Rae Kicks Mountain Bike Ass! Film at 11.

One of my pals just completed the most amazing endeavor. I’m so awed by it!

Rae Gandalf—who some of you may know from “back in the day”—has moved on to a fascinating career as a Veterinarian, and sometimes posts emails with stories of pulling a gorilla’s tooth, or x-raying an Elephant or what-have-you. But this latest thing—wowza! Rae was recuited to participate in the Santa Cruz Bikes Hellride 2, a competition that pits “amateur” (I use that time very loosely) mountain bikers with world-class pros for the chance to win the bike they ride—if they can only keep up on…the HELLRIDE!

Well, Rae kept up. No surprise to those of us who know her. But what a feat! And of course, an entertaining account, because she’s also a wonderful writer. So click here to read Rae’s account of her adventure!

If you want to congratulate her, email her!

New Shambhu in the Lou!

He’s my friend, an esteemed colleague, and last—and certainly not least—he’s a distinctive and gifted artist.

So isn’t it about time for some new work by Jim Shambhu? You bet it is!

Which is why I’m happy to pass on that Jim has a new show hanging at the ArtBeat Gallery in Louisville!

“An Einstein of Music” Bob Moog – R.I.P.


No matter what kind of music you like, Bob Moog touched it. The inventer of the Moog synthesizer was an unintentional architect of electronic music and all its myriad variations. He was a giant. If you want to know more, check out the the movie about him. Or listen to this NPR Fresh Air interview and here’s an NPR feature marking his passing. Go put on your favorite: Switched on Bach, Parlament-Funkadelic, Kraftwerk, Electric Skychurch… It’s hard to even consider overviewing. Moog’s contribution can be heard on literally thousands records. But just for starters there was: 808 State, Abba, Bronski Beat, The Boards of Canada, Devo, Chick Corea, REO Speedwagon, Depeche Mode, Jean Michel Jarre, Kraftwerk, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Herbie Hancock, Michael Jackson, Chic, Rush, Yes, Gary Numan, The Orb, Pere Ubu, The Prodigy, Pulp, Sun Ra, Nine Inch Nails, Bis, The Shamen, Stereolab, Tangerine Dream, Vangelis, Missing Persons, Kool and the Gang, Steve Winwood, Bernie Worrell, Pink Floyd. Add yr. own faves and Bob Moog, R.I.P.

This moment…


The sky was full of those rolling clouds, the kind that are a wonder to look at, as they tumble by, but also suggest that you may soon be running for cover. That breeze—it didn’t really do much except blow the heat from here to there, which was nonetheless helpful.

In the fire-engine red vintage Bonneville convertible, the bride sat next to me, crouched down so nobody would see her…just yet. “Wow, I’m getting married in a minute,” she noted, combining clinical observation with wry enthusiasm, as is her custom. I sat behind the wheel and nodded and breathed in the air. “Yep.” I smiled at her, as is my custom.

Then the bride got out of the car, and got married.


“Here we are now, soon it will be then,
It’s nothing more, nothing less than the place that we are in
This moment will never come again
I know it because it has never been before
And I listen to the wind, And I see the trees are shaking…”

This Moment” Victoria Williams