Raggin' Piano Boogie

 

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

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May 31, 2014

Cumberland, Maryland

We drove to Cumberland, Maryland today partly, to work in the new engine. I passed a vehicle while climbing a hill. Ha, it was weird to have the new strength, like a totally new feeling after so many years of fretting over its eventual demise and especially with it running on a sealer for the last ten months. It has 275,000 miles on it. I literally gorged myself with a cheese steak at a place I visit every few years. We stopped at Rocky Gap state park now turned a resort, casino, golf course and found a place on a lake away from all the action and met a few people and also created music until the sun set. I got totally lost in music and when I finished it was like coming out of a deep sleep or a high or some place other than. There were wild yellow and blue iris growing with some other white flowering bushes and I will always be amazed in seeing flowers and plants that I knew only as cultivated/sold in stores growing in the wild. I was going to cut some to take with me but have grown to have to much respect for flowers growing in the wild.



I'm feeling a bit unsettled about my blog entries for the last few days. I know that what I "do" has an effect on the world much more than what I "say," but when I start "saying" and depart from the mission of Fun, Friend and Respect and get into opinionating and taking stances on "other than" world issues, I lose a sense of neutrality concerning the Traveling Piano. Fun, Friendship and Respect is not compatible with controversy. Any rambling I do scares many people away, just makes them mad or think that I am crazy. Never the less this blog, the journey is and has always been an experiment in... "It Is What It Is." For better or worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and health... its me. So, what I have come to about it all is... if I'm going to say something to influence my world I must make sure my ego is not looking for attention. I want to be as sure as possible that I am not trying to look like a big man who's smarter than others, influential, pious and almighty... be careful that I'm not trying to create drama, transfer frustration onto other people, (as in dump) or push people away. Once I say what I mean, and mean what I say... I need to let go of it immediately and trust in my past experiences that when I do the right things... the right things happen. If I do something wrong... damm, hate when that happens.

May 30, 2014

West Virginia

This entry is a continuation from yesterday so if you want to know what I'm talking about from the start, read that first. The Traveling Piano is only one aspect of who I am and my life. There must be a balance in the many ways I live (not only doing things in my own way) in consideration of how others accomplish life. (voting, laws, etc...) I must follow and do as others do... again, on a balance beam. This is about voting. I am one with all human beings. These days I've been practicing action along with my opinions. Like for example guns... every time the issue rises for me, I remind myself that I am doing my part with the sticker on the truck which many people see. I have taken a public stand for myself and hopefully others will for themselves as a result. Voting is another "action." With vets, I spend time with them, create respect, create awareness in society. This past Memorial Day weekend I saw all over the internet (I see it all the time) "Support Our Troops." I want to encourage people to put their foot where their mouth is lol, (as in "walk the walk") do more than talk.



There is a list of US senators who rejected a bill that would have addressed health care and educational benefits to help veterans in need, our Troops. Find the list on the internet. These senators have hindered responsibility and societal inclusion for those who need and deserve it most. These senators must be voted out of office and to know why... so new ones will truly represent the public. The same senators who voted against support for the troops also voted to not raise the minimum wage. (there are people who do not want poor people to misuse the system but never question the rich doing so.) All the same senators closed down the government earlier this year. The same senators are responsible for not addressing the purchase of automatic machine guns that kill masses of our neighbors all at once and wackos who continue to stockpile gun arsenals. They are not interested in addressing the fact that America through the privatization of prisons now imprisons more of its own citizens than any other country in the world!!! (mostly all poor people and practically no rich) These scoundrels... are... all... the... same... senators. I'm all about learning more to "do" with action... rather than just think and say. I do for myself first and then for others comes naturally. There are as many ways to "do" as there are people. My friends understand, support and allow me my processes. So personally, my life is not all about the Traveling Piano. Do others need to know everthing about me? No, only what I feel is important and will be helpful.

May 29, 2014

West Virginia

To be honest, when I am not out interacting with people I tend to interact with myself and get into my head. There is music, nature, work or conversations in my head while on the internet. Along with watching shows via the internet while working with pictures for my website galleries I interact online to feel connected with people and the world. Life's issues other than the Traveling Piano seep into and fill my space when I am into my head when people are not physically around. So my space today with rain outside was filled with these thoughts: For better or worse we live in society and it is not possible to care about, or change, or help society if I do not participate on some level in societies actual ways. Life is full of negotiation, ugh. I don't like most societal laws but I must be response-able in order to be part of... so I choose whats right for me carefully concerning laws. Society provides many things that I use... say the roadways. It would be wrong to think I am doing enough to simply think about gratitude for "good roads" while everyone else did the actual work to make them and keep them usable. Its like people saying they hoped, prayed, told friends, sent good energy from the universe for me to get a new truck engine. I said I needed three bucks. In reality both must exist. The universe was how... the money was reality. (for me at that time) Friends who did the reality part... actually helped to create the reality of a new truck engine. For this I am sure.



