Raggin' Piano Boogie

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

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September 30, 2009

West Virginia

Oh my God it is September 30th!!! What the bloody hell, crap, fiddling fudge, heck, #*@#, in god's name, on earth am I doing... stirring up... and why bother to think about it :) I'm setting up house that is what I'm doing. Why? It feels right, thats why. I have this small cabin to use and a place to store what is left of my pots and pans, a bed comforter the few clothes I have, a few pictures, my career archives and hopefully here is where it will all stay until the end of time. Looks like I will head out onto the road when I do, with the old truck because the new one is not happening in the moment and as soon as possible I will drive onward with the music until it stops. I know one thing for certain. This present 22 year old Traveling Piano truck is like the human body. Use it or lose it. When the truck sits out in the outside elements without use for just two days, it becomes stiff and achy, it wheezes and grunts until it loosens up. It has had a good life safe and comfortable in a garage for many years. Since I gave up my home the truck garage issue has been probably the biggest challenge even more so than the piano and equipment. The Traveling Piano truck now has 200,168 miles of use on it.

September 29, 2009

West Virginia

Been meeting a lot of new critters this year. I took a picture of this really cool looking caterpillar, good thing I didn't touch it. The fur is like a prickly cactus. The weather today is like... one half hour drizzle, next half hour sun, next half hour might be one or the other, on and on so I could not go out and play music. I climbed a mountain with my Boner and it was cold enough to use earmuffs.

September 28, 2009

West Virginia

A friend named Susan came to the cabin where I am staying for dinner and brought tons of food for me. She is a very Christian woman, a dog lover and a great listener too. Love her car. It is a faded, dry black used... hillbilly monster. Ha, thats what it looks like to me. I would love to own it and drive it around. For the first time today outside the cabin where I am staying I improvised music from the truck. It was a different feeling from when I played the keyboard on the cabin deck a few months ago. Creating music on the truck feels more total and natural for me. It should after twenty some years eh? Today the breeze through the trees with the leaves was constant and strong. Everything felt and sounded extra alive. I have been enjoying all of nature very much but had not created music with it on the truck so close to my nest. (the cabin) The experience was like wow! Anyway, back to Susan. Her friendship tonight felt very good and giving. I can never get enough of that.

September 27, 2009

West Virginia

It is what it is. Whatever is foremost in my mind is what goes in this blog. I am feeling washed out today. The rain? The stale air in the cabin I have been staying in? I'm somewhat depressed, repressing? The sun came, the rain came, the sun came, I said to myself, "get outside and create some music while the opportunity exists". We headed for the overlook of Cacapone Park. The drive would not be so dusty because of the rain. Boner and I were alone and I could not muster the energy to play. I had the thought, "are you burning out?" Then I just did it anyway and then people began to appear. When all was said and done I think it interesting that this journey is so strong for me that I "just do it " in spite of how I am feeling. Productive feelings are winning out over my unproductive thin-kings. That is a real switch-er-roo from my past life when I would just totally shut down over the tiniest uncomfortable thought. I really played my heart out today and it felt good. Of course the people I interacted with were great!

Thoughts about my needing to move the remnants of my belongings from my friend Charlie's place, this weighs heavy on the journey. Storing them in the cabin I now have to use, making the place ready for winter should I need it, not being on the road as in a far away place, the when where hows of the future trying to play in my present moments, finances, the new truck might not be the right truck, the new piano and all that entails, my health, keeping up with friendships... Boner loves me and thats all that matters :) The sky is so beautiful where I am sitting right now as I write this blog. The changing colors, muted blue and grey clouds at sunset with a flock of huge sized black birds lazily circling in the sky. The fact that I can share my life through the internet, that I can create music and that people respond, this all feels good. Boner and I witnessed a very special happening on the overlook today. Aside from hearing about people driving down the mountain telling cars driving up along the way that there was a piano man with his dog on a truck on top of the mountain... hahaha... there was a short while Bo and I were alone with a younger couple. With the music I watched them from a distance on the site deck progress from hanging on the fence side by side... slide into feeling the moves of an embrace, to swaying into a slow easy dance with the music. What a special feeling for me to know my music created that! See... I feel all better now.

