convincing as I would like to be.

I’m sure some of the memory lapses could be attributed to the excesses to which I have lent my support for the more than 40 years I have been a professional musician.

There is no doubt that anyone who has participated in an occupation for the number of years I have mine, has had the occasional goof or “brain fart.” No doubt there has been an attorney who forgot his briefcase, a doctor who misplaced his black bag, a cop who forgot his gun. Well, I pulled a personal, all time best this week, and it really made me stop and reflect. Here’s what happened.

For those of you who follow our BB musings, you may know that I am an old “folkie” , singer/songwriter also covering some of my favorite acoustic music from the 60’s & 70’s: James Taylor, Harry Chapin, Gordon Lightfoot, Jimmy Buffet, Jim Croce, etc. I also write music, poetry and stories for kids and their families. Tuesday, this week, I left SW Florida and drove up to Tampa for an evening, family night, reading event at an elementary school. I arrived plenty early to set up my sound system, do the sound check and still relax for a while before the crowd arrived. Finally it’s Showtime and the program went really well. The kids, their parents, the teachers, even the principal let me know how much they appreciated the program, as I sold, personalized and signed books and CD’s.

Finally my PA system is broken down, loaded on the cart and ready to pack in to my car. It’s not exactly like “last call” in a bar, but the only people left are the custodians, the Media Specialist, and her assistant. I make my goodbyes, with many thanks for allowing me the opportunity to come share my music and stories, get in my car and head for the Interstate and the 2 hour drive home.

Starting a new audio book on CD as I’m heading South, I let my imagination and mind wander as the story carries me along and the miles melt away.

I arrive home, pull in to underground parking, back my car in to my space, get out; open the back door to get my guitar and it’s not there. Looking over the back seat I notice the PA system is also not there. I flash back to the school parking lot where I had hauled everything out to the sidewalk. I was going to move my car closer to the cart, but I just drove away with my guitar, speakers, amplifier/mixer, speaker stands, wireless microphones. two turtledoves and a partridge in pear tree just sitting there behind the school. Bugs Bunny would have said “What a maroon.”

Walking in to the apartment, my wife took one look at my face and asked, “What’s wrong.” It was that obvious. I told her and did my best not to freak out.

Trying to keep my “half” wits about me, I called the Hillsborough County Sheriffs office to tell them what I had done and asked if there was any way they could help me. They switched me over to The Tampa Police Department, and I told my embarrassing story again. They were kind enough to take my number, dispatch an officer to the school and within half an hour, he called me back with news that he had walked around the whole school and there was no guitar or sound system to be found. At this point I believed someone from the school had found it and moved it back inside. It was either that or believe it was gone forever. Somehow I did get to sleep, and called the school at 7:30 the next morning. They checked, and sure enough all my equipment was inside the cafeteria. The happy ending did include another round trip to Tampa and back to Fort Myers, but it was better than the alternative.

Now I have gone to gigs before without my guitar. I’ve called my wife, more than once, and asked if she could drive to my gig and bring me my picks and Capo. I seem to be raising the bar on my screw ups, but I have never left my entire PA and guitar and driven away. This is the crowning achievement in my own personal hall of shame. In retrospect, all I could think of was the old Rolling Stones song that started out “What a drag it is getting old.”

Red Headed Step-child

2010-08-15T06:44:00.001-07:00

As a lifelong musician, sometimes I feel like Rodney Dangerfield, as far as getting no respect. I’m a folky. I’ve never been a “Rocker” although growing up my favorite band was The Who. I loved Alvin Lee and Ten Years After, even some of the exotic European bands like Uriah Heep and The Keef Hartley Band we’re high up on my list of preferred listening. I was lucky enough to get in to radio right out of high school and was a DJ for about 5 years, getting exposure to all genres of R&R. The thing was, that even being raised on Country Music by my parents, I started slipping in to the more acoustic, folky music that was going on. I loved the harmonies of The Kingston Trio and The Limelighters. I cracked up at the humor of The Smothers Brothers. Their music was simple - guitar and bass, yet it was all it needed to be. Then, during the early 60’s things got really interesting. Of course the Beatles, Stones, Cream, Hendrix, The Doors and The Dead were the cutting edge, but there was also an acoustic thing happening with groups like Gerry and the Pacemakers, The Buckinghams, Peter & Gordon, Lovin’ Spoonful, Donovan and Peter, Paul and Mary, not to mention Dylan, Reverend Gary Davis, Josh White and more people than I have room or time to pay tribute to. I opted for the folky side and have never regretted it nor looked back.

This past weekend, I played an old favorite pub in Fort Lauderdale. It’s had a dozen names since I moved there in 1975, but the atmosphere is still comfortable and laid back. It was great re-connecting with lots of old friends, as I don’t live in Broward anymore, but the real highlight of the weekend came on Sunday in West Broward in the country oriented community of Davie.