The world has changed since I was young. Ha, did I just say that? ...and now I see more than ever, participation is needed by individuals in society. My personal path seems to be taking me down both roads these days. (societal responsibility as well as the Traveling Piano) Of course I could choose to be a monk or just totally focus on the Traveling Piano but I feel nudges from within my soul to do more and I enjoy the earthly pleasures that society provides too much to not take part in them. I care about friends, family, neighbors and communities and cannot have an opinion about my communities role in my life if I don't vote in the decisions made. We all have our paths. I gave up on voting for the first time when the journey began. it was easy to do with all one-on-one relating through the Traveling Piano. Then as I saw that I was affecting many lives in good ways, whole communities... a different sense of "whole" began to enter my being. Additional response-ability resulted. That came from spending time personally with people who lost everything during Katrina, Virginia Tech, Sandy Hook, the Joplin Tornado, interacting with homeless people on city streets and in parks... So now I have more perspectives than simply as a society pianist that I had been for ten years with wealthy people and then a middle class home owner once I began to perform piano on the truck. I've spent time in high society, mostly in the middle class of life and now with the poor (for lack of a better word). These days I am very careful and think allot about when and how to respond to people's needs as a whole (society) as well as individually. I'm going to continue this in tomorrows writing and the whys for these thoughts today.

May 28, 2014

West Virginia

Walking for an hour every day that I can, need to build up stamina between rain storms. Last night I began to practice some old Boogie Woogie repertoire. For two years now I cannot remember or figure out the last note of my most played piece. There are only so many notes right? None of them sound right and its been driving me crazy... for years now! I've tried so many alternatives and tonight I finally found one. Give up. Make up my own. Why must it be as it was? I go back to relearn pieces after years and have found huge departures from the original ways I played them. Lol... all this time I suppose, all these years I never had the self confidence to make my won boogie woogie as I do with my improv, just because. Every time I tried, it felt stupid. To try and create music in a somewhat conventional form has never worked before but now I just don't give a shit. Thats always the answer, not to care about the right, wrong, good, bad, enough, not enough, etc... just enjoy, have a good time, play with thoughtful abandonment... mean what I say and say what I mean and fuck em' if they can't take a joke. Thats the best attitude for me. I practiced a left hand boogie rift until I ran out of energy and it sounded ok. I know after time as with my musical improvisation, it will all begin to make sense and sound great, I just need to keep at it until the magic happens.

May 27, 2014

West Virginia

Everyday it has been raining but I still get out to walk, been doing it almost every day and my stamina is getting better. I've been thinking about what I want to do in life. There's not much time left. Whatever includes the Traveling Piano. We will be heading up north in a week to visit Cooperstown, New York but want to run the new engine for a week and get it checked out on Monday first. I'm going to start putting sayings with some photos and see where that goes. What is my passion with the Traveling Piano? Should I go back into making money (ugh) in order to continue or just use trust and faith? Maybe I'll actually write the books and create picture photo's like I've been thinking about forever? Get to Hollywood and Zion Canyon and get those bucket list things out of the way? Sponsorship, the Wildest of Dreams, China, Musical Therapy, Performance, the list of things to do are many but what is the truest passion for now? Or... just quit, settle down, find a secure place to live out the rest of my life in the simplest of ways possible. (to do that a very clear picture of that would have to materialize)

May 26, 2014

West Virginia

A gallon of paint $60 bucks at Lowe's??? Time was short so I gave in. I wanted to paint the Traveling Piano truck bed and piano. Thats what happened today. Through most of the process, thoughts of gratitude were with me. I'm here in a place where I don't have to wear clothes outside if i don't want to (but i did) I'm away from people (mostly, except for a few dangerously crazy neighbors) its a perfect day with sun and temperature, I'm all around nature deep in the trees with deer, rabbits, pileated woodpeckers, Mo and a lot more, I've accomplished the two goals that I came here for (a new truck engine and my goddaughters wedding) and now I'm working on feeling my way into whatever is to come next. It took about a half hour for dust, tree seedlings and pieces of dirt from wind to dirty the truck bed all up!

May 25, 2014

West Virginia

The days have been beautiful. I'm feeling a little lonely because I was out in the sun and so was everyone else with memorial day picnics and groups and parties and the piano is not yet back in the truck. The way my life is set up, no home or consistent friends to hang with, the Traveling Piano is what I use to connect with people, how I create a feeling of being part of so, Mo will have to do for now. He's enough, we have fun together. I'm going to paint the piano tomorrow. On the way to the store to get paint... its the first time since the journey began that I can remember driving up a hill and not losing momentum with the truck engine. It made me feel assured, strong, secure. Still, I'm holding my breath while I ease the new engine into use. After listening to some music from my collection I felt more connected to life but then yearning to share the feelings began.

May 24, 2014

West Virginia

In August the Traveling Piano truck engine gave out. In a panic I asked just about everyone I know and could connect with for emotional support in the form of a financial contribution for the 1st time ever with as little as three bucks. Two hundred and five people total replied. The Traveling Piano truck has been running on a sealer ever since. Today the truck engine was replaced. It happened specifically as a result of friends who sent a contribution. You know who you are. Thank you. Every penny has gone into the truck. I can now Climb Every Mountain with the Traveling Piano. (almost) :) ...in order to continue creating Fun, Friendship and Respect with Musical Empowerment and Inspiration at no cost for anyone and without Commercial, Organizational or Political affiliation. With synchronicity and spontaneity, I create music for people to discover and this has been full time since 2006 with humility and gratitude.

