Hmmm let me see, where have I been? I think it safe to say that I have been in a state of purgatory for a little while.

In my little world of work it gets a little bit crazy when you change jobs from one company to the next. You literally resign on the spot, take all of your belongings and walk out the door to begin working for your new company as soon as they legally release you from your old place of employment. In other words, you start work on Friday night and don’t look up until you are finished several weeks later.

You don’t have much time to say goodbye or even think about the relationships you leave behind. That is one part of the job I despise. Unfotunately, they are beginning to lay people off from that office now that I have left. I feel terrible.

Life was so stressful I seriously contemplated suicide. The ONLY think that kept me from dying is the love I have for my daughter and wife. Never underestimate the power of love. In my case it saved my life for I was haunted by a lone gunman who wanted to end everything for about a week.

I am now a Senior Vice President for a new company; Partner of our own Real Estate business and a director for a Charitable Foundation.  

I am overwhelmed by the love and support I have received from my friends and family. I would be nothing without them.

For weeks, I thought the light at the end of the tunnel just might be a train. I’m beginning to think it could be sunlight.

Flash Forward….

I am alive. I am relatively well. I turned 46 years old on Saturday. I am running races and exercising like crazy.

I have been following you quietly. There are several of you I love. Some of you don’t know it so I may make it a point to tell you over the next coming days. Please accept it for it is all I have to offer.

Stay tuned.

Peace be with you,

Bobby

A new twist on an old picture. This one taken for Christmas 2009.

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

My biggest job?  Years ago, I once thought that my job was to work as hard as I can and make lots of money.  I enjoyed my youth and have few regrets about what I have done with it.

I didn’t realize at the tender age of 23 that being a husband was such an important job. I guess I forgot to read the memo.  Balancing your friends, family, wife and career certainly was and continues to be a labor of love.

I was 26, almost 27 when I learned what love was really all about. Having a child come into the world is an overwhelming emotion. I was the first of the family to hold my daughter and to this very day I am the favorite.

Speak of favorite; that is another title I hold near and dear to my heart. I have and will continue to be many an athlete’s favorite coach.  I am my niece’s favorite uncle.  All the Serbs that stay with us will tell you straight away that I am the favorite.  I am my sister’s favorite family member. I am my father’s favorite son. I am my wife and daughter’s favorite human being.  I am my brother’s favorite sibling as well.

One could go an entire lifetime and never be a favorite.

I suppose I have countless friends who think of me in this way.  I don’t have to ask. I already know.

I am loved. No chance I’ll ever be a failure.

There are many of you who may perceive this post as being boastful.

I can assure you that bragging is not the purpose of this message.

To have love in your life you must take considerable risks.  Look for the goodness in people and expect the very best. You will never be perfect. Don’t worry about perfect. Just be sincere.

Will you get hurt along the way? Oh yes. Love can be painful. Just have a loved one die on you and this pain will become real in a hurry.

I can’t dwell on the inevitable. I can only enjoy today. I have no idea what tomorrow brings.

For now, I am happy to count my blessings.

Peace be with you,

Bobby

Hmmm,

Just sitting here thinking about life.

I got an email this morning and my sister tells me her Best friends brother in law (and passenger) died in a car wreck last night. These men were 20 and 21 years old.  Single car crash at a high rate of speed. All over the news of course…

God knows I have done my share of that stuff. I guess it wasn’t my time.

My other buddy texted me to let me know his son got into Cornell University. This is the same 17 year kid who wrecked his motorcycle and broke a wrist, knee and ruptured a testicle. We call Chris “Captain Blueball”. Guess it wasn’t his time.

I hit a jetty once when I was surfing. I was knocked out and broke my board. My friend pulled me to shore and I have no recollection of the incident till this very day other than blood all over the back of my head and my broken board.  Ever heard the phrase “Swim with a buddy”?  Trust me it makes sense. You would have never met me if I wasn’t saved by my buddy Bruce.

Looking back, I was upset about my board. I was too stupid to think I could have died. I never told my parents exactly what happened.  You just put this stuff out of your mind.

Every day we live, we run the risk of dying. I accept these risks as a part of life. I would rather live my life as a series of experiences.

We only get one chance.

Make today count. While you are at it, tell someone you love them.

Peace be with you,

Bobby

“It ain’t bragging if its true.” - Mohammed Ali

I have already started talking smack to all of my neighborhood friends about the upcoming road races starting with this year and going into next June. Now of course I make up a bunch of crap about everyone just to make things sporty.

Nothing says “fun” like beating your friends on race day. Unfortunately, Kelly is going to clean my clock this year. Her fitness levels and my age are taking us in different directions.

Are you sitting down?

My wife and daughter have convinced me that swimming laps in an olympic sized pool is great exercise. I haven’t been in a swimming pool for several years.  Honestly, if you push yourself the workouts are more strenuous than anything else you can do.  Shedding weight and picking up speed just happens if you swim.

I still despise pools. YUK!

My folks are in town until New Years. My father has declined quite a bit. He can’t get past his pain and depression so he literally sits around doing nothing.  Please kick me if I EVER get that way.

