PART OF HISTORY

In 1962 I had occasion to drive across across the country, in the deep south we saw "White only" sign's at restaurants and bathrooms. I remember being quite shocked then, being a California gal. Today, January 20, 2009 history has been made, their is hope for us after all. Obama is the 12 president in my life time, starting FDR. I'm feeling older than dirt!
Helen

O.K. All together now.... Here we go

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6ymb_hamster-dance_animals

Happy New Year To All and To All A Goodnight...Susan & Gary
(click on picture)

Happy Holidays

Best wishes to all for a happy and healthy holiday season.

Susan and I spent Christmas Eve with Ralph at his church. Lots of Christmas Carols, Ralph played some great guitar with the band. Finished off the evening doing burgers and way too much coffee at Hoff's Hut. Thought I'd throw this up as a teaser to Ralph's Demo CD that we hope to finish up soon. Here's the rough draft of the CD cover.

Peace to all,

Gary & Susan

Happy Hoiday's

We wish you a Merry Christmas, We Wish You a Merry Christmas, We Wish You a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!!!!
Hello our Paradox family, so looking forward to seeing you in June. We have exciting news, our daughter Virginia is going to be a Grandmother in July!!!! This of course means we are expecting to be Great Grandparents for the first time. Move over Tony and Leigh! Virginia is up here for the holiday's , back from India, getting used to the idea, just too cool!
Have a good one.
Bob and Helen

By any chance did any of you catch on KVIE or what ever public TV is in your area "The Censorship Struggles of the Smothers Brothers"? It's really fabulous, another trip down memory lane. Some great Pat Paulson, Mason Williams, Steve Martin. Watch it if possible.
Helen

Damn flies

Here's one to mess with your head!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbaQWYXiazE&feature=related

Diane's Wallet c. 1967

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving.

As many of you know, I moved two years ago. What you may not know, and I'm not anxious to admit, is that I'm still not 100% moved in. Over the long weekend, I thought I'd make an attempt to empty a few more boxes and ..... voila! I found the old wallet I have packed around with me since 1967 -- literally falling apart at the seams.

I wish there were snapshots taken at the Paradox -- there aren't -- however I have found Bob, Helen, Ginny, Linda, and Blooming Kid photos from that time. A photo of Norman Greenbaumn et al. in full face paint. And many other surprises (like a drawing I'm pretty sure Bruce Kunkel did). There's even an Elswit Thomas business card and a much coveted invitation to Beethoven's birthday party, which will soon be upon us.

Alas, this computer doesn't have the software to run my scanner (another tale of woe.... spilled coffee on my old one) but will try to scan some photos soon.

In the meantime, does anyone else have a stash of old photos to share?

Happy Thanksgivng

Wishing all of you a Happy Thanksgiving! Overeating is a given, and we always say (I always say) I souldn't of had that piece of pie, Only comes once a year, so go for it!
Steve Scaff called me last week and wants to make the stuffing and the yams, is that sweet or what, He's such a dear man and he's doing very well.
All of you tell me your plans for big day of overeating. I'm having 9, wish all of you could come, my Paradox family.
Helen

A trip Down Memory Lane

Blog has been way too quiet so here is something to make a little noise.
http://concerts.wolfgangsvault.com/
You'll have to register to listen but it's worth it Bigtime!..............ENJOY

Gary, Ralph, Steve....

How was the show last night? I can hardly wait to hear.

Van Morrison Astral Weeks Live Hollywood Bowl

Here is a small sampling of what we were privileged to be a part of Saturday 11/08.
Van and the band were amazing! A transcendent journey of the spirit and the soul.
More to be revealed when they release the finished product. http://www.vanmorrison.com/

This just in from John McEuen

In another busy year, John has just finished the music scores for three documentary films (“Sizzle - A Global Warming Comedy;” “Maynard Dixon - Art and Spirit”; “Howard's Trail”), and has been seen on the road either solo (about 48 cities) or in his 42nd year with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (42 cities). Capitol Records just released a remake of Mr. Bojangles by NGDB with Keith Urban and Dierks Bentley!). McEuen's XM radio show (Acoustic Traveller - channel 15) begins its 4th year.

This summer McEuen also started producing an album for his lifelong friend, actor Steve Martin. All Martin's original music - for release in 2009 - John says "the Steve album is coming along great! People will be shocked at how vast and varied is music is, and how great he plays… this album will show Steve as a composer of unique hot licks and soulful lyrics. He is definitely a songwriter with an unusual twist for lyrics, and, in the 44 years I've known him, I've never heard him playing better."

Martin's yet to be titled album (a dozen instrumentals and three vocals) features such diverse talents as Earl Scruggs, McEuen, Jerry Douglas, Stuart Duncan, Tony Trishka, Pete Wernick, David Amram, Craig Eastman, (Vince Gill duets with Dolly Parton on Pretty Flowers and Tim O'Brien sings Daddy Played the Banjo) … and Steve even sings one. ard to pigeonhole as to 'style', John brings together Americana folk traditional instruments to Steve's world of notes where you will hear strains that combine influences from their mutual past - Disneyland, Knott's Berry Farm, The Music Man, Aaron Copland's Appalachian Spring, and bluegrass - in way that “will take the music world by surprise”, says producer McEuen.

This fall you can catch John McEuen on the road (with banjo, guitar, fiddle, and mandolin) for his highly acclaimed solo performances. He brings to his stage songs from years on the road and recording, including many NGDB tunes from the early years and the historic Will the Circle Be Unbroken album (you can see some of his early wardrobe and the banjo used on that historic recording in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame exhibit) and from his own CDs on Rural Rhythm Records and Vanguard Records.

