Randy Rainbow has knocked it out of the park!

Gino Vannelli "Wilderness Road" Video.mov

The new album has a different arrangement of this song and I think this video may disappear soon, from YouTube. Enjoy the original, while it lasts.

High School Choir Sang of Reincarnation and We Never Knew!

It took years of Google and YouTube searches to locate this song. I had no idea who wrote or recorded it. It was my most favorite song that we ever sang in high school choir. Thinking back on it, knowing that  our racist and dogmatic choir director had us singing about reincarnation was pretty damned revolutionary! I might respect her a little more, now. I wonder if she realized what the lyrics said?

Puddles Pity Party Deserves a Grammy For This!!!

Have watched this at least 5 times today and it brings me to tears. The message, the voice, the arrangement. The video. All of it is perfect.

A Posh, Windowless Room

A man without his manhood
And a woman with no womb
Embrace on velvet pillows
In a posh, windowless room.

His essence strictly human male
His manliness, his scent.
She learns about a brand new world
Her body he respects

For what are earthly wonders
But talk between two souls?
The here and there of this and that
Can make a heart run cold.

And so they came together
From midnight until noon
Forever joined by human hearts
In a posh, windowless room

Trouble in Paradise

In the back of my mind, I knew it was coming. There were way too many red flags. Her daughter hasn't spoken to her in years. Her brother no longer invites her over to his home. Her mother rejected her offer to live in the guest house during her retirement years.

My new landlady is unstable and needs serious help. Not coming right out and saying she is batshit crazy, but I think she was severely wounded in her childhood and has only been in therapy for less than a year. She is 73 years old and has a very long journey ahead of her. It won't be easy and I don't know if she'll live long enough to heal.

I was returning home after a lovely Chinese meal. It is a complicated parking situation, here. I have to back my truck up to the high wooden gate, get out of the truck, with most of it out in the street, unlock the gate and push it open, then hook a chain over a pole, in case the wind kicks up. Then, get back inside the truck, get on to the property, close the gate and back a long way in to the driveway until I am close to my guest house. Well, that night, just as I had backed the truck into position, another truck raced down the street and nearly hit me. I was startled and took my foot off the brake pedal, causing my truck to roll back in to the gate. Of course I was mortified and immediately emailed my on-site landlady to inform her of the damage, take full blame, and offer to pay for the repairs.

At the time, when I sent the email, in my state of panic, I did not mention the truck that was coming straight at me. Instead, I said I did not put the truck in park and was feeling for the key, which was also true. I usually put the truck in park once I have the key in my hand.

Anyway, I heard nothing back from the landlady in response. No emails, no calls, no visits from next door. Total silence.

6 days later, while returning home from a visit with my sister, I was happy to find that the gate had been totally repaired. It was better than when I first arrived! OK! I guess she decided to handle this on her own! Phew!

Nope.

Yesterday, I wanted to let the twice-monthly housekeeper (who cleans the landlady's place and then comes over to do my guest house) That I could not raise the plug from the bathroom sink, and that she'd have to work around the situation. Surprisingly, landlady was at home, cleaning while the maid cleaned! (she told me I would also have to straighten up before the housekeeper arrived - WTF right?) Anyway, I informed both of them of the problem with the sink. And then, Landlady says to me ' "What do you think of the gate??? I HEARD NOTHING FROM YOU!!" I said - Oh - I was waiting for a bill from you. "You Really smashed that thing good!! NOTHING HAS EVER BEEN BROKEN IN THE GUEST HOUSE BEFORE!!" I laughed a little, and said 'you're kidding, right?' - remembering the 2 broken bathroom tiles she informed me of, when I moved in. I said "What do I owe you?" and she screamed "I TOOK IT OUT OF YOUR SECURITY DEPOSIT!"Reluctantly, I thanked her. She went on to say how ANGRY she was to find the gate damage and I replied "Yes, I know. I heard you yelling. I was sleeping in my truck" WHAT WERE YOU DOING SLEEPING IN YOUR TRUCK??? "It was way too hot inside" (again, it is summer in Albuquerque and my place retains heat) "PERHAPS YOU NEED TO FIND OTHER ACCOMMODATIONS, THEN!" I looked at her very quizzically, and left.

I drove to the relaxing mineral baths between Santa Fe and Taos, to soak my stress away, because believe me, I was very angry after this exchange. Thank god for lithia water and the other healing pools. I felt much better.

Upon my return, there was an envelope  affixed to the door on my porch, that stated she had reconsidered and now wanted a check for $150 from me for the repair. This morning, I wrote the check and put it on her door. When I got back home, I noticed that the beautiful hammock that I'd been enjoying this summer (provided by the landlady) had been removed. I assume she was unhappy because I unhooked it and placed it upon the rug, during the monsoon rain the previous night.

I suppose hammocks are only for "good girls who do not piss off their landladies"

I NEED to find a new place to live. I feel sorry I'll have to uproot my dog again. And very sorry this woman is BATSHIT CRAZY