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Since 1987 |
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HIS SPIRIT LIVES ON! ... BONER, THE PIANO DOG ... November 27, 1994 ... February 20, 2010
Use the links to the left to read a past Month or Year... and then there is always your Backspace to return to a past page.
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December 31, 2007
Tonight was the final "gig" of a successful full time 20 year musical career performing on the piano outside... from the back of a pickup truck. Wow! Three lines of silence to soak in the reality of that and to honor this achievement...
Ok, now... Haddonfield New Jersey's First Night committee booked Boner and myself for their annual celebration, this was our seventh New Years Eve with the town. I am very grateful to have been valued thoughout the years. Tonight many, many people were very generous with memories of years past and extended best wishes for the continuation of my journey. I felt like Sally Fields, "you like me, you really like me." Hahaha... They told me they were happy for me, and with me, over the success of this past year and the promise of a great future. Several people made a point to contribute specifically for the journey.
The main street was packed with the biggest crowd ever. After six hours I thought the night was moving too fast. I took one break for about 40 minutes to eat some dinner other than that I was with the piano the entire time. My approach and energy with what I have to offer the world has changed to the point that people know I have brought the piano there for them to have fun with. There is no need to coax anyone to get on board. I performed for only 25 percent of the entire time. I made sure I had my personal few musical moments tho.
One dad carried his daughter on his shoulder around the truck while the little girl shot pictures for me. I think she was about seven years old. She took some great pictures! Another young guy came up on his own and gave me a dollar bill. He told me he had worked for it and wanted for me to have it. I could feel the gesture came from no ones prodding, he knew nothing of the old cliche of tipping the piano man, it was a natural expression of sharing from the heart. Is that cool or what? People danced in the truck while I played and thought about the wheels popping off from the jumping but I did not care because we were having too much fun.
Families and groups of kids jumped onto the truck to create music together, some just to get their picture taken. I drove one piano guy down the street while he played. Afterwards he said, "I'm gonna get me a truck for my piano." I thought a few moments and then said, "that's a good idea, I hope you go for it." Part of me wants to stay with the tradition of repeat performances for the many communities I have been able to establish relationship with over the years. I reminded people they can always stay in touch with me via this blog the only problem is I will not have the ability to stay in touch with them unless they initiate or create correspondence. It will probably turn out to be a one way street with people, I hope not.
Boner was such a champ all night. At the 9PM children's countdown, I was so preoccupied I did not realize the fireworks were about to go off until I heard, "five, four, three"... I jumped to grab for Bo and we both ducked under the piano until they were over. During the night all the food falling to the ground was driving him crazy. He ended up playing several duets on the piano while testing his ability to restrain himself from jumping down. It was pretty funny because he was actually playing musical notes with his paws while other people were also playing. At the end of the night we always go onto the main stage with the guests of honor and he knew the game from years past. He had stage fright knowing the twelve o'clock fireworks were about to go off and would not come out for his curtain call! I ended up carrying him out and we sat together on the stage floor while I held him dear and tight. When it was over i let him go and he went running down the street. "Get me outta here." A police officer caught him. He would have come back on his own, I think.
| December 30, 2007
Damm, I'm having a time of it. I would say I am extremely depressed but I don't think that is it. I certainly have not felt this heavy since I began living my wildest of dreams over two years ago. Sad... I might be feeling, lonely...scared, in need of help? I am still extremely sensitive and want to shut down when I am criticized (somebody on Ebay criticized me with an item that I sent them) I am definitely disappointed in myself with weight that I have gained. I refuse to diet. I have made a commitment to live life as healthy as I can. Yuk. I know my feelings are tied to not being outside creating music and interacting with people. I become confused when it comes to allowing myself a life that is truly mine. Also I am spinning my wheels in letting go of life as I now know it forever, the security of my home and memories of people that I love. it is all a process I realize I am in a process and I am not stuck with it, I AM going through it. Tomorrow night, New Years Eve is the last booking of 20 years on the truck as Raggin' Piano Boogie. Boy am I going to not want to come home alone after that. Ha, what a negative setup. I better get real happy... quick so I can do a good job. I know I will... after all i am a pro.
