Parky's Prattlings » heart

Parky’s Pub Turns Two

dlbach — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 18:08:09 +0000

On October 10, 2008, Parky’s Pub had a very grand opening with 12 hours of continuous music. DJs and friends gathered to make the opening of the pub everything it was meant to be. In September 2008, when I the concept of Parky’s Pub was born, friends encouraged me. The encouragement was more intense after I told them what kind of a place I wanted. I wasn’t looking to make money and have contests. I wanted a place where anyone could come and listen to great music and feel safe. This would be a place where all were welcomed (as long as they followed the rules) whether human, neko, furrie, male, female or any sexual orientation. There were those who said the pub wouldn’t last and that I would fold and go the way of all the rest.

On October 9, 2009 (I erred in math and celebrated a day early) I showed the naysayers that Parky’s Pub had what it takes by celebrating the one year anniversary with a six hour gala affair that brought in great DJs and singers. Still there were those who believed it would close.

On October 10, 2010 Parky’s Pub celebrated with a three hour two year anniversary party (Parky is getting too old for the all-day parties). This party brought the official DJ debut of Parky herself who kicked it all off at 2 pm. Then the wonderful and very talented BartyAum Mohegan serenaded the house full of friends SLamily and new comers with his amazing music. We finished off the day with an hour of DJ Crighton Johin doing what he does best, spinning the best jazz on the grid.

Two griefers decided to show up during Barty’s set, but they were quickly dispelled and everyone had a wonderful time. Pub photographer, Kimala Kohime took lots of happy snappies and then took some of them and made them into the following video. I messaged my sweet angel, Aeryn Lovenkraft during the party and told her I had tears in my eyes. She fussed at me, but I reminded her I had tears in my eyes for the first anniversary as well as for the grand opening. As I look around and I see all those wonderful souls at the pub enjoying themselves I can’t help but feel that it is all because of them that Parky’s Pub has lasted as long as it has. It is the great people who come to the two events each week (jazz with Crighton on Thursdays at 5 and Celtic Kitchen Sink with Isobela on Fridays at 2) and those who come for special events and just stop by to enjoy the place during off times that have made Parky’s Pub everything I had dreamed it could be.

Enjoy the video and here’s to at least two more years and to each and every person whom I see when stand and and look around when no one is there. It is your laughter and chatter that fills the place. Thank you.

Click the link below.

2 Year Celebration! Parky\’s Pub

Jazz Says It All

dlbach — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 16:13:59 +0000

Last night I watched the Kennedy Center Honors program on CBS. All five honorees were well deserving and well honored. I found myself laughing and crying as they revisited the past achievements and even a couple bombs of the ones being honored. There was so much history in that balcony as well as on the stage as I watched in awe and amazement with every detail and every utterance. One thing struck me as they were honoring Dave Brubeck for his work in jazz, everyone was affected by this presentation. Yes, it seemed that The Boss received more accolades and folks standing and swaying to his music as it was performed at the end. Then there were those whose faces lit up with the wonderful tunes once performed by Grace Bumbry. Rousing laughter nearly took the roof off the building when Robert De Niro and Mel Brooks were honored. However, Dave Brubek’s music moved me more than I thought possible.

I have loved jazz for a long time. Jazz and blues are very closely related so I am a fan of each. Seems everyone knows my favorite is Louis Armstrong. It is often said that jazz is the black man’s music and white men have tried to take it for their own. I have also heard it called African Music. I honestly do not believe any of this. Jazz is the music of peace. It transcends race, gender and age to bring everyone together for a meeting of the heart, mind and soul. President and Mrs. Obama were seated in the balcony with the honorees. Secret Service were there as well. The agents assigned to protect the president are to be alert and always focused on what is around them. I usually think of Royal guards who aren’t allow to move at all while they are standing guard when I think of the Secret Service agents. While the cameras were capturing the faces of those in attendance during the performances I watched. During Dave Brubeck’s presentation I noted the faces and posture of those the cameras caught. When they were focused on the First Couple I noticed the Agent seated behind them. His eyes were focused and watching everything around them, but his head was moving to the beat of the music.

Wide shots throughout caught everyone with heads bopping, feet tapping and fingers drumming to the fine jazz music being played. Black, white, Hispanic, male, female, actor, musician, president. It didn’t matter who they were, they felt the heartbeat of the music that is jazz. If it moves your body, even your toe to tap, then it has reached your soul. And that is JAZZ.

We ARE At War!!!

dlbach — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 19:20:29 +0000

A year ago I came to learn of a song. It isn’t a new song by any means. The song “War Is Over” was written by John Lennon and his wife, Yoko Ono, in 1971. With the US in the midst of the Vietnam War, John Lennon was very vocal in his anti-war beliefs. At a time of war it is usually construed that Anti-war is the same as Pro-peace. Pro-peace is so much, much more than just being against war and violence. Some say that true peace can only come from Yeshua. Others believe good Karma and meditation are the path to real peace. All of this is good and so many other things as well.

I came to know this Lennon song after losing my hearing. I knew I liked the music but didn’t know what the words were saying. I did know it was played in the course of a Christmas segment of some sort. I had a conversation with a friend who loves music and is a wonderful DJ in Second Life™. I told him some of the words and finally he said it sounded like I was talking about John Lennon’s Happy Xmas. I promptly went to Google and found myself listening to the song streaming on YouTube with the lyrics showing on the screen. I listened and read for about 3 hours. Yes, the same song for three short hours. I cried so hard as my heart listened to the words as I read them.

War Is Over speaks of reaching out to others; other races, cultures, ages. As humans we pride ourselves in 20/20 vision. Perhaps if the entire world population were blind and deaf we would stand a better chance for peace. We learn to disapprove and even hate those who are different from us. We are so intent on revising and editing each other to chisel out a world-wide society that is identical to us. We are alike. Every human-being all over the world. We all have bones and blood beneath the skin and hair that holds us together. We all have hearts that beat and pump the blood through our veins. We breath air into our lungs.

Where we differ is in our appearances, our beliefs, the way we think. Yes, some of the ideas we hold are in error (i.e.: thinking ourselves better than everyone else), but not all of them. It should be out differences that bring us closer together and give us the opportunity to learn from each other. Perhaps I don’t like to eat pig, does this make those who do evil for doing so? My skin is pale and I have green eyes. Does this mean that a person with olive complexion and dark eyes can’t be a good person or my friend?

There is a war that we are all involved in. It doesn’t matter our age, race, religion, sex or sexual orientation. WE ARE ALL AT WAR. The war is for peace. I will post later regarding fighting. But when we say we are a peaceful people, we should live it. Thanks to the wonderful world of Second Life™, I have made friends with people all over the world. They are of different races, cultures, religions and even sexual orientations. We met on a different plain and got to know each other and accept each other as human-beings without adding prejudice and bias. On this last day of Chanukah, I hope those who celebrate it each received a set of blinders. I hope those who keep Xmas will also receive some and then for Kwanzaa the same. Put on your blinders and use ear plugs to fight this war. Use your heart to get to know other people who are not like you in the way you think and believe. No one says you have to change your ways and believe as they do. Education, understanding and acceptance will be our weapons.

Listen and watch John Lennon and do so with your heart.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvNRHrKyaX4