Live Long and Prosper...

Many of those who know me well will question the title…but I have beaten the “Old Grim Reaper” out of almost thirty years. And my economic circumstances might not be thought of as prosperous…but it depends on how you define prosperity. When I was younger my type “A” personality drove me chase those things that other people determined made you successful. After all my heart issues and other health “bullshit”…I determined that material things don’t REALLY mean a damn thing.

I have been fortunate enough to live long enough to appreciate all the blessings that I have been given.

Among these I number: an extremely wonderful wife Sarah, my three Children: Ben, Aimee, and Lynsey(who all happen to be SMART ASSES – who would have thought that), my daughter-in-law Jena, my son-in-law Kristopher, my step-granddaughter Mandi , and my five “little baby girls”, Bryanna, Danielle, MacKenzie, Caitlin, and Emily. I have also had a few very wonderful friends…some who are no longer with us…but were important in my life none the less.

My best friend Ron Lamberg has been my friend since we were about 14(he is riding his motorcycle up six and a half hours to see me this Spring – a REAL friend), my friend, and sometime lover , Susan McCann, My friend Nancy Brainard, my friends Gary and Dagney Lingen (both are no longer with us), my friend Bob Goldenberg (also no longer with us), and my dear friend Vern Moore (who passed away about this time last year).

I appreciate the ability to see great movies and listen to wonderful music (in every genre), and being a tiny bit anal retentive, I create lists…GREATEST MOVIES, Greatest Love songs, 100 greatest guitarists, 25 GREATEST Male Vocalists, 25 GREATEST female vocalists, etc. (you get the picture). All of these lists are VERY subjective, and sometimes get me into trouble.

I sort of live by this quote of Leo Kottke’s: “I will literally open my mouth not knowing what is coming out.”

I was looking over my FAVORITE guitarist list and was shocked that the list was full of a lot of old people and a lot of dead people. Among those deceased are: Chet Atkins, Les Paul, Jimi Hendrix, Mike Bloomfield, Jerry Garcia, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and George Harrison. Dick Dale is 72, Duane Eddy is 71, Roy Clark is 67, Bonnie Raitt and Richard Thompson are 60, Jimmy Page is 56, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Eddie Van Halen and Pat Metheny are 55, David Gilmour, Pete Townshend and Leo Kottke are all 54, Ry Cooder, Justin Hayward, and Joe Satriani are 53, Carlos Santana is 52, and Mark Knopfler is 50. Pushing this group is Steve Vai at 49, and the Swedish guitarist Yngwie Johann Malmsteen at 46.

But there are some wonderful younger guitar heroes: Herman Li (33) and Sam Totman (26) of Dragonforce and Orianthi (Pangaris) (24)…so there is a VERY bright future.

Yes my life is good…and in the evenings Sarah plays the piano and I sing with her (paraphrasing Leo once more) “in my baritone which could be described as goose farts on a muggy day.” But she enjoys it (See what wondrous things love can do?)


…there will be more next time…