It was such a treat to be back on earth for a bit. Old friends, family really of a sort.

Randy Grimmett from ASCAP

Claudia BRANT!!!

I got to participate in a down to the truth kind of panel about touring. Ok we all got a little potty mouthed, but that's what touring can do to ya...

jb. matt Nathanson

 the ice cream man, dan bern and jb

 I got to sing and share the stage with monster writers.

WOW. Steve Kipner (umm, "falling to pieces" for one, "PHYSICAL" for another!!)

Rick Nowels ("white flag" for one...) and Tommy Sims.("change the world" oh my) It truly was dreamy.

And then, home again, this reminder from my mother's mess of chopped and stacked poems:

"Start again, more than you ever dreamed you could."

 Like spring....

like songs

like love

She read me her poem from long, long ago. From starting again with my father:

Going to the Party

Harsh words have cut compassion down

to brevities; our atmosphere grows stiff

as crinoline. I have put on my black

pretentious gown and smoothed the edges

of my silence down. We will act nonchalant

with friends and I will laugh and frown

and you will do the same.

Leaving the party for our house our mood

is mute and cool; yet passing from the porch

to the car we note the singing of one evening star

which follows us along a winding road.

Arriving home we slowly seek the stairs

but find the distance farther than before.

We dare not speak; there is a silly stumbling

 of the feet, and reaching out for

hands which finally meet.

In spite of pride, regret, and words gone

wrong, the light of who we truly are seems

suddenly a galaxy outshining who

we thought we had to be.

 Darren Stone