Maybe I should ask for more of whatever is going on because last night I went to bed treating myself finally with the start read of The Kite Runner a book that has been sitting on my table for three years. I refuse to see the movie without reading the book first. This morning I woke up at 6AM. Getting out of bed has been an issue for me as of late. There is absolutely nothing that feels more unnatural to me than getting up in the dark. Never the less I have been desperately wanting to get up early to help achieve my goals. I woke and tried to keep my eyes open not knowing what to do, not being able to feel I think out of fear, I was grasping at what to do, think or feel. I could not go back to sleep, I did not want to. Finally I turned on the light and thought, "pick up the book and continue reading it." I did and it worked I was out of bed by 7Am and I accomplished enough today to feel safe with myself today. So now I can start worrying about tomorrow New Years Eve. Ha!
| December 29, 2007
I did not do enough to break Sunday, today. Have you ever heard of that AmeriSpeak expression? Well... i did work for about an hour. I am thinking about the Chinese symbols for energy, chaos, calmness, kindness...
| December 28, 2007
This blog is officially my anchor for progressivness. Making a daily entry is my bottom line statement of willingness for myself when it comes to holding onto my dreams. it is not easy these days. I overate a large healthy dinner and then walked for an hour and then drove to purchase a half gallon of chocolate marshmallow ice cream to inhale with pretzel sticks to crush up in it and then I also purchased two cans of powdered slim fast. That about describes my life fully right now.
| December 27, 2007
It has been dark, cold, rainy and gloomy for sometime now and I have not gone outside to perform and do my thing. Now I'm scared to death to do it. If I stop for a few days, every time... i have to throw myself into it again like it is the first time. I must remember that is where the fun is, its like jumping off a cliff. Also, I have been losing the feeling of purpose which is to share as an individual my brand of musical fun, friendship and respect, to inspire and empower without cost to anyone.
So the idea of asking someone for help or money (which i have not been doing) just the idea of it... began to feel bad, not right, stupid, needy. Well thank god I got a glimpse of the REAL feeling of what I am about today. I caught the pajama lady and John Wood the book and school guy on Oprah tonight. There are so many people in the world following their dreams, I must keep my eyes and ears open with them so I can be inspired along with them as i travel my path.
| December 26, 2007
One last past Christmas picture from my home for today's blog. I have been doing some reassessment today and realize that to create the reality of this dream of mine, the Flight of Peregrinating Musical Exploration, I must change some behaviors in my life such as get up earlier in the day, get rid of distractions like watching television while working, adjust my eating habits, I must schedule my life to some extent and most importantly give myself the time to focus everyday on "why" so I can summon the feeling and passion to accomplish the goals. Creating music everyday is as much a priority as exercise. It is all about choice. How much do I want this musical life. Am I clear on exactly what I want? Thank god I have the choice and must remind myself of that constantly to keep pressure at bay. I am not being forced to do anything, no loyalty issues, no obligations.
| December 25, 2007
God, this seems to be turning into a personal blog. I wanna keep it about music and the piano and sharing and performance but... whatever. Hey, what have you been up to? You could write me and tell me about yourself... do you know. It would be nice to know about you. All you readers... My life feels a bit boring since its been raining and cold and I'm spinning my wheels with this journey etc... Merry Christmas! I went to New York today to visit a friend and see a few movies. I was reminded that there are many different worlds everywhere. The streets of New York were wall to wall with people, it was packed. You would have never known it was Christmas. It was a bit strange. I always wondered why movies opened on Christmas day, now I know why. We walked from theatre to theatre trying to get into any movie. They were mostly all sold out, all day long. We ended up seeing, I am legend. Man, oh man... was that NOT a Christmas Day movie! Ha, it was in Imax and we sat in the second row. It was a horror movie. I kept trying to stretch my eyes so i could see the ends of the screen. Then I saw another bloody movie, yuk on Christmas? It was one of my all time favorite musicals, written by my all time favorite musical writer Stephen Sondheim , directed by my favorite movie director Tim Burton and the movie was Sweeney Todd. it did not disappoint. It was so amazing as 95% of the audience was overflow from the I Am Legend movie, it was not typical movie fare for the audience. They started to heckle the screen, some walked out but then I slowly listened and watched the movie suck EVERYONE in. By the end everyone left amazed. It was creativity that they could not resist. That made me feel good to watch people experience a new and different type of creativity and enjoy it. Lastly, I have used teddy bears along my living room floor boards to help keep my house warm at Christmas. Boner has always loved to lay with them as you can see.
