Hello my beautiful friends. This week my heart is overjoyed with love. And just now as I sit down at my compuet to write this week’s blog I turn on my iPod and guess what song starets, David Crosby and Graham Nash doing "My Country Tis of Thee." Let Freedom Ring, gotta love it. I went to the Inauguration and got home yesterday. I am filled with a love for my country, something I’m having trouble articulating to you, but I’ll give it my best. But first I need to preface my experience at the Inauguration with a short story regarding Things Happen For A Reason.

Last summer I was doing an art show when a husband and wife came by. Laura and I got talking and a comment was made about my Hawaiian Whale’s Tail necklace, the very one I wear daily as an endorsement of my pursuit to follow the spirit of Aloha. The conversation turned to a little rock Laura had found and wanted to turn into a necklace. I briefly mentioned when drilling through such a small rock that too much pressure, or too little speed of the drill will crack it. By the end of the conversation I volunteered to drill the rock for her, and then mail it to her three thousand miles away.

Only in the spirit of Aloha could such a simple task of drilling a small rock turn into a beautiful story. I brought the rock into my studio and tried drilling as I have done so many times before on similar projects. It was like this little rock however was made out of titanium – it would have nothing to do with being drilled. Over the next several months I tried different drills and different bits, but the rock remained resistant. I put the little rock on my desk and as I did my daily work I would sometimes contemplate what to do with this little rock. Laura was growing concerned she might never see the rock, and I was growing dismayed with letting her down. The positive atmosphere as prescribed by the spirit of Aloha was absent. The positive energy was gone and I felt bad. I found myself being forced to think. It was here that I discovered this little rock was bringing me, in the spirit of Aloha, the gift of searching for an understanding. I sent Laura the following email:

Hi Laura,

I've been adding good karma to your little rock. Seems this little gem is an attention seeker. Because you have been so wonderfully patient I was trying to surprise you at Christmas with the final product. But, your little rock has been putting up a struggle -- I think it's trying to ensure the highest quality of craftsmanship. I have tried drilling, even tried special drills, but your little rock is resistant. So, I have taken your precious stone with a mind of it's own to a machine shop with special equipment. I tired to get them to drill the hole before Christmas so I could send it to you, but the machine shop couldn't do it in time. They told me it should be ready by tomorrow. I will then add a thin black leather necklace, waxed, so it will never break. The small clasp will be silver. And then it gets shipped to you.

On a side note: I visit Hawaii during the winter. The god Pele has a rule that no rocks are to leave the island without spiritual respect, or bad luck will follow the owner. I believe your little rock made me aware that Pele's rule is to the honored and that this is the reason your little gem asked for a respectful departure from the island of Cape Cod. I will be sending your little rock with peace and well wishes, which is what I think it's wanted all along -- it just needed to give me the time to figure it out. Your little rock is to be cherished for sure -- what a beauty!

Happy New Year to you and your nice husband.

Robert

The beautiful story, the exchange of Aloha, came in Laura’s reply:
It's funny because when I gave you the rock, my husband assumed I would never see it again (he's the skeptic of our pair). I disagreed. I believed and trusted you would return it to me. I was touched that you even offered to help me, and I wanted to risk and allow myself to trust and receive your generosity. I'm relieved to know she'll be back with me soon. I'm feeling bad you have to say goodbye to your tiny friend and source of inspiration.

My rock sounds a little like me...we both like good craftsmanship and have been faced with some deep loneliness--wanting to be paid attention to, and known. I've had a rough fall emotionally and this rock, especially now, means even more to me. I can relate to it, and it to me. I found it on the beach during a very special week for me professionally and emotionally, so it carries those meanings with it from the Cape.

Thank you for honoring Pele's rule and respecting this whole process. I can see why that is important and I'm lucky to have been a part of this process. I can't wait to see this little specimen. You've taken such loving care with it. She will be worn with gratitude. Given the challenges of drilling it, I'm sure I wouldn't have been able to wear it without your generosity and commitment. It means so much more to be able to wear it and carry it with me in that way.

This has been a nice lesson for me in being patient and in trusting. I'm smiling and I'm touched. There are so many people in this world you can't trust and who don't come through, its been a gift to be reminded there are still trustworthy people out there--even "strangers".

