LONNA & ME 2024 flew by. It was a very busy year, even though we only traveled out of the state together once the entire year. Lots of lunches and dinners with family and friends with conversations that always seem to revolve around everyone's health. I guess that's the topic dejour for us "older" folks. This year's page includes a bit of January, 2025 only because so much happened right at the end of the year that I wasn't able to complete the page on time. The picture was taken on our 28th Wedding Anniversary, May 10th.

 

 

OUR "OTHER" ANNIVERSARY If you have to get older, at least find reasons to celebrate that fact. The obvious one for us is retirement. We both retired on October 29, 2021 and have not looked back. Can you blame us? I mean... who doesn't want to have a leisurely breakfast, on a weekday, at 11:00am, on a nice patio where the sun is shining so brightly we have to wear shades.

 

VIENNA, CAMERON, TALYA & ADAM

Adam and Talya celebrated their 13th year of marriage on December 28th. Vienna is now twelve years old (Sep 28) and Cameron is 11 years old (Christmas Day) which is remarkable since they were just born a couple years ago, right? Here's a few recent pics: Vienna began 6th grade at a new school and I think Cam might be happy for her and a little jealous. The last I spoke with Adam, he told me Vienna, on her her tip-toes, is as tall as him.

 

FLY ME TO LA I was able to travel to California and see the whole family in September. It was a short visit but we did have some fun. An early morning breakfast at Cameron's school, Adam dancing with "Daisy" the Cockatiel and Vienna's Birthday Party, which was an all day event and involved some major preparation because she and her friends are huge Taylor Swift fans, better known as "Swifties." So the entire back yard (Adam's 9-hole mini-golf course) became "Swiftie Central." Adam also showed Swift's Eras Tour on his 10ft screen in the living room. Cameron invited friends over during Vienna's celebration and they couldn't get far enough away from those "Swifties."  Here's a quick video of the trip:

 

BUILDING A BRAND IS NOT EASY Adam, once again, is ahead of the curve with his new venture. He's creating a remarkable amount of video content in Immersive VR and it's getting alot of attention. Below is an example of what he does. This is a behind-the-scenes video he did of Vienna and Cameron's school musical event. Imagine all of this in Immersive Virtual Reality, where the camera is just another person in the room and that other person is you. You see everything to the left, to the right, above and below, just by turning your head, as well as what's in front of you. You're literally immersed. If you have a headset, you can view it in 8K 60fps at DEO VR, on Adam's Channel which is FirstVlogger. Please Subscribe to it. There are well over 100 videos to view that are incredible.  Unfortunately, what's below is the "flattened" version of the video, but you'll get the idea. Vienna and Cameron do the famous "Trouble With Boys" routine that Ross and Monica did in the hit TV show, "Friends." It starts at about 8:50 into the video. Most of his "arranged" video shoots cannot be made public because the people who okay his access to such famous figures as LeBron James, and his son, Bronny, at the LA Clippers Media Day, do not want it seen until a deal is finalized. He uses these videos privately to gain access to more events like this and will hopefully land a major sponsor next year. Everyone who sees the product is stunned at how good it looks and how quickly he can turn it around. No other company can create this much content and have it produced in just a few days. Not Meta, not Google, not Apple.

 

CALIFORNIA SEES SNOW When I left California on September 30th, Cam was very sad. He actually had tears in his eyes. Adam said it got worse when they got home after dropping me off. He told them that they would all be traveling to Ohio next summer (2025), so it wasn't going to be too long before we all saw each other again. That didn't seem to appease Cam. So Adam and Talya worked it out to surprise the grandkids on Christmas Day with, "We're going to leave in three days to spend a week in Columbus!" Unfortunately, Adam inadvertently spilled the beans in front of Vienna earlier in December so the surprise was just for Cam. Their stay in Columbus was quick. They arrived on Saturday, December 28th and departed on Saturday, January 4th. The kids had to be back in school on the 6th. My schedule was more hectic than I like it to be when we have family staying with us, but it couldn't be avoided. I performed in church on the 29th, at a New Years' Eve Party in Newark, Ohio and at a gig in Logan, Ohio on January 4th. We did have an opportunity to take everyone to the Columbus Zoo Wildlights on the the 30th. But the big news of the visit came on January 3rd, when they woke up and saw snow on the ground with sunshine! (A rare moment for Columbus, Ohio in January.)

 

