DAMARY’S RETIREMENT

Damary is my Ex's mom. Here's her retirement speech/letter.

DAMARY’S RETIREMENT

I LIVED IN CUBA FOR ONLY 14 YEARS, BUT I HAVE LIVED IN ROOM 1105 AT 100 SYCAMORE STREET FOR THE PAST 23 YEARS. I THANK EACH OF YOU FOR COMING TODAY TO SHARE THIS SPECIAL MOMENT WITH ME. I KNOW I HAVE GONE THROUGH MANY CHANGES IN MY LIFE, AND THIS WILL BE ANOTHER MAJOR ADJUSTMENT. I WOULD LIKE TO BESTOW SOME “THANK YOU’S.”

FIRST, I OWE A BIG “THANK YOU” TO MR. SAVOIE WHO GAVE ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE A TEACHER IN CALCASIEU PARISH. NEXT, A UNIQUE “THANKS” GOES TO MR. JOHN LAND WHO ALLOWED ME TO BEGIN WORKING AT SULPHUR HIGH SCHOOL THOUGH I HAD NOT PASSED THE ENGLISH PORTION OF THE NTE. I TAUGHT MAINLY SPANISH, BUT HE ASSIGNED ME TO TEACH ONE-ENGLISH I CLASS. CAN YOU IMAGINE THAT! HE BELIEVED IN ME, AND MANY IN THAT GROUP OF KIDS HAVE GONE ON TO BE PROFESSIONALS IN VARIOUS FIELDS. AT THE END OF THAT YEAR, I TOOK THE NTE AND PASSED WITH FLYING COLORS. MR. LAND TEASINGLY TOLD ME LATER THAT THOSE STUDENTS WERE BEGINNING TO SOUND LIKE ME INCLUDING THE SPANISH ACCENT.

MR. LAND ASKED ME WHY I WAS LIVING IN SULPHUR WHEN MOST OF MY RELATIVES WERE IN FLORIDA. I TOLD HIM THERE WERE TOO MANY CUBANS IN MIAMI. I’VE LIVED IN NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, KENTUCKY, TEXAS, KUWAIT, AND SPAIN. IN ALL THESE PLACES I HAVE NEVER FOUND A PLACE AS FRIENDLY AS SULPHUR, LA.

I AM GRATEFUL FOR MR. GERALD CONNER AND MR. CHUCK HANSEN WHO STOOD BY ME THROUGH SOME TOUGH TIMES DURING THE ‘90’S. SOME OTHER “THANK YOU’S” GO OUT TO BARBARA CULPEPPER, MR. ANDY PATTON, MR. MENARD, AND THE SULPHUR HIGH SCHOOL STAFF FOR LENDING ME THEIR SUPPORT ALL MY YEARS AT SULPHUR HIGH SCHOOL. I THANK MR. BONIN FOR HIS DISTINCTIVE ABILITY TO GET TO THE ROOT OF A PROBLEM AND SOLVE IT WITH DIGNITY. I STILL PLAN TO CALL HIM DURING THE SUMMER TO FIND OUT WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THE SPANISH PROGRAM.

GOD DID NOT GIVE ME BROTHERS AND SISTERS, BUT I AM THANKFUL FOR A MAN WHO IS LIKE A “BROTHER” MR. TONY DOUGHERTY. HE FOREVER STAYS COOL AND CALM IN ADVERSITY. HE HAS ALWAYS GIVEN ME GOOD SOLID ADVICE. GOD HAS GIVEN ME FRIENDS LIKE SISTERS SUCH AS: CHERYL BREAUX, ALITA BARNES, KATIE ABSHIRE, AND ISABEL HEAL I HAVE A LOT OF ADOPTED DAUGHTERS LIKE MARIA HEAL-GOMEZ, DIELLE BARRENTINE, LORA PERKINS, LORI BENOIT; AND ADOPTED SONS LIKE BINKY BARRENTINE AND DAMON ABSHIRE.

OVER THE YEARS, THERE HAVE BEEN MANY OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE TOUCHED MY LIFE AS A TEACHER: MIKE DANOS, BETTE DRYMON, CASSIDY HIGGINGBOTTEM, MICKEY MALLETT, SUSAN KEY, LINDA BUTLER, BOB WEBER, CARY HARDAWAY, KATHY BEDNARDZ, VEDA ARMSTEAD, AND THE WHOLE SECOND LUNCH BUNCH (YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE). I AM SORRY IF I HAVE LEFT OUT SOMEONE. THERE ARE SO MANY.

