STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN

I watched the Kennedy Center Honors for 2012 last night.  If you missed it, you missed some great performances!  In particular, those honoring Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, and John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin. 
One of this group's most famous and revered songs was Stairway To Heaven.  Aside from Led Zeppelin's own performances of this selection, this one by Heart was awsome! Ann and Nancy Wilson were backed up by a horn, woodwind and string section, two choirs, and drummer Jason Bonham, the son of Zeppelin's original drummer, John Bonham (diseased), making this the most dramatic performance of the night. All honoree performances were great, but this one did it for me.  I've watched it several times already and each time I get emotional.  Watch and listen for yourself.  (It's the 5th video) HERE.

WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS MORE OF

As we celebrate Christmas and usher in another New Year, it's only fitting that we reflect on the important things in life and review our priorities. The video here was sent to me today and I'm just forwarding it to you.  Please take time to read the comment below the video either before or after you view it.  HERE

CONNIE FRANCIS SINGS MODERN ITALIAN HITS-SIDE ONE

The previous post explains how I came across this album originally and purchased it new in 1962.  At the time of my discovery of it on YouTube, I thought that for some reason, only side two was available.  Thankfully, I found out that side one was posted separately so now I can share it with you as well! Check it out HERE

CONNIE FRANCIS SINGS MODERN ITALIAN HITS

Besides Spanish, I've always wished I could speak fluent Italian.  Why? I certainly don't plan on going to Italy any time soon.  But way back in 1962, when I was only 16 and living with my folks in Nurnberg, Germany, we took a vacation to Italy. Later, to remember the trip, I bought a record album by Connie Francis and fell in love not only with Miss Francis but the Italian language and music.  The name of the record was Connie Francis Sings Modern Italian Hits. My father was comptroller on the U.S. Army base in Nurnberg and we were in Germany for a two year tour.

Back then, the value of the dollar was much higher, about one dollar equaled four German marks.  So dad  decided to take advantage of this buying power and bought a new Grundig stereo console.  Such things don't really exist anymore you know.  The Grundig, manufactured in Nurnberg, was one of the finest examples of phonographic equipment you could buy, and it was also a beautiful piece of furniture as well.

One day after that vacation trip, I was in the PX looking at record albums. I was first attracted to the album cover.  It was a photo of Connie Francis in a blue sweater posing in front of  what looked like Lake Como, in Italy.  You've heard of Lake Como, right?  George Clooney has a villa on its shores there.  Somewhere in my files of snapshots of our vacation to Italy I have several shots taken of the scenery around that lake.  Think Lake Tahoe.  They are kind of  similar.

I could write a short story about that vacation, but in fact, I already have.   I'll reveal that sometime in the future.  For now, I just wanted to lay down some background and entice you to listen to the music from Connie's album.  As a young man, I would listen to the songs on this record and dream of  meeting someone nice in Rome, sort of like what Troy Donahue did in Rome Adventure.  (I recommend you rent that movie).  YouTube has the record posted and so I can now share it with you-even with all the scratches and pops! It's only side two but I've never seen an entire side of a n LP posted in a YouTube video before, so consider yourself lucky.  I think you'll understand why it is special.  The songs are listed in the narrative below the video.  HERE

THE LONE RANGER RIDES AGAIN

I recently received this video of an episode of the Letterman show.  Jay Thomas was one of his guests and he had a VERYamusing true story to tell about Clayton Moore, the actor who portrayed the Lone Ranger in the old western TV show and movies.  Click  HERE

KITTY CAT 1993-2012 RIP

A while back I wrote about my pets Danny and Kitty Cat.  I wrote that Kitty Cat was still alive and the human equivalent of 93 years old.  Shortly before taking my scheduled vacation 3 weeks ago, I had to make a very difficult decision.  Kitty Cat was acting very odd and quiet and was sleeping longer and had stopped eating.  It was evident she was dying.  I took her to the animal hospital and the vet said she was exhibiting signs of kidney failure.  I decided to have her euthanized.

I won't go into detail, but will just say she died in my lap and it was very peaceful and quick.  It has taken me 3 weeks to even talk about it.  She was my companion for almost twenty years.  If you have a pet, you know how loving and faithful they can be.  Take good care of them and treat them with respect.  They will return the favor tenfold.