ALEENA, GRAYSON, BROOKE & KENNY

Brooke & Kenny have been together nearly eight years. Aleena is now 12 years old (December 16th) and Grayson will be 11 years old February 16, 2025. Both are playing instruments - Aleena is in her third year on viola, and Grayson just started on saxophone this year. The picture below is me showing Aleena and Grayson how we used to write in script. Apparently, it is starting to be taught in school again? (Not sure about that...) Aleena graduated from Elementary School (5th Grade) on May 29th and it appears that's a big deal nowadays. She started in a new school in the fall. When I asked Grayson if he was looking forward to going to that school next year he said, "Yes." "Even though you'll be one of the newbies?" I ask. "I don't care. I just want to be in that school." I think maybe he likes being close to Aleena so he can annoy her. We spent Father's Day with the entire family, including "Wanda," their Tortoise. Kenny's brother, Ricky, also joined us. The swimming pool was certainly busy. The food was great! And I even played Checkers, which I haven't done in probably 40 years. I actually won a few games!   Lonna and I took Aleena and Grayson to the Zoo on July 30th. Kontras Performance is now in its sixth year, doing well, and expanding the business. Kenny has entered into a joint venture with his once-mentor, Willis (Kirk) Kirkbride, upgrading Harley Davidson motorcycles. Kirk does the builds because he has the room in his huge facility in Galena, Ohio and then Kenny handles the tunings at his shop. They work well together and have a deep mutual respect for each other's skills and knowledge. In addition to this venture, Kenny's shop has also become a Certified Honda Repair Shop which allows him access to all their repair/replace information. This is a big deal when it comes to having to fabricate specific parts for Honda owners who want their cars to go faster, which is exactly what Kenny does. But he has not veered away from his basic bread and butter cars, especially Subarus. He's known in the region as one of the best Subaru builders around. His fabrications are second-to-none. So what do these four pictures represent? I couldn't tell you, but here's what he wrote about this build.

 

 

NICK & LINDA Nick and Linda are doing well. They have a home together just outside of Columbus' west side in Galloway. They travel together to different places in their camper, including going to their favorite country artist's (Luke Combs) concerts. They also go to a "World Mall" in Chicago during the Christmas Season. This time they both had colds but still managed to get there and enjoy seeing all of the different items from around the globe. Most are very expensive, so they tend to look and touch, but not buy. It's become a staple in our lives, so why not have T-Shirts made? Here we are, wearing the shirts in different locations. He's camping (in Indiana, I think) and I'm at a gig in Sunbury, OH. Our usual meeting place is at the Panera Bread location in Hilliard, OH. Our visits are so regular that the manager recognizes us the minute we open the door to enter. Truth-be-told, she recoginizes Nick first because of his "Goofy" Ball Cap. From the first time he wore it in the store, she told him she loved it, so needless to say, he wears it everytime we visit. (He keeps it in his truck so he won't forget to put it on.) We had a special guest on "The Mike & Nick Tour" at our most recent visit. I'm sure Nick would want me to show all of you how good his backing/parking skills are, as seen in the picture below. Note the absolute pride on his face. In case you're wondering, he left the truck right where you see it during our 2+ hour visit in July. Nick works at Learning Never Ends transporting people with developmental disabilities to and from their appointments. He really enjoys the work and his co-workers. So much so, that he plays Santa at the company Christmas Party. You'll note that Nick very seldom goes anywhere without wearing a ball cap. Our visits are certainly no exception. But what you might not know is he collects them. I mean REALLY collects them. Here's three containers of ball caps that he owns. And yes, he has more. 'Nuff said...

 

DAVID & BETH David and Beth became grandparents (YiaYia and Papou) this year to two very cute little ones. I believe Billy's girlfriend's name is Macie Dean. Patrick was born on September 15th. Apparently, they've given him Dan's last name although Meghan and Dan aren't married yet. Lonna did attend Meghan's baby shower. Now on to something far less important than family, but noteworthy, in my opinion. Last year, I said that I thought David, who works as a bailiff for Judge Michael Holbrook in the Franklin County Court System, was a reasonable person who would not vote for a convicted felon for President. Boy, was I ever wrong! He not only voted for him, he went on social media and asked others, under the veil of Christianity, to do the same, after re-posting a Kevin Pledger post. Below is the entire post, and Kevin Pledger's admission that many of the things he posted were not true. He apologized and asked that anyone that re-posted this information, to please take it down. David did not. If you don't want to read the entire post, I completely understand. My focus is on David's actions at the beginning and end of the post. David comments that Christians must vote for Trump in large numbers so that the election can't be rigged. He states that everything in the post is 100% true. He even suggests everyone look up these "facts" for themselves. And then at the end of the post, you are told you're not voting for Trump, you're voting against the government. WTF David? Kevin Pledger's apologie and request for retraction: I contacted David through FB Messenger and sent him the link to Pledger's retraction. David read the post, but decided to propel the lies rather than admit that he was wrong in posting this disinformation, and remove the post as Pledger instructed. This is exactly how untruthful information spreads and it deeply saddens me that my brother is one of those people willing to perpetuate falsehoods in furtherance of a political agenda, and use the church as a way to garner votes for his candidate. Personally, I don't care who others vote for. Just be honest. The only other thought I have about all of this is that Pledger is an Associate Pastor at his father's church. Why he's involved in politics in such a public way is beyond me. It makes me wonder how much of a Christian he really is with this behavior. Whether Pledger's public actions were intentional or not, is not the point. The point is, as a Pastor, he should not be publically posting political commentary from his pulpit.

 

RENEE & AARON My sister Renee, and her husband Aaron, are still working their butts off at the bar. All indications are that it is paying off, but since we didn't have any time to get together before the year ended, I don't know for sure. Ads like these would indicate that things are going well. Lonna and I are planning to meet Renee and Aaron for a late lunch sometime early in 2025 to catch up. These visits usually last 2-3 hours. By the way, I tried to find a recent picture of Renee and Aaron, but they are not posting anything. Maybe I can get a picture when we meet for lunch.