SOMEONE VERY CLOSE TO ME IS NEIL SINGLETON WHO WORKS HERE. WHEN MY HUSBAND BECAME ILL AND COULDN’T WORK ANYMORE AROUND THE HOUSE, HE CAME TO OUR RESCUE. HE WILL ALWAYS TAKE CARE OF JIMMY AND ME, AND I APPRECIATED HIM SO MUCH.

I THANK MY MOM (WHO NEEDS MY HELP NOW) FOR HER LOVING SACRIFICE OF TAKING CARE OF MY KIDS WHILE I ATTENDED COLLEGE. I THANK MY AUNT CLARA FOR GIVING HER LOVE AND FINANCIAL PROVISION WHILE I GOT MY EDUCATION. I THANK MY THREE CHILDREN DEE DEE, JORGE, AND ALEX WHO BACKED ME UP THROUGH ALL THE UP’S AND DOWN’S IN MY LIFE. MOST OF ALL, I THANK MY HUSBAND JIMMY FOR BEING AT MY SIDE ALL THIS TIME AND FOR HIS LOVING ENCOURAGEMENT, ESPECIALLY THROUGH MY TWO YEARS OF DRIVING ONCE A WEEK TO LSU IN ORDER TO GET MY MASTER’S DEGREE.

ONCE I WAS INTERVIEWED BY THE SOUTHWEST DAILY NEWS FOR THE “MEET YOUR NEIGHBOR” SECTION. I WAS ASKED WHO MY HERO WAS.

I ANSWERED WITH THE NAME DON QUIXOTE. HE WAS A MAN WHO SAW BEAUTY IN EVERYTHING, THE GOOD IN EVERYONE. HE BELIEVED IN GIVING A SECOND CHANCE TO OTHERS. HE FOLLOWED HIS QUEST, HIS DREAM. THAT IS WHAT I’VE TRIED TO DO AS A SPANISH TEACHER AT SULPHUR HIGH SCHOOL. I BELIEVE, IN ORDER TO TEACH YOUR SUBJECT MATTER, YOU MUST ALSO TEACH TO THE WHOLE PERSON ABOUT LIFE AS WELL. HERE, I THANK MY STUDENTS FOR ALLOWING ME TO TEACH THEM. WITH ALL YOUR HELP, I HOPE I HAVE FULFILLED MY QUEST AS A TEACHER AND DONE MY JOB SUCCESSFULLY.

THANK YOU, MRS. TYREE, FOR RECORDING THIS FOR ME.

Bay City Valentine's Dance with Trey Clark & Ted Turner

I got a call from a friend of a friend, Trey Clark, out of the blue, Tuesday asking if I could fill in for a gig 90 miles out of Houston in Bay City, TX. I think I actually said Sure! Before I even knew the pay. I had only met Trey twice, and seen 1 of his shows.. acoustic.

If you're reading this blog.. I think it'll go better listening to his tunes.. but WATCH OUT for the Lonseome Old Trucker" song.. it's PG-13 for expletives and thematic content in the Chorus.

http://www.myspace.com/treyclarkband.

Trey asks me a few questions "You read Nashville # Charts..?" I'm like sure.. "You know a lot of Texas Country?" I'm like sure.. Then I told him.. man if I'm to your right and can see your guitar hand.. we're good, since I play guitar. Oh REALLY!?!?! He said.. haha..

Well.. HMM.. I get to the venue 7:30PM ish for a 10 PM show.. It looks about half (at best) cleaned up from a wild party the night before.. Stage is nice, with power outlets across the back wall and floor.. but the floor outlets have no covers.. nothing looks GFI and a couple of the boxes on the back wall are deck screw mounted into currogated roofing METAL ROOFING. YAHOOO HOO HOOOOO!!!! Is all I could think to say.

So I set up my gear and head over to Chili's for din din.. I do dinner was nice.. but at 9:30.. still no Band..? HMM...? They arrive at 9:40 for a 10 PM show.. it goes pretty good.. despite I NEVER got a SINGLE chart from Trey.

Texas Country.. huh..? 1st set was like Doobie Brothers, into Cross Canadian Ragweed.. to Johnny Cash.. to Jason Mraz.. to Bob Marley.. then time warp back to Tom Petty, and Pink Floyd.. HAHA! Uh Yeah WOW! I'd love to see a brain wave map of Trey's head for THAT set!!!

All in all it was a fun set and we played songs I've never played.. songs I've not played for 20 years.. and even 3 or 4 songs.. I've NEVER HEARD!!! One being a Trey Clark Original.

Good Times with Good Musicians..

