Raggin' Piano Boogie

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

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October 31, 2022

Las Vegas, Nevada

Mo and I headed for the "field" an old haunt of ours for years on every Monday where people give out food and resources for those living on the streets. After picking up a pantry box of food for myself from Trudy who has a non-profit that she has been consistent there, I had some time with Amanda who has since moved away from Las Vegas who... has distributed over 32,000 hand sewn masks throughout the Covid Pandemic. She had given me about a thousand of them to pass out over the last few years. It felt really good to see her and several others who live on the streets who I have not seen for a couple years. I am very loved and it feels the same all around except... for a few from the past who hand out clothes. They we're coincidentally there and part of the reason I left. We avoided each other except for one of them who came over briefly to say hi to Mo, I nodded in acknowledgement as we eye balled each other, lol. Halloween was a nothing until tonight and now its too late to enjoy because it is over! Oh well, there is always next year... maybe.

October 30, 2022

Las Vegas, Nevada

After taking care of my rent payment today to avoid the $25 extra fee attached mid-lease as a company manipulation to pay in a more convenient way for themselves, definitely more inconvenient for me and with more cost in the end... I voted. Voting always feels good. It is empowering. Growing Up I was taught that voting is a civic duty but never why and how important it is and why to do it with gratitude and humility in being able to do it. What is happening now with the diseased republican party, anarchists and outsiders around the world working to gaslight people (and it is working well) into destroying democracy, I am finding myself in the same situation as someone with an addiction who is "using". For example you can be a heavy drinker in life (as in dabble in selfish over indulgence) but there comes a point where you go over the cliff and become the disease itself, in denial of yourself and your truth of spirit with the inability to be honest with yourself.

So it is with the developing fascists (republicans) and non-voting anarchists in the USA. There is nothing anyone can do about them except detach with love and with some, push them back under the rocks they crawled out from under. To do this is not an easy task. With their agendas they are killing themselves, my life and the world as a whole. I am sad for the world but also know that humanity is in a learning curve and in the end all will be ok. We are all transitioning and growing through chaos. Even myself in having a vulnerable mind who has worked a lifetime to become strong, I must be super vigilant to stay clear with what is real and what is not, what is the truth and what is false in the truth of spirit. There will always be those through the grace of God, who will stay strong for others and "key" here, like myself who want the strength, the clarity of what people have to offer in a democratic, inclusive and compassionate way. Authoritarianism through warped minds is not the answer.

By the way, I quit Twitter with musk taking ownership. He is not a good man and will fool people as trump has with people. We all must dance with the devil in life in different ways. Thank God we have the free will to choose and practice with who, when, what and where. Leaving behind 26,000 followers on twitter that I have worked to build up over the years... not easy. But, it is the right thing to do. I will not feed the beast or have the beast "use" me in the worst of ways for its own selfishness. Would I ever belong to trump's truth social platform or kanye west's parlor platform? Not on your life! Same now with twitter. With sites like Facebook, lets hope it does not come to leaving there also as I've many friends I do not want to lose touch with. Although, it can happen. I tell people I will always still be here on this website for as long as possible. And, there are many relationships to be had on many other social platforms out there. I'm being very careful also with TikTok not to get sucked in.

October 29, 2022

Las Vegas, Nevada

The Traveling Piano truck is loaded with socks and hats and powerades to share on the streets but that did not happen more than a few times because Mo and I stopped at a few business places to say hello and I got to talking. That also happened last night for over four hours with a business neighbor. I feel like an old person who is talk deprived! A guy posted on Facebook in a rockhounding group that he had rocks to give away because he was moving and could not take them. As a rock hunter and collector I jumped on that and shared the Traveling Piano with him. I have rocks and stones and gems from around the northern hemisphere just wish I had a big enough place to put them out. Most now go to my friends Eric and Mary's yard.

But, I have a piece of petrified wood about 225 million years old, petrified coral from the desert and many types of gems and crystals as well as just plain old cool looking rocks! The music was fun today but the exchanges happens slower than in the past so there are not as many. It is and age and energy "thing" with my getting older, not so in shape and covid did permanent damage to my "being" for sure. Never the less, the musical fun, friendship and respect with empowerment and inspiration is still happening, moving along, continuing... when Mo and I are walking the streets people are being drawn to him more and more. I tell them who he is, The Traveling Piano Dog and you would not believe how many people say they know about the Traveling Piano and Mo and see us online. The interactions always have a positive vibe.