For many years The Broward Folk Club hosted the South Florida Folk Festival and it was growing in size and reputation with every passing year. Then the hurricanes came and wiped out the county park that served as the site with room for several different stages and plenty of space for camping and the signature campfire jam sessions that always lasted long into the night.

Without a home for the festival, it went on hiatus for several years and was finally resurrected at a country western bar called The Roundup, and now, once again, the show goes on. The truth is, I like country bars, and the seating, sight lines and sound system all worked for me in the indoor venue.

Sleeping in a bit on Sunday morning, I missed the first couple acts, but made it in time to hear the wonderful Amy Carol Webb, a singer/songwriter with excellent material, original and cover. Aside from her anthem, I Come from Women, she also featured the song Shooting Star by Harry Chapin and Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen. She made the songs uniquely her own. There came a couple more non-descript acts, but late in the afternoon, a quartet called Work of the Weavers, who featured material while including stories from the history of this group, started by Pete Seeger, and credited with showing the legions of folkies that followed how it was done. The voices of the people and the politics of a nation in recovery, almost like we are now, were reflected in the lyrics, hope and spiritualism that mirrored what was going on in America and the world at the time. The Work of the Weavers Group was authentic and brought the crowd to their feet.

One of the reasons I attended the festival is one of my friends from here in Fort Myers, Roy Schneider performed. Roy’s crisp guitar work, enlightening, often humorous lyrics and voice of experience is gaining a nationwide reputation and he is well worth a listen. In addition to his music, Roy is also a comic strip artist and his work was featured in some prestigious, national newspapers before he took time away to focus exclusively on his music. Check him out.

Even though we “folkies” are perhaps the red headed step child in the Rock & Roll family, there are still big time contributors and, as UsedToy fittingly gives a nod of appreciation to the stars and musicians who have influenced us all as they go quietly in to that dark night, know there is new talent waiting to pick up the pace and continue the race.

2010-08-15T06:42:00.000-07:00

As much as many of us still pursue our own personal fifteen minutes of fame, one must admit that, at times, media coverage is completely out of control.

Two cases in point - the Tiger Woods “transgressions,” and the Salahis’ alleged crashing of President Obama’s first state dinner.

As for Tiger, I maintain it’s nobody’s business. Tiger and his wife will ultimately have to figure out what happened, why it happened, what can be done to insure it never happens again, and is what did or did not happen too serious for their family to ever overcome. One way or another, life will be forever changed at the Woods’ house and nothing anyone else ever says is going to help them through what is certainly going to be a difficult time.

As to the story surrounding the Salahi publicity hounds, they have, at the very least, proved to be instrumental in uncovering security lapses in White House guest protocol. Going forward we should all be confident that our leaders and their guests will be thoroughly vetted in advance and identified beyond the shadow of a doubt prior to entry. And that’s a good thing. But a subpoena by Congress? Come on now. Don’t we have bigger issues facing our nation that require our elected officials compete attention?

Once upon a time slow news days presented opportunities for stories that were essentially non-stories, to break out - to get their splash. Now, the trials and tribulations of John and Kate, let alone their eight, provide foolish fodder for networks, newspapers, and the Internet to the point where I want to cry out ENOUGH!

Michal Jackson has left the building. Let him go.

There seems to be a never ending supply of non-news, and the purveyors of this pablum are intent on wringing every pathetic ounce of possible amusement for your viewing, reading, or listening pleasure.

Have we become such a nation of voyeurs, with lives so empty and meaningless, that the only distractions we enjoy are the misery and missteps of our all too human and fallible friends, family, neighbors and, yes, heroes?

That’s Entertainment?

I don‘t mean to go all “Andy Rooney” on you here, but I’m giving notice. I’m getting out that old yellow and black triangle that hung in the back window of my car when the kids were small that said “Baby on Board.” I’m changing it to “Baby I’m Bored.”

Recycled Material on the Way

2010-08-15T06:29:00.000-07:00

I have been blogging with my nephew for the last few months on Bolognabrain.com and have neglected this site. I am going to re-post my thoughts from BB for those of you who may have missed them. It's mostly random thoughts about whatever happens to be tripping my trigger at the time. I will endeavor to be more current from here on out. Thanks for reading. Your comments are always welcome...

