HAPPY 59

on stage with Michael Johnathon, June 2023

"How old would you be if you didn't know how old you are?" - Satchel Paige

My annual obligatory birthday post!

Sooo...another trek around the sun, as they say - 59 such treks. This year, as every year, has been quite the roller-coaster ride...from another successful Lexi Music Awards event to hosting open mics to performances at local charity events to national TV to a couple of fabulous studio sessions to performances at both the Prince Tribute show and the Tina Turner Tribute show and so much more on the professional & creative front!

And, of course, its been amazing to continue to watch students & former students go out into the world and be creative and chase their dreams!

Eddy, Carol, & me!

Here at SD Universe, I made 12 entries, including a percussion workshop article, a lesson article of "O Brother, Where Art Thou?", and four RIP pieces (Tina Turner, Harry Belafonte, Gordon Lightfoot, and Jeff Beck).....while at SD Magazine we published two "Sonic Sorcery" lessons, a Superbowl Music lesson, and two "Looking Back" articles ("Synchronicity" by the Police and Revel Yell" by Billy Idol).

So....my birthday weekend:

Friday (10-20) was a hard workout at the gym (final pre-birthday workout) and included 60 minutes of cardio, 30 minutes full body resistance work, and capped it off with weighted carries (45 pound plate in each hands while walking laps around the gym).

a coupla random adults hanging with my main man G!

Saturday (10-21) was a set at a charity gig for Greenhouse 17 organized by Ned Bellau at The Cellar, and then a pizza party with the kids!

Sunday (10-22) was the annual Birthday Jam! We packed the patio at Goodwood and had a blast! I also broke a 30+ day alcohol-free (also an annual thing for me) with a really good scotch!

Serena w/ backup from me and Haywood!

Monday (birthday) I got up feeling a tad ragged from the weekend festivities, but after getting the kids off to school, I hit the gym HARD, then went home to a super-rare steak with shrimp and guacamole, raw mixed nuts, and a nap! 

Unfortunately, the ragged feeling turned out to be a cold or mild flu which lasted for over a week, but if that's the worst thing that happened, nothing happened (haha!).

Also blessed to receive hundreds upon hundreds of birthday wishes via text, email, snail mail, social media, phone calls, & the like...and as I do each year, I took my annual ODIS (Old Dudes In Shape) pictures as a challenge to my buddies who also post ODIS pics. Good accountability and keeps us all motivated and disciplined! (pic at bottom)

On the off chance that you are interested in the stories & photos from past birthdays, you can punch THIS LINK, which will list them all.

That's it for now. Gotta get to work prepping lessons, Lexi Music Awards, my annual "thankful" post, and more....and please check out my Patreon page ($5/month for Total Access to writings, performance clips, music instruction, diet & fitness writings, AMAs, etc)!

See y'all soon...in person, online, on TV, or wherever we shall meet!

#StayFierce #SkinnyDevil #FierceAF #SDMLguitar #LexiMusicAwards #ThisIs58 #PirateLife