The Cars in my Life

I started driving at about 12 years old when we moved to Ontario, NY on 35 acres of land.

We had a 1948 Oliver tractor, and a 53 Ford pickup truck, we used on the property. I cut my driving teeth on these two vehicles first, off the road. The poor truck, which we nick-named "The Beetle" had many scrapes and dents thanks to my ineptitude in driving, but, I did learn to drive.

At about 16, one day, my sister fell while in our back garden and broke her leg. I did not have a drivers license, but eased her into the back seat of Dad's 59 De Soto, and drove her into the village to the doctors.It was late spring with the yards still pretty wet and I drove the car right up to the doctor's office door, leaving muddy tire tracks in my path. The next visit to the doctor, revealed cut telephone poles, staked and lining the edge of the parking lot! Oh well!

My first real legal drive on the road car was an old 61 Volkswagen. I paid $ 300.00 for it and it was tired. I loved it to death. Faded red, rusty floor pans, 6 volt, no heat, I could drive it for two weeks without a fill up. After Dad deeming it unsafe, he bought a 65 Dodge Coronet 440 from our neighbor, handing me the payment book and wishing me luck with it. It was barely two years old. To an eighteen year old, it was kinda boring in contrast to the ole VW. Soon afterward, I found an old 1957 MGA roadster convertible in Rochester for $ 200, and towed it home with a hunk of rope, my friend, Lonnie in tow with my new toy. It had no top, it would not start, but I bought it anyway. We began the long tow trek home to Ontario from Rochester. Unknown to me, Lonnie, instead of keeping the car in neutral, put it in high gear while I towed it home. Right in the four corners of Webster, I heard a loud bang and looked in the rear view mirror. I could not see Lonnie or the MG; they were shrouded in a thick cloud of black smoke. the car started! As the smoke cleared, there sat Lonnie at the wheel of the MG, a big grin on his face. He put the car in neutral, and we continued home to Ontario, the MG, idling roughly. It only ran on 3 of the four cylinders, having a cracked head. I found a used head at a junk yard, and it now had all four cylinders banging! The car was more fun than a barrel of monkeys. I drove it about a 1 1/2 years, till I went into the Navy.

Once I settled in Norfolk, Va. in the Navy, I bought a 1962 Rambler. This was the one and maybe only piece of crap car I've owned. It smoked from bad rings, and broke down on a regular basis. Among the more famous break downs, I recall the single strap holding up the gas tank breaking, tank scraping on the road. Another time, while in the morning traffic jam on route to the Navy base, a tie rod end let loose, making it impossible to turn the steering wheel to the right. The single U-joint assembly broke one time, leaving me stranded again. I was forced to drive it for a couple years till I could afford something better.

Than came the 1968 Camero Rallysport, with the hidden headlights, 327 CI and Muncie 4 speed transmission. Very cool! By then, I was slowly learning how cars worked, and fixing most of what I was capable of. I guess I got more than a few speeding tickets in that baby! I had it almost five years, and just got bored with it, moving on to a 1968 limited edition MGC with a six cylinder engine they only made one year. being a fan of the British sports cars, I loved it dearly. I was not the first owner, not the fourth, but about the fifth owner to have that, and was forced to fix all the things the previous owners did not! It needed something done to it on a weekly basis. Being a limited edition auto, parts were hard to come by and it might sit for weeks, waiting for some stupid part. Another problem with it was, it was a two seater convertible, and I was married with two kids. Picture a wife, two kids, and 11 bags of groceries jammed into it! So the time came to get an additional car for family use too! I got a 89 Ford Galexie, purchased from a neighbor in my apartment complex. He had taken great care of it, and it served me well. Oh, and it was automatic, so my wife could drive it. So we had the MGC, and the Ford. After a long wait for parts for the MG, and I had it running like a top, I decided to sell it. A young Ensign in the Navy fell in love with it. His problem was that he had to sell his car before he could afford mine. I looked his over; a 1967 VW convertible, very well maintained. WE made a swap, he paying me money as well for the difference, and I was the proud owner of my second Volkswagen. What a great care free car it was. Peppy, sporty, a full back seat for the kids, a top that went up and down without calling on the neighbors to help stretch it into place (like the MG!)

