Mentos and Diet Coke

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdguFhJ2eq4

YouTube hit

Wow! Since Decmeber 18, 5,928 people have looked at my little home movie about the Decemberists vs Stephen Colbert! Scary numbers!

Here's the movie:

New movie: More Molokai Beach Fun

Sierra and her cousins on Molokai, Thanksgiving 2006

Jack the movie star

Here's a link to learn about Jack's latest movie, which is part of the Honolulu Film Festival:

http://starbulletin.com/2006/10/24/features/story01.html

The film premiers tomorrow, and concerns the internment of German Americans in WWII, a little known topic.

A day at the beach

Spinning cube

Jack's new play!!

Sierra and dad in music video

Click on the image to see the new 3 minute movie of Jim and Sierra in their first music video for one of Jim's new songs:

42

Hi Lynn and Bill,

I am very happy with how birthday 42 went for me this weekend. I had a big party, with so many diverse friends that I felt wealthy in the best sense of the word. I combined an idea from Lord of the Rings with Hitchiker's Guide. Such high literature, I know.

I like Tolkien's idea that Hobbits give away presents on their birthdays, so I did that. I had a table by the door with my new CDs, my band t shirts, and a pile of nice print outs of one of my paintings. I encouraged people to take a "mathom" on their way out. Mathom is Tolkien's word for something that's just sitting around in a closet, but you can't throw it out, which is what all of those items are for me.

All the musicians I know have piles of their CDs in their closets. I can afford to just give them away to those who are interested without pushing them, which is nice.

So no one gave me presents, and no one sang happy birthday to me, and I loved it!
It was kind of a blur, though.

I was honored that such a big crowd came. It was loud and fun, with good food, and people did whatever they wanted. We had a nice circle of musicians for awhile, and it was folks who hadn't played together before, like Gerry from the Daytrippers, Jim from Don't Panic, and assorted hangers on. This was in by the piano.

I remember being one of the loudest, most obnoxious fans for the big foosball tournament. Jack and Kehau were scoring on Kirby and Kale, and I was shouting "Go Blue!" and other inanities.

Sierra had a bunch of other little girls to pal around with, including dress up in her room and a trip to the park at night.

Some teens and adults monitored the U.H. volleyball game in the TV room.

Mostly people were just talking, eating, and drinking in the back yard. The weather was great, and talking out of doors, meeting new people, and sampling the various delicacies was the favorite activity. Lots of Punahou folks came, and my musician friends like Dave, Gerry, and Martha. Bob and Ginger came down the hill, and several other neighbors. The usual suspects like the Miller/Watkins clan, Dane and Lisa, Bob Tam, etc.

People snapped the mathoms up, and instead of the traditional birthday stuff, we just had a great time eating, playing games, music, talking and drinking. Definitely my best birthday ever, and I feel great about being 42.

more later,

Jim

The passing of Terri

Sad news, folks. Our friend and colleague, a great fellow English teacher and all around sweet lady passed away yesterday. She was too young to die, and the shock of it all is how fast it happened. In June she was a healthy teacher getting ready for a trip to stay with our friend Herbert in Innsbruck, Austria. In July some medical test results prevented her from going. She had cancer, and each test result was progressively worse. Now in August, she is gone. My brain reels trying to comprehend the suddenness, sadness. This is what I meant when I wrote a song that "live is in a minor".

Here's Lynn's e mail about it. Lynn and Bill had taken her to Brazil for some alternative healing, since the doctors gave her no chance:

Dear Jim,
Glad to know you got home safely.
Terri passed away peacefully this morning in a hospital in Anapolis Brazil, where we brought her last night. Yesterday was an amazingly remarkable experience, which I´ll relate later. We are in the funeral home now making complicated arrangements to have her body sent home for cremation ... a nearly impossible task here.
I´ll call later.
Love,
Lynn

new camp photos

We are back in Hawaii now, admusting to new time zones and enjoying our five-ness.

