Yawn! Monday morning. Yuck.
It's a sleepy morning today, as I went to see Tony Levin Band last night at Toad's Place. Seeing a show at a place like Toads is always a treat, especially someone Like Tony. Tony has played in bands like King Crimson, and members of Yes, and Peter Gabriel for years. In fact most of the band that was with him (Jerry Marotta and Larry Fast) played on Peter's early albums and tours. The band also included Jesse Gress, who I have been told has played with Todd Rundgren for years (and really looks like him!)

The show was fantastic! They opened with the King Crimson's Sleepless, played a number of song's from Tony's last CD, and numerous covers. Including a version of "Tequila" that was fantastic! They also did a re-arrangement of John Lennon's "Give Peace a Chance" into "Back in NYC" from Genesis. Tony explained that he, Jerry and Larry used to play that on Peter's 1977 tour. Closing my eyes, I could almost imagine that I was hearing Genesis do that tune back in 1974! I guess that's the closest I will get to being there! They did a 2 song encore of an instrumental Levin-penned tune and Crimson's "Elephant Talk". And a rockin' instrumental cover of a Led Zeppelin tune!

Opening was solo guitarist Kaki King, who played very reminiscent of Michael Hedges. She actually opened with cover of a Hedges tune. This girl, who is 23, is from New York, and was on fire. She has been playing with Blue Man Group as the bass player. Aparently she plays Chapman Stick like Tony does.

She has a pretty great sense of humor, and had a decent rapport with the audience between tunes. When one audience member asked her what her website was she replied with "I'm a great piece of ass.com!" And I'd like to venture that she is LOL!

I had a relatively uneventful day yesterday...well, if you consider grocery shopping eventful......pretty much stayed home all day. The weather took a turn for the worse, and started raining really hard. It was kind of a night to stay home anyways.

Went to a pretty good drum circle Friday night (and this time we didn't close the bar next door!!). I got asked to participate in another drumming event today with Roger, so I am heading over there this morning. But first I'm goning to enjoy a nice cup of coffee and finish listening to the Culture Cafe show on WWUH, another one of my favorite non-commercial radio stations.

I kind of have a connection to WWUH, since I used to do a show there. I really miss that. I really want to look into getting another show there, but starting all over as a 3-6 AM jock really isn't my thing. I was able to do that 9 years ago, but these old bones.....well you know..

Well, gotta make the coffee!!!!!

In the CD Player:
Enya- Watermark
Ginger Baker- Middle Passage
GIlberto Gil & Jorge Ben- Gil e Jorge

WOW! Had a neat experience today that was totally cool! I was sent to a tower site in Killingworth to do service on the transmitter there. Well, this site is a cable TV headend site, and I had to wait for the headend tech to show up and let me in (pain in the ass usually). It was beautiful out and for a while I sat in the Jeep and vegged out listening to WPKN.

Well the weather was absolutely fabulous out, so I decided to go sit on a large rock and soak up the sun's warmth and meditate for a while. This site is in the middle of the woods at the end of a dirt road, so it was nice. Well, I'm sitting there perfectly still for a few minutes, and closed my eyes.

I heard some rustling in the leaves, so I opened my eyes, and I see 5 deer just standing in the field about 20 yards from me. They had no idea I was there! After a few minutes, they moved to a small knoll and just stayed there. I watched them for about 15 minutes, and then they took off!

I just love it when things like that happen. It reminded me of a time (1993) when Harry and I went up in the trails behind Timberlain Golf Course hiking, and we sat up there and this deer came right up to us. It's like amazing when you get a glimpse of nature that closeup!

Picture I took that day with Harry. This was a mistake, but it came out neat! (Look for the faces in the trees, it's really neat!)

Another beautiful weather day here in central Connecticut! I was driving home from work, and I felt great. Then I got home and realized that I didnt have anyone to enjoy this evening with. Watching a sunset is far better when you have someone to share it with. Well I'm sure that someday it will hit me when I least expect it.

Been involved with quite a war vs anti-war dialogue with Harry via email. I always thought Harry would have been against the war thing, but he's taken the opposing view. At least with Harry, I can have an opposing viewpoint, and we still can have a dialogue about it. Good to know that we can agree to disagree, and still keep things civil. But, it's SO much easier to be on the same side as he is :)

I'm psyched....Craig is having another drum circle tomorrow night. Hopefully he gets a good turnout, but even if it's slim, it's sure to be a good time... What's a drum circle you ask? People gather and play drums together and create spontaneous rythyms. I get so pumped when people connect through rythym and are communicating through the music.

