Balancing Laughter & Tears 20 Years Later...

When people think of a 20-year anniversary, it's typically a wedding, a position at work, retirement or some other life "milestone".  In some cases, and this is one of them, it's not always the "good kind" of celebration, but you try as best as you can to balance the bad feelings with good ones, and hopefully the celebration or remembrance can be as healing as it is painful.

20 years ago tomorrow, on July 1st 1997, "P.J." (his nickname, from always wearing actual pajamas to bed), one of my best friends from college abruptly took his own life.  In the late night or very early morning hours, he shot himself near his home on Cape Cod, in a cemetery where some of his other family members are buried.  Of the few people in his life he called a friend, he chose to send me his suicide letter, which I received a few days later.

The reason I wouldn't find out about it until a few days later is because I was on Martha's Vineyard enjoying the hell out of a week-long vacation with my buddy Chris.

Now for the backstory to bring you up to speed here...

Chris and I had gone to see "Face/Off", the new movie with John Travolta and Nicolas Cage, and had enjoyed it so much, we watched it twice while we were on the island--a rare thing indeed.  It was a week filled with our typical crazy, silly behavior.  Lounging on the beach, driving around to various places on the island we both loved to visit...there's a reason I've been going there my whole life.
When I got home, the first thing I did was buy the CD soundtrack to the movie, hoping that one piece in particular would be on it.  It was an action-packed score, but there was one piece of exceptionally powerful/emotional music used at the end of the film--if you've seen it, you know the scene--when Travolta's character returns home to his family.  That small piece of music, coupled with a small, but memorable gesture Travolta and the others in his family make to one another throughout the film just made it especially sweet, and I wanted that music.  Happily, it was indeed on the CD, right at the end.

The next day while I was listening to that track on the CD, I was also going through my accumulated mail from while I was away that I had retrieved from the post office.  I noticed P.J.'s tell-tale perfectly neat handwriting on a regular white envelope, and I set it aside while I navigated my other junk mail and--naturally--bills.
Just a couple of days before I left to meet Chris to go to the Vineyard, P.J. called me to say hi and whatnot, and I asked him if he wanted to come over for a day and hang with us, have lunch or whatever, since he lived so close on the Cape, but he declined, which was expected.  The thing is, P.J. called me from a PAY PHONE, but that was just part of his quirky sense of humor and "left of center" personality.  I didn't really give it much thought...until days later after the vacation was over, when P.J. clarified why he called from a payphone in his suicide note to me.  He didn't want my phone number to appear on his home phone bill after the fact.  Yeah...he planned this out pretty well.

If you knew P.J., you knew he wasn't exactly the "social butterfly", and was only really close friends with a few people in college, which I was one of very soon after I got there in September of 1988....we were next door neighbors in our unit for my 4 year stint, and after I graduated from college in 1992, P.J. was there another year or so I think, but the people who were his friends had known for a long time, he really wasn't there to earn a degree, he was just...there.  His backstory is an interesting one for sure, but I won't get into it here...it's not a very happy one, and let's just say he felt happiest when he was there at Roger Williams with us, his friends, more than anywhere else.

Anyway...once all my other mail was attended to, I turned my attention to P.J.'s envelope and slit it open.  The music from "Face/Off" was still playing--I think I may have even set my CD player to repeat that last track, I was loving it that much!  As was usually the case with any letters and cards from P.J. in the years following my departure from college (and there were a lot of 'em!), he had a small picture or smiley face at the top of the letter.  In this case it was a smiley face.  Also, in typical P.J. fashion, his letter started off with a crazy remark.  This letter was no different, and the first sentence was a doozy to say the least.

"Jonny...I have strange news.  On July 1st, I killed or tried to kill myself.  This was not a cry for help."

Honestly, my heart sinks even just having to recall the words to type them here.

P.J. then proceeded to explain his actions.  Why he did it, where he did it, how he did it.  He also made a few requests of me with regard to who he wanted me to find and tell, and who he did NOT want me to tell--which was pretty much anyone--with very few clearly stated exceptions.  His reasons were uniquely his own, and in the 20 years it's been since he's gone, I haven't judged them...or him.  I won't do that now, either.
The strangest sensation came over me as I read the letter (the first time).  I thought initially he was pulling my leg.  Throwing down another classic "P.J. Moment" that would be followed later in the letter with a "Boy, I really got you good, Jonny!"

No.  No such luck there at all.  As I would very quickly come to realize, this was no joke.

I read the letter again.  Every word, every possible inflection in his voice dancing around in my head as I tried to convince myself this was all a load of bullshit and a huge prank to get me all riled up.  At some point, I decided that the details he was giving me were too involved to be a joke, and maybe I needed to make a few phone calls and see what's what.  I called the local police department where P.J. lived, gave them my name and some details from the letter, and asked them to help me get to the bottom of the situation.  I wasn't sure what had happened, but the police were the only ones I figured would have the information I was now very anxious to receive.
After a few brief moments on hold, the officer I was talking to got back on the phone and confirmed my fears--"Yes, sir...I do have to tell you that your friend did kill himself over in the cemetery where some of his other family members are buried.  It was a shooting."
His body had been discovered by another cemetery visitor later that morning of July 1st.  Apparently, P.J. chose the very early morning hours to carry out his suicide, and some other poor woman happened to find him.  How many times I've played that scene out in my head I can't tell you.

I'll never forget the feelings that instantly came over me.  I was dizzy, confused, short of breath, and I sank to the floor of my bedroom where I was making the call.  The officer on the phone with me asked me where I was calling from and if I was at home.  I told him I was, and he said he was going to call my local police department and he wanted me to stay on the line while he did so.  I did as I was told.
He came back on and told me that a White Plains police officer was on the way to my place, and when they arrived I needed to let them in.  8 years later, when I would be an EMT working in White Plains, I'd come to know this as a "welfare check", and I'd go on a TON of them with police officers whose job it was was to make sure a distraught individual was ok, and if they needed help they would render it.  For a while that evening, I became the patient...
I thanked the officer on the phone and hung up.  Within 10 minutes, my doorbell rang, and (now former) WPPD officer Mark Gilbert was at my door, asking what happened and if I was ok--which I was clearly not.  Mark sat with me and listened to me go on and on about who P.J. was for about 20 minutes.  I told him dumb stories of things we did together in college with other friends like Gerry, George, Katie and others...I think I showed Mark the letter I had been reading over and over, but I don't exactly remember that.  After a while, when I had regained some of my composure, Mark left.
Again, 8 years later, when I started working EMS in the city here, I responded to a call and the officer on scene was Mark.  I hadn't seen or spoken to him since he visited me that night in 1997, and when I started to refresh his memory, he instantly got clarity and gave me a huge hug, telling me how happy it made him to see me and that I remembered him.  I can't say enough about Mark...he helped me immensely that night, even if I didn't realize it at the moment.
So...after he was gone, I sat in my living room, thinking of what the hell had just happened, and what I was going to do from there.  I had a few phone calls I knew I wanted to make, to find out more information and of course, to reach out to my friends who were also close to P.J. and let them know what had happened.  At some point though, I remember starting to cry.  It was terrible grief, and also...I was furious at P.J. for doing what he did and dropping it in MY lap.  My attitude would change down the road, but for the moment, I was just beside myself...