Attached is a video of Kitty Cat climbing the loft ladder. She was a remarkable cat!

FALL PHOTOS SEPT. 2012

Here are a few photos taken near Aspen, Colorado at the Maroon Bells Park.  Hope you like them!

OVER THE RAINBOW-TOMMY EMMANUEL

I was in the mood for Tommy E. and to my surprise, youtube had him playing one of my favorite songs.  I was also pleasantly surprised to find the video in a more professional format instead of the usual fan-originated version.  Click on the link below and enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wo8U20LicdU&feature=related

2012 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (Crash)

As anyone who has traveled up the road to the summit of Pikes Peak knows, this is a dangerous place to have a road race!  But every year racers from all over the world do just that.  It's the nation's second oldest race (Indianapolis is the oldest) and this year was the 90th race to the clouds.

Last year the 'Monster', Nobohiro Tajima broke the 10 minute barrier winning the race in the unlimited division with a time of  9:51.28 minutes.   Last year, only about half the road was paved.  This year all of it was paved.  This has created a whole new dynamic for the racers and vehicles.  The record was broken once again by Rhys Millen in his Hyundai Genesis race car reaching the summit in 9:46.164 minutes. Tajima did not finish because of a blown engine.

Click on 2011 to the right of this page and scroll to the Pikes Peak post and you'll see Nobohiro's actual race from his vehicle from start to finish. Then come back to this post and watch a clip of Jeremy Foley in this year's race go off the road in a spectacular crash.  Anyone who thinks this race is a piece of cake because each racer goes up alone, well, just watch the clip.  Jeremy and his passenger survived the crash but both were taken to the hospital via helicopter.   Watch it HERE

WATCH THIS VIDEO

Yes folks, once again I have proven that you will find practically anything posted to this blog!  If you haven't yet seen this video of a baby telling the story of Jack and the Beanstalk, you are in for a treat!  Click here.

A NOTE ABOUT THE PREVIOUS POST

Viewers of the blog who read the previous post on earlier days will note that the message has been edited.  I originally worded it to report my hopes of becoming a finalist and asked for your votes.  Unfortunately, I wasn't a finalist, so I edited the post to convey that message and also to guide you in how to vote for those who made the cut.  I'm disappointed, but such is the world of photo contests.  It's not easy to win one or even reach the finals when there are thousands of entries from all over the world!  I will continue to work on improving my skills and will occasionally enter a contest now and then.  You can't win if you don't enter!

PHOTO CONTEST

Hi guys! Well, I entered another photo contest.  This makes two so far.  It was again with Outdoor Photographer Magazine, and the name of the contest is the 3rd Annual Art of Expression Photo Contest. There are four categories and I chose one to enter four of my photos.  The category I chose was One World in Focus.  This time, I didn't make the finalist list! (*sigh*)

But I've put my entry pics below for you to see.  

There are four categories in the contest: One World in Focus, The Narrative Video, Expressive Portraits, and All About Light.  If you'd like to view and vote on any of the entries in any category, you'll have to register at the Outdoor Photographer website.  The link is below.  To vote, click on the category then pick the photo or video you like and when it comes up, click on one or more stars, depending on how you rate it.  In either case, you'll create one vote for it.  You can vote for as many pics and videos as you like. The photo or video that gets the most votes will be the Peoples Choice winner and will be published in the magazines. Of course, judges at the magazine will pick the big winners, who also will be published in Outdoor Photographer and in Digital Photo, winning cameras and equipment designated for each category.  Voting has started and lasts until midnight August 28th.

Here is the link to the website:  

http://backend.outdoorphotographer.com/photo-contests/3rd-annual-art-of-expression.html?utm_expid=3851644-7&utm_referrer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.outdoorphotographer.com%2Fcontests.html

WALDO CANYON FIRE UPDATE

This says it all:   100% contained!  Through various fund raising venues, over $500,000 was raised for the fire victims!  I live in a great community.  Even the firefighters, many of whom came from other states, remarked that they had never seen such support and gratitude as they did from Colorado Springs and the surrounding affected areas.  Work continues, however, on erosion control in the burn areas to help prevent flash flooding.