| December 24, 2007
Ahh... it is Christmas Eve, I wish everyone peace and love. I went back and forth as to how this day would turn out, I was going to go up to NYC to share the Traveling Piano truck, create music, take pictures etc... I decided to feel my way through the day. As it turns out I am staying home. It is clean, in order, and full of Christmas. Right now my favorite Christmas music is playing and there are about 50 candles flickering everywhere. I feel this is my last Christmas in my present home. I love my home. I love the empowerment I was given to have it, keep it, pay for it and to share it. I moved into my home when I was ten years old. There was a period of time where I lived in other places but I always came home for visits. I eventually purchased my home and now here I am 52 years old and ready to leave the nest forever. The idea of letting go is not easy and I want to enjoy every morsel of love connected with this home before I transition. Yes, I am holding on for dear life. I can and so I will. I am here on Christmas Eve with all my friends who have passed in life. You see, my feelings are not only riding with the house, my friends fill this home...99% of the contents of this house are filled with possessions passed on to me by loved ones. Mom's couch, my dad's gift of a musical jack-in-the-box, my friend Gertrude's secretary desk, my friend Michael's handcrafted table, Brad's oriental rug, things belonging to past friends Kathy, Sam, Robin, Steven, Barb, Cheryl, Laura, Oni, Ray, Thelma, Eleanor, Danny, Jerry, Pamela, Dave, Marty, Mary... The spirit of over hundred people who have been part of my life on earth fill this home. I'd like to share three past Christmas pictures of my home with you.
Ahh... I have my best friend Boner presently by my side... together we will listen to music, call a few friends on the phone, do some work, spend a little time in each room of my house to soak in the love, take a walk around the neighborhood to enjoy some Christmas lights, eat some good food and treats, we already visited with some neighbors today, raked some front lawn leaves for neighbor friends who are getting on in their years, I may dip into a local midnight service to soak in some of that... and most importantly I will create some piano music tonight to express my love for he world. I am about to embarked on a journey of 100% giving. My priority in the moment is to take care of myself first and foremost, to fill myself up, to give to myself... so I can give it all out to the world.
| December 23, 2007
I want to share my all time most favorite musical Christmas mistake, it has been around on the internet for years and I never tire if hearing it, a hometown rendition of Hallelujah with a colossal brain-splitting error!
The Messiah's Hallelujah!
| December 22, 2007
For first time visitors... the picture is a fun, future visualization of the Traveling Piano with Boner and myself performing in China, specifically Shanghai. Can you find us in the pic? Where's Danny and Boner?
Secondly... I wanted to share my all time most favorite musical Christmas mistake, it has been around on the internet for years and I never tire if hearing it, a hometown rendition of Hallelujah with a colossal brain-splitting error!
The Messiah's Hallelujah!
| December 21, 2007
The picture for today I think is soooo... queer! But I decided to use it anyway, Ha! Someone referred to the items on the Boner the Dog as stock, so it gave me an opportunity to write this... I am going to share it with everyone.
... please tell everyone about the websites and the journey. It may look like I have a store here with stock and merchandise but that is not the fact. Everything you have seen is a personal possession, nothing has been donated, please God no... there is so much "stuff" as it stands! When someone sees something like all the woman's pocketbooks I know that raises an eyebrow of confusion but they are typical items that came my way as others did not value them and I had the storage area over the last twenty years. Through the years I have been giving and passed these things to others because I can :) Friends in the past have found gifts in my house during Christmas for their entire family without spending a penny. What fun that has been.
Now, my bills have been piling up from performing and presenting the Traveling Piano to people and communities for no cost. My priority in life is to spread fun, friendship and respect while musically empowering and inspiring everyone I meet and... and of course to have the world meet Boner the piano dog before he retires. Bo just turned 13 years old ...Ha, yes its true. So I am selling everything I own in order to continue my present life course in a spirit of fun and participation. Thank you for participating!
| December 20, 2007
Sometimes it serves me not to think. I am serving myself today.
| December 19, 2007
I woke up this morning, 11:45AM is still morning right? I did not go to bed until after 4AM so I cannot punish myself... and I worked all but an hour yesterday. Anyway I woke up feeling like a Christmas time blur and concern that I am not getting to the promoting part of the fundraising that i must do because I am still setting everything up. I said to myself, "self, you are not having fun and all progress is slowing to almost a standstill because of it, just let go". I checked my bank account to make sure I will be able to pay the basic bills for next month, the answer is yes thank God and then I said you are going to have fun for Christmas. Play the piano when the opportunity arises, spend time with friends, go enjoy some Christmas decorating efforts around the area, spend some time in New York City (love NY) and have a friggin' life. I want to see at least four movies! So I will do what I can do and except it concerning work. Anyway, I do not want people to contribute to this musical journey just because its Christmas and they are more vulnerable at this time of year. I certainly don't have an aversion to "it takes what it takes" but there are more important priorities. People will give if they want to give not just because its Christmas although that fact helps. Christmas is not the end all of giving and purpose.
