In My Mind’s Zen Garden

I’ve been so busy in real life… and not in much of a mood to write, so I’m trying to remedy my writer’s block with yet another “friday’s feast”.

Appetizer
When someone smiles at you, do you smile back?

Yes, I always smile back when someone smiles at me. I think it’s the proper thing to do, to acknowledge that someone has smiled at you by smiling back. What I find tragic is sometimes I smile at someone first, and they don’t return the favor. And, sometimes they are even showing a frowning face or showing a look of disapproval. Why would people do that? It’s not very nice.

Soup
Describe the flooring in your home. Do you have carpet, hardwood, vinyl, a mix?

The flooring in the family room, living room and parlor room is light maple wood flooring. And tiles in the kitchen and downstairs bathroom are white ceramic tile with gray grout. The stairs and 2nd story is grey-green berber carpet. Except for the upstairs bathrooms, which are tiled. The master bath has marble tiles.

Salad
Write a sentence with only 5 words, but all of the words have to start with the first letter of your first name.

Causing Catastrophes Can Create Chaos!

Main Course
Do you know anyone whose life has been touched by adoption?

I know a distant relative who is adopted. He’s a successful account with 3 children and lives in La Jolla. I know another person who was adopted and she’s a graphic designer who lives in northern california with her new husband. Both seem to be doing exceptionally well.

Dessert
Name 2 blue things.

Well the two things I love that are blue just happen to be the sea and the sky. Both are seemingly vast and endless, and stir my imagination of places far away.

Appetizer
What was your favorite cartoon when you were a child?

Any of the “Merry Melodies” cartoons that included Bugs, Daffy, Sylvester, Tweety Bird, Elmer Fudd, etc… some people say they are violent but looking at them recently… they were pretty tame stuff compared to the violent games and stuff that kids today are exposed to.

Soup
Pretend you are about to get a new pet. Which animal would you pick, and what would you name it?

I would pick one of the many beautiful saltwater fishes. I’ve always wanted to have a saltwater aquarium, but I wouldn’t get one unless it was a large enough aquarium so that the fish would live comfortably.

Salad
On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how much do you enjoy getting all dressed up for a special occasion?

Most of my gigs are special occasions for me, so any special occasion I enjoy dressing up for the occasion. I’m a drummer but I still like to wear suits and the like. It comes from the days when I was in a swing band and we dressed to the nines and bought vintage suits. So, I’d say 10.

Main Course
What kind of music do you listen to while you drive?

All kinds. I have a truly eclectic palate for music. One day it could be some Puffy Amiyumi and Jpop, another day it could be some Tibetan Chant music. But most of it would fall between classical and jazz, and that could be anything from bebop to modern 20th century classical, to a Mozart sonata or a big band. Reggae, Folk, Heavy Rock… not much Pop music, unless it’s the popular stuff from the Great American songbook… Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Dinah Shore, etc…

Dessert
When was the last time you bought a clock? And in which room did you put it?

Oh, maybe 2-3 years ago, we bought a digital alarm clock for the master bedroom. It’s got huge numbers that light up with a blue-purple colour. It is really easy to see from a distance. And hopefully it’ll still be around by the time my eyesight gets really bad. Actually, it already is… I’m legally blind but I wear contacts.

After several attempts at writing a new and meaningful entry, I opted to do last Friday’s Feast. Thank God for that in helping to prevent writer’s block. So here goes…

Appetizer
Name a color you find soothing.

I find certain ‘greens’ extremely soothing because of it’s connection to nature… like forest green, or lawn green. But it would have to be a lush sort of green.

Soup
Using 20 or less words, describe your first driving experience.

First driving experience? Was both exhilarating and terrifying. But technically easy, since I learned on a car with automatic transmission.

Salad
What material is your favorite item of clothing made out of?

Cotton - the fabric of our lives, right? My favorite item of clothing is my Indian-style drawstring pants. Very comfortable!

Main Course
Who is a great singer or musician who, if they were to come to your town for a concert, you would spend the night outside waiting for tickets to see?

Hmm… tough one! Nowadays I’d be rather lazy to camp out overnight for concert tickets… but if I did it would have to be… Keith Jarrett performing once again at the Opera House in Koln, Germany! That would be worth camping out for.

Dessert
What is the most frequent letter of the alphabet in your whole name (first, middle, maiden, last, etc.)?

Carlos Belmonte Rull, Jr. - It looks like the L’s have it!

I’m way late on doing this, but I can’t think of anything else to write right now, so… Better late than never!

Appetizer
Invent a new flower; give it a name and describe it.

Coca cola flower. It would be red and white like all the logos. And it would have a scent reminiscent of Coke. It’s flowers would be shaped like an upside-down Coca cola bottle? Well, maybe…

Soup
Name someone whom you think has a wonderful voice.

I always thought Charlton Heston had a great voice. Heroic, charismatic… and I guess that’s why he portrayed so many heroic characters… Ben Hur, Moses… Today I just found out he’d passed away. And he’d been an all-time favorite actor of mine since childhood. Rest in Peace, Ben Hur.

Salad
On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being highest, how clean do you keep your car?

5! I’m really bad about keeping my car clean, period. This is something I’ve always needed to improve on.

Main Course
How do you feel about poetry?

Love it! I love to write poetry and prose, although I haven’t been very prolific lately. But I’ve written many poems throughout my lifetime.

Dessert
What was the last person/place/thing you took a picture of?

Some flowers in the backyard.

Appetizer

What does the color dark green make you think of?