LATEST NEWS -WALDO CANYON FIRE

No doubt you've heard about the Waldo Canyon Wildfire near my hometown of Colorado Springs.  Having lived here most of my life, what seemed  impossible became reality.  Like the rest of the nation, we have experienced record-breaking high temperatures.  So it was a 'perfect storm' waiting to happen here.  The national news covered every sensational detail and our local stations covered every live press conference twice daily, and for a while, broadcast nothing else.  This was communication at its best!  But in spite of the heroic work of many fire fighters on the ground and in the air, 346 homes, one popular tourist attraction, and sadly, two lives were lost.  Many more damages remain to be tallied.  Now, the task of supporting those who are homeless and refurbishing our local economy remains.

Although businesses here have lost millions in revenue at the peak of our vacation season, everyone wants the world to know that Colorado Springs and the Pikes Peak Region is open for business as usual!  Evacuees have returned home, highway 24 has reopened and the area attractions are open to visitation.  Although the fire is still active, it is currently 80% contained (and climbing) and the perimeter is not spreading.  The skies are smokeless and blue and we have received much-welcomed rain!

A lot of lessons have been learned here and I'm sure this event will have much to teach to those who may experience something like this in the future.  Here are a few photos that show what it was like here the last several days. I've added one NORMAL view of what you can NOW see here at the end:

  

MESA ARCH AT SUNRISE - MOAB, UTAH

My friend Wayne and I arose at o-dark-thirty from our campsite near Moab.  The plan was to arrive at Mesa Arch before sunrise in order to capture a photo of the arch’s famous orange glow that I had seen in photo magazines.  I had never been to this landmark before but I scouted the area the day before and found the trailhead.


We arrived on schedule before sunrise and followed the narrow trail that wound through the prairie and yucca.  It was very dark still, so we brought flashlights to light our way.


As soon as we reached the arch I immediately began setting up my tripod and mounted my camera to get the view I wanted.  I set the camera aperture and speed that I knew would get the exposure I wanted but knew I would have to take many shots in order to field the right exposure.  I was using a Bronica 645 medium format film camera, shooting 120 Agfa roll film at 15 images per roll.  Unlike digital cameras,  what you see in the viewfinder may not be what you get, so one must rely on experience and the camera’s meter to make the proper exposures.


As soon as the sun began lighting up the sky, I began shooting.  Before I knew it, I had almost taken all the shots available on my roll of film and the glow I was looking for hadn’t even started yet!  To make things worse, I had left my extra film in the Jeep back at the trailhead.  I started panicking.  I asked Wayne if he could go back to the Jeep and get the film for me. I wanted to be ready to photograph in case it was only a fleeting moment.  He obliged.  Meanwhile, the sun was getting higher and higher and Wayne wasn’t back yet, and I needed that film!  As soon as he got back, I loaded up the camera with a fresh roll and almost immediately, the arch started to get its first hint of orange.  Eventually, the whole length of the arch was lit up.  We were amazed!  No filter was needed, just slow ASA 50 film, a tripod and a cable release.  I composed the distant mountains between the arching rock and the sun to the left of my frame;  the arch framed the spires and purple clouds in between.  Wayne and I were the only people there.  Complete silence. It looked beautiful, and I hoped for a photograph that would accurately capture this special place and moment in time.         






           

MY PETS - PAST AND PRESENT

DANNY BOY

I want to relate to you the relationship I have with my cat but I need to first tell you about my late dog, Danny.  Because first there was dog and then there was cat.   Daniel the Spaniel was a black and white Springer spaniel puppy.  He was advertised in our local newspaper as the Pet-of-the-Week.  I had been thinking of adopting a dog not long after my previous pet, a cat (Misty), contracted the feline version of diabetes.  Sadly, I had to have her put down.

I wanted a dog now and especially a spaniel.  I thought a cocker spaniel would be ideal and I guess I started feeling that way when I first saw Walt Disney’s Lady and the Tramp movie.  I thought the romantic spaghetti and meatball scene was really cute (they have such big brown eyes!). So my then 16 year old daughter Jenny and I were at the Humane Society before they opened, first in line at the door.  We adopted Danny.

