MY RIDES... Earlier today, because the person knew I had previously worked for Avis Rent a Car, I was asked for advice on buying a used car. This followed after first penning another. It's still on the assembly line...and due shortly in a showroom near you... 1965 VW Bus Since my Dad never drove. I taught him after he retired. So, I had to buy my first ride. A fellow surfer and friend accompanied me to a VW dealer and I bought a 1965 VW Bus that I drove home with a friend and my learner’s permit. Another friend drove me to my road test that I passed with flying colors - 4-speed manual trans and all... In 1973, I relocated to California. You can read about it here: Dad rode shotgun and took lots of photos...Mom sat in back writing poetry... Below, first cousins Bill and Margie sending us off. They are 2 of Uncle Bob and Aunt Midge's 3 children (see next ride). Oldest brother Bob rounds out the trio of Davis's. We stopped at their home on our way to Niagara Falls. Mercury Cougar XR-7 Center cap emblem...besides memories...all that's left... Bought this for Eileen from my Uncle Bob, after he retired from the NYS Troopers. There was also a mule involved - from Moscow. On the day, I bought it, I drove to his upstate home. He was handy with tools, having spent some time in the state police motor pool. He was giving it a last look over before passing the keys to me. We had removed the air cleaner housing top to check the movement of the choke blade. This is where the mule comes in. Seems, we had been drinking something called a “Moscow Mule.” When it came time for a test drive, I forgot that I had placed the top behind the left rear wheel. As I backed down his driveway, I heard “CRUNCH” as the tire left its footprint on the now partially flattened top…Thereafter, every time I did a tuneup...I remembered that day. “Don’t drink and test drive…” ...Take the mule...and let's mind our OWN business...keep in our OWN lanes... 1965 Chevy Nova station wagon Got it from John, a fellow mechanic who worked with me at the Avis fleet center’s main garage in Maspeth, Queens. It was my first "three on the tree"... 1970 VW Bug Got this V Dub from Eileen’s brother Ken 2012 Toyota Prius A "hand me up" from our son John when he got his new Tesla My "free rides" Part of my comp package - and much appreciated: Only had to "feed" them (petrol), someone else did all the maintenance! From the day (12/30/88) I went from fixing cars to World Headquarters on Old Country Road in Garden City, NY, I had a management vehicle until I retired. I’m still driving my last one: a 2010 Hyundai VeraCruz. Background Music for Selecting Your Next Ride... 1977 FREE RIDE Pablo Cruise (04:53) This next one is the song I went looking for: Viewer Advisory: Engaging in some of the risky behaviors could be hazardous to your health and those you're with...as in: "Here comes da Judge..." V-Dub Spotting: See how many kinds of these classics you can find in this clip... Edgar Winter - Free Ride (Extended) [Dazed & Confused] (05:48) Know Your Enemy... He can't even make it past the first question in which he's asked for his name... Steve Martin: Used Cars (01:55) This next clip is yet another example of why I LUV my retirement job... Clip included Honda's... Best Car Commercials Ever | Greatest Car Ads All Time | The Used Car Guy (05:38) Dino inspired this... The Flintstones (1994) - The Flintstones Song Scene (1/10) | Movieclips (01:31) #music #humor #VWBus #Mom #Dad #California #Margie #Bill #Bob #Davis #surfing #MoscowMule #MercuryCougarXR7 #donkey #VWBug #ChevyNovaStationWagon #ToyotaPrius #HyundaiVeraCruz #Avis #PabloCruise #EdgarWinter #TheFlintstones #SteveMartin #Acts

Friends, I'm sharing some helpful companions for life's road trips. They, like me, have learned much about navigating them from Franciscan Fr. Richard Rohr and others affiliated with the Center for Action and Contemplation. In this post you'll find information about: regularly scheduled men's gatherings and a virtual weekend one called "Elders at the Gate"...Feb. 2-4, 2024 a playlist of songs for life's road trips Regularly Scheduled Meetings For those on Long Island: 2nd Sat. of every month (next: Jan. 13) Monthly Men2Men 2nd Saturday of each month circle gatherings from 8:00 AM to 9:15. @ the Sisters of St. Joseph 1725 Brentwood Road Brentwood, NY 11717. --If interested in giving our group a road test, please email sdfp@csjbrentwood.com or call Linda 631-273-1187 ext. 411. Cost is $20 bucks and begins with a full cafeteria breakfast. Our facilitator is Michael Dunne. In other parts of the US, go to illuman.org and click "Find a Local Chapter" as shown below: Elders At The Gate hosted by Illuman NorCal February 2-4, 2024 In the video below, the facilitator describes this road...this gathering...as being supported by 3 pillars: Authenticity is the currency of connection Transformation occurs in contact with another We are known by our stories This is my second such exploration into...ME...I traveled with Elders in 2022. To get a snapshot of this weekend, just click the link to the 2-minute video that's immediately below the "Elders at the Gate" image that follows these first four images. I've also included below an introductory email from weekend facilitator Joe Gabaeff. If you're here for some music about road trips, simply scroll a little further. The songs just might get you in the mood to travel with me and the other guys. CAUTION: The weekend's start coincides with Groundhog Day. Take my advice and Bill Murray's, I'm attending so I can learn to let go of stuff that causes me to keep repeating stuff I need to let go of...Stuff that isn't helping me or you. Might say, this weekend is about reducing our CARmic debt. So, let's take some back roads, detours, and roads less traveled...and see where they lead... Elders Road Trippin' Click this link to explore the Elders at the Gate road trip (2 min.)... More info: How Do I Build Connection? What: A Virtual Retreat Experience When: February 2-4, 2024 - (Friday evening through Sunday at noon, Pacific time) Where: Virtual (Zoom Meeting) Who: All men over the age of 18 are welcome. No previous participation in men's work or Illuman necessary. Cost: Sliding scale, $125.00 suggested donation. Men who were initiated at an MROP in 2023 are invited to participate free.  No man will be turned away because of financial concerns. Presented by Illuman NorCal , Elders at the Gate is a three-day virtual experience inviting men into deeper brotherhood with themselves, others, and the Spirit. Utilizing story, image, ritual, and council, men are led, shoulder-to-shoulder, through a journey of self-exploration and understanding. Elders at the Gate brings men to the threshold of liminal space, a space where authentic sharing of one's life and story catalyzes spiritual transformation in themselves and others. The event is truly a first of its kind in being created from the ground up through collective action from Illuman men in tandem with Spirit. Our time together will focus on our individual and collective explorations of the discernment, 'How Do I Build Connection?'  