Things Happen For A Reason wouldn’t have taken place between Laura and I, and we wouldn’t have exchanged a wonderful understanding, if it wasn’t for the search for meaning between us that the little rock brought us. Patience, and having our eyes and heart open and searching for meaning can bring us so many wonderful gifts. This is odd, but the expensive radio in my car broke about two days before I left for the Inauguration. Not enough time to fix it, so I loaded my iPod with new songs. A few hours into driving I tired the iPod (which I really didn't want to use while driving, but...) When I tired the iPod there were zero songs on it. It seems I didn't have a playlist selected when I synchronized. All this means I drove from Cape Cod to Washington (ten hours) and back (another ten hours) without a single sound. But, things happen for a reason...

I’ve been talking for a while about going to the Inauguration, and many of you know that over the winter I’ve been working on my latest book, which I said I would complete before the Inauguration, and that the book would end with me driving over the bridge as I leave the Cape for the Inauguration. Things Happen For A Reason, I didn’t finish the book - which was disappointing. I have developed Carpel Tunnel from too much writing, so I had to stop typing. But with Things Happening For A reason, I searched and found the meaning as to why I had to stop typing. The book wasn’t suppose to be about me completing the final chapter as I drove over the bridge – my driving over the bridge was the beginning of the book, not the end. The book is to begin with me driving over the bridge, and the book isn’t about life on Cape Cod during the beautiful winter. The book is about the journey I take as I devote my efforts to working help Obama bring the beautiful change his leadership has so inspired me to follow.

The radio breaking and the iPod not taking a download seemed to have brought me to place to think while driving all those many miles. The eve of the Inauguration, as I drove to Washington, the traffic became heavier and heavier. I stopped for gas on the New Jersey Turnpike and the attendant was smiling up a storm./ he said all the traffic that night was [people heading to Washington for the Inauguration. I couldn’t believe how many cars there were. The gas station attendant was genuinely happy, which at the time I thought was just his character. I arrived in Washington at midnight, in four hours the subway train into the city would begin transporting us to the Inauguration. As I waited in the parking lot thousands and thousands of people began to show up over the next four hours. Half a dozen helicopters flew over head. I was seven miles outside of the city, at only over of many train stops. All over the area thousands and thousands of people were making a pilgrimage to our National Mall for the Inauguration.

The fact that two million people were converging in one place is significant enough, bu the fact that each of the two million people were so incredibly happy was beyond description. Sometime sit seems, especially these days, that a majority of us are walking around depressed, for good reason given all we face right now, but not that the early morning of the Inauguration. Everyone was happy, and peaceful, and filled with a harmony that brought the best of spirits out. It took five hours to board the train and travel four subway stops. The thousands of us sang God Bless America, and Happy Birthday, anything to pass the time in the 19 degree cold. The train was packed, but we didn’t care about the discomfort, there was too much goodwill.

I stood in front of the Washington Monument, as far as I could see, in every direction, was a sea of people. And people were from all over the world, and there were people there who came form places where they own nothing, have no money, but some sold whatever they had to sell to buy a plane ticket and be there. This was their moment to show the world they support Obama and that change is coming. Two million beautiful people.

I’m not sure the television captured it, but when Yo Yo Ma and his quartet played Simple Gifts the beautiful cello delivered a moment where the crowd was overwhelmed with finding a special moment where in the tranquility of the peaceful tune the release of past ugliness seemingly vanished. The song seemed to close the door behind us as we entered a new place of hope and change. The crowd was completely silent as each of absorbed the arrival of what we came to the Inauguration for – the chance to feel the birth of our brotherly love. I am fifty two years old and thought I’d seen everything, compared to the birth fo my two children, that moment of being in that crowd and feeling that depth of love amongst us was one of the most beautiful moments in my life. I only wish I could find the words to articulate it for you, but it’s indescribable. That moment and the beautiful faces of two million people smiling all at the same time has changed me as a member of mankind. My heart has been transformed, and I love my country and the members of the world that were there during the Inauguration that brought me that moment.

And on the National Mall, amongst the World War II memorial, and the Vietnam Wall memorial, and the Washing Monument and Lincoln memorial, on the sacred ground where Martin Luther King Jr spoke, we stood. There was a feeling each of the two million paid a private homage to be standing on such ground – who was here before us, being part of such history. We knew this was special and we loved each other for sharing the moment together. Incredible.

It took me five hours to go into Washington and forty five minutes to leave. I made my way back to my car for the drive home. The radio breaking and the iPod not taking a download seemed to have brought me to place to think while driving all those many miles, and driving home to me beloved Cape Cod where my forefather’s dream of America being the place Obama wants to deliver. Things happen for a reason, I believe they do, and having that level of silence and opportunity to appreciate what just happened to me as I stood with two million people delivered me the chance to witness the reason for things happening as they did.

