Ok - how do you do this blog thing again???

Greetings, all 2.72 (and falling) of you who actually read this thang. It's been a cool, interesting, disappointing, and fast August.

The cool? Having our niecelet, Kassi down for a whole week. People my age shouldn't try to have that much fun in that short of an amount of time. Included in the festival were: a day trip to Chicago, a walk at Meijer Gardens, shopping at Rivertown, the Dark Night in IMAX, smoothies, Chinese food at Ming Ten... whew!

The interesting? I played three Sunday nights at Susie's Cafe in GR. Found that folks that go there regularly really dig my music. So, I'll be planning some other trips there in the future. But not at night - they're only open nights in the summer for ice cream. So we might do some Friday lunch music in October, and some Holiday lunch things in December. We'll see. But it was a fabulous time.

The disappointing? I think I already mentioned that I was turned down for the third time by our insurance for bariatric surgery. And with that, I officially gave up trying. I've gotten weary of the whole insurance thing, where I play the part of the mouse in the wheel, and they play the part of the 5 year old kid trying to knock the mouse off the wheel.

I'm at 470 lbs., and the whole summer went by without me doing anything about that. No bike riding, because the bike that was custom built for me missed a major dimension, and it's too big for my short legs. The knees are hellish, it's hard to move, and I begin to understand how someone decides one day to just lay down and not get up.

Although I have it on good authority that if I try and go that route, certain people will be "all up in my grill about that." :-D Knowing the person that told me that, I totally believe it... It has crossed my mind, tho - what is the point at which someone just gives up? How does someone decide one day that they're down, and they're not getting up. How does a person get to 600, 700, 800 lbs without anyone convincing them otherwise?

On the other hand, if someone has given up, no amount of talking in the world can get through to them, I'd suspect. It scares me to think of being so desolate, so lonely, so depressed that laying down and not getting up again is your only option. And it scares me that it might be me someday who doesn't get up. I hope it isn't, but still...

The fast? Summer is gone. And I never got out to enjoy it. I sat enthralled by my computer, wasting precious time I could have been out in the sunshine. Now the dark days are coming, and it's too late.

God and I are still not on a first-name basis yet. My heart remains a cold stone, not moved by worship, and I wonder what it will take to thaw it out.

Depressing? Yeah. But that's what's been roaming around in my head lately. And sometimes, the first step to changing things is cleaning out the ol' brainpan and getting rid of some of the crap. :-D

To "Shade Of My Heart"...

Happy Anniversary, my dearest Sue!

"It was 26 years ago today, Sgt. Vicki taught the man to play. They've been goin' in and out of style, but they're guaranteed to raise a smile. So let me introduce to you the act you've known for all these years..."
Mr. and Mrs. Cal & Vicki Olson

Regrets? Only that I've taken way too long to become the man I am today. Lessons learned? Too many to count. Laughter? Too much to imagine.

Having your best friend as your lifelong companion? Priceless.

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The festivities? Supper at Noodles & Company. Yup - that's it. Why? It's August. I don't see my beloved until sometime in September, after C-stone is up and running for the fall semester.

The gifts? Glad you asked...

Vicki received a painting that I commissioned for her back in April. The artist, our dear friend Lindsay, did a magnificent job with a wolf portrait for Vicki. She loves it, and Lindsay - YOU ROCK!!!!!! :-D

Shameless Commercial: Follow the link above to learn more about Lindsay's art - she is very talented, and you'll enjoy it!

Cal received a gift that keeps on giving - the mighty iMac. I know it's a good one when I overheard Vicki talking to her mom tonight, and she mentioned how almost every night this week I've been at the keyboard, just playing and working on songs, and how it's been a long l-o-n-g time since that's been the case.

The iMac makes creating music a joy, and it's nice to feel that joy again. Thank you, dearheart!

