RAY HALLIDAY will Write-a-Thon!

Friday: 8/26 I will be writing for as long as I can. Somewhere between noon and 8:26 pm. And you can pledge money for each hour I write. If you pledge, I will show you all the crappy pages I write, no matter how awful. Doesn't that sound great!

Here's a link, but if you want to pledge, just let me know how much!. You can do the same on FACEBOOK! All proceeds go to 826 Valencia. They go great stuff for kids. Take a look at the link for more info.

You guys were amazing last year, and I got some good (at least I think so) writing out of it.

http://826valencia.org/826-news/second-ever-826-day-write-a-thon/

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=143334022420151

Wonderful Days!

Yesterday I wrote a thing that seemed pretty negative for the way I'm overall feeling. While my nights might not be so interesting, my days have been some of the most awesome days of my late life.

Plus, my nights have been pretty awesome, if not somewhat out of control.

I've been going to my usual coffeeshop in the morning and doing my work for my two teaching jobs. This has been par for the course for several years now. The difference is that some of the work has dried up a bit, so, at times, there is not so much work to do.

Then, as soon as I'm done, I head over to my new job. I can't remember if I ever got a chance to complain or whine here before that I thought, awhile back, that if my schoolwork didn't pick up, I was going to have to find some other line of work. Believe me, I do not know how to find work, and I can prove it. I joined Linkedin.

I worked on my resume with my buddy Joel's help. And then, when I finally got it all down to where, at least, it was readable, Joel offered me a job, or some work with his company. Computer Writing Manuals People Inc. Have I talked about Joel? How he's always either saving my life, lending me money, feeding me, driving me around, reading my manuscripts, giving me guitarist/singer/trumpeter jobs in his band, and just all-around bucking me the fuck up? I think I've mentioned him before, or, if you're local, you may know him. He's a legend.

Anyway, this job. I go to work just a few blocks from my house. It's in a beautiful part of my beautiful neighborhood. The weather is always magnificent where I work. The people are always friendly. The office is sweet, and incredibly quiet! Everybody wears giant headphones! They seems to be filmmakers and writers. I know some of them are filmmakers and writers. Me and Joel are computer writing manuals people.

The thing is, I am having a good time having something to do all day. The job is challenging, but I think I can fit myself into it. Joel is helpful. We go to wonderful, relaxed and sometimes work oriented lunches. I can work off of my own schedule, basically. As long as I'm putting in the hours and getting some tasty results. I walk to and from work and I am happy to be going there. It is just a wicky weird feeling.

Did I mention that the Computers Manuals People pay me money as if I worked for them? I hope to use this money (however long it lasts) to buy some sort of vehicle. Like either a motorcycle or an airplane. Or a boogie board!

Anyway: work at the moment: awesome. Which, from what I hear, can make a huge difference in your outlook.


And that really is all I got to say about trees.


Wait! I make music! And that's been pretty good, too.

Short and Sweet

This blog was supposed to be short and sweet. But I set some sort of a thing with the first post and now it's been, like, a burden to try and make sense of stuff. But NO MORE!

It is hot in my apartment. It seems that all around me, my friend's lives are totally going on while I am in my apartment with a terrific cat (don't get me wrong) but without much else. The cat is terrific, did I mention that?

I have a new job (sort of) like all my other jobs it comes with no guarantee. Didn't it used to be that, at least, when you worked a job, you got hired, they took a chance on you? These folks have been terrific to me (like the cat!) and I have nothing but amazingly sincere thank you's for them. I get to go sit in an office and work and it's neat. There's puzzles and stuff to work out and it's, so far, pretty relaxed and rewarding. ReWARDing!

My friends are everywhere, all over the country and the world, having kids, breaking up, getting married, moving. They are doing all sorts of stuff. The drama in their lives is real, and serious, and worthwhile. But I am up here in the apartment with the cat (did I mention how terrific he's been. Hey, seriously).

Calls have been going out to my folks. My dad and mom are back in the nursing home while my dad recuperates from another operation. He sounds weak on the phone, but somewhat reasonable. It is a time contest. Will he be able to keep his cool in there long enough to heal? Time will tell. Hearing him weak on the phone is unnerving.

My friend Sonny lives downstairs, but I don't know why. I thought it would be cool, but I went and knocked on his door, but he wasn't around. Being that it's Friday, I thought we could totally hang and shoot the breeze and eat nuts. But, I ate the nuts myself.

Here's the thing. If I go boogie boarding next week, I promise to never complain again.

I promise to try not to.

And that's all I got to say about trees.

Wait. Hold it. I got more to say. Let's talk about the Bhagavad Gita and the Tao te Ching, just for a second. I've read the Tao, and I'm knee-deep in the Gita at the moment. And, they're all about, this detachment stuff. I used to kind of buy it, but no more. Who wants to attain a detachment level? I would rather be attached. Hate and love stuff, feel terrible pain and happiness. Cry and laugh. Cry and laugh.

Now, really, go talk amongst yourselves...