3. WHAT'S UP WITH DAVE?

WHAT'S UP WITH DAVE?

An irregularly published blog of Dave Willert's thoughts, moods and aspirations as he chooses to talk about them.
Please read with care. This blog is not censored in any way!

234 - TO CELEBRATE LIFE! NOVEMBER 2019

I've heard people talking about "celebrating their lives" mostly in reference to their eventual funerals. Well, that's great, but not what I am speaking about here. I have learned that celebrations should not be limited to those selected by others to honor particular events. We should celebrate our lives every day, every moment... including when we are alone! Just "being alive" is a fantastic and unbelievable state of being! What we do with our time is sometimes mundane and sometimes even sad or regrettable... but for me, and I'll venture for you, it's mostly memorable and wonderful! There is no definite explanation as to why we are here on Earth, although there are many theories floating around. For me, living is a daily adventure. I love the words of Jesus, in the New Testament, and the Ten Commandments found in the Old Testament, giving me moral guidelines for living, along with my personal belief that God loves us and is always there helping... but beyond that, I am on my own, just as you are. We strive to do good in the world and to live happy lives at the same time, and that keeps life hopping! Seeing every day as a gift and an opportunity is about the most exciting outlook toward life we can have. Don't let any other person convince you otherwise. Life is wonderful, regardless of each of our circumstances, personalities or talents. I believe that we can do whatever we put our minds to in this life, finding happiness in the process... and that's why I enjoy a daily celebration!

233 - IT'S A TOY BOX! AUGUST 2019

I've had this website for ten years now and in all that time... I could never really describe what it was all about to anyone who asked? Well, it's my own private toy box! You know how young kids sometimes have or had a place to ideally keep all of their favorite toys so that they would never have any trouble finding them? Well, this is mine. I suppose the big difference with that comparison is one, I am not a young kid and two, I don't store precious toys here... I store precious memories. A quick perusal through this website will tell you that I am neither visually artistic or technically minded. But for me, my simple talents combined with this website, created a place where I could store some great memories and achievements in my life... whether or not they are regarded as such by anyone else, with all due respect, doesn't particularly matter. This is MY toy box, and I welcome visitors, but it is what it is, and I didn't build it to please anyone... I just wanted to share some great memories and maybe advertise my books when they are written. I would love to visit your website, if you have one. You can learn so much about a person from perusing one of these, can't you. Well, here's toy box Dave, signing off for now. Enjoy your visit and come again!

232 - AN EPIPHANY! JULY 2019

I have lived a long time, but that does not mean that I can't still have an epiphany once in a while. While contributing motivational sayings to my new book, I suddenly realized that something was keeping me from always expressing what I really felt? It wasn't anything I could touch... but I could sure feel it. It was the fear of doing something wrong, in the eyes of the government, and consequently being prosecuted or at least persecuted. My understanding is that this sort of 'government control' is not supposed to exist in America, the land of the free... but I'm afraid it does. An example is how anyone who supports or contributes to President Trump is immediately chastised, as if everyone in the country is supposed to follow the rules and shun the man, as demanded by the self-proclaimed resistance! Although the government is not technically involved in this harassment... a lot of politicians do publicly support it. Then there is how certain groups of people are boosted above other groups in the name of 'equality.' Huh? And the accepted rudeness of groups of people following politicians around and 'shaming them' for what they believe! You see, I would like nothing better than for everyone to get along and to resume the forward momentum of the country... but as long as this 'civil war' of sorts exists, Americans are being separated as good and evil depending on which political party they support. I am an American. I believe that different political parties allow diverse thoughts to coexist in this country, as originally designed and that is healthy. But when the status quo is destroyed and one party attempts to control everything... I fear for our country's checks and balances... and for all of the freedom that this country has fought and died for.

231 - A NEW BOOK! MAY 2019

Well, here I go again! I'm writing book number 6, to be published sometime in summer. The difference this time, is that the book has no large target audience. That's right, this is a cute little book called, 'Life Lines' containing over 400 motivational sayings and observations that I have been collecting for the past 10 years. Most of the thoughts are my own, but a number of them (65) are written by a number of celebrities and authors of yesterday and today to make the book a little more interesting. I'm not kidding myself, I expect this book to sell a few copies, but not a lot. That really doesn't matter. This book was written and compiled by me to give my friends and family a little extra encouragement when they needed it as well as sharing the power of positive thinking, which is always a plus! My good friend, Doug Kuhl, is illustrating part of it, making it even more fun! I would offer this book for free to everybody if I could afford it... but, the book should only cost around $10. and cover about 200 pages. Remember, it's called, 'Life Lines.' I'll let you know when the book is published in a couple of months! I hope everyone is having a great 2019! I know I am!

230 - MY STUDENTS OF FORTY YEARS! MARCH 2019

Being retired now, by day, I concentrate on my hobbies, especially writing, and by night... while I'm sleeping... I dream of teaching. I probably dream about teaching four times a week, and I imagine it's because I spent so many years doing it, completely immersed in it, that I can't just retire and forget all about it? But, those were some pretty great years (albeit sometimes frustrating and ridiculously busy), and I don't want to forget them. After all, they played a very large part of my adult life, so far. But, the best part of teaching, involved my thousands of students. Each personality unique, different strengths, different attitudes... but all united in choir, especially show choir. When we competed, we all played a show choir game, teamed together, against every other choir, and win or lose... we always felt so incredibly happy afterwards. It was a real rush for everyone! I miss seeing my students every day. I miss the spontaneous laughter and working hard together. But, it was fun while it lasted. Now as we all travel on to new adventures in our lives, just remember... I will never forget all of my wonderful students and all of the exciting rehearsals and performances we shared together... and that's why I dream about them.

229 - AN AUTHOR'S ADVENTURE! JANUARY 2019

An Author's Adventure! Well, specifically mine. I've always liked to write stories of fantasy and science fiction, but my quest to become a published author, really started about 1984, when I had a great idea for a 'sci fi' story. I wrote it, was very proud of it and immediately found an agent in New York to try and sell it for me, because I couldn't find any other way to get my manuscript into the hands of a respectable publisher! Well, after a couple of years waiting for a sale, I received a letter one day with my manuscript attached, that said my agent had died and I was now officially on my own. I was very disappointed at this news, and aside from having my manuscript appraised in a writing competition, and being told that I should type the story using the same typewriter (I had used two different ones with different sized fonts) and they could fix my numerous other writing problems for a mere $3,500., which I passed on, I gave up on writing for over 20 years. Then, out of the blue, during the summer of 2008, I decided to 'retype' all of my old stories on my computer to permanently save them. I began with that same 'sci fi' story, and about three pages in, I grew excited as I knew I could drastically improve the story! I went crazy, typing every day, well into the night, until the end of summer arrived, and it was completed! To make a long story short, I discovered several companies called POD, or Print on Demand, that would take my manuscript and transform it into a book for as little as $400! The book they created was guaranteed to be offered for sale on ebay and other online stores, at a probable price of $10.- $30., depending on the total pages of the book, if it was soft cover or hardback, and if it was a color or black and white interior. In addition, I would receive a small percentage of every book sold, usually about 10%. It sounded too good to be true, but it wasn't. Of course I had to do all of the work writing and rewriting, and the vast majority of my books have only sold over the years to wonderfully supportive former students and friends (so I never sold enough books to qualify for the New York Times Best Seller List), but still, it was well worth it when my first book, of five, was published in 2009! As a side note, I relearned to write correctly, to spell and to use a more varied vocabulary as a result of my continuous writing and editing. For that alone, I am eternally grateful. Now it's 10 years later, and I must say that I have not gotten rich or even met expenses for publishing any of my five books! But making money was really not the reason I had written my books or paid to see them published (although I did hope that the proceeds from at least one of the books would pay for that new beach house in Malibu I have had an eye on). Most importantly, I wanted to be a published author... and now I am! To any of you frustrated authors out there, perhaps you too should check out POD publishing, enabling you to publish and share your books with the world. Who knows, maybe you will write the next big best seller! But at the very least, you will accomplish one of your life's dreams, that was previously too difficult to accomplish, for most people, through traditional publishing houses. You will become a published author. I personally love that feeling and the entire experience of finally achieving it! Good luck!

228 - WHAT NOW? JANUARY 2019

Well... it seems that I have arrived at a crossroads. I've read extensively about this quandary, and no one seems to have a definitive answer? This question involves how I will spend the rest of my life as a retiree. They say that a person's job often defines them, and when they cease doing it for any reason, they sometimes feel as if they have been erased from the community which they have been a part of for years. Almost as if they no longer exist! On the other hand, they say that most people, regardless of their job, seem to count down the years and days until they finally become officially retired and free! This is my quandary. I have been an over-achiever for most of my life, although I will admit that I have slowed down considerably since I had my stroke in 2012. I have spent most of my life being recognized as a public school choral director, although I have experimented with other, lesser known ventures on the side such as writing novels, arranging music and working week-ends as a part of Guest Talent at Disneyland. Let me say that I am very happy being retired, especially since being joined by my wife, Margaret... but since there is no definite game plan in front of me, the over-achiever in me keeps growing over-anxious? I read, I write, my wife and I travel when we can, but I just feel like I'm missing something? Retirement is certainly a time for slowing down, but I think I would like to go a little faster. Oh well. I'm going to be working hard on solving this dilemma during at least the upcoming weeks. For all I know, something is coming, just over the horizon! I am not complaining... just observing. Retirement can be the beginning of a new venture as well as the end of another one, if we want it to be... and I think that I do. Here's to an exciting future for each of us!

227- HAPPY NEW YEAR! JANUARY 2019

Happy New Year, my friend, and what exactly will you be doing with it to make it special? I have been asking myself this very question ever since New Year's Day! Let me share an inventory of things I have to consider. Well, national politics are immature and strongly separated by party, just as they have been for the past decade. Very stressful. The economy is doing well, but are we in store for another recession? My Christmas was wonderful but I know there is always a lot of chatter about religion... but to me, Christmas is not a political bargaining chip, it's a belief, and I am all for it! The weather has been a little unpredictable, but generally fine, at least in California. My family and friends are the best part of this inventory. Aside from the shock and sadness of my mother dying last month at age 96, everyone, it seems, is in excellent health! Although I am not particularly social, I value my close relationships with friends and family very much. I became an official Medicare recipient on January 1st, the month of my 65th birthday. I actually feel happy about the cost of my medical insurance going down! I think that is about it. You know, this is the beginning of the 10th year, since I created this website and blog. A lot has happened in that time, and as I scroll through my 227 posts, I am reminded of what a wonderful life I am living with the help of God and everyone I have known. I will have to keep considering, as I'm sure you will, what my best course of action will be for 2019. But that doesn't matter. Sometimes it's better to not have everything preplanned in your life. A little spontaneity can be a very exciting and worthwhile thing! Here's wishing you and your loved ones the best 2019 it can be, full of life, happiness and of course... love.

226- TWELVE DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS! DECEMBER 2018

At the time of this writing, Christmas is exactly 12 days away! For me, the little kid inside me always grows excited about that, at this time every year! I'm sure it involved the presents when I was younger, but lately, it's about family, singing happy songs, smiles and the love of God! Merry Christmas!

225- WHY NOT TRY SOMETHING NEW? NOVEMBER 2018

It's a common belief that habits become boring. Not that all habits are a bad thing. If we stopped brushing our teeth they might turn black and fall out. If we stopped going to work, we would probably get fired and quickly become poor. If we didn't pay attention to the rules of the road we would probably get into an accident. If we didn't tell our special people that we loved them they would be sadder, as a result. But what if we did something intriguing and different once in a while? To me, that sounds great! Things like shopping at new stores, seeing a movie in a different theatre, going to a new restaurant or traveling to a new vacation destination are some obvious choices. But perhaps following through with your desire to be kinder, more helpful or more caring to others would be even more exciting! How about taking that class at your local community college? What about restarting old friendships? Maybe buy an old house or car and work on it until it's perfect! The list is endless. You certainly don't need to be retired to make your life happier and more exciting! You just need the motivation to move forward.

224- DON'T SWEAT IT NOVEMBER 2018

You know how we really can't control everything that affects us in life? Well, I've learned to not sweat it! Feeling sad or scared or disappointed is certainly a healthy part of living... but so is learning to be a survivor. No matter how tough a time life gives us today, tomorrow can serve as a brand new start! Something else... when I am compassionate toward others, and step back from my own self-pity, it feels really good! Sometimes, concentrating on helping someone else can serve as the perfect medicine to help us deal with our own ills. And that brings us to Thanksgiving and Christmas. They are both coming up and serve as perfect opportunities for us to practice compassion and appreciation. Have a wonderful holiday season!

223- UNSAVORY ELECTION SEASON OCTOBER 2018

In America we have elections for something every year and sometimes more often than that. Americans should be proud of the fact that because of these elections, we still have the last word over any government official. Recently, however, over the past decade, it seems to me as if some of these elections have taken a decidedly nasty turn, with some party leaders telling their followers to act badly, break laws, disrespect and harass the president and his party's leaders (if they are of a different party) and basically follow the path of maximum resistance against anything the other party in power does. Result? All Americans lose! This is due to Congress's lack of working together and getting much done, the country being eternally divided (as if we are experiencing a second Civil War) and unhappiness, even hatred nurtured all around. Every major election as long as I can remember has its share of passion and meanness, but this open anarchy that is being developed by certain government leaders is something I have not seen before. Free speech is certainly one major casualty of this situation. There is a bully mentality going on out there with people often being afraid to publicly support their candidate for fear of reprisals. The PC culture is one powerful tool some politicians use to keep people in check by disallowing them the freedom to express themselves for fear of being publicly shamed. Since when should a party in government be so focused on controlling their own people from expressing themselves? I don't know about you, but I have had enough! Being an American, I want my freedom back! When you vote in a week or so, remember that WHO YOU PUT INTO THE GOVERNMENT will dictate your foreseeable future. Don't just vote... VOTE SMART!

222- THE 4 SCHOOL CHOIR REUNION! SEPTEMBER 2018

Last Saturday, as expected, was one of the most wonderful evenings of my life! September 8th was the night that students from all four of the high schools I have taught at, including, Norco, Nogales, Diamond Bar and Brea Olinda showed up to have a Reunion as well as to honor Margaret, Doug and I. This event was completely planned, and the money raised for it, by a small committee of my former Nogales students. It was attended by over 150 former students and parents. Primarily Nogales people but there were also groups of people from Brea Olinda, Diamond Bar and even Norco (where I only taught for two years)! Anyway, it was a splendid evening! I think everyone (especially the Nogales kids) had a great time reconnecting with classmates after so many years apart. My teaching career and the friendships I made, as a result, are truly the gift that keeps on giving! I want to publicly thank everyone who attended, and let you know how loved it made Doug, Margaret and I feel. I hope everyone in attendance took away a similar gift as we did... the gift of eternal choir friendship!

221- MARRIAGE & OTHER THINGS! SEPTEMBER 2018

I apologize for taking an entire month off from this website, but Margaret and I were quite busy with Alex and Katie's wedding! Needless to say, they were married on August 6th, 2018, at a beautiful ceremony in Temecula and then honeymooned on an Alaskan cruise! Since the wedding, Margaret and I have hung around home, doing odds and ends that needed attention. Only now, on Labor Day, do we find ourselves with more free time. Later this week, on Saturday, September 8th, Doug, Margaret, Alex, Katie and I will be attending a very special 4 school choir Reunion of all the high schools Doug and I have taught at, with almost 150 of our former students and parents in attendance! This event coincides with the publishing of my show choir memoirs, One, Two, Three, Pizzazz, and will rank up there as one of the most exciting days of my life! I am so looking forward to reconnecting with all of those people!

220- FAMILY FRIENDS JULY 2018

Margaret and I had lunch with two of our very good family friends today, Doug Kuhl and Doug Newton. The four of us have so much in common; we all attended the University of Redlands, we all went into careers in education and we have all spent a lifetime in "show choir," in some capacity! We see Doug Kuhl, who like us, lives in Brea, nearly every week, while we only see Doug Newton, who lives far away, occasionally. But that doesn't make us any less of friends. Friendship, comes in all shapes and sizes. Time spent together is only one way of assessing it. Some of my most memorable early childhood friends were the Rattrays. We did everything with Tim and David! I had the pleasure of meeting up with them a few years ago, and although many decades had passed since I had last seen them... we still had the connection to converse and laugh together! So, that old saying, "out of sight, out of mind," does not really apply here at all! Through the many passing years, we did not forget what made our friendship special to begin with! Yep, once you have developed that "specialness," a family friend is a family friend whether we see them often or only once in a while. So as I was saying, Margaret and I spent lunch today with the two Dougs, and as expected... each of us left the restaurant with a genuine smile on our face!

219- PERFECTION! JULY 2018

I imagine that we, as human beings, think a lot about perfection. Probably about finding ways to make our society, ourselves and our lives... perfect! But in my observation, perfection is normally not reached by following three simple steps... it's actually very subjective and personal when it comes to the things that people care most about. There are government and politics, which people can't seem to agree on ever! Throw religion into that pot, as well. But I think people, at least the ones I know, are most concerned with wanting to make themselves look perfect! That makes sense, doesn't it, when you consider that a person's strongest sense is self preservation? Aside from selecting the perfect religion (or lack thereof) and political stance, and attaining the perfect job and life style, I believe that the popularity of casual plastic surgery, weight loss companies, hair restoration products and clothing companies... tells the vanity tale pretty well, as far as a person's looks are concerned. But, that means that we need other products and companies to attain perfection... or at least to be told that we have? Well, to each his own. I have a number of problems including physical weakness from a stroke (which occasionally leads to falling in public places), high cholesterol, high blood pressure, very poor hearing (I wear hearing aids), I wear glasses to read and I am in no way handy around the house! But, my mind is intact and I can still smile... so I don't feel anymore handicapped, or less perfect than the next man. I actually believe that not being perfect is a far better way to be. It makes us always work hard at improving our weaknesses as well as helping us to be more understanding of weaknesses we see in others. Not bad. To finish this short essay on perfection, let me just say that I believe it's good that all people do not think the same way. Whether we agree with them, or not... when we listen to them, it challenges us to consider what they believe and to grow toward a new perfection of respect and understanding... where each of us has the right to believe what we will, without the fear of being harassed!

218- THINK ABOUT IT? JULY 2018

Think about it? There is a lot of noise these days from some people and organizations who demand that America provide universal health care to all our citizens as well as a host of other social plans to make sure that everyone has protection from homelessness, serious illness and starvation. Well, who can argue with what they are fighting for? But the problem is, these groups and individuals are going to the government for these changes, not realizing that money and big government can't really solve problems like these... all they can do is make them bigger! As the government attempts to "solve" these problems, more and more of our tax money is spent on untested plans which normally result in little or no improvement with the problems. As an added problem, the government helps to create entitled people (the recipients) and frustrated people (the taxpayers.) This does little for creating a country that works together and a government that is trusted by the majority of the country. So, I say what I always say. Let each of us, no matter how rich or poor, powerful or disenfranchised take part of the responsibility for these problems and work together, not leaning so heavily on the government. The government is too big, and although many government officials are honest and qualified, government is also littered with incompetence, greed, corruption and political agendas, as seen time after time. We must change the attitude of everyone in this country, and begin pulling for one another and not be forced apart as some groups would have us do. This is not a political message. I am suggesting that each of us wake-up and think for ourselves! Blaming the government or the other party for all of our problems is wearing thin. We have got to acknowledge our country's problems, care about them and jointly work on each one as our personal responsibility... because they should be a concern for each and every one of us who calls himself an American! Together, we will get on track to fix them!

217- WRITING ANYONE? JULY 2018

I decided to begin writing professionally (having it published) in 2008, the summer before my son, Alex, graduated from high school. My first novel, a psychological sci fi effort, "DIMENSIONS: The Wheat Field," loosely based on a much shorter story I wrote in 1986, was published the next fall, in 2009. Although it sold well to my friends and students, I think people saw it as more of a novelty, a novel written by a choir teacher! I worked hard the year after its publication trying to spread the word... but after the first month or so, sales seemed to dry up. Over the next 5 years, my next three novels, were eerily greeted with similar fates. One month of sales... and then nothing! I had tried so hard to be a successful writer, but my success seemed to be waning with each new book I wrote. For my later books, people didn't even feel a need to leave a review on Amazon. My writing career was over in five years! Or so I thought. Beginning in the summer of 2016, after my official retirement from teaching, I became active on my Student Alumni page, asking more and more questions, and encouraging the kids to reintroduce themselves to everyone. As the students shared stories and pictures were posted from all of my choir eras, by the summer of 2017, I suddenly felt a desire to research and write my memoirs of 39 years teaching show choir! I was driven! This site and my former students responses were to blame! I quickly set-up sites for each of my past schools, on Facebook, got a hold of EVERYTHING I could get my hands on, programs, choir lists, competition results and began writing. Over the next nine months I often spent as much as 16 hours a day, researching, asking questions of my students, and writing. Sometimes, I was so sick of writing, that I wanted to stop for a while... but I couldn't! I also asked students to post a thought or two from their personal choir experiences, and over 180 students responded, accounting for over 120 pages of the book, or about 20% of the total pages! To make a long story shorter, in July of 2018, "One, Two, Three, Pizzazz," was published and offered for sale on both Amazon and Barnes and Noble, online. Sales have already been very good, although after ten days they have really slowed down. But this time, I don't feel like a writing failure. You see, I loved the process of reliving these wonderful times again through pictures, posts and researched narrative. I am already a wealthy man from embarking on this unexpected adventure! Not monetarily, but in much better ways such as refreshed memories and rekindled friendships! So, I suspect from here on out, the book will probably sell a couple of copies a week, not nearly enough to make back my investment. But I went in knowing this, and I still couldn't wait to write the book! I wrote it for me, for my past students and associates, and to make this very special time in our lives permanent! So, I learned that successful writing has nothing to do with financial success, if you don't want it to. In this case, it's more about love, and sharing that love we have for each other... through the experiences that brought it about in the first place... Show Choir! One, two, three... Pizzazz!

216- NEW POLITICS? JUNE 2018

I am really not political at all, but I do have my beliefs, which usually fall within the political realm of one party or another. I believe in "live and let live" and the golden rule, "treat others as you would wish to be treated." Aside from those two beliefs, everything else is considered by me on an individual basis. I would never consider violence or threats against people who didn't agree with me, but more and more, national politics seem to have taken that road. I also consider myself to be reasonably intelligent, and never fall for those over the top commentators on television, peddling their viewpoints with as much drama as possible. Instead, I choose to gather the unemotional facts and reach my own conclusions, not based on party affiliation or the enraged rhetoric of a commentator... but by my collection of knowledge and my own good sense. There was a time when students were taught in school to "follow the road less traveled," from a famous poem by Robert Frost, which would mean not blindly following the crowd. But today, unions and political parties seem to demand this unquestionable allegiance from their members, which often leads to the violence and threats, I spoke of earlier, against anyone who disagrees with them. This has been going on, off and on, in world politics, for many centuries. It just seems like we would have learned something by now? This form of bullying only leads to fear and sometimes physical harm, even death! Frenzied mobs, have been responsible for murders, destruction of property, and fear... all in the name of "doing the right thing," according to their leaders. I don't wish to villainize anyone, but let me just close with a few words of wisdom. Others, including unions and political parties, often have agendas that you probably know nothing about, including personally staying in power! Following them blindly, makes you an accomplice to something you may not wish to be a part of? Do yourself a favor. Think for yourself, make your own educated decisions and don't be afraid to stand up for your beliefs. After all, in America, you are entitled to think any way you want to, and as long as you aren't hurting anyone or breaking any laws... more power to you!

215- OUR SUCCESSES IN LIFE! JUNE 2018

Ya know, too often we find ourselves unsure of whether or not we are actually successful in our endeavors, because we leave that decision up to a conflicting number of factors. For example, the success of a movie is generally affiliated with the box office take, the professional reviews and the awards it is nominated for, such as the Academy Awards. But we can also consider the amateur reviews of the common man, and of course our own thoughts about it. In addition, in movies, you must consider the cost of making the movie versus the box office take. "Solo", a recent Star Wars movie, to date, has taken in a reported 350 million dollars worldwide! This makes it one of the year's top grossing films, to date. But the film is purported to have cost 400 million dollars to make, and since the film's producer only reaps half of the box office take.... that means the film has actually grossed 175 million dollars whereas it cost 400 million to make, leaving Solo, 225 million dollars in the hole! I'm sure there are other ways the film can recoup part of it's losses, like through cable rental and DVD/ Blue Ray sales, but you see the conundrum. Monetarily, it appears that Solo was a big flop. But speaking for myself, I enjoyed watching the movie very much! I've seen it three times and have even taken members of my family (against their better judgement) to see it, to rave reviews! So, is the movie a flop or is it a success? Well, depending how you look at it, it's both. I think everything we do or believe in is like this. There is always the other viewpoint, there are always facts to prove both sides! To me, Solo, was successful, because I liked it. Someone else can say the opposite, and they too are correct... for them. So, you see, defining the success of our lives by the amount of money we have made or by how much other people purportedly like us, seems like a pretty shallow measurement. Like many of you, I will continue to evaluate the endeavors in my life by the happiness they generate to others as well as myself. When it comes right down to it... the rest doesn't really matter much!

214- WHY DON'T WE EACH WRITE A BOOK? JUNE 2018

Why don't we each write a book? Well, let me tell you why this is such a dumb idea. To begin with, most people probably don't want to write a book! They more than likely prefer to express themselves in different ways, which don't involve the written word. And not everyone is qualified to write a book, lacking either a story or the ability to put that story effectively down in words. I didn't really want to talk about everyone writing a book... but I did want to make the case that just because someone doesn't share your love for something, doesn't make them ignorant or stupid. Giving everyone in school the same basic classes and then grading them on how they do, determines who does best in school... but not in life. I know young adults who have finished high school, did not go to college and yet hold lucrative jobs, often of their own designs. I also know young adults who thrived in high school, finished college with either a bachelors or masters degree, and still have not found their niche? Don't believe everything you hear. College is routinely regarded as the only way to enter life as an adult and to get a job in this highly competitive world. I went to college to earn my teaching credential so that I could teach in public schools. That made sense to me some 40 years ago. But I have friends who earn more money than I ever did with great positions of responsibility and did not spend a single day in college! You see, everyone is different, and just like writing a book... everyone does not need to go to college in order to be successful! Personally, I like college because I like to learn what they have to offer. But most athletes and actors, in society today did not finish college... and it just didn't matter, because their success was found somewhere else. In no way am I putting down a college degree, but don't fool yourself into thinking that you have to have it in order to be successful. The most important element in your search for success in this world today... just like it was yesterday... is you!

213- ONE, TWO, THREE, PIZZAZZ! JUNE 2018

I apologize for not being on this site for the past few months, but I was working very hard on completing my memoirs... my 40 year history in competitive show choir. It was great fun putting this book together over the past year, and I hope all of its readers will be as happy with it as I am! The book is titled, "One, Two, Three, Pizzazz," and chronicles my career and my show choirs beginning in 1977 and ending after the 2016 school year. It also features memories from 180 former students, parents and associates. The date of the book's release has not been confirmed as of yet, but we are probably looking at somewhere in July of this year. The book will be sold online through Barnes and Noble and Amazon, at a probable cost of $29.95. Did I mention that the book will only be available in hardback, and is nearly 600 pages long? I will host at least one book signing event, somewhere in the orange county area, for anyone who would like their book signed by me, Doug or Margaret. This book is dedicated to all of the people who were involved with my show choirs during these years... but I believe that it will make a good read for anyone who loves show choir! I will announce, on this website, when the book has been officially released!

212- WHERE IS THE DUE PROCESS? MARCH 2018

I believe there is a very harmful mindset going on in America right now, that if left unchecked, may grow into crisis proportions! I am of course speaking about the first casualty of political correctness... due process! More and more, people are accused of inappropriate behavior or insensitive remarks on social media... and without a trial, the press and the public convict them, causing irreparable damage to them and their families for the rest of their lives, as they are often immediately fired from their jobs and chastised by their former employers because no one wants to be seen as aiding a person who has been accused of inappropriate words or actions. I don't disagree, that when someone is accused of something serious, they, of course, should be investigated, and if the accusations are found to be true, they should be subjected to whatever the law demands. But the shortcuts being taken today, are directly opposite from what America and due process stand for! Remember reading about the horrors of the Salem Witch Trials? People were unjustly killed because of false accusations against them. And what about Senator Joe McCarthy's branding people as communists, during the Red Scare, between 1947 to 1956? Many lives were destroyed, and in some cases innocent people were even sent to prison! Today the term, McCarthyism, is defined as, "the practice of making accusations of subversion or treason without proper evidence!" It seems that jumping to conclusions, is happening again in our country. My advice to everyone, is don't get sucked into the chaos. Demand evidence for convictions and insist that everyone accused, experience's due process, including, if called for, a fair trial, as the Constitution promises! Otherwise... our country is not really America, anymore. Is it?

211- IMAGINING AND DREAMING! FEBRUARY 2018

There is really no way to make your life better, without an imagination, and without dreaming! Imagining the future you seek, and then dreaming about all of the different possibilities, is priceless! I remember, a year after my stroke, I read every book I could find on how to get better after a stroke... but nothing I read pertained to the exact frustrations I was experiencing. Have you heard that old saying? "If you want something done right, do it yourself!" Well, it's true. But the way that we often find out what to do... is to imagine and dream about it. It sounds so simple, you don't need to hire a professional, you don't need to pay a fee... you only need to focus on your desired outcome and them dream about the different ways you can get there. The really great part about doing this, is that there is no failure. You just do it until you succeed, or until you decide that you don't really want it anymore. It's all on you!

210- AMERICAN POLITICS IN THE NEWS! FEBRUARY 2018

American politics are not for the fair-minded. Depending on which news outlet you follow, your news will be severely slanted toward the agenda or the beliefs of whichever political party that news outlet represents. News seems more intent on creating immediate emotional reactions in their viewers, than in sharing the news. I remember in the "old" days, when I watched the news with my family, they appeared to report it with as little slant as possible. Today, every newscaster has an opinion, and that opinion always seems to clearly come across in their stories. Personally, I'm sick and tired of it. I know that there are urgent matters we must deal with, but it seems that because of all the politics, compromise is a bad word, and instead the press can't wait to anoint a winner and a loser, that hopefully fits in with their own political beliefs! I try to watch or read as little news from the outlets as possible, due to their incessant efforts to brainwash. When it comes to politics, I read Real Clear Politics, online. This site takes all of the daily political news stories from all over the country, and posts them all, so that we can each come to our own conclusions, without having to listen to the incessant politically charged banter of the other news sites. I don't know if anyone else feels the same way as I do, but I really do feel a lot more relaxed when I don't jump into the political arena for every little thing the press presents daily, to serve as their latest scandal! I am also sick and tired of the press and commentators treating President Trump like an idiot. It's not okay! Have some respect for the office, at least! Someday I hope everyone realizes the truth. The way that you treat others, tells people around you, exactly how you will treat us, if we wind up on the wrong side of your politics. On the positive side, if enough people stop allowing the press to act as judge and jury on everything they choose... we'll see a definite change for the better.

209- LOOK FOR THE LIGHT! JANUARY 2018

Probably all us have experienced those times in our lives when our present and future looks undeniably bleak! We aren't "suffering" so much as we are "worrying about suffering," which effectively paralyzes our survival instincts! I've experienced these episodes of bleakness, enough, to tell you with complete certainty, that there is always a way out! Sometimes the way out may seem "severe," as in bankruptcy, a divorce or moving out of state... but, these things, may be the very best solution for everyone's eventual happiness. More than money, power or possessions, whether they admit it or not, I think happiness is everyone's real life-goal. What would our lives be without hoping for and experiencing happiness? I rest my case! Getting back on topic, I don't think most periods of bleakness warrant such severe corrections, as these, however. Sometimes it's just a matter of waiting out a rough period in our lives, and somehow, in time, it corrects itself. At other times, the bleakness is pretty much self-inflicted, created in our heads. For example, not getting that promotion and fearing that we will be "stuck" in our present position, FOREVER! But has it ever occurred to you that your boss values you so much in your present position, that he doesn't want to lose you to the job you crave? So, my friends, always look for the light or the silver lining, if you prefer. There are a zillion reasons why things happen in our lives, and I am pretty sure that we can navigate through any of them if we aren't paralyzed with fear. That is the key. Stay alert and avoid getting too emotional when a potential crisis rears its ugly head into your life. We each have the power to solve every situation or to seek the proper help, if needed. Don't despair. As they say, "there's always light at the end of every tunnel!"

208- THE CRAZY CYCLES OF LIFE! JANUARY 2018

Just about everyone tells me that I'm old! But that's nothing new, because I've been hearing that since I was in my thirties! I think what people actually mean when they tell me that, is that I'm farther along the cycle of life then they are. By the cycle of life, I don't mean Birth to Young Adult to Older Adult to Death... that would be the circle of life! The cycle of life deals more in what you do with your time on Earth at every age? Me, I've always been a creator and a doer, whether you are talking about songs, stories, trip itineraries or games! And I started out like that while wearing my "mild mannered Clark Kent" persona! Consequently, any higher aspirations l had... never left... me! I learned to be more of a risk-taker, so my second cycle was all about learning how to be rejected by publishers, but continuing to submit manuscripts and songs, anyway! And my third cycle was developing a plan to publish my work without the help of the publishers... I learned to Self-Publish! So, do you see the evolution here? This is an example of the cycle of life. But, mine was pretty straight forward. What if you mix in a divorce or a death or losing your job? These cycles can get pretty complicated and in some cases you may spend your entire life in the first cycle without evolving at all! Just understanding what the cycle of life is, enables you to track your own life, or anybody else's, for that matter, and see if your life is moving forward toward the next cycle or simply around in circles. The wonderful thing about the cycle of life, is that you control it! That's not to say you will not encounter unexpected problems along the way... but until you allow your problems to twist your arm and make you holler "uncle!"... you will always be the one to make that decision... stay in this cycle... or move on to the next one!

207- HAPPY NEW YEAR! JANUARY 1st, 2018

Welcome to the year 2018! As we have just now entered the year, this is probably a great time to make New Year's resolutions. When I make these, at the beginning of each year, and soon forget about them, it's amazing how I "unconsciously" seem to remember them, based on my future behavior and achievements. I would guess that the same would probably true for you? So, let's do it! Let's make 5 New Year's resolutions for 2018. I'll start.
1. I resolve to be a better husband, father, son, brother and friend and always be available to help another person in need, even if they don't ask for my help.
2. I resolve to spend my time actively pursuing goals, which I feel are important, both creative and family related.
3. I resolve to continue working to improve my "weak" right side, and perhaps make this the year that I again achieve full use of both hands, while at the same time, appreciating all that I have!
4. I resolve to finish writing my Memoirs, "One, Two, Three, Pizzazz!", and I hope that every former student who wants to contribute memories or thoughts, is able to meet the January 31st deadline.
5. I resolve to keep this Dave Willert website, interesting and up-to-date, by writing on this blog at least once a week!
Done! Okay... now it's your turn!

206- WOW! DECEMBER 2017

You know, there is a lot going on during every second of every day, if we only choose to look. Now, before you say, "duh", I would like to CLARIFY what I said, by adding, I was talking about "possibilities" for each of us to find happiness, excitement, a challenge, religion, friendship... whatever we are looking for! Being retired usually gives a guy more time to ponder, question and imagine. I have done all of those things, and that's how I came to my conclusion. So, before you say something like, "Life sucks and then you die!" We need to search for and find the self-perceived good in our lives. Sure, we all share the challenges of living, but we are also each so unique in almost everything else. I love to read and write. I always have. To most people I've talked to, that's either boring, stressful or a waste of time. But not to me. See? Asking others how to be happy is ludicrous. Each of us knows what would really make them happy longterm... but we become convinced that it's foolish. Well, I will admit that most things we like to do, don't pay the living expenses, but we should be sure to do them sometimes, anyway, simply because we love them! If any of us are fortunate enough to find a job that includes those things we love, then wow! You really have heaven on Earth. But if not? Just remember not to give-up and give-in to life's many pressures to quit. Because in time, when you become retired... perhaps you can do those things you love every day!

205- RETIREMENT DECEMBER 2017

I'm very sorry that I haven't been keeping this blog up for the past few months, but you see, I've become very busy with my RETIREMENT! I know this probably sounds odd, since I was sort of complaining that I didn't know what to do with all of my free time, last year... But the truth is, it took me an adjustment period to figure my retirement out. I have always been an over-achiever in whatever I set my mind to, whether it was working, writing (songs and books) or trying to be a good husband, father and friend. My retirement sent me into a tizzy! Until, this summer, I had an epiphany! Why not just BE MYSELF, but with less obligations? That's it, simple and sweet! Ever since then, I have been too busy to keep up! I am currently writing my Memoirs of my 40 years in show choir. I call this book, "One, Two, Three, Pizzazz!" It's not even close to being finished, and it's already 450 pages long! I am working on Facebook with hundreds of students I taught between 1977-2016. That is a blast! Together we are remembering important facts that I am using for the book. It will probably be published next Thanksgiving, at least that is my target date. I have also covered for Alex's accompanist three days a week from mid-October until early December, until they interviewed and hired a new one. That was fun, and it warmed my heart to see what a great job he was doing! To my knowledge, I was the first one-handed accompanist in Brea's history! My wife, Margaret, who is also retired, and I go out to lunch together almost every day, as well as shopping, going to Disneyland or out to see movies! See? My life is clear again. If you are contemplating retirement, just know that it's different for everyone, but I wish you a retirement as happy as my own!

204- STORIES AUGUST 2017

You know, like many of you, I love hearing stories of all kinds. Stories told to me by another person, stories read, stories presented on television or at the movies, stories told through visual art, especially paintings, stories told through dance, stories told in song or through instrumental music, stories told through live plays, musicals or show choir and even stories that I create, myself, every time I try to make sense out of something, using my imagination! I love stories so much that I went into a profession, teaching show choir, where we seemed to talk about stories and perform them all day long! I have been writing songs since I was eleven and I even wrote four DIMENSIONS stories, as an adult, which I published as books, because I was so excited about them! What I have learned through a lifetime of story activity is that every story I tell, through song, book or teaching, has got to make me excited about it, and therefore it is essentially written for me. Others may like my stories too, but the only person my creations really have to please... is me. I think this is a great rule for all of us to follow, in order to handle criticism of our 'brilliant' work. As singer Rick Nelson, so eloquently put it, in his song, Garden Party, "You can't please everyone, so you've got to please yourself!"

203- I WISH... AUGUST 2017

1. I wish that family and friends would see each other for how they currently are instead of how they used to be or how others wish they were. There is nothing wrong with a little dose of reality now and then to help us to find a current and legitimate starting point with one another.

2. I wish politics and religion were not designed to separate people so drastically by beliefs or non-beliefs. What ever happened to live and let live?