September 26, 2009

West Virginia

The Traveling Piano is sitting in the dark, in the trees, in the pouring rain and has been like this all day. What a test in stamina for the truck and also my emotional state of mind. Ha. Boner has been under the weather. He has been heaving, in a coughing sort of way. It is probably allergies, a cold, something he ate on the sly... whatever, I am not jumping to conclusions, just keeping a watchful eye. I'm glad I get on the floor and down on his level often to play with him. I realized yesterday that when the windows are open the draft hits his bed area first and it can get really cold for him. The floor is also cold. Some people would say he is a dog he can handle it but the fact is... Boner is a dog that has not had to handle a conventionally rough dogs life. Now in his senior years it is most important that he be as comfortable as possible. He probably won't be sitting on the piano in the colder weather as much as in the past. If he is running around in the cold no problem but just sitting, this is a different story.

September 25, 2009

West Virginia

The trees are changing color, its the fall season! After finishing my work fixing past picture mistakes I took to the park for a walk with Bo and some musical improvisation. We had a nice short exchange with a family right off the bat. Here's a switch. I was parked in the same spot that instigated my rant a few days ago on this blog... about people and money. Today, this family I met drove off to go fishing and then drove back about ten minutes later just to hand me ten bucks and thank me again for the enjoyment. Now that's support! I improvised an awful lot of chaos out of my head. My head has been very chaotic. The improvisation turned into musical meditation or is that medication.

September 24, 2009

West Virginia

While chewing my food I found myself mindlessly counting the chews. Should I be concerned about that? Ha, on the topic of stink bugs... do you know what they are? It must be hatching season, they are everywhere. Before I started this journey I never saw or heard of a stink bug before. I stopped at the Sheetz gas station convenience store tonight. Before I thought it was my imagination but now I am sure... old men sit in their parked cars to watch people go in and out sort of like watching television or watching people go by on a boardwalk. I used to see young kids hanging around the local 7/11 now its old men hanging around the Sheetz and... they are too old and shriveled to be looking for drugs, sex or rock and roll. Ha! The day was spent fixing archived picture mistakes and I played the piano in the truck for two ladies for about forty-five seconds. It is what it is. It was what it was.

September 23, 2009

Naim, Virginia

I woke up this morning thinking, "you need to exercise, cut wood for when it gets cold, wax the truck, cook food, go to the store, work on the archives, blog, plan for the future, do everything I said I was going to do, need to, need to, need to. No! If there is anything I need to do it is my passion and that is be with my dog Boner, go create music, interact with people and the world and then have some nice quiet alone time. I'll add exercise and eat healthy to that. I was just about to load 200 pictures to the Boner The Dog website when I realized I messed them up and now need to redo three full days of work. This fact can be real painful if I choose to focus on it. I have enough negativity to focus on. It is what it is. I'll do it all again. Just like with the moving what is left of my belongings... again which is something I must do.

Back to the journey. I've been noticing a road sign to Gainesboro Virginia so I decided to drive there. On the way I got lost on a road where I had to drive on big rocks and through a creek. Turned out Gainesboro had a church, couple of houses and a firehouse with six fire engines. I saw no people, stores or good spots to create music. Onward while driving down route 522 between Berkeley Springs, West Virginia and Winchester, Virginia I felt pulled into a souvenir type place that I often pass on 522. It has lots of big red and yellow square signs that say things like Truck - Gas - Music Store - Hunting and Fishing Supplies - Hardware - etc... It is called John's place and I met John and his wife Delphia who have been married since they were 16 years old. They have owned the place for over twenty years. It turns out that John is also a life long professional musician, a damm good one. He knows allot more about music then I will ever know, how it works, what to do, why, how it all works with other musicians and bands. He has had twenty two of his own bands throughout his life. The huge general store they own has been dying due to people's habits of now supporting corporate mega business conglomerates verses locally owned business. When I was in Canada I learned about Newfoundland's tragic fishing industry loss over the years and now I have been experiencing first hand the loss of Americas privately owned business structure and how that is affecting a certain type of individual relationships people once had with each other. We had fun today. I uploaded a video to my facebook account and also on Youtube. You can friend me on Facebook under Danny Kean and on Youtube the account is under RagginPianoBoogie. Hahaha... while were at it... Tweeter is PianoManDan and Couchsurfing is DanTheMan.