I went back to Collingswood NJ, to gift the residents of a huge senior home. They had a just tuned the grand piano that sits in the lobby so I knew it would enjoy myself. I had a real piano to play on. I usually do not perform in places like this because I know very little of the large sums of money they pull in... is rightly appropriated to people like myself. But this manor had a sense of respect, I could feel it, so I offered my spirit. I pulled the piano rug from the back of the truck outside and threw it on top of the piano. Boner went up next. The fact that Boner was welcomed on top of their piano for everyone to meet was a sure sign that we were in a good place the management was not overly uptight about restrictions, concerns, bureaucracy etc... the joy of music and friendship was the priority. There were periods where I was engaged in talking while I played, where I played with people listening, where I played alone for myself... i had it all. One guy went back to his room to get a wood carving he made of a dog that looks like Bo to give to me. Another woman walks up and hands me five bucks. I love it when someone does that from the heart and believe I know the difference. I am ULTRA sensitive when it comes to knowing the difference from ...the heart, thinking their feeding a needy musician... or doing it for their own ego or to impress someone else. Todays gesture was heartfelt. Boner and I met many people. Lots of kids came through the lobby to Christmas carol and volunteer with holiday activities. "Wow, Its the piano man and dog from the Christmas parade every year!" This was a constant chant from everyone.
Now I want to talk about the music. I had a new comment about my music today. "The piece you were just playing, I know it was your original music, it reminded me so much of classical Bach and Handle." Boy do I love new positive comments. I could make a great list from these blogs. The more areas of relationship that I can cross into musically with people the better. I am so happy to share my experience of creating music. I had a new experience musically today. I felt and physically experienced what in the past I have only seen though other people in movies. I was playing with the music, exploring... experimenting... "oh, listen to that, I wonder what this will sound like, this is interesting, what if i do this, look at what happened when I did that, what if i do..." I was amazingly interested in creating music unlike ever before. I was consciously, curiously, actively interested. I was engaged and focused with musical moments... with a way of thinking I have never, ever experienced before in my life with anything! With anything!!! Three hours later I had not stood up from the piano bench. What does that tell you? The gratitude I have is overwhelming. My-mind-is-growing-music. At one point I became aware that I could actually change my approach to what I was doing on the piano to make the piano sound like two different pianos. I would play one way the piano would sound thick. I played another way, the piano sounded thin. If I played on a good piano everyday, not practiced but just played like a child with all the knowledge of an adult, like I did today, my abilities would soar through the universe. Please wish that for me, all of it.
| December 18, 2007
I wish I could be writing about performing and gifting music today. i wish I could have spent the day creating music. I am in such a life transition. If I was doing the same old, same old... I'd be out making money doing Christmas gigs. I'm done that. did that, done that. I now want to share my life and grace in a more meaningful way and at the same time be financially responsible so I am trying to make my money by selling my possessions so that I can present my talents in a different form other than doing paid gigs. I could easily mask my pathological thoughts, strange behaviors and eccentric creative impulses for the sake of career and a full social life... I could choose to live my life in a more linear musical fashion but I think to continue with my present activities in the way that I have been doing serves "an overall good" for the future... it just might not be MY future... ha, oh well... so be it... but then again I might find a way to "have it all" through the ongoing exhibition of the truthful manifestations of my thoughts and desires as I pursue them. Today i am harmonically musically TWANGING with the universe!
| December 17, 2007
The weather station says the temperatures have been below average for this month so I am glad that I can justify feeling too cold to go outside to play some piano. Also, the plans for hooking up with a Christmas truck to go out and gift people fell through, so that took some wind out of my sail. Oh well, I do what I can do. Thought I would share a fun "vintage" picture with you. it has been in the Raggin' Piano Boogie gallery since this website began. It is about twenty years old? I was doing a promotion for a local supermarket. Can you find me in the picture? Can you see where I am performing? I am on top of the freezer cabinets. I was up there for a week. Yep, I'll do anything if you pay me enough money!
| December 16, 2007
| December 15, 2007
| December 14, 2007
I went to Collingswood NJ today. The temperature almost reached 40 degrees so I had to take advantage of the warm weather :) I connected with Paul who is the biggest business volunteer I know in the town. "Where are you going to play, when, what purpose will it serve." I said, "I have no idea, it is just going to happen." Then the words came to my mind for the first time of how it all works for me. When I go out to gift and create music... well, with twenty years of experience... I have a large vocabulary... thousands of different ideas and situations to draw from. They are all present in my head so when one of the ideas or situations presents itself I know what will work so I just go for it. Since I posses the quality of enjoying new and different things... actually I thrive on new and different things... I am always open for new opportunity. When something new presents itself; I am open, ready, willing, looking... I go for it and then then my vocabulary of ideas and situations grows even larger. "I just go for it" is the key phrase.