After a couple years with the convertible, there was still a need for a second car, and I found a beautiful 1972 VW camper. We now were a two VW family. The camper was perfect for any driving condition. With screened in windows, curtains, table, sink, foldout bed, cupboards and stowage galore, it was heaven, whether driving to work, the beach, or taking it on vacation. Eventually, wife # 1, took the camper, left me with the kids and was seen no more, leaving me with two kids and a very tired VW convertible. It was however, easy to work on, and I managed to get many many more miles and a year or two before retiring it to service. Even when I sold it, Kelly, my youngest daughter, actually was the driving factor selling it. While I was at work, she made a sign for the window, and I came home one night, met at the door by the kids, who tossed $ 700 up in the air! It had sold the first day it was advertised, purchased by a sailor who only had a motorcycle, and needed a car too!

About that time, my girlfriend, later, wife # 2, got her income tax refund and wanted to get a car. She was hell-bent on looking at a French car, I can't even spell. A friend of mine, working at a car dealership had just called, informing me that they got an older car in trade that the dealer was going to auction off, being too old to sell. For $ 431.00, tax, registration, everything, turn the key, we got a 1967 Dodge Dart, we affectionately named Nelliebell. Another goldmine for a car. We drove Nellie for time out of reckening, till the interior, literally flaked away, and still got $ 70 bucks for her! With the VW convertible gone, I also got a 68 Ford Falcon for $ 100. It had a 3 speed on the floor, but reverse did not work. I backed it up by sticking my left foot out the door and pushing it backwards. I drove it a while till the first cold day and discovered the heater core was shot. For $ 100, it was a good ole car though.

We were back to one car, Nellie Bell. We needed two like most families. We planned on going to Florida to visit my in-laws and find a southern car to bring back up. My father in law called one night before we went down there. He said he had found a car and went ahead and bought it. He loved it and if we did not want it, he would keep it. It was a 74 Chevy Caprice, the last year of the HUGE cars! He was right, the car was nice. It was loaded, 350 engine, power everything. We drove it many years.

About that time, Nellie Bell was tired, really tired, and we looked for something else. Actually, the Caprice had given us good service, but was ready for the demolition derby too.

I found a 1978 Volvo 240 DL, the first of many Volvos for me. It was owned by a nursing student from California, no rust, and ran great. It was a hand me down from her father, another Volvo man, and well taken care of. She was firm on her price, and we bought it for $ 1500.00 Two days later, my wife and I took it to Cape Cod. Our first Volvo, we named Olga. We passed Olga down to our first daughter, Lisa who drove it for a while too. About that time, my wife and I were going through separation and I bought a 72 Volvo, I named Shven. I got Shven for $ 490.00, because it had a clunk in the rear somewhere when you shifted it. I drove it with the clunk for many many years before getting the clunk out. Shven, was a worthy car by any means.

One day, my friend Ron called and informed me that my car needed to be replaced and offered to sell me his 1990 Chevy van. The van had an oddity for going through U-Joints on an all too regular basis, but was a great vehicle. It had 368,000 miles when I retired it!

When Dad turned 97, the family talked him into giving up driving, and he gave me his 1994 Buick LeSabre. Being the black sheep of the family, I thought it was too much of an old man's car, and sold it to my room mate, who thought it was just fine. I then bought a 72 BMW 2002, and my ex gave me her husband's 87 Ford F150 pickup. I drove the BMW in the summers for about three years, and the truck all year. Whatever they say about Fords being bad, is just not true. It was a great truck, all the greater for it was free.

Eventually, the BMW needed work that my old back was not up to fixing, and I sold it and the truck.

I bought an 89 Volvo, Gustoff, which I still am driving. Gustoff, just turned over 249,000 miles last week! Good car!

