Merry Christmas Greetings!

So this is Christmas...

It's been a year! We've certainly had our ups and downs this year, but somehow, someway, both my father and I have made it through another year.

I didn't travel much but I did further my education. I also spent a lot of time care-taking after Dad's vacation at SRMC.

Through it all, on Christmas Eve we both find each other well, fed, happy and there are gifts under the "tree". (It's definitely not a tree, but we lit the outside of the house in a conservatively economical way this year.)

This coming year we hope to do more work in the yard - we had great success with our two year old "orchard" of pears, peaches, nectarines and cherries. Of course, the roses didn't let us down and they were all gorgeous in almost 3 full blushes.
Politics have run the spectrum in the TV room and I am sporting a Turn Off FOX sticker on my Ford. Meanwhile, in the TV room, it's Palin and O'Reilly blathering all day long! Kinda funny how children can become the complete political and philosophical opposites of each other.

Anyway, this year was a time to re-unite with old friends, dump some bad habits, and make a fresh start on many different levels. I'm pleased to say, it's been quite a metamorphosis! I am so thankful and lucky to have the people that are in my life. (You know who you are!)

So, my friends, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year - My phrase for my year is "Grateful, Thank you! Grateful for old friends, grateful for marvelous opportunities for learning that I can never say thank you enough!

So this is Christmas, what have we done? (A terrific song with terrific lyrics). Listen to it tomorrow).
John Lennon & Yoko Ono 1971

Dear Mr. President,

I applaud you for doing something right in propelling the repeal of DADT - that is, if you had anything to do with it other than making it a campaign promise.

What I don't understand is the positioning of yourself with the GOP on the "Republican Tax Reduction Act of 2010" formerly known as "The Bush Tax Cuts".

Dropping Social Security to 4% is not acceptable. It's simply a way to phase it out. Social Security and Medicare have been a problem for years, but Medicare is really the problem. Your Health Care plan hardly addresses that. Not dealing with Estate Tax "the Death Tax" was just plain dumb - while the yield would have been minimal, but to continue drop the top 3% (which, by the way, who pay the majority of taxes is astonishing). Programs must be cut - school lunches, school programs, excessive government spending, and more.

I hope our military is bringing over enough of those poppies from Afghanistan to make up for the shortfall, if not, some of those guys in Washington need to be smoking Crack! Might give 'em some ideas they didn't have.

I applaud the House Democrats for rejecting your "deal". That, finally shows some backbone on their part. Maybe they have finally listened to the people.

In closing, thanks for the DADT. But you must keep working. Families in this country are suffering by paying too much in taxes. Our middle class is literally disappearing - it's "the Have's and the Have Nots" and that's a shame.

God Bless America

Dear Mr. President,

I awoke this morning to the Stephanie Miller radio show where they were discussing how the President had caved on the Bush Tax Cuts and additionally extended Unemployment Benefits for 13 months rather than 24

Appalled and betrayed are the only words I could find to describe my feelings about these issues. Feeling this way, I wrote my first letter to the President. A letter, written with respect yet questioning his character and his ability to stand up to the opposition.

While we have seemingly elected a good and honest man, we have elected someone who campaigned on the slogan, “Change you can believe in”. Yet, we have not seen any change at all. I realize there is a huge faction of citizens, while saying they are not racist, indeed are. I truly believe there is an attitude of not allowing a single thing this man wants to do. It is apparent the “old guard”. The southern (and northern) senators and congressmen whose families have a history of owning slaves still feel this way and while he may have a good idea, they aren’t going to allow him to you suggest or let a single idea get done. Not this “boy”.

It is my opinion that you don’t put an idea out there and say, “Let’s discuss”! You obviously will get shot down. The stupidity of allowing an outgoing President set up a Bailout only a week before you take office and then allowing you to get stuck with the consequences was telling from the start. The entire “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” debacle, the health care plan - Here’s my thoughts, what are yours? Remember, its people that have health care are deciding whether the people that don’t, can. It’s insane. I’ve always said, if that’s your story, and then stick with it. Well, Mr. President, if that’s your concept, stick with it!

I find it even more disgusting the media assassination this man must go through. It was never like this during the Bush years. Never. There are hours upon hours each day on the airwaves that are full of hate for this man. And the mindless in this country, the people who follow, and don’t have an original thought in their head, just follow the lead. Someone once said, without organized religion, there would be chaos. I believe that is the same for many of our media outlets. It’s not the news folks; it’s an opinion of the news. And America just doesn’t get it. But without their lead, I’m afraid chaos would prevail.

