Last night

Was fun. Nothing like going to a concert in the high 90's to seperate the music lovers from the entertainment wusses. It was hot, but its a dry heat or so the saying goes. Fire is a dry heat too! Naw, it really wasn't that bad if you drank a lot of ...............water:) Watching people swill down beer in that heat concurrently made me exhausted and brought forth visions of a brutal headache.

We not only survived but thrived. John Mayer is pretty incredible. He has a lot of skills and god, women of all ages go apeshit over him! He has a great rapport with the crowd and a good sense of humor. He played for almost 2 hours so he gives his people their monies worth. Thats always nice to see.

I can't wait to see him mature in his guitar playing. Like I mentioned earlier he has insane skills. It seems, at times, that he tries to put too many notes into a solo at times. Just saying and just my opinion.

Concert highlight? He wished his soundman Happy Bday and played the GnR classic "Sweet Child of Mine". He rocked it hard and had a lot of fun with it. Dancing like Axel and taking up some Slash guitar poses as he played. Very funny. Made a Jennifer Anniston references that I'm sure Kimala is dying to share with you;).

Concert blah point? This woman I was sitting next too rubbing her sweaty leg against mine during the warm up act. She wasn't up to hottie status so I was glad when she took her sweaty leg and its partner elsewhere. Yeck!!

Next musical adventure? Hmmm. I may take the two oldest to see some 80's revival bands at The Dodge Theater Friday night. They are old enough to handle a plexi glass bra I figure.

Beyond Expectations

Last nights opening of the bistro just blew me away. It was hectic and crazy but thats just cause I hadn't done it before. So many people..... It made us very happy.

I would be remiss if I didn't thank some people so here I go:)..Special thanks to Misprint and her art. She was the one that really drew them in. Her art is amazing and I'm glad I've gotten to know her a bit. Did you see the color of the ceiling last night? It was epic, it took me back to a place of holding my 12 year old when he was 2 in Northern Arizona and watching the winter sunset over the Peaks. Thanks to Parker for her assistance in basically doing everything. She greeted, meeted, and took photos of the whole event. She is always a constant source of assistance and a great person to bounce ideas off of. A shout out to Joonie also. She to was an able helper in helping people feel relaxed and guiding people to and fro. She did some major tagging last night to get our group off and going. Also thanks to Blissie for just being Blissie and an IM away at all times. Also thanks to Jenda for her constant help and assistance in helping pull it all together.

A special nod to CQ Bravin. His music was superb and enjoyed by those in attendance. The guy is truly amazing!

And of course there is Kimala. She really did the huge majority of everything that the Bistro is. Finding the artist, renovations in the space, the entire concept of the three floors......all her. She is amazing. I don't know what else there is to say about her. I'm very happy it was such a success, she deserves many, many more.

Thanks again to everyone who did show up! Your attendance really helped make the event. I appreciate your time in coming to be with us. Our place is your place. Please remember that:)

Misprint's art will be up another two weeks or so. Please stop in and check it out. I know I will, I want to hold that 2 year old again in my mind and watch the sun go down over the Peaks one more time.......

My Day of Hotness

Yesterday started like any other. I was hanging around with Blissie, Kimala and Aeryn. Everyone went to a spa and in bold letters it announced that males were allowed past a certain point. Since there is no shortage of pervs in SL (TM), which Joonie reminds me ever so often, I was faced with a quandry.

Solutions abound in both worlds. I brought back She D from the dark recesses of my inventory. She had been tucked away since her last appearance at The Hive. So I swapped out, so to speak, with her. My god, she looked frightful. Poor thing. She had to shop for skin, shape and other items.

Good god, she is hot. It was fun being with and being her. I didn't engage in any subterfuge....wait, I did do a sammich at Savoy but got creeped out because I thought I was being dishonest. Luckily, Elvis let me off the hook by reading the my profile and being cool about it.

It was a nice break that people managed to handle quite well. Parker innundated me with inventory. Blissie told me I had nice lips and danced with me. Kimala let me borrow a dress and didn't get mad when I told her I was never giving it back. All in all, the females in SL (TM) are incredibly giving of their time and of themselves. You know who you are:).

Last night and yesterday in general was very fun. The most fun in a month I'll say. Thanks!

It's a curse.....

One of the things you develop from being a teacher for 15 years is an oddly heightened sense of hearing. Well, you don't have to have it but you run the risk of looking like a dumbass if things happen and you are in the dark about them.

This "skill" doesn't tuck itself away from late May till early August. Its always there. I overhear some of the weirdest conversations.

The other day I went to pick up dinner from the Tasty Asian Kitchen. I waited for our dinner to be gathered and overheard the following tidbit from a couple of women. I'm thinking they were in their late 20's.