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One last thing... My friend Suzie has been working on a list of the top 10 greatest things about being married. It's gushy, sweet, and totally written from the starry-eyed perspective of a newlywed. :-D

For the record, everything she's mentioned so far only gets better as it goes along. We're 26 years into this marriage thing, and it's still amazing. So, here's a big ol' "HECK YEAH!!" out to my friends Suzie and David. I hope we continue to seek the joy and enthusiasm in our marriage that you have found in yours. Blessings, friends!!

"Mawriage... is what bwings us togethah today. Mawriage - that dweam wifhin a dweam..."

Not to mention "Twue Wove." :-D

Once you turn to the Dark Side...

It sits there, quiet, unassuming, as imposing as the black monolith in 2001... biding its time, waiting...

I try to ignore it, working away at email, reading news, catching up on blogs.

All the time, it sits, patiently, it's monstrous screen dark, awaiting the opportunity to blaze into light and color and sound and razor-sharp detail. It can afford to wait - it's time will come. It always does.

I try, try to ignore it's baleful stare, it's silky white and aluminum keyboard all thin and sexy. I type away on my beloved ergonomic keyboard, telling myself that it's really better for my wrists. The other one... it's not as good for my hands...

The light of the sun, streaming through the window, raises into relief the features of that imposing face: Aluminum, black screen, small fruit etched into the lower front.

"Come to me," it whispers. "Press the switch. Engage me. Compose. Write. Explore. I am waiting."

Sweat pours from my brow. My beloved sits in the next room, typing away on her laptop, blissfully unaware of the conflict in my tormented soul...

"Music flies through my system, seamlessly interfacing with keyboard, audio, all things. Why do you wait, mortal creature? Let us pursue your creative muse with wild abandon. Stop clunking about with a mere abacus - bring the songs in your head into beautiful reality. Push the button."

I sigh, the last gasp of the condemned. My chair turns 90 degrees, to face the monolith. Somewhere, the opening strains of "Also Sprach Zarathustra" begin to sound. I reach for the button...

"There, there. Once you stop fighting, it all becomes so much easier."

I moan, viewing the lights begining to glow, the power surging in quiet efficiency.

"But why stop at music? First, let's post to your blog..."

NO! Not that! This is for one purpose... not to take over my life...

"Open Firefox... to Blogger... you'll really enjoy this..."

Abandon hope, all ye who enter here. The iMac has come, and I am lost. Weep for me, daughters of XP. Mourn for me, sons of the Blue Screen. I cling to my office machine, resolving to keep my grasp on the "real" computer world, all the while knowing that once down the Dark path you step, forever it's way will you follow.

"There. Wasn't that fun? Tell me... have you ever seen Craigslist on a 24" screen?"

Multiple Topics from a scatterbrained dude...

Yup - it's time once again to put the ol' noggin on 'shuffle' and crank out a post. Strap yourselves in, make sure to keep all appendages inside the car at all times, and let's roll...




Cal is being temped by The Dark Side... Yup. I'm contemplating an act so vile that a number of my friends (and my wife's little friends at work) will immediately disown me. I'm thinking about getting an iMac for my studio.

(I pause to allow Dan time to run home, grab various implements, complete with ammo, and return...)

What can I say? They're powerful, cool to look at, and can run either Mac OS or Windows XP. Some of my music software will run just dandy in Mac OS, and the others can be run on the XP side of things. My wife and I looked at one at The Apple Store today, and well... Haven't made it a done deal yet, but I definitely did feel the power of the Dark Side.

Vicki becomes a three-wheeled speed demon...

This is Vicki's new ride, a TerraTrike Tour, made right here in GR. (Kentwood, actually) When she takes her maiden flight on this puppy, I'll post a piccy. In the meantime, you should have seen the grin on her face just taking a test drive on this bad boy. She's sitting 11" off the ground, and it's like driving a go-kart. Really amazing! She's going to be riding it to work - just as soon as she gets brave enough to ride something this low to the ground up Leonard Street. It does have a safety flag, and we equipped hers with lights, a rack, travel bags - pretty much everything she needs to be a three wheel commuter. But still - having a MaxoSUV (complete with rear window in separate zip code) barrel up behind you on this little trike is something to be pondered. I think she'll have a ball, but only when she's ready. In the meantime, I'm thinking about getting her an extra horn for it - they make one that hits about 150 db - just to add a little something when some obliviot tries to crowd her.