Drawing from the communal wisdom and talents of the brotherhood, as well as video footage of Richard Rohr and other Illuman elders, free spaces for locating, and cultivating a greater understanding of your own answer to the topic will be offered. We gather to assist one another in traveling closer toward our True Self. No matter where you find yourself on your path, whether you are new to this work or have been in it for years, Elders at the Gate offers a welcoming home for You, all of you, to be seen, known, and loved. Join us at the gate to begin our adventure together! For any questions or concerns, please contact the event facilitator at eldersatthegate@illumannorcal.org A Note from the Facilitator: Greetings brothers.  When the lockdowns began, it became clear that Illuman would not be able to gather physically for our work for the foreseeable future.  With heavy hearts, Illuman postponed the US 2020 and 2021 Men's Rites of Passage events.  We wanted to offer some alternative for all of the men eager to connect in fellowship that had already signed up for Rites of Passage across the country.  From there, brothers across the world got to work turning misfortune into opportunity by creating something truly unique; a new, virtual offering that brings the energy of the brotherhood right into the home. We live in a time when folks have trouble listening to one another, making space, even just taking the time to see one another for who they are, where they are.  The cacophony of daily life screams for our attention, caring little for the quieter voices that may be speaking the wisdom we need to hear.  Elders at the Gate emphasizes creating a space to listen: listen to oneself, to each other and to the Spirit.   We all have a story to tell.  The Elders want to hear yours. Come join the men in listening to the wisdom of the Larger boldly, intentionally and authentically.  The time together is an invitation to open oneself to the bigger implications of Life: we are not separate, autonomous beings in the vacuum of our own routines and mental constructs, but connected, interdependent necessities in the flow of All That Is.  We all have a place in the Larger, a beautiful place that reaches out to us in Grace.  You are enough.  You are loved.  Your story matters. We all need help along the way knowing if we are truly ready for the next step on the journey.  Our ancestors and elders have always been the necessary touchstone to affirm our intuitions of the question, 'How Do I Build Connection?' Initiated or uninitiated, let us gather together to deepen our brotherhood through strengthening our relationship to ourselves, each other and the Spirit.  The Elders are waiting.  The Elders are waiting for you to show up. In Appreciation and Love Joe Gabaeff, Illuman NorCal Convener Emeritus and Facilitator of Elders at the Gate MUSIC FOR LIFE'S ROAD TRIPS... I was in the car-fixin' trade...so, let's begin with some basics... Click here for a playlist of all 8 songs. First up, Yusuf "Cat" Stevens... Yusuf / Cat Stevens – On The Road To Find Out (04:08) Next up on the STEREO...some STERNO...Canned Heat... The trip's better with a companion... Canned Heat, on the road again 1967 vinyl (04:51) Into the Woods...with friends... In this post, I wasn't gonna put into practice my friend Steve's mantra "There's a Grateful Dead song for every occasion"...until I saw the message on their license plate...So look below...BTW - Fellow surfer Steve also has the honor of teaching me the art of Volkswagen repair. Thanks, Guru!!! The Woods- Road Trippin (Official Music Video) (03:35) And from the Land Down Under...Xavier Rudd... Xavier Rudd - Road Trippin' official film clip (05:32) My Road Trippin': Friends & Family Affairs.. Beginning in the summer of '69, me and my fellow surfers traveled around the coasts of this land, including three round trips to Callie. In 1973, when I decided to move there permanently, my parents accompanied me. Backstory: Late in '72, I had a spiritual awakening one weekend as a result of reading "Be Here Now" by Ram Dass. He introduced me for the first time to a loving version of "G-d". On the Monday following, I called my Dad asking if I could see him. This began a process of developing a new father-son relationship...one that began with a one-sided hug... Then, in 1975 when I decided to move back to NY, three of my sisters flew out to Southern California and drove back with me. THERE... Dad rode shotgun and took lots of photos...Mom sat in back writing poetry... Below, first cousins Bill and Margie sending us off. We stopped at their home on our way to Niagara Falls. "Slowly I turned...Step by step...Inch by inch..." AND BACK AGAIN... With sisters (l-r) Julie (RIP) and Cathy... Cathy and Mary... Wondering...Wandering...Minstrels... First, let's join the Man in the Van...Van Morrison...as we wander and wonder together... "It's easy to describe the leaves in the Autumn And it's oh so easy in the Spring But down through January and February it's a very different thing." and so appropriate for us "ELDERS"... Van Morrison - A Sense of Wonder (Lyrics on screen) (07:15) I had the pleasure of seeing these next Wondering artists at NYC's Town Hall... ...and named my website after this song: www.asoulinwonder.com This next image captures Joe's 2nd pillar: Transformation occurs in contact with another Miten & Deva Premal - A Soul In Wonder (06:57) My 2022 Elders at the Gate recap I first learned about my first NorCal Illuman Crew's Elders from the Ohio Illuman team because Eileen and I did a virtual couples weekend with them in 2021 called "This Breath." Then in 2022, I rejoined the Ohio contingent for "Myths: The Hero's Journey." Here's an email note I sent to Brian, my Ohio contact after my first Elders in 2022: From: Thomas Tittmann Date: Friday, January 20, 2023 at 2:53 PMTo: Ohio Illuman Subject: Re: 🟡 Elders at the Gate 🗝️ - December 2022 Hello! A belated thanks for promoting this weekend. What a great group of guys! I’m 75, and though retired for almost 10 years, I don’t often take extended time to reflect. What was most helpful for me were all of the preparatory questions for reflection - both before the weekend and then throughout our time together. The journaling I did helped reveal patterns - some keepers and some to let go. The weekend’s format: large group, small group and one-on-one provided additional opportunities to wrestle with some personal challenges and also trust the invitations to relax into places of not knowing… And we had fun…in between times for soul searching…we had some great belly laughs. Thanks! tOM I'm Grateful Road Trippin' ain't Dead... Here's one for our NorCal brothers. Thanks for reminding us of the importance of building bridges... About the Grateful Dead's Road Trippin albums... Spotify: Complete Road Trips 388 songs...over 24 hours We're all Connected as One Love...One Heart... One Love (Bob Marley) feat. Manu Chao | Playing For Change | Song Around The World (05:07) Road Trippin' is Better when we're TOGETHER... Love is the answer At least for most of the questions in my heart Like "Why are we here?", "And where do we go?", "And how come it's so hard?" It's not always easy And sometimes life can be deceiving I'll tell you one thing: It's always better when we're together Better Together feat. Jack Johnson | Song Around The World | Playing For Change (04:18) Aloha! #music #humor #EldersAtTheGate #Men2Men #Illuman #CenterForActionAndContemplation #RichardRohr #CatStevens #PlayingForChange #JackJohnson #DevaPremalAndMiten #VanMorrison #CannedHeat #TheWoods #XavierRudd #GratefulDead #BobMarley #JamesThurber #Julie #Mary #Cathy #Dad #Mom #Margie #Billy #ThreeStooges