May 23, 2014

West Virginia

I'm in kinda of a daze and focused on work. Here's a bunch of random recent pics from the Boner the Dog galleries. There are now over three thousand Traveling Piano pictures from this year alone. Gallery 2014 Part 01






May 22, 2014

West Virginia

I was very aware while everything was happening in New York on Saturday that I always manage to make my own fun. That is the way it has always been for me. I have to do it by myself. Find a way, my own way inside of a situation to be part of. I do not naturally feel part of anything and do not know how to let people help me in. People very rarely include me in anything automatically. Part of me deep inside avoids and pushes away out of fear. Maybe someday I'll figure out a different way to feel natural about being part of just for the creativity of it but on Saturday I remember turning the entire day over to "love" ...what I would be attracted to and what would be attracted to me, no expectations or assumptions and then all the synchronicity and spontaneity happened. I grasped onto opportunities as they happened, opportunities that would be fun for me. When I have fun, everyone else has fun because every human being naturally enjoys sharing it is just that some do not know that. As a child I was chastised for asserting myself in any way and called an opportunist when all I wanted was to be part of while standing out as an individual with fun. Now, I know and trust my intent and when people go with my flow of fun they always benefit. Still, I'm very careful with who, when and what I do with anybody. Finding the right kind of people in life who want my participation in their lives for the sake of fun, thats the way to go. I'm just writing off the top of my head and am too lazy to go back and see if I made any sense. Ha.

May 21, 2014

West Virginia

I've been hanging out. It rains a little everyday and I've been ferociously working to get this years photos processed and posted to the web. There are almost three thousand Traveling Piano pictures from this year alone already there. Its crazy. Also, I'm working to build up my stamina by walking everyday as I took on the commitment to do the fourth of july parade back in Oreland, Pa for the 16th year I think maybe its more. Last year I almost died from lack of energy, the heat, physically my body and hands couldn't take it. The town will be making a contribution for the journey, the only work related commitment, once a year for many years now. I take my work of fun very seriously. I can't believe the truck may be done already on Friday with a new engine... we shall see.

May 20, 2014

West Virginia

Life is about constantly balancing how much I want to be part of society. Presently, of course I must participate in order to function as I do for example I use roads to drive on. Society provides, but how far and how much I want to progress with technology, putting myself into the bureaucracy of society with people who are acting like machines or only interacting with machines. I work on drawing limits and boundaries for myself. It has been really bothering me how society is turning on itself specifically in creating industries of spying and collecting data, tattle-tailing and ways to generate finances. Looking at flashing highway impressions every few miles of vehicles I should be on the lookout for in order to notify authorities, vigilante companies with employees watching cameras to notify authorities if they see someone throwing trash from their vehicles, road cameras hiding everywhere for speed photo enforcement tickets that right or wrong a citizen must pay for because to fight it would be too much aggravation and triple the cost. Societies people becoming whores and slaves for jobs and bucks... rant, rant, rant.

May 19, 2014

West Virginia

Oh my God its happening! I was meant to return to West Virginia now while not consciously knowing it. There was a feeling deep from within me that the truck engine would not have made it for two more weeks, especially in NY. I'll never know for sure but enough is enough. For anyone who does not know, the Traveling Piano truck engine with almost 300,000 miles on it has been running on a sealer since August. I found the mechanic here in WV, paid for a new engine and was going to have it put in last week when I decided to go to NY. The truck was dropped off for the work today. I'm grateful I have a place to stay while the work is being done even though there is no security in it from day to day... that I can cut seeming losses and leave bad situations... that I have practice in changing direction for my life at a moments notice. My mind and body is past exhausted as expected. I'm taking it easy with no choice, ha. I purchased a lot of food to sort out so there is a feeling of abundance. My New York experiences from a few days ago are still present and strong, how people told me they could hear the music beginning two and a half blocks away... ahh, creating music for people to discover... part of the Traveling Piano mission statement and... how beautiful and intense it was playing/creating non-stop musical improvisation, being able to keep the energy consistent with interest on a very high level for the longest time ever.

May 18, 2014

Berkeley Springs, West Virginia

Surprisingly, I woke up feeling somewhat rested. There was no kidding myself in knowing my mind, body and spirit was still reeling from yesterday. Without question a crash was yet to come, would happen on all levels but while I was still going fairly strong I decided to take Mo for a walk in the woods. He deserved it very much because of his fantastic patience and tolerance yesterday. His behavior over the last few days... 100%, he gave his all for me. There must have been a major downpour of rain while we were gone from West Virginia because, as we hiked up the mountains, water was flowing strong everywhere. There were waterfalls I've never seen wow, it was all beautiful and the sounds very interesting. Ever since I left New York I have been consciously trying not to think. Seriously, I'm so over stimulated with thought and the turn of events, the syncronisity and spontaneity of all the wonderful things that happened totally unplanned, "please Danny, no thoughts." Once it got dark tonight the crash began physically and withdraw emotionally from all the stimulation. It started to cause some depression and a bit of anger. Denying or repressing never gets rid of anything. I was traumatized in a bad way while having been totally elated in a good way at the same time. So what do I do with the feelings? Opt out with a substance, cope dysfunctionally, or try to change them... what I am doing is acknowledging and moving through them so I can be done with it all and move on to the next good experience. The drive home last night was easy with no traffic. While alone I consciously choose the better thoughts from the day. Its not easy when crap is flying around, but I'm getting good at it and lol, it was easy to choose the good thoughts with all the great moments that happened.


