AHHHHHHHH

There are certain people in my life that perk me up whenever they enter the room. I saw this clearly in my grandmother before she died. She would almost levitate off the ground upon seeing me. Her joy abounded!! When Ernie Sr. recently died it was as if the person that gave me that jolt was no longer around. That was until I got a phone call from his son today - that same jolt hit me.

Ernie and I talked briefly about how similiar him and his father were. It was as if they were clones of each other. Both of them loved life fully and got everyone around them into a festive mood.

Ernie Sr's legacy definetly lives on in his son. Ernie Jr. has gone on to coach his daughters to the state championships in soccer, he has become extremely successful in business and has been happily married going on twenty years. He is a definite inspiration.

We never know how much inspiration others gain in our actions. In the mental health field I have been changing my approach lately and have been trying to incorporate the "jolt". A long time great listener, I thought it was crucial to lend an ear to somebody and have them felt heard. It is nice to be heard, but how often have we not only felt appreciated but loved? In adoring somebody, incredible healing can take place.

Test it out. In your next communication with somebody, instead of pointing out their failures, simply focus on their beauty instead. People with mental health issues become more confident within themselves in response to this.

Sorry, didn't mean to go off on a mental health tangent, but human behavior is simply facinating to me. We weren't ever given a hand book on how to live life so I am trying to scoop up as much information through trial and error as I possibly can. In reading the Burn Ward book you become acutely aware of my errors.

Anyway, thank you Ernie Sr. for your influence, same to you Ernie Jr.

Echo's From the Past

As I sit here and watch the L.A. Lakers play the Boston Celtics in game 7 of the world championship series, I am aware of all the echo's from my past. Lakers, Celtics, fans screaming, physical play, the referee's missing calls - the only missing element is Chick Hearn. Oh how I loved it when he put games in his infamous refrigerator. "The door is closed. The lights are out. The butter's getting hard. And the Jello's Jiggling!"

It's half time and the Lakers are down. Jerry West would bring them back. So would Magic Johnson. Now it is up to Kobe Bryant. Hey I got bit a long time ago. Not at the Burn Ward. I have been a fan ever since Wilt Chamberlain played. Wilt the Stilt was my favorite, then Kareem - originally Lew Alcindor, now it is Kobe Bryant.

I've taken a lot of flak from people for liking a suposed rapist and a man they see as arrogant. People can hate success. Let's face it, this guy excells at what he does - as does Lebron James and hundreds of others in the NBA. I like seeing somebody, so confident, taking care of business.

This is the great American past time - as is World Cup Soccer which is going on now. The kitchen staff at the facility I work at was going nuts today with Mexico beating France. You would have thought it was Cinco De Mayo around here!

Basketball - actually Laker basketball reminds me of my youth. The sky hook, underhand free throw shots, no three point line. Three free throw attempts to make two in the bonus. My oh my has the game changed - for the better. Now we have high flying acrobats from Shannon Brown. Derek Fisher - old in the leagues terms - playing like a teenager.

Obviously I am chomping at the bit, waiting for the second half to begin.

I'll leave with a story about my all time favorite Magic Johnson.

I went to Hawaii after the Lakers beat Detroit in seven games. Wouldn't you know it while I was waiting for the elevator the doors opened and there stood a smiling Magic Johnson. He was staying at my same hotel. Excited I shadowed my hero and followed him into the pool for a friendly game of volleyball with the other vacationers. When I came face to face with Magic from the other side of the net I said, "Hey Magic, I am going to block your spike," with a grin. Magic smiled and nodded and said "Bring it on." Well it took a few moments and my opportunity came. They set the ball to him perfectly and while laughing I leaped out of the water and was looking down on my hero. Magic simply tipped the ball over my outstretched hands and in slow motion I watched the ball sadly drop onto the water beneath me. All were laughing including Magic and myself.

Have a great evening. GO LAKERS!!!

Thank God for Tile Work

I had quite a weekend as I paid my pentence to God while tiling my father's bedroom floor. I use home improvements to get my frustration out, get in a great workout, lose some excess weight and interact with friends and family. To me, the torture of the work is used as time to reflect on the good and not so good in life.

I believe any endeavor gives us an opportunity to tune inwardly. I found my thoughts this weekend were dominated by the passing of Ernie Sr. At a time I didn't trust anybody over age thirty, Ernie entered my life and showed me love, admiration, and fun. This guy was a hoot and I will never forget him. We watched Kraftwerk play at the Santa Monica Civic. My father would never go to watch a German Band crank out Synthesized music. He was like a little kid - as always - loving every minute of the show.

