I like -

1) I LOVE the smell of salt in the air. I especially love the way salt collects on our skin while we play at the beach all day.

2) I like running.  I literally run wherever my little mind will take me and I rarely run the same path twice. I run for time and heart rate. Its all I have left now that my Soccer days are over as a player.

3) I am a tone freak. Heavy Strings, Tube amps and vintage guitars are a combination made in heaven. I have a sound that is as unique to my guitar playing as it is to the sound of my own voice. My guitars all bear the scars of this discovery process. I am all about Music.

4) Put me in the water. I love to surf, swim, scuba, snorkel…You name it. Swimming in a pool just doesn’t cut it.

5) Love, Love, Love hot sauces!!! D’elidas from Panama is hands down my absolute favorite but I have to import it from Panama myself!!!

6) I have all but quit drinking but I still love the taste of A few libations. My favorite beer is Dogfish Head 90 minute IPA.  I was once a big Rum drinker and have a sizable collection.  Save yourself some time and trouble and get you a bottle of Santa Teresa 1796 from Venezuela. 

7) Musicians, Artists and Athletes - I get on well with folks who have this sort of intellect.

My daughter - Um, the sun rises and sets on that young lady. it is so cool spend time with the new improved version of myself. Lately she has taken to crushing me in the pool and over the road. I only wish I could sing as well as she does and I’m a good singer. She is an absolutely lovely human being.

9) My wife - She is the go to person for anything that is fun in my life.  She loves adventure.  She is beautiful and absolutely brilliant. I have not met anyone like her before or since. I am a lucky man.

10) For some reason I am great with plants. I view it as a curse actually. While I love plants, I am stretched to my limit. Everywhere I go they seem to follow me.

Certainly this isn’t everything. If you choose to fill your life with love there will be many things about you that will find their way into your very soul.

May the Spirit of Christmas be upon each of you!

Peace,

Bobby

Crazy stuff that goes through my mind…

I have to bite my tongue when someone doubts my playing ability on the guitar before I start. The doubts fade right around 10 seconds into my playing.

The macho code. Truth be told I am always quite spooked by sharks in the water when we surf. Big turtles and dolphins have startled the hell out of me too.

I still don’t understand hair transplant surgery on a dude. Vanity in men just makes me wonder.

I still feel like my Z is brand new after almost 7 years. I can’t describe my connection to that car. I have a similar connection to my Toyota FJ Cruiser.

My brother isn’t going to work out in our band. He has the talent but doesn’t have the drive.

I don’t miss drinking.

My friends and family are all worried about me. Some quietly, some openly. Perhaps I have retreated into my own little world.

I have dreams about buying a sailboat and traveling to the Carribean. I am actively looking for a big sailboat that will handle it.

I need to get pro access. I better find a box to send this hot sauce to Matt with my money while I’m at it…

I have to go to Williamsburg tonight. My “coach” has an office there. I’m so damn paranoid that my peers would know so I travel pretty far to keep it under wraps. It has never been a secret in this space.

I have depression issues when my beloved summer turns to fall.

Here is a paradox. I am very social and friendly. Underneath all of it I am a loner and would be comfortable alone for weeks at a time. That will never happen.

I haven’t slept well in months.

I am human. I’m not perfect. I have doubts and worries.

I think I’ll take a walk and clear my head.

Peace,
Bobby

Doing the solo acoustic mini set between sets…..

I saw them walk out on stage last night. I know exactly what they were thinking. The anticipation of the crowd and the performers was tremendous. Watching musicians live out the dream is incredible. Incubus rocked the house.

I have lived that dream but not on that large of a scale. The largest festival I have played had close to 2000 people and I will never forget it as long as I live. We had over 800 watch us on father’s day this year and for me it was tremendous. I still have the big Rock & Roll dreams and I am 45. The sheer power must be overwhelming.

Anyhow, I was just thinking about the state of anticipation many of us feel when an event inspires us.

It could be anything. Preaching to the masses. The first pitch of a baseball game. The first big wave of the day, A piano recital. The list is endless I am sure.

I try my very best to live in a state of anticipation. It helps me stay organized and this anticipation allows me to focus on the next task or event.

Look to the future.

Live in the moment.

Peace be with you,

Bobby

Frisco Beach on the Island of Cape Hatteras. Shot taken July 2009.

Practice last night was surreal. It is common for us to have several guests in our home while we play. Last night was no exception. This was Kelly’s last night with The Two Five.

I am encouraged by my daughter’s continued improvement with the guitar. I look forward to watching her play in other bands when the time comes. Her ability to sing is an absolute gift.

I see great things happening in her life. Things change when they move away to college.

One thing never changes.

I will always be her father.

Peace be with you,

Bobby

It isn’t often that we see flat and glassy conditions on the Atlantic Ocean. The water visibility was 10-12 feet inshore which is amazing for such turbid water. While we didn’t get any surfing done, we managed to enjoy what little waves there were with a Boogie Board.