Awhile-back Mr. Obama indicated he would rather be a good one-term president rather than a bad two-term president. Well, right now it doesn’t matter whether it’s one or two. Because he has let opportunity after opportunity go by to prove his strength and character and in my opinion failed each time.

While I am neither a Republican nor Democrat, I would expect a president to take time to find his stride. Mr. Obama, find your stride. It’s time.

My New Career

Could it be I've reached my calling? I am beginning to think that it's the case. I so enjoy doing bodywork, I can't tell you. Being that everyone it different, there is such variety and such a chance for a different kind of connection. I really enjoy it.

This week, I will have done 5 different treatments. I'm overwhelmed at the level of support I've received and even more overwhelmed that I seem to have found my flow. It's fascinating to me that in the time allocated, I'm able to do all the body parts required. Amazing.

And the availability of having space at Outside the Box, well, I can't thank Dave enough for the show of support he has given to me. Absolutely incredible. I am so blessed to know the people I know in my life.

I asked my father to calculate some projections to the end of the year and I'm head by about 60%. Amazing.

So, as long as I am good to myself, keep myself grounded, have a good chiropracter, I am completely happy.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

The Real Trip

What a whirlwind trip. On Saturday morning, after a disappointing phone consultation with Apple support, they were kind enough to tell me my exploded MacBook battery would not be covered. I would expect as much. The good part is that there is null effect to using it in its exploded fashion.

The City was bustling. It was clear, crisp and beautiful. I left the house at 11:30 and proceeded down my list. Number 1 - Sacred Herbs on Valencia Street. Wow! I have never seen more herbals packed into such a small space crowded with so many people. I found the two essences I wanted and picked up a stick of Palo Santo. Amazing store. I could browse all day in there.

Then off to Tap Plastics, Mr. S. (unfortunately there is no hope for my huge leather pants.) I was surprised to find the price for a new pair was $384.! Zowie! I won’t be buying any of them soon. I could probably make two pairs outs of my own.

South of Market seemed to be to my liking so off to 5th & Mission Garage where I found the 6t h floor to be empty. I walked over to Virgin…it was gone! I’d forgotten they went out of business. I took off to the Apple Store across Stockton Street. I must have spent over an hour in there, looking, learning and playing with new toys.

Back for one more stop, a bite to eat and the next thing I knew it was 3:30 pm and I was on the Bay Bridge going East.

The City was very different for me this time. It left me feeling quite lonely – out of touch and once again, as I was in 1991 – socially isolated. Don’t get me wrong, I loved every minute of it. The fog, the taste of the Hetch Hetchy water. All of it!

What was interesting was on Friday night I hooked up with an old friend and went over a little after midnight. It was great, I hadn’t seen his new house – which was minimalist to say the least but with the greatest views of the city, and a signed Peter Max hanging over the head as well as a really cool Lichtenstein. Needless to say, great house.

We talked for a while, had a drink, busy banter, busy banter. All of a sudden he said. “We should get in the hot tub” I said, “What?” He and his partner had put in a 6 seater in the back yard. How they got that in, I’ll never know.

The fog was still in the air, when we raced from the back door down all the way to the back fence with 30° wind gusts. The thought of taking off my little terry robe was not sitting well. Well, we stripped and jumped into the most wonderful envelope of warmth I had hardly seen. With the mist of the famous San Francisco fog overhead spraying on my face, it was, needless to say, ”Incredible”. As the house sat just under the fog-line. Almost the same elevation as where I first lived on West Parkside. The difference in water and air was the perfect medium.

As I looked up into the sky, I immediatly saw Plieides through the mist, then Orion, and what I think was Mars. Phenomenal! I don’t think he believed me.

Shpongle continued to play when we smoked a cigarette and went back into the house.

I practiced some of my newly learned massage tricks on his gastrocnemius muscles. It was really a special evening. I stumbled back to Mark’s around 4:30 because I really wanted to get some things done that day and I knew if I hung out any longer I wouldn’t.

I didn’t then, but now think of it as a wonderfully different experience from the times before. Never, in 15 years of living in the City had I even come near a hot tub.

Back in the ‘90s my friends were all poor – in their thirties and not yet privy to the Options from Google and the like that would be slopped upon them.

Sometimes I wonder why my timing has always been bad. Had I sold in LA maybe 9 months later, I would have ended up with about $350,000 rather than $171,000. With the house in Sonora, as well. And I never should have moved from 206 Diamond St.

Enough of bad luck though. I decide my destiny, not my luck.

San Francisco et. al.

