happy holidays, happy holidays, the merry bells are ringing, happy holidays to you!

tho mind's running faster than fingers, will try to write a bit... how are you? how are your holidays? mine have been wunderbar, wunderbar... dad had his 1st book published & it's now listed on amazon; angie's now going steady w/her guy; good news all-around for the family... (ok -- now what?) ummmm... uhhh.... went for a wonderful christmas run yesterday morn up here in NE bako. the winter low-sun was warm on my back & the sky a blue-enough to suffuse the morn w/happy hue. as i jogged along the hilly streets, people came in & out of houses & cars bearing armloads of gifts, & what a nice thing it was to call christmas greetings to strangers & smile & share holiday cheer... then back at our folks' house, we had a feast of enchilada-, corn-, & chile relleno casseroles, rice & beans, tamales & flan... the rest of the day was a blur as i passed out from caloric overload... this morning brings pix from the christmas show the other night w/karling abbeygate. it was the most satisfying musical experience i've EVER had, playing a dusk devils set that went so, so bright & happy-well, then getting back up to do a set w/karling's LA band (& me!). we'd "practiced" a few hrs earlier, karling w/no mike, the bar full of patrons & horrid piped music, trying to hear what we were doing but not too able to do so, but then when we did the actual set, my fingers seemed to know where to go, for the most pt, & it was my 1st time doing a basically unprepared set & having success! karling kept throwing me solos & bob the guitarist would nod w/approval... i felt i belonged! then we took a break & karling's bakersfield band went up -- brian p, cesareo, AJ & i (&, of course, donnie, karling's partner). we SLAMMED that set. we rocked! people cheered & hooted & yelled! karling whooped & laughed & her eyes shone. she liked what i & we did! :) all eve, i got so many compliments on my playing. after i told dad, he commented, "you discovered competence you didn't know you had." i think that was it! grateful, i realized it was a real merry christmas present to me, to be pt of the music thru-out the night, playing well, & discovering i could go beyond what i've done & maybe can be a musician, not just an entertainer. what a happy experience. thank you!
can't wait to play again, next wk w/becky, then again w/karling, & soon after w/dusk devils, now w/super-nice drummer stevo, w/back-ups ready to go... from karling, i realize i don't have to have ONE line-up; from becky, i realized i MUST, however, play w/people who are not just well-adjusted enough to get along w/others, but enjoy the music. i know fabulous musicians who play this stuff w/ardor & gusto; there's no room for those who claim to be bored by it. they must go, & from now on, they will, immediately. now i know there are plenty who will take their places! life's too short to play music w/people who don't get this...
that's enough for now. :) happy holidays to all!