I have since my two adult child were born forever told them I would deeply appreciate all gifts (birthdays, Christmas, etc) be handmade. And most of the time they have always given me handmade gifts. Last month my daughter bound an incredibly beautiful book for my Christmas gift (she's an artist and a poet, a young hippie). It's a blank page journal type book, very very beautiful. I've been reluctant to start writing in it, because I wasn't sure what I wanted to say. And here is another reason why I believe things happen for a reason; If the radio and iPod had worked I wouldn't have had the time to think and have it dawn onto me that I will use her beautiful gift to capture the poems I will write about Obama's presidency and the breathtaking changes as he brings our country to a better place. I will use my new book to hand write my poetry dedicated to Obama's goodwill as I experience it. I'll start with the Inauguration.

Now here’s the best part of the Inauguration, I went with my beautiful son, Benjamin. A beautiful person, filled with the type of heart that is open and receptive to what we shared together. As a father to be in that place with my son is a gift that bonds us, a gift benjamin will carry with him forever. The smile that we felt with two million others we be etched in benjamin’s heart forever, and as a father I am incredibly grateful to see my child hold so much happiness and a reminder of how people mankind is capable of being.

I love my country, and I love those members of the world that appreciate peace, kindness, and the desire to work together in making our world a better place.

PLUGS

Anna Galland, national field director for MoveOn.org. will talk on "Organizing for Change: Challenge and Opportunities" at 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 23, at the Yarmouth Friends Meetinghouse, 58 North Main Street, South Yarmouth. The event is co-sponsored by the American Friends service committee of Southeastern New England, a Quaker-based organization for peace and social justice. Donations will be gratefully accepted. Further information:Lee M. Hamilton 508-398-2333, or email lhamilton@capecod.net

Folk Music: On Tuesday, Jan 27, we'll meet right across the street at the South

Yarmouth Public Library, same time, 7-8:30PM.

"13th Annual Musical Instrument Demonstration" on Saturday, January 31 at 10:30am. Dinah Mellin says, "If you are around on the weekend of January 31st please come with a young friend and enjoy the visual as well as aural wonders all clustered together for you to experience!

and FREE".

Event: 13th Annual Musical Instrument Demonstration

"inspire your children and grandchildren to become musicians"

What: Performance

Host: Allegretto Outreach and The Friends of Snow Library

Start Time: Saturday, January 31 at 10:30am

End Time: Saturday, January 31 at 12:00pm

Where: Snow Library

The Living Arts Institute's (LAI's) new facility, 3811 Main Street, Route 6A, Brewster, MA

(across from Clayworks), This is the first bulletin of many to come so stay tuned. Our Open House was a great success. Thank you for attending. We will be having another community gathering on Saturday 4:00 - 8:30PM January 31 - this one a bit different!

Welcome to this week’s art show. With the inauguration one week away I am focused on how beautiful and exciting it is to see history be made right in front of us. Yes, it’s historical that we have elected a black man for president, but for me the more historical significance is how as a nation we have decided through our voting process to change the course of America. I firmly believe we are now pointed in the direction of original forefathers wanted to be pointed in. I am so proud of our country. It’s for this reason that the theme for this week’s show is beautiful stories.

The preface to the beautiful stories I’m going to share with you this week and their relationship to art stems from my belief in the spirit of Aloha. I have been asked numerous times as to why the voicemail to my studio phone welcomes you with an Aloha greeting, and I’ve been asked numerous times as to why I wear a Hawaiian Whale’s Tail necklace. The ancient belief behind the Hawaiian Whale’s Tail necklace is that it will bring the wearer wisdom, but for me the Hawaiian Whale’s Tail necklace, and the reason why I wear it everyday, is to remind myself of the Aloha spirit that I so very dearly believe in.

The reason I love the Aloha spirit comes from the very word itself, the word Aloha is a combination of ‘Alo’ meaning presence, the front, or the face. "Alo" is the presence of ‘us’ as we greet one another. The second half of the word Aloha is ‘ha", which means breath. So it is that Aloha, when we met and say the word Aloha that we are in essence exchanging breathes between us, welcoming each other with the literal meaning of aloha as "the presence of breath" or "the breath of life." We are giving each other the ability to breath and live. Aloha is a way of living and treating each other with love and respect.