Reflections on the end of a decade

Good bye, 2009, good bye, decade, good bye, red in my beard, good bye, country living.

Good bye, Eddy Cete, John Knar, Gary Comacho, Steve Freelove, Ronald Paul "Ugly" Albright, Ken Cummings, Steve Waldo, Dave Vogt, Kit Austin, Gary Zefting, Michael DeFrancesco, Terry Gore, Mark Manetta and Tom Chappell. If I've omitted anyone, I am truly sorry.

I only counted those my age or younger; I'm sure many others have passed in their natural way, like my Dad, Uncle Jimmy, Aunt Jane, Clyde Briggs and many others. For some reason, the ones, younger than I seem to leave a more lasting hurt then the ones who lived a long fruitful life.

Good bye, past vehicles of the decade. Goodbye, Chevy Van, who I put the most miles on: 368,000. Good Van; got it from my good dear friend Ron Ugly Albright. Lets not forget the 87 Ford pickup, I got from my ex for free. Once I fixed all the million little things broken, it served me very well. Good bye, 72 BMW. I had that beauty for only three years, driving it in the summers. sold it to get the 89 Volvo, I still am driving: Gustoff. Gustoff just turned 249,000 miles last week. In the future, I will do a blog on just the cars I've had over the years.

Good bye, Puddies. When I moved into an old house in Palmyra with a friend, she had two puddies, Mr & Mrs. Puddy. They were really brother and sister but I called them Mr & Mrs anyway. They were up there in age and pretty special to me. Mr Puddy had a very outgoing personality, and Mrs Puddy, a bit more shy. Mr Puddy, passed first at about 18 years old, right there in the old house where he always lived, his domain. When my room mate moved with her fiance to Seattle, she took Mrs Puddy with her, all the way cross country. She too passed on about a year later. When I was living alone there in Palmyra, they were both pretty darn good company to me.

Good bye Life Teen Mass. After five years, playing in the Life Teen band, and two years, directer of the band, the time has come to resign from that venture. The church management and i do not agree on how things should be done, and that's all there is to that. I am still in mid-stream, composing the 150 Psalms that make up the weekly readings over a three year cycle. I have about 50 to go.

Happy New Year, and Happy new decade. Time to look forward to the things to come, social security, composing and recording more music, writing memoirs, and canoeing more. It's been said before, and time to say again: "Old too soon, and wise, too late"

Monday after Christmas

Hello, Blog World!

Dec. 28th 2009 Wow; where did the time go? I guess it's true, the older we get, the faster the time seems to pass. But what have I learned? This year did seem very dis-heartening in many respects. Good folks going their own separate ways, a step son, trying to find his place in a big world, and creating havoc along many lines, the economy taking a dump into the abyss, and wow, I am whining, aren't I?
The good news: I'm still above the grass, the Volvo turns over 249,000 miles and although experiencing some problems, still rolling down the road. Jesus has not left my side. Though all my transgressions, sinning, insulting him, he's still there, merciful, forgiving, loving, the perfect Father. The perfect Father in an imperfect world.

Hold me, Jesus, for I am weak
I hunger for your presence
Seeking the rock to plant my feet
How glorious, my Saviour

Wrap me in your warming cloak
I'm shivering outside it
Only You wash clean my stains
My precious God, my Saviour

Stick your cell phones,computers and Ipods where the sun doesn't shine

OK, this digital age has gotten out of hand, or should I say people have gotten out of control with the cell phones, laptops, I Pods,etc. You can't have a meal in a restaurant, shop, sit in a waiting room, car, or any other public place without the annoying drone of people on their precious phones. In New York, we put into law talking or texting while driving, and it has not stopped people one bit from what I can see. When are we going to learn? Last week, at a diner, a jerk at a near-by table gets a call, leaves his table, stands right behind me and talks on his stupid phone. I hear them going off in the midst of Mass for crying out loud. They can't even put them on vibrate. Don't get me wrong; I do have a cell phone. It's on 90% of the time, always on vibrate. I turn it off or to silent when I step into the church sanctuary for Mass. If I am in a group of people, I do not stop to answer it; I may check and see who is calling then step out in private and talk. If I am driving, I either pull off the road, or not answer at all. The texting crap is out of control too. We are media crazy all together. It's driven me nuts to the point that I have not even watched TV or gone to the movies any more. Many people don't even watch TV; they simply have it on as a white noise. How stupid is that? Yes, I am on the computer at this moment (obviously) I am not saying all the high tech gadgets are useless; I am saying that most people are way over-board with the continuous use, 24/7. If some terrorist really wanted to pour havoc to the world, they would figure out how to knock off the satellites we use for phone and Internet service. That may be all we need to bring an end to the world!

