Raggin' Piano Boogie

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

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April 30, 2016

Monterey, California

Wow, Monterey's beach was like, surreal today, what a most beautiful place. The sun, the white ocean suds and clear turquoise water with random explosion of waves against rock... I was so fortunate to find parking spots right in with it all. It happened right from the start at Lovers Point Park. There was a wedding going on so I did not stay long as I did not want my music to disrupt it. We had a few exchanges with people there. I drove south towards Pacific Grove and the scenery just got better and better. I met a guy celebrating his birthday. He plays the piano but his piano broke and he needed a "play some piano" fix bad. Finding the Traveling Piano made his day. I just turned it over to him and took Mo to explore some of the beach. As we continued on I found Pebble Beach.The entire area has been confiscated by an elitist community that has managed to control the roads by charging the public ten bucks to use them. They purchased the Del Monte Forest land by turning it into a conservancy which is a slimy way to simply restrict public access unless you pay them (private owners) or write in to a board for permission to visit. (I ran across one of these in Arizona) So I simply said fuck you to all of them in my mind and continued away from the area...

We meandering up and down neighborhood streets in Carmel-By-The-Sea which I could not figure out. There were many small residential houses, expensive shops and motels in trees and on hills scattered all over the place. I found a residential street in Carmel Highlands along the sea, a one lane road on a cliff with multi million dollar houses all of them empty a few looking like they needed some love. Of course the road was made so no outsiders could stop anywhere to take a picture. I just stopped on the road itself to take a few. If someone would have come from either direction they would have had to just wait a minute, lol. Then I ran into two more beaches and parks that would not allow dogs and charged fees. Of course you can guess what I did about that. On the way back I stopped along the beach in Pacific Grove and was simply mesmerized by the beauty. It was as glorious as was Bandon beach in Oregon my favorite beach ever to date. I love being right on ground level in the water while standing on rocks with splashing waves all around me and water flowing up onto the sand behind me with a late afternoon ocean mist.

I could not just sit in it all I had to keep moving around to explore with all the energy flowing. Then I decided I had to give myself a sunset with music. There was a lot more interacting with people, never enough and as the sun set, I had to ignore everyone and just try and be in the moment with the music, myself, the nature of it all and people witnessing in the background. Many came up to thank me afterwards. Thank God I was able to push away all the necessities and future needs to be taken care of today in order to enjoy what is much more purposeful for me. A couple brothers got onto the piano for music and several couples. I met some locals which is always my top agenda wherever I am. I don't know whats going to happen in the next month concerning my financial needs and the resources to continue but I do know I just must not stop what I am doing and that is to enjoy nature, create music and share my all... and without agenda. I'll do it until I don't. Inspiration through nature was very strong in my music today, more than I can ever remember.

April 29, 2016

Marina, California

We departed from Jeremy and Amin's place. I feel really sad that Mo will not have the company of Fela, they really enjoyed each other totally. He's not going to find another dog like that to be with for a long while. My friends were very supportive in allowing us to stay, was it two weeks? It felt like no more than a week. We drove to Monterey and it cost $200 for a motel room at Motel6. I'd rather sleep in my truck than pay Motel6 $200 for a room! Used to be that motels would lower prices to fill rooms. Now they scam with greed when the rooms begin to fill up. People are becoming more transient. I ended up driving back inland for the cheapest price I could find... $110. This is not good. The future is not good when I look at how much it is costing for motels, or to rent a place. Please God, help me to find myself a home base, a place to live. Anyway, we had a Traveling Piano exchange with the kid working the motel desk and then I drove to find a place to hang out on the beach. Most of the parks will not allow dogs, so wrong. We got lost in a gutted military single home neighborhood of empty houses. What a waste when there are so many homeless people. After finding a beach, I feel asleep on it in my winter coat for about an hour while feeling grateful and fortunate to be able to do just that. There is awesome color in the sand dunes here.

April 28, 2016

Santa Clara, California

Well, I woke up better today than yesterday. Its all a matter of not caring about worry. Caring about having fun is where it is at. As the day went on I slipped into a daze. I washed and folded all my clothes, backup my hardrives, cleared out a lot of papers... I have a three inch stack of business cards from just the last few months. I tell people to email me because there is no way I'm going to do anything with all those cards, I don't even remember who they belong to. Concerning LA, I forgot about writing years ago how I am afraid of any schmoozing that might be needed. I am afraid of relating to people when I am not in control of them. Maybe I spent all my time on skid row last year when I was there because I was too afraid to go into any other area. There are many reasons. Thinking back on what I've written in the past, I don't think my fear is in becoming shallow with hollywood types it is the fact that I don't have the ability to act shallow. Also it is humiliating when I look for attention and respect and am shot down. I know the answer... no expectations and don't be looking for self worth from other people. Really, why am I perceiving hollywood as any different from New York which I know well or any other place I've been. Remembering to allow myself to be who I am and allow others to be who they are, this is what I need to do. Also, if I am giving my all and someone acts like they care but are being completely insecure I need to just focus on myself and my intent. Maybe I will need to demand respect! I know I will have a good time but must know clearly what I want to achieve from the visit. Am I there to stay awhile, can I achieve that? If I must go back to work, what kind of work I want to do...

April 27, 2016

Santa Clara, California

All I could do today was to drive back to the spot where we were yesterday as I wanted to spend some time walking around in the amazing rolling hills and meadows. It was grey with a heavy mist blowing, cold and unlike down in the valley with sun and warmth. I meandered around, could not think, did not want to think, it was just so beautiful and peaceful. If only I could spend life simply enjoying nature. But I know life is more than just about nature. In fact, it is more about people. It was a rough day in not thinking how I'll be spending money for four nights in a motel room while heading to LA on Friday. You can't get a decent room while traveling without knowing where you are going in advance for under a hundred a night after taxes, dog fees, etc... unless its at a crapy, moldy smelly Motel 6 or something like that. Living hand to mouth or whatever that saying is... feels like I can't do it much longer. If I had about ten grand, that I could do something with but still I'd be feeling the end. Ten grand does not last half as much as it did ten years ago when I began. It is not possible to be looking for a place to stay while sharing the Traveling Piano everyday while trying to set up a new life again.

How the fuck am I going to acclimate myself back into conventional society? I have enough finances for about two and a half months so I should just... no worries, spend it all on enjoying the Traveling Piano with people, finish out with a bang and then I'm gone, eh? Having a hollywood experience is the only thing I have not yet done in the northern hemisphere with the Traveling Piano. Its either have the experience or work towards a future. If I don't work towards a future there may not be one. I'm in a new ball game with this journey. In the past I always had resources to fall back on, take a break with, have a sense of security through. Anyway, I spent time in LA last year with the Traveling Piano but it was all on skid row. Went back east, now I'm back west again. No skid row this time. Its time for some fun with a few higher end show biz type people, or wanna be's or just people who like to be stylish. It is time to create a balance, buy a new teeshirt to wear and show myself off with, lol.

