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  • 2008
    • August
      • Solving a Riddle
        08/14/08
        Valerie's father, Mr. Tom Stapleton, went to school with Nelson Riddle. Riddle has written or arranged music for records, film, television and public performance. His work contributed to the success of the best performers in the United States including Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Nat Cole a

    • June
      • The Bo Diddley Beat Goes On...
        06/03/08
        Think about the songs "Magic Bus" by the Who, "I Want Candy" by the Strangeloves, "Not Fade Away" by Buddy Holly, "Willie and the Hand Jive" by Johnny Otis, "Screwdriver" by the White Stripes, and "Desire" by U2. The distinctive beat is att

    • May
      • Ready... take 2
        05/22/08
        A few weeks ago me, Cyd Manning and Mike Haasis went to the studio to record a set of songs for Mike.



        It was a blast returning to Orangewood Studios again with our buddy Mike Coleman at the board.

      • Pink Martini - Ma chambre a la forme d'une cage...
        05/19/08


        What a lovely evening at the May 13th Pink Martini outdoor concert at Scottsdale Center for the Arts Ampitheatre. We shared the night with our friends and neighbors Roy and Wendy.



        The band with their international flavor was awesome and China Forbes' voice fil

    • March
      • Meeting One of the Greats
        03/27/08
        While in NYC recently I had a chance to drop in for a couple of sets of the Steve Kuhn Trio featuring Ron Carter on bass and Al Foster on drums at Birdland. Mr. Kuhn is an awesome player with quite a history as are his fellow musicians.



        Besides playing world-class jazz, these

      • Media Summit New York 2008
        03/17/08


        I attended the Media Summit New York last week. I am compiling a report but, in the mean time, here are some links to what other people are saying about the conference.

        Here is a clip of the Bob Iger interview from paidContent. As well as a write-up from the same site. And ano

    • February
      • Tom Petty Super Bowl Halftime
        02/04/08



        Photo: freep.com

        We, and 1,500 of our closest friends, were part of the on-field crowd when Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers took the stage at Super Bowl XLII. Even though we rehearsed it with the band three times, the band excited the crowd more and more each time and

    • January
      • Meeting the preeminent virtuoso of the violin.
        01/31/08
        Thanks to the thoughtfulness of friends we were treated to a concert with the best violinist of our time. Itzhak Perlman preformed at the Mesa Arts Center. We also enjoyed an opportunity to speak with the man back stage.

      • Guess what we're doing...
        01/31/08
        Because we signed a non-disclosure agreement, we can't say what we are doing this weekend but it should be fun and cool. Here are some photos. Will post more later.

        Here are a few of our friends.



        Val expressing her opinion on something.


  • 2007
    • October
      • Apple Store in Gilbert???!!!
        10/29/07
        It was a cool day for 93 degrees. Apple Store number 200 opened its doors at 6:00 PM and I was in line with nerds and nerd-wannabes with their iBooks, iPhones, iPods and me with an iBerger from Gordon Birsch across the street.

        Apple kept the opening a semi-secret for a while and I didn�

    • August
      • Time of the Season
        08/22/07
        What a pleasure to meet Rod Argent, keyboardist, singer and song writer for The Zombies and Argent. We share a laugh about an old Zombies photo at the Hippiefest in Phoenix.



        In the background is Joey Mulland from Badfinger.

        Also in the room was Colin Blunstone, lead

      • Joe, Denny & Val
        08/22/07
        Former Moody Blues singer (Go Now) and member of Paul McCartney's group Wings for ten years, Denny Laine poses with Valerie.



        That's Country Joe McDonald in the Peace sign hat and tie-die "Make Love Not War" t-shirt. Read more about Denny Laine here.

      • gimmieanf
        08/20/07
        Had the pleasure of attending a 60s flashback concert this weekend with lots of rock music in the air. One of my favorites at the meet & greet was Country Joe McDonald from Country Joe and the Fish.