Paul ended up driving Bo and I up and down the main drag while I played. I improvised while traveling through Friday evening traffic and thousands of twinkly white Christmas lights on the trees. I did not play Christmas music but nobody cared. Boner in his Antlers on top of the piano was all that mattered. I said to Paul, "when I'm not doing promotion, not getting paid, and its freezing outside, then you know I am truly gifting!" Ha. Collingswood had already contributed to the journey so i was happy to be there. When I stopped at a parking space I improvised, for...the...first...time... on We Wish You A Merry Christmas! I played improvisational notes using the chords of the song for almost an hour. I was practicing the piano in public on the street! You'd think I would remember the friggin' five chords of the song after an hour? Nope. I still kept messing it up but it was really rad improvisational music anyway! I was amazed at my ability from last year. Last year I was attempting to improvise on a song... this year I was actually doing it. How cool...
Before I left town I stopped by the seniors home to see if they had a nice piano inside to come back for. They did, but no management was around to talk to. As I walked in I found a group of about 15 seniors singing christmas carols around a piano. What a sight that was. Talk about low key! Well it wasn't low key after one woman said, "pull that Santa in here the guy with the santa hat on." I couldn't resist. I have a special place in my heart for the octarian and onward age set. I want to always remember, the body and brain might be dim but NEVER the spirit. The woman playing the piano was 94 years old and blind. I could never do what she was doing on the piano. I can't just sit and play Christmas Carols by ear or from memory but she could. We had a good 15 minutes together all of us while Boner sat with the truck that I had left running outside. I played some music for them, we talked, we laughed and I stayed and sang their last song with them which was Silent Night. I had to fight the urges of feeling really gross and wishy washy. I just allowed myself to have the experience. It was full of joy and love.
| December 13, 2007
Please go the website music links and listen to the improvisation I created for today and tomorrow because I created them at the same time. They are each a little over three minutes long. They feel very important to me. I am beginning to move my spirit through music. It is overwhelmingly amazing to me. They can be found under the "A Gift of Music Daily" link to the left of this blog and they are the blocks at the bottom named Dec 13 and Dec 14.
A friend Ron took me out for lunch today and we talked for about three hours. Here is a guy who has been pumping gas at the same local gas station for 17 years. We have gotten together about three times in the past and I am amazed at the intelligence I am discovering in this guy. The spirituality also. He has had more dealings with religions than me! Fifteen different ones and he has been through something like ten different baptisms, elderom's, endowment, rites, etc.. He really has my motives together, he knows my motives well. He said, "For Christmas I know you just want to be happy so I'm taking you out for dinner, for Christmas." He knows that even though I like "stuff" that I like fun, friendship and respect even more so that's what he wanted to give to me through dinner. He did a great job with giving!
I came home and found an email from a friend who drove me in the last few parades. "How's the food issue been going I know you were having trouble". I am not alone and I feel it today. Last night, I snuck into a run down apartment complex near my house and decorated about four large bushes with about 100 yards of Christmas tinsel. Hehehe... The night before at 2 in the morning I covered my neighbors fence with about twenty-five red 2" X 1" red plastic ribbons. They have a corner property with green garland all around the fence; it needed some ribbons! They will not find out who did it and... I'm not telling them. These sneaky, quiet acts are fun! If you have never done something like this, I suggest you try it. I guarantee you will be very happy that you did. I'm going out again tonight to do something. This is stuff that I hoped people would take with contribution to the journey but no one has contributed in months so I am going to begin having fun giving it all away. Forty years of Christmas and house "stuff' collecting. The ribbon neighbors have contributed financially to this journey so it makes it even more special for me to create some fun mystery for them. I am also going to give quietly to the neighbors who turned a blind eye to contributing in any way even when I asked and I'm not going to let on that the gifts gave from me. It's not an easy thing to do with these people but 100% worth it I have found from experience. I want to counteract the resent I built up over their lack of care and participation. Ha! Christmastime helps the ability to give to needy people who have no reason to act needy!
