Raggin' Piano Boogie
| The TRAVELING PIANO Information Page | READ THE DAILY LOG - Flight of Peregrinating Musical Exploration! |
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Since 1987 |
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The Traveling Piano's Final Fundraiser Spotfund - Venmo: Dan Kean @TravelingPiano 2156399378 - PayPal Me for the Traveling Piano - CashApp: $travelingpiano - Contribution Page - Email me for snail mail.
November 18, 2025Las Vegas, Nevada
There is nothing quite like sleeping in past noon on a cold, dank, rainy day while mutually snuggling with Mo. He feels like an old favorite, familiar blanket that I have held onto for a lifetime. Mo is now almost 16. I cannot see him making it to the official date in February with all his issues because... I am 100% present in pure love and enjoyment in his being with me here, right now, today under the covers... snuggling! I do not think it has ever rained here two times in Las Vegas in one week. I love variety just as I love diversity and change of environment and scenery every once in a while. That helps keep my interest in the Traveling Piano's journey now almost 20 years and on the truck almost 40 in total, full time with both Mo and his past brother Bo. Please contribute to help keep us going. |
November 17, 2025Las 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 like this sent to me this morning. 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 Spotfund: http://spot.fund/TravelingPiano Website: http://www.ragginpianoboogie.com/donate.php Venmo: @travelingpiano Dan Kean 215 639 9378 CashApp: $travelingpiano PayPal Me: www.paypal.com/paypalme/dannykean Please Private Message Me for other alternatives such as Check/Money Order/Cash by Mail |
November 16, 2025Las Vegas, Nevada |
November 15, 2025Las Vegas, NevadaIt has been raining all day. I've been spending the time thinking about what food I have, how much, what goes with what, how I'm going to prepare it then cook it, when, the containers needed and then how to disperse it for people living on the streets while keeping it either hot or cold in the process. There is potato salad with celery, onion, mayo seasonings, eggs and then cans of chili with string beans, corn and onion mixed in and then mac and cheese with chunks of fried spam, I made a couple gallons of apple sauce which is good for those with bad teeth and its also sweet which "everyone" wants, in having lots of grapes I will make grape preserves to make jelly as I have lots of peanut butter and bread... I've quite a bit of all this stashed in my room. I myself suffer from food insecurity not that I have any reason to. 
 Food insecurity has been ingrained from childhood. So I collect food to feel safe and then so much to the point that it forces me to do something with it all and that something... share it with those not only suffering from food insecurity but are actually really hungry and in fact starving. A neighbor has been giving me food from food banks. I've found over the years different ways to motivate myself to do what I have to do. My community outreach in all its ways... although I enjoy it, I also have to do it. There are many reasons. Because its just good to do, helps me not feel lonely, gives me something to do, its a distraction from rage and anger, I can say I walk the walk and am part of the solution for myself. I need to manifest in real time the humility and gratitude I live with daily and practice to keep, etc... |
November 14, 2025Las Vegas, NevadaSpent the day running around to cover up the Community Traveling Pianos. There are five out on the streets right now. It is supposed to rain all day tomorrow and they already got rained on this morning. I could never have public pianos out 24/7 in most places but it rarely rains here so anyway, last night someone tried to rip off the entire front wood facade of the white piano. Bungie chords and a tarp cover got stolen from one the last time it rained. I made fake security camera signs to put with them to see if that might help this time around. There is a good chance of rain until Wednesday which is almost unheard of here in Las Vegas. The covers are going to stay on until the chance of rain is over on Wednesday. 