Picture taken near ramp 49 on Hatteras Island, NC. July 11th 2009.

This was the view from the back of my truck.

You can be certain this water is filled to the brim with living creatures.

Life is beautiful if you know where to look.

Peace be with you,
Bobby

I worked in the lawn and flower beds for two hours after work last night. I don’t mind the high heat and humidity. It comes with the territory. Tonight I’m going over to one of my properties and clearing some overgrowth with a machete after my workout. Believe it or not this is a lot of fun.

You can bank on me jumping in the water afterwards.

Saturday and Sunday? Oh you and I both know I will get my chores done early because we are going to the beach. My Sister is in Frisco this weekend (A village on Hatteras Island) and she will let me know if the surf is up early that morning. If it is, I see myself going down there and spending the night.

Of course if the bay is flat and glassy then I’ll stay home and ride the jetski. I feel like taking a long trip on that thing for some odd reason. Crazy golf cart rides will rule the evening I am sure if I stay home.

Sunday we have some friends coming over to grill some elk meat once we leave the beach. I have never had it and I am looking forward to trying it.

Now that my brother is seperated/divorcing his very cruel wife, we see more and more of him. I think he is coming over with my niece tonight. I do my very best to never say anything negative.
For the sake of honesty she is consumed with anger (just in general) and it has made her a very ugly human being both inside and out. She has let it run unchecked in her life and makes sport of turning it on herself and others. Her anger is an awful curse.

I view my anger as a gift. It motivates me to be a better person. You can harness its energy to do so many positive things. Don’t dwell on it. Recognizing it is 100% of the battle.

See you on the beach. (Hopefully in a good mood).

Oh and for those of you who don’t swim; get on over to the pool and take some lessons already!!!
Sheesh….

Peace,
Bobby

Success

Stop and stare at that word for awhile. I swirl it around in my brain from time to time and sometimes it kicks me in the teeth and often it fits.

Success has so many categories and moving parts and they are constantly changing. Some of your successes are linked to other parts of your life.

Where do I feel success? It depends.

I am successful in my marriage. I am a successful father. I certainly have acquired my share of possessions. I have made friends and went as far as I could in my athletic endeavors.

Success can change over time. Now, I feel like a success if I run a mile in 7 minutes. I sure as hell can’t do three in a row(I’m in the mid 8’s now) but back in the day I could do these these things in the low 5’s and my sprint speed was much faster…You will never survive competitive soccer without speed. I’m in a herd of turtles running through a field of peanut butter now. Coaching is all I have left. My heart lets me know what I can do…

I have come to the conclusion that my success isn’t measured by the things I own. I once thought it was but now I know it isn’t true. I have climbed that mountain. It is bare at the top…stuff doesn’t equal success….

Seriously, Do I REALLY need 500 channels on my TV when I really only watch 2 or 3 channels tops? Hell, I don’t even watch TV unless I need to sleep. How much stuff do I really need?

The list is endless.

I already have all the tools to be successful right inside that little brain of mine.

Success comes with its share of failure, this much I do know.

Nothing worthwhile is easy. Some things of course will seem effortless and others will be a struggle.

So, where is this headed? Hmmm, I’m looking to simplify my life.

Sounds simple right?

We shall see. The good news is if you pick the wrong fork in the road you can back track and eventually pick the right fork.

The path of life and the path of success can be almost one in the same if you just remember to keep it simple.

Peace,

Bobby

Portsmouth Island, NC Taken 2004. Uninhabited and about as simple as it gets….

Holy crap I am getting pretty tired of this heart arrhythmia crap. It hit me again last night at 10:35 on the button and they couldn’t resolve it until 3am this morning. I’m a tired puppy.

No pics from last night. I don’t want to look at anything like that for a long time.

Apparently, I have what they call 1st degree heart block which isn’t internal blockage but more along the lines of an electrical problem.

I still run and lift and do all the things I am up to doing. As a matter of fact I ran yesterday afternoon and had a very good run so the Atrial fib surprised me.

What does it feel like when you have it? Good question.

You lose 25% of your heart capacity and I would say it is much like pulling a spark plug wire away from one of your 4 cylinder cars and having it run on 3 cylinders. Makes your pulse rate go up by about 20-40 percent to compensate. Spooky. You feel it clanking about and it makes you dizzy pretty quickly.

So, I have my grandfather’s heart. He ignored his. It took him away at age 64.

I saw him in my dreams last night. He didn’t say much but in my dream he was watching me in the ER.

He closely watched Mabel work on me in the emergency room and he kissed the top of her head. He just looked at me and said “She really loves you”.

Mabel tells me she dreamed about my grandfather a few nights before. “Strange” she said…. He has never visited me before….What a nice man.

I don’t know what else to say.

I guess I should continue to count my blessings…

Peace,
Bobby