Jenny and I were starting out in a new neighborhood in a new home with a new pet!  At that time (1993) our new place required much home improvement.  Still, it had a tall cedar fence in the back yard and I felt comfortable that Danny wouldn’t be able to get out of the yard, even though he was quite a jumper.  He was a very affectionate dog but soon developed a bad habit of digging holes everywhere.  I remember filling up one of the holes with water and dunking his head in it (just until he got wet) to try to teach him not to do that anymore.  But truthfully, I don’t think it helped much and I felt bad when I did it.

I knew one thing I could do would have a more lasting affect and that was to sign him up for obedience classes.  We both had a lot to learn and he wasn’t easy to teach.  I could see all the other owners with their different breeds doing pretty well, but Danny was the youngest and it seemed he would never catch on.  In frustration, I asked our instructor what might be the problem.  He assured me that it was normal for spaniels to take a bit longer because of their hyper activeness and that, combined with Danny’s immaturity, was probably the reason.  He was right.  Once Danny caught on to what we were trying to teach him, and I in turn got better using the techniques I learned, he soon was able to sit, stay, roll over, come and heel.  He passed the course and received his diploma!

Not long after I acquired Danny, Jenny was asked if she wanted to get a kitten that was part of a litter of Tabby kittens a  friend of hers had.  She told me about it and I decided it would be okay.  There were three kittens left and Jenny picked the smallest one because it was the prettiest.  It was a female and Jenny wanted to call her Duchess.  I said, “That’s a more fitting name for an older cat.  Why don’t we call her Kitty Cat?  She’s small, and she’ll most likely always look like a little kitten.”  So that’s what we called her.  When we brought her home we didn’t know how she and Danny would react to each other, but after Danny sniffed at her a few times and Kitty Cat hissed, arched her back and stuck her claws in his face, they soon had an understanding.  It wasn’t long before they were sleeping together and best of pals.

Now comes the bad part.  One day, while I was at work, I came home and Danny was gone.  I found out why when I noticed that one section of my fence was laying on the ground!  Apparently on this windy day, because the cedar fence was old, the weakness of the posts caused the fence to collapse and Danny decided to go visit the elementary school kids just a block away.  I never saw him again.  There was a note on my front door attached to his collar explaining that he had been hit and killed by a car after he ran out into the street.  His body  had already been taken away by the city people who do such things.  To this day, I still don’t know if that was the truth or if someone stole him and made up the story.



KITTY CAT

Where should I begin?  This is no ordinary cat.  Ordinary cats are aloof, go off somewhere and disappear for hours and don’t learn obedience or tricks like dogs do.  When she was a kitten, she was much like all kittens- crazy funny!  Anything and everything would catch her attention and loved to play with you and her toys.  One moment she would be sound asleep and the next, bouncing off the walls because something scared her. Jenny and I had a ball with her.  We laughed at her antics and learned everything that peeked Kitty Cat’s curiosity.  In other words, we learned that pretty much everything could do that!

As she got older, my daughter left home and found an apartment of her own rooming with her best friend and so I kept Kitty Cat because the apartment manager said pets weren’t allowed there.  An old buddy came into town that I hadn’t seen for years and offered to share the expenses of my home in exchange for a room.  It was a deal.  Between the two of us, we taught Kitty Cat to stay out of the living room when we were eating a meal; to stay in the yard as long as we kept the back door latched partly open so she could retreat to the house if she heard a dog bark; and to play fetch like a dog.

Speaking of dogs barking, when hissing, arching her back and throwing here sharp claws at you didn’t do the trick, she would bark at you!  Seriously!  The first time we heard it we couldn’t believe it!  We knew she must have learned it from Danny and used this as a last resort, because the sound of a dog barking to cats is the most fearful of all things, so it was logical that it would surely scare off an enemy of any kind.  The other thing we learned about her was that cats will go to any length to be in high places.  I guess it’s because they feel safe and not threatened up there, thinking that they are the only ones capable of getting up there in the first place.  At my home, that high place is a loft room that is accessible only by a 9 foot ladder.  After trial and error, Kitty Cat learned how to climb the ladder.  This is still her favorite napping place.  The way she gets down is by jumping straight down from the top rung of the ladder!  When she was younger, her body was more elastic and nimble but one time I noticed she was limping and realized it was from hitting the floor so hard after jumping and she probably landed awkwardly one time.  We put a large, overstuffed pillow at the base of the ladder and that took care of that.

