Beating Drums
Helping Others Through the Art of Hand Drumming

Well my friends… I have postponed the Austin event.

Once I got home, my body pretty much said… “Johnny, I endured and stayed healthy to see you through your trip. Now, I need to rest.”  So… I must listen to my body and take a break.

My kids come back home on Dec 28th and we will just hang out at home rather than make the trip to Austin. Perhaps some of you will decide to play drums anyway. That would be too cool. If you do, send me pics!  As for me and my kiddos, we’ll be playing drums in our living room enjoying the rest of the holidays.

Keep Groovin’ my friends… and please remember that Alzheimer’s is everyone’s problem. As healthly individuals it is up to us to make a difference for those that can not make a difference for themselves. As we age, we will rely on others to care for us and it is up to us to set the example for our children that will one day return the favor of caring for us when we can not.

Live well my friends… The !N2DG tour has concluded, but the effort has not. Keep it alive!

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Scottsdale, AZ…. overall a nice place…

The weather in Scottsdale was great today and things looked promising. The park was even across from a shopping center that I was sure would provide more traffic to the area with the sound of drums. The scenery was nice and distinctly different from any other city I’ve been to on this tour.

As with many of the other parks, the traffic was mostly pass-by traffic that happened to stop to read the banner, listen to the drums, and a few played along with me. There was a nearby playground and I could see that there were more people on the side near my area than on the opposite side. This was a good sign; however there was a little 2 foot wall enclosing the playground that seemed to also provide an easy social barrier and kept many people from crossing over to join me.  Several did join me however and I had a few great conversations.

This was the first stop that parents approached me about other uses for drum therapy. Specifically it seemed that the focus in this area was drum therapy to help autistic children. I found that very interesting and have decided to look into that area more.  Perhaps I can find a way to promote awareness for both Austism and Alzheimer’s through my efforts with drums. We’ll see how things progress.

Today wraps up my pre-Christmas part of the tour. I am headed home today and hope to be home safe and sound just in time for dinner on Christmas Eve.  I am tired and oh so ready to see my own bed…. but I believe my journey has been well worth the expense and time.

Next stop…. home sweet home.

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Wow…. Today was a day made in heaven.

When I arrived early this morning I headed slightly south of Laguna Beach and camped out at Doheny State Beach in Dana Point, CA.  I woke to a wonderful view of the ocean and nothing short of an image sent from heaven. It was the most inviting site I have seen in a long, long, long time.  I took this as a good sign that today would be a great day, and in fact it turned out to be superb!!

I walked around the beach a while this morning and then took out a few drums for some photo opportunities. Very nice, very nice. I then cleaned up a bit and headed to Laguna Beach.  I met a wonderful friend for lunch, hung out a short while and then headed for “Main Beach” which as the name implies, is the main beach there in the city of Laguna Beach.

I found a great parking place, a great spot to play drums, and the temperature was perfect. I got out my drums, my banners, and sat down to play.  Immediately, people gathered to watch and a few gathered to play. Over time more people gathered and many more stood nearby. I handed out flyers about Alzheimer’s and drumming and spoke to many people about what I was doing and how my main objective was to spread the word for Alzheimer’s awareness.

I couldn’t have asked for a better day. I was even visited by the man who made my drums, Jim “Sageman” Knapp! He stayed a short while, we talked, and he helped me with some tuning issues I was having with the drums. The turnout was great; people played, people danced, people smiled!  Many people even asked if I would be there again tomorrow, which unfortuntately I will not be since I’ll be on the road again.

After the drum session, I had dinner at C’est La Vie, uploaded some pics to Facebook and packed up. As I was leaving I caught the glimpse of a Laguna Beach sunset. Truly beautiful but not planned out well enough on my part to have my camera ready.  Next time, next time.

I was actually rather sad to leave such a great city. I felt so at home. The people were great, the atmosphere was perfect, the overall energy of the area was something I have never experienced before. I will definitely return to this great area.  But for now… I am on a mission. A mission to promote Alzheimer’s Awareness, one drum beat at a time….

Next stop…. Scottsdale, AZ.

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Wow…. what a day, what a day.  No drums today, but oh what a day.