For those of you in the L.A. area:

He'll also be at the Coffee Gallery Backstage in Altadena, November 11 at 8:00.
For reservations call 626-398-7917

The Times They Are A Changin'

Come gather 'round people
Wherever you roam
And admit that the waters
Around you have grown
And accept it that soon
You'll be drenched to the bone
If your time to you
Is worth savin'
Then you better start swimmin'
Or you'll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin'

Come writers and critics
Who prophesize with your pen
And keep your eyes wide
The chance won't come again
And don't speak too soon
For the wheel's still in spin
And there's no tellin' who
That it's namin'
For the loser now
Will be later to win
For the times they are a-changin'

Come senators, congressmen
Please heed the call
Don't stand in the doorway
Don't block up the hall
For he that gets hurt
Will be he who has stalled
There's a battle outside
And it is ragin
It'll soon shake your windows
And rattle your walls
For the times they are a-changin'

Come mothers and fathers
Throughout the land
And don't criticize
What you can't understand
Your sons and your daughters
Are beyond your command
Your old road is
Rapidly agin'
Please get out of the new one
If you can't lend your hand
For the times they are a-changin'

Vote Early * Vote Often

An old classic to get you in the mood!

http://www.jibjab.com/originals/time_for_some_campaignin

Pre Election Thoughts

At the risk of going out on a limb or preachin' to the choir, here are my thoughts in a nut shell!

Vote Obama! Keep Palin's finger away from the trigger!

So if that makes me a left wing radical, socialist, terrorist, elitist, Marxist, communist, anti-American whack job, well, I guess I'll just have to live with that.
I welcome any and all opposing views, while we still have some semblance of a Democracy in the good ol' U.S.A!

*** Vote Early * Vote Often ***

From Rob and Sara:

This just in from Sara, thanks to Helen:
(If you can make it to the open house or moving sale, I'm sure Rob and Sara would love to see you before they head south!)


We have big news to share. Rob and I have decided after much thought to move to Abiquiu, New Mexico where my folks live. We know this comes as a shock to many of you and you were in our thoughts when we made this decision. We have been considering retiring to New Mexico in five or six years from now, however events in our personal lives and the needs of family has made us realize that now is the best time for us to make this move. Rob is planning to pursue his studio art and pottery and will be selling the tile business and molds. I will be developing the Fashion Dell'Arte with Arnel into an education, show, and product based company.

My last day of work will be October 31 and our last day in town will be Nov 28. Below is an invitation to our open house where we hope you can all come.

Rob and Sara's House Cooling and Open House Week

When: Friday 11/7/08 thru Thursday 11/13/08
Fri, Sat, Sunday 10am-9pm Mon, Tue, Wed 10am-4pm
Thur. 10am-9pm

Come chill out with us. Have you picture taken so Sara can make her scrap book, and let us share with you on a map where we will be moving (so you can know how to visit us). Also the next week we will be having a moving sale. Feel free to come and visit and shop also.

Rob and Sara's Everything Must Go Moving Sale.

When: Friday 11/14/08 thru Wed 11/18/08
Friday Sat Sun 9am-7pm Mon Tue Wed 9am-3pm

Van Morrison Hollywood Bowl

Thought I'd throw this up in case anyone is interested. Van Morrison is recording a live version of the Astral Weeks album Nov. 7 & Nov. 8 at the Hollywood Bowl. It is the season closer for the Bowl and the 40th anniversary of the original Astral Weeks release. It should be a an incredible evening and I highly recommend it to anyone that can make it. Susan and I have Terrace Box Seats for Saturday night and tickets are still available on eBay.Check out this link for further details. http://www.vanmorrison.co.uk/

Wherefore art thou.....

This just in from Joe Romeo, thanks to Helen!

Susan and I are now settled in Amsterdam and loving it. I'm doing research at the Academic Medical Center of the University of Amsterdam and we plan to be staying here until the end of next summer, so I'm afraid we won't be making it to the next Paradox reunion. I really wish we could have found the time to visit you before we left the country but getting everything together for this trip proved to be an overwhelming set of tasks and there just wasn't time.

Living in Amsterdam has been even better than I had hoped. I think the Dutch are an under-appreciated people (or at least the Dutch in and around Amsterdam - we haven't had much opportunity yet to travel in the more rural parts of Holland). I've been very pleasantly surprised at how warm and kind most of the people I've encountered here have been. Our daughter Annie is doing her junior year in college at the University of Paris so we've been getting to know that city as well and, while I can certainly understand why everyone raves so much about what a fantastic place it is, I have to say that I'm happy that Susan and I decided spend my sabbatical year in Amsterdam rather than in Paris as we had originally planned.

There has, however, been one major drawback during the trip... While we were in Paris six weeks ago, Susan broke her ankle. I can tell you that dealing with the French medical system would be daunting enough if you spoke the language but it is certainly no picnic if you don't. So after 2 stressful days in Paris we hobbled back to Amsterdam where we could at least understand what the doctors were saying, since most of them speak such excellent English (which, of course makes us feel like idiots for being so linguistically challenged). But Susan is out of her cast now and learning to walk like a biped again, so we hope things will be back to normal soon.

Anyway - enough of all the travelogue stuff. We are having a wonderful time here but we do miss the beautiful people at home, which is why I'm thinking of you. I hope everything is well with you and would love to hear from you. Please take good care of yourselves and give my best to all.

Losing Rob and Sara!

Bad news for us, good news for Sara's parents. Sara's mother has breast
cancer, her father is well into his 80's, they live in New Mexico. Both
Sara and Rob feel they need to go help out, soooo they are moving back to NM
in November. Sure hope they come back for our upcoming reunion. If it
wasn't for them, our last reunion would have been a disaster, they were
such a tremendous help to us. We will miss them so, but I would do the same under the circumstance.
Good luck to you Rob and Sara.