October 28, 2022

Las Vegas, Nevada

I always dreamed of having a watercolor painting of my first pup Boner and myself. That dream happened at the start of the Traveling Piano journey when we were both lending support in Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina. An now with Mo over 15 years later I have intensely wanted a companion portrait. Las Vegas watercolor artist Linda Smith has gifted a painting of Mo and myself in appreciation for our work with the Traveling Piano. Mo and Myself are captured so perfectly! She said she hopes it brings me joy. Wow... forever joy! It has been over twenty four hours and I am still emotionally trying to process the joy. So much love... And to make it all even better, I have friends who are going to frame it for me as a Christmas present. I want to share this amazing piece of art and here is Linda's website: Linda Smith Watercolor Artist

October 27, 2022

Las Vegas, Nevada

I've been feeling a bit overwhelmed with every emotion in the book. The fall as in autumn weather probably has something to do with it. This season of the year is full of a life time of super strong emotional memories. The heat is gone, thank God! I spent the day at my friends house going through the Traveling Piano Photos for the art gallery, labeling boxes and storing them in my friends closets as there is no room at my place. Thank God for good friends, really. Then, I picked up a personal watercolor painting of Mo and myself created by a local artist as a gift to me. I have one of Bo and now one of Mo. These paintings are my treasures.

She said she hopes it brings me joy. I am so full of emotional joy and it will stay as long as this painting is in my life. It is perfect. Gratitude beyond this life is what I feel about it. I'll post the picture of it tomorrow. After that I was treated to dinner by two new friends who had blankets for us to give out to the homeless. The couple has contributed for the Traveling Piano's journey in the past from facebook but we had never met in person. It is really interesting how people respond when they finally see the Traveling Piano for real after so many years of seeing it online. The experience is special for them. Their giving and sharing for me and the journey is special... for me.

October 26, 2022

Las Vegas, Nevada

I made my friends Eric and Mary climb into the Traveling Piano truck for a photo and covered them with over a hundred hand sewn knit hats all with a "Made With Love" sticker on them. There is a bunch of church ladies that have a knitting circle where they go to church and the Traveling Piano became the recipient to give them out to the homeless on the streets. It is becoming more difficult to see in the dark from old age while driving around to distribute stuff these days. I can't see where people are laying on the ground as easily. There are plenty of people sleeping on the sidewalks but also in little nooks and crannies next to buses and buildings.

October 25, 2022

Las Vegas, Nevada

In needing to find a new place to live I realized something today. Thinking about how bad it is here in order to move into something better does not work. Focusing on a negative to create a positive does not equate. So, I need to focus on what a better life will look like and how relieved I will be, more secure, comfortable and happy I will be somewhere else. This pit I have been in for the last six years... I've a laundry list of negatives, for example I've not been able to pick up my mail in two weeks because the office is either closed or only open a couple hours a day when I am not around. I'm feeling good about the idea of moving more and more. Of course money is a problem to solve. Where and when will happen, eventually probably at the right time as always. I'd rather a place on my own. Where I am now is probably the cheapest place in all of Las Vegas with all the utilities, internet, the dog, parking, etc... included but on the other side of the coin... I've written a lot about the tradeoff for the good in the past.

October 24, 2022

Las Vegas, Nevada

I've been seeing a therapist every once in a while. My insurance pays for it and without question it has been helping me. I am sure I've mentioned it before but I went through intense therapy, several different disciplines at the same time consistently for twenty-five years. It was a luxury for me and made me who I am and also created this journey. I found myself through it all along with the courage, strength and trust needed to live life and relate to people better. All my present tools for living came from it. Anyway, I went to my appointment today and then to my friends Mary and Eric's to drop off the Traveling Piano Photo Art Gallery materials and photos for storage. I'll still need to go through organizing and filing for the next few days. Afterwards, I headed to the "field" a place where people gather with food and resources to share with the homeless. For over two years I was on the street every Monday without fail and stopped at the end of 2018 I think it was. The temperatures are now in the 40's at night here in Las Vegas and there are people sleeping on the sidewalks with nothing. I was fishing for some blankets and wanted to see a few old friends.