I got in to San Francisco very late last night, or was it very early today?  The drive into the city was beautiful. Lights all around, beautiful calm night, a wonderful drive across the Bay Bridge…. it seemed to be the beginning of what would be a superlicious day.  Once I got into the city I drove by Dolores Park to scope out my site for the drum session. I found the perfect spot on top of the hill overlooking the park with a great view of downtown.

I headed for my hotel and decided I’d skip breakfast and sleep in…  I woke up around 10AM, heard some pitter patter outside and learned that it was raining.  I love rain, but my drums do not!  They are wooden drums and I did not want to take any chances. The rain slowed to a drizzle but it was still too wet for drums and the park was soaked and muddy.   I called my friend, we met for a walk at the park and strolled around the city for a short while. She headed back home and I stayed to adventure the city.

I’d been to the San Francisco area before but not into the downtown area. So here I go… I park and decide to walk around a bit. I took several pics of different buildings, people, and trees where they could be found. I then got back into my car and drove around to many of the other parts of the city.  I eventually found myself at a scenic area looking out to Alcatraz Island and the Golden Gate Bridge. Wow! What a site.

As my day was ending I realized I needed to start the next leg of my journey so I decided to cross the Golden Gate Bridge and head over to Saulsalito for dinner.  I had dinner at a little restaurat “Little Taste of Rome” and loaded some of my pics up to Facebook.  After dinner I packed up, crossed the Golden Gate Bridge again and started my journey south.

Overall it was a great day of site seeing. I handed flyers to new people that I met and of course did the occasional flyer placement in restaurants near the condiment and napkin tables. Based on the website analytics I have in place it seems that several people from the SF area visited the site so I hope that even though the drums didn’t make it, that perhaps a few people learned a little more about Alzheimer’s through the website.

Ok my friends… the journey continues….

Next stop… Laguna Beach, CA.

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Ok, well once again I had a blast. Of course I always do when I”m playing my drums!

Vegas was, well…. not the typical Vegas trip. I got in too late to see any night life and the one after hours club I tried was only letting guys in if you had a swarm of more than 4 ladies with you.  I did however see 1 guy (with 2 ladies) bribe the doorman $100 to let them enter plus the cover charge of $30/guys and $20/ladies.  $170 to get into a club!! Yikes!

Ok, well based on the fact that I didn’t get in to Vegas until almost 4 AM and well… knowing I wasn’t going to be able to sleep too late, I decided it was not worth it to get a room. So… I slept in the car. Yes, me all bundled up in a parking garage waiting for someone to knock and tell me to move on….  It never happened, so I slept for a few hours before I needed to get going again.

Early in the morning I found a restaurant to make a quick change, had breakfast and went to church.  Yes, I love going to church. I have fun with life and I also remain very close to my Catholic faith. It’s just part of who I am.

Next I gathered my things and got ready to play drums.  I had my new flyers in hand and was on my way to pick up a new banner I ordered at Kinko’s in Albuquerque and had sent to Vegas for me to pick up.  I arrived to pick it up and the banner was not ready! Ugh… another hurdle. Oh well… i’ll have it for San Francisco.

I went to play drums at Sunset Park, had a great time, spoke to several people and then called it a day.  As with Albuquerque, many people looked on but were hesitant to approach (that’s why I ordered the banners).  The new flyers seemed to help quite a bit.  People would come by and I would hand them a flyer while still playing… They would read it, make a quick comment (all positive) and them move on.  One gentleman with his 2 kids stayed a while longer than others and played drums with me for quite a while.  It seems that kids love to play more than adults… why is that? Why don’t more adults like to play drums?

At the end of the session I headed back to Kinko’s and picked up the banners, had some lunch, and then packed up.  So…. I’m headed west to California… next stop San Francisco!!

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Overall !N2DG Albuquerque was a success. There were only a handful of people that showed up to play and many others looked on from a distance. As I left, several of the on-lookers complimented the drumming and I spoke to a few of them.  One gentleman, “Alex” that came out to play has two family members living with Alzheimer’s and he shared his family’s story and the difficulties they have gone through due to this disease.  He thanked me for coming out to promote awareness, played for a short while, and asked questions about the links between reducing the effects of Alzheimer’s and drumming. That alone made this journey worthwhile.  I am looking forward to similar stories throughout the journey although “Alex” has confirmed for me that my efforts are worth the time I am devoting to this cause.

Looking forward to Las Vegas tomorrow…

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!N2DG stands for In 2 Da Groove!