Joel, YOU…are the inspiration for this birthday song/gift… I simply joined the opening lines of your email’s invitation... “Hi you fellow crazy friend whom i love and miss,”… ...to your last name…“Diamond”… ...and added the “S” - so Doris can continue to join you on life’s ongoing dance floor adventures… Pink Floyd - A Collection Of Great Dance Songs (Full Album) (42:58) You and others had a CRAZY dream about bringing people together... Multicultural Solidarity - Long Island - Facebook Pink Floyd - "Shine on You Crazy Diamond" PULSE Remastered 2019 (12:44) Most of the song’s lyrical images don't pertain to you…so, just enjoy the repeating refrain: "Shine on, you crazy diamond..." That said, some of the words DO apply to you: --you legend --you seer of visions (what COULD BE) --you piper (as you gather people around the vision) --you winner --you miner for truth More Crazy Diamonds A Jew and an Irishman walk into the Parthenon... Bob Dylan and Van Morrison - Crazy Love (Athens 1989) (02:34) [from the description] On a summer day in 1989, Van Morrison and Bob Dylan met up in Greece and brought their acoustic guitars to the place in Athens where the ancients believed the muses lived. Philopappos Hill, traditionally known as the Hill of the Muses, rises high above the Athens Basin and has a commanding view of the Acropolis. Rihanna - Diamonds (Lyric Video) (03:44) Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes - Ladysmith Black Mambazo · Paul Simon (05:41) Diamonds on the Water - Enya (03:45) Paul Simon -Still crazy after all these years (04:00) PARTYZONE... Remember, in his email, Joel asked us not to mob their home...and to make an appointment to see them during visiting hours... Happy birthday Joel!!! (01:09) Long Island's own crooner has joined the party... "They say its your birthday" - Billy Joel & Elton John (01:16) JOEL, You're traveling through another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind. A journey into a wondrous land whose boundaries are that of imagination. That's the signpost up ahead—your next stop, the 80's Zone! #music #humor #JoelDiamond #DorisDiamond #PinkFloyd #BobDylan #VanMorrison #Rihanna #PaulSimon #LadysmithBlackMambazo #Enya #BillyJoel #EltonJohn

Chapter 1: Appreciating my neighborhood caregivers Around 5:30 tonight (Thanksgiving), I came home from a twilight walk through our West Hempstead neighborhood... My adventures began an hour earlier when I left my home ("and my family"...) and walked south on New York Avenue to Hempstead Turnpike where BK and Mickey D were both serving up their versions of “happy meals.” I turned ("my collar to the cold and damp"...) and headed east... Adjacent to Witches Brew Coffee House, the door to the Fire House was open - so I walked across the Turnpike and took the opportunity to yell through the door, “Thanks for your service!” I almost always do this whenever I see signs that the other person has served the public in law enforcement, fire protection, the medical profession…See, in recent years, I've reconnected with friends who've served in some of these roles and I marvel at their stories.... Continuing east, I walked past rows of stores…most closed for the holiday and some with “For Rent” signs… I made a right at Westminster Road and paused to take in the evidence of the passage of time…as National Wholesale Liquidators' footprint is beginning to be transformed into housing and increased ridership on our one-track LIRR line. I continued on Westminster to Woodfield Road and ventured southwest on my way to the 7/11 on Hempstead Avenue for my "now late afternoon" cup. I like the people there and they fill me up on Monday’s and Tuesday’s when my daily baristas at Witches Brew are enjoying their “weekend” break from providing their form of essential care. Inside the store at the coffee station, I met David, a young guy my wife and I first met a few years ago at the now-closed Natural Market on 7th Street in Garden City. He served stocking shelves. We chatted for a while. We had been discussing the nature of the universe and whether it was biased toward positivity...As he was remarking how times seem crazy right now...we both heard a commotion and saw a store employee who had been stocking shelves running out the door and yelling at what we later found out was a thief fleeing with three cartons of cigarettes. The employee was frantically snapping photos of the perp and his getaway car… David and I returned to our now very timely conversation. After a few minutes, we made our way to the counter, and NCPD sector car #508 arrived. A young female officer started busily questioning the employees about the robbery. Seeing a woman packing a gun caught my attention. As I was paying for my java, Bernadette the clerk, told me they had just been robbed two days ago…. First responders ALL…and some as minimum wage workers trying to support their families while they perform their versions of essential service to our community. Chapter 2: Art imitating nature - evening film continues my walking adventures... I hadn't planned to include what follows in this chapter...But it fits "write" in with the stories in Chapter 1... For tonight's film with Eileen, I picked one of Prime's "Recommended for you" recommendations: "It could only happen to you" - starring Nicolas Cage and Bridget Fonda. It's based on a real-life story... Movie Trailer (02:15) I loved it right away: Queens and NYC locales, subway scenes, NYPD officers, taxi drivers, lots of laughs and more. Tie in to tonight's 7/11 heist: --There's a scene where a Queens convenience store is being robbed. Yup, their loot even includes a carton of cigarettes. At one point Officer Charlie Lang (Cage)—lobs a canned good and knocks out one of the perps. Officer Charlie really cares for everyone on his beat - including the neighborhood kids that he plays stickball with. This immediately reminded me of my friend and peer Richie who for most of his life has been a coach to kids - both formally and informally. Oh, and he was also a NCPD officer, retiring with the rank of Detective. [Plot spolier] After he wins the Lottery, Charlie takes all the neighborhood kids to Yankee Stadium. As the scene is rolling, we hear Frank Sinatra singing "Young