To close, I just want to describe the current Kitty Cat to the reader so that you can understand what happens to a cat that lives to be 19 years old.   They say to calculate the human equivalent of cat years is to multiply the actual age in years by six.  But for the sake of this story’s accuracy, I looked it up.  I found a cat age calculator to get the equivalent in human years.  It says she is the equivalent of 93 years old.  I’ve been telling everyone she was 114.  I had no idea she was so young! Yes, to live that long is remarkable.

But Kitty Cat, I’m sorry to say, has become senile.  She is no longer aloof but quite needy and can’t get enough affection.  At first, I thought what a pleasant change but now instead of waiting outside the room until you’re through eating, she thinks nothing of jumping into your lap when you have a plate of food!  It’s been a long time since I took her to the vet (she has shown no sign of illness) and I really don’t know the status of her eyesight, hearing, or mental state.  I do know that I spend a lot of time yelling at her because she doesn’t respond when I tell her something. I don’t know if that is because she’s hard of hearing or just stubborn. I  know that physically, even though she has a little trouble jumping up into her favorite chair,  she somehow doesn’t have trouble climbing that loft ladder or jumping the back yard fence (the driveway fence is only four feet high).  Maybe it’s a case of proper motivation.  It’s her mental state that worries me and to be honest, irritates me the most.  She has developed a habit of howling at any time of day or night.  The loud, guttural sounds are unpleasant even under the best of conditions but certainly not very nice to hear at your bedroom door at 2:30 am in the morning or right there in the living room in the daytime in front of you!

I know that like my cat, I too have gotten older, and my patience has gotten thinner. (some people even complain about my howling, but I ignore them) Guess I have to work on that. But seriously, I’ve realized that sometime Kitty Cat will be gone and then I’ll wish that I had been more understanding.

As a “senior citizen” I feel in general we should be shown more respect when we also act or behave differently as we age.  After all, we have more aches and pains, we get old and wrinkly, lose more of our hair, get more cantankerous, stubborn, and set in our ways.  So I can forgive Kitty Cat for the annoying things she does now because I will always remember the unusually smart, loving, forgiving, funny, cute and loyal companion she has been to me all these years.  Yes, I have loved her and I’ll miss her dearly when she’s gone.



YOSEMITE TIME-LAPSE

I'm always searching for interesting, engaging, humorous, or artful photographs and videos. The link below is one for the latter.  With hauntingly beautiful music, the video takes you through day and night from one of our cherished national parks-Yosemite.


I visited Yosemite and  nearby  Mono Lake a few years ago and was impressed with it's massive rocks like El Capitan, Half-Dome, and the beauty of the Merced River area. Time-lapse photography in this video reveals heavenly wonders one normally never  sees.


Click on the link, enlarge to full screen, turn up the volume and enjoy!  Click  HERE

TULIPS R US

It was a beautiful Spring day today so I decided to photograph some of my awesome tulips!  To me, these short-lived flowers are the best source of landscape color for the yard.  I like to get real close and shoot the interiors of the flowers.  I don't have a macro lens, but I can still get close enough to show their amazing pistols and stems. Is it any wonder why honey bees are attracted to them?

EVA CASSIDY ENCORE - IT'S A WONDERFUL WORLD

In 1993, Cassidy had a malignant mole removed from her back. Three years later, during a promotional event for the Live at Blues Alley album in July 1996, Cassidy noticed an ache in her hips, which she attributed to stiffness from painting murals while perched atop a stepladder. The pain persisted and a few weeks later, X-rays revealed that the melanoma had spread to her lungs and bones. Her doctors estimated she had three to five months to live. Cassidy opted for aggressive treatment, but her health deteriorated rapidly. In her final public performance in September 1996, at the Bayou, she closed the set with "What a Wonderful World" in front of an audience of friends, fans and family. She was subsequently admitted to Johns Hopkins Hospital. 
Cassidy died at her family home in Bowie, November 2, 1996, at the age of 33. She was posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Washington Area Music Association. In accordance with her wishes, Cassidy's body was cremated. Her ashes were scattered on the lake shores of St. Mary's River Watershed Park, a nature reserve near California, Maryland.(Wikipedia)

Here's the video of her performing "It's a Wonderful World".
HERE.