Right away, dark green makes me think of gardening. Being that I’m currently obsessed with gardening in general and having the desire to create a beautiful meditation garden in my backyard. It will always be a work-in-progress, but I think it’s coming along nicely, especially now that Spring is here.

Soup

How many cousins do you have?

Way too many to count. I come from a huge family where my aunts and uncles had like 10 kids each, and their families were huge too. I could have over 100 first, second and third cousins out there. I’d be in the poor house if I gave all my cousins gifts on Christmas and on their birthdays!

Salad

On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being highest, how honest are you?

I will say that I’m a 9. And the only time I wouldn’t be honest would be in telling white lies to 1) protect someone 2) or to hide some fact that someone I know doesn’t want spread around. I just feel that honesty is the best policy, and so much easier in life (in the long run). But once-in-a-while you have to lie and keep something a secret in order to protect someone. I also feel that integrity is important in a person to build moral character.

Main Course

Name something that is truly free.

The Self-Realization Fellowship meditation gardens in Encinitas, California. If you are in the area you should pay a visit. Well, you don’t have to pay because it’s free to the public. But it’s a nice gesture to leave a donation. This beautiful, lush, green and colorful meditation garden overlooks the Pacific Ocean high above cliffs. It’s perfect for reflection and for strolling through the paths. Bring a loved one.

Dessert

Using the letters in the word SPRING, write a sentence.

Special People Rejoice In Nice Gardens

APPETIZER

Given the choice, would you prefer to live in the country or in the city?

Being a jazz musician and overall working musician, most (if not all) of my gigs are in the city. So, for now, let’s say that I prefer the city because of the nature of my job. But, if it were possible, I would live in the country providing I were a world class jazz musician. Then I could tour the world during certain times of the year and for the rest live out in the country where I could find more peace and quiet, and fresh [air] and greenery.

SOUP

Who is the cutest kid you know?

My wife is the cutest kid I know. :o)

SALAD

Fill in the blank: I couldn’t believe it when I heard ___________.

…that Patrick Swayze was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer! I mean, I had always admired him for his physique and he seemed to be a guy who was always healthy and fit, especially with all that dancing. Now I’m reading that he was smoking up to 60 cigarettes a day, and he stills smokes…

Swayze’s doctor has confirmed the actor has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, but insists he’s not as close to death as reports suggest. Swayze has admitted to have smoked up to three packs of cigarettes per day, which can be a leading cause of pancreatic cancer. Swayze was reported to still be smoking, even after receiving chemotherapy.

MAIN COURSE

If you could star in a commercial for one of your favorite products, which one would you want to advertise?

Well, I love Apple Computers, so I think I would love to be in an Apple Computer commercial… like, “Hi, I’m a Mac”. Haha… and maybe with the new Macbook Air (the world’s thinnest computer) they’ll hire me right away to do their next commercial.

DESSERT

What type(s) of vitamins and/or supplements do you take on a regular basis?

I’m bad at taking my vitamins and supplements on a “daily” basis. But, I think I eat pretty healthy since I’m a raw vegan and eating mostly fruits and vegetables daily… my natural source for vitamins and minerals.

But, when I do take supplements it’s usually Spirulina, Ginseng extract, Black Walnut extract, Zinc, Golden Seal, and a vegetarian one-a-day supplement.

APPETIZER

On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 as highest), how much do you like your own handwriting?

8 - Ever since like the 1st grade, someone has always complemented me on my penmanship. And I have to thank my Dad for that one because I remember he taught me how to write and he has the best penmanship of anyone I know. So, I think that’s something that sort of rubbed off on me. I still write by hand in paper journals just to keep up the handwriting skillz. ;-)

SOUP

Do you prefer baths or showers?

Baths - Well for many, many years I preferred showers over baths. Then one day a few years ago, I preferred baths, both long and short. At my age I think it’s essential to soak the body in ultra-warm water to soothe aching muscles. And, sometimes I take hot bathes before doing Yoga, to loosen and warm up the muscles.

SALAD

What was the last bad movie you watched?

Usually, I watch movies when they come out on DVD. I very seldom watch a movie in the theaters because 1) the price of admission is outrageous. 2) I’m very selective and make certain that a movie is well-received with rave reviews by the critics. 3) I can watch movies in the privacy of my own home on a fairly decent HD Home Theater.

So, usually I kind of know what to expect by the time a movie comes out on DVD. But, once-in-a-while I like to be surprised. And I think the worst movie I watched would have to be “Invasion”, starring Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig. I like both. But the chemistry between them wasn’t really there. And the movie just didn’t have the impact that I expected, for a movie that is a remake of “Invasion of the Body Snatchers”.

MAIN COURSE

Name something you are addicted to and describe how it affects your life.

That’s easy. The Internet. Since day one I’d become an addict. I was even an addict before The Internet when BBS’s were the rage, and during the time The Internet was an archaic text-only version.

But, even today, The Internet affects my life like it was my “crack cocaine”. It affects how my day goes. It makes me forget other priorities. So the struggle is always constant to stay long enough away from The Internet to practice piano and drums, for instance. To do other things besides being online.

When my high-speed cable access is down… watch out… I’ll be cllimbing the walls!

DESSERT

Which instrument is your favorite to listen to?

Piano. And I’m more known for playing Drums and perhaps that is my better instrument. But nowadays, since getting the Yamaha C2 Conservatory Grand Piano for my 50th birthday, I play the Piano every single day and enjoy it more than the drums right now.

A properly tuned grand piano is heaven!