at Heart"... It Could Happen To You - scenes at Yankee Stadium (1994) (02:37) NY's Bravest In another part of the film we see the first responders at NYC's Hook & Ladder Co. 8 donating to a fund to help the Good Samaritan cop and his waitress girlfriend try to get back on their feet. Immediately after the fire house scene, we see another example of blue collar folks donating to the fund. These are essential workers that help maintain our infrastructure. As a fringe benefit of writing this post, I learned that this fire house has been featured in all of the Ghostbuster tales and other films. The firefighters of Hook & Ladder Co. 8 were among the first responders to the September 11, 2001, attacks. In 2011, the firehouse was threatened with closure after the city administration planned to close 20 fire companies to save money. But after a public campaign to save it, supported by the later Mayor Bill de Blasio and the actor Steve Buscemi, who also was a New York City firefighter from 1980 to 1984, the firehouse remains in service. The firehouse was selected as the base of the Ghostbusters for the 1984 film after an early draft of the script envisaged the Ghostbusters as a public service much like the fire department. Reportedly, the firehouse was chosen because the writer and actor Dan Aykroyd knew the area and liked the building. SOURCE: Wikipedia The film ends with the narrator (Issac Hayes) telling us that these folks lived in a city where people prayed for miracles every day...and sometimes they happened... Boy, if this isn't a set up for Chapter 3...It's title comes from my friend Steve B who besides traveling around the country on our summer surfing surfaris and being a fellow VW owner...also taught me to, as he calls it, "to play with cars"...as he taught me how to work on my Volkswagen Bus...and which became my CAReer path... Chapter 3: "There's a Grateful Dead song for every occasion..." I Need a Miracle - Grateful Dead's first appearance on SNL Nov. 11, 1978 (03:16) SNL Episode Details --includes Bill Kreutzmann in a skit...and John Belushi as... "Samurai Optometrist" - (1978) - John Belushi (04:23) Ever the Optomist, customer Buck asks the doctor if he has tortoise-shell frames. Doc reaches into a fish tank and retrieves a you-know-what. Hmm...sometimes in this section, there's a call to Pigpen's bullpen...for an Other One...or Two tunes from the Dead's extensive canon... I went looking for "Terrapin Station" and was rewarded with this jewel: David Bryan and The Terrapin Chamber Ensemble~Live from The Crypt, NYC (Full Show) (2:52:17) OKAY..."Crypt"...3 Dead songs Cryptical Envelopment (Live at Jahrhundert Halle, Frankfurt, Germany, April 26, 1972) (36:29) Chapter 4: Coffee is Healthcare & Baristas are Essential Workers & sometimes First Responders SPACEBALLS Clip - "Mr. Coffee" & movie trailer (1987) Rick Moranis (06:26) Caffeine Epiphanies - a blog by friend and spoken-word artist Mary C M Phillips Chapter 5: We can't take it with us when we go... Cheapskate Here’s his next…and final ride Here’s yet another example of why I say that I love my retirement "job": We’ve come full circle in this story... You Can't Take It With You (1938) - You Can't Take It With You Scene (8/10) | Movieclips (02:50) Mike Love - Can't Take It With You When You Go (Live Music) | Sugarshack Sessions (05:12) #music #humor #Thanksgiving #WestHempstead #WitchesBrewCoffeeHouse #BurgerKing #McDonalds #WestHempsteadFireHouse #David #NCPD #LIRR #NationalWholesaleLiquidators #711 #ItCouldOnlyHappenToYou #YankeeStadium #FrankSinatra #coffee #Eileen #Spaceballs #MikeLove #MaryPhillips #YouCantTakeItWithYou #GratefulDead #DavidBryanAndTheTerrapinChamberEnsemble #SNL #JohnBelushi #BuckHenry

"Sometimes the light's all shining on me...Other times I can barely see..." (Truckin' in the wilderness...) Part 1 contains great music and information about this Festival of Lights. See link at bottom. It concluded with: The Hebrew word Chanukah means “dedication”... ...Let's see what happens when we add an "a" between the "e" and the "d"... "There's a Grateful Dead song for every occasion..." ...so says my friend Steve B - a VW owner, fellow surfer and fan of the band...Steve also taught me how to repair my VW Bus..which started me on my CAReer path. Thanks, Steve! Grateful Dead - Just A Little Light (Official Music Video) (04:24) The Annotated "Just a Little Light" - David Dodd Research Associate, Music Dept., Univ. of Calif. Santa Cruz --a scholarly exploration of the lyrics... Mickey Hart Band - Let There Be Light (Facebook) On his Facebook page: The Secret Jewish History of the Grateful Dead In case you don't pass this way again, here's a cool article that's sure to help you appreciate why I'm so passionate about these wandering-in-the-wildreness Merry Pranksters...How they are SO INCLUSIVE..As they invite EVERYONE to join them in "Playing in the Band..." The secret Jewish history of the Grateful Dead (updated 2023) - Forward "The group, led by Jerry Garcia, inspired ‘Jews for Jerry’ and ‘Blues for Challah.’" [selections from this article] For a group with a significant Jewish following, there was never much on the surface that was Jewish about The Grateful Dead. Over the course of the band’s 30-year existence from 1965 to 1995, at least a dozen musicians held positions in the band, but only one member, drummer/percussionist Hart, was Jewish. Born Michael Steven Hartman on September 11, 1943, in Brooklyn, and raised in the heavily Jewish Five Towns area of Long Island, Hart is best known for bringing non-Western rhythms and time signatures to the band from Asia, Africa and Latin America, but these never included any Jewish nuances. Still, Jews were, and to this day remain, a visible presence among the fanatical followers of the Dead, who are known as Deadheads. In the tent villages that popped up around arenas and stadiums wherever the band was playing, there was often a contingent of “Jews for Jerry” integrating their own version of Jewish practice with the rituals of Deadheadism, including wandering around, following their Moses-like leaders to an unknown destination, often in search of a “miracle” in the form of a concert ticket or manna from heaven — a decent meal. Today, “Jews for Jerry” lives on as a Facebook group and has given birth to annual events such as “Blues for Challah” at the Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center in the Berkshires, an ingathering exploring whatever Jewish influences participants can find in the music and culture surrounding the Dead. (Full disclosure: I presented a session at the second “Blues for Challah” retreat, albeit one focused on Bob Dylan, whom the members of the Dead themselves worshipped as a prophet and as a provider of songs). A similar gathering, “Unleavened Dead,” took place at a Jewish summer camp outside St. Louis last summer. In The Grateful Dead’s 30-year-career, the band recorded only about a dozen studio albums. These formed the basis for the group’s live performances, which