Rochester NY Skyline

I was driving around this morn, taking photos and sight seeing like a tourist in and around downtown Rochester, NY. I passed through some neighborhoods and my heart sank as I passed house after house, some with boarded up window, some just plain busted out and no boards. It seemed as though I passed through an area of a war zone. In-between the boarded up houses, some families still resided, kids playing in the streets, people out on their porches. I was only going to post the nice scenic pics of the Rochester skyline, but decided to show the ugly along with the beautiful. I wish I knew the solution to the problem, but where does one even begin? Is it imperitive to change the inner city society before we can repair the landscape and neighborhoods? If one started with one busted up home, and fixed it, people would be breaking in and stealing the copper wiring, pipes, and anything else they could sell before one night was over. I wonder if there is a fix at all!

Free Downloads Christian Psalms

As the previous Post described, I compose, record, and post my Psalms weekly on a web-site. Go to www.last.fm.com and type bucky gelo in music search. My songs are free to listen or even download. Enjoy!

The Psalm Story

I play in a rock band for the Life Teen Catholic Mass now, going on 4 years. It is still a Catholic Mass, complete with two scripture readings, a Gospel reading, and a Psalm. (There are many other things done, defining it as a Mass, but for today, I wish to talk about the Psalm. The Psalms were written by King David, and intended to be sung, as they are songs to God. The majority of the years I have played in the Life Teen band, I was the lead guitar player. For almost a year now, I have acted as music director,when the original band director moved to another city. The band not only plays music before, during and after Mass, but becomes an integral part of the Mass, providing musical cues to the priest, and other ministers. It took some time for me to get "comfortable" with all the subtle cues the band supplies throughout the Mass, but the Psalm, is something different, a new song that rotates on a three year cycle, 50 per year, for three years. The Psalm can be read, but the preference is to sing the Psalm. I had the task of learning the Psalm each week for the service. As I said, we are a rock band, providing the musical ministry for teens. I perceived the already composed Psalms as sorta corny, considering the majority of our music is rock related. Also, it took time to learn them each week. One night on the news, I heard a story about a computer programmer, who quit his profession, and started playing and composing music. When asking a friend if he thought it feasible, the friend replied "Write one song a week for an entire year and if you can do that, it could be feasible. Well, the guy started writing these funny little tunes which took on the label of "Geek Rock" and made a name for himself. I thought, well, if this geek can cut a path in that direction, I can do the same thing with my Psalm dilemma. So I began writing a Psalm a week, in a more contemporary style, better suited to the teens, and also taking on the challenge of writing a song a week. The main difference is, my focus is to magnify the glory of Jesus instead of geekism. I took on this challenge to myself the first week of January this year. I've had a few stumbling blocks with creativity, but for the most part, have written a song or Psalm a week, for the last nine months. Some are not as creative as I'd like them to be, but some are really special to me. Many, I have hastily recorded to pass on to my band to learn for the Mass. Many have not been recorded at all. Darn that summer; so many other things to do! Now that fall is here, I will attempt to go back and record the missing ones so that I will have a record of them. If I can keep this up for two years and three months, I will have completed the three year cycle of them! I have made available these songs on my blog site. The work is far from completed. Many of the recordings, are not too hot, and need to be fixed or totally re-recorded. So, my friends, that is the Psalm Story! Peace be with you!