September 22, 2009

West Virginia

Rainy days create time for stuff like washing clothes. Why is it when I am on the road switching places every few days this is a none issue? The water is so hard here in West Virginia that I must use liquid soap because powder will not mix with the water and as far as having clean smelling clothes? There is no such thing when you use a well or septic tank. I am missing many luxuries I once had and I am fighting my nesting instincts to make it nicer where I am. There are still belongings from the past to move from my friend Charlies place. Ugh, ugh, ugh. Switch tracks Danny. I love having a living space that I can move around in without concern, even if temporary. All my survival needs are being met with abundance. I have friends. I have the Traveling Piano. I have this journey. I am living with the greatest gift of my life that of my best buddy Boner. He's the best!

September 21, 2009

West Virginia

When I post pictures to the website of myself these days I fight a feeling of disgust. I have been avoiding posts or only post pictures that I can tolerate. (of myself) I have once again regressed with my health concerning my weight. This issue has been life long for me and I have been up and down too many times to count. Damm, I'm 54 years old! When I began this journey, the pursuit of the Wildest of Dreams, I had put a condition on it of becoming lighter in weight. Stupid me. I did in fact lose one to two pounds a month over a period of two years for a total of 60. I have not weighed myself but the pictures tell it all. Its all back. I must embrace what is for today and the fact that consistency... yea well I can say I am a consistent well working yo-yo. Damm, I feel fat, have much less energy and I have been telling myself that I am not as spirited as I can be because of it.. The word responsible as in "response-able" "have the ability-to -respond" comes to mind. I am looking towards grace in order to continue forward.

September 20, 2009

Hancock, Maryland

With the sun being so hot today I had to change plans. It is crazy because it was freezing last night and today so hot Boner and I could not stand it. I was going to head for Shepherdstown, West Virginia but ended up on route 522 meeting Nadia a fun woman who has a really nice flea market spot. I still have some belongings to liquidate so we were exploring the idea of setting up the Traveling Piano for people to discover while traveling from town to town on a somewhat consistent basis over the next month while I put the rest of what I own to market. I am definitely done trying to raise funding for this journey for now so... there would be the Traveling Piano to experience and then unrelated stuff to sell.

Afterwards, I ended up in Berkeley Springs outside the Creekside Creamery where I use the wireless internet offered. We talked about my setting up stuff to sell during their Apple Butter festival in October. Once again, I'd have the Traveling Piano there separate from the stuff I would have at market. Next, Hancock, Maryland has a park I have been wanting to bring music to so there I headed :) There were some priceless experiences here with words such as, "you are a blessing to me for today, it was important for me to have met you, your music was just what I needed for this day, etc..." And then... back to Berkeley Springs into the night. This was a full working day and what fun it was. I forgot to mention the toe and dog playin' music today. Look close at the pictures.

September 19, 2009

West Virginia

It took a lot to get going this morning. I did not have the right amount of draft while sleeping and I am allergic to Boner. I woke up nauseous and with the type of headache that lasts all day. Laying on the outside deck enjoying the warmth from the sun, the mountain air, etc... I was able to gather some sense of clarity and ended up in the local park by the lake. This was a beautiful day to create some music. Eventually people began to find us. After the sun set I gave a young couple a lift back to the cabin that they were staying in. I was ready to run but I was pulled into the Traveling Piano routine with the family which could have continued for hours but lucky did not. The good energy I had with them I knew was going to last long into the night. I really did enjoy the interactions, the fun, friendship and respect I had with everyone I encountered today. Some days it is more than others and today it was more.

I know the majority of people do not agree with what I am going to say but this is the way it is for me and please, really... I do not want to offend anyone. What I have to say is all about me. I've been around this topic many times. Back and forth, back and forth. Today I am back to my original thinking. Here it goes... It does not feel good when people give me a one or two dollar bill for a tip. When they do this it is not a contribution it is a "tip." I have never been a tip the piano player kinda guy not that there is anything wrong with that and... I did not give up a life long professional career as a musical performer to collect random dollar bills every once in awhile. Giving the piano man a one or two dollar bill is like giving a monkey one or two peanuts for the organ grinder. In Canada when people gave ten and twenty dollar bills, that felt more like contribution and support. People know I am not looking for money but they sometimes feel like they should contribute especially when I gift them with a Raggin' Piano Boogie poster or something else along with the music. I want to tell them, "if you want to contribute please don't contribute a peanut." I know they want to express appreciation. They want to connect and this is what they think they are supposed to be doing but... it just does not work for me. I really appreciate the kindness involved with the gesture, please do not misunderstand.

