Raggin' Piano Boogie

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

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July 30, 2009

Chillin'

It is crucial that I remind myself constantly that I am contributing to and interacting with the world. I have a need to constantly remind myself what that is and what I enjoy about it... especially when I am in a down time from doing my work. I do not naturally have thoughts of self-worth, being a part of, contributing, being desired... so when I lose that reality for myself I sink into a black hole. It is, what it is. I have not been in a black hole since I began this journey. I do tend to start slipping from time to time but thats life for me... it ebbs and flows.

July 29, 2009

Chillin'

Almost every morning I sit outside with a cup of coffee and feel gratitude. If I am having difficulty, I start talking out loud with gratitude so what I want to think becomes stronger then any negative chatter in my mind. Let me tell you... my mind holds enough negative chatter to last every day into eternity! With my first conscious impulse in the morning I think... fun, friendship, respect, musical empowerment and inspiration. These are anchors for me to remember the purpose of my passion and what I have to contribute for the world.

July 28, 2009

Chillin'

Another anchor I have created to keep this journey going is that I made a commitment to take the Traveling Piano outdoors everyday if only for ten minutes, this has been an anchor... this blog has been an anchor. I do not have the Traveling Piano with me where I am staying and the new one is being built. I do not enjoy creating music indoors and I don't have the Traveling Piano truck! Damm, my creating music anchor has been drifting. There has not been much to blog about so I've been slipping with that. What is my anchor?

July 27, 2009

Chillin'

I am enjoying the process of learning how life works for Danny Kean. I have a fear. it is... if I stop doing something or stop thinking about what I am doing or something I am involved with... I will forget about it. Fact is, I do. So what do I do about that? Without the Traveling Piano with with me... life feels like it is transitioning into a different life. I have used anchors to help with this journey in the past. I sent a fresh made DVD to Oprah everyday for two years... that was an anchor...Hahaha... true, more tomorrow.

July 26, 2009

West Virginia

Back to archiving pictures for the web. Anyone who reads this bog on a daily basis has probably read that enough times, but that is what I have been doing. I am also taking it easy. I just finished reading The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch, a birthday gift from my niece. Music is on the menu for tonight, probably on the porch outside. I brought fudge from the Ocean City New Jersey Boardwalk back with me, two boxes. I eat cucumber slices and then some fudge, a salad and then some fudge, some cheez-its and then some fudge, hot dogs - fudge... Cindy my mountain woman neighbor (we kid about the label) came over to fix a water pipe that had cracked from being frozen last winter. A handy man I am not. In one hand she had the pipe to be fixed, in the other... beautiful roses for my kitchen table from her garden.

July 25, 2009

West Virginia

We are back in West Virginia... a temporary home base with dead mice in the mouse traps!!! Better dead than alive. My computer is whirring up and down and all around so I spent a couple hours backing everything up. Good idea! I laid on the porch couch to rest and an acorn popped from the sky into my eye. Ouch! Before going to bed there was a cat at the screen door looking in the cabin. Boner was too sleepy to realize it. I used to despise the fact that people let their cats roam in my yard to pee and crap all over the place. Tonight, I put cheese out to keep it coming back! Cats like cheese, right? ...or is that mice.

July 24, 2009

Ocean City, New Jersey

On the way to West Virginia, Boner and I first drove North from Cape May to meet up with Mark Soifer the Public Relations brain for Ocean City, New Jersey. I don't know how many times I will be back to visit these areas so I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to see as many friends as possible. Actually, Mark was the only one! :) Mark is the man responsible for a 20 year working relationship I have had with the city when I played Ragtime and Boogie Woogie Piano from the back of the then named Raggin' Piano Boogie truck. He has been the Public Relations brain for Ocean City throughout the last thirty eight years. At seventy seven years of age he continues to make the city a top family destination for the New Jersey Shore. He is the King of relationship with an ability to create, build and sustain communication with just about anybody. I consider him a major mentor for me. He paid for lunch, gave me a new cartoon book he and his wife of 52 years, Toby created together (Mark is also a published poet)... and then he gave me twenty bucks to help pay for gas. I told him I was going to buy some Ocean City fudge with it! What a friend. God, I love good friends. Afterwards, Boner and I headed to West Virginia.