!N2DG 2009 is a series of drum circle sessions in several major cities in the southwest United States.  It is a journey beginning the weekend before Christmas 2009 and ending on New Year’s Day 2010.  The gathering of a few and dedicated to benefiting many, this journey is dedicated as a benefit demonstrating support for Alzheimer’s research.   For a list of all cities please click here!

How do the events take place? The actual drum circle events are informal gatherings of people wanting to play drums to demonstrate support for Alzheimer’s research. Simply bring your drum, empty 5 gal water jug, tinker toy bin, shakers, whatever you can find to make some noise!  Come out to an event to have fun and demonstrate support for Alzheimer’s research at the same time!

No money will be asked from you at the event. Donations are only accepted online.  Donations directly to the Alzheimer’s Association are tax-deductible, donations to Johnny to help with gas are not tax-deductible but very much appreciated.

Questions / Comments? Post ‘em !

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(Source: Alzheimer’s Association www.alz.org )
Memory loss that disrupts daily life is not a typical part of aging. It may be a symptom of Alzheimer’s, a fatal brain disease that causes a slow decline in memory, thinking and reasoning skills. Every individual may experience one or more of these signs in different degrees. If you notice any of them, please see a doctor.

1. Memory loss that disrupts daily life
   One of the most common signs of Alzheimer’s is memory loss, especially forgetting recently learned information. Others include forgetting important dates or events; asking for the same information over and over; relying on memory aides (e.g., reminder notes or electronic devices) or family members for things they used to handle on their own.
   What’s typical? Sometimes forgetting names or appointments, but remembering them later.
2. Challenges in planning or solving problems
   Some people may experience changes in their ability to develop and follow a plan or work with numbers. They may have trouble following a familiar recipe or keeping track of monthly bills. They may have difficulty concentrating and take much longer to do things than they did before.
   What’s typical? Making occasional errors when balancing a checkbook.
3. Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, at work or at leisure
   People with Alzheimer’s often find it hard to complete daily tasks. Sometimes, people may have trouble driving to a familiar location, managing a budget at work or remembering the rules of a favorite game.
   
   What’s typical? Occasionally needing help to use the settings on a microwave or to record a television show.
4. Confusion with time or place
   People with Alzheimer’s can lose track of dates, seasons and the passage of time. They may have trouble understanding something if it is not happening immediately. Sometimes they may forget where they are or how they got there.
   What’s typical? Getting confused about the day of the week but figuring it out later.
5. Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships
   For some people, having vision problems is a sign of Alzheimer’s. They may have difficulty reading, judging distance and determining color or contrast. In terms of perception, they may pass a mirror and think someone else is in the room. They may not realize they are the person in the mirror.
   
   What’s typical? Vision changes related to cataracts.
6. New problems with words in speaking or writing
   People with Alzheimer’s may have trouble following or joining a conversation. They may stop in the middle of a conversation and have no idea how to continue or they may repeat themselves. They may struggle with vocabulary, have problems finding the right word or call things by the wrong name (e.g., calling a “watch” a “hand-clock”).
   
   What’s typical? Sometimes having trouble finding the right word.
7. Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps
   A person with Alzheimer’s disease may put things in unusual places. They may lose things and be unable to go back over their steps to find them again. Sometimes, they may accuse others of stealing. This may occur more frequently over time.
   
   What’s typical? Misplacing things from time to time, such as a pair of glasses or the remote control.
8. Decreased or poor judgment
   People with Alzheimer’s may experience changes in judgment or decision-making. For example, they may use poor judgment when dealing with money, giving large amounts to telemarketers. They may pay less attention to grooming or keeping themselves clean.
   
   What’s typical? Making a bad decision once in a while.
9. Withdrawal from work or social activities
   A person with Alzheimer’s may start to remove themselves from hobbies, social activities, work projects or sports. They may have trouble keeping up with a favorite sports team or remembering how to complete a favorite hobby. They may also avoid being social because of the changes they have experienced.
   
   What’s typical? Sometimes feeling weary of work, family and social obligations.
10. Changes in mood and personality
    The mood and personalities of people with Alzheimer’s can change. They can become confused, suspicious, depressed, fearful or anxious. They may be easily upset at home, at work, with friends or in places where they are out of their comfort zone.
    
    What’s typical? Developing very specific ways of doing things and becoming irritable when a routine is disrupted.

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