were The Grateful Dead’s raison d’être. The manner in which the basic tracks on their studio albums turned into their legendary group improvisations are relatively analogous to the role that the Written Torah and the Oral Torah have played in the evolution and perpetuation of Jewish law and wisdom. When the band was still mostly a Bay Area phenomenon in the mid to late 1960s, they were heavily involved in community action, playing free concerts and taking part in efforts to feed and house those in need, in acts of what modern Jews might term tikkun olam. repairing the world. While there are numerous stories about how the group happened upon the moniker The Grateful Dead by chance, the term itself stems from folktales in many cultures about dead people repaying kindness to those who pay for their burial. These tales all closely align with the Jewish commandments of Livayat HaMet and Chesed shel Emes to watch over the dead and with accompanying a dead body to the grave. As everyone knows, Jewish ice cream makers Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield immortalized Jerry Garcia in the ice-cream flavor Cherry Garcia. One of the greatest Grateful Dead concerts of all time was the Summer Jam at Watkins Glen in upstate New York in 1973, which featured just two other bands besides The Dead — the Allman Brothers Band and The Band. The festival set an all-time record for attendance. The crowd numbered 600,000 — the same number of attendees at the original rock festival, where Moses gathered his tribe to Mount Sinai to receive the Word of God. Seth Rogovoy is the author of “Bob Dylan: Prophet, Mystic, Poet” (Scribner, 2009). He totally doesn’t get the appeal of The Grateful Dead, and can’t bear to listen to the live album, “Dylan & the Dead.” Seth Rogovoy is a contributing editor at the Forward. He is the author of Bob Dylan: Prophet Mystic Poet (Scribner, 2009) and the forthcoming Within You Without You: Listening to George Harrison (Oxford University Press). This book was a gift to me from my sister-in-law Deb who lives with her husband Jim in the aforementioned Berkshires. Here it sits in my "study" on my multicultural...multifaceted bookshelf...along with the first and the last license plates from my 1965 VW Bus... "Jews for Jerry" Soapbox: Jews for Jerry - Jeremy D. Goodwin on June 5, 2012 [from this article] Many a Deadhead during the years has likely remarked offhandedly that a particularly deep “Dark Star” jam or a searing peak in “Morning Dew” amounted to a religious experience. For Jews who’ve found a spiritual home within the sphere of the Grateful Dead, that just might be true. The perceived overlap between the worlds of the Dead and Judaism has proven to be a fertile subtopic among fans, writers and academics who are used to scouring the Grateful Dead experience for bits of debatable theory. But what’s the essence of the connection? “Deadheads felt like outcasts in America, yet we were outcasts who built a very strong and vital and joyful community,” observes Steve Silberman, a writer who earned gold records for co-producing the So Many Roads (1965-1995) box set and penning liner notes for re-releases of Workingman’s Dead and Europe ‘72. “There’s a wink-wink understanding that we’re always in the same tribe. It’s a feeling of being both outcast and deeply inside. You’re deeply inside something that the uninitiated do not understand. It gave you a place to be special in a world in which you were told that you were less than ordinary.” (continues in the article) SHALOM...Beyond the Maccabees...there is another way... Holidays are times for remembering... Simon and Garfunkel-Old Friends, Bookends Theme -full version (04:15) Other Posts in this Series Wishin' us a Grateful Chanukah!-1 #music #humor #light #Chanukah #Hanukkah #AriGoldwag #MickeyHart #GratefulDead #MickeyHartBand #DavidDodd #Berkshires #LordOfTheRings #SimonAndGarfunkel #SethRogovoy #SteveB

All stories that are interesting...memorable...inviting...begin with a joke or a song...Also, this is yet another why I post - to "learn new things"...some of which are very old... Live from New York...it's Chanukah Light... ARI GOLDWAG - CHANUKAH LIGHT [Official Video] (Hanukkah Light) ארי גולדוואג - אור חנוכה Lyrics: Walking in the darkness, sorrow all around Looking for some joy, for a hopeful sound Just when I start to give up, seems there's nothing there A little glow appears, shining from nowhere Chanukah light burns so bright Lifts my soul raises my sights Chanukah light feels so right Eight small flames shining through the night The darkness starts to lift now, help is on its way Hopelessness is starting to fade away I lift my eyes to heaven where my help is from The light, now, from the flames shines for everyone The light is piercing through the darkness Shining 'til forever There's hope and love and brotherhood That's bringing us together Open up your heart, make a brand new start Chanukah's the time to take part What to do every night of Hanukkah 2023 in NYC - NY Jewish Week Okay, we're warmed up...Let's continue by clearing the our throats as we look at: How Do You Spell (and pronounce) Hanukkah? Or Is It Chanukah? - Chabad.org Next, don your thinking cap (yarmulke) and explore with me... What Is Hanukkah? - Chabad.org From the El (CTA) "Happy Hanukkah" Happy Hanukkah I wanna give a gift to you Light up the nights my love shine through From Mount Zion this is what we do Bring love to you. Today is the day Tonight is the night Sun set twilight Head back come along take flight Fly high Twinkle as I sprinkle Shooting into the sky Stars shine in my eyes Yes I'm feelin alright Light a candle For the one you love We send light from below to above Eight nights celebrate till I fly in the sky like a dove Source Matisyahu - Happy Hanukkah (Official Music Video) (03:50) To Hell...Ground Zero... Matisyahu - Happy Hanukkah (02:27) For our Children...from Staten Island...to the World... ...This is ONE WAY to help foster PEACE in our now-divided world... Note how the title of his album - "LIGHT" - fits right in with our exploration of the Fesitval of Lights...and, how the singer shares the spot LIGHT... [from this video's description] The PS22 Chorus got a visit today from Matisyahu, the incredible reggae singer, who also turns out to be an equally incredible person! He was awesome with the kids -- laid back and spontaneous -- just our style! Here the kids join in on his song, "One Day" from his phenomenal album, Light. And how about Leah on the solo??? She is a complete revelation here, and I love the bridge she shares with Matis -- with the newly added "wiyooooooooo"s. :) Thanks to Matis for being so cool and generous, really going out of his way to give the kids the spotlight. And props to his acoustic guitar player, David, who also was so much fun to jam with!! PS22 Chorus & Matisyahu "ONE DAY" (03:30) "...and feed them on your dreams..." "So, please help them with your youth..." and they're taking advantage of their platform : ))) PS22 Chorus "Teach Your Children" Crosby, Stills & Nash (02:13) The Hebrew word Chanukah means “dedication”... ...Let's see what happens when we add an "a" between the "e" and the "d"... Continues in Part 2... Wishin' us a Grateful Chanukah!-2 #music #humor #light #Chanukah #Hanukkah #AriGoldwag #Matisyahu #PS22Chorus #CrosbyStillsNashAndYoung