To say those were "hard" phone calls to make is a huge understatement.  I found myself NEEDING to hear certain voices of people who I had spoken to not too long ago as well as REALLY long ago, and by some strange luck, I was able to find my friends relatively quickly as compared to the usual "leave a message and hope for a callback".  I called Katie...George...Gerry...Audra...Sarah...even an old unit-mate named Steve, who I hadn't seen or spoken to or stayed in touch with on any level for five years, but P.J. had specifically asked me to find him and tell him because they were good friends...and no way was I not going to follow through for him.

Now...all the while...literally...the soundtrack piece from "Face/Off" played over and over in my CD player.  I had long since tuned it out while I was attending to my calls and such, but I do remember it always playing through the those initial chunks of time that day.  The piece of music (far more than the film) has long since become synonymous with this tragedy for me, and so as much as I do still love the music and the movie, they do conjure up some memories of that evening as I read the letter from my friend and realized that he was never going to write or call me again.

Within a few short weeks...maybe just two or so...Gerry, George and I met up in Bristol, RI where we all went to Roger Willams College together with P.J.  We needed to go to the cemetery and...I don't know...just BE THERE with him in some way, and try to say goodbye.  So we did that.  We also visited our old college campus, and revisited some of our favorite places on it.  For sure it made a horrible event just the slightest bit more palatable.  Not by much, though.
We even cracked jokes, laughed a lot, told LOTS of stories of "back then", and celebrated the crazy, odd, OCD, neurotic, hilarious and quirky friend who we had just suddenly lost and could never ever get back.  The smiles were strained to say the very least.

20 years have now gone by, and as I sit down to type this out, I think of so many memories of "P.J.  Adventures" we went on...whether it was just he and I or with some other friends--typically it was George, Gerry, P.J. and myself--four friends--finding new ways to be morons, or just maybe expanding on the usual older ways to do it.  We were certainly together more than not for the years we were up at Roger Williams, and even after we left and had gone back to our post-college lives.  P.J. and I always stayed in touch.  He would write to me, call me, leave me crazy hilarious phone messages, and I thank myself now more than ever that I had the forethought to save them all, and I have re-discovered them recently and listen to them once in a while and forget how brilliantly warped and funny he was.  They really do make me laugh, but it's still bittersweet, especially as this 20th year without him rolls into view.

So...next Friday, just a few days after the actual 20th anniversary of P.J.'s passing, we'll all be together again.  I have been organizing a mini-reunion for myself, Gerry, George (who I haven't seen since 2011) and hopefully a few other friends from the Roger Williams years.  We will meet up in Bristol next Friday, do some memory-recall, tell our stories, have a load of laughs, and raise a glass or two...or three...to P.J.  We'll have an "Awful-Awful" at Newport Creamery, share some Classic pizza...the usual Unit 2 stuff we always used to do.
On Saturday, we'll go visit him on the Cape for the first time since we lost him, and that's going to be extremely rough, but also--I know--filled with love for our buddy.  It will be a short and sweet visit for whoever is there to share it with us next weekend, and I am really looking forward to being back in "that place" again.  Hell, I even ordered a new and funky pair of those crazy, baggy workout pants that I used to wear a lot back in college, just to really bring the vibe of that time back, even if it's just for a few hours.  You know what I'm talking about...those things are REALLY comfy! Don't hate!

Hard to believe 20 years have gone by...hard to believe that it's been that long since my friends and I have been able to enjoy the "wit and wisdom" (aka "insanity") that was P.J.  I'm so thankful for having his close friendship for the years I had it.  I often find myself thinking of him over the years, and I even have an original piece of "P.J. Artwork" hanging in my apartment!  "The Assassination of John F. Bassuk"...it's so warped and offensive...but it's just brilliant...and classic P.J.

Sometimes I've also asked myself "Why did he send ME the suicide letter?  Why ME?  P.J., you fucking selfish prick...how could you do this to me, and make ME the one who has to get that letter?"
Well, I've kind of come to terms with it this way:  he sent it to me because we were best friends.

When  first arrived at college, I instantly discovered he was a little "odd" or "different", and some of the other people we lived with enjoyed poking some fun at him for it.  I stuck up for him because I guess in some way I felt like that was me, too--"different".  I had to think he was hurt by a lot of the things being said about him, so I pretty much stuck up for him and told him that I wouldn't be like those other people.  I'd be his friend, and I guess that's what it took, because he stuck with me like glue for the entire 4 years I was there and for 5 years after I left...and that friendship was MY privilege to have.

He chose to send his last letter to me because--maybe in his own way--I'd like to think he loved and trusted me to receive it, more than anyone else, and I guess he felt that I was his closest friend...well, at least that's what I'd LIKE to think.  When he died, P.J. sadly didn't have very much family left to mourn him...there's a sister, and I think that's it.  So it was me...and his handful of other pals, who still remember, miss and love our friend.  Each of us in their own way, but what I know for sure is our lives are better because P.J. was in it.  I'll be telling stories on him for at LEAST another 20 years...especially next weekend!  The video store in the Swansea Mall?  "Are they for you...?"

Y'know...in his letter to me, one of the things he said was that he would try to haunt me forever.
I'm 100% positive he's sitting in his big comfy chair somewhere, looking down on me as he listens to Paula Abdul songs (only from the "Forever your Girl" album, though!), playing "Bases Loaded" on his Nintendo system, eating Domino's Pizza and laughing his ass off knowing that the attempt at haunting has been working just fine for the past 20 years.  Although I don't know if I'd call it "haunting"...I think it's more like "in my heart"...and I'm glad for it.

So tomorrow, on July 1st, I'll watch "Face/Off" (in my living room instead of on Martha's Vineyard this time!) and spend a bit of time with memories of my friend...and then really look forward to next week when a few of us can be together, go back in time, and remember.
I promise you I'll always remember.  I miss you all the time, "Jamas"...my friend.

2012 in JonnyLand! (what your parents don't want you to read!)

What's goin' on, teens!!  I know we haven't been together here since the summer, but now that this last week of 2012 is upon us, I wanted to throw out my year-end opus blog, and entertain and likely offend you one last time before my balls drop.  Wait...is it before THE balls...ONE ball?  I don't have one ball,, that's not what I'm trying to say...I mean, there's a thing in Times Square still, right?  Oh...before THE ball drops in Times Square.  Very good.  Meds are on board, and we can proceed...