I did score a 100 pairs of socks and then another group nearby said they had 50 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with about 20 large bags full of necessities. I took everything back into my neighborhood it was all gone in less than an hour from sharing it all! People are so appreciative. I feel so grateful for that and for the love and respect and how comforted people are with the Traveling Piano's music along with seeing Mo and I out and about. Stories are constantly told from those I have not seen in a few years of how they we're just talking about me "today" and here we appear and how four years ago they will never forget the blanket I gave to them in the middle of the night once, or where they saw me at this place or that, love my music, on and on. But above all that is the genuine love I feel from individuals. It has nothing to do with what I give to them physically or what they can get from me. It is all about our relationship. A few people for the first time ever needed a hug. The suffering on the streets is taking its toll. I can see people wearing down dramatically. Life is taking its toll on me also but living life to the fullest in this way, this is the priority I choose and I would not have it any other way even though the support is minimal for me to do it all.

October 23, 2022

Las Vegas, Nevada

I picked myself up, brushed off the depression I fell into yesterday and started looking at any and all positives in my life. It was truly a miracle that I was able to fit all the photo gallery pieces into the back of the Traveling Piano and have the cover on overnight so nothing would be taken. There was exactly enough room without an inch to spare. My friend's Mary and Eric are letting me store it all in their house as there is zero room in mine. The weather is cooling down, what a relief. The heat was not fun this year... at all. Mo and I went for a walk. Once I get everything squared away we need to get out into nature for sure and for several days. And then also, back to the music. Still, I must also move forward somehow with some security in finding a place to live (which is becoming a dire situation) and getting the Traveling Piano in better shape to present to present for better support. As life in general and financially turns worse for more people... oh boy. Everything is all ok I ned to constantly remind myself as that truth in spirit.

October 22, 2022

Las Vegas, Nevada

The pizza lounge Traveling Piano Photo Art Gallery I've been working on very diligently all week I realized is not going to work. It is soo... disappointing. Before putting any more work into it I had to accept the facts. As I began to observe from spending time in the place all week they we're clear. No nails can be put in the walls even tack size. The landlord will not allow it. The owner's sister (who is away right now) is going to have an issue because the place would look different and she decorated what is. My friend the owner would have taken the flack but that energy would be hanging in the air all the time. A buzz on the block began about the Traveling Piano's presence and the art gallery. The "neighborhoods" controlling aspects began to surface. Also, eventually the city would take issue with the Traveling Piano being on the lounge patio I am sure, especially if it all became popular which it would have. I could smell people wanting a piece of the pie for themselves. The landlord has been giving the owner trouble, the latest in taking away all his parking spots, I think he is trying to get pushed out of the place and I would be just one more excuse to make trouble for him. I talked about my thoughts, he agreed. Also, the kind of people who frequent the place are just not compatible with the people I would bring in and everyone would feel uncomfortable. After returning to my room, depression set in. The day was gone, I slept through most of it.

October 21, 2022

Las Vegas, Nevada

My tenacity and perseverance is a challenge. Everyday I just do what I can do. I sorted through all the photos for the new Art Gallery once again, it is about the fifth time and there are about a thousand of them. It takes what it takes, I just need to keep doing the same things over and over until I get it right. This pizza lounge I am setting up in, I am realizing most of the customers are poor, a bit lonely, some mental and a lot of people who live on the streets. Most of the business is delivery oriented. When a drug addict or homeless person comes in asking for food the owner asks, "how much money do you have." They tell him something like six bucks for a fifteen dollar order and he gives it to them. He allows those not there to make a purchase like the prostitutes and such to use the bathrooms! I've not seen him reject anyone and his patience is phenomenal, much more than mine. Although also, tourists from around the world come into the place and sometimes regular people like myself? Lol. Ahh... for the love of diversity and acceptance. Once again "balance" is everything. Having a place to live away from the craziness, a haven to escape and recharge is on my present agenda. I presently live behind this pizza place where the gallery is getting setup and I need to find better!