HELLO! Consider this post an appetizer for Wednesday evening’s Multicultural Solidarity of LI Diversity Friendship Listening Circles "meal" on Zoom. [see note below regarding in-person gatherings] On Monday afternoon (about 10 hours ago), Eileen and I went to Whole Foods. While we were checking out, our cashier - an early-30-something Black male - held up our three multicolored peppers and told us that they’re really the same underneath…just different on the outside. My eyes looked into his and, as a gesture of connection, I extended my hand as a fist-bump and his hand gesture mimicked mine and greeted me... As our hands continued making intentional contact, I replied, "It's the same with people" I then asked if he knew the musician Buddy Guy and his song “Skin Deep”…adding, that in my phone I have a collection of license plates that includes this one: An akin skin message is displayed in my dermatologist’s office SKIN DEEP Skin Deep featuring Buddy Guy | Playing For Change | Song Across the USA (05:32) Song Background Playing for Change co-founder Mark Johnson explains how this song was originally an effort to unite people in Chicago around problems of children dying from gun violence and then expanded into a "deeper intention of helping to heal this divide in America so those principles should apply to us in our lives. We shouldn't be looking at everything that's different like it's a bad thing, so I think this album was really about getting people back to remembering that it's diversity that makes this world a better place and that music is the best tool to remember to inspire us to remember..." When the Music Comes to Life: Skin Deep | Playing For Change (01:54) From the video's description: 14,754,836 views Feb 2, 2018 [from the video] Playing For Change and Buddy Guy united to record and film his anthem, “Skin Deep” across the USA. The song includes over 50 musicians from coast to coast featuring Buddy Guy, Tom Morello, Billy Branch, Chicago Children’s Choir, and Roots Gospel Voices of Mississippi. Originally, this was going to be a song across Chicago to bring light to all the violent shootings across the city but as time marched on, along with various shootings across our country, we realized we needed to expand our vision and use this song as a tool to unite our divided nation. "Skin Deep" is the first song from our Listen to the Music series — our newest body of work comprising 12 new Songs Around The World and featuring Buddy Guy, The Doobie Brothers, Warren Haynes, Dr. John, Jack Johnson, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, and many more. All music in this series was recorded live outside with a mobile studio and features over 200 musicians from 25 different countries. The album is available now with one new video from the series dropping every month! 100% of Playing For Change’s profits from this album will go to the Playing For Change Foundation, helping to support music education across the globe. Listen to the music; change the world! "Dinner's Ready!" Our September potluck at Joel and Doris's was great and I look forward to more in-person gatherings of the Multicultural Solidarity tribe. Eileen and I like our frequent get together's with our Baha'i friends - where we share food and fellowship. The surprising connections between music and food [from the article] When you think about it, this is perhaps not surprising given that both eating, and listening to or playing music, change the way we feel in similar ways. Both music and food nourish us, both body and soul – science has proven time and time again the impact of music on our physical and mental health. As it turns out, the sharing of both music and food is one of the strongest social bonding exercises imaginable. Finally, the idea of ‘breaking bread’ together is still steeped in the communion-like connotations of the original phrase, but there’s significance in this. Both a meal and a concert are a ritual, an event, something to stop and be thankful for. It’s about sharing, togetherness, a joint experience that brings us together. When we get round a table to eat dinner, or whether we’re sitting in silence, surrounded by bodies and notes: is it not the act of coming together that really completes and secures the ritual? Seeing our world thru the eyes of a child... Preschool Beatles...from Malaysia... Making melodies in my heart (04:21) And Muppets on Sesame Street... Sesame Street: We're Different, We're the Same | Read Along Series (05:57) GOODBYE! "You say "STOP"...and I say "GO, GO, GO..." If you were wondering why I included that pineapple in my photo of the peppers...(actually, it was unintentional until now...Hmm?) The Beatles - Hello, Goodbye (03:28) Reader: If you'd like to know more about the groups mentioned in this post just email me: ttittmann@icloud.com. Also, check out this July/August 2023 post that contains links to other posts I've done about these and other groups that are working to help us realize AND PRACTICE our connectedness...: Multicultural SALADarity: Food of many nations...Living in harmony... #music #food #BuddyGuy #MarkJohnson #eating #unity

Around 1968, in his seminal work "Be Here Now"...Ram Dass (previously "Richard Alpert" - Timothy Leary's sidekick at Harvard) was the first to introduce me to a loving version of "g-d"...With these now-widening eyes (an ongoing process), I was given to the care of a Franciscan friar - Richard Rohr...and am still using these new eyes...to SEE Further... Like all of life's important practices...what counts is ALL the time AFTER we leave "class"... Fr. Richard's complete Daily Meditation follows... Celebrating an Eternal Advent Tuesday, December 24, 2019 In the first 1200 years of Christianity, the greatest feast was Easter with the high holy days of Holy Week leading up to the celebration of the resurrection of Christ. But in the 13th century, a new person entered the scene: Francis of Assisi felt we didn’t need to wait for God to love us through the cross and resurrection. Francis intuited that the whole thing started with incarnate love, and he popularized what we now take for granted as Christmas, which for many became the greater Christian feast. The Franciscans popularized Christmas. Maybe their intuition was correct. Francis realized that if God had become flesh—taken on materiality, physicality, humanity—then we didn’t have to wait for Good Friday and Easter to “solve the problem” of human sin; the problem was solved from the beginning. It makes sense that Christmas became the great celebratory feast of Christians because it basically says that it’s good to be human, it’s good to be on this earth, it’s good to be flesh, it’s