Well, finally I made it into the City. I can't hardly remember when the last time was. I can tell you it's absolutely beautiful. I'm sitting here at a dining room table looking out floor to ceiling glass windows at downtown SF. The lights from the Bay Bridge are spectacular as well as the city.

Seeing my old doctor was an incredible experience. AFter my doctor in Sonora died I needed to find another so I thought it would be a ghood reason to go to the city. I first saw this doctor in 1991 to give you a little history. In orther words, we've been a lot of places together. Being here is a bit imtimidating I must say. It's kind of different. Yet not, I can't really explaiin it. Mark and Kevin were kind enough to let me stay at there place and their roommate is adorable.

So, it's like a kid in a candy store and I don't really know what to do. The trouble of getting it together and going out or whatever. I was never really good at this anyway. So damn that. I guess I should check in with the fellow I spoke with last night.

Lindi's Celebration of Life

For those of you who may not have noticed, I stumbled a bit around in reading yesterday's eulogy to Lindi. The reason is because I had forgotten my glasses. Oops. Not a good time to forget. Anyway, if you're so inclined, here is the full text...as written.


First of all, thank you all for joining us today to celebrate the life of Larraine Pearl Lindstrom, lovingly known as Lindi. It is an honor for me to be here as many of us haven’t seen each other since graduation, some 32 years ago for me. My name is Bill Freeze; I was graduated in 1978 and had the privilege of being, as our yearbook called us, one of the "Elite" Ritz Kids.

While we all have so many memories of Lindi, each so special and unique to each of us what comes to mind for me is while being on stage, hearing her a voice call (well, bellow) from the audience, ”Find your light!” I think if anything, that was the thing she said most to me.

Find your light in stage terms means that there’s a light pointed to a location that you are not standing in and you are standing in the dark. When you find your light you feel a warm sensation on your face. You immediately know your in the spotlight…or just plain lit.

But what a lesson for us as we grow up and remember those words, “Find you light”.

“Find your Light”, metaphorically, be true to yourself, follow your dream, and don’t settle for darkness. Reach for that star. Find your light!

What she also taught us, and I don’t think most of us had a clue that what this was really about was to work together; that perfection only comes when we listen to each other, to not sing louder that the person next to us, to harmonize, to step in time together, and work with each other. That was very evident in the Ritz Kids. We achieved greatness because we worked as an ensemble.

Those simple lessons – taught so many years ago in high school are probably the most important things we can learn as citizens of a great country.

To be true to oneself, to walk in our light and to work in harmony with others. What great lessons for life. I would have never imagined I would learn this from a drama teacher.

Together, Lindi and Larry Bulachek “Mr. B” developed believable characters, created the most fantastic sets and offered superior productions for a small high school in nowhere Northern California.

I think I can speak for many of us in saying, Thank you Lindi. You‘ve made a difference in our lives.

Jury Duty

After all these years they finally got me. Yes, on Monday morning I was called. The 2nd name in the box. And I apparently answered all the questions properly and stayed for the trial.

The charges were something called Possessing Firearms, and Resisting, Obstructing arrest.

The testimony was the evidence.

I couldn't help but feel the way the charges were written, there really was no way a not guilty verdict could be found. It is unfortunate that the defendent had a horrible attorney who tried to distract us by presenting into evidence a document that stated he could not possess firearms at the last minute. It made no sense when throughout the testimony, there was no mention of a questionable document.

Oh well, it just goes to show you that if you get arrested. Be complacent, compliant and polite.

Ecstatic Was I

Ecstatic was I when one of my clients, who I had treated during my Practicum, and then treated again because I felt I really didn't do a good job on contacted me the other day telling me that she had put a link to my website on her FaceBook page. Wow! What a compliment.

It's amazing how nice people can be. When I offered her the second massage I did so because I felt like she had been cheated and I had gained the time (1.5 hours) of practicum on her massage.

It surprises me so much sometimes that if you put good will out there, it comes back. I guess another name could be Karma.

Website Creation

I had no idea. I mean, I'd played around with it a bit, but never very much. At any rate, I honestly had no idea.

After about two weeks of sporadic work, I feel my CMT website is finally complete. At least, I have it published as I want it. I few gliches along the way, but it's there.

I even went as far as to put an ad in Craig's List for someone to help me with a couple of things but I was inundated with responses and they all seeemed to offer more help than I needed. I guess when someone reads, I have my site complete, it reads...I have no idea of what to do. Anyway, the links work and for now, my passive advertising is complete.

Take a chance to look. www.willyf.com - click the link and there you go.

Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Not sure if any of you have heard the text of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" survey that is being passed around our active servicemen, but on the Karel Show (Green 960) I heard it. It is absolutely vile and disgusting. It makes us feel like lepers! Questions like, if you thought your roommate was gay, would you feel different about them? How do you feel about showering in the same shower a "queer" showers in? Would you feel comfortable...blah, blah, blah. Someone full of hate wrote this and I'm totaly embarassed that they most likely were Democratic. (Makes me glad I turned "Decline to State" this year.)

Anyway, if you get a chance look for it! You won't be voting for Obama in 2012, I betcha.

The 40th Anniversary of Pride

Amazing! 40 years since the Stonewall Riots. Wow!

I'm usually one to never miss Pride but these past few years living in Jamestown, I dare to say, I've missed a few. Back in 2002, I found a black and White photograph of the dome of the San Francisco City Hall. I purchased it and it hangs on the wall above my desk.

I reminds me of years of dancing in the streets below it. Looking up at its' grandeur and being so thankful we could be allowed to carry on this way.

Some of the best times of my life were centered around this day. I have met some of the best people and overall, had the best time.

My first Pride happened in Los Angeles. I inadvertently walked down the street (I live on N. Flores in West Hollywood) to the grocery store and there it was...my first Pride Parade. I was captivated. It was a hell of a day.

I can only hope the best for my friends in the City enjoying and celebrating the day.

Well, who would have thought...

Just finished watching the 82nd Academy Awards. I can't believe a movie I saw actually won. This never happens. I knew there was something about The Hurt Locker that was special.

The Hurt Locker

Sometimes what you love changes...(Warning: Spoiler - "The Hurt Locker" - 2009, Movie)

That's the clincher in this movie and boy, what a concept. I can think about now and then 20 years ago. What I loved then was so different from what I love today. With the movie, what the character, James, loved was a dangerous game. Now how many times have I been in love with a dangerous game.

All I can say is, "Many!" And you can read whatever you want into the word game because there is a lot there to read into.

I rented the movie on iTunes and because I'm old, I fell asleep towards the end the first time so I watched it again. And, of course, I had to watch the ending one more time because I fell asleep for the 2rd time. Not that it wasn't interesting, but because about all I can take at a time is about 2 hours. (It's so hard being old.)

When I really got to see it, it really rang a bell. It was kind of really important to the story. In fact, the point.

Anyway, I guess I better change my favorite movies on my profile now. Don't you love it?

A New World!

Wow, a week has gone by and it’s absolutely amazing. By making just one little alteration in my diet, my life has changed…well, it has!

And it’s been received quite well by all I know. Tuesday was hard. I was tired and just couldn’t wake up. Until about 3 or 4 Pm, but I blew right past that. Thursday, Friday went really well. I quess having a huge deadline had a lot to do with it but everything got done and out the door.

Today, however, was a different story. The chicken I made on Wednesday (and had for dinner on Thursday and Friday nights had turned foul, literally. Needless to say, this morning I was quite sick. I finally got out of bed around 2 PM. Pulled it together only to find out I had forgotten to pay the Satellite bill and there would be no TV until Monday. Oops!

Dad is watching “Evita” now. Amazing! And I am blogging! How perfect. He’s almost to the balcony scene, where I’ll provide an intermission. I think this morning had a lot to do with not having a pressurized deadline. Which allowed my stomach to feel like barf and stay in bed.

Mom’s CAT scan went well on Thursday and showed no cancer. However, her hypoglycemic levels are in the danger zone. She has a bone scan scheduled for next week, which might tell us more. Of course, when se went to the doctor, she had an excuse for everything. God love her.

Sarah Palin

Is anyone else as sick of her as I am. When I hear her voice, it's like fingernails on a chalkboard. Oh my God, Vey! And now a Fox News ANALyst. Uh Huh!

Twenty-Ten

Oh my God! It's here...Twenty-Ten! What a great name for a year. Two Thousand Nine just sounded awkward and clumsy but Twenty-Ten sounds sleek, almost sexy.

Now what will 2010 (pronounced Twenty-Ten) bring? World Peace? I doubt it. More overwhelming things, i.e. Health Insurance, increased taxes, War that the American People will have to deal with. Most likely. More criticism on President Obama? Definitely. More "dumbness" from Ms. Palin? Yup, you can give that one a shout out.

I guess, to take it to a personal level, 2010 has got to be the best year there is because it is the only year there is. Today is now. the 1st day of 2010 and tomorrow will be the 2nd day of 2010. And on and on.

Live like there's no tomorrow but plan like there's years to go. Is that the saying? Well, if not, it works for me.