April 26, 2016

Felton, Boulder Creek and at a Vista on Rt9, California

In somewhat of a fog I took a drive with the sole purpose of enjoying the nature of the day for myself. With the intent of my journeys mission planted firmly, no worries about becoming lost in myself. I found a redwood forrest off to the side of a road and drove into it a bit and stopped next to a humungous tree to create music. After about ten minutes a huge truck appeared from around the other side of the tree to dump dirt in front of where I was. It was a small area but the guy knew what he was doing and maneuvered it around the tree and me easily. He had seen us pass him on the road back a ways. It was funny, strange and fun. He jumped onto the piano to play a piece of music he learned when he was young. Then we as we were driving through Felton we passed a prison crew cleaning the fire department grounds. No one was parked by the curb and it was legal so I pulled up and shared some Fun, Friendship and Respect with the guys which they super appreciated.

The "big man" could do nothing but give me attitude when I asked him to take a picture for me and a guy at the mechanic shop next door was going to, but literally ran away when he saw the sticker on my bumper reading Gun Free Zone. He wasn't down with that. Lol... I'm down with human dignity now, for all! Then I found a covered bridge that was closed. I've always enjoyed covered bridges, there are many back where I came from in Pennsylvania. There were a bunch of kids hanging out there. They all sort of scattered away after I musically connected with one specific kid and his dog. Onward, I drove into Boulder Creek which had a good energy for me so I stopped and played music on the street there for a spell. We met a dad with his daughter and a few other people. The day moved smoothly with a lot more Traveling Piano work than anticipated. While meandering up mountains and around curves I found a vista point and as soon as I parked two women approached us with their dogs. People would pull into the area and were like magnets. With no hesitation they would come over and wanted to interact, get on the truck and play music for the first time... etc.

My favorite thing happened. Strangers got together on the truck to create music together. I met a guy with his electric motorcycle. His dog rides with him in front. I secretly wondered how much he gets hassled from over protective dog fanatics these days. A young guy recovering from cancer and having a really bad day arrived with his mother who is a successful author. We met another guy in recovery. On and on... It feels so good to be able to give people attention, understand, empower, give people a lift for their day, create a distraction for people from distress, inspire, share personal validation, have people trust me enough to open up about personal issues and do you know why? When I am able to give that to others, that is what I get back from them for myself and I can't get enough of all that! Its selfish, in a good way. Several people cried from relief, wonder, love and happiness because of the Traveling Piano today. "I was having such a bad day..." there is no other comment I hear more. That would not happen if it was a group situation, it is the personal one-on-one relating... it happens through that.

April 25, 2016

Santa Clara, California

I hid under the covers this morning and waited until Jeremy and Amin left for work just to afraid to interact. What to do, how it will get done with no home, resources or money... conflicting thoughts have been flipping in my brain. Eventually I got it together through thankfulness that I am in a situation where I can do nothing without anyone judging me for it, especially the people I am staying with. Still, I'm afraid... I wrote a few email pitches, worked on pictures for most of the day, processing pictures can be very therapeutic. The roses here, I have not mentioned them but there is every color, every variety and almost every property both business and residential has them blooming. I've been in awesome rose land! Jeremy took Fela and Mo for a walk to the local park and for some play. As soon as he let Mo off leash he tore off, back to me at the house. It was over a mile away through zig zag streets and across a busy four lane highway. Thank God on all accounts that he remembered the way and of course the highway... Some people may scream bad behavior, anxiety separation but then again, he is always in different environments and situations. I am his only constant and it was not like when he saw me leave on a bus for New York a few months back... he knew where I was waiting for him to return. Whatever, it is what it is.

April 24, 2016

Penitencia, California

We went to check out a public park today and it charged money to enter along with restrictions, limited access etc... there was nothing special about it. Dogs were not allowed, it was just a cash cow for government worker salaries at the expense of the publics ability to enjoy nature so... we went to another park with a huge open area and people had their dogs all on leashes. When they saw Mo not on a leash even from a distance, they would pick up their dog and hold it until we passed. One woman screamed, another guy ran into the woods with his dog while looking over his shoulder... people are so messed up! The've been indoctrinated with fear verses empowered with education. The laws passed by a few to appease the few are now an impetus for fear. Laws validate the reason for fear. I enjoy breaking laws every opportunity I get as long as they are not hurting anyone. Of course I created music and met a couple from China who have been here 20 years. We talked, spent time, the guy had the courage to get onto the piano, we talked about the goal of mine to get the Traveling Piano to China. They told me how the restrictions are much greater there and I assured them I would not be going without a lot of influence and support. The question is where that influence and support will come from.

April 23, 2016

Santa Clara, California

I took it easy again today as I am feeling very tired. It might be from not sleeping good as a result of weight gain again? That rears its ugly head. I've been eating a lot of candy and bread. Maybe I will become a vegetarian ha, what does that have to do with candy or bread, right? My host Jeremy took a bicycle ride today. He rode one... hundred... miles in like seven hours!!! Fela his dog stayed with me and Mo and we went for a walk and also they both sat on top of the piano while I created music in a parking lot along a running path. Amazingly, no one paid enough attention or even reacted. (in front of me at least) At night the police came knocking at the door... outside, some kids where breaking into a car and that car on the street... next to the Traveling Piano in the driveway! I'm glad they did not know that my nine hundred dollar speaker was under the tarp. I am posting a video on my creating music on top of Mount Hamilton the other day.

April 22, 2016

Santa Clara, California

It was raining when I woke up and I thought, "good." It hasn't rained in a while and I need to shut down and get some non-outside with the Traveling Piano work done. Then the sun came out and I said, "no" your not going to go out today. So other than a walk with Mo and Fela... wow, those two get along so well, they really like each other and play some everyday... I shaved my head, cleaned up some around the place for my friend Jeremy, cooked food (something I enjoy and can only do when I am staying in one spot long enough) wrote up and posted a room share wanted ad on craigslist for LA, ranted some online about the mass "gun" murders today in Ohio that the media could care less about because they were poor people, processed some pictures, wasted time doing nothing wondering what I am going to do... it was good to shut down some today.

April 21, 2016

Santa Cruz, California

Clouds have been rolling in. Rain is forecast for the next few days which rarely means anything because its usually just a period of time during the day but I wanted to make sure I got to Santa Cruz with sun before leaving the area. Many people have told me how the town would love what I have to offer. Thats usually a red flag for me because it always comes from a street musician perspective. What I do is musical and sometimes I create music on streets but I am not a performer, entertainer, nor am I out to promote or busk for tips. Also, everyone points out the contrast of Santa Cruz from Silicon Valley as being more laid back, artsy, relaxed, hippy, etc... So... anyway once I got into town at a donut shop again, someone said, "man you should go down play on the street, they have a lot of musicians playing there but they have never had anything like a piano in the back of a truck." So down on the street I went just to be able to say I did it. There was no different from the many thousand other streets I've been on and I met some really nice people both upscale and down scale. In fact when all was said and done, my take on Santa Cruz is that its mildly affluent with more than mildly crazy homeless people. It is a fact that the traits of artsy, laid back, hippy, relaxed people types... they are no less self-centered in their affectations then are the corporate, rat race, affluent, so-called conventional types. People are people. There was a boardwalk area with two fun looking wooden rollercoasters, not many people around and a winding drive along the ocean that was nice as most built up coastal tourist beach areas can be.

