SUNRISE - June 24, 2011

June 24, 2011 Sunrise 5:43 am

"Interviewer: 'So Frank, you have long hair. Does that make you a woman?' 
Frank Zappa: 'You have a wooden leg. Does that make you a table?"  — Frank Zappa

They say that ignorance is bliss - or perhaps just a sign of an early onslaught of  Alzheimer's.

So having discovered the hedonistic pleasure of someone else brushing out your ponytail and fixing it for you every morning (a rare experience for men) ...I thought nothing of an after dinner "ponytail re-do'  - a gift from my daughter...much like a scalp massage - except better....

...until I returned home later from a hour long guitar lesson with my music teacher and a subsequent half-hour shopping excursion at the local grocery store after (long line of people behind me in the store), only to discover I had been "Barbie-ized" with a bright green band "ballet bun" on the back of my head.

Lise said she noticed it standing behind me in line at the store but didn't want to embarrass me by saying anything.  This "bun" was built to last with several Bobbie pins and a net for added stability.

Somehow the two women in my life thought this was hysterical, laughing so hard their ribs ached.  I did not see the humor so much...maybe a bit more now...

rlw

SUNRISE May 15, 2011

May 15, 2011 Sunrise 5:53 am

Bob on Bass Open Mic Night 5-14-11

     “Dream as if you will live forever, live like you will die today.” - James Dean 

“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the one thing I can, and the wisdom to know it's me.“ - Unattributed

Sarah - Ballet Demonstration
5-14-11

Sarah- Principal Cellist
outdoor concert 5-14-11

       Fantastic performing arts day for us Saturday.  Sarah played with her school orchestra at an outdoor concert at her school in the morning (very cold and windy), then off to her annual ballet demonstration dance for her class in the afternoon and then 'open-mic' night for May for Bob.  Performed 2 of his 3 song play list - a bit better than last time.  Goal is to have two new songs each month.  

My teacher is going to help the 'Family Von Welton' with a Violin (or piano), Cello, Bass rendition of 'House of the rising Sun for the three of us to perform live at an upcoming open mic night.  How cool will that be?

rlw

SUNRISE - February 12, 2011

February 12, 2011 Sunrise 6:39 am

"How does a child spell LOVE?"

T.I.M.E.

Well worth the time invested for this past few days.  I am sure Sarah was glad we made the journey to watch her play.

Drove back from Disneyland today just in time to shower, change clothes and go to see Romeo & Juliet by the Sacramento Ballet.  Fantastic.  Tragic, but great love story.  Beautiful costumes...dancers were superb.

"How does a spouse spell LOVE?"

T.I.M.E.

We missed the boys when they moved out on their own.  We are starting to get snapshots of when Sarah will be out of the nest.

Lise and I have had kids in the house the whole time we have known each other.  Soon, there will be a time just for us.  We got a small piece of that nugget of time this weekend.  We are looking forward to more.

rlw

SUNRISE - January 23, 2011

January 23, 2011 Sunrise: 7:18

"Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat". - Theodore Roosevelt


Very foggy start today, but it burned off by mid morning.  I spent the better part of the weekend rearranging my lists.  Lists, lists, here and there; my God, they are everywhere!

I dedicate so much time to my lists that I am not sure if they save me TIME and keep me on track to accomplish all that I want to with my moments.  I have so much that I wish to get done, it seems somewhat impossible at times.  Not so much that I couldn't get them done if I had all the time in the world.  Ah, but therein lies the rub.  

And then, what about the new things today that weren't on yesterday's list?  There is, however, such a certain sense of satisfaction in putting a checkmark next to the finished task (sometimes I put something on the list that I just finished, that wasn’t on the original list, just so I can cross it off and feel like I am making progress).

I finally stopped all my magazine subscriptions, because I already have a stack of previous issuers that I haven't read yet.  The internet is worse with tons of email coming in daily from information sources I have requested to keep me in the loop so much that it makes me “loopy”.

What I am grateful for today:

My Health. 

That does sound odd, I know…considering.  This weekend had Spring-like days.  Beautiful.  Lise and I went for a short walk. I couldn’t walk too far, but I could.  Great meals this weekend – I made roast chicken and stuffing with apples, pecans and cranberries for dinner.  I made a large pot of very spicy, vegetarian chili.  I ate it all.  There was a time in the not too distant past where I couldn’t eat at all.   

I went to a special presentation of the Sacramento Ballet to witness a rehearsal for an upcoming presentation of Romeo and Juliet.  Front row seat.  Magnificent!  Dancers are definitely outstanding athletes. The music, by Prokofiev, was fantastic. I know people that can’t eat solid food, walk without a cane, have migraines or back pain constantly, can’t see and can’t hear.   

I am so much better off.

rlw