MUSIC AND LIFE

I love my walks.  Not only do they provide needed exercise and Vitamin D, they also provide me with needed mental health as well. On a beautiful day like today-warm and inviting with a gentle breeze, I usually walk from my home to Shooks Run Park, which has a long and wide concrete walkway.  Along the way are tennis courts, playgrounds, a basketball court, picnic area, lots of grass and  a creek that runs along the west side of the park (Shooks Run).  I brought my mp3 player so I could enjoy my music while taking in the scenery.  Today, there were many people also enjoying the park in their own way and there were times I wished I'd brought my camera.

One of those times was when a young man was coming toward me being pulled on his skateboard by his pit bull dog.  Both looked like they were having a blast!  It seems the best images sometimes are those that could have been-the ones that would have a story attached.

As I listened to Josh Groban singing "Awake", I looked over to my left and down a grassy hill and spied a young couple having an intimate picnic and kissing.  Ah, how wonderful life is and how great it is to have the freedom to live it as we choose here in America!

Coming back towards my home, I walked through my familiar neighborhood as Tommy Emmannuel strummed and picked his guitar playing his arrangement of  "Those Who Wait".  I came upon a small group of people ahead of me, and as I caught up with the young couple and their two toddlers and leashed dog, I noticed there was also a little puppy just tagging along and following the other dog.  As we approached a street intersection, the couple turned right on the sidewalk and I was going to cross the street.  The puppy saw me and decided he was going to follow me and for a brief moment I realized I'd better stop or he would  possibly run out into the street.  Even though no words were spoken, I saw the look of appreciation on the couple's faces as they called the puppy towards them and the little guy soon was darting among them again as they went their way and I went mine.

Nightline's Tribute to Eva Cassidy

True talent lives long beyond life's existence. Turn on the radio and on every station you'll hear many songs  that have passed the test of time.  They call them 'oldies but goodies" or "old standards".  But those songs were sung by people who reached stardom from record sales in the millions or from media coverage recording their lifetime of accomplishments.  Some became famous from 'one-hit wonders'.  All enjoyed their 60 seconds of fame or longer during their lives.


Not so, for Eva Cassidy. She became famous after she died at age 33. Eva was an American vocalist who succumbed to melanoma skin cancer in 1996 and never reached stardom or became famous while she was alive.  But she got really, really close.  Unfortunately, the world didn't get to enjoy her music until some of her recordings were discovered years later by BBC radio.


When I heard her story and music a few years ago, I posted  two songs on my Playlist: Over the Rainbow and I Know You by Heart.  If you're not familiar with Eva Cassidy, I found a YouTube video of her story aired by ABC's Nightline that will give you the opportunity to learn what a great talent we lost.  Fortunately for all of us, as I mentioned before, her music lives on.  Click HERE.

Jimi Hendrix Experience and Jonny Lang

There are pros and cons when working at a resort, but one of the pros is an occasional visit from famous people who are here in Colorado Springs on business or on vacation.  This morning, as I was walking from my Jeep to the entrance, there were two custom-painted buses with the likeness of Jimi Hendrix and the words, "Experience Jimi Hendrix" on them.  Guitar cases were being unloaded and lots of luggage.  The entire band was staying at our hotel !

Well, I don't know who I saw in the lobby, but among the gentlemen who are here to perform at the Pikes Peak Center tomorrow are former members of the Doors, Los Lobos, Indigenous, and Stevie Ray Vaughan and DoubleTrouble bands.  Some of the names you might recognize are Buddy Guy, Kenny Wayne Shepard, Eric Johnson (watch his video in one of my posts), Jonny Lang, The Slide Brothers, and Dweezil Zappa.  There are others, but basically, the cream of the crop in blues performers are here.  Do I have a ticket to the show? No.  It's killing me!