Go to Ctdrums.Com to find a drum circle near you (In Connecticut)

Still want to know more about drum circles- go to this page from Remo.

In the CD player today: Ralf Hildenbeutal- Homage a' Noir
Joe Jackson- Big World
The Beatles- 1

Man, I must be raising one heck of a kid :) I've got her interested in doing drum circles, and listening to all kinds of music from all around the world. Tonight, as we walked in the door, she told me she wanted to listen to Sirius Coyote, which is a Connecticut based group that play all sort of authentic music of Latin America. ("Now, I never studied Latin, so I don't understand them......"ahhhh! Don't we all remember Al Gore's infamous flub!) Anyways, we spent a while listening to them and dancing around the house to Levantate!

So, in respect to the good 'ol authentic food of Sirius Coyote, I make Spanish Rice...the closest thing I've got to "Corn, Beans and Chili Peppers!"


Giovanni, Kathleen, and Dennis...aka Sirius Coyote!
In the CD Player Today: Sirius Coyote- In the Land of the Nahuatl

Wow, Imagine that! Almost a whole day and NO BLOG! But you know I couldn't resist, so here goes....

I've been thinking about everything, and you know, I actually think I like where I am in my life. I'd been saying that a while ago, but I don't think I really meant it till now. I just seem happier all the sudden. All the pieces of my life are finally coming together. I've got good friends, a good place to live, and a good feeling like I can get everything back into place.

Tomorrow's Wednesday, and that's the day that Delilah stays overnight :) I just love when she spends time with me. I just hope that I can hold off this cold that I started to come down with. It's so tough to take care of a kid when you're not feeling well, either physically or mentally. I've got the mental thing taken care of, but I hope I can stave off this cold....

In the CD Player Today: Dead Can Dance- Spiritchaser

OM?

Well, my parents are thoroughly impressed that I can actually cook a dinner that is edible, and NOT out of a box..or bag...or something like that!!! I think yesterday's "Parents Day Out" was a smashing success. Mom really enjoyed getting out of the house and getting to see Delilah as well. Dad was besides himself on the phone after he got home about my culinary ability. I guess all that watching Emeril has paid off.....

I had a pretty good day today, the weather was nice and I had a couple of jobs to do today that allowed me to be out and about. Started off with a bit of meditation and got me in a pretty good mood. I was tired for some reason though....but all in all today was a good day.

In the CD Player Today: Afro Celt Sound System- Further In Time
Phil Collins- Hello I Must be Going
Tom Petty- Full Moon Fever

Had a great day yesterday. 3 single parents. 5 kids. Playscape. You do the math! We also went on this short hike to an awesome waterfall! South Central CT's best kept secret. I brought along my camera, and when the pics come back, I will post one up here.

Speaking of film, CVS took WAAAAY too long to develop the first roll that I dropped off last weekend, and they couldn't find it...really got me steamed yesterday. I got a call from them when I was out hiking, and they found it, and are also giving it to me for free :) So I will pick them up today.

I realized when I was hiking (well, huffing and puffing) up the hill yesterday what terrible shape I am in. I used to be able to do hikes like that with no problem. After I screwed up my knee on that infamous Appalacian Trail trek, I have never been the same. Last winter it was so warm that I was able to get out to Wadsworth Falls all through Feb. and March. I gotta get up in there and whip it back into shape.

There's something about the peace and serenity of the woods that makes me feel so in touch with everything. Sometimes, I just sit up there and listen to the sounds of nature, and somehow "it's all good." I've got to get back into it in a bad way.

Well, gotta fly, Mom and Dad are coming over for dinner tonight.

Having a lazy Saturday morning right now. I made Delilah and I some panckaes for breakfast (and smoked out the kitchen when I overheated the butter!). Got online "for a bit" and ended up being online for almost an hour at this point. I was reading a web page I stumbled on this morning and just kept reading....I posted it to the Random Mindscapes blog.

We're getting motivated to meet Craig and the kids for a visit to the park this afternoon. Gonna haver a fun weekend with Delilah, that's for sure. Gotta fly, time to get off this damned computer and enjoy the day!

Uggh, glad that the week is over, and Delilah and I are home safe. Just doing a little hanging before I put her to bed. Gonna get outside this weekend and enjoy the first weekend of Spring! Yeah! The long winter is finally over.

