I have been asked if it has been difficult to keep this up.  I said I would put up a post for 50 days leading up to my 50th birthday.  Difficult?  No.  Demanding?  Yes.  An hours in the day kind of thing.  I wish we had 25.  I would write for the one extra.  Things don’t turn out like that though.  We press onward.  We try to make progress.

What do I like about being near 50?  I like that I know more than I did when I was 40.  Mind you I knew it all when I was 17.  I have been trying to get back to that level ever since.  I suppose that is why I think I can, most of the time, relate to kids I work with.  I don’t know why?  It is because I have held on to the music of my youth and that has crossed over to my understanding of young people?  Some probably think I am clueless.  You can’t please everyone.  I do know I am thankful that I have been able to help kids.  Kids these days face “stuff” I never dreamed I would see in my lifetime.  You can name a few of these circumstances I am sure.

This past Saturday I was in Jeff Carpenter’s Al Fresco’s Place recording studio.  I recorded two songs.  We were so proficient in laying down the tunes, they were done in 45 minutes or less.  My acoustic guitar playing was the best I ever did on a “demo like” recording.  I was pleased.  Jeff and I talked about making more music.

Making music has been a journey for me.  I picked up a guitar and found sounds after my dear friend, Todd Lincoln, passed.  He and I loved to listen to The Moody Blues together.  We saw four Moodies concerts together.

When he died in 1997 my dear wife, Carrie, cajoled me into playing the guitar.  It has worked out.

I look forward to making some more music.  I told Jeff I finally feel I belong in the studio.  For years I was like Minnie Pearl.  I was just happy to be there.  I finally found my way there.  I can hold up my part of the room.  That is a good feeling.  I am blessed.

Tomorrow night the North Harrison Cougars take on the Brownstown Central Braves in the Sectional Semi Final….GO COUGARS!!!!  Send the Braves on a long bus trip back to Jackson County.  I know the place well.

Speaking the rights…

Danny Johnson