Think about it... a peanut. How many interactions with collecting a peanut each time would it take for just a tank full of gas. (60 and then there is the rest of life) I'd rather turn away the rare ten dollar candy bar then accept the too often dollar peanut. I do not want people leaving the Traveling Piano with the thought that our interaction was just worth only a dollar or two. I know this is not what they are thinking consciously but this is the fact. This is what I am left with. I am more comfortable having value with my respect. Just say thanks. A peanut does not create very much value. If you ever run across the Traveling Piano just give us some music, a handshake, a smile, thank you, an invite or a hundred bucks... there's a few examples of respectful value. From now on I am going to just say, "no thank you" to everyone when people offer me a buck or two and I am going to play this journey as planned until the money runs out which at the present rate of support is going to happen sooner than later. It is what it is. I am thrilled to be living, contributing and interacting with life through my Wildest of Dreams.

September 18, 2009

West Virginia

The neighbor across the street from where I am staying had a ton of string beans that were going to waste and I was not going to let that happen. So I went and picked them all. I filled the kitchen sink with string beans. I brought a freezer with me from Pennsylvania the other day, so I have a place to store them. Question is, will I be here to eat them or traveling on the road. I figure they will be here when I get back. Food on the road can get expensive so I want to make up for that whenever possible. I am feeling anxious and I know why. I'm going to go right now and create some music!

September 17, 2009

West Virginia

I am supposed to be in Washington DC right now. Deva Premel and Miten are performing and I wanted to see them and take Bo. They are expecting us. It is raining and I'm stuck here in the mountains. This journey is becoming a little strange. I want to be careful with my clarity. I can easily get lost while working to keep or get my house in order meaning my mind, body, soul, business, belongings... and in the process lose sight of actually living the music. I took a picture of a daddy long leg spider... ha,ha,ha distractions.

September 16, 2009

West Virginia

Well... here I am in West Virginia settling into another home base for however long that will be! There is still work to be done in the cabin where I am staying for basic survive. Ha, ha... drama. For one, I need to create protection from the elements for the Traveling Piano truck. How I miss the garage I used to own on the house... sometimes. I miss not having protection for the truck and equipment. It is all wearing... It is what it is. Twenty some years with garage protection. I also have the new Traveling Piano truck with me. That needs protection form the elements too. There is a reason trucks I have seen in mountain and rural areas, why they are not smooth, spittin' shiny and clean. Other news... I tripped a mouse trap with my bare toe this morning wiping cobwebs from the ceiling. Ouch! There are tons of daddy long legs spiders everywhere. Do they bite? If I had internet service I could find out. That will have to wait.

September 15, 2009

Traveling Day

I started to drive to West Virginia and noticed oil leaking from the $1800 Traveling Piano repair job that I just paid for. I had to drive to get it repaired again. Then drove from Pipersville, Pa to the Berkeley Springs area of West Virginia and then back again to Pipersville, 10 hours of driving! Tomorrow I must drive to Philadelphia and then back to West Virginia. It is all about taking care of business. All this taking care of business travel is a pain in the butt, literally from sitting. I'd rather be creating, sharing, empowering and inspiring music.

September 14, 2009

Traveling Day

September 13, 2009

Quakertown, Pennsylvania

On beautiful days like today some people take out their motorbikes for a ride. I take out my dog, piano and truck. One of the most beautiful spots I have found to create music is by Lake Nockamixon in Upper Bucks County, Pennsylvania right on the edge of any of the lakes jetties. Today we hung out with fisherman, canoes, sailboats, skiffs, keelboats, windsurfers, people having quiet picnics on a large grassy lawn, birds, bees, flowers, trees, etc... People were appreciative that I was there. Bo and I just pulled up to the water's edge and took on every visitor that came over, we had a talk with some music. I met a family from Siberia and told them I was looking for a guide to take us through Russia after the ice truckers deliver us from Alaska! Hahaha... I did. A couple of students from China jumped onto the piano. The park ranger Tom drove over to say hi when he had heard I was there. A couple I had met last year from Germantown, Philadelphia paddled by in their kayaks. On days like this, the feeling and creating of music is surreal. Someone came up and said, "I can hear you musically painting the scenery all around us." It does not get any better for me when people appreciate what I have to offer with comments such as this. Gratitude comes to mind.