        Joe has been making very interesting history in the world of folk and rock

    • June
      • San Diego Turnaround
        06/27/07
        I was visiting Nate in San Diego this weekend since he had a business trip and needed company from one or both parental units. We had a great time, of course, but the highlight was the baseball game. Nate is a die-hard Yankees fan so the fact that the Padres were playing the current world champions

      • Strange Coincidence #9
        06/27/07
        While sitting at a local Starbuck’s reading Rolling Stone’s review of new media they were playing Instant Karma, The Campaign to Save Darfur. I was not making the connection that I was reading the review of Instant Karma while listening to John Lennon’s Collection CD until my eyes read the tit

    • May
      • A Day at the Races
        05/25/07
        The overflow crowd was tense with anticipation. Excitement reverberated through the air as the sun began to set. We were enjoying a day at the races on Kentucky Derby day. But coming out of the gates were not thoroughbred horses, though some of these animals were highly trained and have winning pedi

      • The Guitar Kid
        05/03/07
        During our latest gig in the park, this precious little boy was rocking along with us for a few numbers. He was keeping a pretty good beat with the music.



        We tried to get him on stage and just when his dad was about to talk him into "playing" with us, he started to c

    • April
      • New Catch Phrase
        04/27/07
        If you're like me you sometimes create catch phrases. My newest one has potential. Imagine you are with a co-worker discussing work and the conversations goes something like this:

        Tim: FYI, that report needs to be on the Vice President's desk by 8:00 tomorrow morning.

      • A Hokie Experience
        04/18/07
        In 2003 I had an opportunity to go to the Insight Bowl held at Bank One (now Chase) Ballpark in Phoenix. By upgrading my four nose-bleed tickets for one in the bleachers on the field on the visitor's side I found myself in the middle of thousands of fans who traveled from Blacksburg, Virginia t

      • Prince Shell - Legendary Musician... gone
        04/18/07
        A musician friend, Ted Goddard, invited me and Valerie to experience Prince Shell a few months ago. He is a legendary player in the world of music. His concert was delightful and set in the intimate surroundings of Johnny's Uptown on Camelback and Central.

        Prince passed away last wee

      • A Rummy Night in Austin
        04/17/07


        Meld, knock, pluck, Schneider, deadwood, kibitz? If only we knew the vocabulary (as well as the rules) when the family sat down recently in Austin to attempt to play rummy-something-or-other. We all knew a rule or two but no one knew all the rules. As a result, it evolved into a game whe

      • And so it goes.
        04/12/07
        Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. died yesterday. Writer, social critic, POW, Tralfamadorian, Vonnegut was a friend of Billy Pilgrim, Kilgore Trout and millions of others. Thanks for helping us get through it all.



        See: vonnegut.com
        photo: www.samizdat.qc.ca

      • Most Complicated Coffee Drink...
        04/10/07
        Ever wonder what the most complicated coffee drink might be? After extensive research I found some of the most cryptic concoctions I've ever heard. Here is a sampling:

        "Non-fat half-caf triple grande quarter sweet sugar free vanilla non-fat lactaid extra hot extra foamy caramel

      • Typecasting
        04/03/07
        While researching something completely different, I ran across Mark Simonson's very cool blog about typefaces. Mr. Simonson has an incredible body of work including 70 of his own fonts. You can even buy a font online.

        This particular article is about the correctness of typefaces in c

    • March
      • "Old Skool" Tech Support
        03/31/07
        Tech support had to start somewhere... at the advent of written history there was a requirement for some 'techie' to help the smart people. This is how it went down back in the middle ages.




        Does anyone in this clip remind you of someone you know?

        Tha

      • Check Out This Guitarist...
        03/29/07
        ... in a New York guitar store, Chelesa Guitars.





        The guy has some really nice distortion chops on the Les Paul Custom.

        I have a goy joke but won't use it here.

      • Wikis Explained by Educators
        03/28/07
        Here's a cool PB Wiki site where, I believe, K-12 educators explain in simple language what a wiki is and how they use it.



        They also answer some frequently asked questions. Brien told me it was on digg's front page... that's big.

      • Happy 10th You Crazy Blog!
        03/28/07
        It is the tenth anniversary of the blog. Although the real genesis of blogging is sketchy, it can be credited to a small group of early tech-types. See this online article for more information.

        Happy blogging...