 I do not have the where-with-all to be playing around with on, off, on, off with the covers. It would be a miracle to not have the covers and bungie chords stolen or the covers just removed because somebody wants to play. There are a lot of people that play on them daily. I've seen people waiting until someone gets done so they can play. No matter what... along with all the locals and visitors and obnoxious drunks, drug addicts, people living on the streets and just stupid kids being destructive... this whole idea, still going since June is remarkable! I want to continue to encourage people to spend time in their communities verses online and is there a better way than with music? Please send some contribution. www.travelingpiano.com |
November 13, 2025Las Vegas, Nevada
A guy named Ace lent a hand today and I really needed his help. He is a twenty two year old guy who just moved to Las Vegas a few months ago for work and is totally interested in music. He wants to learn more piano and gets excited about playing on the Traveling Piano. He comes downtown to practice on the public pianos. We traveled through the alleys with 15 boxes of cereal, milk, sugar, bowls and spoons for people we found hanging out in them. This cereal and milk was something different for everyone, different from the same old same old they get to eat... rice and beans in sauce or pre-packed crap, etc... I need financial support to continue this and the support is needed for sure on the streets. I've been squirreling away food like cereal from pantry boxes I can get around town until I just can't store anymore in my room and am forced to take it all out. But the milk... that cost for example $20 and then the gas, etc... |
November 12, 2025Las Vegas, Nevada
All anyone needs in life aside from the earths nature is human connection with others. As I think about leaving the internets seduction of "knowing" and learning and staying updated, the validation and attention, etc... everytime I make a musical connection with just one person on the street I realize that all that other stuff is not necessary. One musical encounter is more significant than any amount of people seeing my life and experiences online. The inspiration and empowerment through an authentic relational encounter one on one equals 1000's online, easily. An encounter in real life reverberates emotionally out into the world in great immeasurable ways and lasts over time. Online, the encounters witnessed stick as long as I continue to keep sticking them online. Through time any effect from it all will fade quickly. Real encounters last longer and have more worth than money. Virtual encounters do not have the depth of reality. |
November 11, 2025Las Vegas, Nevada
Mo is spending more time inside the truck these days when we go outside to play. His back legs barley work as the joints almost do not exist anymore due to arthritis. Balancing himself as needed with his legs is difficult. I know it drives him crazy that once he sits he is stuck sitting with no ability to get up and turn around or anything. He can climb stairs with support from the palm of my hand on his hind and can just barley go down them if he concentrates on what he is doing. Once I prop him up on all fours and he gets his balance he can walk sometimes even run a little. When I am about to put his food down on the ground he can still hop with joy a little. He still has an appetite, smiles, wants to play, enjoys sniffing the ground (like crazy) being with other people out and about and is absolutely enjoying life as it is especially our partnership together. |
November 10, 2025Las Vegas, NevadaI believe we are all here on earth to live in reality not virtually or for any religious ideology of living for the sake of an afterlife. People use religion in that way to control and manipulate others through false rationalizations. They use it to create obligation and expectation. They use it for guilt and shame. Fuck all that. I've had a preacher say to me at one of the tragedies where the Traveling Piano spent time for support, "Do you know where you are going after you die?" I replied no, my focus in life is to live and contribute to it as best I can now, here, right now. While on the road more than once I have been asked randomly by a stranger, "Have you found Jesus?" 
 I always reply, many times! I find him, I lose him, I find him, I lose him... that is the way life is. It is a practice. These days when a religious fanatic thinks they are going to challenge me with Jesus talk I did not ask for or that they assume I am not aware of I interject... did you vote for trump? 99% of them say yes. And then I say well, in the name of Jesus Christ I call you a fake! That always floors them because only their preachers talk that way, lol. It also shuts them up. I always respond in situations like this responsibly with intent and purpose but I have to admit. My life's hard work on feeling empowered to stand up for the truth in spirit does feed my ego just a little. People who use religion in the correct ways do it through the example of action as in attraction verses promotion. |
November 09, 2025Las Vegas, NevadaSince I put the Community Traveling Piano's out on the streets I have had four people tell me, seriously this is true... that they cried when they found their first piano to play on. It happens when I discover people playing as I walk around to check on them. People who used to play but now have no piano of their own or way to play, those that have always wanted to just explore some music for themselves, those living on the streets desperate for something to do, those needing to experience a little stimulation in life in a different way. They bring back emotional memories in many ways for people. 
 A parent who used to play, an old teacher they loved, fun past experiences with a piano or music in general, etc... The pianos are being used twenty four hours a day. People tell me they come out to play on them everyday, it is a release for them. They tell me they walk around to play on everyone of them and which is their favorite, etc... It all makes me feel sooo... good! It will be interesting to see how long I can keep it going. Five are out now on the streets. Two were stolen and one bench. It all began in June. |
November 08, 2025Las Vegas, NevadaIt is amazing how God speaks through people in life. This has been the case with me. I have had the conscious gift to recognize it in the truth of spirit when it happens as innately I know my soul. I first found that path in AA that of God speaking through other people. It was my first ability to truly trust others because I could feel their intent. Now with the USA under fascist dictatorship I want to turn to the fear, anger and hate it promotes, I want to act out with violence be it through words or desire and yet I keep seeing interviews from people I respect and admire, those with experiences on the matter in many ways be it from their own country, understanding our own countries history or humanities experience from the start. 
