Signs of Spring Everywhere

Well, today is the day! The Dasher is supposed to be ready for pickup at Holder's High Performance Garage. Darrel Holder, the proprietor of Holder's High Performance, finds his true passion in custom building and racing Dragsters. He has three or four of them at all times in his shop. They're always impeccably maintained and ready to head off to the races. Unfortunately, I'm starting to wonder whether his passion for the race cars carries over to my old crate. I'll have a better idea today when I go over there. Anyway, after a winter of software boondoggles, freezing temperates in my pottery studio, and reverse cash flows, spring is very welcome. All over our yard and at the studio trees are budding, daffodils are popping up, and I haven't had to do the 6:00 in the morning wind shield ice scrape before heading off to the shop. And for me, perhaps the greatest symbol of spring has been my 5 month old son, jack, experiencing live music out on the back deck at Duckpond this weekend for the first time. Somethings telling me it's going to be a great summer.

Fish Sandwich Run

Ah! Here is my first edited video. In trying to get this video blog (vlog) up, I had a big learning curve ahead of me working out all the technical issues. While my wife, Jen, was in the other room putting the final touches on the divorce papers, I'd be talking for days on end with tech people trying to get video editing software to install on my computer. I finally had to face the fact that my machine just wasn't up to the task. Our computer trying to run editing software was like the smoking, choking, beat up old family station wagon- loaded to the gills- heading for the big mountain vacation...disaster lurked around every corner. But then I discovered Kaltura. www.kaltura.com/ is an online community settled around a really excellent video editing tool. I now upload all my videos to Kaltura and make my edits there. It's great! So "Fish Sandwich Run" is my very first edited video and I'm pathetically proud. The voice behind the action is the wonderful Lyndsay Wojcik. You'll all be seeing more of her as she is scheduled to be the very first official interview on The Beer Run. Check her out at her Myspace www.myspace.com/lyndsaywojcikband Right now the star of the show, my 1980 V.W. Dasher Diesel Station Wagon, is in the shop getting a new fuel pump.

monday music

Monday Night Music...
Our friends The Moon Shine Babies occasionally host an informal Monday night neighborhood jam and sing along. This is Rudy singing the blues...

Trial Run for "The Beer Run"

This was a trial run for my new dashboard camera mount. I created a high tech mounting device (some wood, a bolt and liquid nails)to create a swivel mount for our video camera. While driving down Rich Mountain Road on a snowy afternoon, I test my new device and discuss Gainesville, Florida artist & musician, Lenny Kesl...here are my ramblings...