      • Richard Jeni, Comic Genius, Gone
        03/15/07
        It was a shock to hear that Richard Jeni took his own life last week. I have been a fan of his for many years and had seen him in person a few times. He was a meticulous comedian with a very strong resume including HBO specials, movie appearances and apparently holds the record for appearing on the

      • Fan reconstruction/deconstruction of music...
        03/15/07
        Whether you are a fan of NIN or not, they have begun issuing free Garageband music on their web site. This means, simply, that you upload to Garageband and play with their recorded music any way you want. You can study how the song was constructed, do a remix, and/or be part of the band by recording

    • February
      • Vertigo... Then and Now
        02/14/07
        This is a fascinating site from the aforementioned basichip.com which shows images from the Alfred Hitchcock film Vertigo next to current photos of the same scene. If you know this film and San Francisco, you will appreciate this look at both.

        Thanks again to basic hip digital oddio for t

      • Sounds of New York
        02/14/07
        While using stumbleupon I ran across a site called Basic Hip Digital Oddio. Don't let the photo of the guy at the top scare you away. This site has some cool stuff including a very interesting site honoring the work of



        Tony Schwartz. Tony is described as a "media ge

    • January
      • Mrs. Helen Handler - Survivor
        01/19/07
        Mrs. Helen Handler, a delightful person who is also a Holocaust survivor, spoke to Valerie's classes yesterday. It was a truly remarkable experience for everyone.





        As you can see, the class was spellbound and respectful, leaning on her every word.

      • Please, please, please, please...
        01/10/07
        The irony of the notice, "Now Appearing" was not lost on us as we walked by B.B. King's Blues Club near Times Square a few days after Christmas which is when James Brown died.



        When we walked by earlier in the evening, Val saw a photo on the right

      • Love vs. Love
        01/10/07
        A few months ago, I blogged a phone photo from Val of the Robert Indiana Love sculpture located at the Scottsdale Center for the Arts. I finally made a mental connection to the same sculpture on Sixth Avenue, NYC which we visited over Christmas break. Here are the two photos:


      • Take A Ride on the A Train
        01/10/07
        Actually it was the 4 Train but here is a couple of photos: Nate is on his way to the Bronx to pay homage to Yankee Stadium. Greg is taking a pensive stand retruning from some Christmas Eve shopping.


      • Oh, to hear the blues from the Village...
        01/10/07
        What a special treat to hear some blues from the Terra Blues stage in Greenwich Village. Ray Shinnery gave us, me Jenna, Val, and Luciano, a memorable couple of sets with a fine blues harp accompaniment from a gent named Dick.



        I purchased one of Rays' CDs and love all the

      • ...you've been a great audience...
        01/10/07
        Nate does some late-night stand-up at the Laugh Factory near Times Sqare.



        After an evening of comedy, Nate takes the stage for a photo. The family needed to exercise their laugh muscles during the Christmas week in NYC so we took in some comedy including some very funny local

      • Les Paul at the Iridium Jazz Club
        01/10/07
        While in Manhattan over Christmas we dropped in to see the incomparable Les Paul. His name is embossed on many of the guitars used in rock and jazz over the last half century. He is also partly responsible for innovating multi-track recording.

        <-now & then (with Mary)->
        <

  • 2006
    • November
      • Who Are You? Who Who
        11/30/06
        Tim and I went to LA to see the Who at the Hollywood Bowl. Need I say more? Great seats, great weather and real rock music.



        The latest album (the first since 1982) is worth a listen. Some incredible stuff.

      • Sonny, Please
        11/28/06
        We saw Sonny Rollins in November at the Scottsdale Center for the Arts. What a show! It was a nice way to end a great weekend.



        His new album is hot, it was recorded on his own label, Doxy Records, coming off a tour in Japan. He is a true cat. Check out Sonny, Please... please.

      • Lovely Treat
        11/02/06
        What a treat to get this image on my cell phone while I was a few thousand miles away. It is a metal sculpture on the grounds of Scottsdale Center for the Arts.



        Thanks, Valerie.

      • Greg Does Halloween in Phoenix
        11/02/06
        What a treat to have Greg visit us for a week during his favorite holiday. He put his usual expert touch on a costume that exhibited great detail and authenticity.



        Meanwhile Valerie and Tom were sporting some intersting duds. Val's basic black under a sweet Halloween to

    • October
      • Queen City of the South
        10/22/06
        Charlotte, North Carolina is a lovely place. I've been here before briefly when Dave Sonius and I played four rounds of golf (two each day) in each of South and North Carolina on consecutive days. I am at a League for Innovation in Higher Education conference and am enjoying my stay.