This has been a really huge year...not just for me...for all of us...right?  I have been trying to think back to the beginning of the year, and spin my mental rolodex forward to help me remember as much as I can, but no doubt I will miss a lot...but with the help of my calendar, I'll try to hit the highlights.
The year started off with an important decision I made to get in better shape.  I had been told of a doctor named Alfred Roston who is a really good nutritionist and gastroenterologist here in my area, and someone who had been a patient of his had spoken to my father about a weight loss program he went on through Dr. Roston, and it was the only thing that had worked to help him lose weight and keep it off.  I have struggled with this friggin' issue for a long time, and it was important to give this a try, so I made an appointment with Dr. Roston, who put me on his "Nutri-Thin" program.  It's a battle, and I won't bullshit you, and yes, I've cheated...but in the first 10 days or so, I lost 15lbs.  To date, I've stayed in the neighborhood of 40lbs lost, and I'm still at it, despite the occasional obstacle...like mourning the loss of Hostess cupcakes or a really good slice of pizza.  I'm not apologizing, but I know I have to focus more to lose more, and I will, because I got another trip to Cabo San Lucas coming up in 3 months, and I ain't fuckin' around now!

Around this time, I also began to experience more persistent pain in my lower back, so I began to see a chiropractor/massage therapist in Yonkers who my father had put me in touch with.  My initial nervousness of becoming paralyzed and having to make wee-wee tinkles in a bag for the rest of my life notwithstanding, I couldn't be more comfortable with the way I'm handled by my chiropractor, Leigh, and she has also become a good friend, which means nothing to my co-pay requirements, but I won't complain too loudly...

February was hard.  My grandmother had once again gotten sick, and whereas before this, she had always seemed to bounce back, this time was different, and the respiratory problems she was having were proving to be too much for her 96 year-old body to handle.  Much like I did when my grandfather was ill back in 2005, just prior to his passing, I again made the very easy decision to "stand post" with my grandmother in the hospital.  I felt that it was my job as the first, eldest (and according to them, "favorite") grandson, to just be there and watch over her, no matter how long.  I of course had some concerns for my job security, but after a few days, and it seemed like things kept taking turns for the worse with her, I knew that I was exactly where I had to be, and job be damned.  There would be other jobs if it went that route.  However, the managers at my job were very understanding and supportive, and basically told me to do what I had to do for my family, then come back.  That's exactly what I did.  It wound up being a 2-week absence, but when my grandmother passed shortly after Valentine's Day, with not just me, but lots of other family literally by her bedside, I knew I had done something really important for her, and for my family....again, as I had done in 2005.  I hated how I felt, but when my grandmother was my date on Valentine's Day, and I told her I was there with her and I loved her, she opened her eyes for the first time in a day or two, and said "I know."
That was the last thing she said to me.  She left us just a couple of days later.

On March 15th of 2012, I went to Cabo San Lucas again, and despite still having a slightly heavy heart with the loss of my grandmother, I knew she would want me to go down there and enjoy myself, so I did, and had the most amazing fun time.  I joined forces with my friends, Sean and Sheila, who were also vacationing there at the same time, and for two action-packed days during the Spring Break season (which also included St. Patty's Day!), we rocked the Cabo Wabo Cantina, the Mango Deck at Medano Beach, among a few other exotic locations, and lemme tell ya'...yours truly was DEFINITELY doing the Cabo Wabo for SURE!  One of my newest friends down at the Cantina, Viridiana, kept my Wabojitos flowing!  I realized that I packed WAY wrong for the trip though, so in March of 2013 when I hit Land's End once again, my huge suitcase will have 3 pairs of underwear, 2 bathing suits, a towel a few t-shirts and a pair of jeans...the rest of the space will be saved for the various bottles of delicious elixirs I bring home with me!  LOL....
I am so in love with Cabo, it's not even funny...and you know what?  They have EMTs there, too!  Don't get me started.  One day, you'll read about JonnyLand! EMS serving the downtown area, and you'll know I made it.  I'll grow my hair long, keep my shades on, and instead of trauma shears on my duty belt, I'll have mini-flasks of various tequilas...man, that shit can cure ANYTHING that ails ya'!  A nice reposado to take your mind off the pain from that broken wrist?  I gotcha covered.
I'm really looking forward to seeing some of my friends at the Solmar resort again, and of course, if you need me after hours, you'll find me in the VIP section of the Cabo Wabo...call only in an emergency.

On Medano Beach with my friends

JonnyLand! was filled with fun and excitement for the next few months, including a few events in the big party room here.  I had a "Taste Of Cabo" party, where the bottles of tequila from Cabo were lined up on the bar, and some friends of mine came by to savor the flavor and rock out with some great drink, food and laughter.  There's 8 minutes of video shot by my faithful co-pilot and best friend Chris, that is hysterical each time I watch it.  I'm lying on my kitchen floor...not passed out, not sick, but just lying there...laughing my ass off, and naturally saying some pretty politically incorrect things.  I'm lots of fun when I got my buzz on...trust me.

Chris checks out the tequila array...

There was a great night of jazz in downtown NYC with my favorite drummer, Steve Smith and his band Vital Information in June, and as always, Steve was on fire, and then after the show was kind enough to chat with me, sign stuff, and make sure I left with some of his drumsticks.  The guy is a legend, and his concerts never fail to energize me.  I can't wait to see them playing again at the Iridium Jazz Club.  Stay tuned for those shows coming soon, no doubt!

Me with Steve Smith in NYC

May 19th....let's talk about it!  On that date in JonnyLand! history, I took my friend Leigh to see one of my favorite bands--Chickenfoot.  Since debuting in 2009, the band that features legendary frontman and the Red Rocker himself, Sammy Hagar, along with former Van Halen bassist Mike Anthony, guitar wizard Joe Satriani and Chad Smith from the Red Hot Chili Peppers on drums, "The Foot" has been on heavy playlist rotation here at JonnyLand!, so when the boys announced their 2012 "Different Devil" tour would include a stop up at Mohegan Sun in Connecticut, I knew that it was going to be a "pull out all the stops" event.  So...a few well-timed phone calls ensured that I had a couple of VIP tickets to the show.  Now, those of you who know me, know that when I "go"...I GO.  So...front row seats, backstage tour, pre-show party, crowd-free merch shopping, exclusive gifts and....most importantly, a meet & greet with a photo-op with the guys before the show!  May 19th couldn't get here fast enough.  While the date approcahed, I gave Leigh a crash-course in all things Chickenfoot (and Sammy), so she could be well-versed (literally, so she could sing the friggin' songs!) when the show date was here.  I've met Sammy and Mike before, but it's been a while since I've seen them, and this was a "personal" moment with all the guys in the band, albeit a brief one, so it was a lot more exciting for both of us.  Leigh had never really had this kind of experience before, so she was especially stoked to meet Sammy, who even gave her a hug.  The guys were so cool, and the pics of us together came out great.  The show blasted the roof off the arena, and somehow I still made the drive home in one piece...granted, a shot of a 5 Hour Energy drink and a few pull-overs at rest areas helped keep the eyelids open as well....oh, and Leigh was insane in the car, singing Chickenfoot and Flo Rida songs all the way home.  I was entirely entertained and amused....a great night.