Notes on Embedded Music

OK, so I did figure out how to get this Last.fm web site to host my music, and link to this blog, but the blog only shows three songs to choose from. Clicking on the Last.fm site, will take you to the actual Last.fm site and you can find the left side row of boxes and click on albums. That will show you two albums, with all the music posted so far. Check often, and I will continue to add as the compositions are recorded.

Peace be with you

Bucky

Let There Be Music

Well, hopefully, I have successfully added the appropriate links to bring my audio files to the blog. I have been converting, embedding, pasting, encrypting, and God only knows what else to try to get this done!

Music Lessons at your Home

Friends II

I have played in many, many bands over the 45 years or so that I have played. For the most part, once ya leave a band, you very seldem see the other musicians. Long about 1989, I got a call from a guy looking for a guitar player in his band. His bass player had seen me playing solo at some festival, and took my card. Well, it so happened that the guitar player I was replacing, and I met at our mutal friend's house. I ended up playing in this band for 6-9 months, but not only did I become very good friends with this guy, but his friend that left the band before me. This friendship has lasted over 17 years and growing. My friend, Shadow, as we call him, and I see or talk to each other on a regular basis. And Down Home Dave, the guitar player whom I replaced in Shadow's band, and I see each other a couple a times a week for lunch or jam on guitar. Its so strange how friendships overlap, and link others together. I have gotten to know these guys' families, friends over the years, and they too have become friends with the other friends I already know. If I tried to do a reunion with all the past band members I played with, wow, what a huge ensemble that would be!

FRIENDS

I am approaching 60 years old, and I guess I'm getting sentimental in my old age, but I was just this morning thinking of some of the old friends I had in high school, and later in life. High school, takes me back to the early to mid 60's. We moved to a small village (at the time) of Ontario, NY in 1960. The day we moved in, a kid was out in the road, watching us move in. He came up in the yard, and smile on face, stuck out his hand, and said "Hi, I'm Tom Briggs" Well, we ended up being great friends. As you can see, He's a clown, still yucking it up and making us laugh to this day. The previous pic, is him in high school, with the guitar. I taught him how to play, and we formed a band in high school, called the Chillers. We did dances at school, parties, etc. Just this week, we talked about doing a Chillers reunion, for fun! We ended up marrying two sisters, and becoming brother-in laws. One sister divorced me, and we're back to best friends. Our friendship has lasted 48 years. Life for me, would have been very different, growing up without Tommy.

The Irondequoit Bay

Sept 4,2008

So.........I have not blogged in way over a year!

I fell in love, I got married, I moved, I ..............

well, you get the picture!

Anyways, I have not had a chance to paddle canoe, since I did all of the above, either. But, last week, I paddled three days in a row! The first day, I went and forgot my camera. I saw so much! The second day, I had the camera, but after a couple shots, the batteries went kapout! The third day, I brought plenty of new batteries, and got some wonderful shots. The south edge of the bay is a labrynith of reeded channels. I used my otter-tailed paddle to go as silently as I could. I rounded one corner, and there was a Great Blue Heren, right off my port gunnel. I don't know which one of us was the more startled! As a rule, they see you coming, and only allow you to get so close before they take to flight. This time, I was already right next to him (or her!) It did take off, but it was closer than I'd ever gotten before to one. I most likely would have not had time to snap a pic, even if I had the camera! Later, I saw an Eagle way up, circling around and around. But the highlight of the day were these Swans. Two of them were doing this mating (I guess) ritualistic dance. I have seen this sort of thing on nature shows, but this time, it was 6-8 feet away from me. Their heads bobbed and swayed in perfect unison. It was a spectacular ballet. The climax was their head and necks entwined around each other. I was simply entranced. Wow! Life is good. The Lord has made such a wonderful world for us.

Peace be with you!

