July 17^th, 2012                                                    Day #10 in honor of PELE-International Soccer Star

The Countdown….how I love my countdowns….ever since that fateful, unforgiveable night, December 31^st, 1978 when I went to John Piva’s  New Year’s Eve Party overlooking the Belmont Canyon with Larry Weinberg instead of opting for the Grateful Dead and the CLOSING Night of Winterland.

John had the latest and greatest in stereo technology, Kliptsch Ultralinear 6 foot tower speakers, the biggest TV on record at the time, and KQED was streaming it, so since I had seen Springsteen at Winterland  on December 15^th (the GREATEST NIGHT EVER) and Tom Petty just the night before, I figured I could skip this one….if that sounds stupid, let me help you understand…..Peevs had those old cigarette holders he stole from his folks house that made ciggies stand up, because NOBODY had a brand yet, they just smoked, right? Those were filled with Thai Sticks. The garage had 2 Heineken kegs!! Heineken and I’m 21, OMG……There was black light and disco balls, and a room that required a secret knock, though that secret got exposed pretty quickly, everyone wants to share……to top it all off, he had a 200 gallon aquarium that had piranha and other teeth-exposing fish swimming around eating stuff people would feed em, and I’m talking meat.

This was one sick little rock and roll pad cooking along up on the ridge, Larry and I are making new friends every minute, we have no curfew, and I recall in that moment, that everything was A-OK. Or so I thought…….there was still but one new lesson to be learned…….at MIDNIGHT, with all the energy focused on our heroes on the big screen,  Jerry Pompili, Bill’s OTHER right hand man and stage announcer for everything our beloved brother Peter Barsotti produced,  began his infamous  countdown, the 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1….HAPPY NEW YEAR.

The energy built and built as we chanted, arms around each other, smiles abounding, joints flying around and BOOM, Sugar Magnolia pushes us into 1979, I open my eyes and thankfully I am NOT kissing Larry Weinberg…….when the confetti finally settled, I told myself that as great this was, I am never, ever going to miss a LIVE countdown with the Grateful Dead on New Year’s Eve, ever again. And I never did…..1979 through 1991, until they voluntarily retired the ceremony in honor of the late Bill Graham, who died on October 27^th, 1991 in the horrific helicopter crash……after all, it really was Bill’s thing, the band just played along, if you would….

So, it’s true, countdowns are in my very nature….I know at the end I am going to be able to celebrate, but really what it is, is the ability to wonder what’s coming down the pike at me/us this year? The literal first few moments of the New Year, so much hope, so much promise, and at a show, Community. We’re all here together, in search of the common chord, knowing that as families go, this one is the biggest and the energy that emanates from this group has the very power to grant those dreams and wishes, to provide encouragement and the chance for a brand new beginning.  For those 13 years, with that community, with all that hope and love, it was like a rocket ship sending us out to explore, experience, and kinda slingshot you get on with your life, the things you’ve wanted to do, hoped to do, desired to do, maybe even HAVE to do.

So, as Pele hands the microphone to #9 Reggie Jackson tomorrow, my countdown has begun, with you all as my community…..not all the similarities are tracking along with the story from my youth. The celebration will be muted as no final news of my condition is in, but a milestone will have been reached……..I think of it as the Cable Car turnaround at the bottom of Powell Street. One last Irish Coffee from the Buena Vista and it’s all uphill from here, and the cables will have to work overtime, the grind is on, dig me out of this abyss….. but, the rewards/ the views/the destination will be worth it….we’ll climb halfway to the stars…….