Raggin' Piano Boogie

HIS SPIRIT LIVES ON! ... BONER, THE PIANO DOG ... November 27, 1994 ... February 20, 2010

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December 20, 2025

Las Vegas, Nevada

I've not been a very good documentarian through this Christmas season with the Traveling Piano because... I do not have the capability to do everything as I once did. I just need to get the job done. There is little time for peripheral distraction. With full truck bed full to the brim, and a car filled both front and back seats and trunk all to an inch from the top, filled with Christmas presents that need to be sorted, packaged and wrapped with paper and ribbon well... it is work with every waking hour. What is being done is probably the most I've ever done. Not easy an easy feat at 70 years of age! Photos give it all no justice. Taking and posting constantly might garner some contribution to pay for it all but I just do not have time for that. This is going to happen one way or another, with support or not.

People on the streets are going to feel very special with ribbon wrapped bags full of tin foil covered chocolate, toys, beads, finger lights, cookies, candy canes, fruit snacks, cheese crackers, gauze, plastic eggs to store stuff in, ear plugs to create some quiet, hand warmers, toy tops, balloons, decks of cards, lollipops, the list of items goes on and on. That is just the bags, 300 filled and wrapped so far. I have wigs and hats and Jesus robes to wear on the streets, books, art paper and color pens, clothes, fake nails and eyelashes. I have a few pillows to give out with fresh covers, there are at least a hundred more different times. Oh what fun it is to be with Mo, the Traveling Piano and the spirit of Christmas full of presents and joy with friendship and respect, especially with strangers. Sometimes the feeling of family can be had with strangers... strongest.

December 18, 2025

Las Vegas, Nevada

Wow, did I make out again today! It is totally providential. Last week I was able to get a shopping cart full of Christmas gifts for the homeless for $15. I thought, why not ask one more time and so I did. There will be about 12 people walking around wearing Jesus robes from Halloween costumes, ten different black hats, toys, ten different colored wigs, food snacks and candy and chocolate... books to read, new pillows to sleep on if only for one night... I've about 700 items, lol WOW! $30 for all of it and I have the wrapping paper for all of it. But, I still need hot cider to give out and that will cost a bundle. Please contribute for that and water.

December 17, 2025

Las Vegas, Nevada

Finding, organizing and wrapping Christmas presents for those living on the streets is my main focus right now and will be until every day until Christmas. And then there is preparing and cooking and serving food for those homeless on the streets, staying alert and aware with action politically for those suffering, living in fear, abducted and ripped away from families because of fascists under trump, playing music myself and the continued sharing of the piano with people on the streets. Working to get contribution through posting online and asking people in person, checking on the community pianos I put out on the streets, spending meditation time with Mo and making sure he gets a walk in every night, writing the blog, dealing with doctor visits, keeping my room organized and clean, cooking for mo and myself. Nothing comes natural for me I must think of all this stuff consciously and at the same time.

Learning how to incorporate people who want to help into my life which is desired and appreciated but it is very time and energy consuming... well, I was going to take tomorrow off and then realized this is not going to happen. Last night I did just collapse from exhaustion and decided to sleep until I got enough rest today. Please contribute again and again and encourage others to do the same. I want to keep the Traveling Piano alive until the end of next year. That would make 40 years of full time work with the truck and piano. I am loving it all. Who would think that at 70 years of age I could still do all that I can do. It is because of friends who support my passion for other people and life and of course... Mo helps big time even though he is falling apart from age, we could not be more tight in spirit together.

December 16, 2025

Las Vegas, Nevada

Ace came back to help me today and we made a large case of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I had hoped to finish off my supplies but realized I have so much it will take at least two more trips out. Then we wrapped Christmas presents all day for those living on the streets. It was dark by the time we got out to share the sandwiches and I drove through the streets while Ace played on the piano. I though, if this keeps up we will be like the ice cream man. People will know the foods coming. I has been many years since I did this with the truck in the dark and the first time ever in 40 that I have been driving around with someone else randomly playing. I do not have to worry about speed and many other aspects as much because Mo is not on top, He hangs out with me in the cab usually laying because sitting is difficult with his back leg joints no longer very operable.

December 15, 2025

Las Vegas, Nevada

My friends Eric and Ace met for the first time today as they helped create Christmas goodies, wrap them and then make about a hundred twenty peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to take out onto the streets. This journey ebbs and flows in different ways from time being in my head with necessity to then going out into community outreach with musical fun, friendship and respect for everyone. All that shifts into and mixes with social political advocacy, preparing and then serving food to those on the streets, to the holidays with special remembrances and attention for those on the streets, dealing with and caring for the five acoustic community pianos still out on the streets, to enjoyment of Mo and the most difficult part of raising dollars here and there from friends to do it all and keep going. Eric leaves in a few days for the east coast until after Christmas and Ace to his family. I'll have a lot to do on my own and what I get done will be a... it is what it is.

December 14, 2025

Las Vegas, Nevada

The gun slaughter of 20 children and 6 adults happened today in Sandy Hook, Connecticut 2012. Mo and I drove there with the Traveling Piano to lend support. We knew our presence would be significant as when we spent time at Virginia Tech after the gun massacre there in 2007. The student union called and asked us to come be with them. While in Sandy Hook, I avoided all press and at first I avoided the memorial as I did not want to be involved with any people there for a sense of sensationalism or curiosity.

There were ten's of thousands of people attending from around the world and all walks of life. None... for sensationalism or curiosity. What I found was people present to show validation and reassurance for the worth of humanity. It was at that time that my journey began to embrace validation and reassurance for the worth of humanity as a permanent part of my mission statement. Being anti-gun was already set for me. It was a difficult time and took me four months to recover from the deep sadness and lose the community was experiencing. I felt nothing but gratitude for having a way to act out in sharing my love and care through music and the truth of spirit.