July 23, 2009

Cape May, New Jersey

The friendship I have developed with Amy, Tom, Bill, Trey and Ryan, the people I am staying with means the world to me. We hung out at sunset beach today and I also went back to the Higher Ground coffee shop to pick up my piano from last night. They had wireless internet so I figured that I would play a little music and while I did some work and let the piano sit for anyone else who might be interested. Well... never got to the internet because everyone who passed by the piano was interested and of course I naturally went into Traveling Piano mode... truck or no truck. It felt a bit weird doing "my thing" indoors in a coffee shop but it was the same old fun, friendship and respect with musical empowerment and inspiration and that is all that matters.

My treat from the coffee shop experience was to meet this guy Mike who thinks very much like I do. He taught me the origin and meaning of the word happiness. The meaning of Happiness... Happiness was not meant to describe a person, happiness is a sate of being a way of living. Here are the parts, there are three that make up the meaning. 1. Hap - the original meaning is that of chance or fortune (not fortune as in money but as in telling a fortune) fortunate - chance ... 2. The Py - part of happy means to be like with, aligned, similar to... as in a life aligned with chance. 3. The Ness - part of happiness is the measure of something, how much one can be. To live in happiness means to have a live full of, and aligned with chance. I live in happiness, so does Boner. He had eggs and toast today for the first time along with french fries...

July 22, 2009

Cape May, New Jersey

The power of love, the influence of having a dog around for a family that loves dogs cannot be underestimated. I could see immediately a sense of normalcy almost a relief that Boner brought to my family of friends today even with the threat of trouble because the condo where everyone was staying has a no dog policy. Between my friend Amy and Tom with Uncle Bill, there are five dogs this family had to leave at home.

I had wanted to play some music for everyone and once again synchronicity filled the bill. Through someone I had come across musically several months ago in Bristol, PA, a friend of theirs had sent me an email and I remembered they had opened a new coffee shop in Cape May. With knowing only the owners name Katie, I felt myself right to the place. They were open tonight for the first time and I set the piano up in the courtyard. This was a jam for musicians and it would have been a great night except that the mosquitoes (a quarter inch in size) were unrelenting. Still, all in all... it was a fun time. It was a first to create music in this environment. (conventional) They were very excited to have me there, I was considered a treat... I asked them to take my name off the small marquee at the entrance because I was not there to perform... just create music for friends and they understood.

July 21, 2009

Traveling East

I am online at 10AM and I see a friend's situation and it is not a pretty scenario. Family of four on vacation along with ailing uncle, niece and sister. First ten minutes on beach turns into a serious 911 for uncle, second young son is having heavy duty migraines at the same time, first young son's 11th birthday, sister getting sick and becoming distant etc... With this vacation deteriorating for my very good friends I felt an impulse to be helpful, they had implied the possibility of my joining them a few months ago... strong consideration... called a friend to run my thoughts through with him... I do not have the Traveing Piano truck but I have my keyboard... the decision, deliver some fun, friendship, respect and music. Boner and I left West Virginia at 3PM for the 350 mile run to Cape May, NJ.

July 20, 2009

West Virginia

For over three years I have been working VERY diligently to create more clarity concerning who I am, what I am doing so that people can keep on track with us. I have been doing that so people can following along, join up with us, be with us in... and along with the journey. Through time I have realized that with all the complexities I have not been able to do the greatest of jobs! There is only so much one person can do all by themselves, ya know??? So... I accept this fact for now and also have not given up hope in getting support to achieve all the continuing goals. Practically no one can keep up with where I am and what I am doing everyday, week or month... I find this out from everyone I speak with... I am feeling a bit hopeless concerning the situation... so I am going to lighten up a bit for myself, for awhile and not try as hard.