Even the Dog

2010-01-14T13:27:00.000-08:00

I live in a household made up, except for me, entirely of women. Even the dog. There is a plaque that hangs in the bathroom that says “Mirror, mirror on the wall… I am my mother after all.” On the entertainment center, there is a photograph of my mother-in-law, my wife, and my two daughters that proclaims “Three Generations.” BTW, it is four very attractive women. The first installment of the fourth generation turned 9 months old today, and my younger daughter will be contributing her addition to the family in June. Now, I really love women. Even the dog. But there are moments that can be contentious and exasperating. I have come to understand that I am the low end of the food chain and I try not to upset the applecart any more than is necessary, but sometimes I just want to have my way. (Whine) As a musician, I realize that I really do have it good. My wife has the real job and I try to take care of everything else to make her life as comfortable as possible. I do most of the grocery shopping, the laundry, vacuum, make dinner often and do the dishes more often. My line is “She makes the living; I make the living worth while.” My male friends all love that expression. She just shrugs and rolls her eyes.
Today is January 14th. It is a month until Valentine’s Day, and I was thinking that instead of having to run out early on February 14th to get the card that I forgot to buy earlier, I would astound all the women in my life and tell them how much I love and appreciate them a month in advance. Think about the “early bird” and the “worm” parable.
I am blessed with a mother-in-law who has been so much more than that for more than 30 years. While my real parents lived mostly in Ohio, my sweet wife’s parents were always there to nurture, advise and offer moral support. My mother-in-law is so much more than that to me and I don’t tell her often enough how much I appreciate it.
My wife and I have been together 31 years and this summer, about the time the next baby is due, she and I will celebrate our 27th wedding anniversary. “Nuff said to all the naysayers claiming it wouldn’t last. She is my friend, my partner, my love and the light of my life. For whatever meager success I have had in my life, it would not have been possible without her encouragement and support. What a gal.
My daughters are what is called Irish Twins; kids born in the same month a year apart. They are wonderful friends, who, from time to time, do have their differences, but I would not suggest ever backing one against the other. You would lose. I am so proud of Emily, the elder child. Her drive and determination have her well on the way to having the life I believe she always envisioned. High school in 3 years, 4 year college degree in 3 years, Master’s Degree in a year, a loving husband and a beautiful daughter. What father could ask for more for his child? My younger daughter, Jessica, may well be the sweetest child there has ever been. She is so beautiful and has a heart that knows no boundaries. Her and her husband deserve all the blessings that life and the upcoming birth of their first child can bring.
That brings me to the last female in my life. Maggie… my dog. She was never supposed to be my dog, but life plays those little tricks on us all sometimes. She is a little chocolate brown Cocker Spaniel that looks at you with eyes that just ooze love and adoration. Even when you consider her shortcomings, like “Marly” she’s a great dog.
Life is not always easy at my house with all these women. There are times when it’s easier to just come to my room, sit down at my computer, and stay out of the way. But the truth is, I love them all, and even when all is not great, it’s still pretty good. Like Sly and the Family Stone said in Family Affair, “Blood is thicker than the mud.” Happy Valentine’s Day to all the women in my life.

Oh the Weather Outside is Frightful

2010-01-10T08:55:00.000-08:00

I’m just not as tough as I used to be, and 35 years living in South Florida hasn’t increased my resistance to cold. I got home from a gig last night about midnight, watched some Saturday Night Live while indulging in a couple libations, and went to bed shortly thereafter. At 3:45, my wife informs me the dog is sick, just made a mess on the carpet at the foot of the bed, and needed to go out. I couldn’t understand why she had to go out if she just made a mess on the carpet at the foot of the bed, but I leave it to better minds than mine to make those decisions. It was 29 degrees. The wind was blowing like hell. I was still asleep on my feet, and the dog was in no rush because she just made a mess on the carpet at the foot of the bed. Where, you may ask, is this all going?
Re-reading Usedtoys’ post from Friday, Jobs, Jobs, Jobs, on Bolognabrain.com, and his support of America’s expansion of Green Technologies, I couldn’t help but weigh in and voice my complete support and agreement for his idea.
Two thirds of America has been in a crippling cold spell for more than a week, and record snow falls and blizzard conditions are wreaking havoc on the nation from Washington State to my own dear South Florida. The toll this weather system will require in terms of lost manufacturing production and devastation to crops is one thing, but the cost of fuel to warm our homes is another, and that is where the gist of this article is aimed. American reliance on foreign energy has got to end, and Green Technology can be a big part of the solution.
In December 2009, Florida Gulf Coast University in Estero, Florida, activated what is the largest solar panel field operated by a university in the United States. It is a 20 acre plot creating 2 Megawatts and powering more than 200,000 square feet of space. Perhaps the most impressive statistic is that the facility became operational in the same year the groundbreaking took place. The environmentally conscious university also moved native plants and animals to new habitats to provide a smooth transition. In an Internet report on Solaripedia, it was reported that the project even came in under its 14 million dollar budget. When it costs more than $40,000 to build a lifeguard station or bus stop, that, in comparison, is an energy bargain. There are projects that match the FGCU solar energy production facility in size and scope being developed all over America, and it is a big step in the right direction. But we still need to do more.
Geologists are reporting huge oil deposits in the Northwestern US, and even though offshore drilling off the Florida coasts scares all of us that live down here, it is an option that must be seriously considered until we can claim total independence from OPEC and the oil barons holding us ransom due to our addiction and enslavement to oil.
Great article, Usedtoy, and that kind of forward thinking and action is what will put America back on the right track with jobs and potential abundance for all.