May 17, 2014

Brooklyn, New York City, New York

I woke up telling myself, "I can do this" attend my god daughters wedding. Feeling shaky, stuffed into a shirt and tie and wearing shoes for the first time in almost ten years, (can't figure out why I keep harping on that fact in my mind) I had my New York bagel and cream cheese (a craving for the last few years) with coffee and was on my way. It took my total focus while driving with my gps in hand the entire time while telling myself I have three hours to make this forty minute drive while dodging potholes so the truck did not fall apart on a beautiful warm sunny day. I'm wondering if age has anything to do with my unreasonable fear about city driving anymore. When the gps makes a mistake or I do in New York it puts me on a loop to no where land. The traffic was not too bad until I got across the Holland tunnel and then it was pure New York mobbed with both traffic and people. I loved it! About three times the truck engine continued to rev even though my foot was off the acceleration pedal. I was intensely aware of every nuance with the truck, the engine giving up now in all the traffic would not have been a good thing.



The second I came out of the tunnel and into the city I thought... there is no way, no way I can be in this city and do what I had planned, which was to leave Mo with a friend for a week and the truck in New Jersey while I commuted into the city life everyday to see a few shows, concerts, go to a few stores and generally walk around on my own. What could top all of that? With all the energy I was feeling it would be way much more fun to share the Traveling Piano in every New York nook and cranny that I could find. My work is what I enjoy more than anything else in life. It is what it is. I have to do what I have to do. I was wondering if the truck would hold up with an everyday trip in, out and around the city especially with all the stop/starts and waiting in traffic with the sun. The idea of commitment was on my mind, getting to the church on time, being on a schedule, how could I ever get back into a life style that is built around obligation and expectation?



As I watched the trucks heat gage while smelling the engine I said the serenity prayer. God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference. And then I told myself, "you can choose to look at everything in a different way than with all anxiety." With life long family dynamics in play concerning the people I was about to see, I can choose fun love, an easy day full of enjoyment. While I sat on canal street I began to feel once again what a fantastic city New York was, is and always will be. I could see all of time everywhere around me in the buildings, people, the air and energy. After finding the church, I checked behind it to find a few property parking spots where I could simply drop off the truck with Mo inside until the ceremony was over. What could they do? It wouldn't have been that long. Then I thought, "your early, play some on the street." So, the fun began. Within thirty seconds a guy came by and asked if he could play on the piano. I thought he was going to play some typical piano songs he knew from the way he approached me but he in fact had never played before. He simply sat there for a good five minutes exploring sounds and improvising. It was music to my ears. I started to clean the truck while he had fun and when he was done I jumped on board. It was a perfect day and I was in a perfect spot right off the church center and even though it was a no parking zone a cop came by with a thumbs up for me.



A woman brought me a fantastic white cream, half chocolate top, the other half vanilla icing topped with coconut... donut! Hahaha, it was fantastic. People walking by saying beautiful things like, "your music sounds like the air" "I wasn't feeling connected then I hooked up into the syncronisity and harmony thats always present, it happened because you are here." It went on and on, "when I saw you and the dog and truck I knew the rest of my day was going to be special." Truly, I think this all happens because I have no ego in it. Lots of people got onto the piano. Life became full of validation. As the wedding time got closer I thought, "you can create music while people arrive." Then I began to see my life's history unfold as I created music with energy that would ebb and flow differently for each person as they arrived, my past history with people I had not seen in twenty years. As different people climbed the steps of the church to go inside I observed the music from outside of myself while thinking that I really am an artist. This fact will always amaze me and that it took fifty years to achieve. Once the wedding began I alternated between running inside to witness the ceremony and also run outside to check on Mo and people who I told to help themselves to the piano. Then I realized I could create music as everyone came out from the wedding and during the time where everyone stands around with pictures.



The reception was about six blocks down the street so I asked Alicia and Tim if they wanted me to escort them from the back of the Traveling Piano with Mo on top down the street to the reception and so we went down the one way street the wrong way honking the horn constantly while people looked out windows and came out of houses to wave and clap and yell congratulations. I drove right into a parking spot that was open directly at the front doors to the reception building which was perfect because I was able to attend the reception and also keep the fun going with the Traveling Piano outside. There was a very trendy avantguard art showing in the building with some fantastic drag queen attendees. I grabbed a few before they entered for a Traveling Piano moment. Several guys were wearing foot high platform shoes so of course I had to try them on and get a picture seeing I was so shoe oriented for the day. After about an hour at least a thousand kids began to stroll down the street like they were all in a daze. It was an Instagram Meetup happening. One guy asked me for my hastag so I could be instantly seen around the world with thousands of photos. Alas, I don't have an instagram account but I was more interested in getting a picture of them on the truck anyway. Although I like exposure so everyone in the world knows that the Traveling Piano exists, I am limited with the amount of time I have to spend online and do not want my life to be an internet focused priority. The swarms of people passing around the Traveling Piano, I could not get a picture shot that shows it all.