 

NEW JERSEY & FLORIDA COME TO OHIO Now that Lonna's sister, Linda, and her husband Gary, have moved back to Marysville, we have the opportunity to see them more often. Over Thanksgiving, their daughter Kristin, her husband, Dave and their two sons, Matthew and Christopher, as well as their son Jeff and his wife, Liz, and their two daughters, Emily and Anna, and one son, Garrett, all came to Marysville. Their other daughter, Angie, already lives in Marysville. We were invited to join them for a post-Thanksgiving lunch at the Der Dutchman Restaurant in Plain City, Ohio on December 29th. It was a Shirk Family Reunion! Top Row, left to right: Gary, Matthew, Linda, Anna, Angie, Jeff, Liz, Emily & Me. Bottom Row, left to right: Dave, Kristin, Lonna, Christopher & Garrett

 

WHAT IS UNITY? Unity has been around for well over 100 years but many people do not even know of it's existence. Here are some FAQs about Unity that will give you a basic idea about our beliefs.

 

MAYA ANGELOU & UNITY Speaking with Oprah Winfrey in 2013, Maya Angelou reveals how she discovered Unity and how the knowledge that she is loved can still bring tears to her eyes.

 

This is my 12th year performing at Unity, playing piano and singing once a month and for the past four years or so, handling the live streaming duties once a month. We are a small congregation (20-30 people in attendance and 10-15 online). Our church is a Unity Church, based primarily on the teachings of Jesus. We focus on the New Testament and how to apply what Unity calls "Practical Christianity" to our daily lives. There's no fire and brimstone, talk of us being sinners, or punishment by God, etc. God, in whatever name or form you believe, is the spirit within all of us to do good, not some white-bearded man in the sky judging you when you get to the "pearly gates." We don't believe in Heaven and Hell. We believe that Jesus showed us that we have all the tools we need within us (God) to be the best we can be. Whether we chose to use these tools is up to us. But they (God) are there. Our minister, Joanne Blum, always starts out her messages with something funny and November 17th was no exception:   Please visit the church's YouTube Channel and view some of the messages. They are short, succinct and very beneficial for everyday living. Her husband is Joe Lambert. Together they provide the music on some Sundays and Joe handles the live streaming duties on nearly every Sunday. Sometimes, he has to do both! To learn more, please visit the website. Unity Church of Delaware holds two big musical fundraisers a year. A summer concert, which is usually held outdoors on a large stage, in the back of the church. And a Fall Coffeehouse usually held towards the end of November. This year we had the added pleasure of an evening with Eddie Watkins, Jr. Eddie's career spans decades. He has worked with many of the best known musical artists in the industry. At the end of the video, you will see this extensive list. As I have in the past, I had the honor of joining Eddie on stage, playing the djembe for the entire concert. Left to right: Eddie, Linda Blair, Lynda McClannahan, Joe Lambert, Rev. Joanne Blum and Joe Nelson These Guys Live had an event in Pickerington, Ohio at 8pm on August 17th, the same day as the Summer Concert. We were the featured band, so we had to set up at the venue ahead of the opening act. They then put their gear in front of ours. This meant that from about 4pm to 8pm there was nothing for the band to do - except for me. I was scheduled to perform at the Summer Concert at 6pm. In addition, I had to accompany two other acts after I performed. It was about a 40 minute drive each way. And you thought the music business was glamorous. Here I am at the concert, performing Billy Joel's first pop song release in nearly 30 years. Our Fall Coffeehouse was on November 22nd. Unfortunately, the lighting was not great so it was decided that it would not be posted. The song I performed was a song that I co-wrote with Doug Smith 30 years ago called "A Pocket Full of Dreams." Here's an audio recording of me performing it. The Unity Men continue to have their monthly dinners at various locations throughout Dublin, Columbus & Delaware. Here we are in Dublin on January 15, 2025. Note the reflection of the server in the mirror behind us, taking the picture. Yup, that silver half circle is the back of my head. Left to right: Cliff, Larry, Paul, Jefferson, Dan D., Me, Dan H., Dick, Bill & Joe.

 

I performed at the St. Paul United Church of Christ off and on throughout the year. This is a far more traditional service than the one at Unity. The minister, Rev. Marla Flewellen, has been a friend of Lonna's and mine for nearly twenty years. When she asked me to perform at the church as a soloist, I wasn't sure I could make that transition. I've always performed with others either in a duo or a band. Even my one man show had tracks that I recorded in the studio that backed me, so it felt like a band. And while playing the piano comes very naturally to me, singing does not. I've never considered myself any more than a mediocre singer so I feel "naked" with just the piano accompanying me. In this new chapter of my musical journey, I am most defintely a work in progress. Rev. Flewellen picks songs that are closely tied to her message. Some I know, some I learn. The music is more traditional lyrically but is certainly not traditional hymn music. Here's some excerpts from what I sang at an April Service.