"The election is already a done deal. Obama is going to win. Nostradamus predicted it. He had the names mixed up, but he predicted it. The real proof is that Obama's name has the same number of letters that Hitler's name had. He will be murdered in office. If during the funeral, there is a white horse pulling the cassion during the funeral, that means the end of the world is coming."

I gathered our dinner up after paying and went out to the car. I unlocked the car and put the dinner on Noah's lap. I went to the drivers side, knelt down and closed the door on my head four times. I then drove home and enjoyed dinner with my family.

I just had to...:)

I read Joonie's blog just minutes ago. I was born in L.A. and just had to represent for the homeland. Perfect? No. Nightmarish? Sometimes. American Dream that has been turned and twisted every which way? Definately. Place were my Mom and Dad met and unleashed their demon seed on this earth (me)...Yep.

In a matter of time,
There'll be a friend of mine
Gonna come to the coast,
You're gonna see him
Up close for a minute or two
While the ground cracks under you.
By the look in your eyes
You'd think that it was a surprise
But you seem to forget
Something somebody said
About the bubbles in the sea
And an ocean full of trees.
And you now,
L.A.
Uptight,
city in the smog, city in the smog.
Don't you wish that you could be here too?
Don't you wish that you could be here too?
Don't you wish that you could be here too?
Well, it's hard to believe
So you get up to leave
And you laugh at the door
That you heard it all before
Oh it's so good to know
That it's all just a show for you.
But when the suppers are planned
And the freeways are crammed
And the mountains erupt
And the valley is sucked
Into cracks in the earth
Will I finally be heard by you.
L.A.
Uptight,
city in the smog, city in the smog.
Don't you wish that you could be here too?
Don't you wish that you could be here too?
Don't you wish that you could be here too?

Check that one off

Yesterday I finished my summer gig. For the past four weeks Imentored 6 fresh graduates that are going into the teaching profession.They are doing it the non-traditional way in terms of not being education majors. They are mostly Science majors (ecology, physics, biomechanical engineering, chemistry, etc.) that come from kick-ass schools like Harvard, Texas A&M, Duke and John Hopkins.

Science Education is at a cross roads because of s severe shortage that exists. The other cool thing about these folks is that they are going to replenish the New Orleans school system and get that going again. Other destinations include Zuni Pueblo, inner city L.A. and other points.

They had to have pulled down a 3.6 GPA in their undergrad studies and it was a selection process to be placed in the program. Needless to say, I was immersed in motivated type A people the past four weeks.

At the conclusion of yesterday, as I said goodbye to the administrators who helped run the program, I noticed an envelope sticking out of my temp mailbox. Inside of it was a photo of my six soon to be teachers together. I smiled and thought about all that lies in store for them. They are all so young, about 22. They have so much lying ahead for them both in education and in their personal lives. I truly wish them well.

As I sat in my car with the A/C blasting, oh yeah the CD player too, I read some of the comments they wrote next to the photo. They said they were glad it was me mentoring them, that I was insightful, they admired me and that I encouraged them. It was alot to take in.

I think I'll give that back to them. If they can give those things to their students that they so readily gave to me, they will do great things. I'm going to email them today and let them know that if they encourage their students, show appreciation to their students, act positively in their relationships with their students and be not afraid to have admiration for their students, they will do so very well.

Our young people face so many challenges. It's amazing the impact that only one person can have in the life of one young person. So a shout out to: Colin, Erin, Scott, Liz, Allegra and Meghan. Vaya Con Dios.......

One in a million

People think they have SL (TM) dialed in. It's all about the sex, the infidelity and other thnigs that many of us tend to fixate on. Sure that can be alluring from the outset.

I have been on SL (TM) for about 14 months now. I know that each person's experience is an individual as each person is. As I go through this journey, what keeps me at it, is the relationships I have with a few people. It has reflected my RL in that I have a few close friends who I hold dear to me.

Blissie Boucher is one of the nicest people I have ever met in any world. When I have been way down, she was there for me, when I have been way goofy and unfocused (this happens frequently), she was there for me. She is just Bliss and she is just there.

A lot of people, at least in their profiles, say that RL is RL and SL(TM) is SL(TM) and they should never intersect. OK, thats a choice I respect. However, Blissie is a part of our families life. My sweet little Rach loves typing to Blissie. Her reading skills aren't quite there yet but she knows when Blissie is giving her a holla! My 10 year old thought it was great Blissie was into him making a chocolate cake. You should have seen the smile on his face. Even Rachel's twin brother asked me last night if I was dancing with Bliss at the Savoy. I said,"Yes I am." He said,"Good." To cap it off, my ever so close to teenage 12 year old weighs in with,"she is hot."