Reminder: Listen to those two pieces of music...
| December 12, 2007
I connected with a guy named Bart today. He decorates his truck for Christmas and drives it around with his sister to spread Christmas cheer. I mean he REALLY decorates his truck. He has a 7000 and also 9000 watt generator just to power the lights and computer synchronized with music. The truck completely lights up at night and dances and plays music and we are going to meet and see if we can join forces to create some fun, friendship and respect! Were going to start on Monday night. I'll bring the presents, piano, wrapping paper and Christmas dog and he'll bring the lights, decorations, his truck and his sister. I don't know how we will handle the music because his truck will have about 95% more punch and effect. This could be really fun! I'm going to need to practice some Christmas music.
| December 11, 2007
This blog is getting very difficult to stay with everyday. When it gets difficult I know I am getting closer to a new positive transition. Sub-consiously its like, "am I allowed?" Sometimes I move forward, sometimes backward and sometimes I just make myself numb. If there was ever a time to "stay with it" ...this is it. Consistency is very important for my life. I have discovered for myself that I must stay consistent with something. The trick is to know if that something is progressive or not. I was treated to dinner and to the movie August Rush tonight. It was a powerful movie about music. The act of "being treated" is also powerful for me. It empowers me to treat others and I like that. Several people have said, "why do you want to go play for poor people?" I say, "I never said that. I want to play for people who usually do not have the opportunity to see or hear a piano man, play on a piano and go to communities where other musicians rarely frequent. I want to do this because in these situations I get the biggest "bang for my buck" ...as the saying goes. I like to create extreme life experience, I like the good drama of life. I lived for many years the bland life and bad drama of life. I know the difference and for what it is worth, I have excepted that I tend to be an all or nothing kind of guy so I want to make the best of "all" rather than "nothing". What does poor look like anyway? Poor in money, spirit, material things, opportunity, relationship... what? Poor is such a relative term. The people I stayed with in Roblito Mexico knew they were poor in money, material things and opportunity but that did not affect their lives in a negative way. I learned a big lesson from that.
| December 10, 2007
Some random thoughts mostly about China... I was eating in a chinese buffet tonight and decided to practice engaging in communication. The kids working there spoke a moderate amount of English. Fear began to overwhelm me as I realized how difficult it can be not to be able to communicate my needs verbally at all. It can also be incredible lonely, especially after about two weeks, I've done that before. I don't know any Chinese, I can't even understand some English dialects. Then I got a reality check. I don't know what will happen so why think the worst? Thinking the worst has never saved my ass as I was taught it would. it only brings worser. I had a flashback of landing in Roblito Mexico at sunset last year. I'll never ever forget that feeling. I was in another world. I remember saying to myself, "your not in Kansas anymore Danny". The jolt of incredible fear only lasted about a minute and then I rebounded to deal with life on life's terms. I will need to remember not... that I don't have internet, phone, a comfortable bed, food, toilet paper, soap etc... but that many people I meet will not know what the internet is... etc. I got my mission down to one sentence tonight. "My Desire Is To Bring Value To People's Lives Through My Spirit, Music, and Boner's Spirit" ...while he is still around and I can do that with Boner because I own... and I am responsible of the stewardship for his life. My desire to bring value to people's lives is a selfish motive and that is a good thing. I know many people will not understand that but I also know there are people that do understand that. The understanding comes from experience.
| December 09, 2007
I definitely feel like I am paying my dues for a life of abundance and I am keeping the faith that my direction and all the work I am doing will all turn out beyond my wildest of dreams. It is all for music and fun and riches to share... I added one hundred additional Christmas stuffed animals to the Boner the Dog site for contribution, a collection of 40 years. Thank God for the ladies who bid on my ebay pocketbooks this week. What am I doing with pocketbooks? It is a long story but I saved them from obscurity several years ago and have been giving them away to friends through time. Now they giving me sustainability. That's it... that was my day, a short walk with Boner a few grapefruits and granola bars and listing personal possessions to raise funding for this journey and trying to keep clarity through organization. HA! Thats a joke. I'm not "trying" I am DOING, as little as that may be, I am DOING and I am doing the best possible.
| December 08, 2007
I completely blew off todays work responsibilities except for the my website blogs. Today I gave into my life's responsibility of being with some family. I went to my grand nieces dance class production of the Nutcracker and then stayed with the family to help put up their Christmas tree. I am in such a life transition, I know when I leave my home to continue with the next step of the journey it will be for the longest time I have ever been away and also the farthest. I have one family member that consistently includes me in family life and I am going to experience and appreciate every opportunity I have to be with them before I leave. The holidays bring on a lot of feeling. I will be putting another 100 Christmas decorations up on www.bonerthedog.com tomorrow. I thought today was a good weather opportunity to go out and play some music, gift some people but my desire was to take care of me first. I have been feeling a need to schedule the hours of my day which has not been working. Now I feel I need to schedule my days of the week. One day at a time... I move forward with my life and dreams and practice the willingness to let go to the best of my ability everything I presently hold on to... too tight!