So little to do and so much time. Oops… reverse that.

2010-01-06T08:37:00.000-08:00

There are demarcation moments in our lives that break down the past from the future and require one to ponder the here and now. Ten years ago it was the advent of the new millennium. At the beginning of a new decade, we can again pause for reflection, plan for whatever is coming down the road, but take a moment to appreciate the here and now.
Amid the lame discussions of whether we call this new decade two thousand ten or twenty-ten, maybe we should just stop and smell the roses. Of course the economy still sucks, our legislative, justice and health care systems are all broken, nuclear threats abound and Global Warming may provide oceanfront property to people in Ohio yet. Still, we have the opportunity to get up in the morning, put our flat feet on the freezing, freaking floor and appreciate that we have another day to accomplish whatever lofty goals we set for ourselves so many years ago. For whatever challenges life may throw at us today, take solace knowing it’s still better than the alternative. We should all enjoy our lives, rejoice in the love of family and friends, feel humility at the size of the ocean, the sight of a beautiful sunrise or a splendid sunset. Woody Allen once remarked, “I don't want to achieve immortality through my work... I want to achieve it through not dying.” He went on to acknowledge that there are worse things in life than death, saying, “Have you ever spent an evening with an insurance salesman?” I’m still dealing with this last birthday when I turned 59, and I am more committed than ever to cherishing every moment I have left. You should too. There is so much joy still to be experienced from music, art, and literature… even career success. Go to that well and drink it dry. There is plenty of time for tomorrow, and not enough time for today, so hoard those special moments. Hug them. Squeeze them and try not to let them go until you have absorbed every ounce of pleasure they can give you. Then, and only then, give yourself up to thoughts of the future. This is the moment. You may exert some influence on what is yet to come, but could it possibly be more important that what is happening now? Our lives are flying by at break-neck speed, and sometimes I just want to stop the merry-go-round, get off and catch my breath. It sounds simple, but we all know the realities of our lives will fill our “too few” hours with more than enough to do. I can only encourage you to embrace the wisdom of the old man who remarked that he was “Too soon old. Too late smart.” It’s your life. Don’t worry. Be happy.

The Changing of the Guard (…or the baby)

2009-12-29T11:09:00.000-08:00

If the holidays do one thing right, it’s bringing the family together. Christmas Eve, this year, my eldest daughter, son-in-law and 8 month old granddaughter came in to South Florida from Georgia. My younger daughter drove in from Broward, and her husband and father of the 2nd grandchild, due in June 2010, drove over as soon as he got off work.
At one point I walked past the kid’s room, and saw son-in-law #1 changing a dirty diaper. Ahhh, the memories came flooding back, and they’re not all that pleasant. Better him than me, though. I’ve been there and did that. My poor wife was pregnant for almost 3 years, counting 3 months off for good behavior. We have what is called Irish Twins, two kids born in the same month, a year apart. Emily and Jessica are both born in October, 1985 and 1986. And the good news is they thought they were twins for years. They are still wonderful friends, a great argument for having two kids and having them close together.
Most friends and family are surprised I turned out to be the father I turned out to be. After all, I didn’t particularly like kids as I was growing up, what with their whiny ways and annoying, high, squeaky voices. But a strange thing happened when Bonnie and I had children. Suddenly, I liked everybody’s kids. Who’da thunk it?
I still occasionally see the bumper sticker, as I’m driving around town that proclaims, “If I knew how great grandchildren were, I’d have had them first.”
It always brought a smile to my face, but now that I’m part of that story, I’m finding it to be truer than I ever would have believed. Our granddaughter, Olivia, has that toothless open mouth smile that can melt the hardest of hearts. Global warming has nothing on this girl, and even when she would grab a handful of my beard and not let go until the sun went down, I would find myself commenting, “How cute.”
One of the other highlights came The Night before Christmas, when I was usually up half the night putting together this or that with instructions in Chinese and parts missing. This year, the dads did all that and left Grandpa to kick back, have a beer and watch the game.
I have not been the greatest supporter of Christmas the last few years. I probably should have seen the writing on the wall when a few years back I received the coffee mug with the name and picture of Grumpy from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. I am getting better, though. The new mug says, “Father knows best. Grandpa knows the rest.”
Still, when the lights are on the tree, The Carol of the Bells is playing softly in the background, and the whole family is together, even I have to give thanks for blessings received, and those still coming (remember June 2010).