If you have as good a friend in any world as Blissie is my friend in the metauniverse, make sure you tell them that they mean a lot to you. They might even mean something to your whole family, who knows? Friends are the rarest of commodities and need to be safeguarded like anything else precious.

Love ya Bliss!

I am at Center again

Ahhh, order has been restored to the homefront with the return of Kim from D.C. As I write this, the twins are laying next to her and have covered her with stuffed animals also. Hard to tell she was very missed ;).

As Noah, Rach and myself waited at the gate, I had a chance to do some quality observations People are so interesting at airports. You can't but help to conjure up scenarios to fit the people you watch. I saw lovers reunite, families come back together again, brothers greet sisters and vice versa, kids coming for the court ordered obligatory visit to a divorced parent, grandkids reconnecting with grandmas and grandpas. Life rich pageant was on full display.

I'd much rather be at the arrival gate than the departure. Something far more positive in that experience. Peoples faces are interesting as they arrive. Apprenhension and excitement fill the air. I like watching peoples faces make that rapid transition from one state to the other. It's sweet:)

Two last, no make it three remarks before I close this blog for today.

#1 Phoenix has long had the reputation of being the breast enhancement capital of the U.S.A. We may not be able to win an N.B.A. championship but we are going for a five-peat in the breast augmentation championships! I even noticed my 10 year old shaking his head a couple of times. More about him later....

#2 While mentoring future teachers today I learned that you are not to, under any circumstances, touch let alone play, with Mercury at any time. Rewind back to my childhood to the era of old school thermometers. If they broke, which they did quite often, My Mom and Dad would say,"Come here Dave! Check this out and pour the liquid Mercury into my hand to
play with until I grew bored. It was cool how this metal looking stuff was a liquid! I also learned today that Mercury is absorbed into the skin and can cause insanity. I knew I had a legit reason!!

#3 I offered Noah $10 to go up and hug someone getting off the plane that he did not know. I was right there, it was a controlled environment. He wouldn't do it. Sigh.....

Sea Food for thought

My father-in-law dropped this gem on me. Cool guy who is always looking out for us:) It comes from a reknown surfer Laird Hamilton who posits these life laws with a surfing bend. Of course I have adapted it to SL. Here we go...

#1 Know that you are a speck in cyberspace. The vastness of everything on the net (the good, the bad, and the ugly) should serve to keep things in perspective. It should help you stay grounded if you lean into it.

#2 Go Big or Go home. If you are committed to being on SL, go for broke! Get the skin, get the shape, get a house, pay some tier. Just don't pussy foot around.

#3 Listen to Your Gut. God, please do this! If someone seems kind of creepy or nice, give them time to prove it. Don't expect others to share your perspectives. Some lemons can put on a new coat of paint and get new rims and a sweet sound system, but hell, lets say this together, "A lemon is still a lemon!"

#4 Understand you are not in control. Control is a mirage within an illusion. We are trained since birth to think we can control our surrondings and are ourselves. If you are cold, turn up the heat. Or if you're hot turn up the A/C. You can control yourself and thats it.

#5 Get out there. Go out and look at something beautiful. MLK said we need to be less of a thing society and more of a experience society. Brilliant!

#6 Put things in perspective. Will someone breaking up with you in SL cause you to lose your house, suffer physically akin to an auto accident? Problems need to be understood in dire life or death circumstances. Being 80 miles off shore with no way in is a problem.

#7 Keep learning. Sometimes SL is a very difficult place. SL does not care about your bank account, your ancestry, your level of formal education. Its just you working your way through the metauniverse. The more I learn, the more I know I don't know jack...

#8 Be determined. With determination you will be successful. There is no right and wrong to learn things in SL. You get it when you get it. It's ok!

#9 Don't get stale. Ideas come out of boredom and a person desire to be passionate and motivated. You have to figure ways out to make things exciting and interesting. Inspire yourself, don't look for it in others. Keep renewing your passion.

#10 Don't judge. SL is non-judgemental. It doesn't differentiate between you and the other guy. In SL, we are all equal.

So thats it. I definately have some work to do. That's never boring to me. What do you think of the adapted list? Sound off!

Through the past brightly

Through conversations with my two oldest I have been down memory lane on the topic of memorable July 4th's. They want to know which ones were the best as all kids like you to quantify things. I tell them that they are all good because they are different and they mirror what your life is about at that time. I pat myself on the back for coming up with this realization but hell, they just want to hear the crazy and different stuff. This a part of what I shared with them. The names have not been changed so ha!!

Growing up in Santa Barbara, it was a tradition that we would go to some beach and surf on the 4th. I carried this tradition on to my circle of friends and once we were no longer dependant on others for rides, we forayed out. Here are my three fav surfing 4th's.