Me with Chickenfoot, 5/19

Leigh with Chickenfoot, 5/19

My two nieces, Sydney and Brynley both had birthdays.  Syd turned 2 and Bryn turned 1.  Beautiful, funny girls who apparently both think I'm the coolest guy on the planet next to their dad, and I get FaceTime requests from Syd all the time.  I love being "Uncle Jon"...twice over!  They live out in San Diego with my brother and his wife, and I try to get out there to say hi once or maybe twice a year if I'm able to, and this year was no exception.  I think I actually made it out there three times.  In March, I spent a night there before and after Cabo, then in the summer for Bryn's first birthday, and just recently for Thanksgiving.  I enjoy the visits, but not so much the flights....but you know, there's no way I'll pass up seeing them when I can, and it also ensures me at least ONE visit to an In-N-Out Burger joint...look up the word "mouthgasm" in the JonnyLand! Dictionary, and you'll see me there with a "Double-Double with Cheese" in my hand, drooling like a starving animal...

Bryn

Syd

On July 20th, tragedy struck the small community of Aurora, Colorado when a masked gunman burst into a movie theater and killed several innocent people at a midnight screening of "The Dark Knight Rises", the last Batman film.  It seemed inconceivable that something this heinous could happen, but it did.  What made it even more powerful and frightening for me personally, is that while I watched the horrific news unfold early the next morning on the news, when I learned it happened in Aurora, my first thought was that my best friend, Jessica lives there.  Not NEAR there, but RIGHT there.  The fact that she was at work in Boulder, an hour away from there when it happened, and of course would be absolutely not in harm's way didn't register with me right away.  It was, however, still such a relief to hear her voice on the phone.  Jessica told me that she knew exactly where the theater was, and that she has been there a few times herself.  It was just chilling.  It was an insane display of violence, leveled at innocent moviegoers, and in the midst of that horror, to learn that "Batman" himself, Christian Bale went to Aurora on his own accord to visit victims in the hospital, instantly made me feel better somehow.  I remember people saying things like "It'd be great if (Bale) came here in costume to say hello to the people who were shot..", but I don't think anyone really thought he would do it...costumed or otherwise.  His reputation isn't exactly a "spotless" one when it comes to how he interacts with people.  But there he fucking was...not in costume, but that actually made it BETTER.  It was HIM, not the character who went to console the people who were just out to see his movie and have a fun time.  I won't lie, it made me a bigger fan of his.  The wonderful composer of countless film scores (including the recent Batman films) Hans Zimmer write an original piece of music called "Aurora" as a tribute to the victims (it's on iTunes, by the way), because he was so shattered as we all were, by the acts of this crazed individual.  It was truly a sad bunch of days as we all learned who these victims and heroes were who laid down their lives that night, and I'm sure that wound still bleeds for so many in Aurora.

For Aurora

August saw my yearly vacation to my other favorite getaway place, Martha's Vineyard.  The island Itruly call my "home away from home", where I have spent countless summers of my young and adultlives.  First with my family, and then starting in 1989 on my own or with friends, I have walked thebeaches and trails of the Vineyard with a sense of relaxation, peace and happiness I can rarely findanywhere else.  No bullshit.  The sights, sounds, smells, tastes and textures of the island remain engrained in my mind for each of the 51 other weeks of the year when I cannot be there.  In recent years, I was fortunate enough to become an owner of a timeshare unit interval at a hotel in Vineyard Haven where I had vacationed several summers with my friend, Chris.  His mother has multiple units, and was looking to sell some, and I was offered one.  It was the quickest "yes" I think I've ever said.  This past summer was my second summer as an owner, and it was also the week of "JawsFest", an occasional multi-day event that pays homage to one of my all-time favorite films that also calls the Vineyard "home".  JAWS was filmed on Martha's Vineyard in 1974 and became...well....I don't have to tell you.  If you're reading this, you know what the hell JAWS is!!  When I was young, the house that my family had in the village of Menemsha had a view of a place called Lobsterville Beach, where until recently, the wreckage of the "ORCA II", the sinkable version of the "hero boat" from the film was beached.  It was an eyesore to many Islanders (residents) over the years, but to fans of the film, it was a piece of history to be loved, admired, and sadly, pillaged from. 

Anyway, this year, the "JawsFest" event was a real hit, and it payed tribute to the Islanders and other people who were involved with making the film.  If you look on my Facebook photos page, you'll see an album from the event, filled with great pics of me with various friends, both new and old.  Most notably, my friend Paul McPhee, who is an art talent to be reckoned with, introduced me to one of my favorite special effects make-up kingpins, Greg Nicotero, who is a long-time JAWS fan himself, and lately has been one of the producer/directors of a little show on AMC called "The Walking Dead"...perhaps you've heard of it.  Greg's production company, KNB EFX is an Academy Award-winning makeup house in California, and he and the gang there have an amazing list of films under their belt to be proud of, and as it turns out, I wound up being Greg's "go-to" guy for lots of transportation stuff.  He needed to get from place to place some of the days, and I know the island pretty well, so Paul made the suggestion to Greg "Hey...have Jon drive you."
I couldn't have been more happy to oblige.  Thanks for that one, McPhee!  Greg and I became friends over the next several days, and by the time it was our collective last night on the island, he was inviting me to join him and Paul and a few others for drinks and dinner before some of the last night festivities of "JawsFest".  It was around this time that I met another awesome new friend, named Melissa, who was working the event, and who I saw almost every day.  We had chatted it up some, and she seemed to be very cool.  I was talking to her one day about Greg inviting me to that dinner ,and she expressed a lot of interest in coming along as my "date".  So, after lengthy arm-twisting on her part (not...at...all), I was really excited to have her coming along for the fun!  I picked her up at the main "JawsFest" location that evening, and we made our way over to the restaurant where we would be meeting up with Greg, Paul and a few other friends.  After dinner, Melissa and Greg hopped into the JonnyMobile with me to head out to where some of the "Shark After Dark" fun was taking place near the island airport.  What ensued next was a 20+ minute drive of hilarity.  Some of the island roads are hard to navigate at night, and Melissa is a year-long resident there so she had it all mentally mapped out, and LOUDLY commanded where I needed to turn left or right.  Those commands were between fits of laughter the three of us were immersed in as we drove.  We were cracking jokes together, making zombie references (Greg even had zombie blood on his sneaker from during production of Walking Dead in Georgia).  It was really cool to be hanging out with a couple of people, one of them a legit "force" in the movie/effects business, something I have always enjoyed as a hobby (I'll simply say "Tom Savini", and those who know me will say, "ohhh....riiight.....THAT guy"), and just having a blast.  Greg and Melissa are really down to earth, friendly, and funny as hell.  Melissa and I were quoting the movie "Ted" all night, and I thought she was going to piss in her pants more than once.  We had THAT kind of fun.  Greg and I still keep in touch, and Melissa just came to NY to visit me last month when I took her to her very first Broadway show.  A great time with a great person, and I'm anxious to see both of them again soon.  Starting in 2013, I now have TWO consecutive weeks of timeshare on the island, so I'm psyched to have a longer stay and lots more fun!