One thing that did stand out, the diversity of people from around the world that I met. The foreigners I have been meeting are not tourists but people on working vacations. And then everywhere in both silicon valley and outside of it... people immigrating from all around the world... politeness is the number one trait that I have experienced wether it be a service worker or a local resident. Always there are a few pushy and obnoxious opportunists that cross my path but they have been a very small minority. I met today locals (always my favorite) as well as people from south america, central america, asia, the middle east, europe, africa... it is pretty intense the concentration of diversity. I really, really enjoy it. Keeps me on my toes, stimulates interest, keeps me grounded that all human beings are just that... human beings no matter what they look like or how they sound. The sound of waves splashing against the rocks and the roar of the ocean as I created music was stronger than usual. A guy who just got out of jail an hour before got onto the truck to play, lol. An older woman with her daughter in a car... I went over to the car to meet mom, she was looking kid of sick but once she got out of her car and over to the Traveling Piano for a bit her entire physical appearance changed. Her red eyes turned white, she had energy, was alert and alive... it was very interesting to witness. I played some ragtime and boogie woogie for her. Once I got back to where I am staying I zoned out for about an hour and then fell asleep from exhaustion. That never happens but I have been going full blast for three days in a row. So this is being written tomorrow, ha!

April 20, 2016

Lick Observatory on Mount Hamilton, California

My friend Jeremy suggested I check out the Lick Astronomical Observatory on the summit of Mount Hamilton as the drive to and from is extremely beautiful. It is in the Diablo Range just east of San Jose, California. He told me that its a windy road and there is only one way in and out. So... I drove. It was an amazingly winding and sinuous path for 20 miles to the top. I saw nothing on the way in because staying on the road took one hundred percent of my focus and concentration. There have been only a few times in ten years where I had to drive all first gear uphill but never... for twenty miles! Sometimes the turns were so sharp there was no way to avoid going into the oncoming lane. When I think of where this Traveling Piano truck has taken me through the years it is almost unbelievable. On the right there was the white line and then sometimes twelve inches and then a straight drop down. Often there was the white line... and then just straight down! I was thinking how on the way back down it would be easier because I could hug the mountain side.

There have been three times on this journey where I have found myself in such a ridiculously precarious situation while driving that I had to laugh myself through it out loud. Today was one of them. At one point my heater meter for the engine almost went into the red. To have the engine overheat on that hill with no place to pull over would have been very interesting indeed! At the top I felt dizzy and light headed. I'm sure it was from the constant circular turns more than the height and altitude. I looked it up online... 365 hairpin turns! The view from the top was as expansive as I have ever seen. The only view Mo and I have ever seen like this was when we crossed into Alaska via the Top of the World Highway from Dawson, Yukon Canada. It was awesome!!! This observatory is the world's first permanently occupied mountain-top observatory and was built between 1876 and 1887. The staff came out to greet us and thought it very interesting that a piano man had pulled up in his truck with his piano as the observatories builder James Lick was a piano maker. And then they learned that I came from Pennsylvania and that happens to be where James Lick came from! He is now buried on the grounds. They took me inside to give me a special look at the telescope.

This was another fantastic day. I met many people. This is a destination spot for bicyclists to ride up to. They are maniacs I tell you! Ha, and it is so amazing that the majority of people who bike up are between forty and sixty years old. To be in that good of shape to bicycle twenty five miles mostly uphill, wow! I met a Carmelite Friar and two brothers beginning their vocation. We talked for a while as they were very light hearted and fun! I mentioned how I tend to rant over political issues from time to time and how I know it does little to change anyone or anything. Three thoughts came to mind to the Friar... God hears best the language of silent love... prayer is not to think much but to love much... and, if you think you are seeking god know that he is seeking you ten times the more. Good stuff. He gave me some cash and a gift card in not knowing how much was on the card. Driving the road out on the way down was a totally fun and beautiful ride. Thank God. Before getting back to Santa Clara where we are staying I stopped at a store to get some cleaning supplies for Jeremy's place and to pick up some personal necessities. The gift card was going to help for sure but I thought maybe five or ten bucks worth. My cost was forty and the card paid for it all. I am always amazed when I find myself driving on top of the world!

April 19, 2016

Pescadero, California

The weather today was a complete 100, ten star, perfect, glorious blessing! Everything in this area of California could not be greener and we had a cool summer like sun with a gentle breeze... thank you god, thank you god! We headed west and I stopped for a donut next to a water store! It was a store that sold nothing but water!!! People can be so asinine. I had a notion that if people are going to be so stupid as to allow themselves to be sold water on this new level... I'll start a water store for myself and suck them dry of their money. And then I'd use it give water to people who need water but cannot afford it as a result of this new asshole water industry mentality. Water is not a food item and it is a basic human right! Yep, I feel very strong about this. Maybe my anger was tailing from an email someone sent me this morning saying, "get a real job" as a reply to my fundraising for this journey. My skin still needs to get thicker with people like that. There are millions of people who's living depends on fundraising, that is their job. There are people getting paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to raise funding for causes. What constitutes a job for people who make remarks like that well, I just need to feel sorry for them as they are damaged goods in that respect. Most likely they never grew out of that mentality from the adults who instilled the comment into them.

So that crap all ruminated in my head as I drove and Then... I found myself on a one lane road to La Honda through a redwood forrest. I became immersed in the wonder, the age of everything around me, the silence, the feeling of cleanliness, spring! How is it that when I am on these one lane winding roads with absolutely no where to pull over that no one ever comes in the opposite direct or to get on my tail impatiently behind me! Its like I am being protected, gifted a miracle over and over. This road had a straight up mountain on one side and a straight down drop off on the other. At one point I did find an easement, enough to get out and take a picture and found myself connecting to the bark of another redwood tree as I did a few weeks ago. I held onto it, smelled it and as a result entered an alternate state of consciousness. I connected with the earths energy totally and then the energy of all that is. The emotion that resulted was quite intense. All the bullshit thinking from earlier dissipated. Peace and appreciation for my life prevailed. Not too long after that we ended up at the beach in Pescadero.

