Tom Banjo

I hope you guys know I'm just talking shit. It's a common thing people do in the area I grew up in. I don't even really know that much about the Geese.

Sounds like someone has ruffled Goose feathers. I don't really see the irony. DSO plays GD. If Goose played Phish sounding like phish would be a positive not a knock. If imitation is there goal, they doing great. If they trying to original (DSO is not), they laying a goose egg.

Ya but Goose doesn't even have their own sound. It's like water down phish. I feel Rude on this one. I got my feet wet doing full tours. 19 shows in 26 days or whatever. It was an adventure.

Well Bama dropped to 3. Georgia back to one. Ohio St getting some respect. USC dropped a spot. That confuses me. Clemson jumped Michigan to 4. Given their schedule I might have them ahead of Alabama right now. Wins over number 10 and 21. Bama has one ranked win and several narrow escapes including this week to A and M. They don't hurt the Texas QB they probably lose that one. Ewers can toss the rock. Don't get me wrong Alabama has games coming up where they push themselves back up to number 1. Tennessee is benefiting from SEC bias. They have beat some rank teams but all of those teams have proven a bit suspect. Tennessee still has Alabama and Georgia remaining we shall see how good they are after those games. They need to win at least one or their ranked too high.

Looks like Kentucky may have been a little overrated and I don't see how Alabama can hold on to number one ranking after this week but Saban like a the little weasel he is escaped another one. Ohio State Clemson USC deserve some more respect.

Kentucky goes down.

https://www.bryersfh.com/obituary/Sherry-Eichert

I went to Georgetown. Managed to graduate too. In hindsight I know I didn't make the most of that experience. I squandered my families money. I could've got As and Bs but because of my addictions and my desire to live the GD movement I got Cs. Don't get me wrong I could've lived the GD movement and performed well in school. But I would've seen less shows. There was no way to perform to the level I was capable of doing the amount of drugs and alcohol I was doing. I even missed shows to get high. However even with my grades the biggest thing I did to hinder life's track was picked up some criminal charges along the way including felonies. When I graduated I plan to go on tour for the summer and then get a real job a career. Then Dewey beach happened. My first felony. My excuse for not seeking real employment for years. My excuse to totally drop out. My excuse for gaining traction towards more felonies. After Delaware I did get a look at an investment money managing firm, I clearly separated myself from the other interns. I got over 95 percent series 6 and 63. Pennsylvania turned down my applications based off of my marijuana felony. The company chose not to hire me based on I couldn't do the job without the license. I was falling from Grace. It didn't stop there though. I ended up living a scandalous life. I broke her heart. I had a solid girl that worked and accepted the way I got by and I cheated on her. I threw my life into further turmoil and picked up felony number 2 shortly after our break up. Hell you would think I would turn back at this point but I'm stubborn and as my recently deceased brother would tell you I'm the dumbest smart kid you know. However this was the lowest felt. I was dishonest and intentionally so. I was selfish. I didn't worry about others feelings. Despite that being the lowest I felt about myself, things definitely got worse. I met Whitney. She saved my life. I'd be with Herdy now if it wasn't for her. I was doing so much drugs and alcohol I was on a collision course for death. She helped me scale it back but it didn't stop and I didn't see things clearly. I certainly was blind all the time I was learning to see. We had a baby Delilah she is the most beautiful and precious spirit I know. Some of you have see her get down on the dance floor. Her joy is pure magic but even that couldn't totally rescue me. My mom fell down and couldn't get up for hours. We hoped it was dehydration. We prayed it was a stroke. It turned out to be stage 4 gliobastoma. A death sentence. I got arrested twice within 6 months of the news. My third felony and a SIS. I still struggle to accept the SIS as me doing totally wrong. A cop pulled up behind me while i was peeing on my tire. I beg you to show me a male or even a female that at some point hasn't peed on a tire. But I did have a baggie with some cocaine residue on it and some weed in the car. The cop literally told me if I was 30 miles down the highway they would dump those on the side of the road and I would be on my way but not Lafayette county Missouri. Once again, you'd think I turn back. I would do right. But drug addiction and grief are a mother fucker. I couldn't control myself. I was given probation but I peed dirty. Here I have no excuse. I fucked up. I'm extremely fortunate Whitney still with me, that I still have a family. I ended up getting a 4 month DOC drug treatment sentence in order to continue probation. I had totally fallen from grace. I went to prison. That's a scary fucking place. You want to know racism is real go to prison. If you don't have a stamp, you in the minority. It was also heart breaking. Delilah would ask me why I just won't come home. She worries now every time I go to work that I'm not coming home. It breaks my heart. Im crying as I type this. Im not sure I can fall further from grace. Over the course of these years I developed debts with several people. Many I've paid. Some I have not. Those debts aren't forgotten and fortunately I have a get of jail free card coming. After probate, I will receive enough money to settle all my debts and to start businesses. It sucks to do it this way. I wasn't capable of doing it on my own but I truly hope to do it and not only do it but to establish a future for my children. I currently work 40 plus hours a week at Qdoba. I would've been promoted to shift supervisor by now but they won't do it until I'm off probation. I am pissing clean for all my drug tests since getting out of DOC but I've burnt many bridges already. I've lost many friends. I know some people will never trust me or feel the same way about me again. I also know that I'm a good person. I've never intentionally fucked someone or did someone wrong but the road to hell is filled with good intentions. I've certainly taken the long road to incorporate my mom and dad tried to teach me at a young age. I now know much more deeply the value of the all important dollar. And we could talk about how I really feel about the age of greed and age of American capitalist imperialism but it doesn't matter. Reality is what it is. Theories and idealism don't mean much although we should change course. Help people not hinder them. Stop supporting the American prison profit system and destruction of peoples lives. But that isn't what I'm here to do right now. I'm sorry to those I let down along the way. I'm beyond sorry to my mom and dad. They used to tell me because of my intellectual gifts to whom much is given much expected. Neither will live to see me as a success. I've let them down immensely. I've let many of you down immensely. All I hope it for forgiveness and love; to make things right; and to keep the positive energy of this community going. DSO, the Grateful Dead and the love contained in the message of the Grateful Dead has taught me that a better life is possible. I can make things right. Success is possible. I can find direction. I can be a great dad. I can be a positive force in this scene and community. If the good lord wills it, I'll get back on my feet. Some will say I've shared too much. I should never have posted something like this but it felt good to get it off my chest to own it. I fallen from grace and I'm not entirely innocent in the fall. In fact, I'm responsible. Fortunately, my mom and dad lived a life where I will be granted a chance to get back on track. But I'd much rather have my mom but I will someday be someone that my mom and dad can look down on and be proud of. I will be the person I know I'm capable of being. I will live the good life.

We missed you Jeff. We also understand. This festival turned into the Stu Allen celebration. And he was a great fill in in a pinch. The California heads love it for sure. Stu is there guy. I enjoyed it but I have to admit something was lacking for me. Stu has such a pretty voice and plays well. But doesn't come close to what I feel from Jeff. Vocally Jeff isn't as pretty. But the emotion for me is much stronger. I feel it. I feel he lived it. It's not just for show or money. We used to play for money now we play for life. These songs are his life. The movement that is the Grateful Dead. The most loving movement since Jesus and Christianity is in his blood. Is not for for show is not for money. Is out of love. I can't express how much this festival made me appreciate Jeff even more. I once openly expressed that I wanted DSO to pick stu Allen as the guitar player after shows in Solana beach. His voice is beautiful it's majestic and mesmerizing. I even expressed this opinion on the forums after I knew the band had made their decision on Jeff. It created strife between me and one of the bandmates in DSO among other things. Hearing stu sing some songs created some cynical feelings on me I care not express here. I can't truly say how he feels or what's going on in his heart or mind. But I can truly state that I know Jeff knows about the planted flag and understands the loss of war. That Jeff truly knows about August West. That Jeff truly knows about the pains of addiction, loss and death. I feel it in his voice in his expression. Don't get me wrong. I appreciate Stu and hope to see him play music again and connect with him more but I value my connection to Jeff and his expression on the same level I appreciate jk and jk is the biggest factor in why I live the life I do. He connected me to this music and fostered my connection to Jerry. And no one has impacted my life more than Jerry Garcia other than my mom my dad Whitney Tophlynn and Delilah. I'm binging October 89 right now. Gonna drop big on Monday night. I'm off work Monday Tuesday. They drop the shakedown at the spectrum. Love it. There must be some way out of here.