September 12, 2009

Pennsylvania

Rain, rain, rain everyday it has been raining. It just seems that way but this has been a fact for about three days now. In between bouts of wetness, I took Bo for a walk. I am awestruck every time I see a huge healthy tree. I see some humongous trees while walking or creating music in simple neighborhoods, along rivers, in the woods... I had something I wanted to write about today but I forget what it is. Wow, my mind is blank so....

September 11, 2009

Pennsylvania

It took $1800.00 to repair the Traveling Piano truck today. It needed a new master cylinder, all rear bearings and other stuff. The labor cost was an ouch, ouch, ouch... please send money! With no income, no fees charged for the gift of this journey... outside support would be very helpful. Link to Donate To date this year two individuals have contributed. They have contributed a total of $380.00 towards this journey. An easy two thousand dollars more and that will pay for the gas for just this year alone.

September 10, 2009

Pennsylvania

I'm going to need help with this Traveling Piano gig in order to get myself, the truck and Boner across a ocean safe and comfortable. At this point I may end up shipping the piano and getting a new truck on a different continent. It would be easier to ship everything at once in a container. It would be an awful lot of fun to get some ice truckers to guide us over from Alaska to Russia and then have some guides take us over the territories and down through China. Another option would be to find a super yacht to hitch a ride on with the truck around the world and then the owners of the yacht can own us for awhile as long as the journey and mission continues. The Worlds Fair is in Shanghai China next year. Maybe we can find someone interested in cloning Boner for the fair! Hahaha... seriously! In the meantime I'll just continue traveling throughout America.

September 09, 2009

Bristol, Pennsylvania

The new piano for a new truck... notice how I worded that (not "the" new truck) is in the making. I went to see Bill the creator wondering where we are all at in the process. Bill is enjoying the creation of this piano, he works on it every Friday with friends. They sit and ponder about it and how it will work, the storage, waterproofing, security, etc... I refuse to rush this next phase, transition from the present truck. This transition is turning into years. It is what it is. The piano as it stands has an amazing amount of energy emanating from it. I can feel the thought and care put into it. It made the hairs on my arm stand up. There is no way this piano cannot be a success considering all the love and energy created through it so far. I may need to replace the present new truck because the piano is very heavy and this truck has the power of only a four cylinder. More on that tomorrow.

September 08, 2009

Pennsylvania

We are back in Pennsylvania; I am glad the truck made it without any problems. There was a feeling about getting it back here to have it repaired and I am glad I could listen to my gut and act on it. The guy who is working on it said, "we are going to need to open it up and do some exploratory surgery." I said, "fine to whatever you need to do, whatever it takes." Do I have a choice if I want to keep going? Anyway, I feel it is in good hands and this is important. I'm glad I got "out of dodge" too. As in the fact that a change of scenery, I definitely needed. The person who purchased my home over a year ago phoned me, "is this Dan Kean, we received a package today and it had your name and phone number on it." Another reason I came back to the area yesterday was to pick up this package, talk about providential. It was sent to my old address by mistake. Nice people to call me, eh? I've never met them, they know nothing about me. Boner and I went for a good walk today and my friend Charlie made a great dinner tonight which I appreciated and... I went out and purchased a very fattening chocolate carmel cream pie. Ugh, great, blah, fat, good, tasty, binge, feel, satisfy, smooth, fun... ha, I'll end that string with the word fun!

September 07, 2009

On the Road

Boner and I headed back to Pennsylvania to find out what is wrong with the truck. I am very grateful it not break down along the way. I could not find anyone willing or able in West Virginia to deal with it. Also, I needed to "ride off" from some bad energy I experienced recently. Boner and I ate fast food chicken tenders along the way.