 

DOUG & CINDY SMITH Lonna and I have known Doug and Cindy Smith for over thirty years. Doug and I were in a high-energy duo from June of 1991 to December of 1995. Lonna and Cindy became good friends almost instantly. After Doug and Cindy moved to Mt Juliet, TN, we continued to stay in contact. In February of 2023, they moved back to Ohio and now live in Marysville. The video you are about to see is of our youngest, Kenny, and their daughter, Colbi, back in 1994. I believe this is the only time the kids ever met. The guy shooting hoops with the long blond hair is... you guessed it... Doug. Doug has begun a new venture to promote his faith-based songwriting. His latest song is called "Christ For The World." He recorded all the tracks, mixed and produced it himself. You can purchase it on Spotify. On April 8th, we drove to Marysville to watch the Eclypse with them and Cindy's brother, Wade. Here we are trying to get a picture of it. Silly us...

 

WHAT THE F@%K ARE YOU DOING, BO? These were the first words I heard out of our new neighbor Lauren's mouth to her husband Bo, shortly after they moved in next door. Bo was on their roof when she walked out, saw him up there and freaked out. That day began a great friendship between the four of us. Bo and Lauren now have two wonderful little girls - Lucy and Maddie. Sadly, they just moved to Dublin, OH at the end of the year. Here's what we saw in front of our house on January 4, 2025. Left to right: Lucy, Bo, Maddie & Lauren

 

46 YEARS Dane Donohue and I have known each other for over 55 years. He was the first out-of-town musican I'd ever met, and to this day, he stills lives in the town he was raised in (Mansfield, OH) and so do I (Columbus, OH). Since first meeting Dane, it was obvious he and I were headed in different directions in life. Dane had the ability to jump into something new blindfolded and find a way to make it successful. I was always cautious, making sure I didn't jump into something blindfolded because I wanted each next step to be "safe." We did tour the country together with "Jesus Christ - Superstar" which led to some great stories about the road years later. He played the role of Jesus and I was a sound and lighting technician. But even with such different roles, we still managed to get away from the tour and do a little music on the side, once ending up in Nashville to record. The tour ended in 1971 and we formed a duo, working on original tunes that Dane had written. We actually recorded 6 of them - two of which were done while we were on tour. We eventually scrapped the duo mainly due to living in different cities which made it difficult to get together. He went on to pursue his solo career and I started working with other local musicians, forming and working in bands, some of which became very popular in the Central Ohio area. Now, nearly 56 years later, we are in contact, and even meet for lunch from time to time. But there were many years with very little contact. In 1976, he released a 45 RPM single of the Keith Carradine song, "I'm Easy," which I did not learn about until late in 2024. (Click on the image to hear the song.) Working to complete his first original music LP took him to California and New York. It was finally released on August 22, 1978. It is a splendid collection of original material that has millions of listens on Spotify. While Dane was busy working with famous people in the music industry, trying to become a well-known artist, I was busy booking and playing in one popular local band after another well into the 2000s. And so it went for over 40 years. We did meet up a couple of times during these years, but only to catch up and discuss musicians that we had in common. Then off we'd go, back to our different musical worlds. A more complete history of what went on during these years can be found on my 2022 Year End Page. But the title of this segment is "46 Years" for a reason. It's about Dane's second LP, which was released on September 4, 2024. It's so reminiscent of his 1978 sound that you almost can't believe it wasn't a quick follow-up to that first recording. His voice sounds every bit as good, 46 years later! I took the liberty of doing a quick side-by-side comparison with portions of two tracks from 1978 and portions of two tracks from 2024. I'll let you guess which is which. In December of 2024, I called Dane and said, "Let's have lunch." We met at a small place in Marengo, Ohio called Ohio Pizza & Prime (formerly the Legacy Bar & Grill) on January 9, 2025. I had already listened to the entire LP by then. Of course I had questions about who the players were on the project, where it was recorded, who produced it, etc. He guided me to many of the interviews and reviews on the LP. Here's the Dan Coston/Goldmine Interview and here's the Tom Splett review. There was also an interview with a French reporter for Rolling Stone France, named Bertrand Deveand. You'll note in this last interview that a reference was made to Dane having served time in prison for medical fraud. The article was called "The Lost Prince of Yacht Rock," written by Keith Barry of Narratively.com. The 2022 plan to work together on some original music was not cancelled, just postponed. Soon after we started collaborating, Dane encountered some health challenges that put him out of commission for quite some time. Once he was healthy again, he needed to complete his second LP and that took priority over everything else. Hopefully, we'll get a chance to write and record some music soon.

 

 

The studio was not as busy this year. I've been so busy playing music with TGL, and at two different churches that video projects are somewhat on the back burner for now. However, in 2025 I do have a few that should keep me busy. I've worked with companies and individuals for more than 30 years, producing quality video and audio recordings. In addition to these production services, I provide small website building and maintenance, graphic design, analog-to-digital transfers of reel-to-reel, cassette and VHS tapes as well as vinyl records and photo restorations. Please visit my website at www.StudioArtistsColumbus.com where all the services are discussed as well as prices and testimonials from customers. Feel free to contact me directly: michaelkontras2009@gmail.com or 614-561-8577.