My year in review response to Theresa

My last article reviewing the year, recieved such a lovely response from my Fiance, Theresa, that although I will not post her response, I will post my response to her:

Theresa,
Your words melt me into a pool of tears. I have always said that you always have the right thing to say, but its so true; you do. My faith is not worthy of praise as you say; I am just growing in the Lord. I have not had to withstand the real test of faith like Ken did. In my worst times, I drank, shrunk away from society, clawed at anyone who dared come near me. I have come quite a long way in my journey of faith, yes, but I cant be compared to Ken. I still do not say the Rosary daily, or keep up with my Bible readings on a regular basis. I do pray more often, longer, harder. As I try to impress in Ian, its not complying with obligation mass that is so important as he insists, its how we live our lives. We are preparing for our life in heaven by how we live our live on earth. How we deal with everyday life; the anger, the insults, the lies, the deceptions, and most of all, the minute to minute dealings with our loved ones. We all are only human, and will back-slide, of course, but its the rebound, the learning from our mistakes, and the art of forgiveness and the suppression of the judgment of others. We are not perfect; only Jesus was. We all sin, and have faults. Ian would be surprised at who ends up worthy to enter heaven. Albert's wife, Claire had a funny saying "I'm afraid that I will meet a lot of people I don't care for in heaven" We all need to find the good in people, and not judge. We all walk our own path with God. My path is not as narrow and straight as Ian's, but for all the obligatory road signs he adheres to, he has to learn (we all have to learn) that it is what we do in life and how we make an impact on others, that is more important than compliance with the church doctrine. If only I knew what he knows now when I was that young. I do know that our plan is pre-destined by God. I do believe that without the trials I was put through in life, I would not have met you, or developed the faith that I have now. There is more than one path leading to the same destination, and nobody really has the same path to trod. Its the learning from our mistakes, the constant prayer, and our eye on the cross that will gravitate us closer to our promised destination. I will try to glean something from Ken, Ian, you, Al, and all those who believe, and use the knowledge to influence those I meet in life. that is what we are called to do, and so often do not do to the full extent of our abilities; stretch our comfort zone. Our church life is only the tip of the picture; its taking it out into life and magnifying it. Its you lifting me up when I need it, and me doing the same for you. God is great.

The Year in Review 2006 in my Eyes

The Year in Review in my eyes 2006

As I look back at the year, I reviewed my blog, which I started in April 2006. One of the first articles, though not THE first, was one titled Ken. Ken, was and will always be a lasting influence in my life. His views on life (and death) were real eye-openers to me, and I'm sure I'll never meet another Ken in my lifetime. He possessed a faith in God that I never encountered and I strive to model my life after his beliefs.

The past year and a half, I have taken a sabbatical on life, after injuries to my back, my confidence, and my whole being. I quit my job, became recluse, ceased to play my music, and taught myself to be devoid of all emotion, especially, love. As my faith in Jesus grew, still determined that I was incapable of love, I turned my devotion to Jesus, and started looking into the options of becoming a priest. I discovered to my dismay (though I don't know why) that I was too old to undertake that change in my life.

At the same time this past year, I began corresponding with a wonderful lady from the church where I play. We only saw each other for a minute or two after the service as I was walking out the door to go home. Little did I know what plans God had in mind for me, but thanks to my blog, and e-mail, we began a relationship that blossomed into the most precious love I ever have known. As our e-mails became more and more personal, the walls around my heart began to soften, and crumble. Eventually, we started to "see" each other, and things happened faster than I ever imagined possible. From plutonic e-mailing to dating over the summer, I found myself asking her to marry me. The words just tumbled out. To my supreme surprise, she said yes.

The rest of the year unfolded planning our wedding, seeing each other as time allowed, dreaming of each other, and getting used to feeling my heart beat inside my chest again. As the year evolved, I began to search for gainful employment. That certainly has had its ups and downs, and as the years ticks down to the last few hours, I am still not working. I am due to start a new job January 2, 2007.

After so many years of despair, sorrow,and heartbreak, my life has taken a complete 180 degree turn in 2006. As I sat down to reflect on 2006, I thought I would be notating so many different political and historical events, but all I can think and talk about is Theresa.