Another question I get regarding my voicemail message is why I close out my message by saying Mahalo. Mahalo, similar to Aloha is a combination of words which is in actuality a blessing. The first part of the divine blessing Mahalo is ‘Ma" which means ‘In’, the second syllable is ‘Ha’, meaning breath, and ‘’Alo’ meaning the presence of us. Combine the three syllables of the blessing Mahalo and it translates into "May you be in Divine Breath." So, if you put Aloha and Mahalo together you have the presence of Divine Breath as an invocation and Mahalo as a Divine blessing. Both are acknowledgments of the Divinity that dwells within us. And this is the basis for the Aloha spirit, the giving of life and gratitude to each other. But Aloha is also a way of living and treating each other with love and respect. The deep meaning of Aloha starts by teaching ourselves to love our own beings first and afterwards to spread the love to others. According to the old Hawaiian priests, the ancient kahunas, being able to live the Spirit of Aloha is a way of reaching the realization for our own body and soul. Following the spirit of Aloha is to send and receive a positive energy. The Aloha spirit is to live in harmony. When you live the Spirit of Aloha, you create positive feelings and thoughts, which are never gone. They exist in space, multiply and spread over to others. Aloha" is more than a word of greeting or farewell or a salutation. "Aloha" means mutual regard and affection and extends warmth in caring with no obligation in return. "Aloha" is the essence of relationships in which each person is important to every other person for collective existence. And so it is my friends that at the end of each Radio Show I close out with saying to each of you, Peace & Love. I say it in the spirit of Aloha.

I mentioned earlier that the preface to this week’s topic of beautiful stories was first an understanding of the Aloha spirit. The reason understanding the spirit of the Aloha comes before mentioning a couple of beautiful stories to you is that each story has the spirit of aloha woven between the words.

Here’s what happened last week, a beautiful story that I don’t think would have happened if it wasn’t for the spirit of Aloha. First, I have to ask, how’s all this relate to art? All art, or at least art I create, has a story behind it – a purpose. Living in the spirit of Aloha means your eyes and heart are open to receive stories as they unfold. So it is that the story I’m about to tell you started a long time ago after I got an amplifier for my acoustic guitar. I tried playing my guitar through the amplifier in my home, but the small rooms in my home just couldn’t let the amplifier sing. I needed a larger room to play in. Down the street my from my studio in Hyannis a pub advertised an Open Mic. I thought I’d sign up, plug in the amp, and try it out. I walked into the pub around three o’clock in the afternoon the day of the Open Mic. I signed up for the 7:00 spot that evening. After I signed up I turned to exit. At three in the afternnon the pub was empty, except for two young guitarists named George and Bobby who were playing their electric guitars. Both of them were just barely out of high school. They sounded very good, and in the spirit of Aloha I complimented them.

When I returned later that evening to play, the two young guitarists, George and Bobby, were sitting at the table directly in front of the stage. I started to play a few very simple chords, and I noticed they were musically following the rhythm. I asked them if they could ‘hear’ the melody. They nodded so I invited them on the stage to accompany me. It was like we had played together for one hundred and fifty years. My rhythmic acoustic guitar being amplified, and their electric guitars were a perfect match.

The next week I returned, and again they accompanied me, only this time, in the true spirt of Aloha, their friend a drummer joined us. The week after that their friend the bass player joined us. It wasn’t long before the word spread and each week different musicians, all very talented showed up and played. One night a young man came in with a digital recorder under his arm and set up shop. He was going to record our music and sell us a CD of it for $5. It was then that only the spirit of Aloha could provide, that the band took a break. On stage was George and I, we were both interested in playing rather than taking a break. I should mention here that George is the unique type of teenager that wears his troubles on his sunken shoulders. His confidence and self-esteem seemed to be a half step behind his easy going manner. I put three simple chords together and played them softly and George went to work producing a beautiful lead guitar over the chords. You could hear a pin drop amongst the crowd. It sounded great, the type of music a parent would be proud of. It was captured on CD, but George didn’t have $5 so, in the spirit of Aloha, I bought it for him. I told him I’d buy it, but that he’d have to give it to his mother, which he did.

As time progressed George went to the local community college, which didn’t go well for him. He just wasn’t interested, which his grades reflected. Then one night this past week as I was setting up my amplifier to play, George said to me, "I came by to play guitars with you tonight and say goodbye." I was confused. He said, "You’ve inspired me to go to school for music. I’m leaving for North Carolina in the morning."