 

SEVENTEEN YEARS AND COUNTING! 2024 marked TGL's 17th year on stage and my 13th year with the band. THESE GUYS LIVE has over 35 dates booked for 2025 (as of December 14th) plus two in 2026 and one in 2027! Come out to one of our shows. We promise, you will not be disappointed. Here's our Schedule. There's not much to add to the information above other than to say that it does not feel like I've been in this band for over 13 years. I'm so thankful for each of these members and what they bring to the table, not only musically, but personally as well. I doubt there's any other band around with more commitment to a project than these guys. Here we are at lunch on December 23rd. Left to right: Flint Vasher (Bass, Guitar, Vocals), Marty Brasington (Drums), Michael Doctor (Lead Vocals), Me (Keyboards, Vocals) & Mike Keller (Guitar)

 

 

HEROES Words cannot describe how proud I am of Lonna for becoming part of this magnificent team of people. She is singing with a 500 member choir in front of thousands! One of the pre-requisites to becoming a member is agreeing to volunteer for different community service projects. Being a good singer is NOT a pre-requisite. The director takes everyday people who want to sing, and creates an evening of music and voices that is unbelievable. Here she is just before her first concert on May 9th. She was not hard to spot once I knew where her section was located on that BIG stage. For those of you who have not heard of The Harmony Project, please watch these videos. You will not regret learning about the director, David Brown, and what he has done for thousands in our community. The first video is CBS Sunday Morning's Jane Pauley interviewing David about The Harmony Project. This second video was included in the concert, which was themed "We Can Be Heroes." This last video is excerpts of that evening that I took from my seat. Here she is at the November Concert (there are two a year). She was easier to spot. If you ever get the opportunity to attend one of these concerts, please do yourself that favor.

 

FOUR DAYS If you've kept up with my heart history, then you know that I still have arrythmias occasionally, even after my Mitral Valve Repair in 2012 and my dual ablations in 2016. But in 2024, these occurences were becoming more frequent, and after wearing a heart monitor for 30 days early in the year, it was discovered that my heart was producing a large variety of arrythmias, not just Atrial Fibrilation or Atrial Flutter. None were dibilitating, so I just lived with them. Then came Sunday, June 23rd. It was about 8:30am when I started to experience Supraventricular Tachycardia. I had experienced it in the past, but not like this. After a couple of hours, I knew it was not going to subside. So off to the emergency room we go, Lonna driving, and me reassuring her I'm fine. I walk in, tell the person at the reception counter what's going on, and they wisk me away to a room. Lonna, who is not always the picture of calm in these situations, witnessed something she never expected to see: me flatlining. Yup, I was dead for seven seconds. Here's what the EKG looked like during the procedure: It's called a Chemical Cardioversion. The drug used is Adenosine. What it does is stop your out-of-rhythm heart for a few seconds, and then restarts it in rhythm. Apparently, it is safer than a typical Cardioversion which uses electrical impulses with paddles - something that I've experienced more times than I care to remember. But the story doesn't end here. This is what I recorded in my personal heart record, which I've maintained since February, 2011: For those reading this on a device, here's what my report says: Sunday, 6/23/2024, 7:01am, A-Fib; Woke up to pee. Came back to bed and went into A-fib. Sat in recliner until I was back in rhythm. DURATION: 11 mins Sunday, 6/23/2024, 8:09am, SVT (Supraventricular Tachycardia); Heart started punding at a very rapid rate. Very uncomfortable. After 2 hrs, decided to go (to) the emergency room at OSU. At approximately 11:56am, the doctors performed a chemical cardioversion using Adenosine. The med puts you into cardia arrest for 6 secs and brings you out of arrest in rhythm. Stayed in the emergency room until 9:00pm, then transferred to Ross Heart Hopstial, Rm 7044, the Electrophysiology Floor. Monday, 6/24/2024, 12:00am, Normal rhythm through the night; 11:59am, Continued normal throughout the day; Procedures: Echo Cardiogram and CT Angla Cardiac w Coronary Arteries; Met with doctors. They suggested I have an SVT Ablation performed while in the hospital. After discussing it with Lonna, we decided to stay and have it done. (The doctors were hoping to get an opportunity to do it on Monday, but the scheduling didn't work out.) It was scheduled for late Tuesday afternoon, June 25, 2024. Tuesday, 6/25/2024, 12:00am, Normal rhythm through the night; 11:59am, Continued normal rhythm all day; Waited until nearly 4pm and learned that I had to be rescheduled for the next morning. I was bumped for a more critical case. Wednesday, 6/26/2024, 12:00am, Normal rhythm through the night; 6:00pm Continued normal rhythm all day, Released from hospital; SVT Ablation performed at approximately 10:00am. Was successful but took longer than expected. Each attempt at raising my heartbeat enough to locate the (correct) ablation location resulted in A-Fib, so the process had to be started over a few times before the surgeons were successful; New med added to my current meds: 20mg Lipitor once daily each evening. This was added to slow down my arterial plaque build-up, which is at 25%. My arteries have "aged" slower (70 yrs old) than my age of 73 yrs old. The purpose of the new med is to slow down the plaque build-up as I get older. This had nothing to do with cholesterol levels. My levels are good. When the doctors told me that they have a 97% success rate with this ablation, I almost shook my head and said, "How's that possible?" Any ablation discussions I've had in the past always ended with, "This will help, but there's no guarantee that you won't experience an arrythmia from time to time," which is exactly what's happened over the last 12 years. Since June 26th, I have experienced no arrythmias. It's been over six months. I can't thank the OSU Medical Team and their remarkable Electrophysiologists enough for the incredible work they did. The Ross Heart Hospital is a top-notch facility.