October 20, 2022

Las Vegas, Nevada

While working on the photo gallery... it is very exhausting and an education. The homeless, mental, drug addicted are walking by outside and in the place all the time. It is a little depressing. I should be used to it, eh? There is a difference between actively engaging to be helpful (which is usually what I am doing when working with the Traveling Piano on the streets) verses simply observing. A lot is going on in the place and I don't really understand it, not sure I want to. But, being careful with what I am associating with is a must. The last place I associated with, the car repair shop around the corner, I wonder how deep I wrote about that in this blog from a few years a ago. They all eventually got run out of the building. The thievery, contraband, drug addicts and alcoholics, the gangs, there was a gun shooting there... it all just makes me laugh now, but I no longer want to be with any of that. My reasons for being in the last place were many. In this new place, I find nothing to mistrust about the owner and have known him for a few years now in all the best of ways. Hopefully he is not mafia as in giving to his family and community while running business the way the mafia does which is the way most business is run here in Las Vegas. He is giving to the community and has been to me personally. His ways, I want to emulate.

October 19, 2022

Las Vegas, Nevada

I got banned from Twitter today. My first thought was, Thank God! It is nothing but a baiting political site of garbage. In the last ten years, I've made only two worthwhile connections on it. And, out of that from about a hundred thousand connections. My words can be strong and severe and I mean them when I use them but never have I threatened anyone. That is what I was being accused of. I rejected the accusation and unfortunately they reinstated my account as a result. As soon as Musk makes the official purchase of twitter, I am leaving. All he is going to do is bait people between each other to make profit from that. You do not have to play the negative games of profiteers in the world if you never play to begin with. The only reason I am on Twitter is to create Traveling Piano awareness and the site has world wide appeal. But, as the world turns fascist and gaslit I do not want to catch the "disease" and the disadvantages outweigh the advantages. My caring is too strong to ignore evil and see it being absorbed by others. Also, I would never be on social platforms like parlor or truth social. As Twitter turns into those kind of websites, why would I participate there? Any positive influence I could interject still makes me part of the game. After working for years to have presently about 30,000 followers, leaving will not be easy. My having a place to complain, attack, comment and voice opinion well, I'll just need to find better ways.

Few people comment on my posts anyway as I do little engagement myself, except to attack, lol. I know many people see the posts. I've always known Amazon is bad business since they began. Maybe five times ever have I purchased from there. I avoid Google as much as possible. Netflix has always been bad, would never give them my money. I'll not forget getting out of the GoDaddy marriage, my past website and domain server. They we're the worst and very difficult to detach from. They screwed me with pricing so much over the years and the authoritarianism attitude of the company has been just downright abusive! There are many more companies avoid giving my business too and I've not suffered ever with pricing, access or inconvenience. Would like to detach from Facebook, wow... that would be very difficult. I just began with Tik-Tok but have slowed down on posting greatly in realizing that China is collecting everyones data, how they think, what they do... and not collecting for any good purpose. The algorithms will eventually control what people see resulting in how they think, what they need and want and how they will act. Life is such a negotiation and balancing game especially when it comes to dancing with the devil Learning to recognize and how to respond to the devil so to speak, in order to add to and be part of life in the best of ways... that is a practice.

October 18, 2022

Las Vegas, Nevada

Today was once again all about the Traveling Piano Photo Art Gallery. Is this what I want to be doing? It is sort of like I have begun and there is no turning back. The tape I am using for the wall frames did not work hopefully more tape will do the trick as the owner wants no nails in the walls. That may be a big problem. I choose the photos and placement for six panels which was exhausting. There is still a few more to do. Figuring out a filing system and organizing everything well, thats sort of what I have been doing for months, it is sort of what I do. The photos are going to look very small on the wall but... they are small photos. It is what it is. I'll not regret this pursuit no matter what. The price is going to be half of what I wanted on main street. The venue does not warrant twenty bucks a photo and I now just want people to have them. A guy eating with his family walked over to examine the photos I was working on and loved one of them in particular. I was going to give it to him, was conflicted about it until he offered to buy me dinner unsolicited and out of no where so of course... he got the photo and it made me feel very good.