We have all of our decorations throughout the house but no presents under the tree. Perhaps I can change the landscape a bit during lunch. I have wrapping paper in my credenza and if I buy a few things and wrap them, I can put them under the tree tonight.

Maybe that would put a smile on everyone’s face.

Reflecting back on 2009,  it has been one of the most difficult years I can ever recall. So many changes all at one time.

Looking back in anger would not be wise.

I am grateful for all of my blessings.

May the spirit of the holidays be with you and those you love.

Peace be with you,

Bobby

I heard her singing last night. She sings like a bird really. I can sing but I cannot sing like she does.

Well, let me just tell you that once you become a seasoned musician you will also have a few favorite pieces of equipment. I am guilty of this behavior. So is she… I could wax poetic about amp circuits, pickups, microphones etc.

Anyhow, I hear this loud shriek with Kelly calling me upstaris into the music studio (Over the PA system so you know my deaf a** heard her)

Her *favorite* microphone in the whole wide world has broken. I have done a few repair jobs on it in the past and it has held up to live performance like a champ. Unfortunately, this microphone is no longer manufactured. Electrovoice makes nice mikes but this one is special.

Yikes!!! It has physically fallen apart…It is worn slam out.

I know you are probably thinking to yourself that you should just use another microphone? After all they are the same you must be thinking.

Uh no.

Ask any musician worth their salt and you will find this microphone thing to be a real issue. I have certain favorite microphones I use with my guitar amplifiers. (Shure SM57 for those of you who are afflicted for my amp only). I have different vocals and so I use a different vocal mike.

Recording studio mikes are another story for another day. Don’t go down that road. It isn’t pretty.

So what are we doing this evening?

Apparently, we are hunting for a microphone…

May the spirit of Thanksgiving be upon each and everyone of you. I look back at Thanksgiving past and see the pictures. Looking forward, you will find that there will be loved ones who can no longer make the celebration.

We are here but for a short while. Make every minute count.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Bobby

Here is the kid and the mike in question….

Hmmmm. Aren’t you excited about the future? I think I am. Now that I am all of 45 years old I realize these could be the most productive years of my life.

I have former soccer players playing the sport in college now. I remember many of them as young as 6 years old…

I have taken a few guitar students over the years and several of them are playing in some pretty good bands now.

If nothing changed; everything would be the same. I don’t know who made that quote but I accept the fact that things change.

The children and young adults I meet today are absolutely incredible. Light years ahead of my generation. Pretty level headed too…

I’m sick and tired of reading all the bad stuff. I’m here to tell you it isn’t all bad.

Changing gears….

My daughter comes home today and will stay until Thanksgiving weekend is over.

It is in these moments that I am truly happy.

She wants me to run with her everyday. Absolutely.

I know part of today’s run will be on the beach. 62 degrees and sunny.

See you there.

Peace,
Bobby

My daughter taken October 2009

Sue - Happy 29th birthday or is this simply another anniversary of your 29th birthday? I am so thankful for your friendship. You have been a blessing and inspiration to many of us through your journal. I love reading about you, your family and all the wonderful things you do with your travel business. I am grateful for your kindness and friendship. You are a wonderful human being. You are loved by someone in Virginia….

Cherish - Since I won’t be around on your birthday I thought I may as well go ahead and Blast you with a birthday cake. I’m really not much of a Baker (No, really I am not) so I figure I’ll buy you a case of moon pies (A Southern Favorite) and stick a candle on top. You tell some of the best stories I have ever read. My birthday wish for you is that you learn how to swim. I hope that you always stay young at heart and never grow up too much. You are and will always be our own personal cheerleader. I love you and absolutely expect the best for you and those you love.

I consider your friendships to be significant and carry all of you in my heart even though none of you have ever met me in 3d.

Thank you for sharing your lives.

Peace be with you,
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…..

Back in the days when my drinking habits were a little more intense it was well known that I was not a fine wine drinker by any stretch of the imagination. In other words, if you have an expensive bottle of wine don’t waste it on me because I have no clue.

A good bottle of wine to me is something made with apples, peaches or strawberries. Many times this stuff is homemade. I always prefer to drink from plastic cups thank you very much.

Some of my neighbors attended a wine festival last weekend and of course I declined. I may as well go to a paint tasting contest. Yuk. Oh, I’m sure it was fun and all but wine just isn’t my thing.

I have friends that travel to Napa and France just to tour the wine country. They are REALLY into it.

Anyhow, one of my friends told me she had a gift for me this Sunday. I waited outside talking to her husband and I’m thinking to myself * I hope it isn’t a bottle of wine*….

Sure enough she comes outside and is carrying a bottle of wine. Not just any bottle of wine either.
This one happened to be a bottle of Apple - Strawberry wine. With a cork no less…from Bedford Virginia of all places. Check out www.peaksofotterwinery.com

You know what? That was a very thoughful & wonderful gift. Most wine snobs wouldn’t be caught dead with this stuff.

Care to grab a plastic cup and join me on the patio?

Cheers,
Bobby