Westchester First Fridays

Played Westchester First Friday again- sans band. Craig came a bit later and played with me. Just like old times, the kids running around, the folks at the tables really listening, all noisy, all hubbub. It was just fine playing by myself, sold a couple of Cds.
Craig did his harp things- which everybody loved. Had my daughter's buddy Dom come and do a jazz trio at the end- they were REALLY good! Life goes on and stays good. I was telling Craig at the end about how if its just me, I can put myself in for Portland gigs if I want. (Actually I did- I have a nephew there.) I got a call from North Carolina which I had to turn down- I guess I hit the wrong button. Nice keeper of a night.

Where Ah Been

The latest Video. It took a bit to make. I had to hike the Trans-Catalina Trail to get it.

The Latest Me

It's Time

I've been a Scout Leader for 15 years and my kid got his Eagle. I've helped a whole lot of kids in the program. The mixed up and odd ball kids need the program more than the Type A kids. PLEASE SUPPORT THIS

Dear Fellow Scouts and Scout Parents:

As you are all probably aware, the BSA is proposing a change to their Anti-Gay Bylaw.  If the change is approved, local chapters and their Chartering Organizations would be allowed to decide for themselves whether or not to continue to the past discriminatory practices or to open their doors to everyone.

From the research I have done, it seems the vote will be held this coming Wednesday on February 6th at the National Board Meeting.

If this is an important issue for you, please take a moment to make your voice heard.

We espouse many things in Scouting:  'be kind and courteous and show concern for the well-being of others' and 'be brave and do what is right regardless of our fears, the difficulties or the consequences'...  Hopefully we do more than just say these words - hopefully we LIVE these words.

My current hero is an Eagle Scout named Zach Wahls who, when he was 19, spoke before the Iowa congress about their proposed ban of gay marriage.  Zach has 2 moms so he knows a bit about discrimination, how painful it can be and how counter it is to the values we espouse in Scouting.  Zach's speech went viral and has millions of views on YouTube.  He has written about book about the 12 tenets of Scouting and how he lives his life by those tenets.  He has been on the Jon Stewart Show and Ellen and is a great example of what an Eagle Scout can do when he lives the words we all say.

Here is a link to Zach's speech.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMLZO-sObzQ

If you are concerned about this issue, you can do several things...  paste the below link into your web browser and post a comment on the BSA Facebook page.

http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=136693109828603&id=113441755297&utm_source=action_alert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=17527&alert_id=pzYuxqqnxO_LpBGOihDsm

The link will take you to a comment thread where the BSA's leaders are monitoring public reaction to the proposed policy change. Write a sentence or two to tell them how you feel.

Call the Boy Scouts' national office at 972-580-2330. When you call, the person who answers will ask if you support the proposed policy change. Just say you are "FOR" the policy change, and you're done!

I realize this is a very personal issue and thank each of you for your time.  If anyone wants to discuss things further, please feel free to call or email me directly so we can respect the feelings and choices of our fellow Scouts and Scouting families.

Yours in Scouting,

Taking The Big Guy Out

We had the big guy quit. The one featured in my video -Rhubarb Meringue Pie - an introduction and Shady Grove. The above is the reconstructed flyer without him. We found a new guitarist, who may or may not work out- who knows. I've not gotten a picture of him yet. I will include him if he sticks around. Nice guy.
I figured I can redo the video once I have a recording of me singing instead and then I'll cut me in more so you and everyone else will barely see him.

He calls me out of the blue after a year and says he's quitting. It never quite jelled for him. He doesn't have anything else going on. (sort of sounds like what you'd say when you leave your lover- there are 50 ways, after all.) I think it's because I threatened a recording studio.

New plan- to work on stage presence, joke around more- be more personalities. I'm putting Nancy on a stool. Asking Craig to stand for his harp solos. Maybe the new guy will play standing up.

Anyway, I think I'm done with the Saturday morning jam group for a while. It's not as much fun and I'm feeling like its become a rut and the big guy is there every Saturday morning playing and singing the same goddamn songs over and over. (We played well together) I even got applauded over and over for Jesse James which was the big guy's song- I'd only sing it when he wasn't there- I never mentioned I got applause. Anyway, when you lose a singer, you get to throw way all those songs you've learned to hate. And you get to sing those that you loved and haven't gotten to sing.

And you have to work out a new visual scheme. I reworked the playlist, Picked up the loose ends of the songs we're not sure of, gave out some more to everybody who is still here. It's much easier this time round .
Craig and Nancy and I have been together so long now that we can carry a performance and make it sound great just by our lonesome. AND they want to come and perform almost everywhere I book.

I was a bit dissed for awhile. Down in the dumps. Thinking- God its so much easier to do it solo- but I really love the whole interaction with others, And its so much richer.

And it's like being kids, bringing over your latest treasure to your buddy's house and feeling excited and having fun and feeling like this is the best thing in the world. Who the fuck cares about the adult world.

Sorry to see him go. I liked him. We had fun. 

Just a thought

I just recalled the 5 years that I lived in LA without a car.  It took forever to get anywhere, but on the other hand, your thoughts would unravel all across the city like the yarn you would unroll to find your way home through the woods. You never got it back, but that was ok, because our thoughts are truly children who grow up and leave the nest and only come back to pat you on the head on holidays. I suddenly miss the hours of rolling my thoughts out.

Baby Drummer

Me learning something new. You think its easy to drum- that anybody can do it?