3. I wish that people weren't too proud to admit they sometimes need help and then were brave enough to seek it.

4. I wish that everyone in the world could find a way to get along, even if they didn't agree.

5. I wish happiness for everyone, each in their own unique way. :)

202- EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW AGAIN! JULY 2017

Do you remember all of those things you liked to do, at a younger age? How those activities brought you such joy? Well, why not recapture some of the fun by revisiting those very same activities? Now everyone knows that a person can't actually go back in time and truly relive something... but the feelings you had at that time are still safely stowed away in your mind, and here are some great ways to make contact again:
1. Collect items from the past that will remind you of those happy times, and create a permanent shrine for them in your den or bedroom. Your own attic or storage unit, along with Ebay, should be all the help you need! I have personal collections (shrines) of Disneyland memorabilia and Mattel toy guns which were very important to me as a child. I love looking at them both. :)
2. Renew your allegiance to professional sports teams. I have been a Dodger fan since I was a senior in high school and a Laker fan since college. Prior to that I didn't really care that much about sports. My "die hard" status wavered a bit as an adult, until I had a child, and then it resumed. Now, I am not only a current fan, but I want to learn about both teams histories as well! Being a fan is even more fun now than it was in high school or college! :)
3. Cars. You know, I loved Ford Mustangs virtually my whole life, although I never owned one. It was not until I was well into my forties, when my 11 year old son convinced me to trade in my Camry for a Mustang convertible, that I finally felt that previously pent-up joy of ownership! 14 years later, I traded that car in for... another Mustang! :)
There are countless lists we can all make of the experiences we want to revisit and of the things we have yet to experience at the top of your bucket list. The important thing now is to write them all down, in order of importance to you, and revisit or achieve them at your leisure. As Nike says, Just do it! :)

201- JUST KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE PRIZE! JULY 2017

Often times I, and probably you, will sit and ponder about what big and exciting project we will take on next. But, over time, our excitement dwindles as life's requirements take on most of our free time. Well, now that I'm retired, I don't have an excuse for putting off an exciting project, like I did while I was working. So, here's my plan. I have decided to work even harder on my body to get well, following the very damaging stroke I had 5 years ago. My goals are to retrieve all the gifts I lost, including singing, playing the guitar and piano, running and getting the stubborn fingers on my right hand to become functional. After these are accomplished, I want to volunteer at the St Judes' Stroke Program, and help others with strokes to learn to heal as well. I am extremely grateful to God and the medical staff who have brought me along this far... but as I often say, while smiling to my wife, borrowing from the story of Pinocchio, "Someday, I want to become a real boy again!" It will take time, perhaps my entire life, but as long as I keep my eyes on the prize... getting better, and helping others to do the same... I feel empowered and ready to continue with all the challenges ahead. The alternative, would be to give up and accept things as they are... but that doesn't sound nearly as much fun as improving myself and helping others to do the same, now does it. :)

200- PLANS, PLANS AND MORE PLANS! JUNE 2017

By now, I imagine you may have read this title and wondered what the heck it meant? Well, throughout my life, anyway, I have always looked toward the future with goals that inspired me and made plans to accomplish them. To be honest, many of my plans that involved success in a given area... usually came up a little... or a lot short. :) But at the same time, I did achieve those goals to the best of my ability, and even now... win or lose... that makes me proud. So, I am suggesting that when a person is inspired to achieve something, and then follows through with a well thought out plan... it is that process, more than the perceived success or failure that is most important to building self-confidence. So, with that in mind, I think it's important for everyone to have at least one ambitious goal to undertake at all times and then develop a plan to do just that. This prevents us, especially those of us who are retired or homebound, from becoming bored, lethargic or depressed. Consider that our President of the United States, Donald Trump, was 70 years old when he was inaugurated! Many other Congressmen and judges are in their eighties or even nineties... and are still effectively making goals and plans to achieve every day. Don't let age, handicap or anything else get you down. Each of us has a fantastic life that is intended to be lived until the moment we die. So get out there and make goals and plans that you fully intend to accomplish! You will find that your life has more meaning that way... and you will never be bored again! :)

199- RECLAIMING YOURSELF JUNE 2017

What does that mean? Reclaiming yourself? Well, to the best of my knowledge, I believe it means losing yourself, finding yourself again, but in a messed up state... and putting yourself back together the way you believe you should be. I think we all go through situations like this. For example, after I retired, last year, I didn't really know how I would ever productively use up all that time every day, that I had previously used for teaching? Over the years, I had given more and more of myself to my job... leaving very little else of me still intact. I felt like Darth Vader! That anxious situation has been remedied now, but it will probably take another year to complete my life-lift as I continue changing work habits and reclaiming myself. In addition, I am nurturing interests now from many years ago, when I had more free time. Sometimes job changes/ loss, breaking up with someone, births, deaths, or even changing schools can put people of any age into this tough situation. I think in order to reclaim yourself, you have to have some idea what the "happy" you would be like... or was like? Sometimes a return to the old you, prior to you losing yourself is all you need... but sometimes you want to be reinvented... better than before. Like going to the gym regularly, giving up smoking or drinking, or learning to do something you've always dreamed about... like flying a plane! In any case, reclaiming yourself is the first step. If you feel depressed and lethargic about life sometime in the near future... you might just be the perfect candidate. :)

198- POLITICS, ANYONE? JUNE 2017

Politics, in America, it seems, has become a dirty word. So, I will tread softly with this issue, trying not to ruffle the feathers of either the conservatives or the liberals, while expounding my feelings. Throughout my 63 years of life, I have watched California go from being a conservative state, to a centrist state to the liberal state it is today. The things I dislike most about this transformation have been the higher taxes, censoring of speech, behavior and thought and the general feeling of people being divided by race, income, gender and religion. This is not the America I grew up in. The progressives seem to always be pushing change that affects the entire population and thus gives government more control of our lives and our behavior, while simultaneously redistributing the wealth to theoretically bring immigrants and the poor to an equal status with everyone else. This is a simple form of socialistic Communism. On the other hand, the Conservatives don't cater to the immigrants and poor, so much as attempting to keep the country going in the direction laid out for us in the Constitution, meaning everyone is guaranteed the opportunity to succeed through hard work and tenacity, and the government should be less involved! I see both sides, and I wish they could work together through common ground... but Congress has proved for over a decade now... sadly... that each party wants all or nothing. The American people are the victims of this deadlock in Washington. The electing of Donald Trump to become our 45th President, was proof that Americans had had enough! So what do the Democrats do? Make every effort to obstruct Mr. Trump's agenda, including the leaking of classified material and not cooperating with the Republicans on anything. To be fair, the Republicans did some similar stonewalling during Mr. Obama's two terms. But what does this do for America? Nothing. I think another party may form out of necessity, just so no party ever has the majority, thus forcing our Congressmen to work together, the way they are supposed to! We'll see what happens, but America cannot ever be great again until our congressmen learn to put the American people ahead of their political party loyalties and make compromises for the betterment of the American people! Otherwise I believe people will have a good reason to vote them all out of office! Both parties! Here's hoping a little common sense will possess all politicians in Washington before they find themselves out of work! :)

197- BACK IN THE SADDLE AGAIN! JUNE 2017

Well... it's been nearly a year now since I began my retirement from teaching, and although I have thoroughly enjoyed myself, it became more and more obvious to me something was agonizingly missing from my life! I did go to Disneyland as often as I could, but that was only an escape, not an answer! I searched and I searched, but I could not figure it out? Finally, it came to me. It was as clear as the nose on my face... I don't need to change my life, just take more time doing all of those things I love, which my full time job made it difficult to do. For example, you will notice, if you check, that my updating of Choir pictures stopped in October of 2015 although I did not retire until June of 2016! My posts on this page also became more and more sparse over the past six years. As much as I loved being a teacher, I built a program that pretty much consumed all of my time, and the time of those closest to me. So, when I retired, it was as if I had fallen off the face of the earth. How I spent each day and my identity were instantly gone! But I'm now "back in the saddle again," so to speak. I know what to do with my life in retirement. Continue reading and writing (which I have always loved) and travel with my wife (which I also enjoy.) The rest, as it has always been with me, will make itself known when the time comes! For any of you who have also recently retired, I hope your journeys will also lead you to happy conclusions! :)

196- MY RETIREMENT REPORT APRIL 2017

I have always said that as soon as I retired, I would spend every waking day at my favorite place, Disneyland! I have an annual pass to prove that I wasn't bluffing! Well... reality kicked in and I really have not visited the park very often this year, at all. The reason, I'm quite certain, is that no one else, in my immediate group of family and friends, is available to go, due to work and other commitments! I know what you're thinking... "Why don't you just go alone?" Well... I could... but it just seems to be so much more fun to have someone with you, to talk to about all of the fun you're having, while you're having it! :) However, as I said, this reality has set in, leaving me the difficult choices of going to Disneyland alone or being happy with the occasional time someone else is free to go with me. Well, I'm not one to go on whining about something for too long, so I am confident I will come to a quick decision, now. You see, I have gone to Disneyland, alone, a number of times in my lifetime as well as a plethora of other places. Even now, I shop, browse the bookstores and other places by myself, and there is absolutely no problem! But... as I said earlier... Disneyland is the most special place in the world to me... and that makes me want to share the experience every time I go. But, maybe going alone will bring other uniquely wonderful experiences? Maybe those experiences can't be had, any other way, but by going alone? Hmm? Interesting? I think I'll try it! :)

195- HAPPY NEW YEAR! JANUARY 2017

Happy New Year! I know it's already late January, but, welcome to the new year! :) I have been very busy since Christmas, and am just finding a little free time now, so let's talk! :) I am observing a lot, these days, and my primary observation is that people seem to be married to their political party's hardline. It was never this bad after any other presidential election in memory, although, some people were unsettled about Obama's... they seem to be full of hatred after Trump's. I suggest that we all take a deep breath, and give President Trump the chance that he was elected for. This is America, and winning the election, gives him the right to try. If after his first 100 days in office, the country is not improving... then lay that criticism on him and urge Congress to right the ship... But if the country is improving... support him as we, together, will continue to make this country better. :) This is not a partisan issue, unless, as a member of your political party, you make it one. No matter who the president ever is... their job and ours... is to work together to make America a brighter place for all of us. :)

194- CHRISTMAS! DECEMBER 2016

I retired from public school teaching this school year, and although I miss working with my students and colleagues... I am now enjoying the freedom of speaking my mind, which was denied to me, by a very PC educational system. I think they are having trouble with this all over the country, and nothing is attacked as much as Christmas, itself. In a land that preaches religious tolerance, it has become a tolerance for everyone else's religion, or lack of, at the expense of Christmas. So, let me just say that to me, Christmas has always been my favorite time of year, with the carol singing, exchanging of gifts and general thankfulness to God for all that he does. I know that everyone in this country does not share my enthusiasm for Christmas or Christianity... but many do. So let me leave you with something that I felt was frowned upon to say, in public, for years... MERRY CHRISTMAS! :)

193- I HAVE A FEW THOUGHTS? DECEMBER 2016

I have a few thoughts about what I want to do, at least for now, during my retirement. I had been considering them for some time, now... but I think I may be ready to commit. :)
#1) I would enjoy writing about my adventures in teaching over the past 39 years... but I don't know if anyone else would enjoy reading about them. I thought about a series of fast paced novels that could "borrow" from real West Covina, Norco, Nogales, Diamond Bar or Brea High School storylines... but I first need to find out if there is an interest. :)
#2) I really enjoyed my years working at Disneyland, in Guest Talent as a facilitator and workshop teacher. I know the job would be a bit more difficult for me now than it was 20 years ago... but nonetheless... I am considering it. :)
#3) I always love a good challenge... and with the current state of my body, as a result of my stroke in 2012 as well as natural aging, I may dedicate even more time each day to strengthening my weaknesses and bringing back a number of skills I have lost. For me, these skills would include playing the guitar, singing, playing the piano and running. I am so grateful for my family and friends, my quick mind and for my ability to do so much that I did before the stroke. But I have been a musician all of my life... and I really miss those skills. The running? Well, I never cared for running much... but I just want to be able to do it. :)
#4) Now this one is a little odd. I am toying with the idea of being an Ebay entepreneaur... collecting quality things, probably nostagic items... and selling them on Ebay. I've heard of people doing this for years. I'm a little afraid that I will grow bored of this... but, it sounds fun right now.
#5) Giving private voice lessons isn't entirely out of the question, as I still love to see people learn and succeed... and this would be far less time than teaching full time. So, I am considering it.
#6) Directing plays and musicals sounds like fun, too, but I don't want to do it full time... still... it's a part-time possibility. :)
That's all I've got for now. For those of you contemplating retirement in the near future, be sure you have some things you love to do waiting for you after you retire... or, you can take my route and figure it all out later. It's all good. :)

192- THANK YOU! :) DECEMBER 2016

Wow! Here I have been "retired" from teaching since mid-July (that's four ands a half months) and I am still no closer to figuring out my new life. The free time is nice, and I have read a number of good books... but here comes the Trillion Dollar Question... How can I do something meaningful for others, now that I am retired? I guess all those years of teaching and being a father have pounded into me a need to not only stay busy... but stay busy for other people. I don't want to be busy for the sake of being busy... I want to to be busy because I am inspired to do it and I feel it will somehow be helpful to someone. So, today, I thought about it and realized that I have had and am having a pretty great life, already... thanks in large part to all of the wonderful people who have purposely or inadvertently touched my life. So to all of my teachers, students, family, friends, neighbors, school mates and all others who have touched my life in one way or another, over the past 62 years... I want to thank you, from the bottom of my heart for our connection and for what you inadvertently gave me, somehow making me a smarter and a better person. With that said, I now embark on an amazing journey where many retirees have gone before... to reinvent myself. When I really think about it... it sounds to me like this will be a very exciting thing to do... but, I realize too that my life is currently flush with wonderful people all around me... The question is really how to spend a surplus of time. So, Thanks again, and I will post soon on my progress, as I search for a new direction. :)

191- READY, SET, GO! AUGUST 2016

I think it's fair to say that each of us ultimately makes our own decisions throughout life... for good and for bad. My life has been anywhere from eclectic to normal to successful, depending on how one looks at it. Whenever I regret doing something, as much as I'd like to blame somebody else... I can't... because it was me who made that decision, not anybody else. Now, with that said... it's never too late to change one's self for the better. That's not to say, we should necessarily bow to pressure from the majority so that we fit in more comfortably with everyone else... I'm talking about changes within our own thinking, which allow us to be honest with ourselves. For example, I have come to the conclusion that our national politics are party driven and very much bent on negativity in order to brainwash us into choosing their candidate. Well... I portend to be smarter than to fall for that overbearing, simplistic nonsense. I don't follow the polls or listen to the constant banter of negativity from Republicans and Democrats alike... I study each candidate, much as I would study the history of a racehorse in a race... and unfettered by the efforts of each party to make a villain of the other candidate... I decide... myself... who would make the better president or senator or whatever. It's a given, from the start, that neither candidate is going to be perfect, and I factor any shortcomings into my decision. To avoid making the wrong decisions through our being convinced by others with an agenda... clear thinking, patience and strength of character are all necessary components. That's it. Ready, set, go! Thinking for yourself is never popular by everyone... but, in the words of singer, Rick Nelson, "Ya can't please everyone, so ya gotta please yourself. "

190- RETIREMENT AND A NEW START JUNE 2016

I did it! I offered my resignation to my employer... and I will be officially retired by mid June of this year (in 4 days.) So, I decided that a change was indeed called for in my life... but now that I am officially no longer a teacher... how will I spend my days? Well... I may OFFICIALLY no longer be a teacher, but I may consider volunteering my services to a worthwhile organization that needs a music or theatre coach, for example. I spent 40 years doing what I loved and there is no sense running away from it. :) I am also looking forward to nurturing my relationships with my friends and family, now that I will have more time. I want to do helpful things for them, just as they have done helpful things for me all of these years. :) Beyond that... I am leaving it all up to the mysterious future. Come what may... I am ready. :) Oh, and I am looking forward to a simple vacation somewhere to rest and recharge. :) You know, retiring is not as scary as I had thought... mainly because my wife is on board and that makes every change so much more do-able. I will miss a lot of people who I have worked with for years, parents, teachers and students... but with facebook... we can all easily communicate with each other... so no doors are really being closed unless we want them to be. Stay tuned... The next post you read from me, on this page, will be as a retired man... I'll keep you posted. :)

189- WHEN IS A CHANGE CALLED FOR? NOVEMBER 2015

When is change called for? When do we admit that enough is enough? This question, of course, covers a broad number of topics from current world events to religion to politics all the way to the color of our socks. :) I had this thought when I realized this morning how a number of people close to me are dealing with potential change in their lives. My wife and I are seriously discussing when to retire from teaching... and this too, is a prickly topic? Well... I am the first to admit that I am not a wizard who can foretell the future and thus make good decisions that way... So, I look to observation and feelings. I think it's time for a change when a person feels genuinely unhappy about an aspect of their lives and they can isolate their unhappiness to confirm what it is. Common sense would often fail to agree with this diagnosis... but I believe a person knows when they are unsettled and unhappy, and if they don't take action... it won't change. The action does not have to be earth shattering, but a process of change does need to begin. So, when do we admit that enough is enough? When our hearts tell us. I have changed jobs (school districts) 4 times in my 39 years of teaching. This will reduce my retirement income... but... even though common sense told me that I would ultimately make more money if I stayed at a job that was causing me unhappiness, each time... I knew that I had to leave... my heart told me... and I have never regretted those decisions. :) I hope that whatever dilemmas you are troubled by... will also come clear for you. Good luck. I believe that when it comes to the big decisions... we should trust our hearts. :)

188- CAUGHT IN THE TWILIGHT SEPTEMBER 2015

What a great start to my 39th year of teaching! There is nothing to complain about... but somehow I feel caught in the twilight of my career as a teacher. It's too soon to retire but I don't think I'll be sticking around as an educator long enough to reinvent the wheel, either. So, my adventure continues through uncharted waters as I near the close of my career, hoping every day, that I can finish with just as much enthusiasm as when I started back in 1977. :) Do you ever experience similar thoughts? Job changes? Having a child? A death in the family? Divorce? Sometimes our lives are changed drastically, and it is up to us to rebuild them. Remember, just because we endure a change in our lives, that doesn't mean the world stops or changes for others, on our account. I always say that if we could do it once, we can certainly do it again... I'm talking about building a happy life. There is a lot to do out there, for me... outside of the classroom. Just as there will always be plenty for you to do when enduring your life changes. Don't forget that retirement is not the same as a funeral. As long as we know the difference... our lives can continue being one glorious adventure, if we only let them. :)

187- SUMMER THOUGHTS JULY 2015

Another school year has come and gone, and now I have the time to reflect on how it played out and who I have become. Well, to begin with... I am very aware that I am an overachiever at school, and this may very well have led to my stroke in 2012. I watch others around me who are also overachievers and I pray that they may find a less dramatic way way to slow down. :) With this in mind, the year was still very busy, but I have learned to rest when my body needed it. :) I am also a little impatient when it comes to anything I do. I expect results yesterday! But, happily, I have learned to be more patient with my students as they learn to sing and perform. The problem is... they are extremely impatient about their own achievements! :) I have learned that life is short and unpredictable, but we must embrace this if we are to survive. The meaning of living is giving... although it would be easy for me to spend my life taking good will from others for the rest of my life (as a handicapped person) I strive to continue giving to others... in whatever form that may be. :) Well... I am 61 years old and eligible to retire... but I'm not going to. I don't feel ready. There are still choral competitions to be won and students to be taught. When I lose this fire to teach, I'll retire... but not before. :) And now I am going to enjoy another summer day of leisure... my reward for being a teacher in the first place. Have a wonderful summer! :)

186- IT'S ALMOST CHRISTMAS DECEMBER 2014

2014 is quickly winding down and Christmas is only days away. :) I have already watched the movies and sung the carols... but there is still much more to do. Why is it that Christmas is so wonderful? Is it the lengthy vacation? The shopping for gifts? The food? The caroling? Partially, but to me, Christmas is the chance to experience a rebirth in each of us... a chance to begin again. :) The gifts are nice, but the being with family and friends is better. When we remember the good in people, regardless of recent incidents that have soured us on them, we begin anew. Just as Fred was jovial regardless of his Uncle Scrooge's bad behavior, Christmas has the remedy for broken friendships and strained family relations... forgiveness and apologies. Now I'm not saying that the other party will reciprocate... we may be forgiving or apologizing to a very angry person. But it is a seed that will begin growing in their hearts, and in the meantime, you will feel as if a great weight has been lifted from your heart. :) So enjoy the holiday season, but always remember... there is always a chance to save a friendship if it is important enough to you. Merry Christmas! :)

185- THANKSGIVING NOVEMBER 2014

Every year, Thanksgiving comes and my family gets together and eats turkey. :) But is that all there is to it? I know all about the history of Thanksgiving... but what about the true meaning... the personal meaning to each of us? Well, to begin with, the name, THANKS GIVING makes it pretty obvious that we are thanking God for our lives and we are thanking everyone who positively affects them! :) So, I would like to thank God for this wonderful opportunity called life, to literally make our dreams and the dreams of others come true. I would like to thank everyone who has ever had a hand in shaping my life... I may not say it often... but I appreciate every moment of time you spent helping me to become a better, more confident and more caring person. I would like to thank my family and friends for loving me. I could not survive very long without that. And finally, I would like to thank the challenges in my life, such as my stroke, for reminding me not to take life for granted, but work at it every moment of every day. I wish only happiness for you and your families during this Thanksgiving. But, remember, when everything isn't going exactly as you wish it would... be thankful that you are alive and loved. :)

184- IT'S MAGIC! NOVEMBER 2014

Every morning I wake up! It's magic! There is just no other way to describe it! Sure, science will attempt to explain everything that happens in a logical way... but waking up from a dream filled sleep to have another opportunity to make your life perfect is unexplainable! :) Since everyone is different, I suppose that I can't speak for everyone here, but I believe science only scrapes the surface and deals with what is possible. What about that which is impossible? Why can't something happen just because science says it can't? The world of spirituality claims no rules and no boundaries. I think this is where I live, based on my thoughts. But I do not condemn anyone for not agreeing with me, nor do I make any efforts to change your mind. I am just sharing with you, as a friend, what an exciting place life is when anything and everything are possible! Have a nice day! :)

183- INSPIRATION OCTOBER 2014

Has it really been five months since my last entry? It appears that the answer is a resounding YES! Sorry for the delay, but I have a very valid reason... at least I think I do. I was very busy living my life! :) In May, June, July, August and September I was busy working on my latest novel, DIMENSIONS IV: The Competition, which will be published next month and since then I have been busy with my choral program at school. But, now I'm back. So, I feel like I should make this post special, am I right? I mean, I should have a plethora of topics to discuss after all of this time. But actually, I have only one. INSPIRATION! I stumbled upon this idea of asking all of my students to contribute to an inspiration website... and so they have. Wow! The personal thoughts, quotes, stories, pictures and suggestions they posted are... well... INSPIRATIONAL, not only to Choir, but generally to everyone. :) I have been a public school music teacher for 38 years now, and this INSPIRATIONAL page ranks alongside the best achievements I have ever seen from my students. The fact that so many of them are so caring about others and are not afraid to post their own stories for all to see, is awesome! :) INSPIRATION is a wonderful thing... and my students have it. :)

182-THE EGO OF A CREATIVE MIND MAY 2014

Guilty! I'm guilty of being a super competitive, creative and non-conforming person. Along with that personality comes an ego that doesn't like to lose. As a teacher, I'm afraid I try to instill these values into my students. Is it wrong? No. But 37 years of frustration in the classroom comes mostly from students who either don't understand or don't agree with my system. Working with me is not for everyone. :) My expectations from my students are the same ones I place on myself. Here are my main teaching philosophies:
1. Want to be here
2. Never stop trying
3. Don't be afraid to be silly
4. Be consistent
5. Warm up and rehearse on your own
6. Be a leader by example
7. Actively improve your voice
8. Actively improve your dancing
9. Actively improve your performing
10. Think and analyze while performing
11. Meet all teacher imposed deadlines
12. Freely help others
13. Avoid cliques. Be friends with everyone you work with
14. Believe that success finds a way, failure finds an excuse
15. Never stop improving
16. Never compare yourself to others, learn from them
17. Have a goal to reach for every day. :)

181-WHAT TO DO? FEB 2014

I am 60 years old, as of January. For the first time in my life, I must begin considering the possibilities of life after a long and successful teaching career that began at Norco High School when I was 23 years old. :) I have already taught for 37 years! I have toyed with other ventures such as writing, composing and arranging music, performing, leading Church Choirs, working Entertainment at Disneyland and teaching college, but none as a full time profession... not yet. :) To be honest, my favorite two leisure activities are going to Disneyland and watching live theatre. I will thankfully have more time to do those things when the time comes. But what else? They say that a person with my life experience should be wise and know what to do when the time comes. Well, I think the problem is that I don't believe the time has come yet! :) I still enjoy my daily adventures in the classroom and the wonderful kids I share them with. Perhaps that is why, even as I grow older, I can't seem to consider quitting teaching. It's not retirement I'm afraid of, it's life without my Choir Room and all the things that go with it. I guess I have a pretty wonderful life. My family is great, my career is satisfying and my friends are true. Why make a huge life decision now? We'll talk again later. :)

180-WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT TO YOU? NOV 2013

A lot of different things are important to you, I'm sure, as they are to me. But what is most important to you? I'd say that a good relationship with God, my wife, my son, my extended family, my students and my friends ranks pretty high on my list. My efforts to help others through my teaching is another. My ability to keep writing music and stories is pretty up there and healing my body after my stroke is yet another. These things are all important to me, along with a boatload of other things. So, which is the most important? I don't know how to answer that exactly. You see, I believe that God put us here to learn, to love and to help make the world better in whatever ways we can. I think all of these things kind of fit into that definition. And by the same token, I reap so much love and humor from my family, students and friends that I never lack for the inspiration I need to get through the day. I think asking me or you to choose our favorite blessing from so many we have in our lives is very much like choosing your favorite body part. :) They are all important in some way and fit together to make a perfect body. What is most important to me? What isn't! :)

179-THE CHOICE IS YOURS! OCTOBER 2013

I'm feeling philosophical today. What I mean is, I don't want to talk about things that have happened already, but rather things that could happen in the future. Specifically to you or me. I have learned (and continue to learn) a great deal of things every day of my life. But this was not always so. There was a time when life's demands pretty much took up all of my time. The problem with this is you feel so busy that after it is all done you really don't have anything to show for it? At least you can't remember because everything is all muddled together. The question is, what was your immediate goal? Money? Fun? Experience? Or were you so busy being caught up in deadlines and demands that you really didn't have a goal beyond completion. This was true for me at one point and I'll bet it has been for you as well. But you must remember that the choice is yours. Being happy with a smaller house and less money or going for it all! I do not in any way suggest that one thing is better than the other for you... only you can do that. And I would never bash your dreams by telling you to take the financially lucrative way rather than to follow your heart and take all the risks that go along with it. I am merely saying, the choice is yours! Never settle for the easy path if it is wrong for you, but rather consider it only if it seems a good fit. No one knows your heart better than you do. Don't be talked into a life path that isn't you. Believe in yourself. :)

178-CHECK THAT LAST THOUGHT! SEPTEMBER 2013
It's amazing! But give it time and inspiration comes back every time! :) My inspiration for writing, gone for most of the 16 months following my stroke, is back in full force. DIMENSIONS IV: The Competition, suddenly came alive the other day and the ideas keep flowing! :) I have to laugh. Judging by my post preceding this one, I was through with writing forever due to a lack of inspiration and enthusiasm. But as God always does, he gives us opportunities to rethink our decisions sometimes. I think I got it right this time. :)

177-TO WRITE, OR NOT TO WRITE? AUGUST 2013

In the winters of 2009, 2010 and 2011, I published three different books under the series name, DIMENSIONS. I did this to fulfill a need I've always had to write and to see what stories my mind was capable of creating. :) Well, the outcomes were what I expected.... Each novel was slightly strange! :) And yet, I loved all three of them. The first novel was full of me, the second was entirely my imagination and my mother's (I used a character and a place from a story she told us as small children) and the third, in a nutshell, was a story I started writing for my son, Alex, when he was younger (some 10 years ago) that I finally spent the summer of 2011 completing! The process of writing these novels was extremely time consuming and intense. I was tired at the end of writing each one. But they were worth it. :) Now, I don't really know if I'll ever write another one. There is something to the theory that an artist judges his own worth by the public's reaction to his work. None of my books were best sellers, but all three were generally well received by their readers, judging from the reviews. It's especially interesting because some of the reviews came from complete strangers. :) But I was inspired to write each of those first three novels and now it's been nearly 2 years and I have not found the inspiration to write another one. I believe the saying, SUCCESS FINDS A WAY AND FAILURE FINDS AN EXCUSE. But when inspiration is not there, it's time to take a break. :) Do you find anything similar in your own lives? Something used to be a source of joy and inspiration and gradually it's not? Time will go on no matter what we do. I guess we should just be grateful for those inspirations that grab our lives sometimes and lead us to memories we will treasure for the rest of our lives. :)

176-DON'T WORRY, BE HAPPY! AUGUST 2013

It seems as if a single day can last a lifetime when you're young. But as I write this, approaching my 60th year, it's very different. What you did and didn't do, in the past, can't be undone. You made some mistakes? Didn't act on something important when you should have? Married too soon? Didn't finish college? As they say... all it is now is dust in the wind. So focus on the good things. They're a lot more fun to remember than your regrets anyway. This summer, I've realized that every day is quicker than the last. A month goes by in a blink. All my plans get caught up to eventually and dissipate, along with every other day. But there is a bright side to this. When you don't worry, the time passes by quicker, because your thoughts aren't paralyzed by fear or depression. Now, repeat after me, "Everything's going to be all right!" Remember that the next time you are distressed. Why does time go faster the older you get? Because you learn to enjoy it more! :) Don't worry, be happy! :)

175- DON'T WAIT UNTIL SUMMER! JUNE 2013

We are always waiting for our next vacation or block of free time. Much like in the movie, CLICK, it's as if our remote control is taking us from vacation to vacation and the rest of our time is blanked out. Sad. It's as if, for some of us, life is only real during the highlights. You've heard this plenty of times before, "We need to live each day to the fullest." As a teacher, I have students who only try hard on performance days. They're good kids too. But they are also sadly misdirected. :( Each of us has real reasons for tuning out during the part of our lives we find most objectionable. Fear? Boredom? Tired? Anger? If you hate your job, don't end up hating your life too? If you are tired of being alone, don't accept this plight for your eternity? WAKE UP! Take responsibility for your life! And everything will get better from there. :) The government or your family should not be in the business of taking care of you... You should be! Take help when needed, give help when needed, and wha la! YOU ARE ALIVE. Some of my most wonderful memories are not from summer vacation, but from overcoming hardships (and let's face it, there are plenty to overcome.) Especially when it benefitted others. :) So, don't wait until summer to have a great time, start today... and everyday! A great time doesn't necessarily mean fun is the goal. Making situations better is a great memory as far as I am concerned! :)

174- WHAT IS LIFE? JUNE 2013

What is life?
Is it a place to fit in or to stand out?
Sometimes in life it seems as if everyone disagrees with us. Does that make us wrong?
Sometimes in life we stand with the majority. Does that make us right?
Sometimes we are told what to believe, yet we quietly disagree.
What does this mean?
It means that we are alive. We think. We evaluate.
And ultimately we draw our own conclusions...
When we are not blinded by the pressures of society.
I believe that life is a gift from God.
You don't believe in God?
That is your right. Just as long as you came to that decision on your own.
Whatever you believe, be thankful that you are free to think for yourself.
Never be intimidated when others disagree with you.
As long as you think for yourself, you are a wonderful part of life. :)

173- DO YOU FEEL UNSETTLED? JUNE 2013

Much like a thoroughbred racehorse, I have been bred to always try to win! In other words, have goals, do my best to achieve them and rally everyone around me (when appropriate) to do the same. Following my stroke a year ago, I have applied this philosophy to getting better, but unfortunately, I'm not in full control of that. So, although I have improved quite a bit, as they say, I've still got a long way to go. Still, I can think and function normally, so there's no reason I can't continue to work. But as for the personal portion of my life, I rest a lot more now and go out far less. This could indicate that I'm still recuperating from the stroke or it could be the informal announcement of my retirement from working! I'm recuperating! That's the answer. :) Retirement is still a ways down the road for me. :) But I bring this up for you to look at your own life. Do you rest more? Do you go out less? Tired? Do you wish you could stop working? Maybe it's time to look at your life, make whatever changes seem necessary and go back to the you that enjoyed life (work included) and most everything else you did. We all need a check-up every so often. The trick is to listen to yourself when you are feeling unsettled. You may be surprised, but most of the time, you will have the answers! :)

172- THE CHOIR ROOM JUNE 2013

A few days ago I mentioned on facebook that a student of mine walked into the Choir Room during lunch one day, was surprised to find it empty and commented that he remembered when the Choir Room used to be full at lunch. On the surface this is an innocent comment concerning an innocent situation. But in truth, it uncovers a truly serious situation. You see, this Choir Room used to be full of kids, laughter and singing every lunch period for as far back as I've been here. What changed? The kids' attitudes toward Choir. It is no longer cool to hang out in the Choir Room at lunch, therefore CHOIR is no longer cool. I BEG TO DIFFER! :) Choir routinely wins 10 competitions a year, takes an overnight trip, puts on a Musical and performs to SOLD OUT houses. How cool is that? :) After elections we will make it a priority to hang out more in the Choir Room. There are so many reasons why... the most important being... because it strengthens our bond together. When the kids WANT to spend THEIR time in the Choir Room, we'll know we've got a healthy program. :) This is our goal. :)

171- WHY? MAY 2013
Why do we instinctively try or not try at what we do? Does this question intrigue you as much as it does me? I am a person who finds it very difficult to separate DOING MY BEST from SIMPLY DOING SOMETHING. :) Sound familiar? To explain, It stands to reason that since making a sandwich or mowing the lawn are generally considered mundane activities I could lower my effort and quality level when achieving them. However, to a chef, a sandwich is a work of art and to a gardner there is only one best way to mow a lawn. So, of course, I have to try my best at EVERYTHING! :) As a teacher, I have MANY students who pick and choose what and when and how well they accomplish something, to their own detriment. I lose track of most of them after high school, but I have a gut feeling about their probability of success in college and not surprisingly, when I do see them years later, I'm generally on the mark. A student argued with me the other day that the fact she didn't get good grades in most of her classes DIDN'T mean she didn't work hard in Choir (my class). Agreed! But she misses the point. Why does she excel in Choir and struggle in everything else? I have no better place to look, than myself, in attempting to answer this all too common question. I am very right brained in the way I think and learn. This means that I loved Choir, Newspaper, Drama, Band, Yearbook and ASB in high school. I have a number of students involved in these as well. I did okay in and I liked Social Studies and History and English (because I understood them) but Advanced Math, Foreign Language and Science were very tough for me. :( I didn't have to work hard in classes that were easy for me and I applied that same breezy work ethic to classes where I did. I would much rather do a play than a page of math problems! Get it? By my Junior year of high school I had it figured out. Spend more time studying for the tough classes and don't give up! :) I think we often think these failing kids are lazy when they have actually grown frustrated and given up! So, in answer to the reason I ALWAYS do my best, look no further than the old saying SUCCESS FINDS A WAY AND FAILURE FINDS AN EXCUSE. We need to learn to make success happen by always doing our best. Otherwise, we'll never learn to defeat failure. :)

170- I DARE MYSELF TO ACHIEVE! MAY 2013

They say that artists base their self-esteem on the accolades (or lack thereof) they receive from other people. This is pretty scary stuff. It means that a good painter, singer, writer or actor believes his work is nothing unless others compliment him! :( And what about false compliments? Or false criticism? I guess I am an exception to this "need for others approval" theory. I personally believe there are those of us who just know when we do great work, and we sort of moniter ourselves. :) Accolades are nice, but not necessary to keep going forward. I dare myself to achieve! Honestly? Sometimes I come up short, and no amount of accolades will change my opinion of that. But, I learn from the experience, grow a little wiser and never quit improving! That's what keeps my job and hobbies interesting over the long haul. It's your mind to think with as you please. Sometimes the tendency to take to heart good or bad things being said about you will confuse and alter your clear thinking. You know that the music of J S Bach was forgotten after he died and then rediscovered 100 years later in a church basement, and which time his name and work became famous. He was not famous in his own lifetime but his exceptional work persevered. How about the painter, Van Gough? Same thing. Even Mozart couldn't sustain a life of popularity and died a penniless pauper. Awards and accolades are nice things to shoot for but they, of themselves, are not enough. As artists, we must spend our lives believing in ourselves and in others and celebrating the joys of possibilities. Only then do we, as artists, truly thrive! :)

169- FINDING OURSELVES! APRIL 2013

How long does it take the average person to "find" himself? Well, that all depends. If you are reinventing yourself or adapting yourself or changing yourself...... It most likely will take your whole life! :) I, for one, am a strong believer in constant self-evaluation of our lives and that means that sometimes it can seem like the road is pretty bumpy as you change direction! :) But life throws us roadblocks and rather then complain... we just need to find a way to drive around them. Part of life's allure is the fact that it seldom turns out the way we plan, at least in the long run. This makes it an exciting puzzle for us to enjoy and to ultimately solve. So let's all "find" ourselves... again and again. As in any game, you've got to play in order to win! :)

168- ALADDIN, ALEX AND OTHER THINGS! APRIL 2013

March was a wonderful month, as was February before it. The Brea Choirs put on a highly successful and very entertaining production of ALADDIN which was a lot of fun. Alex competed in a classical competition at Biola University against the music majors at other schools and won. And the So Cal trip for the choirs was approved and funded! Personally, I found everything to be quite exhilarating! I didn't take as many trips to Disneyland, but I'm sure that will pick up! As we go into April and then May I look forward to many more adventures. Alex will be abroad, studying in Italy this summer, Margaret will be sprucing up the house and I will resume writing my 4th book. Isn't life wonderful? :)

167- LET'S HAVE SOME FUN! MARCH 2013

There's nothing quite like a First Place when you are competing. And that's exactly what Spellbound got! :) A clean sweep at Diamond Bar! We have only Cypress and So Cal left on the season, but I can honestly say that this year has been just as exciting as last year and to me, maybe just a wee bit more meaningful. :) You've got to appreciate everything in your life at all times. You never know when it all might change. :)

166- BACK AT SCHOOL! FEBRUARY 2013
Well, almost 9 months from the stroke and subsequent recovery, that kept me out of school, I have returned! :) I am a bit older, and a bit worse for the wear, but thank God I am back! :) The parents and kids have been both a big help and a delight. I have had such fun shaping the groups and competing. It feels as if I have returned to Brea reborn and all set to partake in the adventures once again! I can't thank my sub, Jocelyn, enough for keeping the program in tact and for being such a great teacher in my absence. And then there's Doug. His endless hours, on top of what he usually does, kept our Choirs... our Choirs. :) Thanks to Kurt, Marti, Bo, Eric, Alex, Julia and the parents for all their contributions! :) I feel better now than I have in the last 9 months! :) Now it's time for all of us to continue working hard to make this the incredible year it yet promises to be. :) There is one person I have yet to thank... my wonderful wife, Margaret. It is her love and encouragement that really kept me going. And you know... miracles do happen when you least expect them. :)

165- EVERYONE IS IMPORTANT JANUARY 2013

Now that we have moved on to a new year, I thought I should reveal my resolutions. I have one that I want to especially talk about, "caring about others." Now I'm not saying that I DON'T care about others. :) I'm saying that we need to spend more time listening to each other.... and then we'll know how to help them. I know I got real involved with the marketing of my books and music and when people stepped forward to buy them, it made my day... even year! But I know for a fact a number of these people haven't even read my books, although they bought them all and came to my book signings. Why? Because they wanted to support me... they didn't want to see me fail. :) From the bottom of my heart, I thank you! :) Now it's time to reciprocate. My resolutions are to help everyone in need, be a more caring father, teacher and friend and to listen. As I have mentioned, everyone is important. Now it's time to make them feel like it. :)

164- WELCOME 2013! JANUARY 2013
Happy New Year! There is nothing so exciting as hearing those magic words and understanding you have yet another year to get your life on track! For me, I had a good 2012 until it all went awry for me on May 12th. My loved ones and I have been recuperating from it ever since. But it has also been a learning experience. :) I have learned that income, job and life style are not nearly as important as faith and family. I probably knew this in my heart, but this year really brought it into focus! :) 2013 will bring new opportunities for each of us to further define ourselves. The game continues! It doesn't matter if you're a student, working or retired. The opportunities are always there if we are strong enough to accept them! Here's hoping that 2013 is a positive game changer for all of us! :)

163- A THOUGHTFUL CHRISTMAS December 2012

The recent massacre of 20 innocent children and seven adults at a Connecticut elementary school is a tragedy of epic proportions. It was a cowardly act of an angry person with no value for human life. Should we take this as an aberration? The act of one crazy person? Absolutely not. The violence in our society has reached epic proportions. Constant war and death. Video games about killing. Graphic films about killing. Like it or not, killing has become an accepted art form. The problem is, some confuse art with reality. Guns are not the problem. Attitude is. Much as other social prejudices that ail us such as racism and monetary greed, everything good or bad happens because of the way we think. I write books with good morals. I am responsible for what I say. Our lives are like that. When the State tries to dictate that God is a taboo word in schools, they undermine the value of the ten commandments. Yet the President continues to say, "God Bless You" and "God Bless America", and our money still bears the saying, "IN GOD WE TRUST". We are reading about this terrible tragedy in Connecticut, while our government tries to appease the atheists while also trying to keep the believers' votes. Even if our government struggles with what it stands for, it's up to us to stand up for our true beliefs, in a peaceful, non hateful way. At a time like this, I personally am turning to God for peace and understanding. :)

162- 2013 December 2012
December 2012 marks the lead-in to 2013. We, of course, honor the achievements of the past year, but life marches on. What do you want to achieve next year? It's funny, but if we don't think about that question, we do what we HAVE to do, and 2013 turns into 2014 with no major new achievements. :( To explain, I have always been a goal oriented person. I sometimes envy those people who are satisfied, but I can't bring myself to live that way. There is nothing innately wrong with being satisfied, but I believe having goals makes my little life more. Now, I repeat, what do you want to achieve next year? I remember some of my earlier goals have included writing, composing, directing choirs, producing shows, being a good father, husband and friend and working at Disneyland. I accomplished all of those or are working on them, so guess what my goals are now? Walking better, improving my right arm, driving and getting back to work by February. Pretty basic, I know, but very appropriate for my life. I take my driver's test again at the DMV on December 27th. After 40 years! :) Now let's get back to my question, what do you want to achieve next year? Don't know yet? Let me remind you that life is fragile and no one knows what is going to happen no matter how much you plan. Have some goals? Don't put them off. Make them happen in 2013! :)

161- I'M BACK! December 2012

Well, this is the latest! I've been recovering from a stroke for the past six months. I'm slowly improving my walking (no cane) and my formerly "dead" right arm (I used to call it a sausage) is showing signs of life, while the once frozen right side of my face is reacting much better and my mouth is trying hard to keep up with my speech...... probably 80% of the time. :) Overall, my body is about 70% recovered (except for the arm which is only about 40%). What I have just described is the physical me. But, according to the doctors (and of course, I agree) I'm back 100% mentally, as I have been since the second week. :) So the problem has been adapting to a weakened right side. I now write (very poorly) with my left hand although writing with my right was almost as bad! :) I walk, favoring the left leg, and I have trouble walking on uneven surfaces. But I get a little better every day. :) I predict a full recovery in a year or so. But I am going back to school in 2 months, knowing I still have a ways to go. Why? Because I was so moved by the support and concern of the students and their families ever since this thing first happened, that I realize, all too clearly, that's where I belong! Especially for second semester! God bless all of you. This has been the hardest time of my life, but you gave me the faith I needed to heal, and a wonderful Choir Family to go home to! So, when I return I may need your physical help from time to time, and I won't be much help loading the truck... but I will be the best darn Choir Director! I will tell you strange stories and invite you to dance in the quad or yell at you (lovingly) when there's work to be done. And whatever we accomplish, we do it together. Keep working hard, as I know you are. I'll see you in February! :)

160- WHY LISTEN TO ME? September 2012

Why listen to me? The question is completely narcissistic! Ask yourself... what can you learn from a guy like me? The answer? A LOT! But you see, I could likewise learn a lot from YOU! But since I'm writing this blog... I'll start! :)
SUCCESS FINDS A WAY, FAILURE FINDS AN EXCUSE! I've quoted this saying since 1977, although I can't remember where I got it? Basically I believe the more people publicly complain, the less they have to say. Science and technology spend their time in the labs developing breakthroughs, which is great... Politics?... Well, politics just make it harder to do the most basic things. Have you tried to refinance your home lately? Enter an airport? Start a business? I won't dwell on these, but let's just say they're a lot harder than they used to be. Wouldn't the answer be to develop a NEW, STREAM-LINED METHOD? Here's hoping. :) The difference is PEOPLE succeed at things they care about while GOVERNMENT fails at dealing with people or things people care about because it treats them impersonally. Have you ever felt like a number? Thank God for people! A good person in a bad organization can make all the difference. :) Think of everything the government handles. IRS? Mortgages? Banks? Medical Care? Public Education? Retirement? Seems like everything it touches becomes an albatross. But there is hope. SUCCESS FINDS A WAY, FAILURE FINDS AN EXCUSE. MAKE THOSE PUBLIC OFFICIALS GIVE YOU ANSWERS instead of listening to their demonization of their opponent! There are millions of good people out there looking for the same thing. Here's to a brighter future! :)

159- REINVENT YOURSELF August 2012

It was probably my recent adventure that got me thinking about this. Time changes a person if you let it. You can become a complaining 'grumpy old man' if you aren't careful. It happens gradually... BUT IT HAPPENS! So my suggestion is to give yourself a 'monthly tuneup' to be sure you don't wander off course. :) A person has to practice being positive if they expect it to stick! Look around you. There are a lot of 'misguided' people in the world, aren't there? Don't dwell on them. KEEP STEADY TO YOUR COURSE! Being a good person and doing the right thing seldom make you rich or successful in worldly terms. So decide right now what your real goal is? And then reinvent yourself when necessary so you never lose sight of it! Life is fragile and short. It passes quickly whether we like it or not. There is only one answer. Make every day of your life count! :)

158- AS OLD AS YOU FEEL July 2012

YOU'RE ONLY AS OLD AS YOU FEEL! Those are strong words we hear almost daily from the time we are forty! But the truth is, we sometimes feel our age! So, I offer you this advice. Never focus on getting older as being a bad thing. Older means wiser! Older means more free time! Older means the worst is behind you! Grow old with dignity! And rest assured that when you are feeling low... there's always Disneyland!