My mind has been ruminating over the fact the I have been dupped by people who do not mean what they say and do not say what they mean. I feel hurt but will get over it... and them. Also, while I am ruminating... (ha, this will be a rant day) Rarely, but it does happen that I come across people on this journey who just cannot trust the fact that there is no other agenda with the Traveling Piano then fun, friendship and respect with musical empowerment and inspiration. The very idea of what I do for my work and that I am not looking for something like money from it offends them, it makes them uncomfortable, especially my not having a home, because it is not conventional and almost always they do not want me... to exist. This kind of person often thinks I am making an ass of myself and no matter what the situation; I am intrusive, pushy. Huh? They want to know only what they already know in life and it usually is with a minds eye full of fear. They see what I offer through a lens of zero spontenaiety... negativity, skepticism, mistrust, over cautiousness, doubt, cynicism, pessimism ha, it all means the same thing... and this kind of person rarely has any desire to learn about, understand or accept anything new or different unless someone else... usually a source they feel is more powerful then they, tells them to embrace or accept, or shows them a way. Having little experience with trust, a person like this always has strong control issues. They want to see this Traveling Piano man as a vagabond loser, a needy piano playing street trickster who is up to no good. Ha, what they do not know... anyway, it feels like there is nothing I can do about this kind of person like... try to get on their good side. My talents of persuasion and incentive to develop those talents are weak and... I am lousy at ass kissing with no desire develop that talent either so... I am constantly practicing and learning to just accept these kind of people when they cross my path and I just try to be careful to not trip over them. I'd really like to knock their block off.

September 06, 2009

Around, West Virginia

After feeling a bit rushed this morning, I decided to stop rushing! Ha. I cleaned and painted the piano and truck bed which became dusty again almost immediately because most of the roads I have been using are dirt and stone. Also, people tracking dirt into the truck by jumping on and off, this is a constant. It is what it is. I visited Wil the piano player who I had met in Newfoundland and once again randomly the other day as he and his family are vacationing here in the local park and Boner and I also interacted with several new Traveling Piano players before I went to spend some dinner time with Traveling Piano music. As I headed back to where I am staying stopped and spent a few musical minutes with neighbors I had met about a month ago who are about to build a homestead on their undeveloped land. They were finishing a family picnic and I had promised them I would stop with the truck the next time I passed by.

September 05, 2009

Around, West Virginia

I met some great people today. They appeared to be amazingly respectful, friendly, generous and heartfelt people from the start. They have a lake area property so beautiful that I would like to record music there so I popped in on them unannounced to introduce myself and ask permission. They were very generous about it, asked me to stay for dinner today, tomorrow, both times, anytime. We settled on tomorrow. Afterwards, I headed to Cacapon Park. Amidst the excitement of meeting Will and his family yesterday... I came across an older gent, seventy-seven year old Leslie from Florida with his family on vacation. I asked if he would like to play some piano. He said,"I can't see the keys, I'm blind." I told him sight was not necessary and that I would return today for him and I did. He was quite surprised that I followed through.

September 04, 2009

Cacapon Park, West Virginia

Another major happening today. I am glad I have been blogging everything and with pictures. People would not believe the stuff I have been experiencing. Most of today was spent chopping hot peppers and onions to make salsa to can for the winter. Cindy, across the street from where I am staying gave me tons of tomatoes and herbs from her garden so I had to take advantage of it all. Food for on the road. Financing issues are always present. Can we talk hot hands all day? I rubbed my mouth... hot mouth and then like an idiot I rubbed my eyes and they became very hot. When I was all done I headed for the park to use the internet with only a few minutes time to download yesterdays blog and pictures. I noticed a guy with two girls walking up the road. As I was getting out of the truck they began to walk towards me. I knew any internet work was out the window, the Traveling Piano work was going to take over immediately.

"Hey Dan, remember me from Saint John's Newfoundland back in October"? Oh my God! It was seventeen year old Will, a great piano man I had met at a coffee shop. His picture is on the website here in the archives. Will also improvises music as I do. We were going to ride around Newfoundland in Saint John's on the street but time had not allowed it so we did it here in Cacapone Park, West Virginia tonight. Is this stuff too cool or what. Will's cousin Katie from Toronto was with him and her sister and also Will's brother Matthew. Matthew says, "I remember your truck from across the street at home." Turns out the family lives across the street from where I was staying in Newfoundland. Amazing! I drove down the road while Will played the piano and we headed to the families cabin. Turns out they having been coming to this park every year for vacation, every year for the last forty years! Later on I was parked and improvising pretty deep in the woods with the moon full and bright. Frank found us, a new friend I met last week who helped me out at the cabin where am staying.