Melissa, Greg & I on the Vineyard

In September, in addition to turning 42 (but I don't look or act a day over 21, right???), I also finally took a step forward towards getting some education in the world of Executive Protection.  It's a fancy term for "bodyguard", but it's on a higher level of skill and knowledge.  Something I have long admired, and studied informally.  In mid-September, my buddy Chris and I went to Philly for the day to spend a few hours with some very cool individuals from one of the foremost authorities in the realm of EP.  John and Ben from the Executive Protection Institute held court with about a dozen of us interested in breaking into the field.  We went through the different areas of the work, and were exposed to many different variables to consider if we were to seriously think of getting into this type of work.  Very demanding, very disciplined, and if you play your cards right, very lucrative.  I guess I made a good impression on John, who is one of the executive VPs of EPI, and who also has a protection and security company here in NY, because within a month, he had me slated to work a very high profile detail in NYC when Microsoft launched their newest computer platform and some of their new devices.  These special events, John said, are where the beginners in the world of EP cut their teeth and hone some skills while they pursue their training.  Based on how you perform at those initial events and on those details, word gets back to the main offices, and with luck, your name is remembered as being one that can be depended on for doing good work on the detail.  I was a protective agent for the Microsoft detail for three days on the west side of NY, and if one can say they had a "good time" doing the job, then I'll say that.  I put on the suit, the lapel ID pin, the earpiece and wrist mic...the whole nine yards, and stood my post, watched my areas, and to the best of my ability, showed my supervisors that I was on the job 100%.  Apparently, they agreed.  John called me after the first night and told me that he was already hearing good things about me.  It meant a lot to hear that because I really want this to be something I can become better at, and John believes with my background and character, I can make a "killing" in this business.  Interesting choice of words, lol....
As of this writing, I am now the detail leader on a two month-long assignment for John's company where a protective agent is needed locally each night to provide security for an employee of a store who carries inventory and other items out of the store at close of business.  Knowing the location and surrounding area as well as I do, and after providing the "advance work" to John immediately, he told me he knew this was why he wanted me on the detail, and made me the leader.  I am really grateful to have his confidence.  It's another steppingstone for me in the EP world, and come MAy of 2013, I hope to be in Virginia for a week taking the intense 7-day EPI training course so I can be certified as a Personal Protection Specialist.

November found me back at Mohegan Sun for another awesome concert event with my friend Leigh.  This time it was the perpetually popular band Journey, who have been around as long as I have been alive.  I had once again secured some amazing tickets and a meet & greet photo-op with the band, and again, for me, it was the happiness I brought to my friend that really amped up my enjoyment.  I love going to shows like this, and I always get two tickets.  I know I will find someone to come with me, even if it's last minute.  Leigh has sort of become my "concert co-pilot", and with Chickenfoot and Journey under her belt, as well as a few other cool events, including a Broadway event that had us hanging out with the one an only James Earl Jones after seeing him in a great show called "The Best Man", she is now slated to accompany me once more up to the Mohegan Reservation to see Coldplay with me on Saturday.  As the band wraps up their "Mylo Xyloto" tour, I have recently become a BIG fan of their music, and also of the spectacular show they put on.  For a better idea of what I'm talking about, check out their "Live 2012" DVD.  It's going to be a great way to ring out the year...

Me and Leigh with Journey band members

I wouldn't choose to end a blog filled with such Awesome Sauce from JonnyLand! on a negative note, but chronology controls this flow of information here, and I have to deviate from the fun and talk about events that have happened close to home in the past two weeks.

When the second worst mass-shooting in our nation's history took place on December 14th, it was bad enough.  When we all learned that 20 of the 26 victims were children no older than 7 years old, it became a heart-wringing tragedy for everyone, near and far.  As the horror of what happened began to sink in as I watched the news unfold on tv, the tears streamed down my face, and I couldn't believe what I was hearing and seeing.  I was very immediately consumed with a feeling of wanting to be far, far away from here.  Anywhere but here.  Away from the horror and the enormity of the pain that was once again inflicted on us.  Especially when I started to see pictures of the children.  I knew I needed to go to Newtown, CT to pay my respects to those folks, so last week, I did.  I saw a few old and dear friends in the process, and that balanced some of my pain with a few laughs, but to walk among the memorials (and I placed my own tributes at one as well) and really SEE what happened there was incredibly painful.  There was a hushed atmosphere all through the town, as much as there were things going on...it was as if someone threw a blanket over the Sandy Hook community, and the sounds of the innocent had been so drastically muffled...and even extinguished.  God Bless every last one of the people of Newtown, Connecticut...it's all we know how to say...and we seem to be saying things like this a LOT more often than we may have done in the past.  I wear a memorial bracelet with the colors of the Sandy Hook Elementary School that I got from www.survivalstraps.com/sandyhook and I'm happy that others have noticed it on my wrist and asked me about it.  I also ordered some bracelets from a place called www.bandsforarms.com who are HAND-making something called the "Innocence Memorial" bracelet.  All the money goes RIGHT back to the Sandy Hook community, and I'm only too happy to do the things I'm able to do to help that shattered place.  It may not be a lot, but it's from my heart, and I do it most sincerely.  Time heals all, so it's said, but somehow this incident doesn't feel like something that can be healed so easily, if at all....we can only hope and pray for that.