Why I am considered a "Scrooge"

AN OPEN LETTER TO MY FIANCE:

Hi my love
This morning upon reflecting on your sister's joking remarks about eluding to me as Scrooge, I thought I'd write a brief essay explaining myself, so that she may have some at least vague understanding of how things evolve in one's life.
What Christmas has come to mean to me, and why I'm considered a Scrooge

Much of my adult life, I worked in a retail environment, and became accustomed to large sales, the pressures of high volume traffic filtering through the store, the expectations of the store, and the zaniness of the crazy customers. Christmas came to represent the paramount apex to the shopping season. I learned to expect long working hours, very little time off to shop, or enjoy the season as most people had a chance to. As the years forged ahead, the demands of the retail environment, the higher pressure of the increased sales expectations, the trend of commencing the Holiday shopping season from after Thanksgiving, to after Halloween, began to erode the zeal, the drive, the excitement to the point where I felt like a virtual slave, an indentured servant to the public, with no life of my own. In years of economic slumps, the demands and attitude of the retail life weighed much heavier on the shoulders, as if we the sales force had to make up the difference of the loss of sales personally. Merchandise was sale priced in attempt to meet the demands of the shopping world, commissions were unfairly cut, monthly sales quotas raised to impossible resolutions, tempers justifiably tweaked, and the Holiday turned from a time of Peace, Love, Joy, and Forgiving to an ever growing nightmare of frustrations, stifled family life, depression, and anxiety. Many a year, I was forced to do my own personal Christmas shopping on my abbreviated lunch hours, fighting traffic, and being at the opposite end of the never ending lines, still being punished for things I had no control over. Like the Grisswald's Family Christmas movie, I was accustomed to receiving a bonus at the Holiday season, and sales perk for meeting the monthly sales quota. One particularly bad sales season, I ended up with a frozen turkey, no bonus or perk, having missed the sales quota by $ 100.00 or less out of $ 100,000. I spent Christmas day on the floor in a corner of my room, after the family opened their gifts. I was emotionally drained, physically ill, and on the verge of a nervous breakdown. After being separated with eventual divorce looming over my head, the Holiday took on an entirely new dimension for me. As my children spent the cherished part of the Holiday (Christmas Eve, and morning) with the "Ex", I languished in my studio apartment, alone, a submarine sandwich, and a beer. I was forced to extinguish all forms of outside world connections, such as TV, Radio, etc. so that I was not tortured by the sunken blare of Holiday music and festivity, while the entire world celebrated the most prestigious day of the year. Life had evolved from rushing home from work to be with my loved ones, the joy and excitement of gift exchanging, and all the rest of the festive mood associated with Christmas, to lying in bed in my underwear, unshaven, sunken swollen eyes staring at nothing, impenetrable loneliness. That is what Christmas meant to me for many years and time out of reckoning.
Understand that it is not how I feel at the present time, but a look into the past, and a glimpse of how I perceived life.
Love Love Love

Guitar Repairs

So.........I haven't been blogging as a good blogger should! I wish I could say that the news has produced nothing to get my blood boiling, but that's not the case.

Anyways, this is to inform all that I also have a new site for guitar repairs: Repairs Rock.

http://repairsrock.blogspot.com/

Check it out! Still the same ole nutty sense of humor; just more guitar oriented. Even you non-players may get SOMETHING out of it; Who knows!

Legal Murder

It seems the police in the US have the right to murder now. I have always wondered about it when I hear story after story of how un-armed people are gunned or "stunned" down with increased voracity. The latest account of the people in NYC, gunned down after leaving a nightclub is too disturbing for words. 51 rounds fired into unarmed men, one officer alone firing 31 rounds. That means he had to stop and re-load. Maybe these party goers broke some law along the way, or resisted in some fashion, but did they deserve to die? I don't care which side made mistakes, and quite likely, both sides did; people are dead. People are dead who did not deserve to die over this. I understand that being a police officer is dangerous duty. I personally would never consider this profession. But these guys are trained, drilled, instructed, coached, tested, armed, and sent out on the streets to protect our cities. I believe they crossed the line and are the criminals when I hear accounts such as this one, and one after another. We have become a Police State. Between the actual criminals out there feeding on our society, and the police, we citizens are caught between a rock and a hard place. There is no safe place. Not our own homes, not out in the streets, not in our cars, or work place. We are subject to be murdered. I am petrified to be pulled over by a cop now. One perceived false move and I can be shot down, ex'd out, murdered, or any other words you want to use. The point is, I am no more.