My thoughts meandered on my dad's life and how his house is finally looking not only improved, but Cosmopolitan. Yep, with the tile now in every room and the new coat of paint on some of the walls is perking the place up. I remember when my dad lived in a two bedroom apartment in the San Fernando Valley with a bunch of kids, the heat, and neighbors who tortured cats constantly. How great is it that he has his own place now and I have the honor of fixing it up. In three weekends the tile is finally finished and the next projects are: bamboo flooring in the living room - which should be easy, a concrete extention to the front of the house - which is going to be horrible if it is hot. Sixty bags of concrete? I'll start out with twenty and go from there. Too bad I can't bring the mixer from the desert. Maybe my dad will step out and rent a mixer? Oh please God that would be a dream. Then the final project is doing something with the weeds in the back yard. I think dad wants to put up a wooden awning. I look forward to this - but doing it by myself will be difficult - like 90% of the tile was.

Now I am regaining my strength. I am reminded of the times coming of hallucinogens and burning out for days. The recovery process feels like this, but I do sleep like a baby at night. I wonder, as I age, how much longer I can do this stuff. I watched a home improvement show this morning and saw a group of guys in their twenties build an upper deck to their home. For twenty consecutive weekends these guys were sawing, hammering, hauling, and exhausted to the point of wanting to give up. I laughed. I know how they feel and I am thirty years older than they are and still doing it. Thank you God for giving me this body.

Ernie you will be missed, you came into my life at a time I needed you most. I will never forget the fact that you showed me people were simply people and age was just a friggin number. I just hope I can match the amount of joy you had in your life. You were taken away from all of us much too soon. Please God, keep a special place for this teacher of mine.

Getting Hopeful

There is a stir at my job about the book. It is as if the Red Sea parted and we had a brief break in all the madness of the emergency room to focus on the real important things in life - me. Ha ha!

The latest: The book is now being edited by an actual professional! I don't think you understand the scope of this. I shopped the book around to dozens of editors, asked friends and friends of friends who knew how to properly spell and only got one taker - my loving sister.

Now the book goes to the next level in its evolution. If the Man of White Light is reading this - please watch over this project and get it to the real presses. Sorry if I hurt you amazon.com - I love you up to this point. However having a book at Barnes and Nobel would be incredible!

I can see it. I am walking into the local Santa Monica store, I see the wacky cover design by my friend Mike, and see people looking at the cover laughing, filing through the book and intrigued, and then I would simply make a comment about how great the author was. Then I would whisper "I'll sign it if you buy a copy" with a grin.

I did meet you one time, Enlightened Man. This isn't too big of a request. It does have you in the book, if I have to remind you of the fact.

So, happy reading in the rough form. Who knows, this original version may be a collectors item, so get them while you can. Did you read that Amazon. I am trying to drum you up some business.

What I hoped for!

In writting the Burn Ward book, there were two intentions that I set out. The first was to of course make sense of the craziness that went on in my life and share it with others, and the second was to reconnect with the characters from the past. Both of these have come true. Bill - aka Jaws has contacted me and sounds wonderful. His son is about to graduate also from Cal Berkeley - how cool is that! He told me about the trials and tribulations that his former girlfriend Mary has gone through but is a true warrior and is doing well after some tragedies in her life.

I feel like a proud papa in giving birth to this project. I got an email from Dave who sent a copy of the book to his cousin at a real time publisher who is going to give it the fine tooth combing it deserves - though my sister and I think the book is perfect in the format it is already in - but don't tell that to his cousin, we want her to feel included in the project - like it's her baby so she can shop it to her higher ups.

Suddenly the waiting game begins again, though this time more is at stake - we all hope. In the meantime I watch the Lakers go up and down and cringe while each second of the game ticks off, I fill my days with physical labor in the mornings and weekends to bide my time, and according to my mother ignore her. How in the world can I do that? How can anybody not think about their own mother in each given day? I do owe her a phone call, but for now the busyness of life has come between our relationships for the time being.

If you are new to the blog and have lived the Burn Ward - either this one, or one on your own, give me a shout out and let me know how your world is also.

Peace

A Jammin Good Time!