The owner was like WOW! MAN! I never expected THIS MUCH VARIETY out of you guys.. you all are AWESOME.. did you notice as people called friends to come check y'all out it got pretty crowded the last 2 hours....?

I'm not sure I'd head down there for a gig again.. but Last night at least, overall was an enjoyable free spirited gig without a set list.. or heck even a repertoire.. HAHA!

Keep Jammin!

Takamine CTP-2 - after 6 years of waiting

Hey Howdy from Houston.. It's cold, it's raining, up North a few hours there's a few inches of snow on the ground For Mardi Gras..? Or as I read today Lombardi Gras! WHO DAT!?!?!!?

So I've owned a trusty and sometimes dusty 1990 Takamine FP-360s well since 1991. This guitar and I have been through a WHOLE LOT together. It's been on more retreats than a John Denver songbook. It was 2 or 3 weeks pay back then.. so it took me several months to pay for it.

Before I get to terribly sentimental talking about my best wooden friend for nearly 20 years.. let me tell you about the coolest development for Takamine owners maybe ever.

In 2004 Takamine came up with the "Cool Tube" Pre-Amp or CTP-1. There was absolutely NO WAY to get this without buying one of the signature models, or Nashville series guitars. I tried and tried.. to absolutely no avail. The closest I got was an email from Takamine asking me for my serial # on my guitar because I couldn't get one otherwise.

I recently got a really nice Lutehole Soundhole cover, originally intended but likely will never be needed for my Taylor 616ce.. It fits the Takamine in more ways than one.. since it's Spruce and the etched out pattern is this Oooka Hoooka Booooga looking figure.. So that made me check EBay one more time.. after 6 years for a Cool Tube Pre-Amp.

WHAT!?!?! REALLY?!!?!? Takamine SELLS the new version now...? CTP-2!?!?!?!

So I bought one.. and luckily for me it was an EXCELLENT seller Sigler Music.. and They are in Memphis..? So I had it in 2 days!

I spent a few minutes reading the instructions... 3 times.. making certain I would do it right.. and click click.. plug plug.. in 2 minutes.. it was IN.

I walk over to my music room.. plug the Line 6 POD X3 Live into the Mackie MR8's and WHOAH NELLIE!!!! This thing is Hot Rodded!!!! Va Va VOOM! Sounds barely better than the 20 year old Pre-Amp Parametric that was breaking news technology back in 1990... BUT!!! With a slight twist of the "Cool Tube" knob.. its on like Donkey Kong!!! WOW! This thing makes this 20 year old guitar sound almost alive plugged in. I couldn't believe how it sounded so I plugged in the Taylor 616ce without changing any settings..and while the Taylor plugged or unplugged has a better all around tone.. this Takamine is no longer a distant 2nd guitar... but maybe a Lead Candidate for certain hot picking songs.

Friends if you have an old Takamine or know of a good deal on one.. back 15 years ago when they made real nice guitars.. GET IT! And drop you one of these CTP-2's in it.. and JUMP BACK!

Lutehole sound hole covers for Acoustic Guitars

My Fellow web dwellers, I finally broke down and bought myself my 3rd, but 1st custom, well 1st (2) custom Lute Hole Sound covers...

I first saw Lutehole products while browsing the now extinct "House of Guitars" (RIP Or old awesome guitar neighborhood shop!) I thought WOW! These things are gorgeous, how do they work..? Well I learned quickly that for the $30 instead of $10-12 for the standard rubber Feedback Buster they are a little more friendly on the fingers when strumming and don't make the guitar go as dead.. but look a WHOLE LOT BETTER! Snap! Literally.. I snapped 2 trying to get them in and retro fit one to fit my Ramirez 2CWE Spanish Guitar. I ended up ruining oh..? 4 or 5 various Feedback Busting mechanisms trying to adapt them for the Ramirez and finally just settled on the heavy rubber for my 1991 Takamine FP360s Making it quite dead sounding... but hey. NO Feedback.

Fast forward from oh 2002 when all those adventures started to a few weeks ago. I ordered the Custom Luteholes, and got an incredible deal on a Taylor 616ce for about half price. I paid a LOT extra for both of my new Lutehole covers, because I was trying hard to match the wood of the guitars. Spruce = Mo Money! Mahogany (the closest to the red cedar on the Ramirez) = Mo Money! It takes quite a while and they come in. During that time.. I played at 2 or 3 open mics on a SMALL stage in a LOUD venue.. so by this time I was absolutely certain.. I'd NEVER need a soundhole cover for the Taylor.