Good Radio… Oxymoron?

2009-12-21T12:49:00.000-08:00

Music is the subject of many posts here at Bolognabrain, and as a musician, I am all about that. A proper debate of the merit of music, lyrics, performance, and presentation is always, to me, in order. The discovery of new music and artists is and should be an ongoing quest for any music lover. That being said… here’s my problem. What ever happened to good radio? Growing up in the Miami Valley of Ohio back in the 60’s, there were abundant choices. WING in Dayton and WSAI in Cincinnati were the main top 40 stations, and then there was the daring WEBN – Jelly Pudding… Underground Radio… album rock. Groups you never heard of were making groundbreaking music all over the world. Late at night in coffeehouses, basements, and bedrooms the beat of a generation was making the walls of the city shake. Even the most commercial stations were playing The Beatles and The Byrds, The Stones and The Who. You weren’t getting the long versions of Keep Me Hanging on by Vanilla Fudge or Toad by Cream, but, man, radio was rockin’!”
I will be the first to admit that I may be stuck in a time warp. I often mention that every generation believes its music was the best. But the truth is… ours was. I seldom listen to radio anymore, because it’s mostly a send-up of been there, heard that, re-hashed musical and lyrical themes that typically can’t hold a candle to the originals. At the risk of being overly critical, I admit there is good music being created. But nothing I’ve heard in years has made me stop my car in the middle of the street and just listen, like the first time I heard The Chamber’s Brothers play Time Has Come Today.
This, of course, begs the question, “Is it the music, or radio’s presentation?” Let’s not shoot the messenger here, unless radio is, indeed, guilty of limited play lists, marginal attempts at presenting cutting edge musical artists and creating a bloated audio dullness where there ought to be righteous, original sounds blasting from state of the art sound systems.
Maybe it’s just where I live. SW Florida, for all its beauty and tranquility, is not a hotbed of music. The country stations all play cookie cutter songs; the Classic Rock stations all play the same CR songs. Talk radio in almost entirely syndicated because it seems no one locally has anything to say that is entertaining, thought provoking or insightful enough to draw and maintain an audience. Personally, I visit the local library about twice a week, and listen to books on CD when I’m driving. When I’m home, radio is never on.
It’s such a pity. Broadcast radio is competing with Satellite radio and neither seems to be
thriving. If what goes around comes around, I can’t wait for the airwaves to once again be filled with music, conversation, and entertainment. Everything old is new again? Well Time Has Come Today.

The End of the 0"s

2009-12-14T14:01:00.001-08:00

The clock is ticking on the decade of the O’s. 01, 02, 03… you get the picture. These final weeks, days and hours are funneling down, and I know very few people who are not anticipating a brighter picture in the near future. Bring on 2010 already. The sooner we close the door on the past ten years, the better. If you recall when we were looking in the eye of Y2K, maybe the fear of the masses was not that far off target. There was no crippling Internet breakdown at midnight December 31st, 1999, but sometimes I feel like the 0’s just never got a good running start. As a nation we had barely caught our breath when we were knocked off our feet on 9/11. The rest of the decade has been defined by wars and government/business failures leading to the worst market most of us can remember, contributing to a global economic turndown of near catastrophic proportions.
Still, as they say, it’s a foul wind indeed that blows no man some good. USA Today wrote (12/14/09) “Federal Salaries See Huge Spike.” Bank of America and CITI are paying back TARP bailout funds, President Obama wins the Nobel Peace prize while fighting two wars, not counting the one going on under the Capital dome in Congress, and I just sold two copies of my new CD on Amazon.com. Look out 2010. Here we come.
I think we’re ready for a fresh start and closing the door on the 0’s may be the first big step. You don’t cry over spilled milk, you don’t throw good money after bad and you don’t mess around with Jim. It’s going to require more than New Year Resolutions to make change. It’s going to take real people making real commitments to family, community, the nation and the world. My father used to say, “Today is the tomorrow we worried about yesterday.” Well there is nothing we can do about yesterday. We can only do our best today and work to make tomorrow better. We need to be better parents, spouses, and friends. Way back in the Flower Power 60’s, we vowed to take care of each other. It’s still a good idea. Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you. Who can ague with that? Even Rodney King posed the question “Can we all get along?” The 0’s have been a historic ride. Personally, I’m ready to dismount and start anew. That’s what we do every day anyway. Every day’s a new day. Every week brings new challenges. Every month is a new step forward, and every year is one more investment in this deal we call life. So say goodbye to the 0’s, keep your chin up, walk tall, believe in yourself and the basic good of mankind and join me as we keep stumbling forward endeavoring to make a better world. Happy New Year.