The Survival Straps Sandy Hook bracelet & Piddles...www.survivalstraps.com/sandyhook

In Webster, NY on Christmas Eve, four firefighters responded to a house fire.  The deranged man who had set his house ablaze was laying in wait for the firefighters to arrive so he could pick them off from across the street.  He shot and killed two of them instantly, and two others are in the hospital.  He used the exact same make and model assault rifle that the guy in Newtown used.  This guy in NY was a murderer to begin with, and had recently gotten out of prison after an 18 year bid after he killed is grandmother with a hammer in 1980....a HAMMER....and he was out of prison.  Our system fucking sucks.  Now, I'm what is called a "first responder", just like police and firefighters.  For the most part, we all wear very similar-looking uniforms.  With the exception of police officers, first responders are nor permitted to carry any defensive weapons or items.  Now...it doesn't mean we DON'T...fuck that shit.  I've said this before....when a guy pulls a weapon on my partner or on me, and all I can pull out of MY pocket is a hand with some skin on it, you want nothing more than to wish for a can of pepper spray, an expandable baton, handcuffs...ANYthing.  We are now very clearly living in a day and age where mass shootings, and random snipers who target the innocent or those whose sole mission is to protect and save lives are more and more the norm.
I'll be honest with you, kids...I'm happy to lose my credentials if at the end of the day I've maybe had to use something I shouldn't have in order to ensure my partners and co-workers go home SAFE to their families.  You wanna suspend me, fire me, rip up my EMT card...have at it.  I take this PERSONALLY because if there's anything I've learned since becoming an EMT in 1995, and even more so since working in White Plains alongside some really amazing people who aren't just co-workers, they are my FRIENDS, but they are my FAMILY as well.  There is a brotherhood here.  We wear the same blues, we go on the jobs together, we see the pain and try to bring a measure of comfort to those who need it.  Now we are under attack.  It's really that simple.  You can't say it's an "isolated incident", because if you browse the newspapers or internet, you see that first responders are getting their asses kicked...or KILLED almost daily somewhere.  A young female officer in Wisconsin was just gunned down the other day.  It just shouldn't be something we are always looking over our shoulders for...but unfortunately it looks like it's become that.  It's a sad admission I have to make, but I think it's going to get a shitload worse before it gets any better.

Well, it's getting to be that time, and you all no doubt have had enough of my ramblings, but hey---it's been a year in the making, so it's SUPPOSED to be lengthy!  Just to make sure I don't end on a "down note", I want to lastly say that as many hardships that I have faced this year, (and believe me, most of them aren't even in this blog, so count yourself thankful for that) I have also had a whole lot of happiness sent my way.  My best friend Jessica shares wonderful pictures of her beautiful one year-old baby girl with me all the time, and I love to see her growing up since I've "known" her since she was living in Jessica's tummy.

My tiny newest friend, Leia...Jessica's baby girl :)

My brother's little girls continue to provide me with lots of smiles, laughter and they keep me in check sometimes if I'm too poopyfaced.  My parents are healthy, my father has recently joined forces in a new business partnership that proves to be a really wonderful step for him as he continues to also balance work with other substantial passions like serving on the board of AIPAC.  My mom continues to enjoy....ummm......well, I know there's crossword puzzles, cooking and various classes that always pepper her schedule.  My brother is, as he just told me, as healthy as a horse, and he continues to work hard and play golf harder.  I have met some great new people this year, and some of them have permeated my life in ways I never would EVER have thought imaginable...some for better, others for worse, but the "better" ones are really and truly important ones, and despite every avenue not always being smoothly paved, I'm not exactly a rookie at trying to handle the complexities of relationships...so I remain optimistic in the occasional face of uncertainty in that arena.  I will likely finish the year single (yes, yes AGAIN, fuckers, but you girls have my number, so pull your skirt up and stop being so friggin' resistant already!!Hahahaaa...) but I'm ok with it I guess.  Hey--being a solo artist worked for my pal Sammy for quite a while until he landed his 12 year run with Van Halen, and he to this day considers that one of best periods of his life...although a tequila and rum empire to bookend his rock legend status doesn't hurt at all I would think...so why should I bitch too loudly, right?  I mean, it's only a matter of time before I turn the corner and see all the awesome stuff that's there waiting for me.
My buddy Wayne once told me that "...all that matters when you're feeling down, is that you get up and walk down the block to get to the corner...then turn the corner.  You'll be amazed at what's waiting for you when you get there."
Well, the corner of 2012 and 2013 is just up ahead....I'm looking forward to seeing what's around it...whoever wants to join me is welcome...

I wish all my family and friends (especially the ones hearty enough to hang in and read this all in one sitting--you sonsabitches are troopers, you hear me!) all good things for the coming New Year.  I'm thankful to have had you in my life this past year....yes, yes....some more than others, but I can't love you ALL the same, can I? ;-)  I do love you anyway, though.....

'Til next year......

~ Jonny

Gimme a kiss!

Peace out, yo...

Don't Be Afraid...

Hey folks, welcome back to the JonnyLand Blog....it's been a little over a year since I puked up my thoughts to those of you brave enough to click "READ BLOG" here, but in the wake of Friday's tragedy in Colorado, I guess I was kinda motivated to put figurative pen to paper...

So...anyone looking for the definition of cruel irony?

Aspiring newscaster Jessica Ghawi (whose own blog is still up at: http://jessicaredfield.wordpress.com/) had just recently avoided a mass shooting  at a mall in Toronto by walking out of a food court because she chose to "listen to her gut", and go in another direction for something else to eat.  In doing that, she narrowly avoided the carnage that followed moments later.  Not long after that, she decided to pack up and movie to Aurora, Colorado, where on Friday night she chose to attend the midnight showing of "The Dark Knight Rises" at the Century 16 theater.  This time however, Jessica was not lucky enough to avoid the gunfire that erupted, and she became one of 12 fatalities in the country's largest mass shooting incident in history.


This was a shameful, senseless act of violence and carnage brought about by one deranged suspect who calmly and methodically planned and then carried out his actions.  The victims were as young as 6 years old.  SIX YEARS OLD.
12 dead, 58 wounded, and countless hundreds more who will also bear the scars of what happened for the rest of their lives.  There's no rhyme or reason for something like this, and no one ever thinks it will happen where they live, so there is always shock, surprise, denial and then...reality sets in, taps us on the shoulder and says: "Yes...YOUR backyard, too."
Virginia Tech, Columbine (less than 25 miles away from Aurora, by the way), Norway, Toronto, Binghamton...the list goes on.  All of these places and the victims therein were unsuspecting and innocent, just going about their lives, minding their business and harming NO ONE.  The people in Aurora on Friday were going to see a MOVIE, for cryin' out loud!  A Batman movie!  Something that for so many is a pure and enjoyable break from reality suddenly turned into a horror show of blockbuster proportions, and to paraphrase a reporter's comment from earlier yesterday: "A place like the movies, where we like to escape TO, should never EVER have to be the place we need to escape FROM..."


I am a self-professed movie nerd.  Everyone who knows me knows this.  I quote lines, buy soundtracks, get the DVD combo-packs so I have ALL the extra features...I go all out.  My apartment is a veritable movie museum filled with props, posters, autographs...and strangely very few girls who are knocking on my door to come hang out, but that's another blog for another time...What I mean to say is that movies...especially going OUT to the movies, be it solo or with friends...is a part of who I am and I imagine a part of who so many others are as well.  When something this horrible and violent happens in a place that we love and gravitate to with such a feeling of fun, happiness and enjoyment, it feels like no matter WHERE it happens, it is happening to all of us.  One of our "safe havens" has been violated...desecrated.
Of course, no matter if this happened in a movie theater, a supermarket, a college campus or a shopping mall, it would be no less horrific and upsetting.  These and so many other places are ones that we all are used to going to with a feeling of inherent safety.  Nothing can happen HERE...it's the fucking produce section!  Who would do that HERE?  Well, once again, our perceptions have been shattered by the insane actions of a 24 year old whose rubber band clearly had snapped some months ago, and now we have to ratchet up our "shields", so to speak, and fine-tune ourselves to be that much more aware of our surroundings--both WHERE we are, and WHO is around us and the ones we love.