It seemed like a long day at work today, I did a lot of driving (that's part of the job, in case you don't know). Fortunately, the truck has a CD player, but what really saved me today was WPKN. If you don't know, WPKN is a community based nonprofit radio station and Terry was throwing down a great Zappa/Genesis set this afternoon.

Well, time for a little snuggle time with my little bean. Later, I hope!

Ok, I got sick of that ugly brown background I have been using, and it's tiring on the eyes. So, we've got a new look. I kinda took some time tonight to relax and light some candles. I was feeling a bit stressed earlier today. Got back in my "happy space" tonight. Only got to go one more day at work, and then it's a daddy weekend. Looking forward to that :)

When I first separated from Jill, I didnt really look forward to the weekends with my daughter, I don't know if I was just overwhelemed by having to parent alone, or it was just having to get used to it. Now, I look forward to the weekends with Delilah. We have a great time together, I hope that Delilah and I can continue to hold on to the special bond that we've got going for a long time.

Yes, total addiction syndrome going on here....for random thoughts and links and stuff, check out my Random Mindscapes Blog.

I got a minute here, so why not! A friend of mine last night was so freaked out by the war, that she had her kids hiding under the bed because she had them so scared. She actually thought that Iraq was gonna bomb Springfield, MA! I was assuring her, that Iraqs' missles had no way to reach us here. She said "But did you listen to the President". I listened, and I think that she was misinterpreting what Dubya was saying about "protecting civillians." They meant Iraqi civillians, not us here! So far, not a single Iraqi bomb has been dropped on U.S. Soil (that I know of).

To tell you the truth, this has me in a state of discontent. I'm not feeling as peaceful as I was a few nights ago. It must be this war thing, and everywhere I turn, the propoganda mill is churning out more crap. Kind of a eerie re-run of 1991, even though Rumsfeld assures us that this is very different from Operation Desert Storm. Yeah, right!

In the CD Player Today:
Peter Gabriel- Birdy (Soundtrack)

Well, the war has begun... :( All the marching, protesting, postermaking, rallying, and peace vigils haven't changed Dubya's mind about this whole thing. Got Fox News on right now, and listening to the freaking propoganda machine. I'm still not changing my mind. I'm pro-peace and will continue to be so....

Gonna go meditate for a while before I hit the hay. At least I can have peace of mind, if not peace on Earth.

-Give Peace a Chance.....

Be Well,
-Paul

Ok, so I'm realizing how Doogie Houseresque (LOL) this thing is. Do you remember Doogie Houser, MD? That corny 80's TV show where the preteen kid is a freaking doctor. He used to end every show typing his journal on the computer. Imagine if he had the Internet to his advantage!

Anyways, just another day in paradise here. My daughter is watching a Disney DVD while I type this. Wednesdays are special days to me, because that's when she sleeps over. The one thing in my world that always gives me completeness is her! I'm telling you, that's what's held me together these last couple of years.

In the CD Player today: Grateful Dead- Aoxomoxoa

Ok, let me try this again. My computer hiccuped on me last night, and I lost my first blog.

After a long, cold winter, Spring has finally arrived this weekend in Connecticut. I was feeling motivated, so I bought a couple of rolls of film and rekindled my love of photography. Put on some Bob Marley, and rolled down the windows of the Jeep and went-a-crusisng! Boy, I needed that :)

Anyways, I guess peace is big on the agenda for me recently- on 2 fronts, World Peace and Inner Peace.
On the World Peace front, I've been participating in a few peace rallies and vigils the last month. The first one was the biggie, NYC on Feb 16th. And then again this past weekend with a candlelight vigil in downtown Middletown.


On the Inner Peace front, over the past year, I've been searching for something, and I didn't really realize what it was until recently. I was looking for a sense of self, something inside that made my life feel complete. I had my daughter (who is the light of my life) but I needed something in ME that made me feel complete. And I realized last night, that it had all fell in my lap over the course of late last summer until now.

To think that a simple drum circle would have changed my life forever...well it has. Drumming not only introduced me to a new bunch of friends, but it also introduced me to a new spirituality that has changed me forever. So, now as I write this, I am finally getting the feeling that my life is somehow starting to come back together again. Thanks, guys....you know who you are....

In the CD Player Today: Sarah McLachlan- Surfacing