July 19, 2009

West Virginia

Communication with postings, blogging, pictures and music via the internet is a commitment I have made for my world. Some may say that spending time on the internet is an illusional relationship with people, a crutch, a wall to keep a distance from reality and a real life but... the internet is really a true relationship of sorts. Before there was telephone and cell phones people communicated via writing and mail, were those relationships not legitimate? Now it is also the internet. Many people have had close relationships through time via letters, each way is not better or worse. Each way is different. The more ways the better. Whatever floats your boat I say. And then... there is communcation via the Traveling Piano in real time. I need a boat to float to China!

July 18, 2009

West Virginia

I am learning how to operate without immediate access to the internet, food, phone etc... When I had a home, there were stores everywhere and for anything that I needed, all within walking distance. Where I am staying I now need to plan. If I go to the grocery store I need to take a cooler for the return trip to keep everything refrigerated because it is a forty five minute drive back from the market.

To keep my priorities in order feels like a new practice for me. I must take time everyday, more than just let my priorities be passing thoughts while I am doing something else or even thinking something else. I feel it necessary to spend time with my priority thoughts. I think this is called a meditation of sorts? It took me 54 years to learn this? Maybe it has taken this long to embrace the facts of reality and beyond.

July 17, 2009

West Virginia

I am learning how to operate without immediate access to the internet, food, phone etc... Where I had a home, there were stores everywhere and for anything I needed all within walking distance. Where I am staying I now need to plan. If I go to the grocery store I need to take a cooler for the return trip to keep anything refrigerated cool. I have to plan what I am going to do on the internet for when I get to a signal. No time to waste. I must plan ahead of time who I am going to phone... plan, plan, plan necessities because it is more than a half hours travel to get anything done. Life is not totally spontaneous... during this time. Right now I am on roof balcony of Cacapon state park lodge twittering from their wireless signal in the humid night air, being eaten alive by everything that can possibly feed on me.

July 16, 2009

West Virginia

Last night I dowsed my body with bee pollen skin refreshing lotion while listening to Martha Argerich perform the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No 3 on a new stereo system. I had a candle lit and laid on the floor while ignoring the six ferocious wolf spider bites from working in the yard and cleaning out the gutters earlier in the day.

There are some serious buzzing flies and bee's around where I am staying. When I am sitting on the porch my first instincts are to kill, protect or run.... but I am learning to live with them. They don't bother me so I just embrace the sounds like I do that of the birds, wind, leaves, neighbors dogs, chickens and myriad of other creatures that I am living with. Boner on the other hand, once he hears them he communicates, "let me in that house!!!"

I laid in the lounge chair on the porch... in the buff and in the warm sun with a glorious breeze for a short time this afternoon although I did cover my weenie because it does not want to get tanned. Too much info? OK. Its all about fun! Tonight, I will create improvisational music on the porch outside under the stars for the universe and record it all so that you may enjoy. Contribution to the world, ahh yes.

Today marks for me twenty seven years without a drink or a recreational drug (not that there's anything wrong with a drink or a good toke. :) This was a necessary decision I made back when... because I wanted to live just a teeny bit more than I wanted to die. Through grace, I was able to make the decision to change my ways while trusting support from people who I saw were living a joyous, happy and free life and living beyond the Wildest of Dreams... well, I am now one of those people!

July 15, 2009

West Virginia

BANG! This is what I heard this morning outside my window. Can we talk big and loud? Consciously, I thought Cindy from across the street must have just shot a deer but subconsciously I thought, "that was bigger than a gun shot, what time is it." So I opened my eyes to see the electricity was out and then I thought it wise to see if something had happened and if the place was on fire. I called the neighbor Cindy to ask if her power was out because I figured she was up. "The electrical street transformer exploded, it happens about twice a year, they should come out to fix it soon." First thought... the food in the fridge will go bad. Second thought... I won't be able to use the toilet because the pump won't work. (ha, basic survival comforts) Third thought... go back to bed. I did. By the time I woke up four hours later the repairs had been made and the power was back on.