How sad a commentary is it that we now are forced to live with the mentality of "Hey...there's a sale at The Gap, let's go to the mall...but...wait...maybe not...there may be gunplay...nahhh...let's not go.  I don't NEED clothes...or makeup...or underwear..." (and trust me, yeah...pretty much all of you DO need underwear...)


The fact of the matter is this:  DON'T BE AFRAID.


Go out and enjoy EVERYTHING you usually enjoy doing.  Go to the mall, the market, THE MOVIES (and go see "Ted"...holy shit was that funny!)...don't let the mindless actions of others dictate policy for YOU.  Be your own best friend, and go DO.  Yes, it's the unfortunate reality that we have to keep a higher level of awareness of the "who", "what" and "where" of our routines nowadays...so much more so than before.  But as a people we are incredibly resilient, and we will always find the best way to not only combat the evildoers around us and bring them to justice (I know, that sounds very Super Friends/Ted Knight voice-over narration-y...for those who remember), but to PERSEVERE in the face of what they have done to us, and come out even STRONGER on the other side of it.  We've done it plenty of unfortunate times before, and time time and time again, we embrace one another as a WHOLE, no matter if we live in White Plains, Aurora, Virginia, California or anywhere else in between, and support one another through the pain.  We never fail one another in times of need.  Never.  It's one of our most endearing qualities...


And now we will do it again.


I know it will take some time to heal from what happened in Aurora, but time does exactly that...it heals.  I know I can speak for my friends in saying that all good thoughts, prayers...and the aforementioned embraces are with the people of Aurora during their time of tragedy and need.  You don't have to live there to be affected by it, and I think that the immediate outpouring of love and support from around the country and the WORLD proves that in spades.


For sure, there are definitely a good number of assholes on this planet, and for their evils, they will get what's coming to them one way or the other.  However, I'm happy to say that the MAJORITY of us here are SO MUCH BETTER THAN THEY ARE, and WE OUTNUMBER THEM BIGTIME...and we will continue to prove it.


Donald Trump said this in his Twitter feed yesterday:
"At least 12 dead and 50 wounded in Colorado--bring back fast trials & death penalty for mass murderers & terrorists."


I think we should.  I think that those who do things like this need to know that we will drop the hammer on them FAST, and without prejudice if they inflict harm on us.  An eye for an eye suits me just fine.


As a tribute to the victims of the shooting in Aurora, I posted this on my Facebook wall yesterday, and it's only fitting I sign off with it again here.  To those who were lost, and to those who survive, but are in pain, we stand with you, embracing you...
We know you're hurting, we know you're grieving and we know you're down...in time though, and with the love, help and support of the rest of us, Aurora...you will RISE......

Stay strong, Aurora....

Go There Once...Be There Twice!

Hey there, kids!  I don't know if anyone is keepin' score, but as of today, the magic number is 18!  18 days until I'm finally back on the white sands of Playa Solmar and Playa del Amor down in beautiful Cabo San Lucas...it's only taken me 17 long years to be able to get back and soak up the beauty (and I mean that in EVERY possible way, of course...) of that "sleepy little town south of the border...".  I am so excited...can't wait...been way too long.  So much has happened to the town since 1994 when I was first there, and I can't wait to see how it's grown and flourished...now you all KNOW I'll basically be LIVING at the Cabo Wabo Cantina, where back in '94 my pal Sammy Hagar was still with the mighty Van Halen, and the boys were on Top Of The World.  The cantina was amazing!  The people were incredibly nice to me there, even letting me play Alex Van Halen's drums for a mini-set of 5 VH tunes of my choosing.  I have a pic somewhere...I'll dig it up for ya' if you want :)  It was an amazing place, and I met a bunch of amazing people, too!  Anyone know the legal age of consent in Mexico?  I just wanna make sure the statutes have all expired before I go back...heh-heh....

I stayed at a huge hotel right on the beautiful Cabo Marina, and couldn't have asked for a nicer setting.  Breakfast every day, drinks as far as the eye could see...and I'm not much of a beer guy, but I developed a fondness for PACIFICO lager...hell, Land's End is right on the label!  It's one of the "official" beers of Cabo.  Mind you, this was well before Cabo Wabo Tequila was born in 1998, so the "Vitamin-T" wasn't  available.  OTHER tequilas, of course, were, but at that point in my drinking career, I still wasn't too much of a hard liquor drinker, so I passed on that.  Now, of course....all bets are off!  Sammy owns the Cabo Wabo cantina, and started the tequila company back in 1998, and his bass guitar player from the Waboritas, my friend Mona Gnader, personally gave me my first bottle of the stuff at a CD party at the Hard Rock in NYC when Sam was launching the "Red Voodoo" album.  That's another story for another blog though, but Mona and I have been friends since 1997...awesome bassist, and lemme tell ya', this girl likes to PARTY UP!!

Anyway, now that Cabo Wabo Tequila is synonymous with the location, I will simply have to make sure there's enough blood in my tequila system by the time I go to sleep each night to ensure the most perfect Dreams possible!  The town itself is amazing....there's a million things to do, or nothing at all.  You can fish--which I plan to do bigtime--for amazing Blue and Striped Marlin among other exotic game fish, by chartering a boat right at the marina.  Cabo is pretty much the Marlin capital of the world, and March is still primo season for landing some HUGE fish...it is mostly catch-and-release for the billfish nowadays, though, but that's ok with me...let 'em go.

Parasailing, waverunning, snorkeling (holy crap is THAT incredible...) off Lover's Beach...anything you want to do is available to you.  The natural wonder and beauty of Land's End--literally the last piece of land at the tip of Baja California Sur before emptying out into the vast Pacific Ocean--is something you have to see in person to fully appreciate.  The Arch....just stunning to look at as the waves crash against the rocky outcroppings, sea lions playing carefree in the surf.  Oh yeah, and WHALES!!  They're EVERYWHERE!  Gray Whales are frequent guests right off the shore on the pacific side of Land's End, and from the balcony of my king-sized room at the beautiful Solmar Suites resort, all I have to do is open my eyes and look out onto the ocean....there the sumbitches are!