Thanksgiving Holiday

3:55 AM, and I'm up on the hour Thanksgiving morning. The turkey's in the smoker outside since midnight. Its a crisp,clear, 28 degrees, and the stars are shinning like nobody's business. I check the bird on the hour. The last hour, I waited too long and the temp. dipped way below 200. Ideally, I'd like to see between 220 and 250, but its so cold out, the charcoal burns faster and within the hour, expended. I cant put but so much in at a time, or the temp will go too high. After four hours, its golden brown, and yummy smelling already. The water pan went dry this time too. I have been going to bed and rising on the hour to go out and check, but now I will stay up, and watch more diligently. The coffee's perking, and I'm up for the long haul now. Why go through all the trouble, instead of putting it in the oven like most folks? Am I a fruitcake? Maybe, but one taste confirms that its worth the hassle. In the summer, the bird would have cooked faster, the charcoal burn longer, but tonight, I am smoking out in a freezer. Its hard to maintain my 220 degrees when its only 28 outside. That's OK; I will check it on the half hour from hear on in.
This year, I'm bringing the turkey over to my fiance's family. Her sister is also roasting a turkey. Talk about gluttony! There's that extra anxiety that it will come out goofy, because I'm bringing it to folks I don't know that well yet. Yawn; I hope I don't pass out by the time dinner is over!

Calif. College Bans Pledge of Alligiance

So this morning in the news I read about a college in California banning the pledge of Allegiance. Hmm, I think, its about time people pick on banning something else other than something that references God. But as I read on, I learned to my horror, that the mention of God WAS the reason for the banning. My blood started to boil for a minute, than I remembered the lecture I attended last night.
I saw this awsome Catholic Evangilist, Jesse Romero, speaking so passionately about Jesus. One thing he said, and I knew all along anyway, was that Satan, is the ruler of this Earth. The evil one is responsible for stirring up the hearts of mankind. He's got the United States just where he wants it. We are the strongest society to date, and will crash, as the Roman Empire, The Greek Empire, Sodam, and Gomorrah. Billy Graham, talked about Sodam, and compaired it to the US. He said" If you take L.A. NYC, Las Vegas, New Orleans, and stirr them together, thats Sodam. No morals, living in the flesh, anything goes, homosexuality, divorce, murder, lust, gluttony, to name a few attributes, thats Sodam. When God puts the hammer down, the US will crumble like cheap mortar.
We, as Catholics, are not doing enough to fight against the evils of today's society. the Mormans, Johovah Wittnesses, even the Baptists go door to door to promote their religions on a regular basis, and the Catholics, though many go to church, do not take advantage of anything Jesus has to offer, or even "know" him. They go through the motions, take communion, maybe go to confession now and then, and then go out and mingle without taking God's word with them. Luke warm, we are. Oh how sad, how so very sad, how so very wrong. Catholics ARE the original faith to follow Jesus. They need to wake up and act, act for themselves, for their families, for their church, for their leaders.
This past week in Rochester, NY, where I live, there were six homicides in six days, and the week aint over yet! The Devil is doing great, alive and well, winning the game, and we continue to fumble, turn our heads, lock our doors, and accept life for normal.
We have the best game plan, the strongest team, the biggest guns, the a team captain who can not be struck down, nor has ever swayed from the plan. All we have to do is be team players. Wake up CATHOLICS, you're being called to active duty, drafted into this war, and as Jessie said, dont go out there with only a nail file for a weapon! Do not be afraid. Follow the game plan and win!