 

 

NEON ICON: THE FINAL CHAPTER It's still there, but certainly not in its original form. The promise was kept, but it does not have quite the same appeal as the original. Here's the "new" old sign. Jerry's Drive Inn was the place to go for great burgers and curbside service. It was also the place to see and hear the best hot rods from around Central Ohio. Here's what the sign looked like beginning in the late 1950s, including the huge arrow's famous lighting sequence.

 

NOT JUST ANY MUSEUM On May 1st, Lonna and I met her sister Lissa, and Lissa's husband John, at the Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, KY. It's quite an experience for car buffs like John and me. Of course, we bought a raffle ticket... ...and of course, we didn't win. But the trip did give me the opportunity to create a short video:

 

THE CAR OF HER DREAMS She's loved it from the first year it was introduced: 1996. Toyota's RAV4 was a big step for the company back then. Now, the RAV4 has been the best selling SUV (non pick-up) in America for the past 8 years. Lonna finally gets her 29 year wish! Congratulations, honey!

 

TOYOTA'S NEW SPORTS SEDAN? In 2021, I leased my first car in over 20 years. Prior to that, I owned a Toyota Avalon, which was a great car, but you get to the point where the age of the car becomes as much a factor as the mileage. The Avalon was 21 years old and had nearly 250,000 miles on it. It was time. The 2021 Camry was a very good, gas engine car. It drove the way you would expect a sedan to drive. Plenty of power, good looks, good ergonomics and good gas mileage. It performed as I would expect any Toyota to perform - flawlessly. In June of 2024, my lease was up, so I start preparing for a new 2024 Camry, as similar as possible to my 2021. But the 2024s were not being made anymore. Toyota introduced the 2025 Camrys in the spring and all the models are now hybrids. No more gas-only or 6-cylinder Camrys. I wasn’t ready for that! Once I got over the shock of having to buy a vehicle that was $2000+ more than I had anticipated and over $4000 more than I had paid in 2021, I realized that it was probably a good idea to get used to paying $30,000 for a mid-sized Toyota. That said, after my usual back-and-forth with the same salesman I had in 2021, we came to a decent agreement on price for a car that had the options I wanted, which were very few, plus a few that I really didn’t need, but came with the car. (It was a dealer trade.) So here I sit, the proud driver of a new 2025 Toyota Camry LE FWD Hybrid, in the middle of 2024. Go figure. Generally speaking, the American sedan market is shrinking, giving way to SUVs and Crossovers. Auto manufacturers that still make a mid-sized sedan, seem to be moving away from those models at a record pace. Chevy still has the Malibu, but this is its final year. Everything else is an SUV, a Crossover, or a truck. Ford only has the Mustang. They build no other sedan. Dodge only has two models, and they will soon be extinct. People ask, “Why Toyota?” My answer is always the same. It is the car manufacturer that consistently builds the most reliable cars in the world. In addition to ground-breaking technology under the hood, their interior ergonomics suit me the best. I’ve driven Honda Accords, Hyundai Sonatas, and others. They are all good cars, but none can match Toyota for over-all quality and reliability. This explains why the Camry has been the best selling mid-sized sedan in the USA for over 20 years. And while others are dropping their sedan models, Toyota is constantly improving theirs and taking a larger and larger share of the market. This 2025 Camry is by far the best Camry ever built and the best sedan in its class. But don't take my word for it. Here's a definitive review from US News & World Report. I have driven this car since May 30th. I can say with certainty this is nothing like the previous 8th Generation Camry (2019-2024). This 9th Generation Camry really hugs curves on the road, due to an all-new MacPherson suspension. It has great acceleration, is technologically far more advanced and in general, feels like a sports sedan. It has suspension options that give it an even firmer feel, if that's your preference. The mileage runs around 48 mpg on the highway (when going 6-7 mph over the speed limit) and is very good in town, as long as I keep my foot out of it, which has never been easy for me to do. Here's a quick visual comparison of the base model 8th and 9th Generation Camry LEs.   Another reason I'm so hooked on Toyotas? My car-owning history tells the story.

