Folks, I was 62 Friday, and I have spent over $10,000 on new performance instruments in the last 60 days.

After 30 years of 1/2 a quart of brandy a night, I have no residual effects( quit drinking in 1988-just had my annual complete physical, including the colon thing-chose to forgo the anesthetic-WRONG CHOICE, but I survived and was back on a video shoot in 1 1/2 hours).

Thought long and hard about the new equipment, because that means I need to keep up the current schedule for about 5 years (the accountant in me comes out).

Have some long-term tendon damage from years of playing upright, arthritis in my hands, had to lower some songs because of the beginnings of limited range, but am still able to work. Music is an integral part of everything I do. My daytime work involves soundtrack production for industrial films, training programs, etc.

The secret, for me is to do for a living what I would do for fun. That's why I switched from accounting to communications teaching, consulting and production.

Slower, but smarter. And, I enjoy every time I pick up a camers, instrument or computer.

Still hanging in there,


Russ