Bless you, thank you, love you, Gene "Willy Wonka" Wilder, born 6/11 in '33 and moving up today, perhaps so we can remember if we imagine and "want to view paradise, simply look around and view it.  Anything you want to, do it.  Want to change the world?  There's nothing to it."

I'm walking along 37th, listening to Spark on my new classic iPod, and someone walks by with one of those light blue bags which reads "Bliss".  Yes, indeed

Today I was very lucky to finally go on a journey to a very importance place, which was once a farm and is now a field where music and art still dream of creative peace

When I wrote about the utterly sublime Hiromi shows a couple weeks ago, I hadn't mentioned the most important detail: she either performed by herself, with harp player Edmar Castaneda or fellow legendary pianist Michel Camilo because her normal Trio Project was missing Anthony Jackson due to a medical situation.  I have just learned that her drummer, Simon Phillips, is now experiencing a medical problem as well.  I wish them both incredibly swift recoveries, and I wish Hiromi continued strength and vigor as she takes the stage to share such glorious vibrations with all who are lucky enough to go to her show

I read Dreams from My Father just a couple months before I would find myself counting my laundry change so I could buy some groceries, because, thanks to the recession, the jobs weren't coming in.

I remember reading about a future president arriving for school on the Upper West Side of NYC and sleeping in an alley when his new landlord didn't meet him to give him the keys to his apartment.  I remember thinking that the only time his predecessor would have done that would probably have involved blacking out from drinking.

I remember identifying with that writer, because even if the details were different, he knew what it was like to be on an uncertain journey.

Well, lucky for us, his incredible journey brought him to the presidency.

Essential blessing when the sun was being spun all those laps ago in '61, our most highly presiding servant of we, the people, commenced his journey with humanity dancing awesome peace, so he could love his life, love his wife, love his children and bring as many of us with him as any one man can

Six Beautiful Nights