When you're smiling... the whole world smiles with you

2009-11-24T05:54:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday night, taking a break after my first set, I was making nice with some people sitting at the bar. As soon as I walked up, one of the women said, “Let’s see the smile.”
Two other ladies spoke up explaining their discussion centered on what they all thought was my great smile.
Now you must understand that until my mid 30’s when my fiancée, who worked for an Orthodontist, helped me get my horrible teeth straightened, I had a mouth that featured crowded, crooked pearly off-whites. Not that that ever stopped me from smiling.
You see, I’ve always been a pretty smiley guy, and I believe a friendly smile is like a window, open to your heart and mind.
In a world that is ever more insulating, with security systems, borders and ideologies, a smile can be a gateway to better communication, sharing and embracing of other people, ideas and cultures.
When you offer a smile to a stranger, you’re likely to get a smile in return. And isn’t that a good thing?
When you proffer a smile to a colleague, friend, or neighbor, you help bring people closer together. And isn’t that a worthy cause?
When you smile at a spouse or child, you express your love without words. And is there any greater gift than that?
We have all heard the old adage that it takes fewer muscles to smile than to frown, so why should we work so hard? There is significant debate as to the accuracy of that statement, and while researching that idea, I visited Snopes.com and found a wonderful article by Barbara “Grin and bear it” Mikkelson, entitled Happiness is only Grin Deep. After much speculation she concludes, “Smiling makes us feel happier.” And isn’t that the best reward of all?
Thanksgiving is this week, and it’s the beginning of the holidays. It’s a great time to reach out to family, friends, and strangers. Share a smile and see what rewards may be reaped.
For the doubter/grouch/Grinch, there is always the old fall back… “Smile at someone. It makes them wonder what you’re up to.”

Idle thoughts

2009-11-18T12:50:00.000-08:00

It feels like autumn has finally come to South Florida. Been sleeping with the doors and windows open and the fresh air is like a breath of... well... fresh air. Love it, love it, love it. It's almost like The 3 Bears; not too hot, not too cold... just right. In the meantime, it seems like there is a little more work around, too. I'm playing more music for pay, and that is a good feeling. Cheeseburger in Paradise is always fun, and I am playing two places in Naples that are unique in their own way, but both are very cool. Under the Shady Palm is as tropical as you could want. Great food, friendly staff and full bar. No wonder I like it. The other place is brand new and called The Little Tacky Tiki Bar and Grill. The owners are great, the food is top notch casual, and the beer is so cold it could give you a head ache. Just the way I like it. They also have a nice wine menu. I'm there Friday this week, and then heading over to Fort Lauderdale Saturday for tennis with Scotty, then playing music at Mrs. Murphy's Pub and Grubb. For those of you in the know, that's the old Scalley's at Commercial and Bayview. I'm expecting lots of old friends from the Brickyard and Danny's days and I think it's going to be a hoot. The new CD, Speed-b-b-b-bumps is still in the process of taking off, but I'm very happy with the initial progress. It seems to be having the effect of reminding everyone about my book and music CD's and I'm getting lots of orders for them too. Could just be the holidays. All in all, life is good, Bonnie just returned from 10 days in Georgia visiting Olivia, grandaughter #1. My friend Scotty has a new grandaughter, Halle, who is about 5 days old now, and has grandpa firmly wrapped around her tiny finger already. LOL. So, I just had a few minutes and thought I'd jot down a few thoughts. Hope you are all well. Enjoy this weather while you can.

2009-10-24T07:23:00.000-07:00

I'm still in the process of discovery here in SW Florida, and one of the areas I seem to be more attracted to with every visit is Bonita Springs. Several years ago, my daughter, Jessica, and I were driving back to Plantation, when we decided to stop and get a quick bite. It was getting late. We pulled off on an exit and looked for a place to get dinner. The first one we found was a Chinese restaurant and it turned out to be some of the best food we ever had. Pity, that I don't remember the name of the place, the exit or anything else. I only recall it was Bonita Springs. A few months ago, I played a backyard barbecue for a service group called Zonta. It turned out to be in the back yard of Bonita's city manager; great guy with a penchant for old trucks and cigars. The few times I've seen him, he always seems to have a cigar, but now that I think of it, I don't recall one ever being lit. Things that make you go hmmmm. A couple weeks back, I played again in Bonita Springs, in Liberty Park, for a back to school, community safety day. I was there in cooperation with Pinewoods Elementary School, which is actually in Estero. They have what they call a C.O.W. bus. It's a classroom on wheels, and since I embrace literacy with my "children and families" material, we have a mutual attraction. I go to the park for the event, where I was told I'd play in the bandshell. I assume it is one of those city owned trailers where they raise the awning, plug it in and there... you have a stage. Wrong. It was a beautiful brick bandshell, in a beautiful setting where you would be happy to present an open air, symphony orchestra concert. Again, Bonita Springs hits a home run. Last night, I was a participant in their annual Riverfest. They hosted a fish fry and I was the entertainment. There was a great turnout. The weather was georgous and many of the city fathers handled the cooking chores. It was all followed by a drum circle that had everyone being mesmerized by the hypnotic rhythms. I'm telling you... Bonita Springs is a treasure on the coast of SW Florida. If you ever make the I-75 trip down the left coast, Bonita is between Fort Myers and Naples. If you do, and you find that great Chinese restaurant, would you mind writing back and tell me where it is?

