GUITAR DAD

I just learned that downtown Orlando will soon be dotted with 10-foot-tall Gibson Les Paul replicas.

Now this is my kind of public art display. Especially when you consider that the program is bringing Gibson, the city of Orlando and area businesses together to raise money for local charities.

Click here for more details about the Orlando GuitarTown project.

After three months of hard work and spending some serious coin, we just finished the refurbishment of our master bathroom. Well, "we" didn't actually do the work. Professionals did. And boy does it look good.

New countertop, faucets, light fixtures, mirror, shower door and window. Even a severe scrubbing of the tile and some fresh grout. Almost everything is shiny and new and, we're pleased to report, clean.

The most striking aspect of the job, as you can tell by the photo, is the gregariously green paint on the walls. Some might say it's a little too bold, too crazy. My wife and I love it. You gotta have some fun with home decor, right?

Back in the late 70s, skateboarding was my life. I enjoyed being one of the regular show-offs at Dogwood Skateboard Park in Winston-Salem. I indulged in lengthy sessions on my own backyard half-pipe (courtesy of my incredibly supportive and carpentry-skilled Dad) and even got busted by the cops for infiltrating an empty swimming pool at an apartment complex.
 
Eventually I grew out of it as guitars and girls became far more interesting. Years and years passed. Then my hometown pal Mike informed me several months ago of his renewed passion for skateboarding and it got me thinking: Why not start up again? I promptly ordered a Dogtown longboard online and have been immersing myself in the full-body rush of cruising and carving the pavement, mostly on weekends on the smooth surfaces of west Orlando’s school grounds.
 
My son seems somewhat impressed with my abilities, although it’s got to be a little weird seeing a 42-year-old man acting like a totally radical skate rat.

My wife is doing the bulk of the potty training with our sparkling little girl, who just turned 3. I chip in here and there, asking our darling daughter if she wants to go "pee pee" and helping her take care of business on the throne.

But Mommy is clearly driving this bus, bringing regimented order to the process and even setting timers to buzz every hour to inspire another attempt. Occasionally we enjoy success, with poop going exactly where it's supposed to go. Other times, we find puddles on the carpet or the dreaded No. 2 in the underpants. With my wife's diligent direction, though, we'll get there soon, I just know it.

My 5-year-old boy has taken a keen interest in playing checkers and its distant relative, Connect Four. At first I restrained myself to let him build his confidence. Now he's whupping my butt. The little rascal is good! I've got some practicing to do.

One of my most prized possessions is an early 1980s Gibson ES-335, a reissue of the classic 1959 version with a blonde finish and dot markers in a super-wide neck. I've used it on countless gigs and recordings, including this session from a few years ago with my brother-in-law on ukulele. Have a listen to original instrumental "Blessed with an ES" on my Tunes page. 

Seriously self-indulgent and downright spooky rock. I love it enormously. Soak up King Crimson circa 1972 ...

I recently finished The Wit and Wisdom of Mark Twain, a compendium of the great observer's most notable quotations, and man is this a fun read. The following nugget reflects the book's tenor: "Always acknowledge a fault frankly. This will throw those in authority off their guard and give you the opportunity to commit more."

Enlightening and humorous. Perfect combination. A couple more entries:

"Wagner's music is better than it sounds."

"As an example to others, and not that I care for moderation myself, it has always been my rule never to smoke when asleep and never to refrain when awake."

Homes and businesses submerged. Personal belongings lost forever. Months of difficult and costly recovery ahead. All of us are terribly saddened by the flooding in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

My wife grew up there and has family and friends in the area. Be sure to keep C.R. and its kind people in your thoughts, and perhaps even find a way to contribute to their comeback. It will take some time, but this hearty and delightful Midwestern town of 124,000 will indeed rebound and thrive again.