Ready to Vacate:

A Word or 2 before we leave for the south. I am ready for a change from the day to day retired way and Mary is ready for a change from her scene at work. Both ready to see Flora/ALAbama/Louisiana coastal region. Has to be warmer than the 15 degrees it is supposed to be tonight and into the Michigan March. LOoking forward to a trip away from the daily news and routines. A traveling antidote of hopes. The review(s) upon return.

Name Droppin Moanday

OK, another version of Name Dropper coming at you. Since I last wrote Jazz and I made it over to the Clone Studios and did some recording. Jazzman laid down some bass tracks to the Surf Song while I drank wine and Melvis worked his studio wizardry. When it came time for me do my vocal part I couldn't quite get it all right. (Try again next time). I also had plans that night to try and catch friend Susan performing down at Martini's new and improved performing area upstairs. Jazz caught up with me down there amidst the inclement weather. It was an enjoyable hour plus with Susan and band providing the entertainment. Friday was soon upon us and Susan and Michael invited us over for a delicious dinner and after we decided to head out to friend Dana's Sauna as Mary and I had never made to one of these Friday night rock heated events before. It was a fun, refreshing night as various other friends were present which provided a pore and more cleansing experience. It was a snowy but safe ride home.

Saturday, of course, was St.Valentines Day and Mary and I had a most enjoyable stimulus package plus evening home. I fixed her dinner, we listened to Lucinda Williams latest songs (her gift), we watched Vicki Christina Barcelona and had a warm cherry wood fire. The photo should say it all or most of it. Strawberries and Champagne are in there somewhere. So some great mid-winter festivities on the way to spring. Mary and CAllie are now counting the days til our trips south begin. Gulf Coast here we come. R U Ready Don and Bev?

25 Random Thoughts (not Things) About Me or Not

• Realizing I am home too much when I feel bad about missing Regis and Kelly in the morning if I sleep later than usual.


• Feeling sorry for the Italian Chef in the Bertolli Lasagna commercial because no one is coming to his restaurant


• Anyone can get on the Internet and spew out things, factual or not, that is American alright;) and many will automatically believe it.


• An old favorite of mine: We never know what anyone is really thinking or feeling about us, even those closest to us, it is just the way it is and the way we are. No matter how they may act when they are in our presence.


• There are people out there doing good, volunteering for those with less fortunate conditions. I have met some recently at meetings where I intend to join them.


• From a song I wrote Temptation, " Budget Cuts mean nothing to me for I have none". (1981)


• Or from song Private Sector during same year, " Since WW11 it's been all you, you and yours, you count the money keep in black, we do the chores".


• Ok, so this is only a few random thoughts. I ran out of intellectual gas. I am not sure if you are interested in 25 things about me or anyone else that you may or may not know about.


• I am only willing to go so far telling all or saying what I think on this blog. ( Scardy cat).
• The Best thing about Valentine's Day reminds us we should be loving one another with actions not that we have to do something or necessarily buy something for someone.

More of the Same?

It has been a couple of weeks since the Inauguration and the honeymoon seems to be over for the new administration. We have seen the Super Bowl and Groundhog Day come and go, the weather continues to be cold and snowy here in these parts. Many of those who can have left for the south or west for the winter yet many of us stay here in the frigid yet picturesque north.

Politics and the economy seem to be showing us more of the same as the poly parties dig in their heels for the fight for the fix of the country. I want to remain hopeful but not working myself and seeing the lack of possibilities for employment, watching the news (too much I am sure), I sense a real change in expectations for lifestyles for the middle class. The Reality becoming much closer to doing less with less. Our SuperPower being a Super Mess.

Now, I do see some reason to be positive; the sun has been out frequently amidst the recent cold, the are mornings bright, the days remaining lighter longer, wife and I should be getting a decent tax return in the next month or so, I hope to start doing some volunteering soon, Mary and I are planning a trip south to visit my parents in Alabama in March, Callie is doing well in her new semester in school, and things seem to be improving for Ashley and her job, so I can't really complain for the day to day but the overall picture is just tough to not be really concerned about. So, for the next month I will keep pursuing leads for volunteering, work, keep my cooking coming, enjoying hanging out and soaks in the hot tub with Mary and with friends like Corrie and Betsy (fun evening), get the music going again, check out the museums, keep making myself write, read, watch interesting movies, comfort the aged (dogs and all), and remember to think and dream of the positive that could happen along the way.