 

IT DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER Jack Sawyer has been a top defensive player for Ohio State for four years. This 2024-25 season saw him disrupting more quarterbacks' plays than ever before and finally, he received the ultimate "thank you" for his efforts in the CFP Semi-Finals game against Texas, who gave Ohio State a tough battle, to be sure. But as luck - and skill - would have it, with 2 minutes left in the game and a chance for Texas to tie the score at 21-21, Jack Sawyer disrupted his former roommate's game plan and for the first time in his career, accomplished what he had been trying to do all year. Jeremiah Smith is without question the best college football player in this era. Saying that his stats are off the charts, or that he does one-handed catches better than anyone, is not the real story of this young man. Here's a glimpse into his past. On Monday, January 20, 2025, Jeremiah showed the world how all that hard work paid off. With two minutes left in the National Championship game, Will Howard, from his own 34 yard line, on 3rd and 11, threw the pass that would cinch the National Championship for Ohio State. Jeremiah completed the play by not only catching the pass, but not being tackled until he was inside the 10 yard line of Notre Dame. For the first time in 10 years, Ohio State became National Champions. This was also Coach Ryan Day's first National Championship. GO BUCKS!

 

DINNER WITH A LEGEND Lonna and I were invited to join Rev. Joanne Blum and her husband, Joe Lambert for Thanksgiving Dinner. Also invited were well-known pianist, Jack Widner, and his partner, Larry Knisley. It was a wonderful evening with many great stories told and one sad one: Jack, at age 86, was retiring from performing. Left to right: Larry Knisley, Rev. Joanne Blum, Jack Widner, Joe Lambert, Lonna & me. I must add that I have been a fan of Jack Widner for many years. I first saw him perform in the late 1960s. At one of those performances, I purchased his LP. It was the Jack Widner Trio performing live at the Bistro Lounge on Olentangy River Road, in Columbus. The club was located across the street from WLW-C TV 4. The title of the LP is "Showcase." It was recorded and released in January, 1966. These are pictures of my copy. If you would like to be able to read the introduction to the trio, click on the word "Showcase." If you would like to hear any of the tracks, click on a title. The album is pristine and no, I'm not interested in selling it. Jack has performed at Unity churches throughout the Central Ohio area for many years. Here are a couple of recent photos from his performances at our church, Unity Church of Delware.

 

PARKER CREATIONS Across the street from us lives a very talented and creative woodworker named Hannah Parker. She started her business in her garage shortly after she and her partner moved into the neighborhood a few years ago. Since then, the business has grown and Hannah now has her own shop in Hilliard, OH. Earlier this year, she was featured on the local TV show Broad & High: Please visit her website: www.ParkerHomeCreations.com.

 

RARE VIDEO FIND Years ago, I was a solo artist. I sang and played keyboards to tracks I recorded in the studio. It was a good show, with lots of energy. I recently found the promo of the show that Adam put together for me. The show ran from 1996 to 2003.

 

I CAN'T STAND ON MY HEAD Much of the world seems upside down right now and I can't stand on my head until we as human beings, start having faith in one another again. As for The United States, it can only be the world's greatest nation if we come together - all of us. And while I realize that may not happen while I'm still here, I do have a few "parting" thoughts. 107 DAYS Pundentry on both sides of the political aisle continue to find fault with the Harris/Walz Campaign, blaming this or that on why it lost to a felon. I'll never understand the "Monday Morning Quarterbacks" that think they know better than the absolute top-notch people that were there in the trenches 20 hours a day because of a restrictive timeline that was handed to them by our President in July. At the end of last year's Year End Page, I wrote that President Biden would beat Trump in the 2024 election. I was assuming his health was as good as it was in 2020. He was certainly on his game at the 2024 State of the Union Address. Until the debate in June, none of us knew that his mental acuity had diminished so greatly. Then all bets were off. But to blame the Harris/Walz campaign for losing an election that was within less than 1% of the entire popular vote is just stupid. PICTURE PERFECT This campaign was nothing short of miraculous. It garnered 74,749,891 votes in slightly over three months. Her opponent garnered 77,168,458 votes, just 2,418,567 votes more after campaigning nearly four years. Neither garnered 50% of the popular vote. Add to this that Harris/Walz raised $1,500,000,000 (1.5 billion) in that same time period, which far exceeded her opponent's fundraising during that time. No presidential campaign in my lifetime has ever been able to do so much in such a short period of time. SO WHY DID SHE LOSE? The Cost of Eggs? Much like the second campaigns of Carter/Mondale (1979-80) and Bush/Quayle (1991-92) as well as the McCain/Palin campaign (2007-08), people voted their personal financial situation as the most important issue to them. I was surprised, but I shouldn't have been. Most voters don't understand that high consumer prices have very little to do with who's in the White House. But this year, asking voters to look beyond their personal needs and protect our country from a fowl-mouthed, convicted mysogynist with strong authoritarian instincts was impossible for at least half the nation. I say this as a member of the lower middle class (living primarily off my monthly SSI check) who still feels that quality of character in leadership is more important than my wallet. A Woman President? Sadly, another reason that kept people from voting for her is exactly that: she's a "her." Many people still don't believe a woman can be President of the United States, even though women are CEOs of multi-billion dollar corporations, reach the pinnacles of success in the military and in law enforcement, are very successful Secretaries of State, are ranking members of congress, including Speaker of the House, are Attorneys General for the United States as well as many individual states, and the list goes on. This antiquated belief that a woman - especially one as qualified as Kamala Harris - is not capable, greatly disappoints me. Which Truth? Truth is now a variable, rather than a constant. There are so many ways to receive inaccurate information. And even though there are many reliable and truthful sources available to us, it's obvious that half of our citizens choose to ignore them. If you can't agree on the facts, then a meaningful conversation is futile. Anger? I think this is the single biggest reason she didn't win. People want our leaders to fix the problems in this country - and there are many - not just give lip service to them. Unfortunately, the man soon to occupy the White House couldn't care less about real middle class issues. He tapped into our anger with faux issues like Immigration or NATO or the Middle East or Russia to get back in office, and it worked. I'm willing to bet the price of eggs doesn't go back to 2020 prices. Any takers? NOT WATCHING I spent 2017 through 2021 trying to keep up with the antics of a President who seemed to do or say something stupid nearly everyday. It was exhausting. And when COVID-19 came to the US, it was obvious we had a moron in the White House. Now, I will let the followers watch everyday and defend or criticize his behavior. Personally, I'm no longer interested in what he does. As long as politics means first becoming wealthy and abusing power, then maybe, getting around to real policies that help our citizens and our country, I have no desire to watch, listen or read about what's going on. If something major happens that affects all of us, I'm sure I'll learn about it. Until then, I'm focusing on the all good that happens in this country and around the world, which rarely gets reported, and the good in my life for which I am forever grateful. I'm sure my mind and body will thank me.