December 13, 2025

Las Vegas, Nevada

December 12, 2025

Las Vegas, Nevada

December 11, 2025

Las Vegas, Nevada

I leaned about an auction house that gets rid of Amazon returns. The place is like a huge warehouse with a $6 section, $3 dollar section and a $1 dollar section of returns that people pick through in and out of boxes. I asked the manager what they do with everything that no one wants. He showed me that they stuff shopping carts with everything and sell them for $15 a cart. I asked if I could get the unwanted stuff for my Christmas Homeless project and he offered for me to go through the bins to collect a shopping carts worth. Wow! What a gold mine... I collected, snack bars, candy, toys, and about $700 worth of other stuff all for $15! That felt very providential as I do not have it in me to push the fundraising hard enough and there is no other resource to get what I need. Now to wrap it all. My friend Eric contributed for the wrapping paper, ribbon and tape. I even found boxes and bags to stuff small trunkets into. A few contributions paid for $300 worth of candy.

December 10, 2025

Las Vegas, Nevada

I ran into three guys last night at one of the five acoustic Community Traveling Piano's I put out onto the streets. I am still amazed they are working and still exist. I mean, since June! It was the middle guys 21st birthday! Our musical experience all around, was a treat. They are buddies that go to UNLV and are golf management majors? Everytime I put a chair at one of the piano's someone steals it. That is making me mad as I am sure it is the same person. More so, it is aggravating. I'd like to have a seat so I can sit and play on it and don't have the energy to put into not having a chair stolen everytime I put one there. The other piano's... no problem.

December 09, 2025

Las Vegas, Nevada

Mo's tooth fell out last night. It is an inch long! I've never seen a dogs full tooth like this. I think it will become a relic. He has an ear infection and after I did a cleaning, he went crazy with shaking his head. It was ready to fall... We both live in the present moment. He can walk less and less and is now beginning to feel a bit down about it but his love stays strong and he still enjoys life. No longer can I move the truck with him in the parking area without checking that I do not run over him. If he falls, he cannot get up nor tell me. Our roles in life have reversed. As he used to come up to me to greet and wake me up every morning I now do that to him. When we walk, he used to run ahead and need to stop all the time to check how far behind I was and wait if necessary. Now, that is the opposite as I walk and he follows and stops to sniff.

December 08, 2025

Las Vegas, Nevada

December 07, 2025

Las Vegas, Nevada

December 06, 2025

Las Vegas, Nevada

December 05, 2025

Las Vegas, Nevada

I have created a warm and secure nest of nostalgic peace, fun, joy, gratitude, love and care. My room is filled with Christmas past, present and future. I have been able to find over the last few years the 1st Christmas music box my parents ever gave to me (one every year since 10 yrs old) and then there are porcelain stars my best friend Gertrude had given to me, presents from neighbors and friends... I gave away literally "everything" I owned when I sold my house for this journey... that included 40 years of Christmas decorations mostly given to me as gifts. There is no the holidays are not going to be a success now along with creating music with people on the Traveling Piano and working my ass off getting food, cooking it and sharing it with people on the streets. And then there will also be a truck full of wrapped presents to give out. Help? Make a contribution.

December 04, 2025

Las Vegas, Nevada

December 03, 2025

Las Vegas, Nevada

December 02, 2025

Las Vegas, Nevada

So whats been going on... with the news, I constantly improve on glossing over the shit while staying open to what is most important and speaking out with every opportunity. For example, the people in Ukraine right now must have more support! Mo walks and falls... I pick him up to walk again... that, over and over... I'm figuring out ways to help individuals and families being torn apart, individuals abducted by fascists here at home in the US. We all know who they are. The republican fascists need to leave earth.

I'm trying to find the time to solicit financial support to keep going and also create a Christmas for those living on the streets. I'm gaining weight again. (so not good) Been decorating my room creating for Christmas almost unbelievable comfort and joy. Working with the Traveling Piano on the streets while deciding whether to risk legal issues while continuing without insurance with its $1000 dollar bill next month. Wrapping and finding and cataloging Christmas gifts for those on the streets and finding people to help. Writing this blog and posting online everyday.

Cooking food to take out onto the streets. I've been listening to music... Deva Premal and Miten ... Deva sings with the purest voice of Sanskrit mantras, she sent me her latest CD... The 'Inevitable Blossoming of The Heart.' We met at the start of the journey and her spirit, music, voice and consistency is integral not only for the Traveling Piano journey but for my life Constantly cleaning, organizing, processing photos, meditating, enjoying food, Mo, my friends, loving, the environment, living in the moment and thinking how to ask you to send some support in a fun and upbeat way!

December 01, 2025

Las Vegas, Nevada

Why do I keep going? How do I keep going? Why must I continue? Why do I keep the Traveling Piano brand pure with no fees, tips, or commercial affiliation? It is because of emails people send to me in gratitude. Mark gave me permission to share this with you as I need contribution to continue onward. Send money!

Dear Sir, In October 2015, you paid a visit to the “Going-to-the-Sun Road” in Glacier National Park. My Mother and I, along with her Golden Retriever, Casey, got to experience your wonderful playing. My Mother, until she became ill, played the piano, so seeing you was particularly enjoyable for her and me. Both of them have since passed away, my Mother in April 2021 and her bestest boy, Casey, in September 2024.

I still have an digital picture frame my Mother had that cycles through some of her favorite pictures – including one with you in it. I happened to glance over at it this morning as I was working and immediately broke down in tears at the wonderful memory. We all very much enjoyed listening to you play and watch Mo sit atop the piano. Thanks for what you do – bring joy to many people and create memories for a lifetime. Kind regards, Mark Christians