With the smell, the sounds, the openness, it felt like I was home... in my heaven. While in full nature with music, people began to find us and I just wish I had been able to connect with everyone there but it was not possible. A dad and his adopted daughter got onto the piano, a biker from San Francisco... if I did not have pictures I would not be able to remember all the people. Mo and I climbed down a cliff onto a beach by rocks and waves. We both were in our element, in total bliss. Then we began to drive north on US1 along the ocean to Half Moon Bay and stopped at a precarious spot barely off the highway because I had to get a picture of the green rolling hills and mountains to my right. In less than a minute a guy came out of no where asking if I was ok and if I needed any help. It was very strange his being there so quickly and on such a fast busy highway. He had seen me somehow driving and I think just curious. We ended up talking for quite a long while. He might have been myself in another dimension lol, no kidding. His name is the same as mine, is a couple years older than me, had some very interesting life periods, is a piano player, began teaching at age 15 as I did, was originally from New Jersey near where I lived in Pennsylvania, he began paying my favorite piece of music from the third grade Thompson piano playing book I used when I was a kid. That was crazy! He is a spiritualist and the third person in that movement I've met over the last two months. I'm a spiritualist for sure but don't identify myself formally as one.

April 18, 2016

San Jose, California

Dear diary ha, well between yesterday and today I filled about fifty pounds of dog food into gallon plastic bags for Mo. I can't be toting around two big bags of food in the back of the truck, there is no room. The bags get stashed everywhere like behind the seats, inside the piano, in travel bags, his daily use bag, etc... When I purchase his food I always get two large bags because some of the places I visit do not sell the brand I feed him and it saves money. I also purchased instant milk for my morning coffee and transferred that into small bags. I spent hours chopping vegetables for salad. I always hope whomever I stay with will eat it but they don't so I end up stuffing myself with salad for three days so none goes to waste. I finished clearing out the inbox of my computers emails from the last ten years and sent an email to every single person asking for a GoFundMe contribution. That has been a practically no return as most of the people I interact with on the truck have no sense of contribution in their makeup. I spent two hours looking for a place to stay as I'll be leaving here on Friday. Along with all that I processed pictures and posted my usual stuff online. Then I spray painted the piano and truck bed because it was looking really worn and cleaned out the inside. Before dark I wanted to go create music at the city park for a short while. My GPS took me to the city park in San Jose when I was looking for Santa Clara. The city felt different, flat, tall buildings, east coast like in several ways, worn out streets...

I pulled up to a parking spot at the park where a bunch of homeless people where hanging out not that I wanted to be there it just felt like I was doing the right thing in a flow of time. Then as I thought fun friendship and respect... I realized that I was just meant to spend time hanging out with people who needed some attention. Most everyone knows everyone here living on the street. The first kid that hung out with us was nineteen and he had just got out of the hospital after being beaten up in San Francisco. His clothes were stolen so he was wearing blue hospital pants and still had his hospital wrist band on. He said the state of California says he is insane. I asked him if he knew of anyone who is not insane, and told him that everyone is insane in one way or another. A twenty year old girl got on to play some piano with scabs all over her face as she suffers from excoriation disorder. She has been running away from abusive foster homes all her life and is now on the street. The older guys that she runs drugs for watch out for her. They watched me closely as she was on the truck. I ended up giving her a piano lesson for a good forty five minutes as I could tell she was really, really enjoying it and was anxious to learn and play. Everyone watches out for each other here. There are prostitutes, drug addicts, alcoholics, dealers, a rich diversity of down and out people who take care of each other and as a result there is little violence.

The police turn a blind eye to them except for when pushing drugs themselves. In fact sometimes they do it as a way of getting rid of people specifically the homeless. I was told how people disappear as a result of police supplying drugs to people. They push enough drugs on them so that they die. The newest drug they have been supplying is flakka. The supply has been up since they forced everyone out of a large homeless encampment called the jungle under a city highway where about three hundred people lived. The homeless have been flushed into the parks where all the activity now takes place. A couple young kids got on to play music. One mother was almost totally unaware and could not respond to the girls pure glee. The young boy, his mom with her boyfriend had just fallen off the wagon with drugs after a long period of sobriety a few hours before. It all is what it is. My job is to observe and validate everyonewhich is what I enjoy doing and to allow everyone to shine the wonderful spirit of themselves. I just did what I try to do with everyone I meet and that is to create some Fun, Friendship and Respect using music and the uniqueness of the Traveling Piano. Even though my mind felt very vulnerable... as I am one step away from their life situation... it was a very good and special time had by all including myself! Back where we are staying Mo played with Fela. They are totally love with each other I wish you could see it. They play with total respect and trust in ways I've never seen Mo play with another dog.

April 17, 2016

Stevens Creek, California

It is short sleeve teeshirt outside at night weather, and feels like summer. What a string of beautiful days it has been. I think my days of looking good in shorts may be over with my now being a portly old man with white legs, white socks and sneaks. Its not a "hot" sight for sure. Should I care? Everyone is telling me I am here at the best time of year while I try to get a grasp the fact that I am in California. I've been experiencing a part of this country that I never imagined. Jeremy and I drove to Stevens Creek an area with a reservoir and we met his friends to hang out. One of the guys was born in Guadalajara, Mexico and it is so fun to say I drove there once with the Traveling Piano. It was back in 2007. I've been meeting people from all over the world, more than any other place I've been and they all live here. In just the past few days, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Mexican, Portuguese, Israeli, Iranian and... everyone is well educated! If I chose to settle down here, I could make a living and concerning it being very expensive to live... I've been around and have not found a place rural, urban or anywhere in between where it is more or less expensive... its all the same everywhere. Rents as well as ownership is now ridiculously overpriced.

April 16, 2016

Santa Clara, California

I wore shorts for the first time in a long while today. It was warm and I felt very lazy with no energy. I almost did nothing all day except look for financial support and sleep. Before the day ended, Amin and I connected in order for him to see what the Traveling Piano is about. Amin who is originally from Iran taught me two very important and distinct things about Iran. The correct pronunciation for his mother country is E-ran and not I-ran. Next, Iranians are not Arabs, they are Persians and they speak Persian not Arabic. I think knowing this kind of information is very important! Jeremy and I went to take a walk to see the sunset and we used his electric car which is very impressive. It costs something like $32,000 but the government gives a rebate of $1,500 and with state and tax refunds another $10,000 so it ends up costing about $22,000. The only problem is you can only go a hundred miles before it needs recharging which can take up to eight hours. I was treated to a vegetarian dinner which was one of the best dinners I've ever had. I did not miss meat or dairy in the meal at all. We had a vegetarian flan (usually made of dairy and egg) for dessert which was awesome. It is difficult staying with people anymore but so worth it for the Fun, Friendship and Respect... most of the time, lol. Staying with these two guys is really great. Learning about people, learning to understand and witness other people's lives is a wonderful thing. Jeremy's dog Fela and Mo spend most of their time together in total play. They both are getting a lot of energy and I so much enjoy watching them.