157- THE KISS July 2012

Now this is a new one! Last night I attended a concert at BOHS. To be honest I was a little nervous. I had not seen these people for two months! Near the end of the concert a young woman walked by me, gave me a hug and a kiss, and told me I would get through this! It was so dark, I couldn't clearly see the face. Well, I want to thank that woman for her kind words and gestures! From that time on my hope went up 1000 percent! Just a reminder that all of us have the power to turn a person's attitude around. Act on it! :)

156- WHEN FAILURE IS SUCCESS July 2012

I talk a lot. A LOT! I am always planning something, or evaluating something else! But let me tell you why I do it, and what I have learned? Life is a collection of experiences brought on by fate... and brought on by yourself. When I was a child I waited for opportunities to come to me, and sometimes they did, and sometimes they didn't. It was not until late Junior High that I got it. SELL YOURSELF! On the one hand this could make a person more NARCISSISTIC, but on the other hand it can make you driven! I proceeded to become very active in high school which set the stage for my life. In college I fell in love with teaching. This was a place where I could build award winning shows, and where I could help my students learn about music and to use their potential. Well, 33 years of teaching later I realized there were two passions I was ignoring... RECORDING and WRITING. I had tried and failed at both before, but as they say, I WASN'T GETTING ANY YOUNGER, so I decided to give them both another try! I proceeded to write and publish three novels which fared best amongst my friends. Then I released 2 albums recorded with a childhood friend and 4 original songs recorded at various times in my life with a little help from my friends. I've lost money on these releases, but I really don't care. I'm happy, in fact. How do you evaluate success? Well, I learned that fulfilling your dreams, whether you are successful or not, is the answer. I may not be on anyone's best selling lists, but I have published books, and released songs! When you leave this place you can't take your achievements with you... But you leave with no regrets. :)

155- HAPPY FOURTH! July 2012

I'd like to begin by wishing everyone a healthy and happy Fourth of July! I always find that it's good to reflect on your life at this time... and count your blessings. There is so much good out there regardless of the troubles you might have experienced. My wish for you is a safe and eventful rest of the year. And remember to thank God for each day. after all, you waking up each day... that's the real miracle.

154- DAVE WILLERT DEAD June 2012

I was checking the hits on my websites recently and what do you think I found? Someone had used DAVE WILLERT DEAD as a search term! As soon as I picked my chin up from the floor I realized that SOMEONE ACTUALLY THOUGHT I WAS DEAD! OK, there is a difference between a STROKE and a DEATH don't you agree? Now a stroke is a very serious thing and CAN lead to death..........................BUT I'M NOT DEAD! Now that we have that straightened out I think now would be a perfect time to tell you about how things have been going for me lately. Every time someone hears about me having a stroke they are shocked and fear the worst!!! The truth is... my right side is healing, I can walk with a cane, I've been to Disneyland and my doctor has discharged me and declared me in full charge of my faculties (the weirdness was there before the stroke!) I run out of gas easily but that's about it. I've slowed down as I learn to take life at a more reasonable pace... but dead? I think not. See you around town!

153- MY ADVENTURE! June 2012

Nothing is more frightening or more surprising than when you learn that someone has had a stroke! The last person I knew who had a stroke was my grandmother when I was six years old! She was in her late seventies. So the last thing I expected early that Saturday morning, May 12th was a loss of strength to my right side, which pulled me out of bed, and a confusion in my mind followed by intelligible speech. Welcome to the world of strokes! You know it would be easy to start crying, "why me!" But the truth of the matter is my high blood pressure (which I was not aware of) peaked that night and the rest is history. I am now being treated for high blood pressure and relearning to walk with a cane. I also have a right arm that doesn't work...yet...but it's improving every day. If I hadn't had the stroke, I would have been a walking time bomb ready to go off at any time! And the best news? I'M STILL ME! So let me just be a reminder to everyone that you can never be too careful when it comes to your health! Exercise, eat right, sleep and have regular check ups. But most of all... spend your life as you see fit! Always remembering how much you mean to others around you. It changed my life! And my wife Margaret arranged to take off work everyday and sleep in a chair in my room... EVERY NIGHT! For 35 nights! And Alex and Doug were here almost every day! I am blessed, God is good! Life is wonderful!
Love, Dave

152- WHAT DO I EXPECT FROM MY FRIENDS? April 2012

Nothing! ...........................Well, actually, although that probably sounds like an excellent politically correct response, it's a lie. In actuality, I expect my friends to feel the same way about me as I feel about them. I expect them to be just as excited for my life's accomplishments as I am for theirs. I expect them to be concerned for me and my family when times are hard, just as I am concerned for them and theirs. And interestingly enough, what I have learned through FACEBOOK, especially, is that most of my "friends" of the past have now slipped to becoming merely aquaintances. :( It's not really that difficult to understand. Out of sight, out of mind. It has been years, decades since a lot of us, prior to FACEBOOK, had been in contact at all. But, me, being the eternal romantic, still feel close to a lot of these people based on the friendships we had in youth or adulthood. Even if they don't still feel that friendship, I always will. :) That's probably why I am a little disappointed that most of my life's friendships have not endured. But in a few cases, especially with childhood friends from Glendora, we have now developed new friendships which we are continuing to nurture. And I still have a few very strong family and friend relationships which have been going on for decades. It's not too difficult to know which relationships boast true friendship. It's the ones that have giving on both sides. If you are doing most of the work or if someone else is working harder than you are at making things work, you may want to take a good look at how good of a friendship that really is? Based on my expectations, I will probably go through life with a very few good friends. But you know what? They WILL be my friends, and not merely acquaintances because we will share mutual concern for each other. In my opinion, that is the true test of friendship. Undying concern and care for one another. Is it wrong to have expectations for your true friends? No! In order to have a healthy relationship with someone, the truth must be at the core of it. So, to all of you friends and acquaintances who are reading this, good luck with your relationships and be sure to know which are long-term and which are temporary. It's always better to know the truth. :)

151- HOW DO WE KNOW WHEN? April 2012

Let me ask you a very personal question, okay? How do we know when the time has come to hang it all up and retire? Are you wondering why I am asking this question? It's because people have been asking me this question since I turned 50 a few years ago. I know that in this day and age people retire at all different ages (depending on their financial health.) For me? I want to retire once I have ceased being effective doing what I am doing (putting on shows and directing Choirs) NOT before. Well, my Choirs are still strong and winning trophies and I still enjoy creating and putting on shows, so I guess retirement might be a little premature for now. But honestly, how do we really know when the time has come to retire? My mother is 90 years old and still teaching piano and playing organ at church as she has for most of her adult life. No slow down. My Uncle Roy worked for Boeing and Lockheed as an engineer well into his seventies. He finally retired and passed away this past year at age 96! Why do some people continue working so late into their lives when they really don't have to? Right! They enjoy what they are doing! But I just had another thought. What about retiring from one job and taking a different one? Sometimes changing jobs (as I have done 4 times in teaching) can prove to be very therapeutic as you are forced to prove yourself once again from the beginning. So maybe that is it? Proving ourselves? Stay at a job too long and you can begin to feel like a piece of machinery endlessly churning out a product. But even then, simply making the job fun again by changing something about it could certainly rekindle your flame, couldn't it? So, I guess there is no answer to this question, is there? Each of us simply needs to figure it out. Maybe slow down as we get older in order to stay healthy, but continue doing whatever it is that makes us the happiest. Thank you. Nice chatting with you. :)

150- I FOUND A GREAT QUOTE! April 2012

I found a great quote! For those of you who follow me on facebook at all, you know that on any given day I may post one or more quotes that I have found or created myself which I believe in some way carry some merit. Here is a quote from the likes of Bob Fosse that really hits the mark for me:
‎"The key to a great performance is working at every little thing until you get it perfect and then pouring on the energy like there is no tomorrow. I'm talking about in rehearsal!"

If only everyone viewed everything they learned in this way, life would be so much richer and more satisfying, don't you think? Don't just make spaghetti, CREATE THE PERFECT PASTA! Details and effort certainly can't be overlooked when we are talking about living a quality life in all we do. That's it. :)

149- WHO ARE OUR REAL FRIENDS? March 2012

I was thinking about this today. It is Sunday afternoon, I was just taking it easy and all of a sudden... BAM! I had this thought! It's funny how the mind works? Isn't it? My friends from childhood to now are few. Even the number of my own family members who I am now close with have dwindled. So, what happened? Time has passed. Do you remember that Stephen Stills song from the early 1970s, "Love The One You're With?" Well, in a non-romantic way, it sort of makes sense. Our life situation changes and we make friends with the people around us, leaving us less time for our "old" friends. I even remember my wife, Margaret's, best friend getting very angry at me during high school as soon as we started dating, leaving Margaret less time to spend with her. They haven't been even acquaintances now in decades. Except for facebook and other social computer networks we would not be friends with many of our former friends at all! This brings me to the point of this rambling post. :) Although I agree with what I have said, we usually befriend those people we are around, we also tend to save room for those friends and family members who mean the most to us, even if we seldom see them. Letters? Emails? Phone calls? Sometimes we even sit back and remember someone who was very close to us once. And we wonder, what ever happened to... what's his name? (Green Day.) So, who are our real friends, you ask? How should I know? I reply. :) For example, a few of my best friends started out as pupils, a few were good friends in high school who I have reconnected with, and a few are people Margaret and I met through different activities such as church, youth sports or theatre. And then there are those family members who have always remained close. In short, I believe it is each of our jobs to not only determine who our real friends are, but to continue nurturing those friendships so they never fade away, as so many do. There is not enough time in the day to do what we have to do and then make time for all the friendships we would like to cultivate. But, our hearts are much larger than we think. For me, there will always be room for every person who ever had a hand in making my life, or the lives of my loved ones, better. To all of you who fit that broad, but special category... Thank you! :)

148- "HE DOESN'T GIVE US BOUNDARIES" Feb. 2012

Last night was the second day/night of The California Classic, a show choir competition my Choirs and I hosted at the school for 19 groups this year. It was fun. Our kids worked hard and on their own most of the day. My wife, Margaret, was working hard in the choir office doing tabulation, when a girl walked in and started going through drawers in the office, right in front of her. My wife, not at the school often, asked what she was looking for? The girl told her, and my wife asked if it was common practice for students to come into the office and start searching through drawers? According to my wife, the student then replied, "When we are asked to do something, Mr. Willert does not give us a lot of boundaries." I explained to my wife that I had sent her in to find a driver's permit we had picked up the day before that had been left by a student from Arcadia so we could return it to her director. My wife smiled.

I have been teaching now for 35 years, and you know what? That student was right. She pretty much summed it up! When I give them a job to do, I DON'T give them boundaries. I give them a goal, and it is then up to them to figure out how they are going to accomplish it. Is that why our groups are consistently strong even in years when the overall talent is a little weaker? Probably. Remember the old saying, "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink?" So true. If the student buys in to what we are doing, they will pursue their challenges with all of the enthusiasm and thinking ability they have available. That is what I want from my students. The innate ability to think, make judgements, attempt to understand differing points of view and always approach a task as if it is the most important thing in the world. I call this philosophy, THE INSIDE OUT. That is to say, the student generates the thinking and enthusiasm, instead of simply learning to follow instructions. Do all teachers agree with this philosophy? Hardly. Do all people? Nope! But, when the kids believe in what they are doing and have a role in its creation and continuous evolution I believe they will work at their highest level and learn some pretty wonderful life skills.

Do I give my kids boundaries? None within reason. :) Do I correct them and guide them? Absolutely. Do I tell them the truth? I sure do. Does the truth sometimes hurt? You know it does. But this gives them an honest place to start as they continue their quest to be a happy person and the best they can be. A day does not go by where I am not inspired by these young people. They are smart, they are driven and they are kind. What's not to like?

147- PLAYING MY GAMES WITH ME January 2012

I was inspired in 1962 when I was 8 years old by a line from my favorite movie of the year called "The Guns Of Navarone." One of the army officers was talking about his childhood, and he said to another officer that he still had the problem of believing that everyone he played with wanted to play the games that HE chose. I have never forgotten that line, or the wonderful human insight it describes. I too have always believed that everyone I played with wanted to play the games I chose. And of course as a Choir and Musical director, I get to choose A LOT! But once I decided to share my literary creativity and become an author, I believed that all of my friends and students would be thrilled to read my books. Even Borders carried them? What I learned was that even though a lot of people I know purchased my books... I don't believe a lot of them have taken the time and effort to read them. Should I be upset? Not unless they are upset that I have not gone to watch their kids in a community play they are in or a little league game. I am MOST CERTAINLY not more important to them than their own families, nor should I be! But nevertheless, I find myself very disappointed that more of my friends and family have not read my novels. In actuality, I am very appreciative to those who have taken the time to read them, and I believe in most cases, they told me that they enjoyed the experience. But this is certainly not my ego talking. It is my soul. Each of my novels is jam packed with personal truths and beliefs right alongside the fantasy. Writing these novels was a lot like sharing bits of myself with others that I had previously kept hidden. A sort of catharsis, especially in THE WHEAT FIELD. So, I guess the truth is, I wanted to share my thoughts and hopes with others. My family and friends... like most artists do. :) I have never been concerned about making money or fame with these books. I have in fact given a large number of them away to close friends and family. I simply wanted to share my creativity and thoughts. That is the game I want to play. Any joiners? :)

146- LAUGH! January 2012

Yesterday was my birthday. Honestly, over the past decade or two, that event has not had the significance it once used to. I remember my birthday parties as a kid. Lots of presents! Cake! Yeay! I suppose that excitement disappeared right along with my childhood. But, when I think about it, I don't really feel that much different today than I did then, with the probable exception that I laughed a lot more then. LIfe wasn't so serious. Getting in trouble was always temporary and having fun was a daily routine! I guess I really liked being a kid? I know I laughed a lot! So, my advice today to myself and to anyone who chooses to take it is to LAUGH! Laugh as often as you can! Laugh out loud, laugh at yourself, laugh at life... but LAUGH! Laughter is the missing ingredient more often than not in my life today. I like it when I remember that I am still that little boy having a birthday party, and laughing loudly throughout. A few decades and a lot of debt later should not ever change that. I am laughing now. Can you hear me? I'm making sure I still know how. Each of us will die some day. In the meantime, each of us has time right now, while we live, to enjoy ourselves, bring enjoyment to others, and capture the happy essence of what our lives are truly supposed to be about. So, laugh, my friends! Laugh and be merry. There is no reason the best part of our childhoods has to go away just because now WE are the ones paying for the birthday party! :)

145- WHAT IS LIFE? JANUARY 2012

What is life?
Is it a place to fit in or to stand out?

Sometimes in life it seems as if everyone disagrees with us. Does that make us wrong?
Sometimes in life we stand with the majority. Does that make us right?
Sometimes we are told what to believe, yet we quietly disagree.
What does this mean?
It means that we are alive. We think. We evaluate.
And ultimately we draw our own conclusions...
When we are not blinded by the pressures of society.
I believe that life is a gift from God.
You don't believe in God?
That is your right. Just as long as you came to that decision on your own.
Whatever you believe, be thankful that you are free to think for yourself.
Never be intimidated when others disagree with you.
As long as you think for yourself, you are a wonderful part of life. :)

144- HURRAY FOR CARL JUNG! JANUARY 2012

Does everyone know who Carl Jung was? My guess is that everyone who has studied psychoanalysis in a psychology class has probably run across his name once or twice. Carl Jung was a psychoanalyst from Switzerland in the beginning stages of the field beginning in the early 20th century. He and Sigmund Freud were the two best known from the time, but only he believed in helping each patient find happiness as opposed to simply curing them. So, why bring him up today? I saw a film about him last night, and looked him up on the internet today, and I thought his efforts deserved a cheer. Just like Jung, I believe it is each of our responsibilities and great honor to spend our life discovering who we are and hopefully helping others and contributing to a better society. That's all I have to say. If you are interested in Carl Jung or Sigmund Freud, you may enjoy the current film, A DANGEROUS METHOD.

143- HAPPY NEW YEAR! JANUARY 2012

Well, my friends, it is finally here. 2012! Now, what will be different for us? To begin with, I can tell you that I resolve to be happier and more satisfied on a daily basis. Many creative people (like myself) tend to be of a hidden type A variety. We often appear to be calm on the outside, while we are beating ourselves up in the inside. You know, nothing is ever good enough! Nothing is ever done! But, I have led an extremely blessed life, surrounded by wonderful family, friends and students, and I just want to be more relaxed. How about you? That being said, I still want to see our Show Choirs have their best year ever! There is nothing wrong with that goal, and that one is one I have every year regardless. What else? I want to be a better teacher, more inspirational, more encouraging. I think those are good goals. And I want to always remember that no matter what the government determines are current PC rhetoric, that I always hold on to the truth. There is a God, all people should be treated equally and we need to be responsible for ourselves. May God Bless You in this new year!

142- ALBERT EINSTEIN IS RIGHT! DECEMBER 2011

‎"The saddest part about living is not how fast our time goes by, but rather how little we do with it. " (Albert Einstein) I like this....................That's all I have to say right now. :)

141- NEW YEARS IS ALMOST HERE! DECEMBER 2011

What's that you are saying? Who cares that another year is about to come to an end while another one begins? Don't you get it? Because of our calendar, we are able to cleanse each previous year from our soul and BEGIN FRESH every 12 months! I love that! See, for me, I always begin every year with a desire to be PERFECT in everything I do...... how I behave, how I think and how I relate to others. Yeah, that's right, every year comes to an end and I have a list of the good things I did, the whatever things I did and the not so good things I did. I don't really want to drag those lists around, so I throw them all away and start over again fresh! Anyway, so the new year gives me (and you) a fresh start, which always feels way better than a continuation, especially when it would be a continuation of imperfection! So, what is this blog about this time? It's about you and me. How we might both consider a little reflection of our last year. What went right and what went wrong? What can we do to make this next year even better? I'll tell you what... Let's both make a resolution to be happier ourselves and to help others on their quest of happiness as well. We are all so different, yet so much alike in our efforts to find happiness and contentment. I will be here for you if you need me. Just call me! Can I count on you as well? Let's make 2012 the year of love and contentment. We do have a few billion other people to convince, but I think it's worth a shot! No more war or hate. That sounds like a longshot, but unless people continue to strive for ideals like those, they will certainly never happen. So, have a terrific new year, and be joyful in the fact that you can start all over again! We'll talk about this again in 12 months! Good luck! :)

140- CHRISTMAS IS COMING! DECEMBER 2011

Yes, it's true. Christmas is coming very, very soon! Today is December 22nd, the day school recessed for Christmas Vacation. Now I have only two days, tomorrow and the next day to prepare! Well, actually, we already got the lights up, the trees up and the decorations up... and Margaret has bought and wrapped most of the gifts... But... Well... What I mean is... I have two days to capture the Christmas spirit! Every year I look forward to Christmas. My yearly calendar is set from Christmas to Christmas. I LIVE for Christmas! So, although I am enjoying many aspects of the season already, being at work has not allowed me to fully immerse myself in it. In about 30 minutes I will go Christmas shopping for the first time this year. I don't really need to buy too much, since Margaret has already done that, but... well... It just wouldn't feel like Christmas if I didn't put myself out in the Mall at least once? I know that must sound stupid... that's because it is! But, it is true none-the-less. At least it is to me. :) So, that being said, go stuff your turkeys, wrap your gifts, sing your songs, attend that Church service and have the best Christmas you have ever had. Sadly, it only comes once a year. :)

139- FINAL BOOK SIGNING DECEMBER 2011

Well, It looks like we just completed my final DIMENSIONS book signing. Since DIMENSIONS: The Wheat Field was published two years ago, we have hosted six total book signings (five at Borders), and it all comes to an end at the beautiful Brea Public Library today. Why? Several reasons. In the first place, I think that the DIMENSIONS series has now found a home with a good number of people, but now it is time to spread the word. In this day and age with so few people reading books for pleasure, this can take a while. But, if a book is worth reading, word will spread. :) And I am confident that DIMENSIONS will expand its following greatly over the next year. In the second place, Borders closed down. Borders was the home for DIMENSIONS for almost two years. They carried our books, hosted our book signings and were very good to me. I think in remembrance of them, I will take a break from writing for a while and just remember the wonderful times they provided for me. I'm not going to get started on Barnes and Noble, but let me just say that Borders seemed to be a lot more "caring" of new authors. And thirdly, I want to begin a new challenge. I think I am going to return to my first artistic endeavor, which was song writing. I wrote hundreds of songs in my youth, and then got busy with life. I want to return to that. I look forward to releasing a musical CD at some point, and don't you worry... I will be contacting you once I do. :) More than likely, my son, Alex and my friend, Doug Kuhl will also be singing on this album. Right now I am really looking forward to creating those songs we are going to sing!

But...DIMENSIONS is not done. It is my hope that everyone who reads the books will share reviews on Barnes and Noble and Amazon and help me spread the word. I don't believe anything of true significance has been accomplished by anyone in this world without the help and support of others. So, I am asking now for your support. As I take my hiatus from writing, please help me spread the word that these DIMENSIONS books will still be available for purchase online, and they are both thought provoking and a lot of fun to read. Thanks again for your support. Dave

138- HOLIDAY MAGIC 2011 DECEMBER 2011

Both Holiday Magic concerts were awesome! That's it. :)

137- WITHOUT AN AUDIENCE? NOVEMBER 2011

Without an audience, the actor doesn't know if his performance is any good. He can guess, of course, but he has no way of knowing for sure. Such is the reality of the ARTS WORLD. I was born to achieve. Not that my achievements have all necessarily "caught on," but I have always worked my butt off to achieve something new. I think on the average, I work on a project for 3-5 years before I finally move on to something else. This philosophy has enabled me to try a great many things in my day. As a young child I was in BAND for five, long and uninspired years. My dislike of playing in the BAND led me to create the singing duo, PENGELUM with Steve Medley, which was my passion for the next 5 years. As an adult, I wanted to teach. I wanted to put on shows. And I did. And I am still doing that. But, it was never enough for me, because I wanted to continue growing. This led to playing in clubs and bars, performing in community musical theatre, composing and arranging (and recording the arrangements) in a short 3 year stint as a music publisher. I also worked in Entertainment at Disneyland, held three positions as a Church Choir Director, directed the music for 10 Stagelight shows and I even coached a youth basketball team one year. And finally, I began WRITING BOOKS. I have always had a very active (if not unusual) imagination, and I felt inspired for years to write. However it was only during these past three years that I felt compelled to publish these three fantasy books. My DIMENSIONS novels. I like them. I like them very much. They are exactly what I wanted to create. But does this mean that I will have an audience for them? Yes and No. Locally, I have been very well supported on all three of my literary efforts. But, without a major publisher behind me, there is little hope of ever going further. So, I have opted to discontinue my writing for a while (or forever) and see where my next inspiration will come from. I am not giving up. I am simply looking for another opportunity to express myself differently. In releasing the old PENGELUM SONGS on itunes, I also wanted to share an important part of my youth. Will the songs catch on? I don't know. I suppose it doesn't really matter. As long as I have even a small audience to share their thoughts about it, the release was successful whether I sell a lot of copies or not. I suppose I always believed that there would be people out there interested in what I do? What EVERYONE does? And those people probably are out there. Now it is simply my job to find them. Find my audience. As an artist, that is what sharing your art is all about. Not having an audience certainly does not make your art invalid. But it's sure a lot more fun to share it with somebody. :) Have a great holiday season. :)

136- WHAT IS LIFE ALL ABOUT? NOVEMBER 2011

Well, another Thanksgiving has come and gone. And what have we learned? Well, I can tell you what I have learned. I have learned that it's a great idea to dedicate one day a year to be thankful. Thankful for everything we have and are. But, actually, shouldn't we be doing that every day? Another thing I learned was that it seems to be fashionable these days for people in government to pretend that God does not exist. Even the President made a speech on Thanksgiving Day that never mentioned God. I guess the Communists and atheists have won after all? Well, at least as far as the government is concerned. It's so funny when God is right there in our Pledge of Allegiance and our money, yet he somehow gets snubbed when it comes to our government. Does this bother me? Yes, it does. I don't believe anyone should be forced to believe or not believe anything, but brainwashing through omission should not be part of a government governing people, the majority of who believe in God. And that was my political forum speech for the year. :) Now, what else have I learned about life this Thanksgiving? I learned that turkey is the official meal. Why? Something about Pilgrims, I guess. :) Anyway, the biggest thing I learned about Thanksgiving, I learned a long time ago. It's a time when each of our families reunites, recharges and rekindles our spirit of togetherness. I am very thankful for that, but once again, I wish we didn't all get so busy. I wish we could bond with each other every day. :) LIfe is a very funny business, isn't it? We really do have control over a lot of it, as much as we pretend that we don't. So, my Thanksgiving resolution is to love more, live more and never forget to thank God for giving me this incredible opportunity. Regardless of what laws are passed or what becomes fashionable, to me, this is what life is all about. :)

135- PENGELUM STRIKES AGAIN! NOVEMBER 2011

To anyone who has followed me on facebook or on this website, it may appear as if I am a marketeer always trying to sell something to you. :) I don't argue this point, but please allow me to explain. Between 1967 and 1971 and then briefly during the summer of 1976, Steve Medley and I wrote, sang and performed our own music together. Through some strange act of fate, an old friend of my Dad's (Dale Smallin) paid to professionally record our songs, and tried to market us to the recording studios, Disneyland and a number of other entities. As you probably know, we came within a parent signature of possibly being signed on by Capital Records. But that is all in the past. In the end, Steve and I went our separate ways, went on to other lives, got married and forgot all about these magical years. Two years ago when I turned 55, it was as if a part of me suddenly WOKE-UP, and I remembered how wonderful it felt to create and perform this music of ours. So, I had the 40 plus year old reel to reel tapes restored and transferred to digital mp3 format. From there I proceeded to select what I considered to be the 14 best recordings of the 36 I had, and released them as NEARLY GREATEST HITS VOLUME 1 by Pengelum last June. I never intended to release these final 22 recordings because they were not as mature and in some cases had minor glitches on them from the transfer to mp3. But, as I listened to them, I soon realized that in order to truly share PENGELUM with the world, ALL of our recordings had to be shared. So, that being said, NEARLY GREATEST HITS VOLUME 2 by Pengelum will be released on November 20th on both itunes and Amazon. There will be no CD for this one, only downloads. What makes this album different from volume 1 is that the recordings span the 8 years that Pengelum recorded (including the Reunion at the Ice House) from 1968-1976. I have placed the songs in chronological order so the listener will hear Pengelum at ages 12 & 14 all the way to ages 20 & 22. I think this album does a wonderful job of demonstrating the musical changes and the evolution that PENGELUM quietly went through during those years. It's funny that this took me so long to do. Release the Pengelum recordings, I mean. I have talked with Steve every step of the way, since we did this together. He (as always) is on board, and equally tickled that we finally got our tapes released. If you have not downloaded NEARLY GREATEST HITS VOLUME 1 by Pengelum, I would strongly advise you do that as well, if you truly want to understand our entire story. Volume 1 is full of the songs that were supposed to make us stars. Volume 2 tells our story from the beginning all the way to the end. If you are a Pengelum fan or a Dave Willert fan, I really hope you make the effort to download these two albums. I simply want to share our music with you from all of those years ago. Because as we both know, unlike a lot of other things around us, music is timeless. And these albums are no exception. :)

134- HUMBLENESS IS A VIRTUE NOVEMBER 2011

I am a quote hunter, as everyone who knows me is well aware. I use quotes in my teaching, I post them on my walls at school, and I collect books of quotes almost continuously. Today I chanced upon this one. "Humbleness is a virtue... But self-promotion is what got me my job." (Betty White.) I don't think it takes a genius to understand what she is talking about. GOOD GUYS FINISH LAST. POLITENESS WILL ALWAYS COME IN SECOND TO AGGRESSIVENESS. In other words, there is a time for being humble and a time for being self-promoting. Do you know how difficult this concept is to teach? Most of the successful people in the world obviously are self-promoters, yet the most admired people (Gandhi, Jesus, Martin Luther King) were perceived as being humble (whether or not they actually were.) So, we live in a society of "ME FIRST" that is crying out for people who put OTHERS FIRST, and sadly, they are becoming more and more difficult to find. :( So, is it possible to simultaneously be BOTH humble and self-promoting? I believe it is. Always put your best effort forward. Strive to win. But remember that no matter how big we think we are, we all feel pain and joy, we all get sick and ultimately we all die. Anyone who truly believes they are better than someone else, in my opinion, is DELUSIONAL! So, I agree with Betty White. "Humbleness is a virtue... But self-promotion is what got me my job." She gets it. In this world, YOU NEED TO BE BOTH!

133- FIRST POST OF NOVEMBER NOVEMBER 2011

Ya know? It is already November 7th, and I just thought it was about time I posted something! There is really a lot to talk about. The Choir kids presented Hannah and Drew a check for $1500. dollars tonight which they had collected as a wedding gift. That was awesome! They will be married on 11-11-11. :) Alex has been teaching his Theory classes as school, and I am already beginning to see the difference in some of our students! The kids voted to go to NYC again this year instead of Orlando after a very HEATED discussion. I spent a day at Disneyland evaluating choral groups who had applied to perform. DIMENSIONS III: The Cloud Monsters completed its third weekend of sales and continues to sell well. Margaret is having a good year at El Dorado High School (knock on wood.) Doug will be directing The Wiz for Stagelight. Alex will play Snow White's Prince in the Disneyland Christmas Parade beginning on November 15th as well as working hard in his 3rd year of college at Chapman University. And I am sure there is a lot more, but wasn't that a good start? Sort of sounds like a Christmas Letter, doesn't it? In any case, you can see how things are going around here. They are going very well, thank you! I am a little disappointed that my rock and roll album from 1967-1971, NEARLY GREATEST HITS VOLUME 1 by PENGELUM has not sold better. But, I suppose not everyone is interested in 40 something year old songs by a couple of kids from Glendora who are now in their fifties. Or am I wrong? If you are interested in becoming a fan, the album is still available on Amazon ($8.99) and itunes ($9.99.) That's about it. Have a great month until we speak again before Thanksgiving. I know I'll have something more to say by then. :)

132- THE BEST YET! OCTOBER 2011

Well, as we approach the end of October, 2011, and I discover that this is only my second post of the month, it must be obvious that like you, I have been very busy. :) That's right, I spent September and October doing the final edits and proofreading for my third novel, DIMENSIONS III: The Cloud Monsters. Now, let me tell you something that I have not been keeping to myself very well. I believe this is far and away my best DIMENSIONS novel yet. In the first place, this is a story I began writing for my son ten years ago, so it has a lot of sentimental value. But putting that aside, I believe that through the benefit of 2 prior novels, in this one, I have learned to write better. :) The story is more concise, there is a target audience, and the action begins immediately. These three variables were not nearly as well constructed in the first two novels, although I, of course, loved both of those stories too. I just believe that TECHNICALLY, this book is the best yet. I also think the story is perfect, written exactly as I wanted it to come out. So, if you don't enjoy reading this book, it will not be because it was poorly written. It will most likely be because you have something wrong with you. :) Just kidding. Not really. :) Have a great Halloween! :)

131- WHO ARE YOU? OCTOBER 2011

The old WHO tune really asks the question of our lives, doesn't it? Who are we? I know where we can begin to find out... What have we accomplished? Who have we been in the past? What were our dreams as far back as we can remember? You know? Who WERE you? Not that the answer to this question will necessarily shed any light on who we are now, but at least it makes a good starting point. Speaking for myself, I have always been a positive thinking imagination with a couple of legs and arms attached. I am only rooted in practicalness because I was poor as a child, and did not want to repeat that experience as an adult... which has made me somewhat frugal. :) I am at my best when I am creating something... even a blog. :)

How about you? I believe sometimes it is important to step back from who we have become, and trace our steps back... way back to when we were still broadly wondering about our futures? It is there we will probably get a true hint of who we thought we wanted to be. Not necessarily who we are now... but at least who we thought we wanted to be. Recently our Choir program hosted a parent performing group called PIZAZZ. Oh, it was supposed to be an ALUMNI/ PARENT performing group, but in the end, only 3 alumni students showed up... and they were all from my old school... DIAMOND BAR. Not a single Brea Choir Alum showed up to participate, but almost 40 current Choir Parents did. And what they created was magic. Four rehearsals to learn three songs, two with choreography. The Fall Magic concerts came and went, and they became a huge topic of conversation. These parents committed to something DIFFERENT for them. Something outside of their comfort zones... and came through with flying colors. Their courage, enthusiasm... and yes, even TALENT really showed through not only at those concerts, but at the rehearsals as well. A number of parents (mostly Dads) from PIZAZZ came up to thank me over the next week or so for creating such a vehicle for them to perform in. Curious? In the short time that these parents were a part of PIZAZZ, something opened up in many of them. It was a love for performing on stage! So, is that who they really are? For some of them, yes! For others, perhaps this experience simply opened up a part of them that had not been opened for years... or perhaps EVER? Having performed on that stage, they now knew what it FELT like. But is this who they are? :)

I grew up during a generation where EVERYONE was supposed to go to college, graduate and automatically find a good job, get married, have kids... and live happily every after. For some of us, this probably actually happened. But for others in my generation... a lot of my friends, in fact. Life was not quite so easy as that. Today, the school system pushes the same dream, but as the cutbacks and sour economy worsen, the DREAM can be seen for exactly what it is. A dream. Now don't get me wrong. I think college is a great thing, education is a great thing. But it does not guarantee a job, or happiness. In most cases it merely guarantees student loans. What each child makes of him or herself is not shaped in college. It is shaped in THEM! Remember that the creators of Apple Computer and facebook never even graduated from college? Albert Einstein, Tom Cruise and Johnny Depp never even finished high school? For a zillion other less famous people, what they ended up doing with their lives was out of need or opportunity, NOT out of choice.

So, WHO ARE YOU? I believe we continue evolving every minute of every day, perhaps who we were last year has changed. Some may be sad for us, as if that is a bad thing. But what if it is truly not? Remember, after a large rain, it is the moving water that has a much better chance of reaching the ocean and surviving than a pool of stagnant water sitting somewhere to be taken over by the moss and the mosquitos until it ultimately disappears into the ground or the sky. Moving is mostly good. It doesn't always feel good, is often stressful, and can even feel risky at times. But, if you believe in your heart, and the spiritual love that fills it? Trust me. You will be okay. Now go find yourself. :)

130- WHY DON'T YOU WRITE A BOOK? SEPTEMBER 2011

I just received my copy of LEARNING THAT LASTS A LIFETIME, written by a very successful former Choir Director and his wife/ Choreographer, Ron and Reina Bolles. Their book features testaments from over 100 former students and parents who shared how being in Choir at Bonita Vista High School has changed their lives. The Bolles' intention is to let people know how important all of the arts are in school, so the districts will stop cutting them as if they are optional. I find their book to be very inspiring, and I would highly recommend it to everyone. Now, the big question of the day...... I wrote a book, Ron and Reina wrote a book, and now it is YOUR TURN! Not really. You don't really have to write a book if you don't want to. :) But, have you considered doing something special, that you have not yet made time for, that you are really excited about, and seeing it through to the end? Publishing a book is such an experience. Recording music and featuring it on itunes is such an experience. Inventing something new and seeing it sold in a store is such an experience. Building furniture, art pieces or mailboxes and showcasing them is such an experience. Making Memory Books with pictures and art and sharing them with everyone is such an experience. The list goes on and on. If you have not considered this already, I would highly encourage you to. I have taught Choir for 35 years. I remember the kids, I remember the music and dance, I remember the laughs. But I couldn't tell you from one year to the next how those Choirs placed in competition. Most did pretty well, but even the weaker Choirs had wonderful kids in them... and that is what I remember most about my years of teaching. My hobbies of writing music and books are also memorable to me, because I took the time to do it, when I probably didn't logically always have that time to give, and yet, for my efforts, I was able to accomplish something new that was not there before (art). I believe there are two distinct parts to each of our lives. The things we have to do, and are expected to do... and then the things we don't have to do, but want to do. It's nice when we can do both. Have a wonderful and creative life!