July 14, 2009

West Virginia

I was sitting on the porch relaxing. My niece gave me a book called The Last Lecture and I was reading a sentence from it about living in the present moment. I heard two strange sounds behind me but did not pay too much attention because there are always new strange sounds around here. And then... wow, I thought this was amazing... a young fawn walked past me and Boner not more than twelve feet away. Boner was sleeping and of course his hearing is not very good. The fawn stopped several times to look at us. Not more than three feet tall, a light brown and I have never before seen so many white spots on a deer. Of course the tail was also white. She was beautiful and very curious. As the deer crossed the street into the neighbors yard with monster neighbor dogs I thought, "won't be long before that baby is back this-a-way." Sure enough, within the second of a dog's bark, down and into the woods it ran. I felt especially touched by nature. More soul for todays music. The picture posted today is of a deer a few weeks ago that passed in front of us in the same way at the local state park lodge.

July 13, 2009

West Virginia

Woke up late, took my time throughout the day, unpacked the truck, set up the porch with furniture and the piano and played music outside here in Omps, WV for the first time. Can we talk happiness! I think I have said this before. It is obvious that I love people, I even love crowds of people, but now I also enjoy being by myself and around no people! There was a time in my life that I could not stand the thought of being alone, especially at night. Of course, I love Boner totally and the company he keeps with me. There is also Cindy a neighbor across the way. She can be company whenever I want some. She came over for dinner tonight. I enjoy calling here a "mountain woman." She is, but... trusts me enough to also show a sweet femininity and personable venerability.

July 12, 2009

Traveling

Today is a pack the truck day and move necessities to West Virginia, to a place belonging to friends. I need to transfer things like Boner's old bed rug, a lounge chair for he porch that I found in someone's trash, a frying pan, dehumidifier to dry up the mold that has been stinking up the place, my spare piano and equipment, light bubs etc... I did not get out and on the road until 9pm. I guess you can say it took me awhile to get started. I drove almost the entire time on cruise control while listening to the same musical CD for over four hours listneing to Deva Premal and Miten, musicians I love.

July 11, 2009

Transitioning

Present Traveling Piano truck needs a new starter, off to the shop first thing Monday.

July 10, 2009

Transitioning

I decided to be courageous and go all natural 54 year old birthday suite gray with my hair for the 1st time! I may stay this way, maybe not, maybe I will switch it up once in a while. I have been gray for over 15 years but have always dyed my hair, HA. Next... The Traveling Piano would not start on a hill in the dark last night while driving home but luckily or fortuitously a few days ago this happened and someone showed me that the starter was going bad. He showed me where the starter was and how to tap it with a metal rod under the hood to get it going and it worked! I went to the house nearby on the side of the road and asked if they had a flashlight and metal rod I could borrow. Hopefully soon I will not need to deal with stuff like this. I spent the afternoon today talking with a team of guys helping me to build a new Traveling Piano truck and setup with shape, sound, placement, electrical, waterproofing needs etc... this will be a thought out Traveling Piano that I will be using to travel the world with. I'm excited about it and the process. How long this all has been taking or will continue to take I am not concerned with. I have not been wasting any time, I have been enjoying the journey and we are all enjoying the creative process together.