good to have emotions. We don’t need to be ashamed of any of this. God loves matter and physicality. With that insight, it’s no wonder Francis went wild over Christmas! (I do, too: my little house is filled with candles at Christmastime.) Francis believed that every tree should be decorated with lights to show their true status as God’s creations! And that’s exactly what we still do 800 years later. Remember, when we speak of Advent or preparing for Christmas, we’re not just talking about waiting for the little baby Jesus to be born. That already happened 2,000 years ago. In fact, we’re welcoming the Universal Christ, the Cosmic Christ, the Christ that is forever being born in the human soul and into history. And believe me, we do have to make room, because right now there is no room in the inn for such a mystery. We see things pretty much in their materiality, but we don’t see the light shining through. We don’t see the incarnate spirit that is hidden inside of everything material. The early Eastern Church, which too few people in the United States and Western Europe are familiar with, made it very clear that the incarnation was a universal principle. Incarnation meant not just that God became Jesus; God said yes to the material universe. God said yes to physicality. Eastern Christianity understands the mystery of incarnation in the universal sense. So it is always Advent. God is forever coming into the world (see John 1:9). We’re always waiting to see spirit revealing itself through matter. We’re always waiting for matter to become a new form in which spirit is revealed. Whenever that happens, we’re celebrating Christmas. The gifts of incarnation just keep coming. Perhaps this is enlightenment. Reference: Adapted from “An Advent Meditation with Richard Rohr” (Center for Action and Contemplation: 2017), https://vimeo.com/246331333. Image credit: Flight into Egypt (detail), Henry Ossawa Tanner, 1923, Metropolitan Museum of Art. Advent 2023 Playlist (all posts) Additional advent posts Advent-1: "Venite, come buy more us..." Advent-2: Advent...Come again? "It's heaven all the way to heaven...and hell...all the way to..." "I was gifted new eyes to see..." #RichardRohr #Christmas #Advent #Incarnation #FrancisOfAssisi #Easter #UniversalChrist

I was raised in the Christian tribe and then wandered further in search of other tales...other story lines...other ways to SEEEEEEEEE... That said, there are significant (to me) parts of the original stories I was given that I keep coming back to...and seeing them with NEW EYES... One of these is the value of times of reflection...pausing...slowing down...preparation And these are not unique to Christianity...They're essential to all humans... "advent" - lowercase "Advent" - Uppercase Source: Merriam-Webster.com I object! (editorial comment) I take exception to the naming of the time between Easter and Christmas as "Ordinary Time"...and the Sunday of the week prior to Advent as the "last Sunday of ordinary time"... As I get on in years, NO Sundays...in fact, NO days are ordinary...Agreed? Prepare the way... This year is the 50th anniversary of Godspell's 1973 release. Prepare Ye (The Way Of The Lord) - Godspell (film) (03:10) Shifting now to an Australian John the Baptizer... "Come people, come now people...We are ONE..." "Come people, come now people [x3] Come Spirit through these people Come people, come now people And I believe we are one and we are sacred [x3] I will hold you close [x2]" ...a little child is the first to recognize...and follow... Xavier Rudd & the United Nations - Come People (Album Version) [official music video] (05:46) So... People Get Ready... Before you listen to the lyrics about punishment and hell fire...check out the link below to the post about heaven and hell... Jeff Beck, Rod Stewart - People Get Ready (04:40) Advent 2023 Playlist (all posts) Additional advent posts Advent-1: "Venite, come buy more us..." Advent-3: Celebrating an Eternal Advent "It's heaven all the way to heaven...and hell...all the way to..." "I was gifted new eyes to see..." #music #humor #advent #TSEliot #Christianity #Godspell ##JohnTheBaptizer #XavierRudd #JeffBeck #RodStewart

HOPE everyone's credit cards have survived the advertising attacks of Cyber Week.... There's relief in sight... Some people choose to use the next 4 weeks to take a break from consuming mass quantities...and, instead, SPEND time reflecting on life's more significant matters... ...For suggestions...refer below for links to the other posts in this series... Future Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade balloon... Stores might wanna consider giving employees CPI training "Enough...Enough...We got enough stuff..." The lyrics in this section's title are from the song "Enough" by Kevin Griffin. You can listen to this (Track #9) and 9 more tunes on his "Laughing Buddha" CD on Spotify. Link is below. ENOUGH By Kevin Griffin and Wes Nisker Enough, enough, we got enough stuff x4 I got a SUV, DVD, HD-TV Laptop, hiphop, diamond studded flip-flops Prozac, Xanax, no-carb candy snacks My cellphone ringtone’s a symphony by Beethoven Enough, etc Video, stereo, vacation in Guantanamo Microwave, electric shave, a thousand ways to help me save Internet, virtual pets, a 90 inch TV set Credit card, bodyguard, a hundred acre backyard Enough, enough WE GOT ENOUGH To sink a ship WE GOT ENOUGH To make your backbone slip WE GOT ENOUGH Don’t need anymore WE GOT ENOUGH We bought the whole store Xbox, punk rocks, refrigerator that talks iPod, hot rod, summer house on Cape Cod Pokemon, Spiderman, drugs that make me Superman Hot tub, back rub, pet Tibetan tiger cub Enough, enough Laughing Buddha (all 10 tunes) - Kevin Griffin [1] Original 1751 Hymn: O Come, All Ye Faithful Source: Wikipedia Advent 2023 Playlist (all posts) Additional advent posts Advent-2: Advent...Come again? Advent-3: Celebrating an Eternal Advent "It's heaven all the way to heaven...and hell...all the way to..." "I was gifted new eyes to see..." #music #humor #Advent #KevinGriffin #LaughingBuddha #consumerism #CPI #CyberWeek