129- GOODBYE, UNCLE ROY... SEPTEMBER 2011

My Uncle Roy E. Elbel passed away today on September 10th, 2011. He was 94 years old. Uncle Roy was in an assisted living community for the past seven years or so, but he died peacefully in his sleep, and the last meal he had was ice cream (by request.) :) To be honest with you, I have not seen my Uncle in many years although we have written letters and occasionally spoken together on the phone. But that doesn't mean that his memory is not firmly entrenched in my mind, or that I don't thank him everyday for the love he shared with my family. You see, Uncle Roy is the man who made my childhood and the childhoods of my nine brothers and sisters okay at a very difficult time in our lives. When my parents brought us to Glendora in a trailer in 1960, and our family began to expand, knowing that they did no have any money to get a bigger trailer to house all four of the kids, it was Uncle Roy who stepped up and bought us a house, which my mother still lives in today. Eventually all ten kids were raised there. When we had no money for school clothes, it was once again, Uncle Roy who stepped up by sending my mother a check to buy them for us. He financed my first car for me, he loaned me money for the down payment on Margaret and my first house, and when I was a child, he came out every summer to play baseball with us and to fix up the house (which always had problems with 10 energetic kids running around.) :) It just seemed that Uncle Roy would not allow us to suffer. He never married or had a family of his own, but I must say that I always viewed him as my second father, and I loved him in the same way. When my brother Jon called tonight and gave me the sad news of his passing, I must admit... I cried. I still don't feel right. I wish that I had told him how much I appreciated his heart and kindness, and I can only hope that he already knew. One other thing, in 1963 James Bond's FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE came out and the James Bond Attache Case was the hottest selling toy around. It cost $20. then, which was a lot. My Uncle asked what I wanted for Christmas, and I told him that I knew this cost too much, but I really wanted one of those... He bought it for me. Although that case is long gone, I purchased one on ebay for several hundred dollars a couple of years ago, because it had meant so much to me. Just as Uncle Roy has meant so much to me. To everyone who has lost a loved one, you know exactly what I am talking about. I have written this post because I want everyone to know what a wonderful person, Uncle Roy was. May he rest in peace. :)

128- STAND UP FOR YOUR BELIEFS! SEPTEMBER 2011

I think the biggest misconception going around is that people fit neatly into categories such as DEMOCRATS and REPUBLICANS, or CHRISTIANS and NON-CHRISTIANS, or EDUCATED and NON-EDUCATED, or LIBERAL and CONSERVATIVE. The truth is... These categories make all kinds of obscure polls possible for brainwashing people into believing that it is US against THEM. But, there is nothing farther from the truth. You know as well as I do that each of us possesses a unique set of values, beliefs and hopes. These only fit neatly into a politically-made category if we choose to let them. Nothing in the "Human Handbook" states that we must behave and believe exactly as our current government or other "boss" tells us, does it? We all need to be good people and follow the laws, but beyond that... Your mind is free to wander in any direction you choose to take it. It's okay to like some things about each political party and dislike other parts of each. It's okay to question authority if you believe you have a good basis to do so. Otherwise, we spend our lives living in fear and complacency, always waiting to be told what to do next, and fearing we will be called out for doing something wrong. The founding fathers of this great country started it all with a REVOLUTION of their own! The journey of this great country has included unsuccessfully attempting to ban alcohol, getting involved in a myriad of wars, fighting a CIVIL WAR, and constantly debating such hot topics as illegal immigration, abortion, civil rights and public education. Do you ever get the feeling that the brightest and most caring hearts in America are NOT necessarily the ones making all of these decisions for us? Do you often feel as if your voice is not even being heard? Join the crowd. But the only way to get our country back is to STAND UP FOR OUR BELIEFS whatever they are! Stand up, be heard, and be proud of what you believe even if everyone else does not agree with you. The big question of the day is which is more important? To fit in with the perceived majority or to stand up for what you believe? As we approach the next Presidential election, the choice will be up to you. :)

127- WHAT ARE OUR LIVES REALLY ABOUT? SEPTEMBER 2011

You have probably heard this phrase a million times from people, "As I get older..." But you know what? It's so true. As I get older I do truly understand what our lives are really about........I think? When I was a kid all I wanted to do was to fit in. When I didn't, I turned to acting, singing and writing songs. And because I did that, I began to fit in.....as myself. :) After I graduated from college, all I wanted to do was find a job, buy a house, get married and have a child. And I did all that. And after I did, I realized that each of those gigantic events are really only PART of what our lives are all about. A starting point really. Once I began teaching all I wanted to do was be the best Show Choir in the Universe. I did that...........with the help of my family, close friends and wonderful students.......a number of times. But even here, what I discovered was that over time the successes and failures of the show choir competitions all faded together into oblivion. What I really remember are the kids, the staff, the families and how very much they all cared about what we were trying to do together. Now, as I approach the end of my teaching career in another five or six years, all 35 Choir seasons hit me in the face at the same time. I realize that many of my Choir Kids have grown up to have kids (even grandkids) of their own, and are traveling their own journeys in life. My current Choir Kids are a wonderful crop, and I want more than anything for them to realize that most things in life will pass......except for true friendships. At the end of the day, I count myself lucky to have had so many friends and students (sometimes both) in my life. How can it be any clearer? Our lives are really about how we love and support each other, no? All of this as we create each of our winding journeys through life. The wins and losses will always be there along with the heartbreaks and the joys. And through it all......we turn to each other. Cherish your friends and families. You will be glad you did. :)

126- SCHOOL IS JUST A WEEK AWAY AUGUST 2011

Okay, I suppose summer is finally coming to an end, and many of us will now need to switch gears as the exciting new school year once again comes around. Am I excited about it? Yes! Why? Because right now a small number of very talented and sweet kids in Choir are quitting. Why does that make me happy? Because they were smart enough to realize that something other than Choir was their top priority, and we didn't need to find that out a slew of class lectures later. I of course wish them all well, and should they decide to return to Choir at a later time, I will be more than happy to place them back into one of our illustrious groups. I am an educator, and I understand that in this day and age with so many choices, sometimes our kids need to try other things. Choir is not as much of a shoe-in for some kids the way it used to be. So, I am happy that this drama is getting taken care of before the school year begins. And to all of these former Choir members I say, "Thank you for doing the right thing for you and for the Choirs. And the best of luck to you!" As for the remaining Choir members (and this year I believe we will have about 130 at the high school and 60 at the Junior High) I say, "Let's get to work and have the best year we have ever had!" Yep. I am truly excited about the upcoming Choir year at both of my schools!

I am also excited about my new book, DIMENSIONS III: The Cloud Monsters. The final edits were submitted to the publisher yesterday, and we are probably looking at a late November publishing date. I loved all three of the DIMENSIONS novels I have written so far, because they were all labors of love. But this one, perhaps the most. I began writing this novel for my son, Alex when he was nine years old. Every year I wrote a little more, but it was not until this year, especially this summer that I was finally able to put it all together, complete the story, and edit it 14 times! It is so much fun, but it is also scary, funny, exciting, thought provoking and surprising. I will not write the fourth book for a couple of years at least in order to focus on some other projects I have been working on. So, for the time being this one will be it. It will be available in hard cover, paperback, Nook, Kindle, the works! Without a doubt, this is the best writing I have ever done! I can't wait to share it with everyone. I hope my DIMENSIONS fans are as excited about reading it as I have been writing it.

I was thinking about life the other day, and came up with the following thought. We are all here on Earth as individuals. Yet when we work together we can accomplish so much more. I look at my life and everything of value in it has always involved other people. Teachers, family, friends, employers, complete strangers, you name it, have all contributed to make my life just a little bit better. Each and every one of my friends on facebook is either contributing to my life now, or has in the past. I want to thank you for still being around to talk to. You may not remember what you did to make my life better... but I do. :) Please don't hesitate to ask me for help if you need it. I will be there for you, I promise. Just ask. Well, here we go again. Let's have a great school year, and I hope to see all of you at my book signings in December and January! Love, Dave

125- FIRST POST OF AUGUST AUGUST 2011

I can hardly believe that this is my first post of August! And here it is already August 16th? Well, I must admit that I have been away from my website for most of this past summer. I was teaching, and then Borders went bankrupt, and then I finished my 3rd novel and then it was already time to get ready for the new school year. So, the question is, what will I talk about today? Self Discovery. Inspiration. Deeper Understanding. These will be my mid-August topics. To begin with, I have learned a lot this summer. My son, Alex will begin his 3rd year of college in a couple of weeks, and I have watched him mature a great deal this summer between his work at Disneyland and at our BOHS summer program. Alex wants to help and entertain people. That has been his motive behind working so hard as both a performer and then as a drama director this summer. I am very proud of him. Although I have always worked hard, sometimes I think I forget that there is a very good reason why I do... and it ain't the money. People. Helping people. Doing our best is inspiring. Watching the kids in Peter Pan this summer was also inspiring for me. All of that work a zillion times during the summer, and every show was equally fun! And watching old movies was awesome! Sometimes when you come back to a movie years later, it becomes fresh again, and the original message is moving again. I also discovered as I reviewed this past year that I expect TOO MUCH from the people around me. I EXPECT them to care about things as much as I do, and in most cases they just don't. They have their own agendas to think about. This self-discovery should help me in dealing with my Choirs when it often seems some kids just don't care, when in actuality they simply don't care AS MUCH. I can live with that. There is no reason to beat yourself up over the fact that people are independent creatures and cannot be made to care about something no matter how much you want them to. I think I have experienced the same frustration with my books too. Sometimes I have wondered if anyone has actually read them? And then I discover that I must be patient. That is another self-discovery I made. Not much value in getting anxious over something that hasn't even happened yet? And that is just about it. So, as we approach this next school year, I am happy, I am excited and I wish everyone well out there as you approach your own challenges. When it comes right down to it, I think it's important to understand ourselves, but it is unfair to expect anyone else to think exactly the same way. Lesson learned. :)

124- FINAL POST OF JULY JULY 2011

So, here it is July 31st at 11:07 PM and I am writing my final comments for the month. This has been a very active month for summer. Let's see? Summer Magic (summer program concert) took place a couple of weeks ago and was awesome. A lot of my students who are taking an online leadership class with me just finished participating in an online book discussion and did very well. And of course the sad news, Borders is closing. On top of that, my son, Alex has been performing both at Disneyland in the summer parade and in the community theatre production of Peter Pan as Captain Hook and just loving it. I have completed the manuscript for DIMENSIONS III: The Cloud Monsters and am currently editing it for release probably in October. And everyone in our family has been healthy. :) No big political topic to discuss today. I am looking ahead to school beginning in September and will shortly begin arranging much of the music. I think we will have another terrific year! So how are things going for you? Hopefully well? I only hope that your July 31st, 2011 is going along as well as mine is. Take care and I will talk to you in August. :)

123- BORDERS GOING AWAY? JULY 2011

Although it is not completely official yet, word is that the entire remaining 400 Borders Music stores will be sold to a liquidator and dismantled forever. Borders has asked the bankruptcy court to allow this to happen. Tonight the GM from Brea Borders emailed me and asked me to spread the word that people could support Borders on facebook in hopes of getting someone to change their mind about this. I went on the site and posted as did a number of my students and friends. Will it be enough? I hope it is the beginning of a groundswell that needs to happen immediately if Borders is to have any chance at all of surviving. But if the closing of the stores actually happens which is more likely, then I am here to tell everyone how deeply saddened this makes me feel. I know there are those out there who insist that downloading of music, books and movies is simply the way of now and the future. And I will not argue with them. My sadness is for yet another wonderful part of our lives, browsing through a music/movie/book store being unceremoniously taken away as one more victim of the computer/ internet age. Anyone who has paid attention to this ominous pattern that has been going on for the past decade or so will remember that we used to have music and video stores in the mall and at 3 or 4 other locations in town. We used to have toy stores around town and in the malls. We used to have book stores in the malls and in town in at least 3 or 4 locations. We used to have stores where people could come to browse and think. But no more. In this age of big super stores and online purchasing and downloading we have regressed to the point of very few options. And look at how the "people" are taken out of the options we do have? Internet? By ourselves. Big super stores? Do it yourself, get what you want and get out of there. Yes, Borders is yet another victim of this sad, sad society we have all created for our children with a lack of humanity being replaced with what is convenient and what is cheaper to buy. How much farther can this go? It can go a lot farther! Keep your eyes on the schools over the next decade and just watch how the government will learn to spend less through more at home and online classes. Watch Barnes and Noble. Do they have a chance of surviving? And if Amazon becomes the only game in town, will they truly stay inexpensive with no competition to worry about? This is our world, folks. Either fight for your children or simply stand back and just let it happen.

122- DIMENSIONS III: The Cloud Monsters JULY 2011

No, this is not the cover for this exciting third installment of the DIMENSIONS novel series. But I did like the contrasting clouds in this picture, so I thought I would use it to introduce The Cloud Monsters. I was given the advice by a number of people that I should not use this title for the book because it would not attract people's attention. Let me just say in my defense, I believe that the story will attract a lot of people's attention regardless of the title or the cover, it is that good. I began writing it in 2002, when my son, Alex was 9 years old. Using him as an inspiration, I made the hero 12 years old in order to approach the dimensions idea from the angle of a child. There are adults in this book too, but the story between Alex Poe and Annabel Lee (both 12) is certainly the biggest focus. The cloud monsters are people who used to live on the Earth, have not died, but mysteriously find themselves living in the clouds with a number of very cool talents, but no body when they return to Earth. In this story, a very famous author and poet from the 19th century is now a cloud monster with an ominous plan to return to Earth in a body. There are ways to do it, and 12 year old Alex Poe is his main target. Annabel Lee is also a cloud monster, and to complicate matters, she and Alex meet in his dreams and become very good friends. There is lots more to the story, and one mystery after another to solve before we finally reach the satisfying although perhaps unexpected conclusion. This novel is suitable for preteens through adult. The language is much tamer than in the first two DIMENSIONS novels, and the story is extremely kid friendly. Keep watching for the publishing date and the book signings. We are still at least three months away, but I wanted to give everyone a heads up. This book is not to be missed!

121- SO, HOW IS YOUR SUMMER GOING? JULY 2011

As we enter the first full month of the summer break (for teachers and students anyway) I feel compelled to ask you all, "So, how is your summer going?" I believe that for me most of my year is spent looking forward to Christmas (December) and Summer (June) neatly spaced about six months apart. But then when you get there...What? Well, I am a firm believer that if you are a saver and a planner you could have a pretty swell time. If you are simply unemployed and low on cash however, well it can become a long wait until your next pay check (for a teacher.) In the old days (before our current Depression) money seemed to stretch further because things didn't cost so much. Now, even when we cut back, buy at Costco, and forego a vacation, summer can still feel very tight financially to us. How about you? So, here is my thought. SO WHAT! Yep, those are my incredible two words of wisdom. No one knows how long or short their lives will be and I sure as heck am not going to gauge everything I do in terms of the money I have or don't have. What does this mean exactly? To be honest, I'm not really sure. But I want to go on record as saying that I will enjoy this summer, my family will take some sort of a vacation, and if we incur a little debt along the way...Welcome to my life. :)

120- SOMEONE DIED TODAY... JUNE 2011

Call me sentimental if you want to or call me human, but someone died today who I watched faithfully as a teen and a young adult. His name was Peter Falk. He played the detective Columbo on television for years. So, why does his death affect me as much as it does? Every death affects someone because that person who just died meant something to them. In this case it was the fact that Peter Falk lost an eye at age 3, and people in the "business" told him that he would never work on television or the movies because of it. Well, he did. Peter Falk's character, Columbo was well-loved by a generation of people. I'll bet a lot of the kids today have even seen him on reruns? So, here is to people with disabilities or handicaps or simply a lack of confidence beating the odds through sheer effort and being who they are. Peter Falk left a lasting legacy to everyone who knows his story. Thank you Peter for being so good at what you did, and for not giving up even when no one else seemed to believe in you. I will never forget you. :)

119- NEARLY GREATEST HITS by PENGELUM! JUNE 2011

I believe I met Steve Medley at age ten in 1966. By 1967 we were already trying to create a musical group (like our idols The Monkees and The Beatles) regardless of the fact that neither of us could play guitar, and neither of us had had any vocal training at all. It started with my brother Robert in the mix as THE GO GO GUYS and a song we sang called "But You're Mine." Robert soon quit however because he didn't enjoy the practices very much. Soon I picked up a plastic guitar for $2.00 with a chord book at JJ Newberry's in Glendora and PENGELUM was born. An old friend of my Dad's, Dale Smallin took an interest in us and before long we began writing and rehearsing songs like there was no tomorrow. This led to recording and four years of trying to break into the business with Disneyland, Capital Records and a host of other places. Well, in the end Steve and I were left with memories that most kids can only dream about. We recorded our own music in professional music studios while young teens, and now today that music will be released to the public as we had always hoped......albeit 40 years later. Maybe we were the Justin Biebers of our time, although no one else knew it? In any case, I am very proud of the music we created together and it makes me very happy to know that it is finally being released to the public some 40 years later. Just like Justin Bieber said, Never Say Never! :)

118- ANOTHER YEAR PASSES... JUNE 2011

Another year passes. Well, another SCHOOL YEAR anyway. And what do we all have to show for it? Well, for those kids who have not graduated yet, hopefully they learned just a little bit more, grew a little more mature and do not positively hate going to school yet. For those kids who have graduated high school, hopefully they are excited about college or a life career they will prepare for. For those kids who have graduated college....LORD HELP US! Almost a 10% unemployment rate, everyone is going after the same jobs, and so few of those to begin with. Good luck you college educated young adults. I hope the economy unsours and you find meaningful employment with your new degree. :) But there is more...

Stepping out of education, another school year passing means some long summers with lots of free time for anyone associated with public school. So, what do we do with all of that time? Thinking back to my own childhood, I played a lot during the summers. I also read a lot and took day trips a lot. But what I wish I had done was start and complete a project which I had always wanted to do. This would be my advice to everyone out there who will be the recipient of Summer Vacation. Nowadays, summer is mostly when I write my books, and when I arrange music for the Choirs, because I have unrestricted time then. In earlier years as an adult I would busy myself with part-time jobs and yard work. This is important too, of course, but not nearly as meaningful as starting and completing a special project you have always wanted to do.

This summer I will be working on the third DIMENSIONS book, cleaning out the garage and recording some of my music in a studio. These are three projects I want to do (yes, even cleaning the garage) so I stand a much better chance of completing them. What are you going to do? Travel? That's fun. Play golf? That's fun. Barbeque? That's fun. But what are you going to do out of the ordinary that you have always wanted to do? Think about it. Really. Think about it. A choral director I knew and competed with in the late seventies through the 1980s just died. He was 70 years old. Not old in my book. I wonder if he finished all the special projects he wanted to? This only brings my attention that much closer to the fact that WE CANNOT CONTROL TIME. When our time comes, it comes. So, my friends, get working on those special projects you have always wanted to achieve. Summer seems like a great time to start, doesn't it? Let's compare notes in the Fall and see how we have done. Oh, another goal I have is going to the gym. That one is not special, but important. So, I'll probably do that one too. See you there. :)

117- WELL, I POSTED THE LIST... MAY 2011

It's true. It's completely true. I posted the names for next year's BOHS and BJH Choirs at each respective school today. The reaction? Honestly? I wasn't at school. Back problem. But, I still received emails from a number of parents and students. Some kids were accidentally left off the list so I certainly understood their concern. I set things straight. Some wanted to know why they did not make a particular group. Some did not stop there. They did not seem to believe that it was possible for them to be left off the list. Apparently all 5 adults who put this list together must have missed something? Oh the joy of posting a list. Now that was just the list. What happens when we set people's spots in shows, have elections for officers, cast the Musical and select solos for concerts? Do you see my concern?

So, here is my thought. Why can't everyone just accept what they got and if it wasn't what they had hoped for, then keep on working until they hopefully reach that goal. No freebies here, and I definitely don't play favorites. It was a problem at the end of last year, and I believe we are dealing with it now. It's a difficult disease called "growing up." Everyone is in such a hurry, everyone feels as if their status depends on getting into the right group, and competition is at a fever pitch. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
It's alright, I'm okay now, thank you. Once the year starts up in September most of this will be a thing of the past.....or at least until the next audition takes place for whatever. Why oh why can't we shirk this problem? Oh yeah, now I remember. That's just the way it is. Still, I wish we didn't have to go through this every year and on a tough year four or five times. But, people are the way they are. Some accept their lot in life and continue trying to improve it in a steady but calm way, while others just freak...like the girl in this picture. I guess I have said my piece. Good luck to all of you, and hopefully you will never have to experience the drama that audition lists seem to generate here. It ain't pretty. :)

116- A DOOR CLOSES, A DOOR OPENS MAY 2011

Speaking on behalf of my Choir Kids, here we are the day after our FINAL performance of the year, on Mother's Day, reflecting about the future. The graduating seniors will have a new life to evolve into next year, while the remaining Choir kids, once they have decided whether or not to try Choir for yet another year will have to wait and see where the auditions lead them. Scary stuff .........Or is it? To tell you the truth, I have always been a firm believer in two things: 1. Pursuing our heart's ambitions and 2. Trusting in God. Somehow these two philosophies seem to go hand in hand. Today is Mothers Day. We are all very thankful for the love and care our mothers give us, but it is not until we get older that we truly realize the extent of all the sacrifices and efforts our parents truly exerted on our behalf. Do you remember that time that you wanted something and your parents said, "No," and you became very angry and sad? Looking back, do you now believe that they had your best interests at heart? So, getting back to the Choir kids, my personal belief is that you should take a guiding hand in whatever it is you want to do or achieve from here on out whether you are going to graduate this year, return to Choir or pursue something else, while listening to your parents and loved ones to get their perspectives as well. Take it all in, and then make an educated decision on your behalf. And then trust in God to help you find out whether this choice is right for you. This will involve time and patience, and a whole lot of faith. But, in the end, in your heart, you will know. :)

Choir kids, In regards to WHICH CHOIR YOU WILL BE SELECTED FOR? Please don't stress about it. We are going to approach these auditions with no expectations, no bias and an open mind. Using my advice above, if you truly want to make a particular group, shouldn't you spend a great deal of time preparing for the audition and making yourself stand out from the pack in a good way? Leaving everything to chance is a risky endeavor. And this year NO ONE will be placed on a list for any group until all of the auditions are completed and we have had the opportunity to place them in a direct comparison with everyone else who has auditioned. I believe this is fair. Try not to think of the "status" level of each Choir. Think instead of how your current skills match up with the requirements for each group. No matter what, this year's Choir door is definitely closing. But, next year's door will begin opening tomorrow at the auditions. Consider this. The Choir staff has your best interests at heart, just like your Mother. This does not mean that you will automatically get what you want, but it does mean you will end up in the group we feel best suits you. I hope that is some consolation no matter what happens. We want all of our kids to be happy, to excel and to continue growing in a very positive atmosphere. Remember, just because the door that opened for you is not the one you believe you wanted, you should enter it with an open heart and mind. After all, it was especially chosen for you with your best interests at heart. And so it will always be, during your entire time in Choir. Don't let your ego get in the way as you approach your auditions. Give it your best shot, and no matter where you end up, approach that group with a positive attitude. A positive attitude goes a long way in healing any disappointment you may initially feel. So, are you ready? Start preparing right now! The staff is very excited to see what you have prepared for us! Break a leg! :)

115- NO ONE IS PERFECT MAY 2011

I have been teaching for such a long time now that occasionally I forget that I was ever a child myself. This usually happens when I haven't had enough sleep, and one or more of my students are not being as productive as I would like. I probably have 1000 talks (lectures) to pinpoint each and every pet peeve, and after I am done scolding, everything seems all right again. Well, not to take away anything from my little "talks" but I was a child once, and let me tell you in no specific terms, I WAS NOT PERFECT! I made all kinds of boneheaded mistakes, I was not nearly the team player that I ask these kids to be and just like them I had to deal with issues that kept me from always doing my absolute best sometimes (like sleep deprivation.) Any adults who are reading this post must remember a similar childhood? So, let's just all agree that NO ONE IS PERFECT, and take it from there. I believe that if a person's heart is in the right place we need to cut them a little slack and be supportive as they trudge through their own world of difficulties often brought on by their own mistakes or neglect (like a term paper they begin a couple days before the due date....I did that!) Because after all, we are all human. So, how can we balance this understanding for each student with the drive and reminders it will take to put each individual on the right track to begin with? We care. We talk to each child one on one, we correct them when necessary and we never forget to encourage them as they sometimes painstakingly inch their way through their teen years especially. Laugh and play with them. Everything we say to them does not need to be an evaluation of how we think they are doing, does it? I find that my happiest students seem to be the ones who exercise the most freedom in a creative and constructive way. They are so excited when their performance projects bring massive applause from the audience. And why shouldn't they be? And one happy moment like this only leads to another and another as they become more and more independent, thinking freely for themselves with the support of all of us around them. I was a child once. I simply need to remind myself of that sometimes and then everything comes clear, because after all.......NO ONE IS PERFECT. :)

114- IS IT SELFISHNESS OR DRIVE? APRIL 2011

My mind is in a quandary! Oh what to do? There are two very exciting events happening in my life right now. One that involves the choirs and one that involves my writing. To make a long story short, Masquerade and Spellbound will be traveling to Indianapolis this Friday to compete with the other top show choirs in America for the unofficial title of National Show Choir Champion. Do we have a chance to win? Of course. But the competition is fierce. So, I will go all out, as will the kids and we will just have to place our fate in the hands of the judges. But, truly, I want to win. Is that selfish of me? Or just a good healthy drive? Secondly as I continue my journey as an author, mostly unknown, it came to my attention that DIMENSIONS II: The Plethora has unexpectedly reached #3 on the Outskirts/Amazon Science Fiction Sales List. I say, "unexpectedly" because the book has been out for six months now, and I was not aware that the sales were still doing as well as they are. But now I want to be #1! Is that selfish or just a good healthy drive? Well, I am an artist, and a competing artist at that, so I am not all that surprised by my reaction. In any case, sometimes it is difficult to separate the two. And I believe sometimes a little selfishness can be a helpful part of a good healthy drive for success. On behalf of my students, I of course would love to see them win at Indianapolis. But on behalf of the art I have created, I would love to have more people read it! (That's what authors want.) So, there you go. Anyway, in less than a week we will know how the Choir kids did in Indianapolis, and I have all the time in the world to watch the ups and downs of my books on the Sales Charts of Amazon. :) But I still have my goals! And I hope you have yours too? Sometimes placing a time constraint on a goal (reasonable or not) at least increases the importance of it in your own mind. So, next Sunday morning I will check and see if the Brea Choirs did indeed win Indianapolis and if DIMENSIONS II: The Plethora has reached #1. I will be cheering for both things to happen using my good healthy drive, and a little bit of selfishness thrown in to make it interesting. How wonderful it is that God has given us the wonderful ability to entertain ourselves, don't you think? :)

113- SARAH BAKED ME A CAKE APRIL 2011

This has been a tough couple of weeks for me at school. Money issues as we try hard to raise the necessary money for our two trips to Indianapolis and New York City. I think I finally reached my breaking point earlier in the week when I told the kids that I felt like I was alone on an island surrounded by sharks as I struggled to do what needed to be done, but without any help! I think you could pretty much say that was the low point of my year. ;( Well, yesterday I began to rebuild, as did the group. And today, Sarah, one of my students, brought me a cake she had baked, telling me that she sensed I felt a little unappreciated. Funny how a little caring about you can go such a long way. Sarah baked me a cake and it not only made my day, but put my year back on track......And it tasted really good too! :) So, when someone you know acts like they are nearing the end of their rope..........Do like Sarah.......Bake them a cake. :)

112- REFLECTIONS APRIL 2011

Do you ever stop running for just a moment and find yourself reflecting instead? I mean taking everything in your life into account and measuring your current and potential happiness? I usually do this during Christmas and summer vacations when I have the least responsibility attached to my soul. But today, I thought I would break from precedent and do it again. In the first place, I am a happy man, and a very lucky one at that. I love my family, friends, students and associates, and have always felt as though a higher power was looking out for me. Well, my family does that too. :) So, I really have nothing of substance to complain about. And yet, I ask myself, "What do you want to be when you finally grow up?" I have been asking myself this question for as long as I can remember. How about you? And it's not as if I feel like a failure for what I eventually did become, but rather I suppose I feel a bit disappointed that I never put myself in the position to achieve certain experiences. This is my feeling sometimes, yet, I believe in some ways I have achieved my other goals.
1. I used to think I wanted to be a professional performer. Well, I performed in Community Theatre until I was 30, and I performed in Bars and Restaurants with my guitar until I was 34. When I stopped, I was good and ready to. It was my choice.
2. I always wanted to work at Disneyland, and at one point even considered giving up teaching to do it. Well, I did work in Guest Talent from 1995 until 2001 and had all kinds of wonderful performance related experiences while meeting a myriad of like-minded artists along the way. But I chose to quit in order to dedicate more time to my teaching.
3. I love to arrange music. I used to think that I wanted to do that as a career instead of teaching, and I in fact started my own company, DAMAR (Dave & Margaret) MUSIC from 1986-1991. In this time I composed, arranged and recorded over 30 songs. I submitted them to publishers, got some nibbles, sold a couple, and received over 50 rejection letters. So, after a while I folded up the company and decided to use my arrangements for my own choirs, which I have continued to do. Maybe I didn't become that big time arranger, but it sure was fun recording all of those songs, and I love sharing these songs with my own choirs. I have never regretted the time, effort or money that this failed business accounted for.
4. I felt inspired to write a book in 1986. It was called MIND OVER MIND. It was not much more than 100 pages long. I hired a literary agent and proceeded to try to market it. two years later, the son of my agent sent me a letter letting me know that my agent had died. I never looked for another agent. I decided that I was not meant to be a writer. And then in the summer of 2008 I revisited my old book, inspiration grabbed me by the brain and it turned into DIMENSIONS: The Wheat Field which I had published the next summer. DIMENSIONS II: The Plethora followed in 2010. So, as you see, I have become a published author, just not when I expected to be. :)
5. And of course Choir. Show Choir was my passion from the moment I began teaching following a stint of student teaching with Tom Kessler, the most successful show choir director of his day. However, it took me all of 5 years of teaching before any of my groups so much as placed. The answer was Doug Kuhl. When we worked together, the magic began. And then I began to write my own arrangements, he did his unique brand of choreography and the rest is history as we have ridden the crest of show choir for most of 30 years. But it was not easy. And I had to fail and get help before I was able to initially succeed. Did I learn a great life lesson? You bet!

So in closing, let me just say that as I revisit my professional life although I may not have always met with the success I hoped for, I did achieve some measure of the experience at least. And I am very thankful for that. But most importantly. Marrying my wife, Margaret was the single best thing I ever did. And being the father to Alex has provided so much joy to me, I cannot begin to express. I believe that in the end it is not what you did, but who was around you when you did it. And who is around you right now. :) I am thankful for all of my experiences and memories but they are all completely trumped by the single most important part of life that I am able to enjoy every day both at home and school.....LOVE. May you enjoy the same! Dave Willert

111- TRUE FRIENDS APRIL 2011

Relax. :) This is not going to be a make anyone feel guilty tirade. Well, except maybe for me. :) I have been off school for a week, and although I have not really done a thing to brag about (submitted my grades, did the bills, started to exercise again, did the laundry, got our taxes done, adjudicated a choral festival and relaxed), it has been a great time for reflection. Sometimes life gets so busy and so intense that I don't think we can see the forest for the trees (you know, the bigger picture.) Well, this week I began to see things just a little clearer, and it humbled me to realize what wonderful friends I have all around me. When I sent out a message on facebook recently asking for help with Reviews for my two books I really did not get any responses or reviews right away, and truth be told, I began to wonder if I was asking for too much. You know, pushing the envelope. How dare I keep asking everyone for help. But then slowly but surely people began to contact me. Several people purchased my books online, and another submitted a Review to Amazon stating she was only partially done, but how much she enjoyed it, believing I needed the Reviews right now, but not wishing to be dishonest. Wow! And then there are all the parents at school who have stepped up for the choral program raising money, driving trucks across country for us, working events, sewing, the list is endless. Not to mention my wonderful family and close friends. Always there for me, never any doubt. So, I got to thinking, "Am I there for everybody else?" And the answer is a resounding "Yes!" Although people don't seem to ask me for help very much, I don't know why? I feel like more often than not it is me asking for help with my fledgling book career. But just to set the record straight, I will be there for anyone who needs me. You can count on it! If I don't come across as a giver, I am sorry. But if you have a need I can help you with please don't hesitate to ask. It would be highly narcissistic of me to ask for anyone else's help without being more than willing to reciprocate. So, I hope I have set the record straight. I can promise you that if you are one of my facebook friends I will continue to ask for your help from time to time (bombard you with messages.) If you choose to ignore or pass on my requests that is completely your choice, and no ill will here. But each time you choose to help me it warms my heart just a little bit more and reminds me of what wonderful friends I truly have out there even if we have been separated by a few decades or states.....or countries. :) Thank you to all of you, my current and future "true" friends and please allow me to help you as well. That's what true friends do. :)

110- "WHAT IF?" APRIL 2011

Have you ever played "What If?" For those of you who have not, it is a child's game where the first person asks the second person, "What if......" and then the second person has to respond. I don't know where it came from or why, but it certainly forces both sides to keep on their toes and to think. The loser is the first person to say, "I don't know." Or in most cases it ends in a tie and everyone runs to play tetherball. Let me show you how this game works. I will ask you a question, okay? What if you could change your life right now? How would you change it?......... Are you feeling like copping out with an "I don't know," or are you prepared to answer this? The reason I think this is such a great question is because most of us spend the bulk of our time as adults adjusting to our less desirable situations NOT changing them. There are reasons for that of course such as paying the bills, giving stability to the family and avoiding unnecessary risks. But let's say you didn't consider those things. What would you do? Hmm? Interesting isn't it? I know what I would say. As much as I love teaching, I would have tried professional singing, acting, directing and producing a bit first. So, why didn't I? I didn't want to risk losing a steady income. So I guess you can see where my priorities were at the time. Funny how our priorities change over time, isn't it? So, once again, if you could change your life right now, even go back in time, what would you change? No rush. Think about it. There is nothing wrong with admitting that you still have a few dreams unrealized. So, my next question is.....Is it too late? Is it ever too late? More on this topic later. :)

109- BREA CHOIR KIDS ROCK! APRIL 2011

Incredible as it may seem, we are already into April! I apologize for neglecting my updates here over the past few months (this is only my 5th post since January) but anyone who knows the Choir Schedule most assuredly realizes that February and March are simply an endless series of rehearsals and performances for the show choir competitions and the musical. Today (as the set is being dismantled from BEAUTY AND THE BEAST) I am sitting at home with the flu, and I thought this would be a great time to discuss our Choir Kids. I have taught now for 34 years, and I have always loved my Choir Kids no matter what school I taught at. But, this year the kids have been a little different. You see, we enjoyed a long run here at Brea of talented and experienced and driven Choir Kids who always made the year fun, and put together some memorable shows to boot. Well, this has been our REBUILDING YEAR. We don't have many experienced Seniors, and our list of experienced Soloists is even shorter. So, we knew going in that this year would be a little tougher than most. And that has been true. It took a little longer to learn things this year, and we have had to relearn some lessons the prior groups had already mastered. But a funny thing happened during this rebuilding year. These kids rose up and not only accepted the constructive criticism we gave them, but asked for more. Many of the parents who had previously been silent, rose up and earned money for the kids and the program at an unbelievable pace! And it felt as if everyone in the groups actually got along? Or if they didn't, they dealt with it in a very unobtrusive way. Yes, for all of the talk about being a "young" and "rebuilding" bunch of kids, these youngsters have delivered! Let's look at each group separately:

Masquerade- 7 Competitions (6 1sts and 1 close 3rd at FAME)
Spellbound- 4 Competitions (2 1sts and 2 2nds)
Tiffany's- 3 Competitions (1 1st and 2 2nds)
Thunder Cats- 1 Competition (1 1st)
Show Choir Express- 2 Competitions (2 1sts)
Chamber Singers- Awesome!

So, in 17 competitions our Choir Kids from BJH and BOHS have responded with 12 1sts, 4 2nds and 1 3rd place. Not bad for a program that is young and rebuilding. So, now the point of this writing. I learned something this year. Something very important. And although I had learned this same lesson before on occasion, the kids this year sent me a really big reminder. It doesn't initially take experience or well trained talent to win competitions. It takes a group that is willing to work together with a positive attitude, handles constructive criticism, and finds the drive to win. Then (as in this year) the experience and well trained talent will present themselves in time. Congratulations to every member of the United Choirs of Brea. We have done it all this year, as a team, as a family. Now there is only one challenge left. On April 29th Masquerade and Spellbound will be traveling to Indianapolis to compete in the FAME NATIONAL FINALS to select and crown the high school Show Choir Champion of the year! We will be ready.

108- FIRST POST OF MARCH? MARCH 2011

I can scarcely believe that this is my very first post of March...on the 25th? What happened? Busy? Yes. But honestly, I believe that I just didn't have anything worthy to say that I hadn't already posted somewhere else. So, here is my first post of March, and I find after such a long delay (almost a month) I still have very little to say. But what I do have to say is certainly worthwhile. Life is beautiful. A lot of it is anyway. While this whole revolution thing is going on in the middle east this month, all I can think about is how much my young students have grown over this school year. How wonderful my wife is. How excited I am for my son in college. How lucky I am to work where I work with the staff, students and parents to support me in so many ways. And what can I do to further my fledgling career as an author? A lot to think about to be sure. And I suppose that is why I have not posted here for so long. You know, sometimes I feel as if I am actually living a movie that has already been written and produced. It's a happy movie, and I thoroughly enjoy living it. I'm sure everyone does not share my enthusiasm for their lives, but I'll bet a lot of people do. It's nice to enjoy a happy life, isn't it? So, here's to happiness, safety, love and prosperity for everyone! May our lives only get better and better from this point on. Talk to you soon. :)

107- IS SHOW CHOIR DYING? FEBRUARY 2011

At first glance most people would probably say that show choir is still alive and well all around us, but take a closer look. Over the past decade or so a good number of show choir directors have left active show choir programs only to see them weaken and disappear under their replacements. My own former programs at Norco High School and Nogales High School both met that unfortunate fate. West Covina, El Rancho, Colton, and a host of other strong local programs have also disappeared over the years. Still another large group of show choir programs have deteriorated to the point where these groups now only compete in the lower divisions because they know they cannot compete at the higher levels as they once did. Showstoppers, once the premier NATIONAL SHOW CHOIR COMPETITION SERIES has now completely disappeared due to a lack of interest. Locally, most of the stronger groups have banded together to create their own circuit, leaving everyone else out there to fend for themselves. So what does this all mean? It means we are at the dawning of a new era, my friends. Those of us who love show choir, and are willing to work hard enough and raise enough money (even with the new debilitating ACLU ruling) must make every effort to keep it alive by hosting our own events and inviting everyone to participate. FAME has created an exciting series of events to determine the NATIONAL SHOW CHOIR CHAMPION. But this is really designed for the strongest show choirs only. So, where do we all turn? As I suggested...to each other. Show Choir will always have some interest among students and directors, but the competition opportunities are not as healthy as they used to be with a large number of competitions disappearing over the past decade. So, it is time to rebuild. Host and participate. Those are the two things that must happen. for my part, Brea will continue to host the CALIFORNIA CLASSIC. This past year we hosted 27 groups. Next year we will try to increase that. Kids and parents alike love show choir for its art, its excitement and its fun. Together we can keep it alive for the next generation of singers to enjoy. Show Choir is not only for the wealthier schools. It's for everyone!