Watch a video of Jonny Lang performing "Lie To Me"  HERE .

BACK AGAIN!

This day marks the first post I've been able to make since January 15th.

Why?  I had some major spam coming from my old email address caused by a hacker last fall.  I had to shut it down and replaced it with a new email address.  Unfortunately, when my domain name, mbluhmphotos.com came up for renewal, a reminder went to my old address and I never got it.  My domain name expired without my knowledge.  I've been trying to get the blog back ever since. Now, I love Google for providing the space for this blog but they need to take another look at what they do to bloggers like me when something beyond our control occurs.  It took me two months to get my blog back because my old email address was my username and they continued to send emails on how I could reset my password to that email address.  I communicated to support people via email and on the phone with Go Daddy, where I purchased the domain name and with Google (email only) to no avail.

 I finally made headway just today when I was told by the Google Support Team that Google Apps was for business blogs and mine was a personal account!  Once I started searching on the net for Google Blogger, I eventually ended up with the correct username.  The next step was to change my password and once that was done, I was able to view the edit pages of my blog.  After about a half hour after that, I had my blog back!

Readers, I had no idea just how much this website meant to me until I lost it.  I hope you continue to patronize it and enjoy what I post here. So go to song number 98 on my song list and listen to Kelley Clarksen's "My Life Would Suck Without you" because without you,this blog means nothing.

COFFEE HOUSES AND SHORT-LIVED FAME

I have a confession to make.  I'm a closet drummer.  Yes, secretly, whenever I get the chance, if there is a piece of music with an alluring rhythm, I am compelled to start beating on whatever is close to me.  Actually,  a time long ago I was in a trio with my friends and we would go around to coffee houses singing and playing folk songs.  Naturally, I played the bongos.  I also had a conga drum.  My friends Mike D. and Bill J. played acoustical guitars - Bill played a Gibson 12-string and Mike a Martin 6-string.  


I remember one night we played the second floor of a coffee house in Old Colorado City, between Colorado Springs and Manitou Springs. After we sang several songs Mike announced we were going to take a break.  But he immediately announced to the crowd that I would do a drum solo!  Mike and Bill then left the stage and left me there!  The crowd applauded and so I was stuck.  I had to do it.  I sort of engineered an African style rhythm starting slow and gradually, building to a cresendo.  To my amazement, the audience loved it!  And thus, a star was born! (just kidding).  But for a while I had my 60 seconds of fame.  About a year later in the grocery store, a guy came up to me and asked if I was that guy at so and so place that did the drum solo and I said yeah, I was.  He said he was downstairs and they could hear me clear down there!  He went up stairs to see what all the commotion was about and somehow remembered what I looked like.  Nowadays my set of drums is the desk my home computer sits on, but I must admit, I play a MEAN computer desk!

A SONG FOR YOU

It's Saturday and like always when I have a lot of free time and it's cold outside, I like to browse music videos on the web.  I like to check them out and see if any of them are worth sharing with you on this blog.   Although it's exciting to discover new songs by new artists, I can always rely on artists that I've already published here before - singing or playing a great song that I think you will love -just like I do.

So here's another fantastic video concert performed by Michael Buble and Chris Botti, two of my all-time favorite performers, presenting their arrangement of A Song For You originally recorded by Karen Carpenter of The Carpenters:  HERE

ANOTHER EARTH

Do you like science fiction?  How about Sci-fi movies?  I recently rented from Netflix the movie, "Another Earth" starring Brit Marling (co-wrote and produced the movie with Mike Cahill) and William Mapother  (one of the Others on "Lost"). 


 I really enjoyed it!  I could try to describe it for you, but I've uploaded a link to the studio clip instead.  Just suffice it to say that it doesn't involve space travel as much as soul searching.  Check out the clip and and then go see the movie.  It's kind of artsy (was the winner of the Sundance Festival) but definitely gets you to thinking, "What if?" I think you'll like it.
Two clips follow
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlPfAYpnpuw&feature=fvwp&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBqUwfHtTLw&feature=relmfu