October 17, 2022

Las Vegas, Nevada

Finally, stage two has begun in creating and setting up a new Traveling Piano Photo Art Gallery on the Las Vegas strip in Albo's pizza lounge around the corner from where I live. It really is an enormous undertaking for me and a major commitment. How long it will last, it may need to be shut down tomorrow and just at this point, whatever. I need to go for it. The inventory is exists. My creative process dictates I go through everything as nothing was in order but then again there is order. It reminded me of how people used to say when they saw the Christmas decorations in my house display (in another life) how amazing and crazy it all was but somehow it all made sense. The frames are being put on the walls with double sided tape as no holes are allowed in the wall and there is no smooth surface so this... will be interesting to see if any or all of it holds up. A work in process. Tomorrow, I need to decide which photos will be on the frames and how they will be displayed. I worked today eight hours with a ten minute break.

October 16, 2022

Las Vegas, Nevada

My sleeping cycle has always dictated I wake around noon and am awake until early in the morning. It is not because I am a musician and has nothing to do with that as I have never lived that stereotype lifestyle. Probably until the day I die it will be "it is what it is" although I do wish it was different as I get so much more done when I am up early and going. Also, when I sleep as a I do, I heal. Sleeping has always been without question a healing process for everything that is for me. I have always needed eight to ten hours of sleep a night since forever. Yes, I know how it is different for most people, they cannot afford it, just cannot sleep that long, not allowed, etc... that is why I have always been so grateful my life is such that I can get away with it. When on the road staying with people it has always been tricky especially with people who do not know me but... it worked out, through the grace of God as they say. Mo and I went up the street and I practiced the piano at the end of it for a good strong hour and a half which was physically exhausting. I can still shoot up my energy to performance level but not for long. It felt good to exercise my mind a little in practice with sheet music.

October 15, 2022

Las Vegas, Nevada

Pacing myself... I needed to remind myself today that I can give my all over a period of time. It doesn't have to be all at once or until I drop. "Like, just go out and create music for a little while, Danny". It does not have to be for hours. I don't have to interact with anyone. Just take some food and poweraids with me in case I run into anyone that needs some. When I first began this journey in 2006 I would only go out for like fifteen minutes in a day. The idea was for just a little bit but everyday. It was like a cloudy spring day here in Las Vegas, a bit strange. The realization came to me that it is no longer summer with a hundred twenty degree days. I can go outside now. Being mostly inside for like two months... it began to become a way of life. Mo and I landed at a park where people on the streets we're very appreciative. We met a family, two girls and a guy with two babies and three on the way. The one girl is brewing twins and only twenty two. They we're walking down the street with groceries. The guy black, the girls white, one girl was carrying two knives for safety. Some people have really have had it tough, have it tough now. There was a lot of musical fun, friendship, love and respect going around today.

October 14, 2022

Las Vegas, Nevada

After waking up I realized I've been falling down a rabbit hole. Mindless, have not bathed, practically no online interaction, behind in these web postings again, no helping the homeless, desire to reach out for perosnal help, no music with the Traveling Piano... not good. The lose of so much personal data by dropping my hardrive onto the floor a few days ago has been taking me down subconsciously. So... once I realized and admitted to myself that I at a very dangerous level of being, the fighter in me came alive, the never let go, the keep on keeping on and I took a shower, did some meditation, tried some hardrive troubleshooting for one more time (no luck) gathered some snacks and powerades and took out the Traveling Piano. I know what to do to inspire myself, it is solely through the grace of God that I can do it. We parked the Traveling Piano in front of Albo's Pizza on the strip and created music for a while just to let Pavel the owner know I am still around. That is where the Traveling Piano Art Gallery will be setup. He is such an easy going guy it is amazing how he copes with his life and business because I know everything is as difficult for him as with most people right now.

Then I headed to a spot where I knew some homeless friends we're settling down for the night and created music for them on the street. It was next to a high rise and I should have expected that people would come out onto their balconies. While hoping no one would be irritated I was relieved with shouts of appreciation and clapping by many apartment dwellers. Mo and I stopped at three other places where those living on the streets were about to fall asleep on the sidewalks. When I run out of water and people come up to the truck to ask for some, it feels so awkward but nothing can be done. One women got onto the piano to play so there was that interaction... Mo has been needing a bump of assistance from behind as he jumps into the truck because of his age and not doing it as much everyday. Twice, I lifted him into the back. Once its dark he needs help getting on-top of the piano because his sight has never been good in the dark. People consistently comment on how calming my music is. I usually say that is my anger and hate being turned into music but I'm not going to say that anymore. It is all of me which also includes my love, compassion, care and desire to be part of and add to the goodness in life.

