NOVEMBER BIZ.

I've been increasing my network in Los Angeles. I officially moved here Jan. 2010. It's taken 10 months to just now feel like I'm getting somewhere. November is turning out to be very productive. I've secured a legitimate agent. I've performed for several private functions: The Trevor Project, Judy Tenuta's Birthday party and a couple other private parties.

Here in LA when you perform, you never know who is watching you. Practically everybody is in the entertainment industry on some level. Everybody is connected. I'm also reading some good industry books. One of the books I'm reading is "When I Stop Talking You'll Know I'm Dead" by Jerry Weintraub. It's an inside look at the behind the scenes business of shows.

I also have been meeting with some clubs in Palm Springs, CA. I have always liked Palm Springs. There's a unique feeling you get when you go there. I'm also in love with modern and mid-century architecture. The mountain views are majestic. There are no tall buildings there so as not to obstruct the views.

I'm having meetings again in LA. It's going very well. I've written a new song that these new producers LOVED. I can't wait to get it produced and tell you what the song is. Right now I can tell you it's very European Dance sounding. I think the lyrics are very of the moment.

LAREDO, TX? WHAT??? Early HALLOWEEN!

In September I had to leave LA to Texas.
First of all my niece Briana was celebrating her 21st Birthday. She's almost as old as I am! Wink.
It was nice to see mom who lives next door to my sister Jodie (Briana's mom).








After a couple days in San Antonio, I had to leave to Laredo, TX (where I was born) to help with my Uncle Carlos' estate. My Uncle Frank picked me up in San Antonio and we drove out.
I took a picture of the highway on the way to Laredo. We also stopped at Garcias Cafe. It was trippy. There were farmers and ranchers all having lunch. Many of them wearing cowboy hats. I didn't feel weird because even in shorts and Tshirt I get mistaken for being a woman. LOL! No makeup, No wig. "What can I help you with ma'me?"

Going to Laredo was bringing back so many memories of long ago. I had very humble beginnings. My life is so far away from this region but it was humbling to go back. I was reminded of how far I've come since my life in the little house at 1302 Kearney St.

My job (for 2 weeks) in Laredo was to help out. I took pictures of everything in my deceased uncles' home and catalogued it. I started a Facebook for him showing all his stuff for the family to claim what they want. Tedious - yes but I was fine doing it because my uncle was very kind and helpful to everyone in the family. He never wanted to be thanked or expected anything in return. He was successful in business and never minded sharing. He was a good man. Uncle Carlos (Mom's brother) unexpectedly passed away in his sleep Dec. 2, 2009.

We are in the process of selling his house and factory. His property is across from Laredo Community College. They're interested in buying it. We are also going to be selling his 125 acre ranch in Laredo.

When night fell, I was left with one side of the house including my Uncle Carlos' bedroom. I was so spooked! The whole place was filled with figurines and everything was dark decor and old paintings. His home is close to a railroad track where you hear trains all night long. How did he sleep with this? I would NOT sleep on his bed where he died. NO WAY. Luckily there were stacks of new mattresses so I grabbed one and took it to the small screening room just to the side of his bedroom. I threw the mattress on the floor and set myself up nicely. But just outside that screening room was an all dark furniture room.

In LA all of my furniture is white. I'm creeped out by dark decor and furniture at night.

In the screening room off to the side of the bedroom, I had a big flat screen TV to watch. I could make it as loud as I wanted. No one was around. One night I really enjoyed watching the making of "Gone With The Wind." I also caught up on some reading of my Rolling Stone Magazines.

I'm going to include here some photos of the interior of my uncle's house. You can get a visual of my surroundings.

One particular picture is of a coffee table in the sitting room just to the side of his bedroom. I tried to sleep there on a sofa the first night but I was bothered and creept out. I got out of the room and grabbed a mattress and moved to the screening room. You'll see the photo of the coffee table full of ORBS! OMG! Spooky! Creepy!

There were lots of gothic decor and a creepy life-size coat of armor man. It was scaring me at night. It stood right outside the kitchen entrance and that was an great way of keeping me from going in there for a late night snack.