    • September
      • Van's the Man
        09/17/06
        Van Morrison in concert at Cricket Pavilion was a mixture of what works and what doesn't. What works is Van Morrison in concert. Although suffering from stage fright throughout his life, he is making the effort to open his vast reportoire and give his many fans a memorable musical experience. M

      • Tom and Kinky Friedman Take In Some Pregame Festivities
        09/07/06
        Before the Longhorn football game, I got a chance to meet Kinky Friedman at the Scholz Garten in Austin. For the uninitiated, he is a musician (Kinky Friedman and the Texas Jewboys), writer (17 mystery novels), free spirit and gubernatorial candidate for Texas in 2006.



        <pho

      • Goin' to the Bat Fest..
        09/07/06
        Went to the Bat Fest in Austin last week, a yearly migration of people watching the bats fly from under the bridge over Lake Austin (River).



        Here's a photo of Nate taking in the Bat Fest.
        [more]
        The bats migrate from Mexico and in early September go to feed at n

      • Are you ready for some Longhorn football???
        09/05/06
        On a trip to Austin, TX, Nate and I took in a football game.



        Not just a football game, it was the Longhorns of UT on Daryl Royal field!

    • August
      • Who are these people?
        08/18/06
        Can you identify these people?



        The photo may be distorted a bit. Actually, this is from PhotoBooth special effects.

      • Blocking Brien's Office
        08/14/06
        I'm sure it was an oversight but someone moved some boxes from the discard pile to a place in front of Brien's office.



        I wonder if Brien is in there? What if he doesn't know there are boxes in front of his door and he tries to get out? Should someone move th

      • Meeting your Funeral Needs at Costco
        08/10/06
        Remember: you must order by 2:00 p.m. EST to get overnight delivery on a casket...

        You can now get your funeral needs, caskets and urns, at Costco including the hand-rubbed Argos Cherry Wood model (pictured above) at 2,999.99. This is only available in a few states.

        There is a

      • Talladega Nights - Sacha Baron Cohen
        08/09/06
        "Hear me now," as Ali G would say, "Aiight, Booyakasha - Mista G indahouse aiii..." Saw Talladega Nights Monday to wash off the court experience and get our heads right again. After listening intently to every word in a small room with a judge and lots of Q & A, we needed to

      • Day In Court
        08/07/06
        Remember the show, Day In Court ? The televisioin show? No? ...anyway, we spent the good part of today in court, actually at the Arizona Office of Administrative Hearings. We are the complaintants against a company which did some 'work' for us. The Registrar of Contractors issued a Correct

      • How it's Made
        08/05/06
        Discovery Channel's How It's Made (in french: Comment c'est fait) is awesome. A series (I don't know how many) of junior-high-like short videos explaining how stuff is made has captured my attention to the point that I recorded about thirty of these half-hour episodes on the DVR.

      • Motorcycle Ride
        08/02/06
        Went for a motorcycle ride last night to get Valerie an

        iHome iPod player for her ZenXzena room. While getting gas, a fellow rider pulled up on his Harley and said, "Now that's a bike." We laughed and as we rode off he said, "That's the lick."


      • Tim and Floyd the barber
        08/02/06
        Here is an archive photo of Tim and Floyd.



        Floyd was facinated by Tim's stories of Mt. Pilot.

      • Ocotillo Blues Band
        08/01/06
        Tom occasionally plays with the Ocotillo Blues Band.

        This actually happend only once a few years ago in Tucson. Tom is seen here is playing with teachers Jim Elam and Dr. Doug Sawyer, members of the Lynwood Flyers Blues Band, from Scottsdale Community College and Kate Dillon Hogan from th

      • Dr. Tom!?!?!?!?
        08/01/06
        It's finally done. Here is Tom shaking hands with Dr. Michael Crow, ASU president.


        Tom earned his doctorate of education, higher and post-secondary education, in May 2006.

    • July
      • Playing music for education
        07/27/06
        Welcome to the myTomFoster blog.


        Tom occasionally plays guitar/drums/bass with the Dropouts, a college-based rock and roll band.