#1 For pure laughs I have to tell you the tale of the nude beach 4th. We, a group of friends, met at my parents house at about 7:30 and we were trying to figure what beach to go for the 4th. There was no swell running but traditions must be observed y'know. it looked like we would splinter off into various directions when Gordon (real name there :)) said,"Why don't we go to Summerland Nude Beach?" At last a voice of reason was among us. We loaded up our gear and departed.

Eventually the six of us at Summerland grew to about 20 as word got around. I still remember my mom saying to me as I was making a lunch and grabbing some drinks,"So are you going to surf naked there? Won't that hurt?" I did surf naked and it wasn't that bad btw. This beach wasn't a surf beach but we transformed that day. I never laughed so hard when Gordon's older brother walked down the beach naked, with his surfboard under his arm and a paperbag over his head with two eyeholes cut out for navigation. He said he was shy...

For pure great surf it would have been a trip into Hollister Ranch that Tutto bro'd us out with. The waves were 6 to 8 feet at Augie Bowl and there were 3 of us out for 6 hours. I was sore and sunburned and missed the fireworks in SB that year but damn that was fun.

Another tradition once the sun went to bed in Santa Barbara was the fireworks at Ledbetter beach. They'd have a big display at La Playa Stadium and shoot some additional fireworks of a ship that was anchored off shore. People would get there early on the morning of the 4th and dig big pits in the sand and set up camp there all day until the sun went down. It was really fun with a great mix of people. Families, groups of friends, surfers, bikers, vato dudes all out enjoying the fourth and being cool with one another. Ahhh, the importance of getting along.

Eventually they had to shut it down. It got too popular. The morning of the 5th the beach resembled some lunar landscape and people stopped being cool with each other. Fights and other such bullshit. So it goes.

I hope you have had a wonderful holiday weekend. I did. It still goes on at 6:04 am. My 5 year old is riding a bike in the kitchen area in tidy whities and t shirt. Yeah, they are all good:)

Beyond Vivid

The past couple of weeks my dream life has been in some rich mother lode. I can't really recall a period in my life where my dreams have been so filled with detail and so connected to me. Its been exciting, yet pretty unnerving also.

I am not a great sleeper. My sleep patterns have been forever warped by being a dad for 12 years. I figure its just part of the game. Having two kids with asthma has not been conducive to ever really feeling safe enough to deeply drift in the "zone" of total submersion. I dunno, I am who I am:)

Two dreams have just woke me out of sleep like a bucket of cold water. The first was a dream about my friend Ron. We were close friends in high school up through our late twenties till he and his wife relocated. I've spoken to him a couple of times since he has relocated but nothing consistent.

He looks just like we did around senior year. He is by his car and the detail is just mind boggling. The color of his car, his wetsuit thrown in the back. The empty soda can in the front that he drank on the way to the beach. While I am there I'm petting his dog, Glen. The feel of Glen's fur, etc. you get my point.

He's telling me his is all right where he is and that he is okay. He knows that the surf days are passed but he had to tel me he is alright. I'm just there with him. We aren't talking at all but we are communicating. Trippy.......

The second startler of a dream doesn't involve a person it involves a feeling or an internal point of reference. But first some background. My freshman year of college I fell head over heels for a young woman named Cindy. We developed a relationship. When I think back to her I always remember how she would meet me outside of the library and put her hand and head on my chest and let out a long sigh while she said Hi. It was a classic college romance that served to bridge to other parts of my life that would occur later.

Cindy just flat out disappeared. She withdrew from school and didn't live in her apartment and her friends came to me and said,"Do you know where she is?" She contacted her roommate about 10 days later and said that she went back to her Mom's house in Palos Verdes till next semester.

I slipped into a funk. It really scared the crap out of me. I felt like someone had put dark sheets over all the furniture in my soul. I didn't cry, I didn't get frenetic, I just was so there. I remember the feeling of taking care of business in terms of obligations but always having a concurrent dialogue within that was wondering if this was the point where my heart fell to the floor and shattered into a thousand pieces.

It changed me. I became guarded. I just didn't know about things anymore. To be honest with you, I don't think the final remaining dark furniture covers were completely put away till I met and fell in love with my wife. She was/is very illuminating.

So the second dream was about that feeling. The big empty and wondering if the next sound you hear is the shatter of a broken heart. The interpretation motifs are endless on this one. We are worried about son #2 who takes a med for asthma that has been linked to depression. We ask him what is wrong and he says nothing, but I know the walk, the methodical blink and all that goes with it.

So that is my vivid duo so to speak. It's interesting that two people from long ago decide to resurface. Maybe its not about them but the feelings that I have invested them. I dunno, gives me something to think about while I'm driving home from school with oven mitts on. Stay cool guys:)