106- SHOW CHOIR SEASON IS HERE! FEBRUARY 2011

Yes. Show Choir season has marched in with a bang! Masquerade has already won, and Brea Junior's Show Choir Express has already won twice. In fact. So far all we have done is WIN. That always makes for a very positive beginning. But..........This weekend both Tiffany's and Spellbound will compete for the first time this year. Both groups are good, but untested to this point. It should be interesting to see how they do. And then there are the Thundercats. They will have their first rehearsal this Saturday (two months later than the group did last year) and be ready to compete by early April. Their show? Who knows. Who ever knows! But, we expect to have a lot of fun, and sometimes (in this case) that will be enough. Chamber Singers want to have a show too. But what songs? Sorry. Haven't thought that far along yet. We'll see. I will let you know just as soon as we decide. In any case, Show Choir is alive and well at Brea Olinda High School, and win, lose or draw, you can count on the fact that all of the groups will always give their best! That is always a given! :)

105- I'M NUMBER 145! HECK YEAH! FEBRUARY 2011

I must admit that I have been a little disappointed lately. You see, my personality is such that I have grown to expect great things when I put my heart and soul into it. In fact, I have grown to expect those things to happen pretty quickly. Call me arrogant or call me a dreamer or maybe just a little of both......But, that's who I am. Well, at the end of October, my second novel, "DIMENSIONS II: The Plethora" was published. I guess I expected something to happen. But, there were no fireworks and no one was calling me to tell me how much they liked or disliked reading it. Nothing. Two successful book signings later, I still did not have a single REVIEW posted on my website or on Amazon. It was beginning to feel as if everyone had forgotten about the excitement of "The Wheat Field" a year earlier. I have heard of Sophomore Jinx, but aside from the book signings it felt as if I had not written a book at all. I was so excited about the story that I couldn't wait for everyone to read it. And wait I did. Today, February 8th, 2011, Outskirts Press (my publisher) let me know that on their Amazon ranking of books published (6,551 books) my book was currently listed at number 145 in sales. Okay, granted number 145 is not number one, and the Outskirts Press collection of books are not all the books in the world. But consider. Outskirts has published over SIX THOUSAND books, some of them reaching national prominence. At number 145, "DIMENSIONS II: The Plethora" sales currently rank in the top 3% of their entire inventory. I feel much better now. So, someone is buying my book. Now if I can just get them to read it and let me know what they thought of it. No one said that the life of an author was going to be easy. And now I know why. You have to have patience to go along with your faith. Perhaps this is actually a very good learning experience for me?................................ BUT I STILL WANT TO SEE SOME REVIEWS! :)

104- ARE YOU EVER IMPATIENT? JANUARY 2011

As we approach the final day of January, a question arose in my mind, "Am I ever impatient?" The not so subtle answer...YES! I believe I have always been an undiagnosed hyperactive kid...even at my age. :) What that means is...lots of ideas, lots of actions and an expectation for some pretty quick success. To be honest with you, this plan has worked for me more often than not. Call it luck or call it hard work, I don't really care. Either way, life has been good to me. But how about when my goal is not quite so easy to attain? Am I patient? No. I keep approaching the problem as if I will eventually find a solution. I never plan on a long campaign. Again, this method has worked more often than not. So, I have learned something. Most problems do not have an easy fix, but if you approach the problem daily as if there is a ready answer, all of that dedicated and continuous effort often leads to an eventual solution. But is there a time to give up? That is up to you. I have given up a number of times after attempting different challenges and discovering that I really didn't know enough about what I was doing to be successful. In these cases, I immediately realized that I needed to seek help, but I suppose the challenge wasn't important enough to me, so I just quit anyway. Eventual lack of effort? Leads to failure? You bet. So, as I contemplate tonight, I come to the conclusion that it is continued effort, not talent, magic or people you know which eventually leads to success. But talent, magic and knowing the right people can certainly speed the process up. :) Go Lakers!

103- FREEDOM IS THE ANSWER JANUARY 2011

Call me a hippy if you want to. But the problem in the 1770s was that Britain tried to control the American Colonies from afar, and the people finally reached a point where they were not going to put up with it. Even though it meant war, they could not fathom living as slaves any longer. Freedom. The very thing our forefathers fought so hard for in the 1770s is exactly what we must fight for here in 2011. Look around. Everyone is afraid of being sued due to ridiculous court decisions that have turned the terms rational and logical into chaos. Congress or the White House always has a new plan to try to "fix" education or to make all people in our country equal through a redistribution of wealth through costly social plans administered through the government. Tax a lot, spend a lot and then complain loudly that we, the American people need to tighten their belts for the continuing recession. Call me simplistic, but I have the answer to this entire mess. Freedom. The tighter the government tries to limit our thinking, our actions and our voices the more we instinctively want to rebel. That's because America is based on the virtue of free thinking. That's how we are supposed to operate. So, my friends, begin thinking for yourself, and question everything the government tells you. Be a part of your own future. Have a voice. It probably sounds as if we are approaching an election soon and I am going to tell you to go out and vote. Not at all. I want you to wake up and begin to truly live. Not as a person waiting to follow the next instruction of the government. Rather as a free thinker who forgets we have an organized government at all. Follow the laws, pay your taxes, be a good citizen...but THINK. Where do you want this country to go? Do you truly believe that the government has your best interests at heart? Been to the DMV lately? Talked to the IRS? The only way America becomes America again is if we all wake up and retake it. Let your voice be heard. And don't be afraid. America can be great once again, but only if we all raise our voices together. Dave Willert

102- IT JUST DOESN'T MATTER! JANUARY 2011

A famous line from Bill Murray's early 1980's film "Meatballs" was "It just doesn't matter." What he was referring to was that even if his rag tag campers beat the much better trained Camp Mohawk athletes in the competition, the Camp Mohawk kids would still win in life because they had all the money! So in essence, even a victory would not ultimately change their ultimate fate. Therefore, they really had nothing to lose. And of course, they won. What does this have to do with our lives today? Well, maybe I'm just getting old but I feel like the government is becoming bolder and bolder in their transparent effort to control every aspect of our lives. In essence, what we are allowed to say, believe, do, wear, watch, listen to, and spend our money on. I am not alone in this sad assessment. So, although I know that ultimately we "cannot beat city hall" and we "cannot change things overnight," perhaps this is the time to rise up and be counted. I am not pushing any agenda, I am not running for office and I am certainly not in any way unAmerican. As a matter of fact I stand for everything America is supposed to stand for before they got caught up in pleasing all of the exceptions over the majority. I don't mind what anyone else believes but no government of mine should have the power to censure me for being an individual. I would say that the government has been embracing socialistic and bias policies for so long they have forgotten that we are NOT all the same, everyone is NOT guaranteed the same success in life, but in fact America is supposed to be the LAND OF OPPORTUNITY. Not the LAND OF FORCEFULLY MAKING EVERYONE EQUAL REGARDLESS OF THEIR INDIVIDUAL EFFORTS. So, although I am aware that it just doesn't matter what I believe when it comes to the government, and I will probably lose every time. What I believe and what you believe matter to our children and beyond. Will we be the generation that finally succumbs to a socialistic and freedom grabbing government? Or will be speak up? And it doesn't matter what you say, only that you speak your mind. In the past couple of years as an educator, I have watched our schools adopt one ill advised policy after another based on their fear of lawsuits. The liberal judges have not helped. So what are we teaching our children? That everything we believe in can be voided by an opinionated judge or a stacked legislature? That America is fast becoming a Socialistic Republic? I know it just doesn't matter, and as the individual we will probably lose in the beginning. But what about the end? Is freedom worth the fight? Are the futures of our children worth the effort? You know the answer.

101- IS THE WORLD ENDING SOON? JANUARY 2011

I don't know. What do you think? My take on this question has nothing to do whatsoever with the WORLD ending, but rather with MY LIFE ending. Why should anyone be concerned about the end of the world? It may happen, it may not. We cannot control that. But what we can control is what we do on a daily basis. Now I know all of us have heard the constant banter telling us to be the best we can be, all we can be and to do it right now. Believe me, I have several books with those titles! But it is one thing to hear hollow encouragement, and another to actually do something. Yes, I am concerned that MY LIFE may end before I have the opportunity and time to do all of the things that I want to do. Sound familiar? So, I am writing books. I am composing music. I am baking cakes. I am planning a trip to Europe with my family. I am visiting Disneyland a lot. I am reading as much as I can and pushing myself to continue learning something new...every day! Today one of my students taught me that the word, "FRESH" is currently a very in word. I taught them that the word "BITCHIN" is not a bad word, and in fact I even had high school teachers who used it to describe something really cool. We are not talking about complaining here. So, is the world ending soon? They are talking in the news about how thousands of birds and fish are dropping dead across the world. I hear people jump up and and proclaim that must be a sign of the end of the world. They said that about 9/11 too. They said that about World War II. Why hang on that negative thought anyway? Personally, I don't believe the end of the world is near at all. But I do believe that some people don't have enough of a life to talk about anything else but whatever is the hottest new item. Here's a tip. Stop watching television and do something really special today. And tomorrow. And the next day. Think about all the joyful days you could be experiencing if you were not burdened with the media's current question of, "IS THE WORLD ENDING SOON?" So, my friends. What do you say that starting today we begin our own campaign to make the world a better place? Isn't that way more "FRESH" or 'BITCHIN" than worrying about the end of the world? I certainly think so. Our first job should be to make sure we are doing whatever it is we want to be doing with our lives. And from there...everything else will be easy. :)

100- WELCOME TO 2011 JANUARY 2011

It is simply amazing how quickly these past twelve months have flown by. Last January I had just discovered Weebly on the web, and saw in this company an opportunity to create my own website. One year later, I am posting blog number 100 on this page in addition to many other pages which have come and gone over the year. It's been fun. Now, let's talk about 2011. My resolutions. I actually have a very aggressive agenda here.
#1 I want to continue improving as a teacher. More skill, patience and insight.
#2 I want to complete my 3rd DIMENSIONS book, and get the public even more aware of this series. This is a never-ending job.
#3 I want to complete those self-determined "important tasks" I have not completed over the years. What are these tasks? I'm sure they will reveal themselves to me as the year goes along.
#4 I want to be a better husband, father and friend to those around me. So often I become consumed with my own projects and don't put in the same effort to helping others. I especially want to improve in this area. #5 I want to continue to grow as an artist, as a musician and as a writer all the while sharing my work with everyone around me. That's what artists do.

And that just about wraps it up for right now. Have you thought about your resolutions? It's never too late to take another look at your life and assess ways to improve it, and to improve yourself in the process. That's my take on things. Have a great 2011! HAPPY NEW YEAR!

99- DAVE & DOUG ON ITUNES DECEMBER 2010

In this age of technology it has become so much easier for any of us to write and publish and market our art. After investigating itunes, I discovered that for a small fee, I could join the parade and put some of my music online to be enjoyed by the public...If they so choose. To start things off I have put on a couple of older recordings. SWEET JAMIE by DAVE AND DOUG and BEST FOR US by DAVE WILLERT. To find them on itunes you simply type in DAVE & DOUG or DAVE WILLERT. Pretty fun, huh? That's what I thought! So, if you have a chance to check them out on itunes, go for it. I am not trying to get rich here. I just thought it seemed like a fun thing to do. Sometimes we just need to do that, don't you think? Happy New Year!

98- WE NEED EACH OTHER DECEMBER 2010

Hannah has been working on this logo for a while since I asked her to create it several weeks ago. She is so clever and so articulate with everything she does that I have no idea why I am still blown away by her efforts! But I am. Anyway, I was thinking to myself today how I don't have a clue how to manipulate whatever computer program it was that she used to begin designing something like this. And, where did she get the simple but effective idea to use a license plate? I need her to fill this void for the Choirs. There is no doubt about it. I need my family, and my school staff, and my students and my friends to fill yet other voids in my personal and professional lives. Do you feel the same way or are you pretty much self-sufficient? Speaking for myself, surrounding myself with talented and selfless people like Hannah enriches my life no end. I only hope that there is something I am giving back to her and my family and my friends and my students that likewise enriches their lives to some extent. Because isn't that what life is all about? Freely giving of ourselves to others to enrich their lives and freely receiving their best efforts in return? Well, that's my take on it. We need each other. And even if we could survive without the help and support of others, our lives would be no where near as rich or fulfilling. Do you agree? Well, even if you don't, I hope this little blurb has enriched you in some way. And now my friend, it is your turn to share something with me. Face it. We need each other.

97- IT'S CHRISTMAS MORNING DECEMBER 2010

Technically, it is 12:30 AM. Why am I still up, you ask? Well, a little wrapping needs to get finished, and honestly I just wanted to wait up for Christmas Day before I went to bed. I have always loved Christmas. What it stands for, waiting for it, and experiencing it. It's all good. It's all very good. So, here I am very early Christmas morning writing this short little blog to tell you how much I love Christmas. That said, let me wish you and your loved ones a very Merry Christmas, a Wonderful New Year and Peace and Harmony in your futures. In all of our futures. I guess Christmas is the one time of the year when things feel hopeful on this Earth. No amount of screwing things up can take that hope away, and I am so thankful for that. So have yourself a Merry Christmas and with that I am off to bed. Good NIght. I can hardly wait to wake up in the morning. :)

96- THE WORLD OF DIMENSIONS DECEMBER 2010

Yesterday I had an epiphany. Why not separate my DIMENSIONS books from the rest of my life and make two different websites in the process? So I did. Sometimes I get pretty spontaneous. But you know what? It makes sense. Think about it. On the one hand, this "Dave Willert" website pretty much covers my life's interests, careers and philosophies. But my new "DIMENSIONS" website covers my literary career and whatever has led up to it. In essence, the world of DIMENSIONS! It really wasn't a great deal more work to build this additional website when you consider that a simple link ties both websites together so easily. But, to someone who is simply interested in my books, this new website allows them to get right to the point without having to go through everything else. And people who simply want to read about my choirs or other interests don't need to feel as if I am trying to sell them a book every time they visit my website. So there you go. Separate But Equal. In this case it works better. Sometimes separating our lives into components is a very good idea don't you think? Leaving work at work and school at school allowing us to play at home. Have a very Merry Christmas. Don't forget to leave your worries at the door. I am positive that Christmas was meant to be a joyous occasion of rededication and revitalization. I hope you feel that way too. May God Bless you and your family and keep you safe.

95- IS IT WRONG? DECEMBER 2010

First of all, a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful new year to everyone who is reading this blog. I wish that for each of us in our own unique ways. Now I would like to ask you a question, and I hope you will answer it. Is it wrong that I want my book, "DIMENSIONS II: The Plethora" to be selected for Oprah's Book List? Now I am not talking about a wild dream here...I want that book to be selected by Oprah herself! Why? It sounds cool. Is it about selling more books? No. Is it about the notoriety and prestige? No. Then what is it? It is simply having my name and my book associated with Oprah and her continuous quest to help everyone achieve their dreams. Once upon a time Oprah was not rich and famous. Once upon a time, just like me, she was in search of her dream and through perseverance and the power of her own likeability...she achieved it. So, I would like Oprah to select my book please. Why not? This is America and all things are possible, right? They say that fame is not who you are, but who you know. So, I want to know Oprah. Is that so wrong? Oprah and I really have a lot in common when you think about it. So.......why don't you think about it. Come up with anything yet? How about the fact that each of us was born in January of 1954? Isn't that some coincidence? How about the fact that each of us has written a book? How about the fact that each of us has a last name that starts with a "W?" So, it looks like I have credibly defended my case, and it is now obvious why my book, "DIMENSIONS II: The Plethora" should be selected to Oprah's book list. As I said before, I need everyone to begin buying the book, and telling your friends to buy the book, and within a matter of weeks I predict we will sell a million copies. This should impress Oprah enough to put the book on her list. I suppose I could call her and let her know that she will need to make room for it on her list, huh? Anyone have Oprah's number?

94- HOW ABOUT THOSE LAKERS? DECEMBER 2010

I was a Los Angeles Dodgers fan for most of my life. Certainly through the 1990s anyway. I was there for Kirk Gibson's historic homerun in the second game of the World Series in 1988 against Oakland, and I think it made me cry for joy! I actually saw the game on television, but I certainly felt as if I was there. Those Dodgers were actually a mediocre team with a couple of superstars (Kirk Gibson and Orel Hershiser) who put everything together to earn an unlikely win against a far superior team (at least according to the experts at the time.) But I liked the players on that team. They worked together and they cared. It made me care too. Since that time players have come and gone on that Dodgers roster, as have owners, and it has never since felt the same. Coincidentally, the Dodgers have not competed in a World Series since 1988! Prior to that unlikely team, I followed the Steve Garvey, Davey Lopes, Bill Russell & Ron Cey decade. Those guys were great. They finally won a world series in 1981 against the New York Yankees after being beaten by them twice in the 1970s. That was sweet. And win or lose those guys always tried. A game was never truly over in those days until the final out. Prior to that in my early childhood, the Sandy Koufax-Don Drysdale Dodgers were my favorite. I didn't know a lot about the team, and actually didn't ever see that team on television or on the field at Dodger Stadium, but I loved the pitching of Sandy Koufax anyway. I did hear a few games on the radio to tell you the truth. Koufax and Drysdale were arguably the best pitching tandem of the 20th century. But........something happened. The team lost its direction, its personality and its drive. As much as I want to be a Dodgers fan, this current crop of spoiled and immature children is a little difficult to support. So, now I am a Los Angeles Lakers fan (as I have been since college.) Kobe and the gang are awesome, and they always play to win. You know? I think I have just figured something out. I PLAY TO WIN. I NEVER GIVE UP and I like those people around me (even my sports teams) to feel the same way. So, until that day when the Los Angeles Dodgers find themselves once again, I am strictly a Lakers fan. This is a team I can believe in, and a team that never gives up.

93- MERRY CHRISTMAS! I MEAN IT! DECEMBER 2010

Merry Christmas, everyone! Even if you are not Christian, does it really matter? I am wishing you a Merry Christmas and a wonderful new year and ever after. This does not involve religions or cultures or races or genders or species. I am wishing you a Merry Christmas because Christmas time is a time of reflection and giving. And I wish you that! Now let me just add that I think people who spend all of their time complaining about Christmas because they feel their "civil rights" are somehow being harassed when someone mentions the word since they do not believe in it are completely narcissistic. I hear words I don't agree with all the time. Mostly in Rap songs. I also hear doctrine and legislation and court rulings I disagree with. But...that is life. We are free to believe what we want, and allow others that same freedom, at least we were the last time I checked our Constitution. So, MERRY CHRISTMAS to everyone and A HAPPY NEW YEAR! MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY AS WELL! There, now that wasn't so tough was it? I believe the "liberal" court rulings have frightened our schools and government-run organizations into believing that BELIEVING in God or the CHRISTIAN religion and MENTIONING IT IN A GOVERNMENT CONTROLLED PLACE is somehow unconstitutional, due to their misguided and atheistic interpretation of separation of Church and state, even though our children recite the pledge of allegiance containing the words, "Under God," every day at school and our money all says "In God We Trust." Our government is a little confused don't you think? This is why I believe schools and governments sometime overreact to single complaints by taking away the rights of the rest of us. FEAR OF BEING SUED! I don't agree with it, so I post my feelings on this website where Big Brother has absolutely no control over me. And with that I will end my little blog here today by saying, MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY NEW YEAR, AND MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALL! Love, Dave

92- WE ARE ALL ARTISTS, AREN'T WE? DECEMBER 2010

As my first writing for December I would like to share an observation. We are all artists, aren't we? It's a strange thing being in this business of performing arts and artistic creativity. I find myself going to those areas I most enjoy which would include music, show choir, writing, reading and musical theatre. I love to participate in each of these areas through both performance and creating. But, does that make me different from my neighbor who can plan and build an awesome patio cover, put in a perfect sprinkler system or build brick and mortar planters? NO! And not a day goes by where I don't wish that I was a more practical man who could not only do these things, but tell different tools apart, and even change my own oil in my car. And then my wife is brilliant in so many areas including decorating, scrap-booking, making programs for my events, and solving puzzles. Again, I envy those wonderful talents of hers, and I find them to be quite awesome. Then there are people who play the piano well. I don't. I get by...sort of. But true piano players amaze me. Two clefs and hands at the same time. Wow! So, you see, we are each an artist in our own ways. The difference is that I seem to specialize in entertainment areas where I need other people to purchase my products or attend my concerts. This involves more notoriety, and a need for outside support. Many of these other non-performing arts "artists" can create their products for the good of their families and friends and be quite satisfied with that. Again, I envy that. The pressure of enticing people to purchase your book, or your DVD or your CD without a major company marketing you or Justin Bieber singing the theme song for your advertisement jingle is very difficult to say the least. But, as a creator of art, it SHOULD BE ENOUGH just to create it, don't you think? The problem is, that as performing artists, and writers, we need the support of other people to know that what we created was good, especially when we depend upon our art to make a living. This situation is a real contradiction. So we compete, we sell, we share and we give away our "art" in the hope that others will enjoy it, and we will finally feel satisfied. A person who is wonderful in most areas does not require that sort of public support unless they are a politician, of course, which I believe is truly an entertainer anyway. I envy that. Someday I hope to reach that point of nirvana where I, like many of you, can create my art without the need of others around me to like it in order to find my satisfaction. After all, whatever gifts God gave us should be developed and used as we feel enlightened to use them, right? And then all the rest is gravy. Sometimes I believe we may even be a bit ahead of our time, and our art will be appreciated by a future generation, which actually happens quite often. And here's a thought. Maybe if we can somehow find another way to make a living and still find time to enjoy the creation of our art, we could reach a happy medium? So, here is to each and every one of us, artists in our own rights. And here is to us appreciating our gifts, without the need for outside confirmation. And finally, here is to the freeness and the inspiration that will drive each of our individual art forms, if we only allow them to grow on their own! God freely gave us the gifts, so if we freely share them with others...That should be enough. Have a great holiday season!

91- SIMPLIFYING YOUR LIFE NOVEMBER 2010

Have you heard the term, "Simplifying your life," about a zillion times already from someone who claimed to have found the solution from having to live our lives in constant stress and worry? Well, I am here to tell you that I believe that in this complicated day and age, each of us must find that solution for ourselves! The reason no 12-step plan can do this for us, is because the problem does not involve who we were or are, but rather who we are becoming. You seldom fix last month's problem without either finding or developing a new one. For example. Put off that filling, and it turns into an abscess in need of a root canal. Put off fixing that leak on your roof, and you need a new roof. That's why we can't dawdle when it comes to fixing our own situations. For me, and I am only speaking for myself, it is always about evolving rather than completely changing or dropping time and stressful issues in my life. When I spend too much time at work, I sit down and figure out how I can get the same product, without using myself up. It usually involves getting help from my staff, parents and students. So, by spreading out the workload, it works for everyone, and corrects my problem for the foreseeable long-term. When there are people in my life who seem to only bring me stress, and/or anger...I make a point of not seeing them as much. If things improve, we will probably see each other more. But in this way, we will either fix our problems or go our separate ways in a natural and gradual way, rather than the huge and dramatic break-up which often burns a bridge that can never be rebuilt. Alleviating the anger and stress in your life is good, but COMPLETELY eliminating those people who are causing it, might be premature, especially if there is a good reason they have become so angry, which may eventually be revealed. Patience is always a good idea. And finally, figure out what it is you want out of life? Not just how to get through it with a couple bucks in the bank and a place to sleep at night. This one took me longer to figure out in my own life. I discovered that I have a number of interests that each involved a great deal of time, namely being a good husband and a father, teaching, composing and arranging music, writing literature, reading, going to Disneyland, watching live Musicals (especially in NYC) and following the Lakers and Dodgers. At first these interests overwhelmed me. With the time I needed and wanted to spend with my family, and students, I didn't seem to have much time left for my other interests. And then I discovered the answer. We will NEVER have enough time for everything, so we must MAKE time for everything that is important to us. But never run through your activities as if we are a slave to them. THAT IS THE PROBLEM! Once you feel that way, you will simply want to run away from everything, and not enjoy anything. So, I made a point of focussing on one interest at a time and then two and then three. When I reached a point where I was feeling overwhelmed again, I pulled back from one or two of them. In this way, I didn't lose any of my interests, but I did not find them competing for time with each other either. I believe that our lives are set up with us waking up to so many new days for a reason. In this way we can start new every day, and often change our plans from day to day depending on our priorities or the sharpness of our interests. In my opinion, THE BEST WAY TO SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE is to simply take responsibility for it, and control of it. Do what you want to do, and personally choose what you don't have time for. And if you still find yourself overwhelmed, then ask for help. As much as it may feel like it sometimes, you are not in this alone. Hope and help are all around you for the asking. Life is not something to keep to yourself. Share freely, and accept help whenever you need it. As I say, this is simply how I have learned to simplify my own life, and it may not be your cup of tea. But at least this may be a great starting point for you to figure out your own plan. Don't let life control or overwhelm you if you can help it. It's time to think for yourself.

90- WHY ARE PEOPLE SO COMPETITIVE? NOVEMBER 2010

I will be the first to say that I take my show choir competitions very seriously. I also took Alex's baseball games seriously while he played baseball for a zillion years of his childhood. Likewise I am a devout Dodgers and Lakers fan, and take their games very seriously too. But, I have never wished ill on the opposing team, hoped that a RULE would take them down from winning, or done something to hurt them. This is what seems so strange to me? As I observe the various facets of my own life, I realize that there are some people I know who do not appear to see beyond their own lives. They are not bad people or mean people. They just seem to find their little piece of life and stay there. I imagine it must be much easier for them that way. In direct contrast however, there are also those people who try so very hard to control everybody else by pushing their agendas on them, and disregarding what others believe. As if there is only one answer to a question, and that answer is definitely theirs. I will not fall into the trap of becoming political here. I am a strong believer in live and let live, tolerance and freedom and the pursuit of happiness. However, even if I try to live my life through these philosophies, given the others I share this world with, it may mean that every now and then I have to argue, disagree, protest or just say, "No!" Otherwise I am accepting the total control of whichever authority we are speaking about by not speaking up. Will that change anything? It will in how I see myself. So, there you go. Now to the gist of this narrative. Why are people so competitive? I have decided that it may be beneficial in the pursuit of MONEY to compete at every level, attempt to disarm your competition and take advantage of the weak minded. But is that what we are all about? We spend so much time competing in this life, if we are not careful, we may miss the opportunity to actually enjoy it. And then, as the saying goes, you have grown old...And you have wasted your life chasing money and rainbows..Or whatever. Think about it. We compete in school, sports, jobs. Even countries and cities compete in a zillion "who cares" categories that pop up on the internet all the time. Do I care if Brea, California is not ranked number one in cities by...Whomever? No. I love living and teaching in Brea. For me, it is just right. Do I need to fix the show choir circuit with judges I know, and a scoresheet that favors my groups? No. I truly want to find out each time how good or bad we are based on an unbiased and fair scoresheet and judges. This may mean we will lose sometimes? So what. There is always next time. How about college. Does everyone have to attend Harvard or Yale to make anything of themselves? Some people would make you think that. But, no. I attended The University Of Redlands, a choral friend of mine attended Stanford. And guess what. We are both teaching high school. I believe we each got what we needed. What about turning competition around, and working together? I mean really. Would it really be less fun to win, if we couldn't beat someone? That seems to be what I am gleaning. Apparently for a lot of people, it's no fun to win unless someone else loses. Boo to that! The other unhealthy thought is that if we refuse to help others, we will maintain our advantage over them, keeping us superior to them. How about this. Help everyone who needs it, and we will probably get help as well? The whole isolationist thing is pretty lonely and stressful, don't you think? My kids don't need to be better than your kids, and my choir does not need to be the best in the universe. In all cases, we should do the best we can. But you know what? We will be even better with a little help from our friends. :)

89- THE VOTE IS IN FOR "KINDER!" NOVEMBER 2010

I spent the past two days at Disneyland first with my Junior High Choir and second with my High School Choirs to participate in a couple of professional workshops, and then to have the kids bond with each other. Everything worked out famously. And, I learned some things as well. To begin with, did you know that if you sit on the benches of Town Square in Disneyland looking up Main Street at Christmas time you will see a star on the top of the Christmas tree right next to an American flag proudly flying atop the Emporium. Disneyland has it right. Church and state can work harmoniously together. Later in the season Disneyland will host a powerful musical event called "Candlelight" which features hundreds of high school and Disneyland cast singers singing the story of Christmas while a professional celebrity reads the narrative. This tradition has been going on for decades to packed streets every time it is performed. Any problem with Disneyland hosting a religious event? They don't just host it, they created it! Thumbs up to the Disney people for not bowing to liberal and atheist pressure. It appears to me that these naysayers are not complaining about their rights being stomped on, but rather the fact that Christians or other religious groups have any rights at all! This being said, let me tell you about the results of my last poll. The poll asked people what type of world they would like to live in. The choices included 1. Exactly the same as today, 2. A different time period, 3. A less technical world, 4. A kinder world, 5. A more artistic world or 6. A simpler world. RESULT: A full 60% of the poll takers marked "A KINDER WORLD." No other answer came even close with Exactly the same and A less technical world not receiving even one vote. So, it is clear. The people who responded to this poll want to live in a kinder world more than anything. Who can argue with that? Take away the war, the hate, the greed, the lying, the selfishness and the cruelty and you certainly would have a much more enjoyable place to live in. My take on this is that we can do this ourselves if we align ourselves with like-minded people. No group of people will ever agree on everything, but mutual respect would be a start. As our own Congress has digressed to immature name-calling and dirty tricks in order to get elected, it becomes obvious that these congressmen and women are not anything more than mindless soldiers of their own political parties. So we certainly cannot take their example. What about churches? The world's religions? Not much agreement there. In fact some religions actually believe that cold-blooded murder is somehow a good thing if it means getting their own way. But if you look closely at what binds the people together in churches it is not the violence. It is the love. It is the belief in eternal life. It is the hope that we can all turn this selfish and corrupt place called Earth around to the good of all. Who preached this? There have been many. And at this time called Christmas, we honor Jesus Christ. No senators or judges or lawyers are going to tell me how or what I should believe in. This is our right as human beings. As Americans. The rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. And as my poll so clearly spelled out, the right to hope that we may someday develop A KINDER WORLD TO LIVE IN.

88- DIMENSIONS BOOKS TOP CHART NOVEMBER 2010

Okay, now before you get too excited or think I am bragging just a little too much, let me explain. Being an author and using all of the new technology that is at my fingertips, I have been able to study the book industry from top to bottom. To begin with the average book does not sell more than 200 copies in its lifetime. Secondly, over a third of all books today are self-published. Thirdly, many people do not read books, and if they do it is on Kindle or some other ebook format. With all of this in mind, the industry is certainly changing. People don't read, people don't buy books. Sounds kind of depressing for a new author doesn't it? Well, it only encourages me to try harder! "DIMENSIONS: The Wheat Field" didn't break any sales records in its first year, but it did sell enough books to rank #100 on the Outskirts Press all-time list (about ten years) of their Science-Fiction books. They only showed the top 300. This was also good enough to rank NUMBER ONE out of all the different books (133 different titles) sold on Amazon that have been written by someone named Willert. Granted, this is not the same as being Number One on the New York Times Best Seller List, but in this day and age, I'll take it. My second novel, DIMENSIONS II: The Plethora has only just begun selling, but it has just popped up at Number Two (at least for now) on the Amazon list of "Willert" authors today. It had previously been charted at Number 59 and then Number 30, so it made an exciting jump. I want to thank everyone who has purchased and read either of my books. I hope you are enjoying them as much as I enjoyed writing them. Now for one final favor. If you would take the chance by purchasing DIMENSIONS II: The Plethora (assuming you have already read The Wheat Field), I would really appreciate your support. It is my goal to see the sales of this book usurp The Wheat Field. I know you will enjoy this second book, and when you read it you can rest assured that you are reading the NUMBER TWO "Willert" book of all-time on Amazon.com (hopefully.) And if enough of you read it, we will reach Number One. Thanks for your support. Go to Amazon.com yourself and read about the rankings of different types of books. It is actually very interesting. Thanks.

87- PENGELUM LIVES! NOVEMBER 2010

Last Saturday, my close childhood friend and band partner in Pengelum, Steve Medley, dropped by my house at 2:30 PM. By the time Steve and I had stopped talking, and he was off, it was almost 11:00 PM. What a wonderful visit we had! We talked about the old days and the new days. Steve now lives in Missouri on a 24 acre site complete with deer and armadillos and the rest of the wildlife. His nearest neighbor is miles away. We talked about how we saved our old Pengelum recordings this year by transferring the old reel to reel tapes from the late sixties and early seventies into MP3 (see this website's PENGELUM page.) I think it was that operation that really brought us back together. In thinking about it, I don't think we can just choose people to be our friends and then hang out with them. I think something happens that ties you together in the first place. That's why once "friends" lose whatever it was they had in common, they often drift apart. No reason for the friendship anymore. Well, I appreciate Steve, and still consider him to be a good friend, and someone I will always be in contact with. How are your friendships doing? Does facebook help? Or is it merely a reminder that most of your friends of yore have moved on in a different direction? I think I can honestly say YES to both of those. Some of my "close" friends from childhood have truly moved on, and what they remember about our friendship must be a whole lot less exciting than my own memories. I tend to remember the fun and the craziness of childhood. I'm not sure everyone treasures those memories the way that I do. But that's okay. Just knowing that they are doing okay feels good to me. Now, back to Steve. One thing we talked about was how our dreams may have drifted from our original goals. He wanted to be a musician. I wanted to write. But you know what? He makes at least one musical album a year of his original songs at a studio he has built for himself in Missouri, and I just published my second book at the end of last month. So, maybe our dreams did come true. Just not in the same way we thought they would...or in the decade we thought they would! But that's okay. Pengelum Lives! In both of our minds, we could have and probably should have been musical stars back in our childhood. But it was not meant to happen, and we moved on. But with the MP3s of much of our recorded music from back then, now it feels like maybe we did do it. Maybe we actually did become musical stars, and then simply moved on. Why not? LIfe goes on, every day is a new opportunity, and one way or another, if we are tenacious and creative enough, we will reach our dreams! All of us.

86- SOW AND REAP NOVEMBER 2010

Okay, here is my thought for today. Everything we think, do or say is an action that may generate some adverse sort of reaction from somebody who hears or sees us. Even when our actions are meant in jest or sarcasm, they can generate negativity very easily since no one but us really knows what is going on inside our heads. To expound, a funny look at somebody may mean absolutely nothing to you, but to them guilt, anger, unrequited curiosity or even fear may result. In their creative imaginations your little smirk could mean just about anything...including the fact that you have discovered their "little secret!" So, as I ramble, let me attempt to put this little talk into perspective. I believe that rather than spending our lives sending out the wrong signals or apologizing for ourselves all the time, we need to be aware of what we are saying and doing, and the reactions these simple actions cause. Humor is fine as long as everyone knows. Otherwise humor may be misdiagnosed as harassment or bullying. Sarcasm is fine as long as it is perceived in that way. Out and out lies intended to be immediately interpreted as such sometimes hit some people as being the truth. (I have fallen victim to this one.) It doesn't take long for that lie to spread like wild-fire. So, perhaps we should make sure that any playful lies we are telling are unmasked before anyone who was present for it leaves. In essence we will reap the benefits of what we sow in regards to our actions of thought, word or deed. Just simply thinking ahead before we do or say something may save a lot of pain and trouble down the road. Everyone does not share the same sense of humor, the same comfort level of "playful" harassment or the ability to decipher truth from lies when they are presented in the same way. So, let's do ourselves a favor. Sow good healthy humor and reap good healthy and honest friendships. That's my thought for the day. You don't need to agree with me, but if you don't, then YOU ARE A BIG FAT.......just kidding. :)

85- HUMOR! THAT'S WHAT! NOVEMBER 2010

What makes people feel the best? Food? Intimacy? Friendship? Entertainment? Family? Well...Yes. All of these things make people feel better about things...But HUMOR has been proven by study after study to be the best tonic for a hard day or a rough revelation. So, what I am saying is, no matter how tough your day is, if you can find humor in it, and laugh at it (or even at yourself) you are much more likely to feel better than if you had consumed a huge ice-cream sundae, although that does sound pretty good! Think about it. Horrible economy, right? People losing jobs right and left. Many people compare this to the great depression of 1929. Life feels as if it will never be the same, and all we are doing is going down, down, down! But a quick trip to the movies to see a comedy with your favorite actors can cure that in jiffy! Or even watching a funny television sitcom like Three And A Half Men will pretty much do the job. That's why Charlie Sheen makes the big bucks! And speaking of comedy, there are at least eight late night talk shows on the air right now as we speak. All of them have a comedy monologue and viewers who enjoy watching every night. They aren't going out of business? And the price of movie tickets just keeps rising, yet people are more than happy to pay the price if the result is sustained laughter (in the case of a comedy or a light adventure.) I am a teacher by trade. I always tell my students that I am not a REAL teacher, rather I am a show director who happens to work at two public schools. And that is my approach. Every class session is a stage performance for me, and getting the kids to laugh is just as important as getting them to learn. Get it? Feeling good about learning is a sure way to sustain a person's desire to learn. Once learning becomes stressful or a drudgery, forget it. Mind closes and learning is done. So, in this rather stressful day and age with war and crime and repossessions and firings and loss of income and a pretty dark future at this point, there is a glimmer of hope. If we can find a way to smile as we all go through this time together, things are bound to improve eventually. We just need to wait it out, and laugh as much as we can. Life was never meant to be painless. But through that pain if we can only learn to laugh, we can beat it! At least that's what I believe.