 

A LETTER Hi Mom, I'm fairly certain that I have never written a letter to you, but for some unexplained reason I'm now compelled to do so. You're no longer with us, but I would speak these words to you if you were. As I start my 75th year, I realize that with whom I spend my remaining time has become increasingly important to me. After Dad passed, I've discovered that the only thing I have in common with David is you and Dad. He sees the world so very differently than I do. Any conversation that begins with some commonality, within minutes, incorporates his political and ethical beliefs, regardless of the original topic. He has become increasingly political, publically aligning himself with the far right of the Republican Party. (Ronald Regan would be considered a Democrat in today's political environment.) It also appears he's aligned himself with Christian Nationalism, which is defined as "Ideology that seeks to create or maintain a legal fusion of Christian beliefs with a nation’s character." Advocates of Christian Nationalism consider their view of Christianity to be an integral part of their country's identity and want the government to promote and enforce the religion’s position within it. In other words, our Constitution's 14th Ammendment - The Separation of Church and State - should be ignored. You know that I have very different beliefs about this. I believe you did as well. Bottom line, he thinks he's right and anyone who disagrees is wrong. Facts be damned. I don't know how to respond to him without creating an adversarial situation, so I just let his words be the last words. I know you would have been able to talk to him about this. It was one of your many gifts. Because of this and other incidents, David and I have not talked in nearly two years. I've sent him text messages to see how the family is doing and he responds, most of the time. These texts do include holiday wishes. But he has never initiated a conversation either by text or phone. I intentionally did not contact him on Thanksgiving this year to see if he would reach out, but he didn't. I'll probably wish him and the family a Merry Christmas on Christmas Day and then move on. If David would like to contact me, I would welcome his call. No doubt this saddens you greatly. After all, you were the glue that held our blended family together over the years with all the wonderful gatherings at your home. I have so many good memories of those days and you're the reason they exist. But sadly, change is inevitable. Renee and I have a good relationship, but with her work schedule and my music schedule, we don't see each other that often. I'm hoping that changes in 2025. She had a health issue a few years back, but since then, and with treatment, she's doing better. I know she's working a lot of hours at her bar, which I'm sure brings back many memories of all the hours you and Dad spent working at the restaurant. It's a tough business, as you well know. Nick and I have become very close, especially since Janey's passing in 2018. We meet about once a month and discuss everything under the sun. He talks and I listen. I talk and he listens. Before you know it, we've been sitting at a coffeeshop for over two hours. It's wonderful. We have a bond that was forged when we were kids, even with all the fighting we did as teens. I have you and Yia Yia to thank for this. Nick still has that charm that has always attracted people to him. Even now, it's amazing to watch him "in action." One thing for sure, he's no introvert. In closing, please know that Lonna and I are doing well. We have a wonderful life together. She's involved with an organization that provides community services to tens of thousands and it gives her an opportunity to sing in a huge choir in front of very large audiences. I'm so happy she found and developed this outlet for her kindness. It will come as no surprise to you that I'm still playing in a band. I work with a group of guys whose comaraderie is as important to me as the music. It may come as a surprise to you that I am an integral part of our small church: playing piano, singing (sometimes), creating video and handling technical duties for a group of people who have blessed both Lonna and me with immense grace and joy. That's about it for now. Please know that I think of you often and I love you. Your oldest.

 

THANKFUL Lonna and I have been doing Year End Videos for many years. It's a time for us to reflect on the closing year and the blessings that came to us. This year's page wasn't completed until early February, so this year's video does include some January, 2025 events.   EPILOGUE In our Year End Video above, we mention that Lonna's new car would be delivered in about 3 weeks, which would have been between the 10th and the 14th of February. Well, here's what happened on January 30th. We picked it up at noon on the 31st. (Did you really think there would be no video?)

 

 

 

 

Thanks for taking the time to read and watch my year end page. Have a great 2025!

ALL YEAR-END PAGES