2009-10-17T18:34:00.000-07:00

My younger daughter is 23 today. We drove over to Fort Lauderdale to have lunch with her and her husband. She has a sister who is a year and a couple days older. They are what you call Irish Twins. That is two kids born in the same month, a year apart. They both went to college at FGCU here in Fort Myers, and that was one of the reasons when a job for my wife, Bonnie, became available here, we decided to make the move. I figure I'm a musician. I can do what I do anywhere. Although a little sleepier than the Gold Coast, Fort Myers has been good to us and we've made some great friends. The biggest issue is that neither of the girls now lives here. Emily, the eldest, received her Master's Degree at Savannah College of Art and Design and now teaches middle school drama at Athens Academy in Athens, Ga. She and her husband and beautiful baby daughter seem to be thriving in the land of the red clay. Jessica, today's birthday girl, and her husband are living back in Broward County. She is working while she finishes college online and one class a week where, after work, she drives over here and back in the same day. All of a sudden, though, were second guessing our move. We are so family oriented, that we are sometimes lost without our little girls. I think about them every day, and ponder how difficult it is for parents to just step back and let their kids move on with families of their own. I never thought about how my parents felt about that when my brother and I left home. And maybe it's different when you have daughters. They will always been daddy's girls and I just want to take a moment and wish them both Happy Birthday. The tradition in our family also calls for birthday wishes for my wonderful wife and partner Bonnie. After all... she's the one who gave birth. Happy birthday, Tootie

2009-10-13T06:48:00.000-07:00

The new CD, Speed-b-b-b-bumps... and other poems for kids & families is now out and available. The initial comments and reviews are excellent, and speaking personally, I LOVE IT. The recording came off great, and even though some of the poems are 15 years old, when I listen to them I find the material is still fresh and funny. Eric Ode, a singer/songwriter/poet who lives in Washington State commented " I especially enjoyed The Making Wishes Law; Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda; Excuse the Rabbipotamus; Seasons (maybe my favorite of the bunch); and Just Before it's Dark. I'm impressed with how varied the poems are in theme and style. Keep up the good work!" Eric's books, music and poetry are wonderful and it's obvious that he has extraordinary taste when judging the work of his comtemporaries. My nephew, John, (he and his brother, Rick, are the musical geniuses who helped make Underneath the Cushions on the Couch and Makes Me Feel Like Singing the great CD's that they are) has a great Blog at www.bolognabrain.com where he commented "It is absolutely amazing to hear these brilliantly constructed and performed poems." Of course he's prejudiced, but that doesn't mean he's not correct in his assessment. It is often said that one is blessed to be able to do what you love for a living. I have been blessed all my life with some ability to write, play and perform, but more so by the family and friends who have encouraged and supported my dream for so many years. From the bottom of my heart, I thank all of you. To order a copy of the new CD for $16.95 (or other CD... or book) email me at darrell@darrellhouse.com. I'll personalize and sign the album and cover the S&H fees. You can also get it at Amazon.com, and CDbaby.com. Other outlets will be forthcoming.

Speed-b-b-b-bumps

2009-08-24T07:05:00.000-07:00

I am so excited to be finishing work on my newest CD. This one is different from what I've done in the past as it is spoken word. No music. I've included poetry in my school, library and reading festival presentations for years, and have finally put them in to a collection. From the days when my kids were in 1st & 2nd grade, I wrote, almost daily, trying to give the girls a laugh after a tough day in school. The subject matter ranges from school buses to the adventures of daddy driving the car, shooting stars, being late and the whimsical Rabbipotamus. There are also lessons such as in the poem Three on To where I provide a rhyming solution to remembering the difference between Two, Too and To. It has been so much fun, recording the material, designing the artwork and preparing it to be manufactured. Hopefully, it will be available around the beginning of October, and I will be scheduling official release parties soon thereafter. I'll have more news on when and where you can hear it or get a copy of your own very soon. Stay tuned...