Elated, I returned to where I was staying in Kearney, New Jersey to find my host and her girlfriend. They were drinking and within minutes alcoholic insanity surfaced in my direction which is never good. Sick alcoholics who are not happy people in general attack anything and everything. I knew I was in trouble. My options were to sit and suffer in it, fight or deal with it or... remove myself from it. While trying to intimidate me with personal questions, the friend especially... attached everything with suspicion while tearing away at my journey's motives as well as putting a negative spin on everything I said about the day. I stated that I was feeling unwelcome and disrespected. I was going to go to my room but they suggested I leave. It was midnight but I knew I had to remove myself from the situation. No one was going to destroy a most wonderful day for me and thank god I have too much self-respect to allow myself to be abused. I knew there was no dealing with the shit, so I got my things together, threw them into the truck and left. There were very transparent self serving motives flying around and I was not going to play on their stage, nor do I want to take the time to list them here. The only sensible option was for me to drive through the night back to West Virginia. I'd be up for hours anyway excited from the day. Again, thankfully from all the work I have done to improve myself through the years, I have the self respect to be able to leave bad situations under any and all conditions. I wasn't afraid and knew it was one hundred percent the right thing to do. With total dysfunction the next morning it may have all repaired itself but surely would happen again either like turning on a light switch or ever so slowly and insidiously seeping into all relating between us if I had stayed. Most importantly, nothing was going to destroy all the love in my heart that had just happened throughout the day. Physically I was completely exhausted and mentally... almost. As far as the consequences of leaving leaving New York and my original plans well, I'm too living in the present moment to care about what could have been. Today my goal, the wedding... my original reason for having traveled to New York was three hundred percent totally accomplished and again through pure love manifesting not from me but through me. It was Alicia my godaughter's mother Kathy, (now passed) who was a close friend, a true fan of my music... it was Kathy's love flowing through me today.

May 16, 2014

Belleville, New Jersey

It is very fortunate for me that no matter where I go I have a network of networks... of dependable friends for support and I hooked up with a few in Belleville, NJ for a while today to feel some validation and reassurance. It felt like home hanging out with New York types ha, I love the people in this area of the country very much. Their sense of wry humor, dysfunctional straight forwardness, rough edginess, good heartedness, I could go on and on. The high sophisticates are a very different breed in this same area. Those I tend to avoid. It has been raining with a lot of wind all day. I slept allot, went out to purchase some food, two bucks a grapefruit, I just had to say no to that. Tomorrows going to be a day full of effort but I'm hoping for effortless... and no rain.

May 15, 2014

Kearny, New Jersey

Every time I leave a place even after having stayed only a week, it feels like I'm marching into the valley of death when I know its marching onward into life. For the next few weeks there will not be any time for ranting, complaining, opinionating, egotizing reading about bad news on the internet because there will be no time, I will be living life to the fullest and this is good news! After a six hour drive from West Virginia I arrived in Kearny New Jersey. Lots are small streets and a bizillion houses. The real estate taxes are like a bizillion too and for just modest houses. We are directly across the Hudson river from Manhattan. I am staying with a friend of a friend... a Montana to New Jersey connection. First thing, I ate an entire large extra cheese, pepperoni, mushroom pizza New York style. A slice or two unfortunately wasn't going to do it. From the natural sounds in the woods of West Virginia to road traffic out the window. It will be an adjustment. We dodged rain the entire way driving, thank god. I can stay two weeks here but I doubt I'll be here that long. It feels good to have a comfortable room. My host Ginger, I'll write about her later. Can we talk gratitude? I'll have to stop posting pictures of people from Florida but I have many hundreds. Oh well, they will all be available in the galleries eventually.


May 14, 2014

In a Cabin, West Virginia

Things are looking up. I have someone to leave Mo with to watch. They live two and a half hours from New York where I am leaving for tomorrow. I'll take him with me to NY and then when I'm ready I'll drive down to Pennsylvania and leave him off and go back to have some time in the city. It excites me to no end, the idea of spending time in NYC doing stuff I haven't been able to do for thirty years. Still I wish someone in NYC would step up to the plate and watch Mo. I spent the day mopping the floor where I am, sweeping dust, cleaning new cobwebs (in these woods there's allot) packing, choosing, trying to relax. I'll be attending a wedding in NYC that brings up extreme emotional feelings.



My friend Kathy a very, very close friend, in fact the girl I would have married if I was inclined that way, the only person I ever trusted was a true "fan" of my music who passed away many years ago and gave me the honor to be Godfather to her first child with my friend Ed... well its marriage time for that child, my Goddaughter Alisha. I have one small room here packed with everything I owned (I've given it all to my friend Cindy who part owns the place where I am staying) and I pulled it all out and at the very bottom of everything I found... a pair of shoes. Can you believe I have not worn a real pair of shoes since this journey began almost ten years ago???!!! I have not needed them and I've had no room for them in the truck while traveling. I use black rubber like sneaks.