I first saw Nahko at a NYC Summerstage event in Central Park. I like his energy and the creative ways he describes the awakening...coming more online...processes... Nahko And Medicine For The People - Budding Trees [Official Music Video] (06:48) "Budding Trees" In the moon of the budding trees I was gifted new eyes to see All of the shifting shape and ways you can be Wake the dreams into realities Wake the dreams into realities Sunset diamonds trickle down our cheeks The language of no words is how we speak Pacha Mama spinning firelight And a Little Bear singing by the fireside Out of this city with the wind on our neck That's us whistling upon your neck Moonlit diamonds sparkle into my mouth Feels like hunger and it tastes like salt Feels like hunger and it tastes like salt So, tap me out and tap me into you Heal my brain and my body too Balance my chemistry hydrate these cells Cuz the body talks and the meditation helps The body talks and meditation helps The body talks and meditation helps A little bit of cinnamon pours as we snoot All up on my shit in the morning commute Coastal quiver on a quest through the dunes Sandy toes and bottomless curves of the moon Heavy lifting for Pele's children Hand of the goddess soaking cliffs keep building Plate is full but appetite has dwindled I feel a little sick so I keep the fire kindled You the pillar steadfast light of bravery And I the dimly burning candle still shaking Riddled fear quiver my bones so easy! Well, you're the guru now so visualize healing Yeah, you're the guru now so visualize leaving Let her go for she can no longer feed you [1] And many children need that mana creature Just barely missed you I was finally ready! But you are a long gone too much heavy history Yeah you are a long gone too much heavy history Let go of blame that shit will never serve me! Bless other men investigate your mystery So, tap me out and tap me into you Heal my brain and my body too Balance my chemistry hydrate these cells Cuz the body talks and the meditation helps The body talks and meditation helps The body talks and meditation helps Little spider weaves a wispy web And stumbling through the woods it catches to my head She crawls behind my ear and whispers secrets Dragonfly wiz by and sings now teach it Yeah, dragonfly wiz by and sings now teach it Form on the trail I watch you head up mauka I turn makai and whisper, "thank you sister" Edge of the west where water touches land You are the east with folded maps in hand Time to increase my frequency! Hands of light and bodies talking Gimme some of that wild fox medicine! But, keep me here in this wild present tense Fully supported on new lovers chest Dawning adventures sparkle get some rest! Dawning adventures sparkle get some rest! So, tap me out and tap me into you Heal my brain and my body too Balance my chemistry hydrate these cells Cuz the body talks and the meditation helps The body talks and meditation helps The body talks and meditation helps [1] - these lyrics present a reason for my wandering out from my original Christian tribe... I like the inclusion of lots of little ones in this video tale... ...and the energy flows over land and sea... Be sure to check out this next dude's musical vibrations: TREVOR HALL Our new eyes help enlarge our perspective... Advent 2023 Playlist (all posts) Additional advent posts Advent-1: "Venite, come buy more us..." Advent-2: Advent...Come again? Advent-3: Celebrating an Eternal Advent "It's heaven all the way to heaven...and hell...all the way to..." #music #humor #Nahko #TrevorHall #seeing #meditation

This post links from the 2023 Advent post. I've included Richard Rohr's complete Daily Meditation. Heaven and Hell Sunday, April 28, 2019 Lord, will only a few people be saved? —Luke 13:23 But remember, some who are now last will be first. And some who think they are first will be last. —Luke 13:30 Many of the saints said that no one is going to hell unless they want to. God condemns no one to hell, unless they themselves choose to live in hatred, evil, and disharmony. Then they are already living in hell here and now. God just gives them what their lives show they want. Most of the world religions have some concept of heaven and hell. Why? Because human freedom matters. We have to be given the freedom to say no to love and life, and one word for that is hell. Pope John Paul II, who certainly was not a liberal, reminded listeners that heaven and hell are not physical places at all; they’re states of being in a living relationship with God or choosing separation from the source of all life and joy. [1] And, if that’s true, there are plenty of people on earth who are in hell now. They often choose to be miserable, hateful, negative, and oppositional. They love to exclude people who are different from them. St. Catherine of Siena (1347–1380), whose feast we will celebrate tomorrow, received a vision of Jesus Christ as a bridge reaching from heaven to earth, forever joining “humanity with the greatness of the Godhead.” [2] Catholic Worker founder Dorothy Day (1897–1980) was fond of citing Catherine’s inspiration in her own reflections, often writing “All the way to heaven is heaven.” [3] I’d also add “It’s hell all the way to hell.” You’re choosing your destiny right now. You are responsible, not God. Do you want to live in love and communion? Or do you want to live in constant opposition to others and life itself? As we observe our politics, antagonism appears to be the primary style of communication today—how to fight and win, how to be suspicious, how to be hateful, how to tell lies. Who can we exclude now? Which race, religion, or group is unworthy? (All in the name of God, remember!) That’s simply hell right now. And an awful lot of people, even those who call themselves Christian, appear to be living in a hell of their own construction. That’s why Jesus can say, “I do not know you” even to those who “ate and drank in his company” (see Luke 13:25–27)! Heaven is not about belonging to the right group; it’s not about following the correct rituals. It’s about having the right attitude. There are just as many Muslims, Hindus, and Jews who are in love—serving their neighbor and the poor—as there are Christians. Jesus says there will be deep regret—“wailing and grinding of teeth” (Luke 13:28)—when we realize how wrong we were, how thoroughly we missed the point. Be prepared to be surprised about who is living a life of love and service and who isn’t. This should keep us all humble and searching and recognizing it’s not even any of our business who’s going to heaven and who’s going to hell. What makes us think that our little minds and hearts could discern the mind and heart of anyone else? References: [1] Pope John Paul II, General Audiences on the topics of heaven (July 21, 1999) and hell (July 28, 1999). Full texts of these addresses can be found at https://w2.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/audiences/1999.index.html. [2] Catherine of Siena, The Dialogue, trans. Suzanne Noffke (Paulist Press: 1980), 59. [3] Dorothy Day, The Catholic Worker (May 1970). This article (and many others that include this phrase) can be found by browsing online archives at https://www.catholicworker.org/dorothyday/browse/. Adapted from Richard Rohr: Essential Teachings on Love, eds. Joelle Chase and Judy Traeger (Orbis Books: 2018), 250-251. Image credit: La Sieste (detail), Paul Gauguin, 1892–1894, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, New York. Inspiration for this week’s banner image: The here-and-now has the power to become the gateway and the breakthrough point to the universal. The concrete, the specific, the physical, the here-and-now—when we can be present to it in all of its ordinariness—becomes the gateway to the Eternal. —Richard Rohr Advent 2023 Playlist (all posts) #heaven #hell #RichardRohr #CatherineOfSiena #PopeJohnPaulII #DorothyDay #TheCatholicWorker #Luke #Muslims #Hindus #Jews