Solmar is one of several resort locations--and one of Cabo's oldest and most popular resorts--on the pacific side of Cabo and Land's End...the pounding surf of the ocean is far too intense for anyone to swim or snorkel there, so all we have to do is just go across to the other side to the tranquil Lover's Beach, which spills into the calm Sea of Cortez.  Gentle surf here allows for exciting snorkeling and swimming...I gotta make sure I have my underwater camera all ready to go!  It's called Lover's Beach because it's so secluded near the tip of Land's End, and you need to take either a water taxi or a "shuttle" boat, most of which have glass bottoms so you can admire the multi-colored residents of the crystal blue waters as you journey to the beach.

It's not uncommon to be swimming alone right off the beach and suddenly come face to face with a sea lion or sea turtle who wants to check you out and say hello.  It's just so fucking cool....

The town is filled with shops, both old and new, restaurants, nightclubs and even a shopping mall of sorts from what I understand...gee, it really HAS been a LONG 17 years, huh?  Almost half my friggin' LIFE ago!!  There was a Domino's Pizza and a Burger King in town when I was there, now places like Hard Rock Cafe and Planet Hollywood have even laid claim to parcels of land there!  It has truly become one of THE most popular resort towns, period!  Just about everything is within walking distance of wherever you might be staying, and that's really convenient...especially after a night on the town when you sometimes actually PEFORM the "Cabo Wabo" on your way back to your hotel.

The lore is that back in the mid-80's, Sammy Hagar and a friend of his were in Cabo (before VH took any interest in the town or in building the cantina), and spied a dude who had obviously been enjoying his drinks, and he was stumbling and wobbling down the street.

Sammy reportedly told his buddy, "Hey!  That guy is doing the Cabo Wabo!!"

...and the legend was born.  The song "Cabo Wabo" appears on Van Halen's 1988 CD titled "OU812", and since I shamelessly plug anything and everything I like, here's the lyrics to the song:

I've been to Rome, Dallas, Texas
Man, I thought I'd seen it all
Around the world, search in every corner
Man, I thought I'd hit the wall...

There's a sleepy town, south of the Border
If you go there once, you'll be there twice
Lots of pretty girls, coming by the dozens
The white sand sure makes a tan look nice...

We can crash on the beach
You know I wanna make love in the sea
We gotta try a little dance, so Cabo Wabo
It's alright by me..
Come on, let me take you down
I will show you around
Let me take you down
Face down in Cabo
Kissing the ground...

Land's end, you'd have to see it
Ain't no picture ever say it right
Walkin' the streets doing that ole, the Cabo Wabo
Place comes to life every night...

I wanna crash on the beach
You know I wanna make love in the sea
It's all right there
We don't have to chase it
Fits paradise to a T!

Come on, let me take you down
I will show you around
Let me take you down
Face down in Cabo
Kissing the ground...

We drink Mescal right from the bottle
Salt shaker, little lick a lime, ohhh
Throwin' down, down tryin' to reach the bottom
Where the guave worm, well he's mine all mine...

Come on, crash on the beach
You know I wanna make love in the sea
Go try a little dance, so Cabo Wabo
It's alright by me
Let me take you down
I will show you around
Let me take you down
Face down in Cabo
Kissing the ground
Face down,
Down in Cabo
Take me down,
Down to Cabo
Face down,
Down in Cabo
Doin' the Cabo Wabo
Take me down,
Down to Cabo
Come on, get it, get it!!

Don't get me started about the nightlife in Cabo....it'll take too long.  With places like Senor Frog's, The Giggling Marlin (where you can hang upside down like a fish on a scale and have your picture taken!), Senor Sushi, any number of dance clubs...and of COURSE the aforenumerouslymentioned Cabo Wabo Cantina, you are guaranteed to have an amazing night EVERY night.  Oh, and then there are the booze cruises...THAT I've got some actually video footage of ;-) mine turned from a scheduled 90 minute cruise with music and tropical drinks, to a 2-plus hour long whale watching expedition when a few of the huge guys decided to take interest in us, so we tailed 'em for a bit...just amazing...

Street vendors are plentiful, and are always looking to sell their goods to you, day and night.  When I was there, I was sitting on the beach, listening to my WALKMAN--lol--and saw young kids walking up and down the sand offering to sell bottles of water, sodas, snacks, pose for a picture with their pet lizard...whatever it could be, it was there.  One little guy came up to me and asked me if I wanted him to make me some multi-colored string bracelets.  You know what I'm talking about...those "friendship bracelet"-style thingys.  I could choose any colors, and even have him put words into the design.  I thought this was really cool, and would be a "custom made" item for me, made by hand by this kid...so I had him make me two bracelets, one of them said "CABO", the other.....wait for it.....said "WABO", of course...and they were both super cool looking with a lot of different colored strings making them up. It took him about an hour and a half or so, and then he found me on the beach again to give them to me.  He charged me some MINISCULE amount of money for them, and I was so pleased to have them I think I gave him like $20...which was probably $15 more than what he was expecting...he was definitely my new buddy that day, trying to get me to buy more stuff, naturally, but I declined.  I had those bracelets until a few years ago when they just kinda unraveled too much to be worn.  Maybe now they'll be made with better materials to last longer...lol!!!

Anyway, I can't wait to get back to Cabo...it's been such a long time coming, and it just had never really been possible until Right Now, so I Jump-ed at the chance...has anyone caught the capitalization of certain words that also happen to be VH song titles throughout the blog, or is it a lost cause? :)

Long, sun-filled days and rockin' nights await me down "where the land ends and the party begins"...and I'll see you ON THE BEACH!!!  In the words of Mr. Hagar himself:  "MAS TEQUILA!!"

Man, I just...can't...wait....and this is gonna be the longest 18 days....and its too bad you're not coming along...you'd be a changed person before the first night was over...yeah, I'm talkin' to YOU...yeah...YOU!!  lol...... ;-)  Ohhh, don't worry though...I'll raise a few glasses for y'all!!!

Below is a slew of Cabo-related pics for your amusement...stay tuned for the next blog...which very well may be published directly from the Cabo Wabo!!

Partying with Sammy and Chickenfoot, 2k9

Inside the Cabo Wabo Cantina

The Arch

Beautiful oil painting of the cantina by Loren Adams

Yup, it's my tattoo...

This was a wall in my old apartment...and no, I didn't drink ALL of that tequila...only SOME!

'nuff said?

Promo poster for boobs...I mean Cabo Wabo Tequila!!  Delish!! ;-)

Me & Sam in NYC, 1998

MAS TEQUILA!!

Sam & Mikey, throwin' out the VH OU812 sign at a Chickenfoot show, NYC 2k9

Now THAT'S a PARTY! ...and my friend Mona is on the left :)

The suites at Solmar Beach, where I'll be staying

Another view of the beautiful Arch at Land's End

Aerial view of the Solmar resort properties...mine is all the way to the right, at the base of Land's End

Solmar Resort and Beach...in the shadow of Land's End