Photos from the end of camp:
http://web.mac.com/jimsmart1/iWeb/Site/Treetops.2006.3.html

violin stealers, you're on notice!

Sad news. The violin player in my band has had his instruments stolen:

http://starbulletin.com/2006/08/15/news/story06.html

Camp fun

Hi folks,

Another great week at camp in the Adirondacks. The latest photos are here:

http://web.mac.com/jimsmart1/iWeb/Site/Treetops.2006.2.html

Treetops photo page

Jay loves his Captain Jack Sparrow pirate hat. I had the pleasure of a sailboat voyage with him in command while wearing it.

See more photos at:
http://web.mac.com/jimsmart1/iWeb/Site/Treetops.2006.1.html

Our first week at camp together

We miss Jack!

Sierra at Camp Treetops

Sierra loves the garden. She first focused on raspberries, an old favorite. It's early in berry season, so you have to learn where to look. Sierra knows that the bushes with red gold are near the cows.



She also likes the peas. She eats them raw, in the pod.




It's great to let her run wild at camp, free from the usual worries of parenthood like strangers and cars. Strangers and cars are two things that don't fit camp.

Now she wants to ride the horses.

Fire in the Forge!

Jay's latest thing at camp is making iron things with an old fashioned forge. Alex the counselor helped him master the ancient arts. Soon he'll be making swords and rings of power.

Dad's new CD

JIM SMART: Seven Fathoms His string tinged rock music lets your brain wander the fine line balance between the pain of old timey musicals and the foolish pleasures of acoustic punk rock, with power pop nods to artists like the Kinks, the Decemberists, Wilco, and Nick Drake.

Arrival at Treetops

Shari, Sierra, and I are now at camp. We are staying in the same rooms in Cascade House. Instead of George and David Turner, we live with 4 gigantic dogs. 2 belong to Julia, and 2 to Bill L.

George is doing well, and Senior Camp has a nice tone. The kids are a biit more innocent than last year in general.

Jay seems to be thriving as a Super. He is more interested in socializing with them than us, though he likes a hug a couple of times a day. He has a guitar which has mostly stayed in his tent so far.

We heard that the Supers did a funny but very long skit at the bonfire based on Bob and George. It had something to do with George having to fill big shoes. Ergo, Jay played the part of George, and he wore very very big shoes, or slippers, or something. Anyway, you'd best ask someone who was there if you want to know about it.

Yesterday was the Ironman, with the usual fun scene out at the street. I thought of Lindsay's year. Shari and Sierra were too tired to get up for breakfast, so there's no way she would have made it to the start like that year.

photos of Mammoth Summer

Click Here:

http://web.mac.com/jimsmart1/iWeb/Site/Mammoth%20Summer.html

July 2006 - Sierra and Jim came to Mammoth for a week of fun. Kayaks at Lake Mary, mountain biking and hiking, fabulous flowers, and a gig with friends and their kids. Perfecto!

Dad's new CD

Check it out:

http://cdbaby.com/cd/smart2

Mammoth!

Sierra is in Mammoth, noticing that her name is on a lot of the buildings and signs around here.



We hiked around Lake George. These 4 year old girls were troupers; the adults were challenged, but the girls loved it!



Jay and Jim fight back against the only child syndrome.



Grampa Jim and Sierra have lots of fun sneaking up on people with snowballs and reading stories.



A chatty dinner for three girls who are almost exactly the same age: Ruby, Sierra, Devon, at the Cole's house.

Sierra at Disneyland

Sierra and Dad went to Disneyland with Gramma Jackie. Since we stayed at the Disneyland Hotel for 2 nights, we were able to hit the park at 8:00 and do all the rides for 4 year olds in the morning with no waiting, no lines. It was a blast. Then it was hot and crowded, so we napped in the AC of our hotel room before charging the other park, California Disney Adventure:



That park had no lines, so we did all the shows and rides with no waiting again. Sierra loved the Electric Light Parade, resurrected from the 70s, and the Soaring ride where you fly all over California. That park closes at 10:00, so we went back to Disneyland until midnight, then back to the hotel.