April 15, 2016

Mountain View, California

It was very difficult to get started today. I felt disoriented and not satisfied with my life in the present moment. Because it was sunny and so beautiful I felt an obligation to work with the Traveling Piano. Obligation is so easy for me to create for myself. I would rather have just spent the entire day in Jeremy's backyard sitting and doing nothing. There is not much time here and want to make the most of it so I decided to drive to Palo Alto, CA as I was told it has a nice little downtown area and I wanted to play music in a downtown area for a change. With all I have heard about Silicon Valley, I've been wanting to check it out for a long time now and get rid of some prejudice that has been building over wealth. When I arrived it felt pretentious and I said to myself, "You don't play in places like this without getting paid for it." The place had an entitled feeling which totally turns me off. Then I began driving down some of the neighborhood streets hoping to find a neighborhood park but all the parks conveniently had no parking areas for outsiders. Then I really began to feel distraught. I know the comfort of the environment I was in, I've lived that comfort and gave it up for this journey but now lately, I've been feeling trapped "without" and lost concerning how to get back into the sense of security it provided however delusional it was. Like... I need a home really bad. Pulling myself together was the name of the game so I said out loud, Fun, Friendship, Respect... that always gets me back on track with what is most important... if I am in that space I have no need for a home or anything else. Some grocery shopping helped. A friend gave me some cash for that. Then I went and purchased some food for Mo and a tank of gas. Sometimes, spending money can be helpful.

Feeling a little more together I asked a woman if she new where Mountain View was as that is another town I was told about. She said, your in it! I drove to the main street and it had a really good vibe. I told myself to play some music just for a few minutes so I can say I did it and then... my life began. First thing, a guy from Portugal came over and began to jam with me. It was so easy to do with him, he was very giving, perfect. To feel completely natural creating music with another person is super rare, just creating improvisation in of itself with another person is a rare happening for me. Then others began to approach us. A seventeen year old couple on a date, the guy wanted to play and he was an exceptional classical pianist. His girl friend was totally enamored with his music like I have never seen. He was able to acclimated himself with difficult pieces of repertoire from an acoustic piano to my keyboard like a professional. I asked him what was his favorite piece of music to play and he told me it is always the newest piece of music he is learning so, he's never good at what he enjoys most. Good reply! I met another couple on their first date and I might have been a buffer for the situation. I really enjoyed them as they were peers, smart professionals and it felt really good to be around educated people who appreciate life on many levels. This town I was told is totally Google oriented people while Palo Alto is mostly Apple and that made sense to me. As I drove through some of the neighborhoods the houses were small but all so nice. Then I learned why... they cost over two million bucks each! Absolutely crazy... back in Santa Clara I found Jeremy and a friend he works with named Oliver. They jumped onto the Traveling Piano with Fela Jeremy's pup and of course a picture followed. It turned out to be a very fulfilling day and as far as all the uncertainty that surrounds it... it is what it is.

April 14, 2016

Santa Clara, California

We left Oakland to head south and the truck felt like it was having trouble so I backtracked to Albany to have it rechecked by the repair guys who found nothing after four hours. Then I headed south to meet my new host Jeremy and his pup Fela. Jeremy is French and has a roommate named Amin from Iran. Both are working towards becoming American citizens. We are now in Silicon Valley and it is full of techies. I passed Facebook, Intel and Apple, Google, Cisco are all around here. Huge computer and internet companies with a lot of influence in the world and people making a lot of money, they are all here! It made me think to approach one of the companies to create an artist in residencey program. I need to know what I am doing, need to make a decision like now... no more ideas, a concrete decision is needed. We went out to a park to create music for a moment and met a Chinese couple. The guy got onto the piano to play and it was interesting trying to communicate my concepts concerning musical simplicity and play. There are wild flowers growing everywhere. With everything that goes on in a days time and all around me, I notice almost every single flower that I pass by. There are carpets of them along the highways.

April 13, 2016

Oakland, California

Luckily, I am not too far away from Berkeley CA where I left yesterday because... this morning I got a text message saying I left to bags back there. Damm, I had left them outside on the side of the house in the alley I am so lucky no one took them, its a prime neighborhood for that. As I have said, I've been fumbling with little clarity these days. The traffic on the way was fine but I could see on the other side of the highway that coming back was going to be hell so I took the highway option off my GPS and resigned myself to a slow easy drive through many neighborhoods. If you really want to see the underbelly of a city or town, this is the way to do it. A GPS will tke you in and out of every little street. In the motel room where I am staying there is a picture on the wall of the Fox Theatre in Oakland, a very cool design and I thought it would be great to get my picture with it but had no energy to put out in order to pursue the thought. Well, I'm driving into Oakland and right in front of me, there it was! I was thinking just take a minute and get a picture shot. That happened and then a bunch of kids started screaming and applauding out of an upstairs window. Housed in the building was a performing arts school. Ha, you know what happened next if you have read this blog over the last ten years. Afterwards, I drove into a wasteland of trashed neighborhoods where I was going to create music but just felt too tired and gave up on the idea. I needed the rest of the day to chill and that is what I have been doing... chilling with work that I can do from my hotel room.

April 12, 2016

Oakland, California

Onward... again. Life is always working out but very on the edge. I've been living hand to mouth, place to place and need to settle somewhere. More support is needed to do that. I got a room in Oakland at a motel for two nights and I told the receptionist on signing in I'd jump onto the truck for a minute for some music before parking it. Lol, people are so funny, they came running outside with their camera phones in front of there faces about seven in all... they were all experiencing the Traveling Piano through their phones while being directly present and in front of Mo and I. Later, Mo and I drove out to a random spot by some water. Psychologically, I needed to create music for therapeutic reasons for myself, to heal my fear, reassure my faith, validate my gratitude and appreciate the present moment. There where a couple homeless people were hanging out in their cars. No camera phones for them as they were more interested in just being with me in the moment. There was a woman in a car not too far away. I couldn't see here because the vehicle was filled with stuff but I could feel her listening. When I was finished she began to pull away and stopped to say thank you. She said that I was an angel in her life today. Another guy parked behind me and to the side came over to say he "felt me" and it was spiritual, that he was singing with me and I didn't even know it. He thanked me for taking the time to create music and do what I do.

April 11, 2016

All Over San Francisco, California

It was a difficult start, living from moment to moment is not easy. I'm very grateful that I got in one full day in San Francisco with the Traveling Piano. Some of the day was even sunny! I the past I've used local parks to find my way to places. Lately I've been using addresses of restaurants people suggest to get me into neighborhoods. The address I started out with today took me to Alameda an island away from San Francisco. I was hoping it would be a different way then in using the Bay Bridge which has been packed with traffic every time I've crossed it. Nope, had to backtrack and surprisingly the traffic was not too bad. I was driving around aimlessly and started to find some of the very steep hills and getting caught on them at red lights, my old truck and a stick shift to boot... not easy, not easy at all although going down the streets was kind of fun and very scenic. The first place we stopped was on Powell and Mason Streets where cable cars were running. That was a lucky find.