HEY! It fits and if the Takamine wasn't 20 years old.. the wood would match PERFECT! So I thought.. how will the Ramirez do.. so I plug it into my Line 6 POD X3 Live and Mackie MR8's and crank it to feedback misery. I then drop in my Dove Design Mahogany and VOILA!! AIIIEEE!! or I guess most appropriately.. BRAVO!!! BRAVO!!! No feedback. That got me to thinking about my old friend "Toni Takamine" there.. but that's for another post.. I got a CTP-2 "Cool Tube" preamp and that baby is SWEET sounding now! Better than I ever imagined.

Back to the Ramirez... I've had this wonderful guitar for 10 years, never being able to play it plugged in anywhere near a loud stage because of Feedback.. FINALLY it has a GORGEOUS Feedback Buster that FITS! and WORKS WELL!!!! This coming Tuesday.. I'm bringing it out to an open mic.. and see if it REALLY passes the test. I am quite confident, however.

Yay! Lutehole!

Josh Thompson - New Artist of the year 2010 - CMA, ACM

Hello anyone that might read this FIRST Blog of mine.. Yes, I know.. Mr. "make his own website in 1998 so he can communicate how he feels" is JUST entering the blogging realm.

"I'd like to thank God" Isn't that how most speeches should begin... Well.. I do agree with that.. so THANKS GOD! for everything, and every day that I wake up to sunlight and fresh brisk air.. and don't see dirt and roots!

SO, perhaps a heavy first blog intro.. but the inspiration (pun intended) for starting a blog was a powerful easy to relate to song by someone, well.. I've never heard of before this morning. Josh Thompson.

My brother calls me from on the road. He delivers supplies to ships all over Florida and today he's driving from Tampa to Panama City with "a couple pallets of groceries". He's like "HEY BROTHER!!! You GOTTA check out this song I just heard.. "... the water is still on... the lights ain't been cut off... etc..." So I start a quick Google search and http://popup.lala.com/popup/504684639485074081 comes up.. good sound, quite dance-able.. and funy clever lyrics.

THEN.. being a Zune Member.. I'm thinking.. HMM.. let me see if I can go download this and learn it for one night at Open Mic or Karaoke or similar... and discover he's only barely got an EP out..

As I listen to each song.. I end up downloading it.. a trend.. yes indeed... I get to the 3rd song "Sinner". Pretty much the Earth stops for a few seconds as the weight of this song lands on my shoulders and I'm like WOW! This is ME too. That's the whole point of a good song, right..? to be able to relate to it.

So I not only download it.. I go grab the lyrics to learn this one singing and on guitar.

**********************************
Sinner – Josh Thompson

I am not proud of the fact that I've used His name in vain.
I ain't sat in a pew in a few Sundays...
I don't always turn the other cheek
And I worked on the Sabbath last week

There's been a few things, and a few women that have done more than just tempt me
My heart been filled with hate, greed, and envy.
But I believe that Jesus died to save souls like me.

(Chorus)

'cause I'm a sinner. That's just what I am.
Sometimes the devil can get the upper hand.
But I hit my knees, close my eyes and bow my head,
and thank the Good Lord that when it comes to forgiveness He's no quitter.

'cause I am a sinner.

If Heaven had a limit on the number of Commandments you could break
before they just cast your soul away
Well then there's no doubt
where I'll be heading when I check out

'cause I'm a sinner. That's just what I am.
Sometimes the devil can get the upper hand.
But I hit my knees, close my eyes and bow my head,
and thank the Good Lord that when it comes to forgiveness He's no quitter. 'cause I am a sinner.

Yeah, I am a good guy. Most of the time my heart is in the right place, but I have my Days where I run a little low on Faith, so far from Grace that I lose my way.

'cause I'm a sinner. That's just what I am.
Sometimes the devil can get the upper hand.
But I hit my knees, close my eyes and bow my head,
and thank the Good Lord that when it comes to forgiveness He's no quitter. 'cause I am a sinner.

I'm a sinner

************************************

GREAT song.. right!!?!?! It probably wont help it get the exposure it should to be on the same EP with a chorus like; "It puts the gas in my truck, butter on my biscuit, couple bucks when I’m itching for a scratch-off ticket. That poker makes me broker every Saturday night. But I still got running water and they ain’t cut off the lights. Come Friday night, My friends and I start peeling off them labels. Working hard all week puts beer on the table"

Or who knows..? How many fun time people, maybe a little low on faith will come across it in the same manner I did....?

Stay tuned for this guy, Josh Thompson, Tommy's prediction for New Artist of the Year at the CMA's, the ACM's, and I'll say he might even get a Country Grammy too!

Toodles from Tommy for the moment.

TK