Reminiscing

2008-10-13T16:51:00.000-07:00

I was recently visiting an old friend from high school and we were reminiscing. It seems like I’m doing more and more of that these days.
It was 1957 and we lived across the street from the school where I attended kindergarten. I’m a December kid and so I had to wait an extra year to start school. That resulted in me being one of the older students in my class.
Life and priorities were different 50 years ago. We weren’t concerned about pollution or global warming. My hometown was a steel mill town and an old folksinger had once penned a little ditty about “the pink skies of Middletown”; a reference to all the waste blown into the atmosphere from “the plant”. It did make for lovely sunsets.
In the autumn, trees would lose their leaves and it would be up to the children to rake the yard. There was no restriction against open fire burning back then and that was how we got rid of the leaves. A small controlled fire at the end of the driveway, by the street, would, in fairly short time, eliminate the red, brown and orange leaves. The rich, acrid odor of the burning leaves would fill our noses and the neighborhood, announcing loud and clear that autumn was undeniably upon us. Dad always supervised to make sure the fire didn’t get out of hand.
It is my recollection that in those days most of the adult men I knew all smoked cigarettes. This is, of course, years before the Surgeon General or anyone else suggested that smoking might not be good for us.
I don’t know what it was that prompted my father’s actions that morning, but I distinctly remember him, standing there with the rake in one hand and an eye on the flames while he reached for his pack of cigarettes. We were standing side by side when he reached down, put his hand on my shoulder, looked at me and said he was giving up smoking.
Maybe it was a chronic cough or throat clearing, a desire to be a positive influence on me or something entirely different. He never explained why, but he took that pack of cigarettes and threw them in the fire and I never saw him smoke again.
When I was in high school my father offered me a thousand dollars if, on graduation night, I could tell him I didn’t smoke. I never collected because in later years I did pick up the habit. I carried it for a long time. I was in my 40’s when I finally understood how hard it was for him to quit. That’s when I discovered how hard it was for me. The addiction to nicotine seemed to be manageable after a few days. The biggest problem was the smoking habits I had created over 30 years. Get in the car – light up. Answer the phone – light up. After a meal – light up.
At this point I haven’t had a cigarette in over 10 years. I don’t have the desire any more, either. What’s more, I understand that memories of my father’s quiet strength and subtle leadership have helped define the man I am today and the kind of life I lead.

Are Ya Ready For the Summer... To Be Over???

2008-07-12T17:23:00.000-07:00

The way I see it, you’re either having the summer of your sweet, short life, or you can’t wait to get back to your haven away from home, school, and see your buds. It’s the middle of July and it’s so hot…trees are chasing dogs. Your hair is turning green from all the chlorine in the pool. Harry Potter still doesn’t have a girlfriend. Your ear looks like some kind of alien vegetable because it has been attached to the phone for the last six weeks. And you’ve seen every movie that carries a rating your parents will allow you to see. (plus a couple good ones you sneaked in to when they dropped you off at the theater thinking you were going to see something so lame even your little sister didn’t want to go).
Is summer vacation really all it’s cracked up to be? You’re beginning to realize there is soooo much going on that you are missing. And no matter how connected you think you are, you can’t keep up with everything unless you see everyone you know at least 5 days a week. You’re approaching that part of the summer when tensions rise, nerves get raw, and everyone at your house is ready to scream and possibly cream everyone else. It’s cabin fever. It’s the school boards’ little joke. They know that after nine months of school, three months vacation, even if you’re having the “summer of your life”, can start to get… how shall I put it? BORING. It’s a downright dirty trick that something you look forward to for so long turns out not to be as great as you anticipated. It’s like you planned on a TLC concert and instead you got the Teletubbies.
Then the really bad stuff begins. It starts with a craving for cafeteria food. O.K… not a craving really, but it is something you could put up with if you could hang with a couple hundred of your closest friends for a few hours. The next thing you know, you’re starting to look forward to seeing people you wouldn’t talk to, even on a bad day.
The dweebs and boogerheads that inhabit the halls of your school are looking better all the time. You think you’re going to explode if someone doesn’t assign you some homework and threaten you with a test or pop quiz. Something’s gotta give!
Alright, ok, calm down. It’s not that bad. Look on the bright side. You can still sleep late in the mornings. Soon you’ll be shopping for your new fall wardrobe (if your not in uniforms). And, you have plenty of time to plan for what will, without a doubt, be the best year of your life... so far. Relax. Breathe deep. Stop. Smell the roses and enjoy the leisure time that is your reward for being a good kid. I guess you could say that I’m almost ready for the summer… to be over. But not just yet.