About friends.........

Aristotle:
What is a friend? A single soul dwelling in two bodies.

My Buddy Rich

Today, I want to give a "holla" to two of the most generous people to cross my path. That is Rich Diamond and his wife Paula. After I retired, I of course had time that needed filling. Soooooooo, after receiving a laptop as a Christmas gift, and the world of the internet was opened up to me, my life was enriched.

I have always loved the Blues. Over the years, I had managed to build a fairly respectable music collection. One night, most of it was stolen. Since I had retired, and had my own finacial meltdown (another story for another time), the music I loved so much was gone. Some of the titles in my collection were fairly rare, so I was pretty much sure that my beloved music was gone forever. I would now be at the mercy of the radio etc. to hear it.

Well, after a chance meeting online with another angel, this would eventually change. Let me go to the Readers Digest version of this story. The other "angel",
Lizzie Richardson, who is a research genius, discovered that there was VIDEO that I had no idea even existed. Weeeeeelllllllll, during a hunt for a particular item, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Albert King, In Session, I sent an email that would make my life better.

The email was sent to Rich, through a You Tube posting he had made. I asked him if he had the video I was looking for. He said he didn't, but had a list of music I might find interesting. Boy did I. We swapped emails, spoke on the phone, and got to know each other. He is a friend of Buddy Guy's, I LOVE Buddy Guy, and was lucky enough to visit Buddy's club Legends earlier the previous year. Anyway, I told Rich in the course of our conversations, that I would JUST LOVE to have a copy of everything on his list. First, he sent me 50. 50!!!!! I was humbled by his generosity. Then, as a Christmas gift, he sent me what I had jokingly said I has wanted, copies of his WHOLE collection!! Also, his wonderful wife Paula, had a stamp made that had the initals SRV and a Fender Strat that I could use on correspondence, etc.

He isn't feeling to good these days, and I just wanted he and Paula to know, how deeply grateful I am for their generosity. I thank you with every fiber of my being.

In Memory of Stevie Ray

The cursor blinks as it waits for me. My wish/intent/hope is to place here a collection of language that will express how I feel about this day. This day marks the 19th year having come, since the untimely death of Texas Bluesman Stevie Ray Vaughan. Truth is, my preference, is to string a few words together about the life, music, and gift of Stevie. I choose to do this rather than focus on the loss. In my house, he lives. I have many pictures of him on my walls, books on his life, and well over 100 recordings that are listened to almost daily. It has become a quest for me to find out about the man. To this point, it has been an interesting and jofyul journey. His heart, and spirit were every bit as big as his tone. His humility and gratitude were an intergral part of his playing, as much as his fire, pasion, and deep love of making music. Often late at night, or when life is particluarly unkind, it seems as though he is playing just for me. The notes speak to my soul, bind my wounds, and lovingly put me back on my feet. To watch him play, and feel his power, his willingness to reach out in my time of need, is a rare, rare gift. Thank you Stevie. In my home, and my heart, you live my friend.

Heart prints........

There are days when my heart breaks wide open. When this blessed event happens, I am often overwhelmed with gratitude. You may ask, but why? Ok, I can answer that. To begin my answer, I will ask a couple of questions; how much do you feel? Do you see all the reasons to be filled with gratitude?

Most of the time, it's something really small for me. Today, it was when I gave my little dog, Rambo, a bath. In the kitchen sink, back and knees screaming with pain.... but, he looked up at me, with such love... You see, he has been getting eaten up by fleas, and I don't have enough money to tke him to the groomer. He never complained, he just loved me. It is a very emotinal subject for me, tears roll as I write now, and I will have to finish another time. If we could only learn to love like a little dog.

Be grateful, ALLOW yourself to see the small things. Like the giant heart, and love, of a little dog.

No Ordinary Moments........

There are No Ordinary Moments....... this was a core message in one of Dan Millman's Peaceful Warrior series of books. Life is so difficult these days, that it is only now sinking in what this phrase means, to me. My life has been blessed over the years with such abundance, so many bright and warm memories that could sustain one for a lifetime standing alone. Just today, 54 + years after my birth, I can say those memories of money, cars, and other such nonsense aren't what gets me through the day. Rather, it is the small, usually gentle rememberances of....... well, moments.