May 13, 2014

In a Cabin, West Virginia

Today was spent doing nothing because... I could. My psyche is resting in preparation for a family type wedding in Brooklyn, staying with a new stranger/friend in Kearny, NJ and dealing with the logistics of both Mo and the truck in NYC, spending money too... the end of it all! Drama... After a walk with Mo before the rain began I laid around, did my typical work with processing pictures and I sent about twelve emails to organizations relating to dogs in New York City with the hope that once I get there someone might watch Mo while I take a stroll into some stores and check out a few Broadway shows. Maybe I did nothing today because I'm procrastinating from getting ready, packing, cleaning up where I am, etc... Maybe I'm feeling both good and uncertain about everything because every time I go on the road its like the first time even though I've been on the road for years. Ha, its confusing in my brain. Maybe the way I feel and am acting is because every time I begin to get in a comfort zone I must then move out of it. I think that is what it is. My life now is about seeking a comfort zone, getting there for whatever its worth, however short a time and then forcing myself out to live life to the fullest. In any case, the day was spent in uncanny comfort sort of not caring about anything in a good way. The pictures today are from Miami.


May 12, 2014

In a Cabin, West Virginia

It has been like a warm summer day outside, ninety degrees in early May. Mo and I took a walk three times. It also has been raining on and off and that creates humidity big-time. The trees are not in full bloom so there is not as much wetness in the air to hold onto as in the late summer. For the next few days it is supposed to be hot and wet. I'm trying not to think about that because there is no sleeping for me in hot and wet, especially with no air movement. Having recently been in Florida, I'm enjoying the warmth but miss the ocean breeze while... working on figuring out what to do concerning Mo when I go to New York because there are things I want to do on my own. At the same time I'm not worrying about it at all. Being both in a state of worry and concern and at the same time trust and faith is very exhausting. The money is going fast... ha, ha, ha. I laugh because its been going fast for many years. Insecurity does not manifest as a result of not having enough money. Insecurity results from a need to have more decision and also faith in myself. All illusions of need are resolved from a power greater than myself working through me.


May 11, 2014

Cacapone Overlook, West Virginia

With it being a perfect day weather wise and rain on the way we drove to the top of a mountain to create some music and go for a walk. The walk was short because I'm just to tired with thinking about what to do for next weekend. I played with Mo in a field we ran after each other and rolled around in the grass. My friend Becky called a friend right outside of New York city and arranged a place to stay for a while so I can enjoy the city for one last time. Now what to do with Mo as I can't take him into places in the city and where do I park the truck during the days? Its always something. I should have expected people today up where I was creating music as its Mother's Day but I didn't. Two cars came up right before I began to play and parked on opposite ends of the area.



Doors flew open, the radios began to blare spanish party music, bottles of bear came out... this was a first and it was going to be a party trashing... not on my beat it wasn't. Damm, urban park energy here in rural Cacapone? My flyers are in Spanish (its a long story) and so I gave it to them and bonded over having been with the Traveling Piano in Mexico in all the cities they knew and then asked them to turn off the music because I was going to play. Lol... I began to play and planned on blasting them out with my sound system if necessary. It worked, they left because after all I was there first. While they were walking off I asked if they wanted to get on the truck. They were a little disgruntled and said no. On the way down the mountain... litter for the first time ever. All in all it was a beautiful day and I'm glad I got to enjoy it and with the people I met. The spring pollen is getting to me. Figuring out the logistics of being on the road again is a pain in the ass but then again, thank God I am capable.

May 10, 2014

West Virginia

I went to pay for the truck engine today so the guy could purchase it. This is a commitment made. Whew, that was a ridiculous process in getting to this point. Its been on my brain for years and acutely front and center since a sealer was put on the engine back when. My funds are sinking low but the money for this was set aside back when things got serious in August. I met the guys mom from Hungary, its was a must because I knew she would be full of life and I was right. Afterwards, I took Mo to the park and was too weak too exercise walking for long. We met a fishing family by the lake and had some fun together. I'll never get tired of hearing people describe the music in nature as surreal, just unbelievable, like being in another world. Can we talk emotionally drained?




May 09, 2014

West Virginia

It feels like I wish I knew what it feels like. Does that sound confusing? Yep, I'm confused. Originally the plan in being where I am was to attend my God Daughter's wedding and get the truck engine replaced. Then both of those agendas changed. Meanwhile, several new ones came in. Now, its back to the originally ones. Its as though I am being carried along to fulfill the original goals in-spite of myself. I know I'm creating everything subconsciously and wish I could just be more conscious and save myself the aggravation of trying to figure everything out. Three situations/solutions appeared out of no where to get the truck engine replaced. The first was from a local shop with an owner I can trust but not the workmanship. The second, an established shop in Virginia who knew exactly what I wanted to hear and was thorough in talking about knowing what was needed. The third a local guy working on his own who was recommended. I went with the third guy because established shops that supervise workers have not worked for me in the past. I know the guy working on his own can use the work, will be hands and do the job as he seems to have the expertise. With all the emotional angst about everything, the Traveling Piano happened with people today whether I was looking for it to happen or not.