| December 07, 2007
Kashgar China
| December 06, 2007
I was taken out of me, me, me today. Thank you, thank you, thank you! A new friend that I had met took me up on my offer to come and give some music today. She decided to pay forward my offer on behalf of her neighbor Helena. I thought, "crap, its freezing out, I got so much to do, I don't feel like it", but I did it anyway and it was just what I needed. This is what I DO... I was getting too caught up with all the other stuff that really does not bring me near as much joy and satisfaction to my life. So... Today was Helena's Birthday and her neighbor Lisa thought she should have some special attention. Up drives me, Boner, the Traveling Piano and an impromptu gathering of neighbors and all the kids. Who cared that it was like 28 degrees outside with snow on the ground. We all wore coats, one neighbor brought over some hot chocolate and of course there was a yummy chocolate birthday cake. I threw Boner's sweater on, (the birthday dog) and started to play some Boogie Woogie piano. The neighbors began to gather... and then out came the Birthday girl. Surprise!!!
Helena was a trooper having had real bad back problems today. She never showed any sign of pain. She sat on my lap as I played Dizzy Fingers for her, poor girl... I was bouncing her all over the place with the rhythm of the song. I'm getting good at playing the piano with people sitting on my lap while I do it! Ha. I hope I jolted her back pain away, I'm not going to ask. It was such a nice feeling I had with love in finding and experiencing a good sense of community. There was a lot of joy and care to be found in this crowd. I stayed until it got dark and the dad's began arriving home from work. I was invited to a Eckankar study group meeting later on. Eckankar... Religion of the Light and Sound of God... whew... there are many, many spiritual paths for people to follow in this world. This is about the eighth new one that I have experienced since I began my present journey. They are all noted in my blogs; all these different schools of spirituality saying the same thoughts in different ways.
| December 05, 2007
I was going to do this little by little but naa... here's the rest of it.... continued from December 3rd
While still booking paid performance... I want to continue to play the piano, create and improve my own improvisational abilities, to record my music it in different environments and for people of all persuasions... to create musical CD's and merchandising such as a small remote control toy Raggin' Piano Boogie pickup truck and a really cool art poster, to write several books on my life experience with Boner, my work and myself, photo books and to have permanent financial security, create film, maybe a television show, experience the thrill of performing in a few award shows and on live national television. I want to develop a career that includes live performance of my improvisational music on stage indoors as well as outdoors for thousands of people at a time.
I desire to have intimate relationships with other people on as many levels as possible and to share the process of my growth mentally, physically and spiritually throughout the world, to have a team of people to work with so I can accomplish more than beyond my wildest of dreams. A healthy sex life is in the mix of all my desires as well as to have a social life with friends to do mindless fun activities with. I want to continue to keep my websites growing to share my writings, music, video and fun with the world. I want to become physically healthier and stronger every day, to become amazingly creative with choosing healthy food and nutrition more than I have ever been in the past and to experience the luxurious abundance of life in every way, as much as I can, to have one or more homes, clean and comfortable. I want to do a wild Boogie Woogie Piano Playing Streak Across the Superbowl Field on a one of a kind Raggin' Piano Boogie truck for Entertainment. I don't care how, where, why or what it looks like I just want to manifest the dream not only for myself but for everyone who has participated in the dream and for the world.
I now prepare to continue the present Journey of Peregrinating Musical Exploration in China for the 2008 World Olympics and then to "gift" the rural country sides. I desire to let go of my possessions to raise funding with fun, love, appreciation and respectfulness. Upon returning to America the present plan is to continue with the Traveling piano from Alaska on down South and then to meander back East throughout America and possibly Canada... While traveling I desire financial stability and to have as much creature comfort as possible to accomplish the tasks at hand... also to either find a new home or to have a secure home for when I return. Most importantly above all, I want to personally continue to care for, have fun, enjoy and share together with Boner every moment of life that exists for us together as a duo. Our relationship has been my greatest joy in life thus far.
| December 04, 2007
continued....