October 13, 2022

Las Vegas, Nevada

Another day of nothing. My map for living, following up with my lineage, of what I have been doing, there is no grasp of it to be had. No structure exists (for today) I cannot get myself into the smallest routine. Feels like there is no one to talk to. (really to dump my feelings onto) Its ok, right? One day at a time. Like... at age sixty seven I've been through days like this literally hundreds of times now. Thank God I am secure even though I want to tell myself that I am not. A feeling of having done something very wrong (the hardrive drop on the floor a few days ago) and that I am going to be "found out" in the worst of ways of doing wrong wow, what I drop back into very old feelings that still exist in my mind and soul from childhood. Always have had, always will have those feelings, the challenge is to move through them and continue on... and on... and on.

October 12, 2022

Las Vegas, Nevada

Today was a complete waste, just could not do anything. The Traveling Piano photo art gallery is needing to be setup and time is slipping by, I just can't get it together to deal with. Where is the Traveling Piano music? My online posting is at a crawl... thank God for Mo in my life, he is my link to gratitude and love and being in life... through joy. I've been trying not to be distracted with the world's chaos and suffering state of mind. What a challenge to stay interested. Sometimes I really wish I could go in denial as so many people do successfully about everything negative in life. Thats just not me, never was and probably never will be. Went over my to my friends Mary and Eric and floated around in their backyard pool for a few hours. Staying positive is a practice.

October 11, 2022

Las Vegas, Nevada

I must have mentioned a hundred times in this blog how I have been organizing and filing all my data throughout the summer and have it all on different external hardrives. I began backing up a 4 terabyte hardrive completely filled today and dropped it onto the floor at about 20% done. Not good but I have been feeling ok. I think my feelings are being stuffed down and internalized. Spent the rest of the day trying to get it going with troubleshooting and online research but, I know the hardrive is done for and the only way back will be through professional data recovery that would cost two grand. That is not going to happen. It is such a rip off and I have my boundaries and limits. People lose everything in life everyday through disasters and such, I can deal with this.

October 10, 2022

Las Vegas, Nevada

Lets hope I do not become desperate again for financial support. The truck went in the shop, my man Chris charged me zero but a tune up which it will need soon is over three hundred and it needs new tires... now. The insurance is coming due, my yearly website and domain fees... la, la, la, la, la. I took out a couple cases of poweraids to the streets and learned that a women I have known since I've moved here, her name was Lupa, she died. She was an older woman with a thick accent who always asked, "why are you so kind to me." The paramedics were going to resuscitate her but she said don't bother. That makes me feel very sad. Another older guy I knew on the streets died a few weeks ago. Someone had talked him into taking a drug that did him in. There is a growing feeling I have that some really bad energy is out growing, to kill people living on the streets in very insidious ways. As I gave out the last Poweraids a guy asked me to please play some music. Can you imagine eight people apart from each other laying on the sidewalk crying?

What am I supposed to do with that fact? I suppose gratitude is the only option. My music own music, was resonating with their pain and suffering. As I was expressing my own sadness, anger, fear and suffering in the world. People do not just say you made my day better. One particular guy said, you just made my world better. As I watch the reality of the future unfold everyday I ask what is worth doing until the end of my life. Do I run away from all this? Do I jump in the middle of it all? Do I play pretend everything is rosy? Do I work like hell to make as much money as I can so I do not fall down the rabbit hole? I had an impulse to go to Florida today as I know how much people are suffering there from hurricane Ian. Then I thought... the people all around me are suffering no more, no less. Ending my days nurturing those suffering, caring for them through music or in whatever way I can is not a bad option. Growing my ability to do that feels very limited so I just do what I can do.

