Photo by Vanessa Kaukonen
When I rose this morning at 0530 it was minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit. Brrrr… I also woke another year older and that’s OK because it sure beats the alternatives. I see life today as a smorgasbord of possibilities and it is up to me to make the most of the bounty on the table. I continue to be blessed by my place in the universe and my life is anything but boring.
The guitar continues to invite my soul as much or more as it ever did. It’s been a constant in my ever-changing life for a very long time. Actually, it’s more than just the guitar. It’s the music as a universe and the guitar as a means to try to express it. This is a relationship that has yet to age!
The sub-freezing weather left the streets almost deserted this morning. At least Fluffs was open for coffee.
I find myself surrounded by friends. So many people have contacted me to wish me a Happy Birthday! It’s been amazing! Also amazing is that I’m actually home for the holidays for the first time (the Pandemic doesn’t count) in I can’t remember how long.
A short entry but a heartfelt thanks to all who remembered me today.
A joyous holiday season to all!
82! I’m 10 years behind you, but I’m catching up…
Many more My Friend!
Hey Jorma, happy birthday hope you and family have a great and healthy new year. Glad you made it out on a ride for the new year – winter doesn’t seem to be coming here in NY – well, less snow to shovel for now+ all the best – Jim
Gotta love Fluff. My wife’s cousin and her husband are the proprieters. Good Ohio stock with wonderful educations and lives. When ever we come from Fl to visit Athens I know three things. We are going to Fluffs for a few visits. We are gonna look for a jam. We are making a walkabout visit the wonderful FPR! God bless you all.
Happy New Year everyone
Amen Art and Sister Rosetta!
On the eve of another New Year, at the close of this one passing, a snippet of a prayer
from my morning reading;
“For this small earth
Of sea and land,
For this small space
On which we stand,
For those we touch
With heart and hand,
Saranam, Saranam, Saranam.”
Happy Birthday Jorma, Thank You
One more. Tell me this doesn’t rock the house.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NFywQdeKSo
Keeping the tradition alive in these troubled times. And check out that guitar!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOrhjgt-_Qc
@Dale Radeleff
Hi Dale,
If you have any questions let me know. It’s a journey for sure, and I wish you well on it. Go to the best doctor you can! That’s important! My solo piece on YouTube deals a lot with issues early in the process.
@John
One of the all-time great films.
The Wolfman is in it too (and Dracula), and he tries to explain his horrible situation to Costello, who just doesn’t get it. Finally the Wolfman says, “You don’t understand! Every time there’s a full moon I turn into a wolf!”
Costello: “Yeah, you and about 20 million other guys.”
@Kevin
My grandfather went to school with Lou as a kid in Patterson NJ.
I recently discovered Abbot and Costello bloopers online and amazon prime which were interesting especially Costello’s ability to go in and out of character.
Garcia was heavily influenced by the Abbot and Costello Meets the Frankenstein Monster movie. He mentions it on an interview which is included at the beginning of the first episode and throughout the Long Strange Trip documentary available on Amazon prime. You can also try googling “Jerry Garcia The Movie That Changed MY Life”.
Happy Birthday Jorma !!
Another year older another year smarter. All the best to you and your family
@Jefferson Campervan
Your post reminded me of one of my favorite old Abbott and Costello routines. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pO6JcXXAqec
Lou never does get to eat that shrimp.
They were the best!!!
Merry Christmas everyone.
Happy Birthday Jorma… Every year I’m catching up to you… When I bought Baxters, you were about 50% older than me, now you’re only about 15% older! Toronto Frank, Taylor and Odin (currently in the Jefferson Campervan on the Atlantic coast of Portugal)
A rather belated Happy Birthday to you. I haven’t posted for ages and I’m regretting it, immediately. Keep warm and love each other, as always… 🕊🕊🕊
Happy birthday AND Merry Christmas Jorma! My wife and I cherish you and Jack! Keep rolling. For my Christmas greeting I am sending a snippet of my solo piece How Do You Say Prostate In Italian? I have a reading of the whole thing on YouTube if you’re interested. Anyway, here it is with my heartfelt wishes to you and everyone at FPR:
Christmas day! I’m up first and have coffee and sit by the tree with the dog and wait for the girls. We put up our Christmas tree very early this year, Thanksgiving weekend. Laurette was here and it’s always much more special when she’s around. Every year we say it’s the prettiest tree ever, and they always seem to be . . . and every year I get kind of reflective of Christmases past and those to come . . . and how many more there are of the former than the latter. But . . . this year . . . wow . . . I’ve been to Italy . . . I’m fighting cancer . . . funny that at the time of the Italy trip I had thought I had won the battle with cancer . . . but now we’re looking at more scans . . . hormone shots . . . radiation . . . yeah . . . this Christmas is really different.
I’ve lived my life mostly feeling kind of indestructible, so it’s sobering to feel…well…destructible. One thing that I know is that I want to be here next year…and the next and the next…and I’ll do whatever it takes to make that happen.
Happy Birthday Jorma!
Thank you for continuing to be a positive musical force in our lives. Here’s wishing you much future good health and happiness!
https://youtu.be/PCujCSTdD70
https://youtu.be/KW1AP0OPZXA
Happy Birthday Jorma!
Happy Holidays and a healthy 2023 to all at the FPR.
See ya soon.
HappyBirthday Jormas Another trip around the sun.Thanks for all the music and memories,be well
Happy Birthday Jorma. May your days be filled with love smiles and music.
Enjoy the Holiday Season
Putting two and two together here: Jorma has said that he was a big Oakland Raiders fan back in the day. Franco Harris’s (RIP) “Immaculate Reception” took place (as we’ve been hearing) fifty years ago, Dec. 23, 1972, against the Raiders and on Jorma’s 32 birthday.
Hi Jorma,
Happy Birthday and continued Blessings. We caught a DEC HT show at The Paramount on Long Island, with an enthusiastic audience. You, Jack and Justin reciprocated with a wonderful show. Best to all @ FPR in 2023.
Happy Birthday, Jorma! And many more, to strike up your anthem of heraldic peace notes transcendent the flash on the horizon, leading into a celestine bight of an unburnable eternity. Rock the roar of creation!
Jorma,
Happy Birthday/Holidays/New Year’s!
https://youtu.be/gTzkQanTgFM
Happy Birthday Jorma and Many more to come, you will probably out live me, I hope ;). I started enjoying your music during Jefferson Airplane, but I got lost sometime shortly thereafter. It wasn’t until the last couple of years that I learned of Hot Tuna and you and John Hurlbut, it was then that I decided to get back into playing guitar again after an almost 50-year hiatus. Now I have cancer, but I plan on playing right up to my final days on this Planet. I wish you and your entire family, direct and obtained over several years, a safe and merry holiday season. You are definitely a Mensch.
Dale
Thought about you several times today and I hope you and your family have a wonderful day celebrating another trip around the sun. Enjoy brother!