George was so proud of himself. It turned out his passion for music, and perhaps the CD his mother heard, demonstrated George’s potential to raise his head and smile. I could plainly see that George found his purpose through his music, his passion had unlocked his confidence, self-esteem, and motivation. In the spirit of Aloha we had exchanged a divine blessing, and in the spirt of Mahola we were grateful for the exchange.

When George arrived at school he sent me an email it read: Thanks for the support. Like I said I’ll take that with me, I’m gonna need it. I’ll be back in March from the 7th to the 15th, and then again sometime in May for a couple of months. I look forward to the future jams. peace - George

The story of George and it’s creation from the spirit of Aloha relates to art. It’s within each painting, poem or song that each of us, I believe, have the ability to exercise our own gift of Aloha. During the hours, or days, that it may take to produce a piece of art we have time to think and contemplate. It’s what we think of that comes out in our art. It’s what we think of that will be placed in front of the observer. They will be seeing our thoughts and emotions. I believe that if we live within the spirt of Aloha our thoughts and emotions will be positive and giving. Our translatation of these thoughts and emotions will be represented in our work. I believe it’s our daily interactions with those around us, friend or stranger, and what we give each, that will come out in what we produce, whether it’s a painting, poem, or song. It’s all a direct reflection of Aloha.

Inspiring George to find a place of comfort for his purpose as a musician for me was a beautiful story. A story I probably would not have recognized if it wasn’t for my interest in opening my mind and heart to the spirit of Aloha and Mahalo. But sometimes the spirit of Aloha can be soft spoken, barely detectable.

Quincy Jones has started a petition to ask President-Elect Obama to appoint a Secretary of the Arts. While many other countries have had Ministers of Art or Culture for centuries, The United States has never created such a position. We in the arts need this and the country needs the arts--now more than ever. Please take a moment to sign this important petition and then pass it on to your friends and colleagues. www.petitiononline.com/esnyc/petition.html

I saw a press conference the other day. Colin Powell was describing a great idea. Colin Powell was announcing that President-elect Obama believes that we, as Americans, have a responsibility to help our communities and fellow citizens. In summoning a new spirit of service, Collin Powell was calling on us to make an enduring commitment to our neighborhoods. Colin Powell, on behalf of President-elect Obama that each of us, very American volunteer two hours per week. He described a web site where you plug in your zip code and up comes a listing of places in need of volunteers. I checked it out and this weekend six people and I are painting a children’s shelter in Hyannis. The web site to sing up for Let's Renew America Together is http://usaservice.org/

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Plugs

An exhibition of paintings and photographs by East Falmouth artist CHRISTINA (Christina Jacobi) titled Chaotic, Serene and In-between will be on display at the Thomas E. Hanley Gallery from January 4 - February 27. An opening reception will be held on Sunday, January 4 from 1:00 - 3:00 pm. The gallery is open 24 hours every day and may be viewed at any time, day or night. The Thomas E. Hanley Gallery is located in the Faxon Center at Falmouth Hospital, 100 Ter Heun Drive in Falmouth. For more information call 508-457-3521. CHRISTINA may be contacted at ArtNaturally@yahoo.com

An exhibit of works by Arnold Geissbuhler titled Shaped by the 20th Century are being shown at the Cape Cod Museum of Art from now through January 25. Curator Al Kochka will hold a talk on The Life & Art of Arnold Geissbuhler on January 6 at 11:00 am. The Cape Cod Museum of Art is located off Route 6 in Dennis. Hours are Tuesday - Saturday 10:00 am - 5:00 pm, Sunday noon - 5:00 pm.

The Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC) invites all members of the cultural community to participate in its Big Hug Tour, a series of informal gatherings during the week of January 5 - 9, 2009. Come prepared to share stories and data on how the weakened economy has affected your business, and how you're responding. Help us brainstorm how we can work together to promote continued private and public investment in arts and culture in Massachusetts, even as resources are increasingly strained. Please come prepared to discuss changes in:

• Ticket sales/attendance

• Other earned revenue

• Endowment value

• Corporate sponsorship

• Individual giving

Information will not be used for grant review purposes or shared with the public. Eleven meetings will be held statewide, facilitated by MCC staff members. RSVP to Neluka Levy, 617-727-3668 x321 orneluka.levy@art.state.ma.us.

Arts Foundation of Cape Cod

3 Shoot Flying Hill Road

Tuesday, January 6

3 pm