October 9, 2022

Las Vegas, Nevada

All day I kept telling myself, "you do not have to do anything" when actually I was so physically, mentally and emotionally worn out there is no way I could do anything. There was the festival yesterday and the day before that a lot of running around and walking. I had dinner with my friends, it was the 1st Friday festival here in the neighborhood, the Gay Pride parade was happening at the same time one block over and it is really big and we did it all. I left Mo home alone for the first time in twelve and a half years while at the lantern festival. Can you imagine being everywhere together 24/7 for that many years? There was one week back east but he was never alone. I did not take him for many reasons and it was a good call. I sort of tricked him into thinking I was only going to the truck and would be right back. I left my back outside my door a half hour before, had music playing that we meditate to, he went for a good walk before I left, put on the night sound machine so he would not be hearing people walking by the door and window. When I returned about seven hours later, he was like... numb. Happy to see me, one little lick, a tooth of pleasure showing but for the rest of the night sort of like... numb. It was for the best without question and he came around soon enough.

October 8, 2022

Las Vegas, Nevada

A guy Sean saw me a few years back creating music at an overlook in Redrock Canyon. We never interacted, never met but he has a video of it and from the experience he began a monthly contribution to this journey on this website. There are a few people who do that and they mean everything to me through their support. He is long time friends with a guy named Pat who lives here in Vegas who I have hung out with a few times. Sean purchased a ticket for me to go to the RISE festival in the desert outside of Las Vegas with him and Pat. It is where a bunch of people light paper lanterns and let them go into the sky. It was an expensive ticket but after the experience I thought, worth every penny! It was magical, magnificent and beautiful.

10,000 people each with paper lanterns three by two feet tall, biodegradable, with fantastic music from a stage on a calm cool night, all ages and types of people, families. It was not a get drunk and high type of festival at all. Everyone having a communal experience. Fireworks were set off with the moon as the backdrop in its first of three day fullness as 20,000 lanterns floated up, up and away. Sean, here is the kind of guy he is. Before Las Vegas he was in LA for a business conference. While walking the convention floors he would collect snacks at booths giving them out. He packed them all in his suitcase to give to me to give out to everyone living on the streets here in Las Vegas! More people in my life like this please...

October 7, 2022

Las Vegas, Nevada

Todays photo, there are the art photo frames laid out against the tables that will go on the walls with my photos displayed on them for the new Traveling Piano Photo Art Gallery on the Las Vegas strip. Lol, who knows how long it will last or if there is any profit to be made. Enough time, energy and money has been invested over the last few years that I just need to follow through. I am not looking forward to going through all the photos again and creating the display. It will be an enormous amount of work but definitely a step forward for the journey. This will be the third place I've shown photos. They will be in Albo's Pizza Lounge across the boulevard from the newest strip club called the Peppermint Hippo, next to the oldest neighborhood drinking bar in Las Vegas and on the other side an absolutely disgusting old motel that is being gutted and restored every so slowly. I live about five hundred footsteps away in this micro room I that I need to get out of like... yesterday! Anyone have a spare room, clean with light, quiet, private anywhere on earth?

October 6, 2022

Las Vegas, Nevada

My medicare now that I am older allows for some therapy sessions and I've been taking advantage of that. I got up early just for an appointment today and had a full day of running around accomplishing errands as a result. It has been helping for sure. I am a manifestation of talk therapy, I was on the couch for twenty five years and I've done a lot, lot, lot more than just that. The therapist is perfect. Finding a therapist who can work with me is like finding a needle in a haystack. I made six gallons of chicken soup today and it turned out to be also, perfect. I have such a problem cooking small but now I'll be eating chicken soup for a week. A guy at a red light walked across the street and waved then turned around and ran back to me saying, "here, unopened." It was a jar a peanuts and brought a big smile to my face. I said that I'm always the one doing that and he replied, I know. And then while driving down Las Vegas Boulevard back to my place several people shouted out a hello for the piano man. It feels soo... good!

October 5, 2022

Las Vegas, Nevada

I spent the day doing exactly what I wanted to be doing. If it was the last day of my life what I did today is how I would want to spend it. Organizing, cataloging and filing all of the Traveling Piano data, lol. Giving myself permission without allowing "should" "have to's" "if I don't do this or that" "what will other people think and how will they react if" "expectations" "obligation" "need" ... I could go on and on. What I did was simply immerse myself in the experience of the last thirty five years playing the piano, the selling of it to make a living, the sharing unconditionally, the extending myself to others with musical fun friendship and respect... creating inspiration and empowerment through playing a piano on the back of a pickup truck full time.