Last week I blogged about a great group named Venice. Well last weekend I attended their fundraiser for the Santa Monica School system and was blown away! Every year they play with famous musicians, the students and have an auction of a few instruments - which is a blast with the Auctioneer speaking a mile a minute. This event blew me away.

Fee Waybill from the Tubes was hot! "Talk to you later", "One in a million girl! The guy from men at work! "Who can it be now", "The land Down Under." And the guy from Tears for Fears. Who sang one song - I can't recall the name, that is still haunting me.

My favorite time was when the students were involved in music medleys. "Cashmere", "Bohemian Rapsody", and music from the Beatles had everybody on their seats!

The only detriment to the evening actually happened in the morning when I read that Ernie's father - Ernie Sr. had died. He has a huge entry in the Burn Ward book when he hired me as Santa, drove me like a bat out of hell in the neighborhood and welcomed me as a son to his family. Ernie will be missed.

Until we blog again.

Game Board

I saw it! It was awesome! Like a dream it jumped out from the screen and winked at me! The game board structure has been built! Oh my God have the ideas been flying!

My buddy Mike has been working on the "Corporate Bull" for Facebook. It was a game we developed twenty plus years ago. Now it is about to become an overnight success!

I always laugh at that statment. So often people are overnight successes after writing for years, acting in off broadway plays, and spending decades on developing products that finally grab the attention of somebody who knows how to market it. Well Mike may have found the vehicle and since I have played Corporate Bull tons of times, I know all too well that people are going to eat this game up!

How often have you gone through bullsh.. in your office? How often have you seen coworkers brown nose their way through difficulties or to get promoted. There is about to be a game available to all that not only celebrates this, but it also is darn fun to play. My job is to take the guts of this game and shift it to the relationship arena.

If your heart is beating, you too have had your fill of relationship bull. Why not embrace it? I think people will get a kick out of seeing the rediculous issues and scenarios that are common to functional and dysfunctional relationships played out in a gaming format.

Now the game is moving forward and taking great shape. I can't wait for the initial version to take shape.

Happy reading. I am about to email the electronic version of the Burn Ward to the professional editor. Wish me luck.

I'm Back!

I heard from my friend Dave and am about to send a copy of the book to his cousin - who works for a huge publisher. If all goes well this book is about to take off! How exciting is this? I appreciate all the murmering that has been going on. Thank you all so much for telling friends and family about the book. There are a lot of people that are really intrigued with the haunted house and even the exploits we had while selling t-shirts.

I think I have been talking more about concerts lately then spirituality which surprises me. You would think a paranormal type book would elicit talks on spirituality. However as the book unfolds it becomes more of a t-shir oddesey at first so I understand it.

What were your favorite concerts you have seen? I've heard Rick Springfield puts on a hell of a show, but to me, and I've seen a lot of great shows, my favorite was Steve Winwood. Why? Because of the shock value.

After the Burn Ward adventure I got into the production business and produced radio and television spots. Because of this I got a few perks. One of which was set up by a local radio station because we had advertised with them so often.

The partners of our firm were taken to Tony Romas at the Universal Amphitheater, treated to a fine meal, then walked across the street to front row center seats and saw REO Speedwagon, which was a little past their prime, but it was cool shaking hands with the group backstage. The shocker was the next act - an unknown guy I had never seen or heard. At first he started playing familiar tunes from the past - "The low spark of high heal boys" was the first. "Who is this guy?" I kept asking my partner. Then he played "Higher Love" a tune that I never heard before. Song after song sent me to my feet! I was enthrawled! This unknown was phenominal! Yes I had seen Van Halen, Aerosmith, The Rolling Stones, and even the Beatles! Okay so this guy didn't measure up to the Beatles - because nobody can. Trust me, all the other musicians in my mind are trying to vy for second place - if you know what I mean. But there seated in my second place spot is Steve Winwood.

Last year this number two spot was almost taken over by a local band in the Los Angeles area called Venice. I had known this band since the early 1980's! My fiance's daughter is best friends with their guitar player - a guy I had met way back when. I used to play softball with his cousin and this gooney, smiley guy used to come out and support the team. He still is gooney and smiley and one hell of a musician! Their benefit concert for the Santa Monica Schools was simply amazing! In fact they are winding up the benefit show this weekend and I can't wait to see them play again. It is one of their songs I would love to see in the Burn Ward movie - if it ever happens.

So happy reading and stay tuned for a list of the worst concerts I had witnessed. And trust me - that list is much longer than the good.