Help me now and dig that crazy Betty Boop seeking a snowy shelter from the storm;)

Let's Do This Thing

photo by fran dwight

So many songs and lyrics come to mind today to describe my feelings about the transition of power that has occurred in our country. I will try and use my own words to describe that which I have felt today. The time has come today to embrace our ideals and one another and do this thing called democracy. Teary eyed I have watched the pomp and circumstance, the celebration of a people for the promise that we possess as a nation.

Now we must rise up, step up to keep our heads above water and eventually swim freely again.

Watching the humanity gather in Washington needs to be the momentum we need to start the engines and sustain the energy for the greater good of us all.

A cold sunny day has exuded a warmth that comes from a huge crowd with a common cause.

Now as with any worthwhile endeavor we need to commit time and energy to work as the human race to support the leader who has inspired us to want to commit and do what is necessary to progress and move forward. The choice to do nothing or subvert the direction, I believe, will be eventually be tragic for all.

Looking Inside Outside White

Waking up slowly after 8:30AM no rush to get anywhere and finding more snow falling and the temperature dropping reminds me of an arcticlike January 33 years ago when I was 23, recently graduated, no rush to get anywhere, unemployed other than substitute teaching jobs, the temperature hovering near zero and living in an apt. that had no heat as the landlord didn't get the oil needed to heat the Rock and Roll Allen Blvd. once antique mansion with 6 apts. now in downtown Kalamazoo. Our 2 large dogs, Frodo and Theta, at the time would keep me warm as I would go back to bed, not quite ready for my Morning Thunder Tea that would help some to keep me warm. I could see my breath at times inside that apt. It was f***in cold that winter, much like this one. I wrote a lot back then on old typewrite, some of my first songs were written then and a lot of musings and proses. A new democrat was being inaugurated on a cold Washington day. So the similarities are here today cept we have heat, killer EE coffee, cable, computer apps. to type in blogs, more extreme weather alerts, a pension, a child at home and only one dog. So I still write, am unemployed and look to new challenges. I have more driveway to shovel and plow but have a snowblower to do it with.

• In the past week Melvis and I think we finished the surf song to a point we can record now.
  


• Mary and I went to the local Coopers Glen Music Festival to hear Acoustic Roots Music indoors while outside it was cold and snowy. Highlights: We got to see a marvelous fiddler, Liz Carroll, jam sittng on chairs with John Doyle an Irishman who founded Solas and and Billy who played the accordion. Ending the evening was Chris Hillman and Herb Pederson, longtime California musicians. Chris has played with the Byrds, Steven Stills and many more as Herb and Emmy Lou Harris had recordings together. Sweet harmonies and great picking. Our love of music buddy Jimmy C. made it down to the city show through the snow after a long lunch afternoon.
  
  


• 
  
  Saturday was poker night through the 6 inches of snow at Mikey D's with mucho laughs, more good tunes, great wine from Dr. K., and homemade soup provided by pal Peter. Jazzman and the 'good' Mike kept giving us reason to cajole. No one lost too much as the $ seemed to be spread around. I think we left the house in pretty good shape Susan for your return;)

That takes me up to this morning and more snow, cold, and wind. I am keepin the birds fed and they seem happy. Maddie cannot find much space to go out do her bidness and does not like to stay out too long, nor do I to do mine (read that part slowly). I do have a pot of chili I cooked up on the stove so Callie can have some before she heads out to work. She started up school again yesterday and is MOtivated! I have some ideas to pursue for myself to use my time here in the near future. I will report on those as they come about. So there are driveways and cars to clear off. Glad we have a garage now for some of the family fleet. We not only going LOW we be Going BE-LOW, Zero that is, stay warm but be cool.

Who and What New for O9?

Welcome to 2009! A brief message to stay connected with you readers, which I hope there are still a few. As you see there is a new front page, the beds have been put away for now and just some turkeys remain (read into that what you will). Since I have a few months of blogging under my belt I hope to change things up a bit. Add some links, play with the layout, etc.
Stay tuned for my take on the world around us and what is going on, both in Reno's World and the universe at large. Comments are always welcome even if you email them to me.
Let us move ahead into this new year with a resolve for a creative, spiritual and physical ideal we would like to see happen in our world.