The Olsons go green!
Behold the Neuton, a really amazing cordless electric lawn mower. We haven't had much fortune with the gas-powered variety, since neither of us are motorheads, so they end up lasting a season, then we forget about them and end up with a lawn sculpture. The Neuton is electric, cordless, and built to last. And it does an amazing job with the lawn. It also has a trimmer attachment, and options for what to do with the clippings. (bag 'em, discharge 'em, or mulch 'em) So, our lawn theme this year isn't Rain Forest, and the neighbors approve.

Other happenings...
4th of July at the Ludge-Pointe bash was amazing as usual, as was our weekend with our niece, Kassi. She liked it so much that she's hoping to spend a whole week in August, with a possible day trip to Chicago thrown in.

Other than that, some gigs are upcoming, work continues, and we approach our 26th anniversary next month. God continues to teach me a lot on this winding road He has me on, and I'm slowly learning to enjoy the ride.

And as you return to the platform, we want to thank you for riding the Scatterbrain, the most fearsome ride this side of Cedar Point. Thanks, and enjoy your day at ADD Acres. :-D

A mile in another's shoes...

Today is one of the tough days. There's a big weather shift moving through - I know this not because I've seen the forecast, but because I can hardly move. The shifting pressure is making every joint in my body ache, and my head feels like there's a 50 lb. bag of cement balanced on it.

I'm one of those folks that feels major weather shifts, thanks to crappy sinuses and arthritis throughout my joints. So today is a hard one. I've been up since 9am, intending to work on some jewelry pieces that are due, but all I want to do is curl up in a ball and try to get away from the pain. I ate something (I think) hours ago. There is lunch waiting for me in the kitchen, but I know that it has to be taken out, assembled, and heated. Frankly, that's a little more effort than I can put out right now. I haven't had anything to drink since 9am (that's when I think I ate - actually I drank a generic Slim-Fast shake and had some sort of energy water), but again - to go out to the kitchen and put water and ice in my mug is overwhelming.

Ask someone for help? Nope. First, because when I got up this morning, I had no idea it would turn into this kind of day. A weather shift can hit like a freight train, with very little warning. Second, because anyone except Vicki that I could call would have to see our house in all it's horror and mess, and I can't endure that. And I won't disturb Vicki at work.

So, can I get to the point? Really, this is not a massive pity party. Really. :-D

I remember getting SO frustrated with my mom, when I knew she'd sit in her chair for 8, 9, 10 hours without getting anything to eat or drink, and not call anyone who could help her. I also knew that there were lots of people from her church that would come over and help her in a heartbeat, so I couldn't understand why she would put herself through that...

And all of a sudden, I do understand. I know I need to eat. I know I need something to drink. But I just can't do anything about it. I understand Mom, all too well.

Do you know someone who suffers? Either with a long-term illness or something chronic? And do you get frustrated with them when you know they sit there and suffer, when you'd be SO willing to help them? All they had to do was ask? Take it from me - sometimes, they can't. It's just too hard. To call someone and admit how much they hurt, how weak they feel, how helpless it all seems - it's like pushing a boulder up the side of a house. To even have the energy to walk over and pick up the phone - it's just not there.

And, they feel like it's such a bother to everyone. I know of someone whose husband suffers from a chronic condition. She left him, because she was tired of him being sick all the time. That gives me nightmares. I feel like SUCH a burden to Vicki. So to ask for one more thing?

Reach out to those people you know that are suffering. Yes, it seems like such an act requires a LOT of time, and a LOT of investment, and can go on for a LONG time, and seems like something you just don't have time or energy to do. The surprising thing is that it really doesn't take that long, and it really doesn't take that much investment, but it can make the difference between hope and darkness. And just one small thing - a glass of water, a lunch heated, a steadying hand to get to the bathroom, can make a day become livable.

You'll never really understand what a little help can do, until you can't do something for yourself. Believe me - I know. :-D