September 03, 2009

Berkeley Springs, West Virginia

Tonight, while driving back to where I am staying I thought, "I am so blessed to be meeting, experiencing intimacy and interacting with the people of my Wildest of Dreams. Also, I am grateful that I can take life on life's terms better than ever, even though there is a lot of room for more improvement. Next subject... the Traveling Piano is having trouble. Whats new? There has been a rubbing sound while driving that is getting louder and louder. Went to three mechanics today. The first said the wheel was bent. The second replaced the wheel with the spare which did not work so... the wheel bearing might be going. That could lead to the wheel falling off? The third mechanic took a stethoscope to the back wheels and rear end drive. No kidding, the guy was using a stethoscope to diagnose the trouble. Looks like I the truck will need a new rear end drive. Wish us luck on finding a rear end drive for a 1987 Toyota pickup! Tomorrow will be a new day, lets see what happens.

At night time Boner and I drove to meet Susan who invited us for dinner. Our connecting came from several synchronistic exchanges over a period of three months. (I'll spare you the details) Even though we had been in each others company we had never met face to face until tonight. After dinner we went outside for some music. Please don't think I am crazy or weird, I just tell it as it is. The full moon helps this stuff along I am sure. Anyway, Susan without question "gets" the Traveling Piano and what it is all about, my music etc... and she did so right off the from the start. People connect with my music on many levels and to many different depths and I find this most interesting. It is very gratifying when they experience the music to the core which is beyond my soul. This lady was one of those people. It helped that she had opened up to me about her life experiences before the music began. While I was improvising there was an awareness of my interpreting her life experiences musically. For Christ's sake, please don't think this is strange what I am going to say. I look at everything as, "it is what it is" ...well, I as began to improvise the truck began to bounce on its own while I played. Not as in bouncy fun but as in vibrating like I was standing on a suspension bridge with traffic bounding across. I was not creating the feeling, I just allowed it and just keep going with it. It was all very curious to me. So thats that. Anyway, I asked Susan if it was ok to share what she told me in this blog because I think it is important and she said it would not be a problem. Her husband committed suicide two years ago where we were creating music. When I was finished playing (after about ten minutes Boner gave one loud bark to signal it was time to stop) Susan told me I had just musically shown her the last ten years of her life visually, all the good experienced around the property and that I had cleansed the darkness left over from the area around her husbands death. I have always known that I am more visual than musical and now this truth is expressing itself through the eyes of people other than myself... through my music.

September 02, 2009

Morgan County, West Virginia

Today was another gorgeous day. We got to the park about an hour before sunset. No one was around. I was thinking about wether anything, or anyone needs to benefit from whatever it is that I contribute to the/my world. I think not. At least, I do not think that there is a duty, or that I must, or that it is necessary to try and contribute. The only thing necessary is that I enjoy life... whatever that entails and my awareness of joy with and in any pursuit contributes... naturally. God, I know I am sounding too... whatever :) Right now, Boner and I are sitting watching an almost full moon rising above the tree line in front of us. It is still daylight. We just finished watching the sun set while creating music behind us.

September 01, 2009

Morgan County, West Virginia

The water is very hard where I am staying. The clothes I washed came out all blotchy, I showed them to my neighbor and she said that is was because powdered detergent will not dissolve in the water that I needed to use liquid soap detergent. This is why it takes twice as much dish detergent then ever before to wash the dishes. Ahh... the things one can learn while moving around a lot. The day was so beautiful, dry, cold air, hot sun... but I did not get to take the Traveling Piano truck out. There has been too much day to day business to take care of. At night I lit candles and played inside. I keep thinking about my exchange with yesterday's hiker and the Traveling Piano's mission to "create music for people to discover." To have a grown man break down in tears in front of me over how beautiful my music was for him to experience... is a lot for me to digest.