it’s the morning of January 1, 2010
i hold my baby daughter in my left arm and type with my right finger
i hit the space bar with my thumb
the sun is lighting up the right side of my face
she’s burrowed into the brown furry collar of my favorite winter coat
the sky is blue and calm
there’s a cold chill in the air
i went to bed at 3:30
after our show at Bryan St.
i should feel tired and horrible
but instead i feel great
positively brimming with energy
and ideas
today we celebrate the “son of Christmas” with L & L
who are visiting us from Austin
we coined the joke term last night ‘cause i talked Jayme into leaving the tree up this year
for their visit
today we’re gonna exchange gifts
go see the Christmas lights one more time and milk this holiday spirit for all it’s worth
before everything gets put away tomorrow
the 1st is usually a day of quiet reflection
so i will quietly reflect
could 2009 have been any better for me and my family?
i don’t think so
it was a banner year all the way ‘round
topped off in September by the birth of our precious little crumb Miette
everything else that happened was just icing
as memories already start to fade and be replaced by new ones
here’s what springs to mind…

Rhett smiling under the silly cowboys blanket as we cranked playback of
“like love”
Billy Harvey creating worlds for songs to live in
Rip almost falling out of his chair from excitement over John Dufilho’s ricochet snare drum fills on “nobody says i love you”
me, standing and singing in front of the Potter’s fireplace
feeling loved
feeling safe
me, standing and singing in front of Dean and Carla’s fireplace
feeling loved
feeling safe
driving through the Texas countryside listening to Buttercup with J and G
feeling lucky and grateful to have gotten to know and work with them
Gavin at Seaworld feeding the dolphins
burger street dude’s fantastic “Better by Design” cd and our lonely Ft. Worth show
Mike Snider’s contagious all-good smile
pancakes with Buttercup
the pure joy of playing “Montreal” with Guns of the Navarone on the Rudyard’s stairwell
going back to Denton to visit and play music with Paul Slavens
discovering Dan’s Silverleaf which made me feel like i was in Silverlake
flying to Hamburg on my birthday
Casa Buskies Basti and Dirk
cruising Berlin on the roof of a double-decker bus one sunny afternoon with J and G
strolling the gardens of Potsdam and feeling paradise on earth
Wreckless Eric playing the philicorda organ in the South of France
Wreckless Eric chucking the balalaika over his shoulder with a devilish twinkle
Gavin filming the Paris apartment on Rue d’sevigne “mom struggling with her pants”
Joe Reyes incinerating “a way to your heart” at the Dufilhos’ 1st show in July
the Whiskey Folk Ramblers lighting up Pleasantry Lane with accordions, hats and boundless creativity
Gabrielle LaPlante with echoes of the fable maker, N. Sinatra and Carnaby Street
the Monco Poncho painting Morricone panoramas
Holt hauntingly updating Drake and P. Floyd
Liles and the Kessler
Samples and SPACE
Schoder and the Granada
the miracle release of Binary Sunrise's debut
Pascale flying Alex D. to Big D
our Habaneros adventure and Opening Bell reunion
walking to Ginger's house with the kids
Bionicles Transformers Power Miners Bakugan
all the wonderful joy filled days
staying up late and watching Breaking Bad/Mad Men/Bored to Death/Modern Family and 30 Rock with Jayme
"unstoppable"
"the bullies are back"
"2 years"
"winners"
"we're gonna live forever"
"andalucia in the spring"

every day i get to be here with my family
and friends i’m grateful for
thank you to whoever out there is running this thing
thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
it's 2010 now
farewell 2009
i already look back fondly upon you

i hope you all have a year filled with love, good fortune and boundless happiness



love, love, love,



s