May 08, 2014

West Virginia

Walking in the park today made me very aware that I need to drop weight. I've lost a lot of control of my mid-section and must focus on my core with exercise. While hiking I was thinking how I've taken enough water flowing pics and then I saw this powerful stream of water splashing and I couldn't resist. Someone emailed me after posting it online saying, "Whenever you take pics of anything, I'm always blessed." People can be so empowering with words. Also while walking I was thinking, some people impose their view of the world using money and data. I impose my view of the world through spirit and music. I'm vacillating again about going to New York after I was going and decided not to, twice now. There are so many logistics to consider and it doesn't feel like I have the energy or want to have the energy to deal with it all.

May 07, 2014

West Virginia

Concerning my online persona I am always evaluating my existence. So... for facebook today I wrote this: I am very aware of my public nature through the Traveling Piano. Always, I am trying to understand better that the Traveling Piano is what I do... it is not who I am. Constantly, I reevaluate what is important to me in relationship with other people and what is best communicated or not. Everything I do or say I try to do it with as much conscious thought as possible. I know many people enjoy me and stay connected because of my positive nature with the Traveling Piano. It would be a lie to say I do not have negative nature inside of me. My creativity is my person and that is much more than the Traveling Piano. Sharing myself as a person, the good and bad for better or worse, it is what it is... I was clear about that agenda and goal from the start of my journey. The sharing of myself with the world as an individual part of the whole in life is what interests me. As I mature the fear of showing my negative sides to others dissipates. What is gained as a result is more appreciation for people who allow me my processes in life and who stand by my side as observers to witness my life as a whole no matter what. Those are the kind of people I enjoy relating with most.



There is a distinction with my work and who I am personally... The Traveling Piano is all about Fun, Friendship and Respect with Musical Inspiration and Empowerment and with no Commercial, Organizational or Political affiliation. Danny Kean, I'm a person who has a social conscience, shares my journey and sometimes also has negative rants about people and life. What I find personally interesting and quirky about life, I enjoy sharing that too. I make mistakes, can be wonderfully inappropriate, seem contradictory, etc... My Facebook Danny Kean account is for friends who want to learn about and associate with me in a deeper way than just the Traveling Piano. My interest is to align myself through the Danny Kean account with people who want to contribute to my life. When I needed emotional support on a personal level back in August and asked for financial contribution for the first time ever... part of that agenda was to help me find who I wanted to follow on Facebook. "givers" My journey becomes more successful as I learn to give of myself appropriately as that relates to people who can support my continuous giving.



There are also two pages on Facebook... The Traveling Piano ...and... Traveling Piano. For anyone who does not want to see my more personal posts (my rants, opinions, social thoughts and what I find interesting in life) I post all the same Traveling Piano news "only" and updates to all three accounts. The positive, entertaining show... thats the Traveling Piano pages... The Full Monty, the Works, Everything... the Danny Kean page. Bottom line, please remember I am still experimenting with myself as a person and probably always will be. OK... Now back to here and this blog. On this website blog I do not usually talk about Facebook because I want people to visit here and not interact exclusively through Facebook or anywhere else. Also, on this website I don't post outside links I find interesting for others to experience. This website blog... its basically a diary of my personal journey.

May 06, 2014

West Virginia

Have I mentioned lately in this blog, anything specifically about Mo? I feel like its all been said but sometimes I just want to hear myself say it again and again out of gratitude. Almost everyday I tell Mo I love him. Keeping the perspective that he is a dog, an animal, a pet is really important because as he becomes more domesticated, I tend to put too much emotional demand on him as a partner and/or family member. This dog of mine is everything to me. There has not been one day gone by where he has not made me smile. I enjoy his being a dog more than a domesticated pet. His companionship well... I remind myself all the time that a decision was made from the start... relationship with him is the priority for me in life over any other journey aspect. He lays between my feet when I am working, by my side when I sleep, in front of me when I am with the piano, sometimes we walk together (usually he runs on his own) and physical play is very important for us. There is always cuddling... thats very important. Like Piano Dog Boner, Mo is learning empathy. When I was really sad driving to a funeral the other day, once he realized the situation was not going to be about him in anyway... he got silent and with purpose moved away from where he usually sits in the truck cab in order to lean against me just to be still, to "be" with me in silence in a supportive way. There was unmistakable intent in his behavior that only I would know through our ongoing relationship. Animals are awesome!