You could say I've already had an early Halloween. So I'm done with spooky for a while.

When I got back to LA, I made an appearance for OUT-Q SIRIUS Radio (Oct. 1) with my pals Derek & Romain. They were in for Gay Days at Disney. They held interviews for several hours at The House of Blues upstairs patio. It was fun to see my pals in California. I was on air for about 20 minutes. It flew by because we had fun. Laredo seemed so far away from and like a spooky dream I had. Early Halloween.

GRIFFITH OBSERVATORY in LOS ANGELES, CA

Sometimes you just have to get away from your office and enjoy a little of what California has to offer. I made plans with a couple of friends to go to Griffith Observatory. A lot of the the stuff in there is extremely fascinating. But I really LOVED sitting in the cool dark Planetarium to watch the show of planets. The woman narrating the show (live) had a very soothing hypnotic voice. I told her after the show I really enjoyed her voice.

The last time I went to a planetarium I was a child on a field trip.
Now that I know how to get there, I would like to go again to this observatory. Thank you Griffith J. Griffith for the park and the observatory you left to the city of Los Angeles.
HAPPY 75th YEAR ANNIVERSARY.

ABBA

I flew to Houston, TX for a gig on August 14 & 15 at a Performing Arts Center. I was hired as opening act for the ABBA tribute band called "ABBA The Concert."
They were actually quite good. They had about 14 members total. The 2 night concert was sponsored by IKEA and CHEVRON oil. The original dummer was in the show and also the original saxaphone player. All of the members were from Sweden. This is probably the closest I could ever get to actually listening to an ABBA concert.

There were several highlights in the ABBA show but I especially liked when the blond one sang "The Winner Takes It All." ABBA has so many incredible pop songs. The songs just keep going living on like The Beatles.

The Stafford Centre is just outside of Houston in Stafford, TX. I have been to this place before about 5 years ago I opened for The Turtles. It was nice that the promoter called me back for a return engagement. I sold out of all my CDs as I did last time. I feel good that my performance of Voices has a broad appeal for everybody. I opened the show with "Famous" then did the Voices and ended with "Fashionista." The older people of course related to the Voices while some of the younger (girls especially) told me that they play "Fashionista" all the time for dance routines or fashion shows.

This picture is the ONLY picture I have of me and ABBA because although I took tons of pictures, and video from the wings of them performing live on stage, I accidentally erased them ALL from my camera. I still don't know what I did. Oh well.

FINALLY BOUGHT A CAR! A VOLVO.

I finally bought a car! I officially moved to LA January 2010. But I did not get a car right away.
I was able to borrow my roommates car often. We only have 1 parking space (for her car) and I'm supposed to park on the street. I wasn't in a big rush.

But alas, as time has gone on, I've been able to meet more people, have more meetings so it was time! I finally NEEDED to get my own car. I went to a dealer close by on Fairfax Ave. here in West Hollywood. JT Auto Connection specializes in Volvos, Mercedez, Saab, Jaguar, Volks Wagon etc... It's a small car lot and they seem to hand pick certain cars that are in relatively good shape and they sell them for a reasonable price.

I saw this little Volvo. I test drove it then eventually had my mechanic inspect it. I got it for a very nice price. It drives great! It looks very nice with leather seats and it seems to be very well taken care of. Sun roof too.

Needless to say I'm going everywhere and constantly busy. Movies, restaurants, friends houses, meetings, shopping, sight-seeing etc...

I've been unleashed.

I'm trying to ad more pix of the car but this blog is not letting me. I'll have to try again later.

JULY 4th / FASHIONISTA LIVE Orlando, FL.

I'm posting this July 7, 2010 late at night. I'll come back and write about my mini tour on July 1, 2, 3, 4. I'm just too sleepy to write too much right now.

July 4th crowd at The Parliament House in Orlando, FL.
http://www.parliamenthouse.com/.
I also did shows the night before, outdoors on the main stage by the pool and in The Footlight Theater inside. Lots of fun!