Then in Chinatown a guy told me to check out the Good Mong Kok for decently priced authentic Chinese food. There is always a line outside so two ladies made a purchase for me while I played on the piano. Dim sum... shrimp, beef and pork dumplings and a BBQ pork bun... wow, thank god for good dim sum, lol. They gave me three dollars back from a ten and there is no way all that cost seven bucks! Afterwards we ended up in Washington Square. The Transamerica Pyramid building view drew me there. Lastly, I drove through Golden Gate Park to find waterfalls and Buffalo? At the end of the road we were ocean side and spent time at Lands End Lookout. I did not expect to find such natural beauty in this city or an ocean beach. Before setting in for the night I took Alex my host and his son Canaan out for pizza and I drove them to the place while they played piano on the back of the truck. Mo hung out on the piano as we drove through the streets for half the time. Alex's wife Carol and another son Taebin were out doing something else and Ravi the dog I have been watching for the last few days stayed back at the house.

It seems to be taking long to accomplish anything but that might just be a feeling because it also feels like I am fumbling through every moment. I'm not get the perfect picture shots I want or giving enough people attention or getting to iconic destinations, playing as many notes on the piano as I used to play... it is more like I'm just feeling my way flowing though everything and not thoroughly as in "it is what it is." That is what this journey has been about as well as the music... it is all about creation through feeling and nothing is meant to be perfect. At the very start I said, "it is what it is." One would think at this stage of the game it all would flow easier and with more clarity... not with me. It is what it is. Fact is... I "did" San Francisco today with the Traveling Piano! Finally, it took almost thirty years and this place is where the inspiration for the piano on the truck came from. Reality check, take a moment Danny... with all the thinking about being here over the years... I'm here, I'm doing it, I done it. Gratitude Plus...

April 10, 2016

Berkeley, California

It was another dreary, dark, dank day. Days like today are so much better when I am staying in nature. Looks like I'm going to miss sharing the Traveling Piano in San Francisco on any significant level. I need to leave soon and it has rained the last few days. Oh well... I went to a supermarket called Berkeley Bowl and it might be the best supermarket I've ever been to. The selection, displays, quantity and qualities were awesome. I thought, "this is what TraderJoe's and Whole Food's have tried to be like." To me those two places are ridiculous, fake, have attitude and are over priced. I purchased giant strawberries, coconut toffee almonds, a super large ruby red grapefruit, two large oranges, I made a huge salad from their fixings bar and purchased a large meaty dungeness crab that they cleaned and cracked for me. I treated myself!

April 09, 2016

Berkeley, San Fransico, California

It rained for most of the day and that was frustrating. In the early afternoon it stopped so I jumped at the opportunity to take the Traveling Piano out no matter how short the time. Martin, who has given us his parking spot to use behind his house was home so I pulled the truck out onto the street to show him what we do. A neighbor came over. Other neighbors watched from a distance and two guys smoking pot in a car next to us got out and left, lol. Then I figured I might get some time in San Francisco, would beat the Saturday night traffic in and it might be light driving on the way out. To jump ahead here... the traffic was never light. It seems to be traffic 24/7 here. I don't have the patience to go in and out of San Francisco as it is so time consuming waiting sitting bumper to bumper. It also costs a $6 toll. Getting into Vallejo the other day was $5. What, it costs now to enter cities without a bridge? Anyway, I did get in and then it began to rain steady again. A girl I had met at the truck repair shop yesterday suggested a Taco place in the Mission District and I'm so glad I went there!

Mexican food, too much over the last few months but this... was the best. And, I would never have seen the Mission district which was awesome even though it was raining. In a few years all the neighborhood character will be gone as I can smell it becoming gentrified and generic as a result of money moving in. San Fransico is such a large city. I guess infatuation with every big city we travel into is a given now. I can't really compare cities or say I prefer one over another. They all have greatness. The traffic and parking are the biggest problems. I hope I can get one good day in here sharing the Traveling Piano. I've contacted a few guys who play piano on the streets here and none got back to me. Other musicians rarely do when I reach out to them and I do not know what to think about that. They could have so much fun using my piano and truck for themselves. One thing is for sure. People are loving the concept more than anywhere else and thats without even knowing what its about with the cover over the piano and without Mo on top, etc... I've had more smiles, thumbs up and people extending themselves to show approval while driving... than anywhere else that I can remember. Onward...

April 08, 2016

Albany, Berkeley, California

A rainy day, and a truck repair day... I feel really thankful I found good people to do the job and that a friend came through to help with the cost and that a neighbor is letting me use his parking space. The repair was a whole day affair with brakes, spark plugs etc... We had a few moments at the service center with the Traveling Piano and then, there is so little time here in this area, I had to "do" a little of the city even though rain drops fell here and there. I passed a hole in the wall rib joint and had to stop. They had a piano in there and I played on it. The owner and his son's came outside with the Traveling Piano for a short bit. His one son who is a little autistic was past elated and jumped onto the piano to play some wild improvisational jazz. Later I was talking with Martin the guy who's parking spot I am using. We were talking about homeless people and how difficult it is to deal with the problem. Some homeless people are just real assholes working the fact that they are homeless. Then, there are people who "have" in life and are worse assholes with their hate of homeless people without knowing anything about them. Most people without homes are really down and out good people. I saw a cop terrorizing a homeless person acting like a predator in a nearby city yesterday. As the person dragged their belongings up a street, the cop tailed close behind in his police vehicle following them slowly... to intimidate. Now, thats a real asshole!

In Ukiah, Ca people told me how the city supervisor, to collect political kudos, would go around looking for belongings that homeless people would hide, steal them and then sell them off. One person had purchased a sleeping bag from two months worth of savings and had it stolen. He followed the councilman and comforted him while catching him in the act saying he was taking belongs of a person while on private property where they did not know if permission was given for the belongings to be there. The politician turned and left. I am realizing there is another type of varmint hiding under the carpet concerning the homeless problem everywhere. It is landlords, air b&b consumers, and motels full of greed, they are all responsible for pricing people out of being able to afford shelter. People involved in rental properties will be quick to rationalize, put the blame on anything but themselves. No wonder the government must step in with rent fixed communities now a days. Here in Berkeley CA, in lower income neighborhoods, rent for one bedroom apartment can go for $3000 a month and $2500 a month for a studio apartment. That is ridiculous and wrong. I found the center of Berkeley before nightfall and played music on the street there. There was a large group of kids there getting high and they all applauded when I stopped but felt too uncomfortable to leave their circle of trust to engage with some music for themselves. This place is full of discovery and some say liberally fascist. Check out the street parking sign I am posting... it pretty much says what the place is about, a little off center and not so tightly wound as in other cities. I love it!

April 07, 2016

Vallejo, Hawk Hill, San Francisco California

First agenda for today... lay for a few mintues in a huge hammock in the grass. Did that done that oh how I loved it! The truck brakes have been squeaking way too much... its time for ugh, brakes, pads, discs, etc... I found good people for the job as not only were they interested, they were willing to do the job today and even offered me a ride back to where I am staying for the wait. It was sunny today and is supposed to rain for the next few days. I am only here for a few days so I needed to get out and create music in the San Francisco area! They will work on the truck tomorrow for me. There is nothing better than a business that is totally accommodating. I can trust the cost because of that. As I was getting it together to leave for the repair shop, in a dark corner on the floor under a bag by the bed I randomly saw my keys while wondering what the hell they were doing down there and how did they get there. Wow, that was so amazing... I would never, never have thought to look there once I realized they were missing! Thank you God! During the beginning of the journey ten years ago I came across a promotional photo randomly online from an independent, community radio station named Ozcat Radio. They broadcast from Vallejo, CA. The photo was so alive, inclusive and friendly that I sent them an email complimenting them on it. They replied asking for a piece of my music to play on their station. They did and I never forgot that as I had just begun creating my own music. The validation was awesome. Today I was in the area for the first time so I stopped by to say hello, ten years later. There was no sign at the address and I thought they must have moved.

Just before I was about to leave a woman came out of a salon next door. She works there and also happens to be a dj for the station. The timing was perfect as she asked if I was looking for Ozcat and then the owner, his wife and daughter... we all connected. It is foggy often here in San Francisco so I headed to the Golden Gate Bridge to maybe get a picture and play some music while its sunny. On the way dark clouds rolled in so heavy I couldn't believe it wasn't raining. My camera battery went dead and the spare was not charged. I think that has happened only once before in ten years. Damm! Good thing though... now have an Iphone so I used that even though the quality is not as good. I met a guy bicycle riding who gave me a huge shot of positivity about people in general. He assumes everyone is terrific, gives them the benefit of doubt as when they seem like jerks. He assumes that maybe they are just having a bad day like we all do and they need a little patience and understanding, etc... he just loves people. So do I but I think he may be better at the loving than I am. In any case, its all about seeking to understand, eh? Then it was onto the Golden Gate Bridge for a drive and it really is a structure of wonder. I've been across many bridges bigger and longer but there is something most special about this one. Maybe its all the movies it has been in the songs, etc... I drove through the center of San Francisco to get back to Berkeley and thought "Oh my God, how can I leave here after only a few nights! Then I thought, "I may have no choice, I may never get out" and thats because... it took two hours to drive about ten blocks to get onto the Bay bridge with a rush hour still going at 8:00pm!

April 06, 2016

Berkeley, California

Wow, we took off south for Berkeley, California right outside of San Francisco and arrived in temperatures about ninety degrees. This is very rare. I'm sort of missing nature already but also love urban areas too. I know this type of area well, especially the more down to earth life that is the city of Berkeley, totally diversified and rough around the edges. This guy named Alex invited us for a few days as he knew we were looking for a place to stay and he is going away with his wife and two sons and needs someone to watch his dog. Very few people, actually... he might be just the third in ten years to have reached out to me first with an invite. The timing was perfect and it happened less than a week ago. His house is near a train station so his street gets a lot of foot traffic and there is no garage or driveway. I was a bit nervous about that with the speaker in the back and the piano, etc... on the street even in the day time but what was there to do?

I scoped out the neighborhood, asked a Buddhist temple as I saw they had a parking lot. No one "seemed" to understand English. Then I walked into a building for the blind because they also had a parking lot. There were about six blind people in there that seemed to enjoy a feeling of empowerment from saying no. Then Alex asked a neighbor who has parking in a gated area behind his house... problem taken care of. That was very fortuitous. I really could not get it together to do much today, I'm a little disoriented. I ate with the family and then... I've been trying to ground myself with some picture processing. This is my first time with the Traveling Piano in San Francisco and I'm very pumped up about that! I just wish I had more time than is planned.

April 05, 2016

Montgomery Woods State Reserve, California

I've had it with this motel and will be out of here tomorrow heading for San Fransisco. I'm not quite done with the redwoods but there was no way I could drive back to the area where I was yesterday and I really want to avoid tourist landscaped, domesticated, park fee areas down towards San Francisco. I looked online see that one of the oldest trees was found in the Montgomery Woods state reserve which is only 12 miles from where I am staying. Onward... It was the drive as beautiful as could possibly be. Over the last few days I would drive on RT1 and wonder what it would be like to be in the mountains on both sides of me and today I found myself in them. It reminded me of Glacier Park in Montana when I hiked on the top of mountains which I could never do today because I'm not as strong as I once was and here I was driving on them.

I drove up an overpass and down steep hill into a valley where the trees were. The couple was sitting at a bench having a sandwich and the guy says, "Hey I was driving to train that passed you when you were playing the piano the other day in Willits!" This was a very random encounter indeed. It happened to be his 50th birthday and we had some fun. There were other people I met and shared the piano with but the focus today was more about nature. In the forrest I pressed my nose up to several trees and inhaled the tree of life. I entered an altered state of consciousness. It is so amazing that these trees are alive and growing and have been here for over 2000 years. The experience was some what like in Bandon, Oregon when I wandered around the stone stacks on the beach. I couldn't really sit in it all and meditate. I had to explore and meander and just experience the wonder. I did not want to think about myself and my life, my direction for the the future.

I'm happy to be alive. Life is not easy for me, but I don't think that is the point of life... that it should be easy. Life is not really easy or difficult it is how I perceive it in any given movement. If anything, life is meant to enjoy. I'm so thankful and proud of the Traveling Piano truck that is it been able to traverse the last few days up and down such steep hills with sharp hairpin curves and nothing but switchbacks... almost thirty years old!!! I took some pictures of the wildflowers. There are fields of wild orange and yellow poppies, grape hyacinths, daffodils, iris and other flowers of every color. Someone said, "so you've been riding around playing the piano and taking pictures for ten years." Yea, I have but more importantly... I've been sharing it all with the world. The piano, pictures, my music, experiences, spirit and more... that doesn't just happen. It takes a lot of time, work and commitment... not to mention the effort to constantly deflect worthless perceptions that some people would like to bestow on my life. Especially when they have no value to share with me of themselves. Lol, I hope I don't become a cranky old man!

April 04, 2016

Redwood Forrest and Northern Coast, California

Depressed, wow... so unlike the way to wake up for this journey. That can happen from staying in bottom feed motels with no direction in site as where to go, what to do, where to stay, or finding an environment to work in to create a new direction. But I do have direction! Remembering that fact is a constant need. Also, to choose it everyday consciously and constantly... first, it is Fun, Friendship and Respect through Musical Empowerment and Inspiration (for myself) and then to raise funding, get to Hollywood, get on a television show for fun, get the Traveling Piano truck to China yes... the goals have never died. Then there is the superbowl which I really don't care so much about in the immediate moment but the dream will always be there. Details are all on this blog. Good luck finding them in ten years of writing everyday. So I did some fundraising work and networking online first thing today. There are only two more days where I have been staying and I wanted to spend one of them maybe sitting in the redwood forrest for awhile. Also, I wanted to do some ocean driving down US route 1 but was not sure I had enough time to do both because after the mornings work, I had a late start. I choose the redwood forrest, but never got to sit in it.

