John at Graduation

 

John; a beast!

 

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

Ha, ha, ha.

 

Mary Laughing at Richard becase she has more photos on the blog than he does.

 

A picture for facebook?

 

Mary E. Yardley at the Mary E. Yardley Garden

 

John, Mary and Robert at Florida Field; May 1, 2010

 

Mary Walks!

Richard's Mom; wondering where her money went.

 

"Keep Working Richard," says Spain's leading guitar player.

 

Paco de Lucia, Spain’s most influential flamenco guitarist, gives remarks after receiving an honorary doctorate of music at Berklee College of Music’s commencement ceremonies, held at Boston University’s Agganis Arena on May 8, 2010. This year’s honorary doctorate recipients were recognized for their achievements in contemporary music, contributions to popular culture and lasting influence on Berklee’s international student body.

Richard at Berklee Graduation.

 

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame songwriter-producer duo of Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff received honorary doctor of music degrees last week from Berklee College of Music. 

The Gamble and Huff team formed in the late 1960s, collaborating as songwriters for multiple artists including Patty LaBelle, Teddy Pendergrass, the Jacksons, The O’Jays and Aretha Franklin.

Their teamwork led to the creation of the Philadelphia International Record label and what is referred to now as “The Sound of Philadelphia” (TSOP). They were responsible for more than 70 No. 1 hits.

Before receiving their degrees, Gamble and Huff participated in a luncheon hosted at the David Friend Recital Hall at the Berklee College of Music. Berklee and Boston Arts Academy students were able to attend a question-and-answer session led by John P. Kellogg, Berklee’s Professor of Music Business and Management and former O’Jay’s attorney.

Gamble and Huff’s career came to light through a brief video and dialogue with the audience.

It all started with a chance encounter they had with each other on an elevator. The gentlemen worked in the Shubert building in Philadelphia, a headquarters for artists and creative individuals that at the time had few African Americans.

“He worked on the sixth floor and I worked on the second floor so when we saw each other on the elevator, we had to say ‘Hey!’” said Huff of their first meeting. “During that time, we were all trying to make it,” he added.

Their first meeting of their creative minds resulted in six or seven songs.

“Most of our songs told actual stories, and that is probably why it resonated with listeners so much,” Huff said.

Though none of those first tracks became hits, they kept pursuing that magic sound.

Gamble talked about the story behind the story in their No. 1 hit “Me and Mrs. Jones” by soul singer Bill Paul.

“We would see this couple come in the same diner on a regular basis, and we later realized that’s not his wife” Gamble said, laughing. “Mrs. Jones wasn’t actually her name, but Smith and some other names just didn’t sound right,” added Huff.

Both Gamble and Huff expressed a deep appreciation to Berklee.

“To be awarded an honorary doctorate of music from The Berklee College of Music for our music career accomplishments is a feeling that goes beyond our wildest dreams,” they said in a statement. “We are very humbled and truly blessed.”

Can Americans play real football?

A video from John's Grandmother

Our Next Game is in Titusville!

Eyjafjallajökull

Epic Fail.

Trumpet Plant

 

Angles' Trumpet Brugmansia Datura

All parts of this plant are poisonous, including leaves, stems, branches.

Next time you order fish, ask "Where did this come from?"

Messi Lifts Barcelona With 4 Goals

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) -- Lionel Messi pretty much put Barcelona in the European Champions League semifinals by himself.

The reigning world player of the year scored four goals, getting a hat trick in a 22-minute span of the first half, to lift the defending champions over Arsenal 4-1 Tuesday night and advance Barcelona to the semifinals for the third straight year.

''A player like this only comes along every 25-30 years,'' Barcelona midfielder Xavi Hernandez said.

Barcelona won the home-and-home, total-goals series on 6-3 aggregate and will play Inter Milan in the semifinals starting April 20 in Italy. The second leg is in Spain eight days later for a berth in the final on May 22 in Madrid.

The 22-year-old Messi, expected to lead Argentina at the World Cup, has eight Champions League goals this season and moved one ahead of Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo for this season's scoring lead.

''Of course I hope I can keep this up,'' Messi said. ''These four goals really make me happy. We need it to have this kind of match. We started badly, but we fixed it. What really matters is that the team keeps going like this, working and doing it well.''

He became the first player to score four goals in a two-legged series in the competition and with 25 goals matched Rivaldo as Barcelona's career Champions League scoring leader.

''He's a player of such an incredible level,'' Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola said. ''There are no words -- this kind of performance you have to see it.''

Messi has 39 goals overall this season, the major reason Barcelona has a chance to overtake high-spending Real Madrid for first place in the Spanish league when they play Saturday night.

''He's the best player I've ever faced and he's the best player in the world,'' Arsenal goalkeeper Manuel Almunia said. ''It's very difficult to stop someone who has so many skills like that, who can do whatever they want with the ball.''

Nicklas Bendtner put the Gunners ahead in the 18th minute with his fifth Champions League goal of the season, tying Manchester United's Wayne Rooney for third.

Messi then took over, scoring in the 21st, 37th and 42nd minutes for a 3-1 lead. He got his final goal in the 88th minute after Almunia stopped his initial shot. Messi swept the rebound through the goalkeeper's legs.

''I don't know how many players can score that goal,'' Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger said ''It's something that looks impossible that he makes possible. In exceptional games, exceptional players make the difference.''

Messi took advantage of a misplayed ball by Mikael Silvestre to score his first goal. He began the play for the second with a pass to streaking Eric Abidal. The back's centering pass was blocked but landed at the feet of Pedro Rodriguez, who laid it to Messi. He beat Almunia with a right-footed shot.

Messi scooped the ball over Almunia for his third.

''Over two games they deserved to qualify,'' Wenger said. ''They are a very good side but, of course, they have Messi, who can make a difference at any moment in the game.''

Earlier Tuesday, Inter beat CSKA Moscow 1-0 on Wesley Sneijder's sixth-minute goal to advance to the semifinals for the first time in seven years. The Italian champions won on 2-0 aggregate.

''True, maybe it wasn't the most exciting game, but the real prize was reaching the semifinals,'' Inter coach Jose Mourinho said. ''There were 500 Inter fans here in Moscow and our job was to make the semifinals, not put on a show, and that's what we did.''

Sneijder sent a low free kick through a defensive wall, off CSKA's Keisuke Honda and past goalkeeper Igor Akinfeyev.

''The plan was to score before them,'' Mourinho said. ''In Milan we scored on the 10th shot. Today we scored on the first one.''

CSKA's Chidi Odiah was ejected in the 49th minute, getting his second yellow card for a tackle of Samuel Eto'o. Odiah entered in the 14th minute for defender Vasiliy Berezutsky, who strained his hip in Monday's practice, and Odiah received a yellow card for fouling Sneijder late in the first half.

''The quick goal made the task extremely difficult,'' CSKA coach Leonid Slutsky said. ''Yes, we lost, but we never gave up. We played well.''

On Wednesday, Manchester United is home trying to overturn a 2-1 deficit against Bayern Munich and Lyon takes a 3-1 advantage to Bordeaux in an all-French quarterfinal. The last time at least one English team didn't reach the semifinals was 2003.

A Scene from John and Robert's First Concert