Sierra Mountain Times

Tuesday morning, 9:30, and I’m stressed out. I’m cracking my knuckles, pulling my hair out and twitching. I can’t figure out exactly why. Think I’ll call Mahat, my personal guru/therapist. Mahat can be pretty helpful sometimes and that’s why I keep him on retainer. So I tell Mahat that I’m really stressed out this morning. “You need to listen to the John Tesh Show (on Star 92.7 FM, weekdays at 9 a.m.), more regularly, my anxiety-filled one,” he tells me. Then he recalls how he heard on the Tesh Show that many people start stressin’ really bad by Tuesday morning and that there was a study done by a U.K. firm, examining 3,000 persons in the workplace.

For many of them, their stress levels peaked at about 11:45a.m. on Tuesday. The reason? Many (33 per cent) in the study readily admitted that they kinda “cruise” on Mondays, and don’t really get that much done. Then, when Tuesday rolls around, reality sets in and they start stressing about their workweek and workload. Personally, I’m on deadline to get my column done on Tuesday, and my bio-rhythms – and my mood ring (purchased at Twain Harte Pharmacy) tell me I’m stressin’, (so much so, that I’m almost a nervous wreck.) I ask Mahat what I can do about it. He advises me to put on a Diana Krall CD; or even one by Dave Koz or Brian Culbertson! So, I put on Diana’ Krall’s 2009 release, “Quiet Nights”. Man, that cool jazz IS cool, and so relaxing. Some compare Diana, (her vocals and piano playing) to Nora Jones, but I think she has her own distinctive sound; and her Grammy-Award winning music is very nice, indeed! Diana, by the way, will be joined at Ironstone Amphitheatre by Dave Koz (saxophone) and Brian Culbertson (piano and trombone) – in an incredible smooth jazz triple bill on Sunday, August 16! I’ll be there!!! 

Now, EVERYBODY’S remembering Woodstock! There are books out, specials on TV, mass-produced Woodstock commemorative items of all sorts in department stores and special-edition recordings being released! Yes, I was caught again inside the local big box store flicking through the CDs but I found a series called “The Woodstock Experience”. There were CDs by Santana, Johnny Winter, Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane and Sly & the Family Stone – all recorded at the Woodstock Festival (August 15th-18th, 1969)! The August 6th Rolling Stone gives all the releases high ratings. There actually were 32 acts at Woodstock. A few of them faded into obscurity – but others became famous. Richie Havens, a folksinger from Greenwich Village started the festival at about 5 p.m. on Friday, August 15th. Havens performed eight songs including his famous “Motherless Child”, which he ended with the word “freedom”, sung over and over. A definite highlight at the festival was Santana – who was booked at the urging of concert producer Bill Graham. Carlos and the band played seven songs, over 45 minutes including “Jingo”, “Waiting” and an 11-minute instrumental called “Soul Sacrifice”. Their set was actually their then-unreleased debut album – which, on September 27th, 1969 debuted on Billboard’s Top 40 chart and reached #4! The L.P. stayed on the charts for 42 weeks! Yes, Woodstock made some rock stars and the festival was legendary, historic! I’m going to write President Obama and suggest he issue an EXECUTIVE ORDER declaring August 15th thru the 18th a national holiday: Woodstock Days! Can you dig it!

My Rolling Stone mag (which I’m savoring along with my mouth-watering sausage sandwich at Twain Harte’s Sportsman Coffee Shop) also has a compelling cover story, “Michael Jackson’s Final Days: Hope and Run…Plus, his unfinished last recording” A “must have issue” this week; which reminds me: I was taking a well-deserved thrift-shopping break at Orphan Annie’s Emporium in Angels Camp. Check it out: I found a rare Michael Jackson comic book for just $4! Published in 1991 by Revolutionary Comics, the comic book takes you on Michael’s journey from lead singer with the Jackson 5, all the way to his recording/release of 1991’s “Dangerous” album, and chronicling Michael’s personal and business life along the way. This comic book is my “groovy find of the week”! “We’re now sold out of all our Michael Jackson stuff!” exclaimed Orphan Annie’s Pat Gulyas, “…..except for these!” Pat said, as she showed me some rather exquisite Michael Jackson “photo earrings”, each one displaying a small but beautiful color photograph of Michael. I had to pass on that one, as I’m not into wearing earrings quite yet. If you really need to get some Michael Jackson, go to Central Stamp and Coin Company in Modesto (939 10th Avenue). They’ve got a bunch of Michael Jackson trading cards for only $3 a pack!!!  I was in Modesto putting up concert posters and did some sightseeing/shopping while I was there. That’s what I like about being a “poster boy”: you travel and see the world! O.K., I don’t see the world, but I do get to see a lot of groovy spots in Northern California. And after several years of postering the foothills and the Central Valley, I probably know where EVERY Dollar Tree and 99 Cents Only store is – not to mention the drive-thru restaurants with the dollar menus! Times are hard and these places sure help when you don’t got a lot of bread in your wallet, (which, for me is Tuesday thru Monday.)

GROOVY HAPPENINGS: The Black Irish Band will cut loose with their special blend of Irish, Italian and American folk music in Courthouse Park (N. Washington Street, downtown Sonora), Friday, August 14th, starting at 6pm. Movies in the Pines (at Eproson Park in Twain Harte) continues on August 14th with a showing of “It Happened One Night”, that legendary romantic comedy directed by Frank Capra. (It was the first film to win ALL five major Oscars: Picture, Actor, Actress, Director and Screenplay!) Hey, here’s an idea: if you’re in Twain Harte during regular shopping hours, why not stop into the town’s new wine tasting room, Sierra Cellars! The very hospitable Becky welcomes you! Saturday, August 15th, a cool car show/craft faire will take place at Long Barn Lodge (up Hwy 108, just a bit east of Sierra Village). The show starts at 10 a.m. and admission is FREE! For info call Debbie @ 209-586-3533! Later in the day, you can take in a FREE Concert in the Pines, featuring that awesome blues guitarist A.C. Myles! Show starts at 6. Back in downtown Sonora, Magali’s will host that up-and-coming band, “Out of the Box” (OOTB), featuring Jessie! (Check out the photo!) Show starts at 10 p.m., but get there early! Ya know, Jessie’s been singing Karaoke for many months now, most recently at Murphy’s Nugget Bar, at their Wednesday night show. She is an awesome singer. The boys in (OOTB) and their manager recognized talent when they saw it – and recruited Jessie to be their lead singer; and a couple weeks ago, OOTB debuted at the Nugget, singing classic rock a la Journey, Pat Benatar, et. al., and brought the house down! So remember: practice YOUR singing, go to karaoke – and YOU may be discovered too! Dreams DO come true! Right now, I’m dreaming of a California Hippy Sandwich (sold at Twain Harte Market). Apologies to my readers: last week I told you to celebrate Woodstock’s 40th anniversary by eating a “hippy”. In retrospect, that does sound rather cannibalistic. Let me say it this way: celebrate by “enjoying” a hippy! Yes, that sounds better. And remember: peace, love and soy!