While out to share our brand of musical fun, friendship and respect with the world and to create performance at no cost for people who rarely have the opportunity to see or hear a piano man... to visit communities where musicians do not frequent for whatever reasons... we are also out to empower and inspire musical creativity and spontaneous musical opportunity... to share the Traveling Piano experience with everyone we meet.... wether it be to listen or play for themselves a known piece of music on the piano, to improvise or just bang on the piano keys for fun.
continued....
| December 03, 2007
I am going to spoon feed this writting... a little bit each day over the next few days. This is the totality of my present desires... mission and goals in life.
I want to keep my focus as a piano man with his dog and piano who has had a successful full time career for twenty years performing from the back of a shiny red pickup truck and who is presently living his Wildest of Dreams which is first and foremost to have the world meet piano dog Boner before he retires from hanging out on top of the piano during performance. Fun is the key to success.
continued...
| December 02, 2007
While listening to some classical music as well as jazz today I am reminded of how much music helps to carry my feelings. I have often wondered why I have not naturally gravitated to it for support throughout my life. I do gravitate towards creating my own music for support. What a gift that is. That ability I will name, "grace". It is cold, snowy and rainy outside. I wonder where Boner's state of mind is as he just lays around all day. I know if i engage him at any time he is willing and ready to play so i can only assume he is BORED. I run him around the dinning room table and throw him around on the floor to exercise his limbs and help keep his circulation healthy but still, sometimes I wish I had it in me to get another dog to keep him company and stimulated. No way with that idea! I don't think he would like that anyway. We rolled and tumbled to Rachmaninov's 2nd Symphony which is on my top five list of all time favorite musical pieces. Big changes are on the horizon I can feel it big time. Its all good.
| December 01, 2007
A friend reminded me today that I am a holiday kind of guy. I have been trying to ignore that for the past few years but yea, I am. There is no getting away from it although I don't show "holiday" like I did in my past. Boner and I did our last two parades today!!! After twenty years...that fact does not feel real to me. There is a lot of feeling swirling in my head over it all. I started out early in the morning for a drive to Salem, New Jersey for their annual Christmas parade. This was my second year, they called to ask me to come back and without question agreed to give me a big fat donation for the journey. So grateful I am. I was so happy to be with the community, to be wanted and respected and appreciated. The 34 degree temperature did not bother me at all because I was so pumped. Jennifer the girl who drove me in the Alloway NJ Halloween parade drove a half hour from home to help me out again today even though I had no time to spend with her afterwards, I had to run right away to the Ambler Christmas parade in Pennsylvania as soon as I was done. I had fun "getting down" with the crowds on the street, there were twice as many people out as last year.
While driving to the second parade I thought about how it had been a long time since snot dripped from my nose while I was performing. Yea, you read that right. That is how cold it was. Anyway, while driving someone on the turnpike beeped me to wave hello and I missed my exit because I was too busy waving back to them. Luckily the next exit was only a few miles away and I made it to the parade in plenty of time. Tom, an older guy drove me again this year for Ambler's parade and Ambler gave me a terrific contribution also. I will pay the bills now for this month. No more about bills. I made a major decision today and it is all about fun. I got the "giving" part of life down pretty well... I still working on the "getting"... in the meantime I want to keep giving because thats where all the fun and joy enters into my life. With the Boner the Dog website I realize I am over my head in thinking that I have the time and energy to list ALL of my possessions to raise funding to pay the bills with everything else going on in my life. When I am performing on the street and I connect equally in fun with people who do not have as much as I do materially,(which is all relative) I just want to give them everything I have. Hence...
I am going to continue with Boner's Site Contribution Fundraising because as of now it is now the only source of income I have. Have you checked out the site? No one has contributed in a month! Its time for some more appreciation. In the meantime, I have decided that I am going to become a Santa Claus/Traveling Piano man with a Reindeer dog in the Truck! I have as much Christmas wrapping paper as I have Christmas presents in my cellar. I'm going to put one of my old treasure chests in the back of the truck and fill it with gifts. I'm going to go find needy people. That won't be difficult, eh? And then I'll engage people not only with music, Boner's love, friendship and respect as usual but now also I will also inspire and empower others to "gift" themselves and create opportunities for others to "pay it forward." I am thinking children mostly but adults will also be invited to partake. I'll have them take a present for themselves first. We all need to take care of ourselves first. And then I'll suggest that they choose a present for someone else. We will work together. I will wrap their present as they wrap their present for whoever. If its a kid I'll give them a Raggin' Piano Boogie poster or card to take home so they can prove to their parents that the gift was not stolen! The idea of this makes me quiver with anticipation. Hahaha... no, I mean Hohoho....
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