May 05, 2014

Sandy Ridge, Pennsylvania

I'm right smack in the middle of Pennsylvania. This is a first. The sun made everything warmer than yesterday even though there is no green on the trees yet. I'm up in the mountains. In West Virginia where I drove from, there is green everywhere. I attended my friend Larry's funeral and spoke for the first time ever with a eulogy. I cried and felt like an ass but it had to be done. It felt important to specifically validate his family and share some love. Strangely enough I ended up creating music at his gravesite as well as at the luncheon afterwards. His daughter Sharon who I went through high school with, her husband and their daughter got onto the Traveling Piano. A few other locals did too. I was definitely an alien in this area. Its all about hunting and rural hometown USA. It feels like the people here are ready to jump to attention in a military way. Of about eight different locals I talked to, none use the internet. Last night before I feel asleep I learned that my friend Don Kawash died. He was a well known Ragtime Pianist from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and also a historian and teacher for thirty five years at Germantown Friends a Quaker school in the area. We were friends for about forty years. Don was the first person ever to give me the opportunity to perform back when I was around twenty years old. It was in a very popular long running Ragtime cabaret show he had created in Philadelphia. He was my Ragtime music mentor, a close friend. I've been conscious to keep out any drama with whats been going on and two friends passing at the same time. Don was another friend full of support and full of nothing but respect, tolerance and patience for everyone, no exceptions, no matter how difficult they were as a person. I'm posting a picture of him with Piano Dog Boner back in 2007.

May 04, 2014

Clearfield, Pennsylvania

Everything is a blur. After much angst I decided to drive up north to be with my friend Larry's family during his interment tomorrow. I'm in a Clearfield, Pennsylvania motel. Its the fourth place I looked at because I just can't stay in stuffy, bad attitude, smelly, overpriced dumps that want to overcharge for their rooms that I will be using for less than twelve hours. I stopped at one bread and breakfast that was not special in anyway and certainly the rooms were not full. They huffed and puffed about having Mo while wanting to charge a hundred and fifteen bucks? Lol, not... I'll take a semi-stuffy "private" motel room for sixty bucks over that. So the room I have is fresh, nice, quite but no window that open so I'm going to dry out from having the heat on all night. (no thermometer on the heater) Its in the low forties outside. Larry was eighty two years old, I knew him for fifty years, he was a good friend and a major male mentor for my life. He drove in many parades for me and man... I've already written about him, need to stop, its exhausting. I'm feeling the fact that he is no longer physically here with us. There was a point many years ago when I just gave up on funerals... too much for me but this guys love... I must acknowledge for his family. He drove me in a parade last year with cancer, having just lost his wife of sixty-two years and he had a battery pack attached to his belt to help pump his heart among other difficulties but I needed some help (a driver for the parade) and so he was up to helping, no matter what!

May 03, 2014

Hedgesville, West Virginia

We drove with my friend John today to Hedgesville, West Virginia to have a little meeting, a discussion with friends on how to best contribute to life and help others. It was supposed to rain but the day was beautiful and we met some new friends like Penny who survived a lot of abuse as a child and Jay who is a Vietnam vet, both high achievers in life. Lots of us got onto the piano to create music and as usual some for the first time ever.


May 02, 2014

Cacapone State Park, West Virginia



All day long the environment switched between rain and sun, hot and cold and I mean a coat is needed cold all the way to its so hot, undershirt only. We went to the park. Mo's energy level drops fast when he does not get exercise every day. So his running back and forth to fetch a stick did not last long because we have not been out much. My energy level is pathetic. My friend Sid phoned to ask if I was going to come back east for the 4th of July in Oreland Pa, the only performance I've done every year for a long time. Last year I prepared my energy level for the performance every day two weeks prior and almost died while performing on the day, no exaggeration. I could almost not even play after about five minutes. So what does that say for this year? I have not felt inspired to take nature pictures in the park as in past years. There is nothing new and I have been here through all four seasons now, but not continuously. How and why is it that I continue to return to this place in West Virginia? Its a vortex that I keep getting sucked back into. I'm just lucky the place where I have been staying still available for when I need it in transit. The rosebud trees in bloom are amazing. They line the sides of the road so you feel totally immersed in bright purple on all sides and thirty feet high as you drive through them. I played music in the park and walked very little.

May 01, 2014

In the Woods, West Virginia



It has been raining all day so of course lack of physical activity translates into mental activity and so I start thinking and if I don't want to feel I think about anything that can be frustrating as I tend to ruminate, complain or rant to myself. That is always a good distraction. Also, I'm processing pictures for people in Florida. Ha, so here is todays rant: As big business fights government over the control and release of personal data... a reality check is in order. Google/Apple/Facebook etc... those people who own and work for these businesses are not fighting for the customers privacy, they do not have my best interests at heart. It is all about who gets to see, own and use my data how and when for themselves, not me. The issue is about what/who is going to control who/what? The secret menace in all this? It is the data collection industry for both business and government. If there was no data collection industry, (as was in the beginning of the internet and was never meant to be for the internet) then privacy would not be an issue. The struggle between business and government drives up the value/prices/worth and salaries of people who work in the data control industry, government and business. Even worse are the people who are in cahoots with both business and government at the same time. As a result people who own and work for big business/government, they control the customer more and more while charging higher fees. If I do not want my data collected, I see only two options. Don't give data to collect because... where there is a will there is a way and the data collection industry will find a way. I do not need the internet to live a fulfilling life. I choose that fact to whatever extent. As far as society with this regard... I see no hope. To focus on my life and what I can give to it in regard to what interests me for the good of first myself, and then the whole of the universe... (both must be considered) that is the only option for fulfillment.