84- DO YOU WANNA KNOW HOW IT FEELS? OCTOBER 2010

Okay, I'll tell you. This morning (Saturday, October 30th) I woke up, checked my email (as I usually do) and read that my second book, "DIMENSIONS II: The Plethora" had been published! Although the paperbacks won't be available until November 5th, the book can be purchased in the kindle or ebook forms now. So, I was pretty excited. I sent out a quick note to all of my facebook and email contacts (about 730 destinations) and when I checked back about 12 hours later, two people had sent me responses. Although this email did not require a response, nor did I expect one, these two people sent me messages anyway. The first came from some wonderful friends of mine who do all the video taping for my choirs. Their email simply said, "YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!" It was so cute how they wanted to enhance the joy I already felt after almost a year of working on this book. The second message was from a former student of mine from many, many years ago, perhaps 30. He is now suffering a great deal of physical problems, but he felt the need to let me know that regardless of his physical pains, he would be at my book signing if he could. This man had come to my last one while in considerable pain as well. The message he sent me last year was that he would "Hitch-hike if he had to, but he would be there!" Luckily, his wife drove him. Now, back to how it feels. Okay, the part about publishing the book feels great after 12 months of working on it. I am very happy with the outcome, and excited about other people reading it. But the part about the two messages really moves me. How shallow I would be if all that mattered was selling my book? The people who sent me messages went out of their way to let me know immediately that they supported me, and wanted me to know it. Truth be told, last year, at the first book-signing for "DIMENSIONS: The Wheat Field," you can ask my wife to confirm this, but I was scared to death. Scared to death that no one would come? When I got to Borders, there was already a line half-way across the store. Some 80 people had shown up from all points of my life! The store was unprepared and quickly ran out of books. I was moved beyond comprehension. I almost cried. Not because I was going to sell books, but because so many people had taken the time and effort to support me in this venture. I felt like I was Mr. Holland in "Mr. Holland's Opus," and 30 plus years of teaching immediately came rushing back to me. Each wonderful person who was there made me smile inside. That was one of the happiest days of my life! So, if you wanna know how it feels to publish a book, I am sure every author will give you a different response. But for me, I was humbled by the support and the caring I witnessed at that first book signing. I hope to have the same experience at the second one, but it's not imperative. The bottom line is whoever shows up to that book-signing, and whoever purchases a copy of my book, and reads it, should do that because they want to. No other reason will suffice. In any case, how does it feel to have friends from the past 50 plus years of my life who continue to support me? It feels wonderful! :)

83- IT'S NOT ABOUT THE MONEY! OCTOBER 2010

I was thinking tonight, as I often do when I am sitting alone at my computer working on my books, my school work or my website. It came to me. Although it appears that everything we do is about money, in truth, anything we do of real value IS NOT! Take my job for example...please...(old joke.) What person in their right mind would ever go into teaching for the money? Or just about any other job for that matter? There are very few jobs out there that will make a person wealthy that don't involve knowing the right person, being very very lucky, robbing a bank or being some sort of a genius. Most of us hope to earn enough to get by and if we are lucky we can save a little. Isn't that how it is? So, why do we choose the jobs that we do? Speaking for myself, I love my work. I love music, theatre, performing, kids and working in a professional theatre. Where's the down side? Oh yeah, the money. But, I am definitely not working for the money. I am working for the art! I am working for the joy of watching these kids grow in skill, confidence and joy. At the end of the day I want to be able to sit back and say, "Now that time was well spent!" And I usually do say that. Certainly in the end I do. I get the feeling that most everyone around me feels this way as well. Not that anyone ever says anything, but I can just feel it in the way they so easily volunteer to help. Not for pay or awards...to help for the sake of helping. Doesn't that sound nice? It is. And once again, money is not a player. You must know by now that I have taken up the pen and the typewriter (and the computer) over the past few years to complete one of my life's ambitions which was to write books. Not just any books. Sci Fi, Fantasy, Adventures with a Spiritual twist and a little Romance thrown in. I don't know exactly how to categorize my style, but that is what I want to write about. I love it. I spend hundreds of hours writing each book, editing each book and finally trying to market them. I earn (are you ready for this?) $1.60 from each book that sells (about 10% of the purchase price.) If I have a New York Times Bestseller, then I will do very well, but I am aware that I am an unknown commodity at this time, and therefore I don't expect to sell a million books. I write because I have something to say, and I love the process. I do hope to sell books, not so much for the money, but simply to share what I have written with others. Hopefully, what I have written, in some small way, will be enjoyable or mind-opening to read. That is my intent anyway. The money? I may never recover what it costs to publish my books. So is it worth it? Absolutely. And I only hope that all of you are approaching your passions with the same understanding I am. It is not about the money. It never really is. We are born, we live and we die. What we do during our lives is no more tied to money than our births or our deaths. So, go out there and follow your dreams right now. Just do it. Don't worry about how much money you will make. Be joyful in the knowledge that you are following your heart's desire.

82- GOD AND SCIENCE TOGETHER? OCTOBER 2010

You know, when you write a book, the hardest part of the job is not composing the pages or even the endless chores of editing. It is convincing people to take a chance on it...and to actually read it. I have been very fortunate to sell a sizable number of copies of my first book, "DIMENSIONS: The Wheat Field" to people I know. They are mostly the ones who have also posted wonderful reviews of it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. However, I also sold copies to complete strangers. So, the question is what will entice complete strangers who don't know me from Adam to continue to purchase and read my book? Answer? I wish I knew. In my continued efforts to market this book, and very soon the sequel, "DIMENSIONS II: The Plethora," I have decided to try to use the facebook advertising machine. How it works is the buyer pays a certain amount of money to have the ad they create shown for a short time all over the world of facebook. If people are interested in the ad, they will supposedly click it to get more information. The jury is still out on this method, but I am willing to give it a try considering how expansive facebook is. The first ad I sent out for "DIMENSIONS: The Wheat Field" featured the line, "DEATH HAS NEVER FELT LIKE THIS." I suppose I was looking to spike interest using death as the hook. Well, not too much response from that one. So, I am currently running an ad on facebook that features the line, GOD AND SCIENCE TOGETHER. I thought perhaps the idea of putting these two perceived diametrically opposite concepts together (as I do in the book) might stir some interest. To this point, it has. So, I will let you know how this current advertising campaign fares after a couple more weeks. In the meantime, I keep thinking about that line, GOD AND SCIENCE TOGETHER. Why couldn't they be compatible? If God created everything (including science) then this would be a natural fit, right? That's my take on it, anyway. It's so funny to me how some people feel such a need to discount one in order to believe in the other. I do believe they fit together. Once you read my books (hint hint) you will find out how. Thanks for your support. I will talk about "DIMENSIONS II: The Plethora" in a couple of weeks just as soon as it is published. In the meantime, maybe the idea of GOD AND SCIENCE TOGETHER will give you a little food for thought. Remember, with God everything is possible! :)

81- CHRISTMAS IS ONLY TWO MONTHS AWAY!
OCTOBER 2010

I don't believe there is anything in this world that excites me as much as the coming of Christmas. Somehow Christmas rejuvenates my spirit and enables me to take on life with a new dedication to be true to my beliefs and passions. Seeing as this is a private website, I am under no obligation to speak POLITICALLY CORRECTLY, so let me just say that I LOVE CHRISTMAS! As much as we are encouraged to avoid insulting other religions by saying the much neutered, "Happy Holidays," I say, I LOVE CHRISTMAS! I don't see any reason to lie? So MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYBODY in two months. I certainly respect all people and their right to believe whatever it is they believe, but in turn I wish to have my beliefs respected as well. I LOVE CHRISTMAS! It's not the gifts I receive, it's the shopping. It's not the work it is to decorate, it's how wonderful it looks afterwards. It's how people act nicer to each other. It's how the season is filled with wonderful music. It's how people are laughing and smiling all around you. My favorite story is Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol." Even though Scrooge had become a total loser, God still found the time and inclination to save him. I LOVE CHRISTMAS! Let's be honest here, there are parts of Christmas that have become commercial, but the core of Christmas will always be the same. The time to love and be loved. Now how can you beat that?

80- FAMILY IS FOREVER OCTOBER 2010

A long time ago, I was a kid growing up in Glendora. We were a large family of modest means, and we lived next-door to the Rattrays. They were our best friends throughout Elementary School until they moved to Mission Viejo. It was never the same after that. While we lived next-door to the Rattrays, we played together, had sleepovers, walked to Boch's Toys and the single screen Glendora Theatre together, and in many ways were like one gigantic family (we had ten kids and they had six.) Well, many years and a lot of changes have come and gone. Yet, when I think about it, I still live next door to the Rattrays, we still have toy gunfights together and on Saturdays we are pretty much inseparable. Once I discovered the tracking powers of facebook a couple of years ago, I decided to look my old friends up. I was not disappointed. David and I met for lunch in Los Angeles. Tim and I met for lunch...in New York City. And Lynn Marie and I conversed by email. You know what? It's as if no time has passed at all. When I speak to members of my immediate family, the feeling is the same, of course, but who would know that those special feelings would still exist for the next-door neighbors of my childhood? Family is forever. If the times were good once, they can definitely be again. Just make sure to hold tight to those wonderful memories. They can become a gift that keeps on giving in your life. That is the way true friendship works, you know.

79- WHERE IS MY AUDIENCE? OCTOBER 2010

I remember discussing this very topic once before in relation to why we bother completing creative endeavors. Well, to reiterate, the big question for all of us who create something in hopes of finding people who will like it is, WHERE IS MY AUDIENCE? That's right. I remember asking this very question at peak intervals throughout my life beginning with Dave as a performer, and then Dave as a Choir Director and then Dave as a composer, and then Dave as a musical arranger and now Dave as an author. DO I HAVE AN AUDIENCE? If the tree fell in the forest, but there was no one there to see or hear it, did it actually make a noise as it fell? I like that question because it cannot truly be answered. We will assume the tree made a noise when it fell, and likewise I will assume I have an audience out there too. Although if the audience is quiet, it is sometimes hard to tell. Many artists gain their audiences many years after their deaths. That's when the public finally catches up with their work. Johann Sebastian Bach was not famous in life, but 100 years after his death his piano and vocal works were discovered in the basement of a Church in Germany, and he now stands as one of the greatest composers of the Baroque era along with fellow German GF Handel. Edgar Alan Poe barely made ends meet as an author in his lifetime, yet today he stands as one of the great writers of horror stories and poetry alongside fellow American author Stephen King. So, as someone who has written hundreds of songs or arrangements, and two novels to date, let me tell you where I think my audience is? I believe my audience is potentially everyone out there, but only luck or fate will determine whether or not they are exposed to my work. So, my fame may come now or a hundred years after my death. Or...my audience may be confined to the circle of friends and students and family who have supported me for my entire life. And to be honest, I could do a lot worse. So, while I continue searching for my audience, let me just say, my voice thanks you for reading this!

78- IT'S BAAAAACK! OCTOBER 2010

The second edition of "DIMENSIONS: The Wheat Field" has just been republished. As I announced, we took this book out of circulation for a month or so while the publishers and I corrected the errors that had inadvertently been left in the first edition. Not uncommon for first editions at all. But, I am very glad that these errors have now been corrected. I don't believe the errors were terribly detrimental to the reader's enjoyment of the story, but the reader did have to wade through a couple of misspellings, two instances of the wrong character name being attributed to a line and a few paragraphs that could have used just one more rewrite. So it has all been fixed. Another change (in order to keep the first book consistent with the sequel) was the name of the Dunkirks' home town. In the first edition of The Wheat Field, it was named Linwood, a small suburb of San Diego. In the second edition, like the sequel, the spelling has been changed to Lynwood, in honor of Doug Kuhl's father (Lyn), who has always been an overall great guy. In addition, I embellished a few scenes that needed embellishing, and now I can honestly say that "DIMENSIONS: The Wheat Field" is complete. If you have already purchased a copy of the first edition, with the errors, you should keep it. If this book eventually turns out to be a Best Seller someday, that first edition will certainly be worth something. If not, but you have my autograph on it, then keep it for the memory of my first book signing. I cannot tell you how incredible that experience was for me seeing so many supportive people there from the past four decades of my life! In all, the publishers and I made 80 corrections or rewrites to the first edition of The Wheat Field. Most of these changes were optional rewrites, not error correcting. After reading the new edition, I truly believe that this one is improved enough for you to read it again, especially since it is now better tied to the sequel since I was able to do The Wheat Field rewrite during the same time that I was making the final edits for The Plethora. In any case, I hope you found this update helpful. I see The Wheat Field and The Plethora as one story with two parts. As such, you will be doing yourself a favor by reading the new second edition of The Wheat Field before you read The Plethora. Go for it! Return to The Wheat Field one more time!

77- PASSION OCTOBER 2010

You know what? I believe that others may enforce rules on us as much as they want, but nothing can truly allow us to lose our passion about something unless we decide to give up. I have learned this lesson over and over throughout my life, as I suspect you have too. The questions of what is appropriate and what is not? What is obscene and what is art? What is healthy and what is detrimental? These questions will continue to pop up everyday in our lives as long as someone is passionate about the same thing we are, but perhaps from the opposite side. Never touch religion, politics or race if you want to stay on the politically correct side of things. But you know what? Sometimes I listen to these late night comics talking about the absurdity of recent court decisions and congressional laws which we of course are forced to live with, and I feel jealous. Jealous that I do not have the freedom to complain as they do, being a government employee. Almost like my salary keeps me from always reacting honestly. So, I have this website to share these feelings I can't always share at work. I am passionate about education. I am passionate about our kids learning to think for themselves, and move forward through their fears to accomplish their heart's desires. Both of my books, "DIMENSIONS: The Wheat Field" and "DIMENSIONS II: The Plethora" are really centered with this philosophy. And I believe that this country was founded on such positive thinking. Opportunities for all! No guarantees. Opportunities to work hard and achieve whatever success it is we are seeking. I believe that our children today are confused between what they learn in church and school. Church teaches tolerance. School teaches adhering to the laws no matter how ridiculous they may sound. I was once given 3 hours of detention in high school for kissing my girlfriend goodbye at the door of her classroom. That was the same administrator who threatened to expel me if I did not cut my hair. By the next year, both rules were relaxed and you can bet that my hair grew long, and my kisses goodbye continued. So, what does this mean? That I was wrong to kiss and grow long hair because the rule said so, and suddenly because the rule was relaxed that I was not wrong anymore? How can words like "God" or "Jesus" be so acceptable everywhere except in songs sung by high school groups? How is it that people push so hard to allow vulgarity, nudity and graphic ugliness into films and television, but work equally hard to make sure that the Bible, religious training and Jesus are kept from corrupting our youth? It's certainly a strange world. It feels to me as if logic and reality have been turned upside down in favor of the extremists views in this country. But, I am a positive thinker. I also have great faith that this country will correct itself as we all go to those ballot boxes in droves and let our thoughts be heard. So, you have heard mine. Let's stand up for our passions, and for our children, and for our country. Don't forget to vote!

76- WHERE THE HAPPY FOLK PLAY! OCTOBER 2010

A long time ago, I wrote a song called "Happy Folk" (it can be found on this site under DAMAR PRODUCTIONS.) Today I read an article on the internet and was thrilled to discover that they believe exactly the same thing I do... That it is US, as in OURSELVES who truly make us happy. The exterior things like new cars and birthday parties are fun, but our inner joy is what truly keeps our happiness intact. Here are the words to the last chorus of the song. See if you agree?
HEY! HEY! LET ME TAKE YOU ALONG.
HEY! HEY! LET ME TEACH YOU MY SONG.
HEY! HEY! LET ME POINT YOU THE WAY.
HERE IS THE PLACE WHERE THE HAPPY FOLK PLAY.
TODAY IS THE PLACE WHERE THE HAPPY FOLK PLAY.
YOU ARE THE PLACE WHERE THE HAPPY FOLK PLAY.
HEY! HEY!
Have a wonderful rest of your life and please remember that my own personal opinion was VALIDATED today by a random article by no one I have ever heard of on the internet. So, it must be true, right? Why not! :)

75- YES, I DO BELIEVE IN GOD OCTOBER 2010

I personally think it is shocking what is happening in the courts today. "God" has essentially been banned in music at many schools across the country. If the word "God" or anything related to "God" shows up in the music, then it cannot be performed at a school function. Their misguided reasoning is that we choir directors are using these songs to sell our religion and convert people. I am simply shocked when an administrator tells me that I have to delete "God" from songs. "God" has been a central part of religious choral music since the Monks back in the Middle Ages, and possibly even prior. Composers like Beethoven, Bach, Handel, Mozart, Haydn and Copeland as well as almost all spirituals would be banned if these people had their way. Generic music that won't insult anyone, is their answer to choral music in the schools. One administrator told me that he would feel a lot better if our choirs stuck to "Frosty The Snow Man" and "Jingle Bells" at the Holiday Concert instead of the more dangerous "God" music we choose to perform. Apparently "God" is pretty offensive to some people? Go figure?
Now I say, if they are going to ban "God" from choral music then we have an awful lot of books to burn as well! Not fair to only pick on Choral Music, right? Schools need to get that bonfire going and throw in Les Miserables and The Hunchback Of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo. No longer classics. God is a central theme in both. Throw in The Chronicles of Narnia too. CS Lewis has Christian themes all through these books. Throw out virtually everything by Charles Dickens. He writes of hope and overcoming obstacles and.......that's right, "God." We must especially get rid of Tiny Tim's line from "A Christmas Carol," "God Bless Us, Everyone!" And then we had better ban all movies that are about "God" or at least rate them R, so no children will be corrupted unless accompanied by a parent? I totally understand about separation of Church and State in our country. But this is not the issue here. Literature, an open variety of it is! To perform a play about Jesus (Jesus Christ Superstar, Godspell) does not warrant a religious ceremony, does it? How about "Joseph And His Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat?" Literature, my friends. Music, books, musicals, graphic art is all ART. Art needs to be responsible and appropriate in public school, and that is up to the director to police that. If there is an abuse, the Principal or Parents should ding him and a correction should be made. But, when my Choirs have been singing "God" songs for the past 33 years, and all of a sudden, "God" has become a bad word, I become furious. How dare the courts or a few hot-headed individuals take away the freedom of speech and the natural freedom inherent in the Arts from entire generations of children in order to be politically correct. Well, I am angry. "God" is not a bad word. May the Arts in school somehow survive this misguided censure. Make sure you go out and vote this year! :)

74- DID YOU HEAR ABOUT MY LEG? OCTOBER 2010

Okay. I am in no way looking for pity here! I simply want to share the sad saga of my leg with you. Last week I was going into the dark theatre at school to turn on the lights for the kids before they came in to rehearse. I wanted to make sure none of them "tripped" over the risers that were set-up across the stage. Yes, you got it, I ran into the corner of the lowest riser with my right shin. OW! It was excruciating for about five minutes, but I could still walk, so school went on as usual. By the end of the school day however I began to feel stiffness and a little pain on my shin. I pulled up my pant leg and discovered that the abrasion was now "weeping." Great! I now had an open wound. Two days later I went to see my doctor, and he prescribed an anti-biotic and covered the wound. He enlightened me that by faithfully taking these pills every day for a week, I would avoid further infection which could potentially create a very serious situation in my leg. So, I began taking one of those pills every morning, and still a week later I realized that not only was my leg infected, but the infection had moved halfway up my leg, and the leg itself had swollen to almost twice the size of my other one. So, I returned to the doctor. In the two hours that I was in the doctor's office, four different doctors or PAs came in to examine my leg, and xrays were taken. No one could figure out how this could had happened in spite of the fact that I had been taking my antibiotics twice a day? No, I told them. I have been taking them once a day........................................... Apparently I had neglected to read the bottle's instructions which directed me to take them every 12 hours! So, a shot in the backside, a prescription for a double dose of the antibiotics to take TWICE A DAY, and three days off school later, I am writing this sad testament to my own laziness. Here were my mistakes: 1. I should have gone to the doctor on the same day as the injury. 2. I should have read the pill container and taken the pills twice a day. 3. I should not have waited a week to go back in when the infection was raging. 4. I should not have walked through the dark theatre, by way of the risers, in the first place!
So, you see, all of my problems could have been alleviated if I had simply used common sense and followed the instructions that were given to me. LIfe is funny, isn't it? Sometimes we just need an unexpected wake-up call like this one to realize that our minds can become so preoccupied with other things, that they inadvertently neglect taking care of our own health and well-being, unless we actually think for ourselves, of course? Sound familiar? Think logically and always read the labels on your pill containers......This has been a public service announcement! I now have three days at home with my leg elevated to learn those same valuable lessons. Have a great day, and if you are smart, you will avoid walking through a theatre in the dark. :)

73- DO IT YOURSELF AND DO IT NOW! SEPTEMBER 2010

I used to believe that I would be discovered. For what, I'm not sure? Maybe my performing, my music, my writing, my choirs, my cooking? I believed very strongly back then that finding success simply dealt with being talented and motivated, which would cause those "mysterious" agents of the success making companies to grab me up. Well, the years passed, and as I grew up, it finally struck me. My success is completely up to me!!! Now I know that luck plays a role (both good and bad) and certainly "who you know" or "to whom you are born" may also play a prominent role. But ultimately, we pursue our dreams as aggressively as we choose to with no guarantee for success. And you know? Maybe success isn't really the best part of pursuing a dream? Maybe the best part is the excitement of the journey? That's what I now believe. So, it doesn't really matter if you are "successful" in monetary and popularity terms just so long as you achieved that goal, and got that experience you wanted to have more than anything. I always wanted to be a singer. Did that. I always wanted to be a stage performer. Did that. I always wanted to be a music/drama teacher. Still doing that. I always wanted to write books. Doing that now. I always wanted to arrange music. 33 years of it. I always wanted to work at Disneyland in the Entertainment Division. Did that. And I always wanted to be a husband and a father. I treasure this most of all. Let's say that I had been wildly successful in all of these areas. Would that have altered the joy of the journey? Not a bit. I have had my share of successes and disappointments in all of my dream areas. But that's good. How could I possibly enjoy my successes if I never had a failure to compare it to? And having a failure and surviving it is wonderful training for life's unexpected little surprises, don't you agree? So, here is my moral for today. DO IT YOURSELF, AND DO IT NOW! Don't wait, because none of us knows how long we have to chase our dreams, do we? Better to chase them now. If we don't? We'll only look back on our lives with regret that we never tried. That's it. That's all I have to say on this topic. In closing, let me say that I fondly remember each and every dream I have aggressively pursued. In looking back, just like you, I never really failed at anything...not really. I simply chose to try something else. And that is the beauty of our lives.

72- IT'S TIME TO START READING! SEPTEMBER 2010

A funny thing happened to me over this past week. My students and I were talking about what they thought of my first book, DIMENSIONS: The Wheat Field, after reading it. I asked them each to write a paper on it, to be honest, and because of that, I of course expected to get a number of not so positive reviews along with the stellar ones. That's just the way honesty works! Well, I would say that most of the kids found something positive in the book and enjoyed reading it, with only a couple of kids who said they did not enjoy fantasy or science fiction books...period! Okay. But the shocker had nothing to do with my book at all. Over half of the students who read the book commented in their papers that they DID NOT ENJOY READING AT ALL, AND DID NOT FIND IT TO BE A SOURCE OF RELAXATION OR FUN. Wow! I am a reader, of course, and as a child I lived at the library every summer and read six or seven books a week. I thought it was fun! My, how times have changed. So, let me just say that I hope everyone out there who is reading this will consider reading more for pleasure, hopefully beginning with my own DIMENSIONS series. If you have not read DIMENSIONS: The Wheat Field yet, it is available online and at select bookstores including the Brea Borders store. DIMENSIONS II: The Plethora will become available sometime in late October. I of course will be all over that just as soon as the final date becomes available to me. In the meantime, there are a number of other wonderful books to read as well. Go to the library or a bookstore and browse. Books are simply the written form of creativity, and I love them. My personal favorites are Robert Heinlein (sci fi), Mark Twain (Americana), Charles Dickens (wonderful stories with a lot of explanation) and Kurt Vonnegut (very intelligent and dry.) But you can certainly find your own favorites. So just remember, it's time to start reading! Do it for fun!

71- SADNESS IS PART OF THE PACKAGE SEPTEMBER 2010

Do you ever feel blue for no reason? I think we all must suffer a little bit from that unhappy parasite. Still, maybe there IS a reason for it? For me, I always feel a little sad when people aren't acting very nice and are hurting me or someone close to me for no good reason. In fact, is there ever a good reason? Like many of you, I take mean-spiritedness very personally, and regardless of how much I may pretend that it doesn't hurt me...it does. Sound familiar? Anyway, that example is a common one, right? But what would our alternative be to not feeling badly when someone is mean to us? Not feeling anything? Does that really sound like a better option? So, I am here to say that feeling blue, and feeling sad are simply part of the package when you care for someone...or lots of someones, as we do when we are teachers. Through my long and wonderful career as a teacher, I have of course dealt with a number of angry people, mostly parents, who have chosen to be mean-spirited mostly behind my back. I am here to say that it's okay, I harbor no ill will. Many times I think parents may act on the moment even when they don't really have all of the information, just like their kids. Again, they believe they are protecting their kids from evil. Too bad we all can't just talk about things when there is a problem, don't you think? Seems a bit odd to me to send hate mail and make hateful phone calls, always anonymous with the soul purpose of hurting someone. I can honestly say that I have never done that. Any complaints I have are always sent to the source, usually through a phone call or a face to face meeting. In this day of so much technology, I am afraid those face to face meetings may soon be a thing of the past. Too bad. But, as I say, sometimes the best intentions, left unchecked, may cause a great deal of unnecessary hurt to others. But...sadness is just part of the package when you believe you are doing the right thing, but are harassed or belittled or mentally beaten for it. So, I say, we each must look at ourselves and see just how much of our behavior is designed to "avoid confrontation" and how much of it is really us, and find a livable balance. For me, very little of what I do is designed to avoid confrontation. The older I get, the more I seek and speak the truth to the best of my knowledge. Maybe that is the problem?

70- THE WORD IS "COURAGE" SEPTEMBER 2010

I was talking to some of my students the other day, and although the school year has just started, they were stressed to the hilt, and scared to death that they were going to fail their classes, not be accepted into any college or have any friends after graduation and that they were growing up...these kids wanted to stay in high school forever it seems. Believe it or not, I understood their feelings immediately, as I have been known to stress at times as well. The thing is................since we have no crystal ball telling us what lies ahead in our futures, we are really wasting a lot of valuable time worrying about it, don't you think? College, of course has become quite the frightening thing as schools get more crowded, accept fewer students and grow more expensive. But, there are scholarships, grants and loans available. Junior College is cheap, so that shouldn't be a worry, really. No one that I have ever known has failed a class unless they acted like they wanted to by not attending or completing the work. Most teachers I know will work with those students who struggle. So, no worry there. Friends? It's up to us to keep those friendships up, or to develop new ones. My counselor once told me, if you get one good friend in your life, you are doing better than most people. So, as long as we keep striving to nurture our friendships, we should be fine there. Growing up? Well, that's going to happen no matter what. But, speaking for myself, a 56 year old man, I think growing up is wonderful. It means responsibility, which also means getting to make many of your own decisions. Dreams are more likely to come true for people as adults than as children. Consider that. Also, someday you may be a parent. Having children, for me has been the most wonderful experience of my life. Growing up is good. Just don't focus on the body changes so much and you will be just fine. So, there you go. All that worry for nothing if we simply have a little courage, and a positive outlook. So, to all of my students this year, work hard, have fun and stay positive. No matter what age you are, or what you are doing, life can still be wonderful!

69- GOD WORKS IN MYSTERIOUS WAYS SEPTEMBER 2010

I know we have all heard that phrase over and over again, but I firmly believe it. To any of you who don't believe in God, I challenge you to find another source for the "miracles" my family and I have been blessed with over the years. I am guessing that if each and every living person stepped back and took a good look at their lives, once they had dismissed every other limited explanation, they would inevitably be forced to come to the exact same conclusion that I have. Good luck doesn't have the expressed intent or the timeliness that a miracle does. I am not one to get into my personal business here, but I will say that I can't even imagine the odds of surviving in this world today without a miracle or two every week. You can thank your lucky stars, or go to Vegas to continue your perceived run of "good luck," but I will quietly close my eyes and thank God for the miracles that he bestows upon me and my loved ones at a remarkable rate. Sometimes I ask for them, and sometimes they just happen. Do you experience the same thing? Are your eyes wide open? Ladies and gentlemen, I believe without hesitation that we are not alone. And that's a very good thing. May all of your dreams and needs come to pass. DW

68- DIMENSIONS II: THE PLETHORA SEPTEMBER 2010

For my first post of September, I would just like to give everyone an update on the status of DIMENSIONS II: The Plethora. As previously announced, the book has been completed, and now we are working on final publisher edits and the cover. The cover should be done soon, at which time I will post it. Once I have the exact publishing date, I will announce the dates of my book signings. I really appreciate those of you who take the time to come and support me and this series. It has been almost ten months since DIMENSIONS: The Wheat Field was published, and I find myself rather excited about this second book. What "The Plethora" does is complete the story which was started in "The Wheat Field." That said, I invite you to go to WELCOME TO DIMENSIONS 2 on this site to learn even more about the book, and to catch a glimpse of the first chapter. I hope you enjoy it.

67- WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT? AUGUST 2010

Have you ever really thought about this? What is truly most important in your life? I know we have all been engrained to pump out a lot of cliche responses, but what do you really think? I suppose the true test for this question is once you achieve this goal (assuming you do), do you then feel satisfied? You know what? I have had quite a number of temporary number one goals in my life and I have to tell you that the drive was there up until I achieved the goal, and then I asked myself, "Is that all there is?" A nagging feeling of disappointment seems to follow almost every major goal I have successfully achieved over the past one thousand years or so of my life. Each of these goals have been important to my career or well-being in some way, and I am truly glad I achieved them, yet they simply did not satisfy that deep hunger inside of me? Do you know what I mean? When it comes down to it, I now believe that the most important things in my life were not things I pursued at all. They were things that came to me naturally. Things like love, my marriage to Margaret, my son, Alex, my close friendships, and my adventures every year in Choir. God has a special way of allowing us to discover who we are, and what we should be doing...it's called LIVING. I think trial and error are a big part of that, and I'm not so sure we are supposed to feel completely settled at any time while there are still goals to be reached and life to be explored. So, there you go. Have I answered my own question? What is most important? Well, I don't think I can answer that for anyone else but me. And what is my answer, you ask? The privilege of living another day surrounded by people I love, who love me in return. What's your answer?

66- CELEBRATE CREATIVITY AND ART! AUGUST 2010

I know you have all heard this before, and I have certainly tooted my horn about it before, but never was it more important than it is now. We must all celebrate creativity and art in the community and the world by supporting the musicians, actors and artists amongst us who are desperately trying to be heard in a world that is consumed more and more with the weak economy and the shrinking value of the dollar. Here's where I say my two cents about how art doesn't have a monetary value...and I firmly believe it does not. More and more my friends and students are performing in community shows throughout the area, performing as an extra in movies and television shows, working as performers at Disneyland, writing and recording music, writing stories or poetry, and even drawing and painting in their spare time. This is FABULOUS! The world of art is alive and well all around us! But if we can simply take the time and the minute monetary effort to support them, they are bound to continue creating art. If we ignore them, we run the risk of taking away their reason for creating the art in the first place...us...their audience. Yes, no matter how much these artists are impassioned in their efforts to create their art, it is us who ultimately keep them going. So, as you travel about your life today, look around and listen. Perhaps you could attend someone's performance, purchase their CD or book, or ask them about how their art is coming along? As one artist to another...creating art is wonderful in itself, but nothing beats the sound of an applauding audience or a few kind words about what we have created or how well we have performed. May art live forever, and may we always support those who spend so much of themselves creating and performing it! Have a wonderful day!

65- WITH SCHOOL ONLY A WEEK AWAY... AUGUST 2010

With school beginning again in a week for all of us at good old Brea Olinda High School, I am caught between the very two emotions that most of our choir kids are probably feeling. On the one hand, I am very excited about starting our new music and choreography, but on the other hand, it sure has been fun having all of this time off...paid or not. But, neither of these two emotions will alter in any way the fact that we will resume classes in just about a week. Okay, so what does this mean? Well, it means that once again the staff and I will present the plan to the choir kids and hope that they too will embrace it. What is the plan you say? Well, I can't tell you right now because it is ULTRA SUPER SECRET. Isn't that the fun of having a plan? But I will share this little tidbit...we are planning on having the best singing and dancing shows we have ever had in our history! We will challenge ourselves just as hard as we possibly can! And, we will seek to have as much fun mixed in with the hard work as is humanly possible. Yep, just another year of Show Choir, Brea-style! So, what will determine how effective our groups are this year, and just how much fun we will have in the process? I think everybody knows that answer already. The groups' COMMITMENT AND PASSION! Yes, that's right. All of the talent and experience in the world cannot accomplish success or fun unless the individual members of the groups are thoroughly committed and passionate about what they are doing. And there can be no distractions human or otherwise. We must approach every moment of rehearsal and performance as if it were the most important moment of our lives. Can we do this? Only time will tell. Our top groups this year have been accused of being very young and immature. To this accusation, I respond once again, ONLY TIME WILL TELL. But let me also say that I am willing to bet on our kids succeeding anyway, up until they stop believing in themselves, which I hope will never happen. In the meantime, some of our kids will drop out of choir for reasons only known to them, some of our kids will move away, some of our kids will almost immediately develop bad attitudes if they don't get the recognition they desire through front spots or solos.............. but most of our kids will simply step up and give every ounce of passion and talent they have for the next ten months of school. Once again, I am banking on this last group of kids to show us the way. A very wise man once told me, "SUCCESS FINDS A WAY, WHILE FAILURE FINDS AN EXCUSE." No excuses please. No matter what transpires from our groups this year, it will be the fruits of their combined efforts, and no one can expect anymore than that. So I say, think big, and think fun, and think successful. Are you ready to start? I am. And the countdown begins.

64- THINK FOR YOURSELF BY LISTENING AUGUST 2010

I was thinking tonight about the one singular trait I have that has gotten me into the most trouble throughout my life and kept me from becoming the most popular person in the room. Yes, you guessed it. I think for myself and am not shy about disagreeing with anyone about anything. Now let me tell you how this whole "popular" thing works. If you surround yourself with people who will agree with you and support you no matter what then you are...to some extent...popular. However, if you are more apt to disagree, go against the grain, or even be so brazen as to make suggestions about how to improve commonly held beliefs, then you are not popular, you may in fact be disliked. At least by those people who you would appear to be crossing. So, the big question is, do we agree for the sake of peace, do we make a huge confrontation because we so deftly disagree or do we keep our mouths shut and wait for a possible compromise to present itself? I suppose that all depends on you. My experiences have taught me to fight or yell as loud as the opposition when the issue is important to me. Otherwise you are not heard. I have also learned that the more they belittle me or try to invalidate my positions, the more I have gotten to them, and forced them to consider my point. And the more I must press on. Now, what does this have to do with you? Well, my friends...we all want to get along, but no one should be herded along by the strongest voice. That would be living in a dictatorship or a facist country I am afraid. We have the right to exercise our freedom of speech and sometimes we are NOT the most popular voice. I have always been against the concepts of forcing people to change their natural mode of behavior just because the government has a new plan. Being an educator, we are hit with new plans all the time which most teachers don't embrace, yet must support. Does this mean that I believe in anarchy? Of course not. But I reserve my right to disagree and continue to live my life the way I want to in as much as it is possible. America is a great country because we each have a vote. It may seem like a very small tool, but each vote is actually very important as together we share the opportunity to continue growing as a country instead of being led down the path of one political party. On facebook I have been party to a number of ferocious arguments from people who are not listening. They are tenaciously holding firm to their position, or the position of their political party or religion and are in no way opening themselves up to listening to any other point of view. I know they learned this from our very own political parties in Congress. But...Congress is wrong. Our legislators are wrong! And even our President, if he is not listening to the people...is wrong. Winning and losing should never be a valid issue when you are searching for truth. Information is power, and we should all strive to collect as much of it as possible, keeping our minds open to think for ourselves at all times. Is changing your mind sometimes a sign of weakness? Heavens, no. It is simply proof that you are listening. And that, my friends, unlike stubbornly closing your mind to alternative thinking, is a virtue.

63- WRITE A NOVEL? WHY? AUGUST 2010

If you have perused the rest of my website at all, you have probably noticed that I attempted to explain the origin of the DIMENSIONS series a couple of times since there was apparently nothing in my immediate history that would have suggested my innate passion for writing novels. What I did not explain, however, was my motivation. Simple. I love to read. LOVE TO READ! So, I thought it would be fun to create books that I myself would enjoy reading. Although I have always written short stories, poems, etc., "DIMENSIONS: The Wheat Field" was my first attempt at penning a complete novel. "DIMENSIONS 2: The Plethora" is done now too, and it is 50 pages longer than the first one...400 pages long! Why do I do it? It's fun! Yes, each book took me months and months to write and to edit, but they were labors of love as will be the next two (the third one is about half written as we speak.) Now, what makes my books different from many other novels of the same genre? What genre? The difficulty with categorizing the DIMENSIONS series is that the books are literally a combination of genres and styles. That's because I believe this makes the books so much more human...more real. So, we have mystery/adventure, we have romance, we have sci fi/fantasy and we have spiritual/ Christian. Each of these styles are important components of all four DIMENSIONS books. Why? Because as human beings, we are not one style, we cannot be categorized so easily...and neither should the books we read. I have already identified a number of well-known authors who have heavily influenced my writing such as Charles Dickens and Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain). They influenced me because when I read their work I laugh, I cry, I think, I agree, I disagree...they in essence bring their stories and characters to life, and that is my goal too! So, when you read the books of my DIMENSIONS series, I hope you will keep this in mind. Yes, I have written stories to be enjoyed, but more importantly, to be experienced and thought provoking. Don't forget to read "DIMENSIONS: The Wheat Field" before you read "DIMENSIONS 2: The Plethora." I believe your experience will be much more enjoyable and complete if you do.

62- DO YOU BELIEVE IN DIMENSIONS? AUGUST 2010

It seemed only right to begin August with the powerful question, "Do you believe in dimensions?" Certainly I have attempted to write a series of books professing that the obvious answer is a booming, YES! But, these are only books. Regardless of what I believe or my books profess to believe, the question right now is, what do you believe? I have posted a poll on this website asking everyone for their honest beliefs regarding this compelling question. I will use these results in some way with my third book, which will be due out at the end of 2011. Do you find this question to be curious or ridiculous? I can certainly understand feelings to either extreme, or somewhere in the middle since there really can't be a right or wrong answer except in our own hearts. And even then, many of us are probably still guessing? Do you believe in God? Do you believe in the afterlife? Do you believe in Satan? Do you believe in purgatory? Do you believe in.........
The questions are endless, but the answers are a simple Yes or No. But how do we know for sure?
So, when I ask you if you believe in dimensions, perhaps you could apply that question to everything and anything you can't see or touch or smell or taste or hear. Then your answers will have to come from your heart. So, let me ask you once again. DO YOU BELIEVE IN DIMENSIONS?

61- WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS JULY 2010

As we fast approach the end of July, and for me, the beginning of the upcoming school year, I am in a quandary. On the one hand, I am in the process of doing the final edits on my second novel, DIMENSIONS 2: The Plethora, and on the other hand I am starting to arrange the music with Doug for next year's show choirs. The problem is, there is not enough time in the day to correctly advertise my books and spend the 100 plus hours necessary to arrange all of the music for the choirs. So...I think I finally figured it out. I need to trust the fact that my friends, family and students will help me advertise my books, while I concentrate on arranging the music. Isn't life just like that? As much as we want to do everything ourselves, it simply can't be done, nor is it a healthy way to do business anyway! Do I believe that I know enough people who care about me, that they will spread the word that my new book is coming out in November? Absolutely. Do I believe that there are some people I know who actually WANT to help me? Again, absolutely! So, in applying this little blurb to all of my readers, I guess my big epiphany for the day is really nothing new at all...ACCEPT A LITTLE HELP FROM YOUR FRIENDS! In fact, ASK FOR A LITTLE HELP FROM YOUR FRIENDS if you truly need it. How many of you are struggling through the dilemma of trying to balance work and personal projects? So, if you have not already learned this lesson (and I do tend to be a bit slow in this regard) then I strongly recommend that you not only allow your friends to help you, but be there for them as well. And to all of my readers out there, who also probably happen to be my friends...don't hesitate to ask me for anything. Just as I appreciate all you do for me, I want to be there for you as well. Just give me the opportunity.

60- SOME PEOPLE CHANGE LIVES JULY 2010

You have met these people. You know the ones I mean. The people who change other peoples' lives for the better. And when you are talking about improving the lives of people of all ages, you know you are talking about a winner! I have been blessed to know so many of these people. Selfless hard workers who will gladly go the extra mile or two to make someone's life better. The first name to come to my mind is my wife, Margaret. The unsung hero of so many programs, costumes and ideas in our shows. Margaret doesn't want acclaim. She only wants to help. Doug Kuhl is yet another one. For all of you who know him, Doug will do anything for anyone at anytime. Never considers his own situation (usually lack of sleep), but simply makes sure he is there to make everyone around him happy and successful. Janice Kraus is a Mom to a whole lot of kids! What would our lives in Brea be like without Stagelight Productions? My son lived for those shows. He learned hard work, social skills, acting, singing and dancing skills, and literature all in one fell swoop. And the joy of it all? He had fun doing it! And we as his parents did too! Janice is a blessing to all of these kids and their families! I could certainly go on and on at this point, but I think you get the picture. There are so many unsung heros all around us! I am going to make every effort to thank these people, and let them know that they really are appreciated in my life, and the life of my family. You may want to do the same. Because you know what? Complainers, and people who speak badly of others are a dime a dozen. But these truly wonderful people make the effort to go against the grain, and make PEOPLE most important to them in the most positive way possible. Hopefully all of us can strive to fall into that category. What a great world this would be then, huh? Good luck to all of us!