Billy may have been on a fast track to stardom no matter what. But in my opinion the reason he was on and is on that trajectory is he knows music. He also knows the struggle. He knows and feels what it means to be human. The Grateful Dead knew that. I would never say that the Grateful Dead got huge caused they played chuck berry noah Lewis or Marty robbins. But they appreciated good music. The human condition and they expressed it. They felt the vibration of the Earth. Billy feels it too.

I will say more later. What a an emotional and incredible journey. The history. My own personal loss. The music. Such an incredible time. I have to say that the recreation was magic BUT Europe needs DSO 2022. We need to go back with the freedom to do our own thing. To recreate. To create. They need Europe 72 material but they also need Terrapin. Help slip frank. So many Roads. I will take my family back with or without DSO to some of these cities but they need DSO to bring the true Grateful Dead experience. I think us Americans showed we will come if you play. I don't know for sure how ticket sales were but I know that many from the states did the whole ride and several that live in Europe. My mom is now in Terrapin. Europe deserves it too. I love you DSO. And I love the GD. I'm on a GD binge right now. It's the only thing keeping me from truly losing it and breaking down. I shed tears every day and I'm not sure when that's gonna stop. I know I need my next show as much as I ever needed it. And I know help is on the way and we will crawl climb fall fight our way to Terrapin. The train has put its breaks on. Special thanks to Rob B. Love you brother. I'll never forget this trip.

Can't make it we fly home that night but we danced for her all through Europe. Love you guys doing dead dances.

So for those that are interested services are on the 15th of October.

Lisa was here in Europe. She also caught the tour flu and had to sit some nights out. We hope your feeling better Lisa. I agree that as much as I like Europe 72 it would have been awesome to hear an elective or two but contractually I don't think that was an option. This was sold as the 50th anniversary of Euro 72. If they play a 72 on the next tour and I'm there, I may just have to walk out haha. I don't think I could really do that but you have to understand the sentiment. We will see you at several stops in November.

Milan a tough town during fashion week. Couldn't get a cab from hotel to venue had to walk damn near 2 miles and arrived late. Couldn't get a cab after the show so we rented motorized bikes and rose home. It's all part of the European adventure.

Yes sir. That's where she passed away too. She was able to die at home.

Thank you guys for all the well wishes. Been an interesting trip. Trying to keep my spirit up but sometimes the tears come. We went to Amsterdam for the day off. First time in Europe trying to take a lot in. Plan to pick a city or two and come back with the kids when they a little older for a more immersive experience.

Ya it's interesting. We're in Europe seeing DSO. Just in a rough head space tonight. I was with mom last week. She had taken a severe turn for the worse. We knew the end was near. Düsseldorf tonight.

My mom passed on to a better place.

Recreated 5/3/72

Paris time!!

Realistically I see us making 5/6out of these shows. Milwaukee. Chicago. St Louis. Penns peak and Huntington. I would love to do 7 of those but you know how they saying goes. You can't make them all.

Definitely have to do penns peak and if I do penns peak I will do New York as well.

Lots of high ranked teams going down week 2. This could be an interesting year for college football.

What a lucky and dirty ass win by Alabama. They don't intentionally hurt Ewers and they lose that game. You know it I know it everybody know it. Should be a new number one next week.