Instead... there was a huge tree you can drive through which I saw when I first drove into this area. There is a hole in it so large you can drive a vehicle through it. The tree has been in my minds eye since seeing a picture of it as a child. I'm told there are several in the giant Redwood Forests of California. It dawned on me to create music while driving through it and then I thought about video taping it. Wow, was that fun! I found a woman with her daughter from Bellingham, Washington and mom from San Fransisco. The woman was willing to drive while the daughter videotaped. And then a couple visiting from New Zealand got into the action. Everyone got on the truck and then I drove them all through the tree while they played music. It was a hoot. I met other people and it became a Traveling Piano with people in the tree picture shoot for hours. I so much did not want to have myself videotaped because with not a clear head this morning, I forgot to shave and was wearing a teeshirt so large it looked like I was in a tent. To make matters worse it was dirty and smelly and I didn't feel clean from the funky motel soap I used to take a shower with. And... ugh, people wanted to hug me! I kept my arms close in and hugged with as much distance as possible. I gave into vanity for the sake of the experience. The video is on Youtube. Then I decided to drive to the coast knowing I would end up driving back in the dark which is not easy for me anymore. That was over forty miles of continuous zig-zag driving both ways like I've never experienced before. On the way back it got so tedious that I began counting seconfs of time out loud to make them into minutes, five minutes a set, lol.

The coast here is as awesome as in Oregon but not as up close and accessible. I know everyone has heard of rural countryside but do you know in the United States there is rural coast? It is amazingly raw and unrestricted. You can drive your vehicle up to a foot from the end of a cliff that drops off straight down and I mean sharp, straight down! For the first time I would not let Mo out of the truck to explore at all. There was nothing to warn him of the edge. I kept thinking, "Am I in the United States? It felt like rural Ireland or Newfoundland. We drove through small places like Rockport, Westport, Kibesillah and Inglenook. On a random beach cliff, a seventeen year old female jazz pianist from Washington State with here parents found us. She was on her way to perform with her school band in the Monterey Jazz Festival. Now you know how much fun that was for them to find a piano on the back of a pickup truck with the cutest dog ever hanging out on top in the middle of nowhere at sunset, on a cliff overlooking the ocean in a spot as beautiful as it can get! The day became totally fulfilling for me because as I started out driving, I gave myself a reality check for today... and not for the future. I have some cash in my pocket, the Traveling Piano truck running and everything that goes with it, my best buddy Mo with me, opportunity, time, nature at its best, no obligations, expectations, there are as many people to share life with as I could possibly want, my spirit is alive to enjoy life and today was the most beautiful of days for a long and winding road drive of nothing but magnificence.

April 03, 2016

Ukiah, California

It is really nice to hear the spring birds singing and all the feeling of spring. I remember the dream I was having when I woke up. There was feeling with it that I've had before. In the beginning of the journey when I did not know how a way was going to be paved, it dawned on me that I had my house to use as collateral. I would sell it if needed and that gave me a feeling of relief and security, that there was something to rely on financially if I needed it. The last time it sold I saw on line a few months ago it went for three hundred and twenty thousand so in the dream I was thinking, "what are you going to do for money... oh yea, you can sell your house, everything is ok." A wave of relief came over me and then I woke up. Oh well, onward... I took it super, super easy today and enjoyed the weather. While room service was cleaning my motel room I went out to clean the truck and ended up creating some music for the room service staff as they cleaned. Then I met a guy named Joe and we spent sometime with music and talking about our lives.

April 02, 2016

Willits, California

Balance is always a good thing so to balance out my complaining... I got lucky with the room I am in, it has two new pillows verses the flat pancakes these rooms have far too often. That was a little back handed gratitude, let me try some more. The summer like sun and temperature around eighty degrees is so fine! I can roll down Mo's window in the truck now that its warmer. In the cold, it gets stuck and will break if I try to move it an inch. I'm loving that the days are longer and the sun is up till eight at night. I'm loving my dog always... I've been purchasing food and had a great Sushi crab, shrimp and something else today and it was yum! Last night while driving through the town of Willits, there was something interesting about it.

I drove back to check it out today and played on the street for a little bit. The place was not as interesting in the day time. At night there are two clubs on it with lights and people around. The main street takes a curve through the town so that also creates interest as you drive through. It creates an element of discovery going around the bend. We met some really nice people and shared the piano and then I went looking for a dog park for Mo but found an old steam locomotive going around a track instead. It was a big one so I stopped and played some Boogie Woogie and someone made a video of it for me as the train passed. Check it out... Boogie Woogie The countryside while driving down highway 101, the Redwood Highway is nothing but rolling hills of green pasture with splotches of brush and forrest, a constant splendid sight.

April 01, 2016

Ukiah, California

Heading south to where I know not today. I stopped in Arcata to confront a store owner where I purchased a piece of amethyst about a week ago. I felt ripped off because someone told me it was worth $2 and I paid $20. I asked the idiot who was stoned off his ass how much it was worth. He said $2 to $20 bucks. Then we had words but he was so fucked up that getting anywhere with the situation was useless. As a drove on I passed through a really cool town that was very hippyish and everyone there also seemed stoned. I'm done with stoners for a while. Its like being around an alcoholic when your not drinking. There is only so much you can take of them. I'm not talking about those who smoke once in a awhile. Its about those who smoke 24/7. We drove through more redwood forrest. While looking at those giant trees I think how they are alive and growing. The only thing on earth that large that I have seen is rock, mountains, ice... so they must be alive also.

While driving along the ocean I could not tell where the water and sky line was. The colors blended so amazingly. As it was getting late I stopped at a motel that would have been perfect but it was $90 a night and as every day passes... we'll I opted for a $60 a night motel that smells like piss and has a mattress that feels like I am laying on insulation. The only thing cheap about cheap motels these days is the quality. Then I think about the people walking on the sides of the road twenty miles from no where in the woods with no money, food or place to sleep. Gratitude is the only option for me. I see them everyday. I should have just paid for the $90 but I am entering a financial zone unlike any other in my life. Also the $60 motel was an hour and a half further drive. While driving I passed two places I must see, so thats an hour and a half backtrack, gas expense, wear and tear on the truck, etc... oh well, what is done is done. The drive was just awesome. I had no idea what to expect from this area of California and I'm in the Mendocino area. As I travel this earth, how many different ways can I say how blessed it is? The truck is ready for new breaks and pads, the squealing has begun. It also needs a tune up with spark plugs, etc... and a new carburetor. Send money now!