59- EVERY PART TWO NEEDS A PART ONE JULY 2010

I must say, yesterday was quite exhilarating for me as I completed the fifth editing procedure for my second novel, DIMENSIONS 2: The Plethora. I still have a couple of more editing procedures to complete on my own before the publisher gets a hold of it, but even so I can feel the finish line not far away. That having been said, now for my concern. "Every part two (DIMENSIONS 2: The Plethora) needs a part one (DIMENSIONS: The Wheat Field) to help it make more sense. As an author, in writing part two, I think we tend to assume that the reader already has a great deal of knowledge about the characters and the past events that were featured in Part One. Unfortunately, many people who pick up my second book, DIMENSIONS 2: The Plethora, may have never read my first book, DIMENSIONS: The Wheat Field? So, what's an author to do? Well, if you are reading this, and you came from facebook, where most of my readers hail, you have probably already heard about DIMENSIONS: The Wheat Field...a lot! If you have already read it, as I suspect many of you have, then DIMENSIONS 2: The Plethora will be a very smooth continuation of the first story for you to enjoy. Many more things happen in the second installment, but the things you learned in The Wheat Field will help you understand everything that is new in The Plethora. If you have not read The Wheat Field and you take on The Plethora, I believe you will still find it to be enjoyable reading, but many of the deeper concepts may be lost due to your lack of knowledge from the first book. Imagine skipping a book of Harry Potter or Twilight or The Lord Of The Rings? Kind of messes the story up, huh? So, here is my first reminder to everyone who has not yet read DIMENSIONS: The Wheat Field to go online right now to Amazon or Barnes and Noble and purchase your copy today. If your local bookstore carries it, even better! But read this book soon. Because in just a couple of months...DIMENSIONS 2: The Plethora will be here to blow this story wide open!

58- LIFE IS FULL OF OPTIONS JULY 2010

I don't suppose getting older today is all that much different than getting older one hundred years ago. We all do it. We all get older. Looking back at my own life, it has been a glorious adventure of ups and downs that has already touched parts of seven decades. Sounds like a lot, doesn't it? But to be honest, as much as everything has changed, everything has stayed the same. That's because through it all even when the world was buzzing about this change or that, it truly has always been up to me whether or not I chose to embrace it. The same goes for you. We don't have to buy every new technological gadget or keep buying a bigger and better house or the fastest and most cool looking car do we? No. But we can if we want to...or not. Isn't life something. As much as the advertisers and powers that be try to snare each and every one of us into believing that if we don't join the parade we have somehow fallen behind, it's simply not true. Aside from the staples of life, almost everything else we find in it is merely an option like a flavor of ice cream. Not a requirement like the paying of taxes. Some of my friends don't even use the computer very much. Nope. No facebook or myspace or blogs or games or anything else. And yet, they fill their days with plenty of good stuff. Just as soon as you understand that facebook was created by a student at Harvard to make money, and Apple is not in business to help the needy, you begin to understand. How many of their gadgets do you own? Please don't think I am complaining about either facebook or Apple, because I am certainly not. What I am saying is that both of those began as one man's idea and grew from there. All of us are certainly capable of coming up with our own ideas too, right? And if those ideas don't necessarily mesh with whatever is popular in today's culture just remember that our "culture" is often dictated by the immature whims of our Junior HIgh aged children. That's right. I guess I will leave it at that. LIfe is full of options, and it is up to you to make your own choices.

57- SO, WHERE IS THE MANUAL? JULY 2010

Do you ever feel perplexed when something unexpected happens? Something unexpected bad? You don't really know what to do but you also don't know where to find the answer? Not a great place to be is it? Do you ever find yourself asking, "So, where is the manual?" Funny how we always think there must be a rule book somewhere. Sports have them. Schools have them. The Armed Forces have them. Your job has them. Our local, state and national governments have them. But when it comes to unexpected situations that hit us everyday? No rule book. So, how do you deal with these situations? Common sense? Whatever you did last time? What your parents did? I have another thought. How about this. No rules at all should be applied to these unexpected situations beyond what feels right to you. Does that work? Now I am certainly not talking about if someone is sick you operate on them. I am thinking in more general terms. Someone is sick, so you take them to the doctor, right? So, how do you handle things like your kids talking back to you? Or your cat urinating in the house? Or your car being just good enough to keep instead of picking up a new one with a payment? Well, I suppose I can't tell you. Only you can reach those decisions since they are your problems. I'll tell you what though, I am a big believer on allowing others to help me. I actually seek help when it comes to things I don't understand. So, the cat is urinating in the house? I read up on it on the Internet and then call the Vet. My car is just good enough to keep? I start calling my family and friends and picking up the advantage of their experience in this same fix. Anyway, even when there is no manual...there is a network of friends, professionals, family and handymen to help. My best advice for handling those unexpected crises that do occur is to include those people you trust in the solution. I am always happily surprised to find how much better the outcomes to my problems are when I am not facing them alone.

56- SIMPLE IS GOOD JULY 2010

We performed a concert at school tonight. 90 kids performing and a full house watching them. This was our annual Summer Magic concert. We prepared songs, dances, skits, scenes from Broadway shows and other acts to fill a two hour concert. The surprise is that we only spent fifteen three and a half hour class sessions in preparation. The verdict? The concert was outstanding and very entertaining.
So, how did we do it? Talented kids? Our kids ranged in ages from 10 to 18 years old, were in no way auditioned and had varying levels of experience. Long grueling rehearsals? No. We didn't have any outside rehearsals besides our normal class meetings Monday through Thursday from 9 AM to 12:30 PM. So what was the secret? The secret was that these kids were all very excited about participating.
No grades. No discipline problems. In fact they even had to pay $250. per person to participate, as this program is held at the high school, but not financially supported by it. Some kids even told me that participating in Summer Magic was their favorite part of the entire school year? Huh? Better than Choir Tours, Competitions, Home Concerts and School Musicals? They said yes. I asked why. They replied, "Because there wasn't any stress, so we could just have fun performing!" What a concept! As the world becomes more and more complicated, and as technology and our ever-changing world continues to pile the stress on everybody, 90 kids spent a night free of stress and full of joy doing exactly what it was they wanted to do. Perform! Sometimes it's nice for all of us to revisit our roots and find out what really makes us happy, free of life's demands. Pure joy. Sometimes simple is good for the soul.

55- LET ME BE! JULY 2010

LET ME BE, THE YOUNG MAN SAID,
I HAVE A BRAIN, I AM NOT DEAD!
DON'T WRITE MY LIFE AS ONE YOU'VE HAD,
FOR I AM ME, I'M NOT MY DAD!
AND EVERY DAY THAT LIFE SHOULD BRING,
IS ONE MORE CHANCE FOR ME TO SING!
LET ME BE, THE YOUNG MAN SAID,
I HAVE NO PLAN, I'LL LIVE INSTEAD. (ANONYMOUS)

54- KINDNESS JULY 2010

KINDNESS AS A FLOWER GROWS,
IT'S BEAUTY LIKE A LOVELY ROSE.
WHEN JEALOUS CREATURES RIP ITS HEART,
THEY CRUELLY TEAR THE FLOWER APART.
SO TO EXIST THE ROSE MUST GROW,
A HOST OF THORNS FOR ALL TO KNOW.
BUT SADLY THOUGH THE ROSE SURVIVES,
A LITTLE OF ITS SWEETNESS DIES. (ANONYMOUS)

53- AN ARTIST WITHOUT AN AUDIENCE JULY 2010

Have you ever felt like an artist without an audience? What I mean by that is you have some skill or some artistic passion you love, but all too soon you realize that you have no audience, no people breaking down your door to embrace it. In other words there is no market for your work, as wonderful as you believe it is. I think all frustrated artists must feel this way to a large extent. You know the old story about being discovered? Well forget it. If you pay attention to the music and acting business these days you will see that the bulk of the "new stars" have the same last name as the "old stars." Coincidence? Heavens no. It is all in who you know OR being in the right place at the right time. So, with astronomical odds against us ever being financially successful at our artistic endeavors give me one good reason why any starving artist should continue? Integrity and inner joy. Do you know that Johann Sabastian Bach was never famous in his own lifetime? Nope. He was a keyboard teacher and a church organist/ choirmaster. Then 100 years after his death another composer discovered all of his work stacked away in the church basement. The rest is history. Did you know that Harrison Ford was already in his mid thirties when he performed in the first Star Wars movie in 1977? He had already given up acting and was a successful carpenter. The reemergence of his acting career was simply a whim of George Lucas who talked him into taking the part of Han Solo. Rodney Dangerfield sold shoes until his successful standup career began in his mid fifties. The list goes on and on. These people did not do their art for money. They did it for love. Perhaps that is what we should do as well. And even if you cannot find your audience over this horizon, perhaps they are waiting for you next year or ten years from now. Quitting may temporarily relieve you of the frustration of not finding success, but it will never relieve you of your desire to create your art in whichever way your passion drives you. And just remember this, given this same situation, what would you have your child do, quit or persevere? Let this be your guide. Remember, your children will be watching...and learning.

52- DELETE MY "FRIENDS" ON FACEBOOK JULY 2010

I have learned so many positive new things over this past year. I have joined facebook, learned to build this website, just completed my second novel and had the best pizza ever at Zachary's Pizza in Berkeley, California. Not a bad year for learning. But, sadly, I have also learned that not everyone shares my desire for politeness and positiveness on facebook. This has been my biggest surprise. It is amazing how when you talk to someone in person, they are generally much more amiable and polite, but sadly many of their posts on facebook lack politeness, are mean spirited and don't seem to have any point at all beyond hurting someone. So, today I began to delete some of my "friends" on facebook. Not that some of them were ever my friends to begin with, more like acquaintances at some point in my life. You know what I mean? That is just a name facebook gives to the people you connect with. When some people can feel so comfortable being rude on your profile page in view of everyone else, I begin to understand. Facebook to some is no different than poison pen letters or using email for the same negative purpose. After all, it is much easier to attack someone when you don't have to look at them or hear their immediate response. But email is generally private as are poison pen letters. Facebook is open for everyone to read. Certainly not an appropriate place to quarrel or belittle, do you think? So, I have begun to delete my "friends" on facebook. So far I have deleted over 20 people. This is not to say they all posted inappropriate things. But, as I took this thing further, I decided to delete anyone I had not been in contact with since I originally added them as a friend. I think that is a pretty telling sign that we actually aren't friends, don't you think? Anyway, to each his own. That's what I am doing. I like to be surrounded by positive people. I have no need for anything else on facebook. Perhaps your outlook is different then mine. The wonderful thing about facebook is that we can each decide for ourselves what we choose to do. Some people want to collect as many friends as possible, almost like each one is worth a status point. But for me, I am going to continue to delete my friends on facebook, if it strikes me as the right thing to do. As they say, you can choose your friends. So, I will. Have a happy day tomorrow and remember to stay positive on facebook for the good of everyone!

51- A BOOK'S DEDICATION DOESN'T ALWAYS TELL THE WHOLE STORY! JULY 2010

I recently got into a friendly conversation with a friend of mine regarding the dedication I had written for my first novel, DIMENSIONS: The Wheat Field. He asked me why I did not bother to include my mother, my family, my friends, my relatives and others in the Dedication at the beginning of the book since all of them had obviously supported and influenced me so much at some point in my life? I did not disagree with the fact that all of these people had been important in my life at some point or another, but I did tell him that simply because I don't include a person in my dedication, does not mean I don't love or respect them. For me, I intend to write the dedications to each of my books to different people, for different reasons. It is not so easy as making a list of everyone who was ever important in my life, honestly there have been so many. In any case, this conversation made me think of a similar situation I experience almost daily as a teacher. If I mention any individual student's name during class for doing a good job, often a number of kids will ask me at the end of class whether or not they have done a good job as well? I ask them why they are asking me, and they tell me it is because I did not mention their names in class. Again, I tell them, just because I didn't mention your name in class does not mean that I don't love what you are doing or appreciate all of your effort and talent, I am simply a teacher who randomly selects students to comment on depending on who I am seeing at the time and what my focus is on. Now the point of this writing. It is all too clear that all of us, at all ages need to be reminded that we are important and making a positive difference. I, for one sometimes forget this little detail as I become so obsessed with the BIG PICTURE. Beginning now, I will make a concentrated effort to be more focused on everyone I deal with, and never refrain from an opportunity to let them know how much I appreciate them. I don't think it really matters how old we get. We all need to be appreciated. In fact, if you are reading this, I appreciate you taking the time to visit my website. It took effort on your part, and it was nice sharing with you! Have a great day!

50- SO WHAT IS IT? FREE WILL OR MAJORITY RULES? JULY 10

I was recently reading, as I am often prone to do. As I read, the same question continued to come up in this particular writer's article, "So what is it? Free will or majority rules?" The gist of his essay was that we as people are continually pounded by the government, media and workplace for simultaneously not following the will of the majority but for also not standing up for our own unique beliefs! So What is it? Free will or majority rules? Well, I imagine if you speak with one hundred different people, as they say, you will receive one hundred different answers. So, let my preface my response by simply saying that this is only my opinion. The answer to this dilemma is a loud and clear FREE WILL. But let me temper that free will with morality, the laws of the land and intelligence. Of course due to elections and the way our political system works we also must adhere to the whims of congress since they were elected by majorities even if their legislation does not always reflect the majority will of the people. And even if it does, we as intelligent and passionate human beings will sometimes find our beliefs to be on the wrong side of the majority. So, what to do? Abide by the laws but let your voices be heard. There is nothing healthier than good honest non-political disagreement. I for one do not subscribe to the dogma of either major political party, although I find that I am much more comfortable with the individual freedoms prescribed by the Republicans. No, I am a member of the LIFE party. As such, I want my life, the lives of all others in the world, and the lives of those people yet to be born to this world to be the closest thing to wonderful they can be. God has already given us so much to work with. Now, it is just a matter of taking all of these biased and self-serving hands out of the decision making process and actually listening to the people. All of the people. Every single one! Perhaps this is the time for us to care a little more about the election process in this country. You will make a difference to your future and the future of your children if you do. Pay attention to what is going on. You still have your free will until you choose to give it away. Good luck! Thanks, Dave Willert

49- LEBRON JAMES GOES TO MIAMI JULY 2010

Last night talented basketball player, Lebron James told the world during an hour special on ESPN that he had selected MIAMI as his new basketball home. Okay. Fine. Maybe next time I change jobs I will host an hour special on ESPN as well. Now today there is tons of backlash and name calling going on including accusations by the owner of the Cavaliers (James' old team) that he stopped trying during the playoffs of the past two years. LIving near LA and being a Laker fan, how often does Kobe have to deal with this type of thing? It goes with the territory. Every time I have changed schools, the students (and sometimes administration) at my previous school have spoken badly of me and fabricated reasons why it was totally unfair that I left. IT WAS A JOB CHANGE, DUDE! And that is all Lebron's move to Miami is too. Personally? I suppose we will have to wait and see if it was a smart move or not, but in the meantime there are lots of other talented players and teams in the NBA to watch whether Lebron James ever wins a championship or not. The problem here is not Lebron James, it is all the people who made such a big deal about where he was going to play next year. Okay, Cleveland lost a very good player. Well, they didn't win the championship with him, so maybe they can find a different great player who they can win with? If you are speaking about Kobe Bryant of the Lakers who has won 5 championships already, I could see the concern a little more about losing a player of his caliber. But, in my opinion, Lebron James is not up to Kobe Bryant's level just yet. Raw talent-yes. Drive to win-no. Let's see if he can grow up a little bit in Miami or ultimately make Cleveland happy he left if he can't bring a championship to Miami either. In any case, I don't really care. I am a Lakers fan. But I do say, let's not act as if what Lebron James did was anymore than a job change. And we all have the right to make a job change, don't we? So, in closing let me just say that I wish everyone who ever makes a job change the best of luck, but I am not going to dwell on any of them. After all, that is their own business.

48- IT APPEARS TO BE IMPOSSIBLE TO EXPLAIN JULY 2010

When we absolutely love something that we do, and consequently are very good at it, do you often find that it appears to be impossible to explain to someone else exactly why you feel the way you do? Oh, I know, the normal explanations we all use such as we worked very hard at it, or we really cared a lot about it, or our grandparents were talented in this area and passed the genes down to us. And I am not taking away a thing from any of these purported explanations. But they are stereotypical at best. You know and I know that being passionately in love with the game of baseball or loving to cook or getting a natural high by running every day is much easier "explained" to another person than felt by them. So let me just say that after spending my entire life in school (attending or teaching), I have picked up a thing or two about this interesting phenomenon. In the first place, I believe that each of us only understands what we have programmed ourselves to understand. Talk engineering with me and I am immediately lost. Talk music or theatre with me and I am there. Secondly it takes an interest on the part of the listener to really understand and feel our passionate explanations. I have talked show choir or musical theatre or musical composition or writing with some of my closest friends, and I often feel as if they can't wait until I switch the topic to the Lakers or the economy. Something that interests them. And finally, PASSION is not explainable, only felt. If someone is passionate about something...anything...then they should be able to at least relate with us when we speak about our own passions. So, next time you are having difficulty explaining to someone why you simply love to knit (for example) keep in mind that if they are not programmed for knitting, have no interest in knitting and are passionless couch potatoes themselves, you may as well save your breath. Talk about the weather.

47- DIMENSIONS 2: THE PLETHORA JULY 2010

Well, today, July 3rd, 2010, I completed the second draft of my second novel (sequel to DIMENSIONS: The Wheat Field) "DIMENSIONS 2: The Plethora." I am very excited about where this new novel has gone but I am equally excited about how very much it has stayed connected to the original Wheat Field. Soon (following another five drafts or so) my publisher and I will begin deciding on the cover, followed by the editing and publishing phases of this book. I believe it should be available both online and in selected bookstores for purchase as early as late October. I was thinking about releasing a couple of chapters on my website later just to give everyone a sneak preview into where this book is going. That probably won't happen until the final edits are completed however, sometime in early August. So, as a very early teaser, let me just say that in this novel, there are a number of new characters both of our world and beyond, in addition to many of the original Wheat Field characters. But unlike the first novel which focuses mostly on one basic plot-line, DIMENSIONS 2: The Plethora immediately splits off into a number of very interesting stories. We have adventure, romance, crime and magic. What more could a person ask for? Here's a big hint though. Don't even attempt to read DIMENSIONS 2: The Plethora unless you have read DIMENSIONS: The Wheat Field first. There are a number of characters and stories that may cross over, if you know what I mean. So, if you haven't done it already, pick up your copy of DIMENSIONS: The Wheat Field and enjoy the first adventure. DIMENSIONS 2: The Plethora will be here before you know it.

46- THERE IS A COMMON THEME JUNE 2010

There is a common theme that has followed me around for most of my life. When I sense that something is wrong, I stand up and fight. No, I don't do the logical preparation of gathering friends around me, villainizing the offenders and finding a way to get others to believe as I do. I simply stand up and fight...usually alone. This technique does not have a very high success rate, but nevertheless, has been my routine for my entire adult life. It would probably make a lot more sense to unionize, get a powerful lobby behind me, and sit back and let them do the fighting for me. But...then I will have lost my voice, and yet another corporate giant will be speaking for me. No thank you. I opted out of the teacher's union, I never guarantee my vote as my party suggests, and my final word is always flexible, allowing me to continue the search for the right answer even long after people stop asking the question. This is me. There is a common theme I have witnessed around me all of my life. Do as you are told, and you won't get hurt. The question arises, whose life is it anyway? Are our lives so incredibly regulated that there is no room for divergent thinking anymore? Have we really progressed from the survival of the fittest (or in this case the loudest and most organized.) LIfe is short. Too short to be told what to do and to regret it years later when we look back upon our lives. There is a time for standing up for ourselves, having our voices heard and feeling secure enough to be ourselves, in a legal and moral sense, even if no one else agrees with us. That time is now. Don't give all the potential you have for a wonderful life away simply because it is easier. There is a common theme. He who listens to their heart, listens to God.

45- LIFE GOES ON JUNE 2010

I recently read an excellent quote which said, "Peace that depends on fear is no more than a war waiting to happen." I agree. I would not say that I am the bravest person in the world, but when push comes to shove, I do push back. Do you remember while in school as a child you were good if you didn't speak out, did everything you were told and never questioned those who taught you? Well...these three virtues don't work exceptionally well when you find yourself in a situation where your dignity or beliefs or safety or integrity are threatened. In fact, I find exactly the opposite to be true. Speak out, question everything and question anyone who does not make sense to you. In this way, a small verbal battle is fought, but the larger and more devastating war never occurs because the problem was dealt with first. Don't you find that the longer you keep an unhappy thought inside your head, the more fermented and rotten it becomes? In time you may even "explode" and no one will have a clue why? FEAR is at the center of all of this. The fear of getting in trouble, of not being liked, of missing a future opportunity, of being fired or disciplined. And yet, isn't the price you pay for not speaking up much steeper? Ugly thoughts and a lack of resolve. Just like a musical suspension, although your fear feels uneasy and uncomfortable for a while, just as soon as you hit that resolution, all is well. Do you know that the definition of stress is "A state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from fearful or very demanding circumstances?" Do you know the cure for stress? Resolution! So, my friends. Life will bring you many, many challenges and discomforts, I promise you. And sometimes you will feel as if everything in your life is wrong. But if you have the heart to persevere and the courage to confront your fear or stress, you will find resolution. No matter what! And always remember that tomorrow will always bring you another opportunity to make things right, and even when you have just dealt with the toughest moment of your life? Life goes on.

44- IT'S NICE WHEN SOMEONE AGREES... JUNE 2010

I have recently been put to the test by a number of Show Choir Directors who are attempting to set up common rules for every show choir in every festival to follow. Mandatory rules of their choosing. I have a lot of trouble with this as I always reserve the right as an artist and director to come to my own conclusions and make up my own rules for my own festival based on my own beliefs and the needs of a healthy show choir community. This has served me well for 33 years of teaching, and I know it will serve me well for another 33 years. What each individual festival host does with their own festival is certainly up to them, but no one should be forced to follow the self-serving rules created by a few. While I endure this attack from other directors, I say to myself, "It's nice when someone agrees with my point of view, but it is not mandatory." Whoever invented the concept of "majority rules" obviously had no integrity of their own. So, seeing as there are no rules in place for show choir competitions,and there never have been, logically it must be up to the host director to create these rules right? I am repulsed at the idea that all schools must follow the same rules simply because 4 or 5 directors voted on them. These rules in no way would negatively affect any of those schools' programs, in fact they would serve them well as they seek to extend the Advanced Mixed time for set-up and performance to 30 minutes. While if enacted they would effectively bar all of my groups from most Show Choir Competitions as they wish to bar any girls from participating in more than one choir (boys are okay though) and capping the number of kids in a group at 60, while Masquerade is already at 73 for next year. Should we change the size of our groups and disallow students from participating in more than one group, even though there has never been a rule against either? Hell no! And in addition, in concept, these rules if enacted would effectively take away every director's freedom to make his or her own decisions regarding their festivals, their group members and the size of their groups. Nope, I can't accept these arbitrary rules. It's nice when someone agrees with me, but my heart and my integrity will stand firm regardless. If I am the only one in the world fighting for freedom in the arts, then so be it. No one likes to be the odd man out or the one perceived as the trouble maker, but when one believes strongly in the concept of freedom, they must stand up to any and all aggressors. In America there is always discussion and compromise when it comes to any important issues. Enactment on all by a few is no less than a form of tyranny. It's nice when someone agrees with me, but in this case, it just doesn't matter. Dave Willert

43- IMAGINE THAT I'M GONE JUNE 2010

Have you ever thought that question? You know. There have been a number of movies about it such as Jimmy Stewart's famous "A WONDERFUL LIFE," where he is able to see what the world would be like (at least his little world) if he had never been born? Ask yourself, "IMAGINE THAT I'M GONE?" Everything you said and did, every person you connected with in some way, everything you wrote gone...never happened. Strange isn't it? I mean to think about never having been born, or been given your individual slate of opportunities,obstacles, handicaps, talents and choices which naturally accompany every child into this world. LIfe is not perfect. But then neither are we. Life gives us so many choices and opportunities to create who we want to be during our short time on this Earth. Wouldn't it be sad to miss that? So, let's turn it around. "KNOW THAT YOU ARE ALIVE!" What can you or I do today to make some part of this world and its inhabitants better? Now everything doesn't sound so random does it? Because you know that everything you do and say, no matter how seemingly small it appears to you, has the potential to change someone's life. No, I am not an infomercial, I am not asking for money and I am not running for public office. I am simply off for the summer, and I have some time to think about us...you and me...and the world...we both live in. This world has a lot of problems, and it is up to people like us to care once again about how we all live, and at the very least for us to personally live a wonderful life by example. Because we are alive, and no matter what others may tell you, money is not the center of the universe...love is.

42- I HAD A DREAM JUNE 2010

I had a dream. No, I really had a dream. You know, asleep in your bed dream? Well, it was so vivid and real, that it got me to thinking. Maybe it was real? Maybe I am actually two places at once, and when I go to sleep in one place, I wake up in the other place just like in AVATAR? Of course I didn't dream I was blue or ten feet tall or living in a forest, but certainly my dream world was very different from my waking reality. In this particular dream world, everything happened at night, and there were a great number of obstacles for me to defeat, sort of like in a video game. In addition to that, I always seemed to be in a creepy house and with every corner I turned came another frightening adversary just like in one of those teen horror movies. Probably the worst attacker I saw were an army of flying dolphins with giant teeth, sort of like in the animated portion of a Monty Python movie. As often happens in dreams, the dolphin that attacked me apparently became small enough for me to trap in a shoebox. Boy, was I lucky. Although I don't remember all of the dream, I do recall stepping through a room full of rats just like in Indiana Jones 2, and coming face to face with a crazy man who was explaining to me how he was going to take over the world just like in a James Bond movie, and finally escaping from the house just like in any movie that wants to sell a lot of tickets by having a happy ending. And you know what? I was so happy to have such an original dream as that. It was just like a Tim Burton movie. I am so thankful for my completely unique imagination. I wonder where all of those ideas come from?

41- REMEMBER WHAT IS TRULY IMPORTANT JUNE 2010

Have you ever thought about what is truly important to you? Well of course you have. But have you thought about it as recently as today? If you asked me this question 40 years ago, or 30 years ago, or 20 years ago or even 10 years ago I am quite sure my answers might be a little different each time. And if you ask me now? Well let's give it a shot. I know the stock answers always involve love, family and peace. I am strongly for all three of these ideals, but the way life is, we always have to fight through a whole bunch of crap first to get anywhere near them. So, this is what I think is most important, today, June 14th, 2010.

1. Everyone accepts the responsibility to make their own educated decisions.
2. The world stops fighting and hating. It causes so much wasted energy and life.
3. The concept of being successful ceases being tied to who has the most money.
4. People stop separating themselves and accept the fact that all of us are part of the human race.
5. The government stops cutting education in order to balance the budget at both K-12 and College level. Education should not be tied to the uncertainties of the budget in the first place. This generation and the next will pay the price for receiving an inferior education.
6. Competition gives way to helping others. Competition is fun, but it often teaches people to blindly hate simply because someone is your competitor. Competitor does not mean enemy.
7. Small businesses are allowed to thrive again through tax incentives instead of being destroyed by the likes of Walmart and Target. The American Dream must be kept alive.
8. Children are allowed to be children and not rushed into education too early. The ability to play and imagine and create are essential to children in their early years to help them with school later.
9. Credit card companies are given a maximum rate that cannot be altered without the client's permission. Who made them so powerful in the first place?
10. Music, Dance, Drama and Creative Writing are considered essential elements of a complete K-12 education instead of a fringe.

This is my list. How about yours? It does not matter if our lists don't match. What truly matters is that each of us has a list in the first place. This keeps our goals alive and well. When you stop dreaming, and begin living mundanely from day to day in survival mode, you have forgotten a very essential and important part of yourself. The ability to REMEMBER WHAT IS TRULY IMPORTANT TO YOU!

40- EVERYONE WAS CRYING JUNE 2010

I went to school today, just like any other day, and each high school choir ran their competition show for the final time. At the end of each performance, EVERYONE WAS CRYING. They were not crying because the show was especially good or bad, although all the shows were exceptionally good today. They were not crying because they would never compete with these shows again, although this is true. They were not crying because they were hurt, although most everyone was huffing and puffing and sweating big time. They were not crying because the seniors will be graduating soon, and will no longer be part of the groups, although this fact certainly made everybody sad. No, these kids were crying because they were so incredibly happy. These kids understood, after not performing these award winning shows since the beginning of May (a month ago) that these performances today were somehow magical. Oh, there were no costumes, microphones or lighting, and we didn't even perform on a real stage, but the drive and commitment filling each and every one of our individual performers was more than evident. The voices were locking, the choreography was sharp, the faces were passionate, and there was a real feeling of achieving an important goal today. EVERYONE WAS CRYING because they knew how good the group had become, and they were too proud of their achievement to hold it in. Yet, they also knew that this marked the end of the road. Mission accomplished. So, now the seniors can move on to college and other endeavors knowing they have accomplished something truly important in their senior year. And for the underclassmen? Well, soon it will be time to begin this madness of show making all over again, as they must step up and lead the way as the seniors did this past year. EVERYONE WAS CRYING, but they were crying bittersweet tears of simultaneous joy and sadness. As we close the door on this incredibly successful past year, we open a new one. a mysterious door that as of this writing has yet to be defined. A door that will hopefully lead to success and fulfillment for next year's show choirs. But, as in life in general, tomorrow is never known until we actually live it. So, as they pondered the greatness of the year just past, and the uncertainty of the one coming up, EVERYONE WAS CRYING. But, rest assured, it was in a good way.

39- DEEP AND MEANINGFUL JUNE 2010

It was recently brought to my attention that I may be in a rut sharing perceived "deep and meaningful" quotes or stories all the time on facebook................Yes, that is true..............And yet......... I am going to keep on doing that if you don't mind! :) Why, do you ask? Because it makes me feel good to think about "deep and meaningful" things, and that encourages me to share them so that you too may feel good. Do you see? Okay, so just to get things going a bit, I will discuss briefly some of the "deep and meaningful" things that I find to be especially exciting these days. The Lakers. They are only a sports team, you say? And in my last blurb, FACT OR FICTION, I alluded to the fact that sports followed the rules while arts blazed new trails. Well, in the sense of basketball itself, this is pretty true. But each Laker player is an artist working within the confines of the game. When you watch Kobe on a roll, there is no finer "deep and meaningful" moment in sports. Another one is when I watch the film, "To Kill A Mockingbird" for the hundredth time, and Boo Radley saves the children once again, I always cry. It's only a movie, you say? Maybe. But it is a "deep and meaningful" moment to me. I have been crying when that part happens ever since I first saw that movie at the theatre when I was eight years old. So I vow to continue sharing my "deep and meaningful" moments as I feel them. In this way I can share my joy with you each time it happens. I will part with these final deep and meaningful words: "Life is a gift, the contents unknown, revealing itself as each day is shown. The joy of our living, should dwell in our heart, be shared with our neighbors, but that's only part. To be a good neighbor, we must offer free, our stories of living, that end happily. To encourage a smile, which we so adore, and that my dear neighbor is what facebook's for." Love, Dave

38- THANKS FOR COMING TO MY BOOK SIGNING! JUNE 2010

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! It means an awful lot to me that all of you took time out of your busy days to drop by Borders today to attend my book signing. I hope the parking situation wasn't too terrible. I am very fortunate to have such wonderful friends, students and supporters! I truly hope you enjoy reading the book. The second book is only six months away! That book signing will probably be in January. Please keep me in the loop when you have a special event you would like your friends and supporters to attend in the future. You know that you can count on me to make every effort to be there! Well, I now bid DIMENSIONS: The Wheat Field goodbye, as I put my full attention on completing DIMENSIONS: The Plethora. As of this writing, I have just completed writing page 200 of the first draft. Once I complete the final draft by the end of summer, I will post the cover and some "preview pages" of the book on this website. Thank you again for your support, and may you find true happiness and fulfillment as you journey through the dimensions of your lives! Dave Willert

37- CONSIDER A STATE OF THE ART CAR WITHOUT ANY FUEL?
JUNE 2010

Lately, I have noticed an incredible amount of energy simply exploding from my kids in every class both at the Junior HIgh and the High School. Some educators would view this behavior as a warning sign that these children are very close to being completely out of control, and their learning is at risk! I respectfully beg to differ. I have been commenting on the approach of summer for a couple of months now, and with only 2 weeks to go, and no concerts to prepare for, I believe these kids are doing exactly the right thing. They are being themselves. This is probably the closest we will come to seeing them as they are outside of school with their friends, laughing and enjoying life. So, what does that have to do with their learning, you say? After all, a school is a place of learning, is it not? LIFE is a place of learning, and school is just one part of it. I would like to compare intelligent students with state of the art cars. No matter how state of the art an automobile is, it isn't going to go anywhere without fuel. The same may be said for intelligent students. Lock them up and force them to do scads of homework, but if their heart is not into it? This will do little to get them through college and into a perfect career. Just like the car, they need fuel. Fuel in the form of passion, drive, desire, happiness, excitement and fulfillment. Without these things, the student may excel for a while, but never up to their enormous potential. So, to all of you out there who disagree with me, and believe that every moment in school must be structured and controlled through frightening consequences, let me ask you this. Is that how you would like your life to be? Fully structured all the time and controlled by frightening consequences? A lot of life is like that anyway, right? But you know as well as I do that we LIVE for our free time when we laugh and connect with others and create even when we don't have to. And from this comes the fuel that will drive our state of the art students to the top of their potential.

36- MUSIC, MUSIC AND MUSIC MAY 2010

For those of you who have already entered the adult phase of your lives, jobs, kids, responsibilities, etc. I would like to ask you something. Of all the things you remember from your childhood and youth, how much of it involves music? I am going to guess that a great number of your favorite memories involve music in one way or another. Think about it. Your favorite bands and singers? Theme songs from your favorite television shows and even movies? The music orchestrating your favorite movies? The songs that mean something special to you such as first date, first kiss? And on the other side of the coin, your personal performances in concerts, musical plays and even music lessons? This list could certainly go on and on, but I just thought it would be fun to consider what music really means to each of us, and the ability music has to adjust itself to fit the needs and personalities of each and every person. Your choice of music says a lot about you. And it is so cool that web services such as itunes continue to allow us to orchestrate our lives with the exact music we want. Of course everything I mentioned above also applies to the younger people, but I just thought for those of us who have been around a little longer, it might just be fun to revisit all of our favorite musical memories. I have mentioned this in several other blurbs, and at the risk of becoming redundant, let me just say that there are three things in this world that contribute the most to allowing us to remember special events and people. These three things are music, music and music.

35- IT JUST DOESN'T MATTER! MAY 2010

When I was a young adult, in 1979, I remember watching a funny little movie starring a young Bill Murray called "Meatballs." I went in with no expectations and came out with a new life changing philosophy which I never dreamed would reappear in my life some 30 years later. In the movie (where Bill is the activities director for a typical coed summer camp of all ages) he is speaking to the entire camp about how their rival CAMP MOHAWK with all the money will win in the end regardless of who wins the decathlon, because, once again, they are the ones with all the money. But Bill tells the crowd that they can have their moment in this decathlon if everyone works together as they never have before. He begins the chant, "It just doesn't matter," until everyone is worked up into a positive frenzy. And..they do beat CAMP MOHAWK the very next day because of their now united teamwork, faith and drive. Last year, our top mixed group, Masquerade, was in a competition where they barely made the final five, being beaten by groups they had previously beaten all year. The reason? The adjudicators were all from the midwest, and looking for a different style than what Masquerade was made of. I knew we would come in Fifth in the Finals too, after seeing our scores. I realized only too clearly at that moment that our two options were to just perform and walk away with our Fifth place trophy with our head hanging low, or to perform the show of our lives regardless of what trophy we received! The outcome was certain to be the same either way. I gave them the Bill Murray speech, began the chant, and soon everyone was worked up into a positive frenzy yelling, "It just doesn't matter." That night we did give the show of our lives. We also placed Fifth. But you know what? When they announced that Fifth Place trophy, our kids and parents stood up and cheered for a good five minutes until I sensed a little irritation coming from the host director, so I politely instructed our kids to sit down. That was one of the most meaningful Fifth place trophies I have ever been a part of winning. The kids were united. The show was sensational. And, we had our moment of glory as we cheered for five minutes. It felt good. It felt damn good! And do you know why? Because it just didn't matter if we won or lost.

34- LOOKING FOR THE TRUTH? MAY 2010

I remember in a film a while back, during a military court scene, Jack Nicholson, who played a high ranking office, angrily told the court, "You want the truth? You can't handle the truth!" I have thought about this often in my life. There always seems to be a time to tell little white lies to "save" people's feelings, or to tread lightly so as not to set somebody off. But you know what? The older I get, the more I feel as if the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth should always be the way to go. The drawback to this is that as a teacher, you may inadvertently step on some of your students' feelings. So, I suppose we should find a way to say it in a nicer way? Just a spoonful of sugar? Of course. But I also believe that it is not simply what you say but how you say it, as well. And sometimes a strong suggestion or accolade should be presented in the spirit it is intended in order for the recipient to truly understand what you are trying to communicate, so long as your intent is positive and you are not simply venting your anger or frustration. There is no question that we need to always be respectful and civil. However, the only way to solve a problem, improve a situation, or move forward is to begin with the truth, don't you agree? If you keep the truth from someone, you are ultimately not doing them any favors in the long run. But your timing is important too. So, with the understanding that every situation presents different variables let's just all agree that when we say, "We want the truth?" That we can handle it.

33- LIFE IS A CONTINUOUS GAME MAY 2010

I recently ran across a quote, "If you don't like the game of life, play scrabble." As with all quotes, there are probably a thousand and one different interpretations. It all depends on how you read it. What angle you look at it. That's because life is a continuous game that we play every moment of our existence. Life has rules and consequences just like a board game. And life has players, just like a board game. Sometimes we win and sometimes we lose. But the beauty is, we can always play another game. The tables are always open and there is no lack of players. Sometimes we are in a game of life that we don't even know about. Someone added us to the table but forgot to tell us. It's pretty tough to win when this happens, but as they say, it's all part of the game. The game of life. Once I understood this, as was my right to interpret it this way, I realized that as long as I live, no failure is absolute and no victory is forever. That's because life is a continuous game meant to be played all the time until we are finally forced to quit by circumstances beyond our control. So, if this is true, shouldn't we be playing this game like crazy? Having a wonderful time playing the game of life? Perhaps we could even partner up with our family and friends and play together. Perhaps we could make the decision ourselves as to what winning and losing actually means? Maybe we could make the game of life our game of choice! Life is an interesting phenomenon, isn't it? That's because life is a continuous game.

32- ONCE UPON A TIME MAY 2010

Once upon a time there was a tribe of young musicians. They were called the "We Work Hard" tribe. Together they lived in peace and harmony, spending every day with a smile and a song. One day, the selfish gypsy tribe "I Want It Now" came to visit. Immediately life changed in the "We Work Hard" village. Every time members of the "We Work Hard" tribe gave a gift to members of the "I Want It Now" tribe, they would simply take it and laugh at the stupidity of the "We Work Hard" people for giving them something for nothing. The "I Want It Now" tribal members not only gave nothing back to the "We Work Hard" people, but continued to freely take whatever they wanted from them. Finally, when there was nothing left, the "I Want It Now" tribe left the "We Work Hard" village, to seek other villages they could ransack. Minutes after the "I Want It Now" tribe had left the village, everyone in the "We Work Hard" tribe began to sing and smile once again. Within a very short time, the village had been rebuilt completely with everything the "I Want It Now" tribe had taken from them, and more. Meanwhile, the "I Want It Now" tribe fell upon very hard times as word quickly spread throughout the land of their selfishness, and no other tribes would allow them to enter their villages. Before long all the members of the "I Want It Now" tribe disappeared into the dismal land of "Mediocrity," as they did not know any other way to survive except by taking from others. On the other hand, members of the "We Work Hard" tribe continued to thrive and thrive in music and happiness until their Earthly lives finally came to a natural end, and they found themselves one and all in the glorious land of "Pizzazz." The moral of this story:
IF WE WORK HARD, THEN WE FIND OURSELVES IN PIZZAZZ

IF WE WANT IT NOW, THEN WE FIND OURSELVES IN MEDIOCRITY

31- REVISIT YOUR PAST MAY 2010

This age of technology has not made me a computer whiz, but it has certainly sent me on a journey to revisit my past. I am now able to listen to old reel to reel tapes from my musical childhood (and post them on my website), contact friends, students and family who I had not connected with in years (through facebook), and maintain a website to discuss all of my passions. I suppose in many ways this drive to revisit my past has also sent me head first into a drive to become more creative again. Consider, I completed my book, and am working on the second one, a feat I was unable to do (although I wanted to) for the first 54 years of my life. So, the more I discover my passions from my childhood, the more I want to rekindle them. Reading, writing, singing, and pen pals (today's version of that is facebook, of course.) Now I am not saying that this current age of technology has grabbed you as well, but regardless, I would encourage you to revisit your past, at least the positive parts of it. Find your passions again, rekindle them and again know the happiness that only an unfettered child can know. Consider this, adults are simply older, more stressed and responsible versions of children. So, if we revisit the interests and passions we loved as a youth, it stands to reason that we will recapture some of that joy and happiness as well. Good luck. I will see you on facebook!