All I can say is this, without the special moments of my life, when friendship has been demonstrated not spoken about, when my little dog climbs up on my chest and nuzzles me while I lay on the couch in pain, moments. The biggest paycheck I ever received doesn't hold a candle to how that feels. Moments. What a huge word.

The Foggy Path.......

First of all, photo credit goes to E. Richardson. Ok now, it seems most everyone close to me is going through a series of trials/crisis' in their lives. So many things coming at them, there doesn't seem to be a way to turn, no sft place to fall. One thing after another, badda bing, badda bang, badda boom. From every possible direction and source, in a never-ending attack on the foundation of their lives. Confusing, tearing at every fiber of stability and confidence, the main weapon? Indifference. The most rock-solid people I have ever known, rocked to the point of instability and self-doubt. We are living in difficult and trying times and we often feel like we are living in dog's world and we are wearing Milk Bone underwear. No way to climb high and into the quiet to make a plan, no way to get under the radar to escape detection. It's nap-of-the-earth tree skimming flight in the dead of night at supersonic speed with no lights for reference. Sure to be a terrifying ride for any sane human. Not a day goes by that I don't spend some time on my knees, praying for my friends.....

Decision made

One thing I am very glad about in my life, is that some very, very wise men drilled into my granite like head and into my dim wits, is, to not over-analyze things. Collect the facts, examine them with a critical eye, notice everything, then pull the trigger. Decision making is less about the making the decision known, and is ALL ABOUT GETTING GOOD INFORMATION FOR EXAMINATION. They also insisted that I consider two items not directly connected to the information. Is it the "right" thing to do, and this, "what would it be like if EVERYBODY did it". Of course it immediately became clear that if it was right was the thing that really mattered. Through this they taught me that satisfaction has many homes, has many faces, and is just different sometimes. It is up to us to be paying enough attention to our walk to accomplish the simple task of identifying the cause and effect of our lives. If you are paying attention even some of the time, these things are clearer. Hmm, I like being able to rant and see no rolling eyes or frozen smiles, or deep sighs of boredom.

Whadaya expect? It's Monday!

Well, I have gotten my ass kicked at on-line backgammon today, TWICE! Hee hee hee, big fucking deal. It's still both fun, AND fascinating that I can sit on my couch, and talk to while playing a game with someone over 6000 miles away. Truly a modern miracle.

I am getting concerned about my being able to guest host the show on the 27th. I am not doing well today, and haven't been for the last couple of days. The thing is quite simply this; I don't want to not be able to meet the obligation at the last minute and leave everyone hanging. Cutter will be staying up until midnite his time to do something I asked him to do, and bail at the last minute. So, sadly I am seriously considering canceling this appearance and moving it back some. I just don't know. It's agonizing to make this decision, until I remember that it isn't about me.

Well, as the day comes closer, I have spent most of my day today sifting through the music I have available trying to find just the right tracks to illustrate my main point, that Stevie Ray Vaughan played with a fire and passion that many were able to witness, and few ever knew.

I am choosing from the gifts that my friends have given me, most notably, Elizabeth Richardson from Beauly, Scotland, and Rich Diamond from the greater Chicago area. Thank you both. I have enjoyed innumerable hours of joy from your generosity.

My First Post

On the 27th of this month, August, I thought I would spell it out for the legions of readers I have noticed, yes a joke. I will have the honor (I hope, depending on the host of the show's mother and her health problems) of celebrating the life as well as the recording career of Stevie Ray Vaughan, Texas bluesman. As a guest on the show, I have already received confirmation that Cutter Brandenburg former Road Mgr. and friend of Stevie's will be a call-in guest and as it stands now, will stay the length of the show, two hours.

It is an honor I don't take lightly. Though this will be my third stint as guest host, this is by far the one I look forward to most.