Walking between the Worlds: Travel

My favorite people

My bandmate
Larry - a genius, a technical writer, a father, and just all around great guy
My brother
My brother is an avid ballroom dancer, and this article is about his group in Prescott with a photo and a lot of quotes from him.
My maestro
one of the most successful,and most helpful, vocal and guitar instructors in the United States who has taught pop, rock, blues, hard rock, alternative, punk, emo, country, Latin and avant-guard styles.
My sister the Sister
My sister, a Dominican sister, creates a noted blog

Recently read

Philip Pullman: His Dark Materials
Still adding 2009, and going in a random order... I was very happy to read this triology... definitely a "I can't put it down" type of adventure, although I didn't like the ending... I won't spoil it for you. Would highly recommend to all fantasy fans. The Church portrayal didn't bother me, any more than did the portrayal of most grownups as being immature and hopelessly incompetent. It was all part of the story!
Sherry Argon: Why Men Love Bitches
A book I read in 2009 during my "read about dating" phase. This was the first book I picked up after Love: When It Hurts Too Much to Let Go by Susan Forward and Craig Buck which I read for a friend but found helpful, so I decided to dip into the dating book genre. I picked this up in the airport! It is very entertainingly written and nicely organized, with sensible advice. It isn't so much about being "a bitch" but more about having healthy boundaries. This is one I would loan out to a friend -- I think it's pretty good advice overall. (****)
Steve Hodel : Most evil : Avenger, Zodiac, and the further serial murders of Dr. George Hill Hodel
Written by his son, this story puts together a meticulous case file on why George Hill Hodel is most likely the Zodiac killer. Good true crime story, very detailed, with an interesting side that it was written by the son of the alleged killer, who was never brought to justice. I would've liked a little more insight into Steve Hodel and a little less of the handwriting analysis detail, but overall very fascinating. I had read of the unsolved killings and Steve Hodel makes a good case that his father was actually the killer. (****)
Mario Acevedo: X-rated Blood Suckers
a vampire noir mystery... this is the second of the series... the writing improves half way through. I picked it up in the store and started reading in the middle -- that's how I got hooked. Pretty entertaining and if the writing style of the next one matches or exceeds this one, I might read more. But on the whole I think the whole vampire as detective thing could "pale" on me (sorry for the pun) pretty easily. The sex is sort of sexy, the mystery is sort of interesting, the characters are sort of boring. The most interesting features to me -- the older and more experienced vampire known as Coyote, the mysterious vampire organization "Araneum" who communicated with Felix the main character by bird, were drowned out by a cast of sleezy cardboard villians, ex-porn-stars, and Felix's tepid and unfulfilling human romantic interest. Felix spends most of the novel escaping assasination attempts which disguises the vapid plotting and the blase twin mysteries (who or what is behind the human-vampire collusion that the Araneum wants stopped and who or what killed Roxy Bronze along with an ever increasing body count of victims). On the other hand, I am very interested in Coyote and even came to like Felix a bit, although, honestly, he was kinda dumb and not very hot. The use of super powers can make a detective very boring....
Sharyn McCrumb: Highland Laddie Gone
Enjoyable and wry murder mystery set at a Highland Games festival. I love the set up, the characters, the writing style... a little old fashioned of a writing style but not too verbose. A little romance, a little humor, a cast of interesting characters. This is an early McCrumb and she got better in some of her later books, but it is still a super fun read.
Sharyn McCrumb: If Ever I Return, Pretty Peggy-O
As always good readable mystery from Sharyn McCrumb. (****)
David Zinczenko: The Abs Diet for Women: The Six-Week Plan to Flatten Your Belly and Firm Up Your Body for Life
Great ideas from Men's Health magazine... adapted specificall for women's life styles and needs. (****)
Gary Chapman: The Five Love Languages for Singles (Chapman, Gary)
Helpful but not as in depth as I would've liked!
Marilu Henner: Wear Your Life Well: Use What You Have to Get What You Want
Inspriational and informative! (****)
Dominick Dunne: Justice: Crimes, Trials, and Punishments
Listened to in audio book form. This was read by Dominick Dunne himself which GREATLY enhanced enjoyability. Dunne has a great voice -- both physically and stylistically. This was a collection of article written about trials he has covered (mostly for Vanity Fair I gathered) starting with the first sad trial of the killer of his own daughter -- who was acquited and still is free. He has channeled his rage into positive action and helped many people, notably the mother of Martha Moxley, whose case went unsolved for almost 20 years, but whose killer is now behind bars. The book highlights the different ways the justice system works for the wealthy and the indigent, and is sprinkled not only with personalities and name dropping, but also with honesty, forth-right and couragous pronouncements, and willingness to take a risk for what Dominick Dunne sees as Justice. He would indeed be a great dinner guest! Highly recommended to true crime buffs, people who love great writing styles, people concerned about social justice, people with a streak of loving gossip (not me, giggle), and any one who loves a good, gripping true story of any kind! (*****)

