Touchstone Undertone

Touchstone Undertone
7 October 2013

At the gym while my body was busy,
My mind ranged free to supposition,
Thinking about what the future will be
And came up with a proposition.
Traditionally, my high school class
Has a reunion once every ten years.
So far we've met four times en masse.
Accounting for life expectancy, my dears,
We'll probably meet only thrice more.
If you knew you were only going to see me
Three times before going thru death's door,
How would you greet me?
How would you treat me?

Life's so unpredictable and very uncertain,
We don't know what the future will bring
And what will happen before the final curtain,
So let's include everyone under our wing.
We can do this by smiling at everyone,
Especially at others we don't know.
There doesn't have to be any reason
Just let our love and respect show.
How many more times are you going to see them?
Why not behave like crème de la crème?
How would you greet them?
How would you treat them?

Reunion Communion

Reunion Communion
24 July 2012

We met on the mountain at Seventy's Flat,
Out where there's room to swing a cat,
Socializing in an informal format,
Mixing a potluck with chitchat.
Rob works in sustainable power.
Lauana's a supervisor of intervention.
Randy sells cars by the hour.
Let's not forget to mention,
Julie's been a nurse for 35 years, not a quirk
Just after she was born they put her to work.
Teri's a factory site planner in Queen Creek.
Monte teaching high school seems like a jailer.
Ralph's a Dallas temple worker, so to speak.
Jimmy visits his grandkids in a trailer.
Scott teaches the children in third grade
And for the newspaper is the resident
Sports writer. From a bit of a renegade
He now serves as stake president.
Nancy's always been a housewife
And probably will be for life.
Allen's an over-the-road truck driver.
Diane's a lawyer in Moab, at times.
Kerry's a real estate bust survivor.
Alma writes poetry and rhymes.
Doug stays around like a homebody
His wife travels like she's somebody.
Janet's a social worker in Texas.
Silas said he works in sporting goods.
David in Hawaii's a construction nexus.
We all had a good time out in the woods
Mingling conversation and small talk
Offering apologies where owed,
We're as perennial as grass in the sidewalk
And as tough as weeds in the road.

Lies and Stories, Defeats and Glories

Lies and Stories, Defeats and Glories
17 July 2012

We've known each other for ages
Since we were five, maybe four,
Long before we had jobs with wages
When we were innocent to the core.
After graduation we took on
Life that could be outrageous,
Unwilling to just look on
Before life could age us.

We've known each other for so long
It's kind of useless to put on airs.
We've come back to where we belong
To share life's cares and scares.
We'll just talk about the facts.
Nobody would be rude and uncouth
Enough to brag about their acts
Or lie to stretch the truth.

Prepared Compared

My experience has been that any speech will be slightly different delivered than rehearsed. Here's the speech I gave at the Mr. San Diego Leather 2010 contest. The other contestant was Anthony who spoke first.

As Prepared

In a life full of stories

My earliest memories

Go back to Sunday School

And learning the golden rule.

The kids with me then

Were still in the same pool

Several years later when

We graduated from high school.

The last time I went to a class reunion

I felt we had nothing in common

I had a strong sense of disunion.

I only wanted to run.

That’s a sharp contrast

To when I’m with leather folk.

I never feel outcast

And that’s no joke.

You are my people, my tribe.

It’s hard for me to describe,

My feelings run deep inside.

Regardless of any personal difference

I challenge you to pursue excellence

Becoming a person of quality

Living life with a touch of frivolity.

As Aired

In a life full of stories

My earliest memories

Go back to Sunday School

And learning the golden rule.

The kids with me then

Were still in the same pool

Several years later when

We graduated from high school.

The last time I went to a class reunion

I felt we had nothing in common

I had a strong sense of disunion.

I only wanted to run.

That’s a sharp contrast

To when I’m with leather folk.

I never feel outcast

And that’s no joke.

You are my people, my tribe.

It’s hard for me to describe,

My feelings run deep inside.

Like Anthony it's hard for me to yelp

And ask for help.

Regardless of any personal difference

I challenge you to pursue excellence

Becoming a person of integrity

Living life with a touch of frivolity.