 These people are always talking in hopeful ways, with faith and also with how i all works in action. They are always promoting the action and what to do. When I see it I feel like a deer in the headlights because I want to think its over to get it back we need to end it all and start anew. Isn't that the American way. To not take what you have and work with it, just destroy and start over. I know how it works and that is not how it works. So... I constantly fight to stay honest with myself and live my life with courage and through the mentorship of those who I know speak the truth. Just last night the idea of whether an Apocalypse verse Armageddon is in play. An Apocalypse is the end of the world. An Armageddon is the battle and that is the better choice here and probably has more of the truth. |
November 07, 2025Las Vegas, Nevada
Going through the over 100,000 photos I've taken over the years is kinda fun but for the purpose of recycling them onto this blog page is not. I've said it so many times part of my fun in making this blog was the freshness, the fact that everything was new and updated daily and current. As I am no longer going out every day with the truck for its own sake to make it last as long as possible and my own physical capabilities, this has been for a couple years now, sometimes the photos are repeats. Ugh. You can always pull the picture down and the name of it will reveal the exact day it was taken on and most of the the the place. In any case I am probably in the one percent of those who have kept a public blog for as long as I have and in the same format as day one on my own platform, on my own website. There's that. |
November 04, 2025Las Vegas, NevadaPolitically, sometimes I wish I cared less. But, this life journey demands I care as much as possible. Politics, like it or not is about society and society is about people. My need to care constantly comes down to prioritization. How can I best use my abilities to contribute in as many ways possible for society. This means protecting, nurturing, standing for and just gifting to people with my spirit and the tools I've acquired in life to do that. Having been around the block in life, the first half was one of indoctrination into what has now exposed itself as a fascist American mentality in every way politically, religiously, and socially. 
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November 03, 2025Las Vegas, NevadaWith the present journey as in the second half of my life, lots and lots of personal soul searching and therapy of many types and having stayed with over 150 families and individuals from all walks of life throughout the USA in both rural and urban areas, and having found my soul and having accepted my true intent in life as a "woke" individual in every way, I know how to think critically from both sides of the fence. I know many ways to communicate as needed. On the streets one-on-one, I know how to open people up and get them talking. I'd say that over 90% of people I speak with are detached emotionally from what is going on politically and in generally throughout the world. They are living with total ignorance or willingly in denial, or feeding on the lies of fascism without any coping skills on the matter. 
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November 02, 2025Las Vegas, NevadaIn an emotional sense, this fact is excruciatingly painful for me. Just about everyone I met who is in danger, those who are not citizens or vulnerable in other ways, most have no clue to how much danger they are in. Or, they are in total denial that they themselves could be personally affected. The USA is quickly turning into a militarized, surveillance state where freedom of speech is ending and fascist propaganda is becoming the only viewpoint heard. I can see it taking over even the conventionally neutral news media. There is about to be a major purge of the human race as a result of AI. Those propagating AI soon will have no use for any non profitable human. The worth of humanity is beginning to take a second place to AI. As events happen I have go to tools to cope with. I tell myself, "why am I acting shocked when I knew all this was coming?" Prayer for God to direct "our" thoughts is another tool. 
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November 01, 2025Las Vegas, NevadaAll the tools I learned through sobriety in life (43 years now) such as "one day at a time" the "serenity prayer," "live and let live" all of that is coming into play. I think about whether to jump ship while I still can or go down with it. I'm moving off all social media and may move off the internet as well. In doing that I know my future legacy and life's work will rapidly dissolve. Emotional thoughts and feelings with those I have encountered one-on-one will return every once in a while until they eventually fade completely. This is the way life travels. All the love and goodness I have manifested will remain as it transforms in one way or another. The biggest issue on my mind with all this is... how am I to let go of the ongoing attention I so love from my life's work while continuing onward. I mean, via the Internet and media in general. Ongoing appreciation has given me the strength through validation and reassurance to continue. I guess I need to get honest with myself that anything from outside of myself is an illusion and that what I think and feel from within to manifest outwardly is all that really matters. 
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