September 06, 2007

San Antonio

We went to San Antonio to attend the World Convention of NA over Labor Day weekend. Unfortunately a short visit! Still we had a lovely and relaxing time, enjoying Convention and the Riverwalk.

No, we did not go to the Alamo. Yes, we were chastised for it by the taxi driver on the way to the airport. I enjoyed the sense of humor and friendliness of the shuttle drivers and taxi drivers we drove with.... sort of a New York sassiness crossed with Southern hospitality.

Rumor in the hotel had it that the San Antonio newscast for the day had been something like "15,000 drug addicts descend on San Antonio. Find out how the police have prepared for this" or something like that. I commented that as far as recovering drug addicts go, better to warn the Starbucks than the police!!! Get extra coffee in town folks!!!

Magically, I met a woman named Mary at the Friday night comedy show who had made her living as a folk musician and singer song writer until she was 50. Now aged 60, she drove out to convention from New Mexico on her motorcycle. We had a wonderful conversion and I got her contact info and she is going to send me a CD! I am thrilled!

Saturday we lazily walked the river walk after a leisurely breakfast outside and we have pics to prove it.

We also poured over convention merchandise like the fiends we are. Bill started obsessing on a sold out brown t-shirt. This obsession is ongoing as convention merchandise is supposed to be online (sometime) to be purchased later....

We attended the Rocky Recovery show which was FABULOUS. Rocky Recovery and the Self Obsessions play and sing classic rock songs changed slightly for recovery-based wording, along with a few "skits" with some NA-based humor. Elmer, the lead singer, has a fabu voice, and Rocky, the lead personality, shines with excessive irony. The whole band is very professional and THEY ROCK.

Highlight of the show, Elmer, wearing a long necklace of white keytags (24-hour tags) and one 30-day tag, and A SPOON (spoons are funny to addicts, not so much to non-addicts, ha ha), singing, "I got caught... making love... to a newcomer". And also, Rocky accompanied by his "sponsors", i.e., three very sexy ladies. The back up singers, bass player, guitar players and of course drummer Rock and Roll Suzy were all bright lights as well.

The Sat. P.M. speaker meeting which was a international panel. It is always moving to see addicts from all over the World getting and staying clean and hearing their stories. Unfortunately we are middle aged peops and we were catching a cold so we left early, and missed any further events of the day.... but enjoyed relaxing and checking out the river walk in the night time.

The next day we didn't have much time and debated going to the Marathon meetings or the alternative merchandise. Guess which won? The line to alternative merchandise was very long and I would not be surprised if some addicts did not get in before it closed. We got in though, and that explains why I am so strapped for cash.

Favorite purchases: Bill got a green t-shirt with the Serenity prayer in Japanese and I got a pre-convention T-shirt for the Mexacali convention in April 2008.

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