The guys came with to support David. it was as really really long wait. it took over a hours waiting before we even got inside! and then it was three hours before David got called back to perform and another hour and a half before we say him again. but! we had good company!

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This is David explaining why wearing narrow vertical striped shirt wasn't a big deal. Can you see the weird wavy marks it gave my camera? I think thats why the producers requested participants NOT to wear them!

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Last weekend I picked David up in Chicago and drove him out to Oak Park to visit my dear friend Padma and meet her sister Sheila. We also got to see Mr. V . It was so good seeing Padma and David hasn't seen her since being all grown up and all. Dave and I were in Moody when we first met her and Mr. V . We are looking forward to hosting them here before they in back to SriLanka at the end of November.

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Jeff Hickey's Memorial Service

Today was the Memorial Service/Benefit Concert for the boys' guitar teacher, Jeff Hickey.
Jeff passed away after two weeks in intensive care unit at U.W. Madison after an automobile accident.

David started guitar lessons with Jeff shortly before he turned 13 back in 2002. He and David clicked musically: Jeff taught in a way that David was ready to soak up.

Jeff's CD, Loose Ends, won the MAMA (Madison Area Music Award) for best Acoustic album in 2004 and because Jeff had taught several of those songs to David, David was privileged to play those at the benefit today ( and then some of his own original compositions) and give Jeff much credit for teaching him and encouraging him to find his own voice with the guitar and music in general.

Joseph started lessons with Jeff last fall -and he too really clicked with Jeff. I'd take him into Jeff's and he would call for "Guiseppe" as he called Joseph and off they would go for at least an hour even though he only charged me for 1/2 hour lessons. Joseph today played the piece that he had been working on with Jeff at the time of his accident-Windy and Warm, and an earlier piece they worked on Wildwood flowers and I'll Fly Away.

Here's a little snippet of David playing at his guitar teacher's memorial service. We'll put up a better sound snippet later of him AND Joseph playing on stage.

Welcome to Moody

This is what we arrived to - there was a ton of people and stuff to do at all those tables

Dave and me

Okay this is just part of fun display put up by the alumni group. It was part of a legacy tree and both Dave and I are on there - from a long time ago.

David in his dorm

David in his dorm room. It had a surprising amount of storage and space plus the provided furniture was very nice and the comforter that his Grandma made was just perfect!

At The Arch

Dave and David standing in the Arch

You Can Take Them Out of The Teen Center But You Can't Take The Teen Center Out of Them!

Dave and David play pool in the game room during some much needed down time today. It's good to know that all those years playing down at the teen center weren't for nothing!

This was really nice to watch-and then I went and did something else for quite awhile so David could just have some time with his Dad.

The first place I played pool with Dave was at Moody so it's kinda fun to see him playing pool there again.

The view is great!

Can you tell what city David is in or what? This is the view from his dorm room.

Oh-and see those wooden cabinet things to the left? Those are two huge armoirs, one for each dorm mate, very nice storage for them. David packed very light for school not knowing what was going to be the situation so now he can take down a few more things.

But I loved that he could see a Chicago landmark from his room.

Dedication Service for Students and Parents

The new president of Moody, Paul Nyquist, had three charges for the new students:

• Studying at Moody is a privilege

so be grateful.

• Studying at Moody is an opportunity

so be diligent.

• Studying at Moody is a calling

so be faithful.

That's what he's saying in the video, summing it up at the end-the sound quality isn't that great on my cell phone.

A mere 22 1/12 years later....

David is standing in the same area that my Mom and Dad took a picture of Dave and I when we started at Moody back on a cold, wintery day in January 1987 .

Life is wierd

but good

very good.

Finally at Moody!

At Moody finally! This is a view from the fellowship hall where they have Joe's-a coffee hangout

The guys- they LOVE weddings!

Bride and Groom sung to by Zane's dad, Kevan-he sang "I'll Be"