October 4, 2022

Las Vegas, Nevada

A true miracle happened. I know them from the progression events, so many throughout this journey. In a daze I just wondered into the hobby store that was mentioned yesterday. There w'ere signs saying 70% off. I just wanted to check out options and maybe get some ideas. Then I saw these huge canvas frames, they were what was on sale. A girl was putting things back on a shelf and she had one of the frames in here basket. I assumed she worked there but she did not. She did know that the frames we're only $6 on sale. That... is friggin' huge. I purchased twelve of them and some really inexpensive containers for my photos and took it all to where I will be setting up a photo gallery in a small kind of out of the way pizza lounge on the Las Vegas strip which happens to be directly next to where I live.

October 3, 2022

Las Vegas, Nevada

I'm still recovering from Saturday not able to do very much. A high end art seller and framer in town told me a few years ago he would help me with Art Photo framing ideas as I am about to jump off the cliff again with another photo gallery in town. Covid and other things messed it up last time. I so do not want to be collecting nickels and dimes so to speak with selling photos but I have them printed with about two hundred matts and already put so much work into the idea I need to follow through. And, I want to proliferate my photography throughout the world more than just on the internet. The framer, he was really no longer interested and suggested I go to the nearest art supply chain store. Ugh! I stopped off at Lowes to price out lattice screens as that was what I used before. My budget is really practically nothing but I realize I need to display the photos as best as possible. And something must be done to get out of this place, this apartment complex I am in.

October 2, 2022

Las Vegas, Nevada

Today was a little scary physically. I was so knocked out physically but need to remember I was out with the Traveling Piano more days last week then since last year while on the road at this time. And, it was windy on the overlook where we were in the dessert the other day. Working in wind like that can drain me of energy. And then after yesterday well, my entire body not only hurt, I could feel myself physically slowing down in movement. This is a new thing in the last few years, to experience actually physically slow down into zero immobility. Ahh... live and age and everything else. But I need to remember how when I was younger and did a performance and was in top shape still, the energy drain would take two days to recover from. Also, I felt so low in energy I was feverish. So I slept a good twelve hours and that helped.

On the way back from the pet adoption yesterday people on the streets we're validating. While driving down Las Vegas Boulevard a security guard outside a store yelled, "hey piano man" with a thumbs up. While stopped at a red light, some guy crossing the street saw us and yelled acknowledgment then ran over and said, "here, unopened." He gave me a jar of peanuts just as a kindly random gesture. I laughed and said, "thats normally what I do." He said, "I know" with a big smile and went on his way. That inspired me to go back and get two cases of powerades from my fridge to take out which was probably not a good idea physically but I felt so pumped. After they we're gone I almost went back for more but something said to stop, enough was enough.

October 1, 2022

Las Vegas, Nevada

Pawsitive Difference a local dog adoption placement non-profit has helped me with Mo's needs specifically the teeth surgery he had a few months ago and they had an event today so of course I took the Traveling Piano there. It was outside of a PetSmart so we parked on the large sidewalk next to the wall under the shade where there was no obstruction, danger, possible harm to anything, it was low key, everyone was feeling good and we where having absolute fun close to the activity but not detracting from it. Adding to the event felt really good as I have a lot of gratitude for how these people have supported my pup Mo and the way they did it non-conditionally and wanting to be generous with their resources no questions asked. I had to get up at 8:30am so most anyone who reads this blog knows that is in the middle of the night for me. A few selfies were taking with people and when I saw them, my eyes were so red from getting up so early! LOL

After about an hour, this "thing" came in a security vehicle. Most of the time police and security in situtations like this turn away because no harm is being done and it is a one time happening and for just a short time. But for this beeach, truck could not be where it was. The store ok'd it, the event ok'd it but the property manager had not. I let everyone else handle it because the monster in me began to come to life. Then, this "thing" began taking pictures, an intimidation tactic under the guise of proof and argument, for legalities. So, I began taking pictures of her both inside and outside her vehicle. When leaving I positioned the truck so that I could go ask her to move to leave and also as she rolled down her window slipped in... "you are not a very happy person, are you." I would have stayed but I did not want to get other people in trouble. Anyway, I moved very slow and we got about two hours out of the time there for people.