July 9, 2009

Newtown, Pennsylvania

I went outside as a totally natural, grey haired fifty-four year old man for the first time today. What courage! Next... I was sitting and thinking... "what do you want to do most today, what will bring you the most joy." The answer... go out and create music! This fact still amazes me. I never really enjoyed putting music out into the world even though I have been a professional musician since I was fifteen years old. It took fifty years to enjoy myself and create my own music. Boner and I headed for our favorite park and we played until the sun set in front of us. We played music and wrestled with each other in the grass. We created music while basking in the sun with billowing clouds above and tall grass blowing in the wind. We had a good hour together just the two of us... and a good hour of recorded music was created. Deborah and her grandson Wyeth were our first visitors... everyone we met today had a great, strong energy. I stopped at the supermarket afterwards and the fun just could not stop. I met a mom with her daughter and we talked briefly in the checkout line. Synchronistically we connected again out in the parking lot before we left.

July 8, 2009

Bucks County, Pennsylvania

There was no plan to use the Traveling Piano today... opportunity arose and I could not resist. After the day was done I saw the pictures and thought... how could I not continue onward with the journey... this is all too much fun. First, I go into my nieces neighborhood to pick up a sour cherry pie (one of my favorites and my third in three days, for my birthday... which is not even until tomorrow) and Desperate Housewives appear! (I kid my niece all the time about her persona and her neighborhood) The neighborhood kids followed with their mother's and also fell into the picture. Then off to the warehouse where the new Traveling Piano is being built. What a great mix of guys these are who rent work space with different business occupations in the building. A few of them were feeling no pain at the end of their work day! Man, do I enjoy these guys. Boner loves them too. He gets treats every time he visits.

July 7, 2009

Transitioning

There have been ongoing short Traveling Piano experiences happening for the last month. They have not been written about and I have not been taking many pictures. I have taken the pressure off of myself concerning the reporting of every daily occurrence for this website... for now. No pressure for Danny boy! Also, I sort of do not want to add more pictures that will need to be worked on and filed until I get up to date with all that I already have. No more work for Danny! I still have most of 2007's pictures to post on Boner's website.

July 6, 2009

Transitioning

Taking care of errands, getting the Traveling Piano inspected and the emission sticker etc... talking with the guy building the new piano... spent time with my niece and her family baking cherry pies... constantly adjusting to the moment. I was planning to head for West Virginia tomorrow but now it does not look like that will happen as I need to be here for another meeting about the piano on Thursday. I refuse to rush this process, it is too important for me.

July 5, 2009

Transitioning

This has been sort of a lost day. I suppose that means I did not allow very much feeling into it. Did you know that Plato said... A grateful mind is a great mind which eventually attracts to itself great things.

July 4, 2009

Transitioning

The Oreland, Pennsylvania Lions club has honored me with an invitation along with a large contribution for the Journey of Peregrinating Musical Exploration to perform in their annual 4th of July Parade for like the 15th year? I very much appreciate their friendship and loyalty as well as financial respect for my work and what I have to offer to the world. Charlie drove the truck for me with his dog Tilly in the front seat. As I performed I could feel my energy level waning but I do not believe it is because of age. It is more about my being in shape physically. In any case, I got the job done! ...and had fun!!!

July 3, 2009

Transitioning

On the road traveling today from West Virginia to Pennsylvania. I have what I can now be considered a rare performance on the fourth. I have really missed having the piano with me and interacting musically with people while the new one is being setup. My processes always seem to take a long time although I take comfort in knowing that they are always happening. No stopping in my life... constant shifting, changing ahh... yes. If I stop moving, I become stagnant and that leads to death. I have too much desire for life to wilt away into nothingness.

July 2, 2009

Transitioning

I must be very watchful and conscious to stay focused with my dreams and purpose... most generally to contribute to, interact with and be part of the world... my world... a world I feel blessed to be able to experience. More specifically to create fun, friendship and respect... to musically empower and inspire.

July 1, 2009

Piano Man Dan and Piano Dog Boner are out having fun... sorta... not sorta... we are truly having fun, always... well almost always :) Check out the archives of pictures and writting on this website... every day since February 19, 2006. It can all be found in the menus to the left. And if you prefer a story in pictures... heading towards 9000 of em' ...on the Boner The Dog website.