30- SHARE YOUR ART FREELY MAY 2010

You know what? Like you, I have been creating some sort of art for most of my life. Unlike some of you however, my art has mainly dealt with the performance of music up until I recently published my first novel, DIMENSIONS: The Wheat Field, six months ago. When I think about it, I wrote my songs back during my teen years, and even into my adult years always thinking they would someday be heard by other people. I also wrote my musical arrangements for my choirs for the past 30 years with the expectation that choirs would sing them and audiences would hear them. When I completed DIMENSIONS: The Wheat Field last summer, it was no different. I expected people to read my book, giving me the perfect opportunity to share my thoughts and imagination with them. Now as I look back, this website has allowed me to share some of my childhood songs from Pengelum, my arrangements have been performed constantly by my groups in hundreds of concerts over the past three decades, and DIMENSIONS: The Wheat Field is on sale right now both online and at selected bookstores. So, has that dream come true for me? Yes. Yes it has. And because it has, it encourages me to write and create even more. I am at my happiest when I am creating music, stories or just a good old fashioned daydream in my head. So, what do I have to say to you? Share your art freely. I used to believe there was no audience for what I do. That assumption was false. I simply had not met my audience yet. Perseverance and patience are the key words here. So, if you are a writer, or a painter, or a gardener or a chef or an engine rebuilder or a dress designer or anything else that is possible in this whole wide world, and you have a drive to share your work? Do it. Use all means possible, and do not give up on it. Otherwise you are giving up on yourself, on your work and on your dreams. Dreams have the clear potential to always come true. Frustratingly for us, the exact date, time and place are simply never announced in advance. By the way, I have a book signing at Brea Borders on Saturday, June 5th at 2 PM for DIMENSIONS: The Wheat Field. I hope to see you there!

29- DISCOVERING OURSELVES MAY 2010

A very wise man once said, "There is nothing more important to discover than yourself." To put this into plainer words, we may walk around in these bodies and minds, but it is possible we have never really become great friends with ourselves yet? Plainer words? We are a combination of things we have to do and those things we want to do. This equation should be balanced, but due to the responsibilities and stresses we all endure on a daily basis, most of us tend to hang on the "have to" side, and only occasionally connect with our "want to." So, what is the answer? Life can throw us all some pretty tough situations. Integrate your "want to" into those "have to" situations. Find a way to have a fun lunch in the middle of a stressful meeting or to go to Disneyland at the end of a hard week. Some of you may be saying, "But I am too tired to go to Disneyland at the end of a tough week. All I want to do is sleep." And I say, then sleep if that is what you really want to do. Do you see? But it is up to you to lead the way, and not get submerged by a bunch of "have to" situations without the joy that your "want to" time will bring. Another wise man once said, "You never really know a man until you have put on his shoes and walked around in them for a while." There is no one way for each of us to discover ourselves fully because some of us like to work, and often find this experience to be a combination of "have to" and "want to" while others probably can't wait to retire. So, if I were you, I would begin the discovery of yourself with how you spend your day. What you do. Are they more "have to" or "want to" situations? And remember, you can always change things if you want to. Yet another wise man once said, "Success finds a way, and failure finds an excuse."

28- A BIG CUP OF CHICKEN SOUP MAY 2010

Everyone knows that chicken soup is the ideal tonic for you when you are sick. At least that's what our mothers tell us. In reality, whether this is true or not, the fact that this remedy has been passed down from generation to generation tells me there must be at least some truth to it. And for this reason, I suggest that whenever anything troubles us, we simply need to consume a big cup of chicken soup to ease our pain. When our show choir doesn't win? Bring out the chicken soup. When we get writer's block while composing the great American novel? Gulp down that chicken soup. When the Dodgers go through another horrendous losing streak? Sounds like its time for another cup of chicken soup. And what exactly is in this chicken soup that makes it so effective? Come on. You know. It is filled with a mother's love. The chicken soup may actually be but a placebo encasing the love and concern our mothers always have for us. So, it is with a great deal of love that I say to mothers everywhere, "Happy Mothers Day," and thanks again for that big cup of chicken soup. Fact is, I'm feeling much better already.

27- IS LIFE GOING FASTER, OR IS IT JUST ME? MAY 2010

For whatever the reason it seems my life is moving at such a fast pace right now that I can hardly keep up. I don't mean that I am so busy (that too), rather that every day simply flies by. I don't know why, but I will tell you what. This "fact" makes me want to achieve my life goals even more than before, and I have always been a pretty driven person. Getting older doesn't bother me nearly so much as the possibility that I may run out of time at some point and not finish all the projects I want to complete. I told you I am a driven person. So, I had better get cracking! How about you? I know that some people hold the "tropical island" view of heaven on Earth where you quietly enjoy nature all around you while holding a drink with an umbrella in your hand as you gently rest on a hammock on the beach.
That certainly sounds fun..........for a week or so, but I know I would grow antsy and want to get right back to work on the choirs, my book, my arrangements, my reading, etc. So, I am hopeless. But with these faster days comes faster hours, giving me the feeling that there is just never going to be enough time to complete my work! So I had better get at it right now. Well, after I take a nap that is.

26- LET'S ALL SAY, "THANKS" TO WALT DISNEY MAY 2010

I never really thought too much about this before, but if it weren't for Walter Elias Disney, our world as we know it (especially here in Brea, California) would be different.....and I don't mean in a good way. First of all, what is everyone's favorite theme park? Whose movies can you always take the kids to? Where do show choir kids always want to work after graduation? And who is better remembered than Walt Disney, 44 years after his death in 1966? So, what are we thanking him for exactly? For having a wonderful dream that involved generations of people, and sticking with it. For producing products synonymous with family values. For never really growing up himself, thus being a wonderful role model to all of us as we often struggle to keep our inner child alive and happy in times of stress. Come on, don't tell me that there isn't something at Disneyland that always brings back a happy memory? When I go to Disneyland, I totally forget that I am a grown-up. I feel 12 years old again, and all of my energy and joy of the time returns as I revisit my childhood turf once again. So, anyway, I just thought we should all thank Walt Disney for the joy he has indirectly bestowed upon all of us. Looking around the world today at the Disney empire, it's obvious that his dreams are still alive and well, and it almost feels like he is too. Who knows? Maybe he is? In another "dimension" perhaps?

25- FOR EMILY MAY 2010

Emily Haager was one of the most selfless, dedicated and inspiring students I have ever had in my 33 years of teaching. Emily was a member of my advanced girls show choir at Diamond Bar High School, Solitaire. She loved to perform and compete very much, and was very good at it. She would perform whether she felt sick or not, and unfortunately often times she did. It seemed that prior to every competition performance when we found ourselves in a strange auditorium, she and a friend would be sitting in a car in the parking lot preparing her lungs for performance. Even then I was in awe at the effort and level of difficulty Emily went through in order to perform. But watching her on that stage always gave me chills as her spirit exploded with joy on the stage. In the time that I saw her every day, Emily made every moment count. She was a smiler, and someone who made everyone in the room always feel very comfortable, even if they didn’t necessarily start out that way. She was the core of the inspiration that burned brightly in that choir room every day. I have not seen Emily for a number of years now, but that has not extinguished the bright flame of her legacy. It was only a couple of days ago that Doug (choreographer) and I were asking each other what she was doing now? Emily had left such a lasting impression on us as she did with everyone else that it seemed only natural she would come up in our conversation. I learned this morning that Emily’s life had finally succumbed to the cystic fibrosis that had been ravaging her body as long as she had been alive. It is with a tear in my eye and a lump in my throat that I write this farewell. Emily Haager was a fighter, an inspiration and an example of living like no one else I have ever known or am likely to meet in the future. She valued every moment of her life, and filled them with positive accomplishments, and people. I will never forget Emily Haager, and her spirit of life will continue to inspire me, and my teaching career for the rest of my life. I was one of the lucky ones to know her as well as I did. God will take care of her now, as he always has. Dave Willert

24- BOOK SIGNING AT BORDERS TAKE TWO! MAY 2010

Hi. It's been five months since DIMENSIONS: The Wheat Field was released to book stores both online and otherwise. In that time, I have hosted one book signing event at Borders in Brea, back in early January, and it was great! The problem was that it took place toward the end of Christmas vacation and a lot of people told me they were out of town, or simply didn't hear about it. Okay, take two will take place at Borders in Brea on Saturday, June 5th at 2 PM. Please mark your calendars right now so you don't miss it this time around. My next book signing after this will not take place until January of 2011, and that one will be for the premiere of my second book, DIMENSIONS 2: The Plethora. I look forward to seeing everyone who missed the event last time. Borders will have plenty of books available for purchase (unlike last time), and if you already bought one, I will still be very happy to sign it. Simply bring it in with you on June 5th, and go directly to my table. Until we meet again. May the dimensions that surround you be filled with adventure and fulfillment throughout your entire life. If you have not read DIMENSIONS: The Wheat Field yet, you probably should if you want to make any sense out of my last statement. Have a great day!

23- A MUSICAL COMPOSITION: EACH OF OUR LIVES APRIL 2010

Have you ever actually thought about this? That each of our lives is naturally attuned to a musical composition? One of our own making. A self composition, so to speak. Let me lay out my reasons for strongly believing this. In the first place, people outside of the arts are always trying to label the arts as an unimportant fringe of life that is only there for entertainment purposes. I ask you, what is always first on the chopping block when a school district is considering cuts? I'll give you a hint, it's not English or Math. In any case, I beg to differ. We are born, and as we grow up it is the people and situations all around us that affect us the most. We learn from them. In the same way, a composer uses his experiences and beliefs every bit as much as his musical knowledge when composing a piece, take it from me. In the end, our lives are a "composition" of our decisions, experiences, beliefs and relationships. In the same way, a musical composition, when completed is far more than the melody and the chord structure. It has been interpreted with musical dynamics (the louds and softs, or emotions if you will), the style, including whether the song is felt in a 2, 3, 4 or 6 time, how fast it will go and how it is supposed to make the listener feel. Added on to that, a musical composition often has accompanying words to further tell the story or emotion the music is attempting to portray. Is there anything more attuned to a person's life than music? Why do you suppose that each of us is so moved by particular songs, singers, musicians or instruments? Think about it. These "musical" things often reflect what we feel in our own lives. So, as we go about our daily lives from year to year beginning at birth and ending with our death, is there any doubt that we are composing our own private composition of life during our every moment. Every emotion, every thought, every belief, every experience. While math, science and English are certainly very important tools to our development as human beings, it is the music that reflects our emotions straight down to our very souls. Too bad music is viewed by so many as entertainment alone. If they only understood that music not only entertains them, but it resolves their conflicts and makes them whole again in times of stress. I often ask myself, "What would I do without my music?" Just a thought.

22- A FRIEND IS A FRIEND IS A FRIEND? APRIL 2010

It has only been a few months since my friend, Ron Bolles pulled me into facebook with an invitation to become online friends. Since that time I have had the pleasure of connecting with hundreds of people mostly from my past. To think that I would ever be conversing regularly with my childhood friends or students from 25 years ago would have sounded ridiculous to me last year, but now, it has actually happened. So, you ask, what has this experience been like? Well, let me explain. I was never one for having a room full of friends, not close ones anyway. So, I remember my closest friends and what bound us together very vividly. Going back has been a mixed bag. Some of my old friends have been as excited about our reunion as I am, while others have pretty much gone on with their lives. You know the old saying, "You can never go back?" Well, you can. Everything is just not always the same as you might remember it. But that does not mean it is a wasted journey. In some cases, I am better friends with these people now (on facebook) than I was at any other time. Strange. Anyway, what I have discovered through my facebook journeys is that many of us hold the same precious memories, and that in itself is very special. After all, how can you better evaluate your life, than through your myriad of precious memories? So, I don't know about you, but I believe if you ever had a wonderful friendship with someone, it is still waiting there to be rekindled just as long as you both have the desire to go back, and then forward all in one strategic move. Good luck to you all.

21- BUILDING A WEBSITE CAN BE SUCH FUN! APRIL 2010

Let me start things off by telling you that I have no common sense when it comes to tools or computers. I have to learn everything the hard way.......trial and error. That said, I am having a ball building my DAVE WILLERT website. It is so much fun to take the many interests you have and make a page to discuss, explore or simply showcase them all! I don't remember when I have had more fun at a hobby than I have with this. Me, who flunked Teacher Computer Class while at Diamond Bar High School and very nearly failed Woodshop while in Junior High. Yet, here I am building a website. I am sharing this post just in case you have had a similar desire to share and explore your interests with others or even to use it as a site to sell a product you make. The company I use is Weebly. They only charge you if you decide to take them off of their address and go directly to a dot com address, or if you want to use special features such as audio or video players. They have all the click and drag tools you need to create a first class website to help you present you in all of your many facets. If you are considering building your own website, take a look at my site here first, and see if you could make this format work for you. Then look up Weebly on the internet and they will explain and supply everything! What do you think? If you have a little time, and you don't have a website already, take a look. What have you got to lose? No, this is not a paid advertisement. I am simply sharing my joy with you. How old-fashioned is that?

20-NANCY DREW AND THE HARDY BOYS APRIL 2010

Okay, I know what many of you are saying. "What sort of topic is this on such a World Class Website as Dave Willert?" Well, I simply wanted to remember and thank the numerous authors of these famous series of adolescent mystery books for getting me interested in reading way back in the 3rd grade. And I was not alone. Since the 1930s these two series have held the attention of many children all over the world. I think it is only fair to say that Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys were probably the Harry Potter of their time. What a wonderful thing to make the experience of reading such an enjoyable activity. Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys did that for me, and I for one would simply like to thank those authors for making my life a richer experience because of it. Recently I was in Borders browsing books (as usual) and I came across reprints of each of these series' first and second books (cleverly put together in the same volume.) I simply could not resist purchasing them, and that night I began reading Nancy Drew's "The Mystery Of The Old Clock." Okay, the writing is efficient without a mountain of detail or character development, but what wonderfully fast paced stories. Save the deeper characterizations for later. I wanted to find out why these books hooked me early, and now I know. So, for any of you who also read these books as a child (or later) I invite you to revisit them just for fun. If nothing else, these books are cheaper than a movie, and considering some of the disappointing movies I have seen lately, possibly a lot more entertaining. Have fun!

19- FOLLOWING YOUR DREAMS VERSUS REGRET APRIL 2010

In a world that values financial profit over all else, how is it possible to follow your dreams and get rich at the same time? Answer? It is not always possible. Oh, we might get lucky and become rich and famous doing something we love to do. That could take care of the financial profit and the dream all in one fell swoop, right? However, the odds are probably not in your favor. Not in a topsy turvy world like the one we live in today. So, when we are given the opportunity of pursuing a career that is financially lucrative, but not particularly enjoyable, do we take it? What if another option is to pursue a career with a lot of question marks in it, not a very good track record for getting rich, but you really do enjoy it. Do you pursue that one? What about a nice steady job with a nice steady paycheck that you can tolerate, but does not inspire you. Do you pursue that one? Can't you just imagine the long, long list of varied responses to this question if we asked it of everyone? That's because we are all so different and while some of us need a "safe" and "steady" job, others are inspired by the uncertainty and excitement of a "rags or riches" type of career (like performing, for example.) Well, my take on this whole thing is that maybe some people's dreams actually do include a safe and steady job? Everyone does not need to be a huge risk taker, do they? And maybe some of the risk takers out there are only that way because they do not want to spend years in college earning a degree? There really is no right or wrong answer to this question although I would guess most parents would rather see their children pursue something steady. But truth be told, I would much rather see my child poorer in wealth and happier in spirit than the other way around. In any case, life is so short it would behoove all of us to simply make sure we are truly following our dreams and not merely treading water as we go about our lives (unless of course treading water is your dream?) Have you ever heard the old saying, "Tis better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all?" Nothing is so painful as regret. If you dream it, you had best pursue it. Failure does not bring regret. A lack of trying does. So good luck with your lives everyone! Don't let those nay sayers out there dampen the excitement of your dreams. In this regard, I always remember this quote from The Rocky Horror Picture Show, "Don't dream it, be it!"

18- A LONG TIME AGO.....THERE WAS PENGELUM APRIL 2010

If you are anything like I am, and you probably are if you are reading this right now, I am 25% dreamer, 25% nostalgic and only 50% realist. Yes, I can survive in this world today, but that has never stopped me from visiting my past, and reliving some of my happiest and most exciting times. I would have to say that marrying my wonderful wife, Margaret and being father to my incredible son, Alex are probably the two greatest moments of my life. Still, there are many others that make me smile every day. Right after I began the 7th grade (and discovered how much I hated going to Jr. High School), my best friend and brother, Robert and my neighbor and other best friend, Steve Medley (both of them were two years younger than me) and I decided to start a band together, reminiscent of The Monkees (on TV at the time) or The Beatles. I came up with the name (I was the oldest you know) and it was THE GO GO GUYS. I even wrote a theme song that sounded very similar to The Monkees Theme (from their TV show.) One problem was that none of us played any instruments? I dabbled with the piano, but that was about it. Not too long after that, my brother Robert grew weary of our group that couldn't play anything, and he moved on to other things. In the meantime, I bought a three dollar plastic guitar and song book from JJ Newberry's in Glendora, where I lived at the time, and from there I began my self-study of the guitar. Eventually that guitar broke, and I visited a pawn shop near Citrus College in Azusa and bought my first real guitar for the ten dollars I had saved from babysitting. Steve and I got together and suddenly we began to write songs. This was the beginning of PENGELUM (I explained how this name came about on the first page of this site.) His mother bought him a guitar soon thereafter, and we began playing together. A friend of my father, Dale Smallin took an interest in our music when I was in the 8th grade. He served as our manager for the next three years until we finally broke up. In this wondrous time as PENGELUM, we auditioned and performed throughout the area, including one night at Disneyland in the former Fantasyland Theatre. However, the most exciting thing to me was that every so often we would go to a professional recording studio and record some of our songs as demos for interested record companies. Well, needless to say, nothing ever came of these recordings and our lives went on. Recently Steve and I reconnected on Myspace (he is now living in a house in a beautiful forest in Missouri) and jointly decided to take those old reel to reel tapes and try to have them transferred to CD if for nothing else, for our own memories and enjoyment. That is being done right now, as we speak, and I hope those old tapes do transfer correctly (the most recent tape was recorded in 1971- I wonder what the shelf-life is on reel to reel tapes?) Anyway, I just wanted to share this little story with you just in case you had someplace in your past you would very much like to revisit? It's never too late, you know. Success Finds A Way, And Failure Finds An Excuse. If those CDs turn out, I will share some of the songs with you on this site. I believe we recorded about 35 different songs from 1968-1971. If they do not turn out? Well, that will never erase my memories!

17- THE PLETHORA IS COMING TO LIFE APRIL 2010

The Plethora consists of all the thousands and thousands of dimensions that exist all around us. Why do they exist? Only God knows for sure. But the fact remains, they do exist. "DIMENSIONS 2: The Plethora" is moving along steadily toward completion and a November of 2010 release date. One very important fact about this book is that it definitely builds off of the first book, "DIMENSIONS: The Wheat Field" in which the surrounding dimensions were first introduced. In "DIMENSIONS 2: The Plethora," there are a number of characters both old and new intertwined into a trio of exciting new adventures which are all happening simultaneously and entangled between reality and The Plethora. I would strongly encourage anyone who has not yet read "DIMENSIONS: The Wheat Field" to do so in the next few months in preparation for "DIMENSIONS 2: The Plethora's" release in November. You will definitely get a lot more out of the second book if you preface it by reading the first. Good luck with "The Wheat Field." There is no turning back now. "The Plethora" is definitely coming to life and it will be here before you know it.

16- EASTER! IT'S TIME TO CELEBRATE AND THINK POSITIVE! APRIL 2010

A very happy Easter to all. As a Christian believer, I see this as a time to celebrate and to follow the path that Jesus so clearly laid out for us. Be a good person, help others and know that God loves you. Simple? Maybe. But I believe it, I live by it, and I wish you and your families all the greatest happiness and joy this life can bestow upon you. To me, the harder some people try to discount God, the easier it is for me to believe. The fact that we are here at all is a miracle to me. The opportunities we have are boundless. So, let's celebrate, consider all those things that are most important to us and pursue them with all of our hearts. With apologies for sounding corny, let's be a part of making the world a better place. Not by forcing others to agree with our beliefs, no. By being positive and good people. By caring about everyone and helping wherever we can. That is what I think. Again, enjoy a wonderful Easter Sunday, and may all of your dreams come to pass in a very positive way!

15- IT'S OKAY TO BE DIFFERENT. REALLY! MARCH 2010

You know how it seems that a good number of people spend an agonizing amount of time trying to fit in and be accepted by others? It doesn't really matter how many times you tell them that this is not the most important thing in the world, because often times to them, it is. Especially young people. So, I am not going to reiterate everything that the rest of you are already thinking, like how individuality is good and everyone is beautiful in their own way. These things are certainly true, but let me approach this in a little different way. When I was 10 years old, I owned a Betty Crocker Easy Bake Oven. This was in fact my favorite toy (although it really did bake little tiny cakes and cookies.) Although none of the other boys who I hung out with shared my love for baking, I found great pleasure in it. Later in life I grew to love baking full sized cakes and cookies, and to this day I find great enjoyment in this. Had I thrown away that Betty Crocker Easy Bake Oven when I discovered that I was baking alone, I would probably not be the premiere bakery chef I am today. Moral of this story? Be who you are even if you feel like the ugly duckling, because in time you will definitely become the swan. The other thing to consider is that because I learned to bake early in life, today I am able to share the fruits of my efforts with everyone around me to their mouth watering benefit. The same can be said for whatever skills you may have which make you feel different when you are younger. If you find the courage to develop them, everyone around you will be all the better for them once you grow older and surround yourself with much more supportive people. It truly is okay to be different at any age. But to hide that passion, and never develop that talent, now that is the real crime. Rejoice in your individuality!

14- WHAT IS LIFE IF IT ISN'T HARD WORK AND CREATIVITY? MARCH 2010

As I started my classes one morning in the past week, much like I do every morning, I wondered to myself, "What should we work on today?" With show choir there is so much to think about beginning with the learning and memorization of the songs and dance, followed by performance skills, proper attitudes, effort and stamina. The list is actually endless, but we generally focus on these things first. Well, it suddenly hit me. We didn't need to work on any of these things. Oh sure, each of those areas can always use more practice, but practice was not on the menu that day. We needed to talk. So, we did. We discussed why the kids were in choir to begin with, and what they expected to achieve? Some of the kids talked about the choir staff needing to push them harder, others talked about poor attitudes amongst their peers. But, it was a quiet young Freshman who really answered the question to my liking. In paraphrase the Freshman told the class, "We are here in this room for such a short time each day. If we waste any time at all, it means we sing or perform worse, and consequently place lower in competition. So, I can't answer for all of you, but I want to work as hard as I can every day in Choir, and that is my responsibility, not anyone else's. If for no other reason, I like the way I feel at the end of the period after giving my best." Go ahead, let this young person's words simmer for just a moment in your mind. Can't we apply this to everything we do, every day of our lives? Okay, sometimes we can just goof off, but not when it really matters, right? I propose that the hard work and creativity that defines show choir so very well, sets up the perfect recipe for simultaneous happiness and success in life. Just as the young Freshman said, "I like the way I feel.....after giving my best." Amen!

13- MEDITATION, ANYONE? MARCH 2010

So, what do you think? Is there really something to the world of meditation? Does the practice of meditation really cleanse our minds and reset our thinking into a more positive and productive realm? I have never formally studied this technique, but I think I use aspects of it everyday. When I think back to childhood and the naive hope and excitement it held for my future, I often long for this again. Not that I have anything to complain about now, but being so busy with responsibilities and "have to" activities can really wear a person down, don't you think? Anyway, sometimes when I want to escape from all of those anxieties I have accumulated throughout my life, I simply close my eyes and cleanse my mind of everything. When I open my eyes, only then do I see the world of beauty and hope that had played such a vital part of my childhood. I also find that writing about it, as I am here, or in my books goes a long way toward returning to a sense of peace. It is not so much that anything has or will change in my life as it is now. It is simply that I am given ability to remember that there was a time in my life when things were simpler and sweeter. Knowing that I can take myself back there anytime I want to, even for a few moments, through the simple practice of meditation somehow renews my positive spirit. You know the old saying, "No matter where you go, you have never left." In other words, as our lives change, we may grow older and wiser and live all over the world, but none the less, we are essentially the same people we were when we lived at our simplest and happiest in life. We just need to make sure that we never lose touch with that oh so important part of us. Perhaps meditation can be a big help toward keeping us connected. Good luck.

12- LET'S GET A LITTLE PHILOSOPHICAL MARCH 2010

As I slowly approach the end of yet another wonderful year of teaching, it occurs to me. That day will come (someday) when I will finally hang it up and retire. At least from teaching. But what then? Isn't that true for all of us? And if I do begin another career, what type of profession would it be? Well, I already considered Disneyland. I already worked there for about 7 years in the mid nineties up into 2001 in the Entertainment Division. I had a ball. I absolutely loved it. But, as they say, I have already been there, done that. So? What else? Well, Real Estate sounds kind of fun, except for the fact that I am a terrible salesman. I don't really care about profit at all. To me the journey is much more valuable than the final destination. So, that probably leaves full time writer. Yep, I think that is exactly what I will do once that time finally arrives and I retire from teaching. But, the money is so iffy in that profession? So, what happy person really works for money, I ask you? In any case, life is an adventure if you allow it to be, and that certainly means risk plays a big part, if you have the stomach for it. I do. But for now, I love what I am doing. Do you ever wish you could be several people at once and explore a number of careers and adventures in your life? I do. That makes me ponder that it may be possible one way or another to actually make that happen. In any case, I am ready for whatever adventure awaits me. How about you?

11- THE HISTORY OF "PIZZAZZ" MARCH 2010

I am often asked when I first began using "pizazz" with my choirs, and I would have to say that I truly cannot remember. I know it began at Nogales High School sometime in the early 1980s, but to pinpoint the precise year, I would probably have to survey my former students. But of course, it really doesn't matter. The fact is that over the years, pizazz has taken on a life of its own. I simply count "1,2,3..." in my classes or anywhere my choir kids are present, and they instantly respond with a rousing blast of "pizazz!" complete with arms thrown out in all directions and a gigantic smile to boot. So, what makes this little exercise so important, you ask? Pizazz is the glue that holds the show choir together, just ask anyone. And it is a fun exercise that everyone can excel at equally. Sometimes I think it is actually a secret code word that separates the "true show choir people" from the imposters. But if that is true, then the list of true show choir people is certainly expanding as more and more show choirs tend to be using it. Pizazz is the feeling that anything is possible in our lives if we only try hard enough. It is very difficult, if not impossible to pizazz without smiling or feeling completely refreshed with energy and personal confidence. So, why don't psychologists use this incredible technique, you ask? Maybe they do.

10- IS FAITH ENOUGH? MARCH 2010

I recently wrote a short blurb based on the moral from Monty Python's Life Of Brian, in essence suggesting that if we "always look on the bright side of life" then everything will be okay. Please define okay? Through my years of life I have worried about things and been anxious about other things and stressed over other things and none of that did me a bit of good. It was not until I finally learned to accept what would probably be the worst possible outcome for the risk I was considering and realized that I could survive it. It would be okay. And if that worst possible outcome did not occur, I would do even better. That was when I realized that it was all about faith. But, is faith enough? I believe it is the first step to enough. Without having any faith in your ability to succeed at something from the get go makes all of your efforts pointless, doesn't it? Doomed for failure by your own negative attitude and lack of faith. This year in my Choirs, we have had to work very hard in order to be competitive with the best groups out there. Does this hard work mean that we will win? Certainly not. Does this hard work increase our chances for success? Absolutely. And it is the idea that we do control our odds to some extent, if not our outcomes, that drives us to keep fighting and never giving up on the possibility that we could win. And although we can't really control our outcomes, it sure feels a lot better to fight for a chance to win, than to have already given up. Don't you agree? And don't forget, this hope we find always begins with a little faith.

9- TEACHING............................Current Status- March 2010

I remember when I was 23 years old and had just begun my first teaching job at Norco High School. I told some of my students that I planned on teaching for 5 years and then I would pursue professional theatre work as a writer, musical arranger or performer. Well........33 years have come and gone since that day, and here I am still teaching music in the public schools. Where did my plan go wrong? The truth? It didn't. I just found that I loved being a teacher, and all the freedom it offered, so I just kept right on going. No one was more surprised than I was. But, after it is all said and done, I know that I made the right choice to stick with it. Because I was a teacher, I was able to pursue a number of side jobs and hobbies throughout the years including performing in community theatre, serving as the musical director for a great number of community theatre musicals, performing in a rock band, performing as a solo and duet act singing and playing my guitar in clubs, serving as the Minister Of Music for three different churches, arranging well over 100 musical arrangements, working at Disneyland in the Entertainment Division, and most recently writing and publishing my first novel, DIMENSIONS: The Wheat Field. So, you see? Choosing a career does not mean that everything else in your life has to come to a screeching halt! Quite the contrary, choosing the correct job is a win win situation as you earn the money your family needs to live, and you are happy which encourages you to pursue your other interests on the side. In any case, I bring this up because my school district is currently considering reducing Choir in the curriculum next year, possibly removing it from the Junior High School where I teach. If all the cuts were approved, this move could mark the end of my career in this district. So, I began to think, if the unthinkable does occur and I am not rehired next year, what will I do? Change careers? Retire? Nope. I will find another teaching job and continue doing what I have done so happily for the past 33 years, teach music. And that is the truth! Tough things happen to us in life, but we really can't change who we are, can we?

8- Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life.....Monty Python from "LIfe Of Brian"- February 2010

It is truly amazing how some things just stick with you, isn't it? I remember sitting in a car at a drive-in in the early 1970s with my now wife, Margaret when the second feature began. Some foreign film I had never heard of called, "Monty Python And The Holy Grail." Well, the rest is history. We watched that movie, and I have never laughed so hard in my life. The humor was fresh and edgy, and the comedy was overflowing. A few years later, Monty Python put out a second film called, "The Life Of Brian." Brian's life was supposed to parallel Jesus' life in a humorous way. Well, you can imagine the folks that boycotted this film. But, again, it was hilarious. But the one thing I remember from it more than anything was that moment at the end when Brian was hanging on a cross with others and they somehow found a reason to smile, as they sang "Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life." One line that has especially stuck with me after all of these years is "life's a piece of shit, when you look at it." And then they of course went on to sing about how they could overcome every foul situation with a smile, a laugh and a positive attitude. Perhaps we can apply a little of this to the current recession all of us are living through. No job security, and certainly no golden future for our children. But, hey? Maybe, just maybe we can change all that smile by smile. Always look on the bright side of life. It's a lot more fun than the alternative.

7- DIMENSIONS: The Wheat Field..........Current Status - February 2010

Let's talk about my new book, DIMENSIONS: The Wheat Field. It was published in late November and has been available for purchase on Amazon and Barnes and Noble online as well as at select Borders stores for the past two and a half months. To this point, sales have been better than expected considering that I am a new author and I was not published through a major publishing house. But, here is the best part. A number of the people who have read it have reported to me how much they enjoyed it. They inquired right away when the next book will be released. Well, as mentioned before, "DIMENSIONS 2: The Plethora" should be released in late November of 2010. We will of course have a book signing or two for this one as well, which I will announce when the time comes. If you have not read this book, and have an interest in what is possible through the realm of dimensions all around us, go out and buy it right now. Then, you will be all set for the second book in November. To those of you who have already read the first book, thank you for your support, and I continue to welcome any of your comments.

6- WHAT IS THE PLETHORA?- February 2010

Ever since "DIMENSIONS: The Wheat Field" was published, people who have read it have emailed or asked me about the Plethora. Without giving too much away from "DIMENSIONS 2: The Plethora" which will be published late in 2010, let me give you some ideas to ponder. Imagine for a moment that reality as we know it is only one of many realities covering the exact same space and time. This is the Plethora. The greatest mysteries of the Plethora involve how to get in and out of the different dimensions inherent to it, and why each of these individual and unique dimensions exists in the first place? Unlike many popular theories concerning dimensions, the Plethora is not logical to the human brain, as it constantly changes, adding and deleting dimensions at will. There is one common thread binding all of the Plethora's dimensions together however, but you will need to read all of the DIMENSIONS books to fully comprehend what it is. A dimension in the Plethora does not need to be magical, but it may be. A dimension in the Plethora may also be dangerous. And who is to say that we aren't living in a dimension of the Plethora right now? Hopefully most of your questions regarding the Plethora will be answered as you read "DIMENSIONS: The Wheat Field" as well as the next three upcoming installments, including "DIMENSIONS 2: The Plethora," due out in November of 2010. Please continue emailing me with your questions if you are so inclined. dave_willert@yahoo.com.

5- SHOW CHOIR COMPETITION IS WHAT IT IS..........- February 2010

Well, 2010 marked the 33rd consecutive high school show choir season I have marched my groups into. No applause, please. At the end of January, Doug Kuhl (choreographer) and I took our top mixed group, Masquerade into their first competition. To make a long story short, we placed second, and won the plaque for Best Show of the night. Not too shabby, you say. But, to a person, everyone in Masquerade (staff and members) really felt as if we should have won. Absolutely. Now the problem. My guess is that every competing group in every competition who does not win must definitely feel the same way. And in any competition subjective scoring is inevitable no matter how much the adjudicators try to be objective. Adjudicators are human, and presumably have their built-in likes and dislikes. Add to that the human portion of it, meaning an adjudicator who carries strong feelings one way or the other toward a group's director, may treat the scoring for that group differently. Trust me, I know. So, am I disappointed with our second place finish? Yes. Have I been there before? About 200 times. Do we sometimes win? Yes. Am I satisfied when that happens? Sometimes, although I am always critical of our product, and strive to improve it for the next one. So, year 33 rolls into the books of my show choir life. It will probably be similar to all the rest. Win some, lose some, and work for most of the school year trying to improve and reach perfection. That is the key, you know. When the work stops, regardless of wins and losses, the party is over. The work and the improvement is that part of show choir that makes it all worth doing, not the subjective competitions. The constant birth of new ideas, the tweaking and eliminating of old ones, and the passion that accompanies us at every single competition, now that is fun. So, for better or for worse, here we go again in 2010! How can it possibly get old, when every new year brings a new show and several months of competition to prove that we are the best. Hope burns eternal! Now the happy part. Our Junior High just won First Place at a local competition regardless of the fact that two out of three adjudicators had the second place group ranked one point ahead of us. However, the lone adjudicator who liked us best, liked us best by ten points. The world of Show Choir Competition is filled with ups and downs, passionate emotions and cries of foul, only to be followed by an unexpectedly positive outcome to balance things out a little. If I know that Show Choir (like all humanly judged events) always has the potential to be adjudicated knowingly or unknowingly with a bias slant by judges who may have a stake in the final outcome, then why do I continue dragging my kids into it year after year. The answer is because there are always those competitions where the adjudicators are able to be unbiased and fair, with nothing personal hanging in the outcomes. We are all human and subject to bias, but here is to those special adjudicators who learn to rise above that, and here is to the constant hope that our competing kids will learn that hard work and a quality product do matter, regardless of the final outcome.

4- CHOIR IS STILL A BIG PART OF MY LIFE! HOW ABOUT YOURS?- January 2010

Hi everyone. I am Dave Willert. Dave Willert the choir teacher. It makes me smile very big to think about the thousands of kids and adults I have had the pleasure of working with over the years in choirs and musicals. I remember just starting out as a student teacher with the great Tom Kessler at West Covina High School in the late 1970s. Next it was my first teaching job at Norco High School where I first met my future genius choreographer, Doug Kuhl. From there 19 awesome years at Nogales High School where the kids didn't know the meaning of impossible, and we proved it! It was here that the talented Bo Eder joined our creative staff. Then on to 7 great years at Diamond Bar High School. Hannah Nam was my accompanist there beginning in her Senior year. Now I spend my days (and nights) at Brea-Olinda High School and Brea Junior High and things have never been better. The kids are energetic and talented, the parents are supportive and we have a wonderful theatre to work in. Who could ask for anything more? Not to mention that it was here that the talented Drew Hemwall joined our staff five years ago! To all of my students of the past, please email me and let me know what is going on in your lives these days. Each and every one of you made a uniquely positive contribution to my life, and I thank you with all of my heart!

3- WHAT A WONDERFUL BOOK SIGNING IT WAS!- January 2010

Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all of you who attended my recent book signing for "DIMENSIONS: The Wheat Field" at Borders Bookstore in Brea. The one hour signing turned into a two hour reunion. It was so wonderful seeing students and friends from as far back as 30 years ago. This was one of the most moving days of my life, and I have all of you to thank for it. I hope you enjoy reading the book, and may this not be the only time our paths will ever cross again. Sometimes, we can go back. Today was proof of that.

2- THE "DIMENSIONS" SERIES CONTINUES- January 2010

Just a little heads up. The second book of the "Dimension" series, entitled "DIMENSIONS: The Plethora" will be published next year, probably in early November (as the first one was supposed to be.) I thought that once the year started, it might be fun to publish bits of the book each month just to give you an idea of what was coming, without spoiling the story, of course. The first "teaser" should be posted on this website beginning next summer. What's "The Plethora," you ask? Read the first book and you will definitely know the answer. Have a wonderful New Year!

1- TOM KESSLER STARTED IT ALL IN SO CAL SHOW CHOIR- January 2010

Just a little bit of Show Choir history for those of you who, like me, have spent most of their lives living it. Tom Kessler was a very talented band director who had a knack for making quality musical groups. In 1975 he took the reins of the West Covina High School Choral Department, and with the help of a professional choreographer (Tom Callas), in my opinion he produced the first professional looking high school show choir in Southern California. His groups dazzled the competition for the next ten years or so, winning countless top trophies before he finally hung it up following the 1985 competing season. I student taught with him in 1977 and had the pleasure of watching how he did it. Three things come to mind: 1. Take pride in what you do, and never stop improving. 2. Let the kids grow individually by incorporating fun activities in class and making them partners in many of the group decisions. 3. Take competition seriously. Compete to win! These are wisdoms I not only learned, but I also chose to use. Tom Kessler was a class act! Other outstanding Show Choir directors of the late seventies and early eighties included John Wilson of Azusa High School, Roger Duffer of Redlands High School, Dick Kinzler of Edgewood High School, Rollie Maxson of Arcadia High School, Dwight Fichtner of Los Altos High School, and not too much later Ron Bolles of Bonita Vista High School, Mary Rago of Burroughs High School, and Mark Henson with his Act One. And of course Dave Willert and Doug Kuhl entered the ranks of serious contenders beginning in the early 80s with Nogales High School, beginning in 1999 with Diamond Bar High School and since 2006 with Brea Olinda High School. Many other outstanding schools and directors have popped up from year to year in the advanced Show Choir Circuit since that magical beginning, but in my last 33 years of producing show choirs there always seems to be a core of groups that reap most of the awards most of the time. Staying in this elite group involves constant work, the commitment to evolve and a very strong competitive spirit. Show Choir certainly is a lot of fun, but don't forget, it all began in Southern California 35 years ago with Tom Kessler's West Covina High School Chamber Singers. This was real home-grown California Show Choir at its best! Thank you, Tom!

WHAT'S UP WITH DAVE?An irregularly published blog of Dave Willert's thoughts, moods and aspirations as he chooses to talk about them. Please read with care. This blog is not censored in any way!