Some strange changes were made to the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. Johnny Depp has been added in three places, peeking out behind barrels or gloating on a pile of treasure:

Shari's update

While I'm waiting for my photos to upload let me tell you about the last few days. The Neushul's were in town until Sunday morning. We played at the beach a lot. I didn't get as many pictures as I wanted to, but what I got was cute. The adults (Cathy, Peter, Steven, Suzanne, Jim and Shari) had a great dinner at Roy's the night before they all left. On Sunday morning, while they were heading to the airport, I got a little gurglie in the gut. After six hours laying on the bathroom floor with "bowl" disease (you know, the one where you can't decide whether to sit on or in front of the toilet...) Jim finally decided to take me to the ER. I felt like I had been hit by a truck. Today my gut is funky but I'm finally vertical again. I went to work and ate food, and now I'm practicing my new iWeb skills. Here are some photos of the Nesuhul's when they were here last week.

http://web.mac.com/jimsmart1/iWeb/Site/Neushuls.html

Love and Hershey Squirts to all,
Share Bear the Boring

Kona Scuba

Jim & Jay went to Kona with family friend Dave Hoffman for an outrageous SCUBA adventure. We made new friends with a Mammoth guy called Karl Lizza, who took the time to dive with us with Konaquatica, set us up for a killer dinner at the Kona Inn, and play the violin for us. What a guy! We travelled on go! airlines, the new kid on the block, for $39, and stayed at the King Kam Hotel.

More photos:

Molokai camping

Brother Jay,

The boys and I just finished an outrageous camp trip that you would have loved:

http://web.mac.com/jimsmart1/iWeb/Site/paddleMolokai2006.html

Aside from the great scenery and fun nature to explore, you would have liked the spirit of creativity we had. Because once you start this trip, you can't go back, and you have to make do with what you brought in the kayak. Jay figured out a way to turn his rain poncho into a pretty cool sail, for example. We had to improvise things like wind shelters and river dams. Ya shouldda been there!

Jim

It's a movie! It's a Pillow Fight! It's a movie ABOUT a pillow fight!

Hi Dad,

Here's a short movie of the kids to brighten up your Father's Day:

http://web.mac.com/jimsmart1/iWeb/Site/Pillow%20Fight.html

Thanks for everything you've done for me in the last 42 years. The camp trips to Mexico, the car you got me in college, and all the various jackets and coats you've given me through the years. I always seem to be caught traveling without a coat!

I love you,

Jim

Easter Theatre

Hi folks,

Here's the latest movie from the home studio, about 3 minutes long:

http://web.mac.com/jimsmart1/iWeb/Site/Easter%2006.html

Enjoy!

Jim

The Mikado

Jack Smart. What a guy! He stars as Koko in the Punahou production of The Mikado, Gilbert and Sullivan uber alles!

We are so pround and happy for him. What a treat to be a dad and watch your son be successful and delight big audiences.



I loved it when Jack went out for a midnight meal with his co-stars after Saturday's show. I just feel so happy for him.

Dad

Big Apple, Big Friendships

I love these guys. We only childs gotta make up our own sibling situations. So I have my sister Jeanne, who is really my ex-step-sister, but a real sister in my heart.



And I have John, who along with Jay Cole and Simeon Spiegel, are my brothers.



Fun to see all these guys on the streets of New York!

Jim

The Big Apple

Click here to see our Big Apple photos:

http://web.mac.com/jimsmart1/iWeb/Site/NYCbest48.html

Excitement and thrills in new York City:

Jack, jumping up and down with excitement at the Color Purple, his first big Broadway show. His smile when he was able to get some of their autographs afterwards.

Jim, getting very very close to Ray Davies and Vincent Van Gogh (well, his paintings).

Bill, smiling at seeing his old school chum at breakfast, Jack O'Brien, who is the director of two current Broadway hits.

Today's our last day. One day more, one show more, and a 3:30 wake up call in the morning.

Jack was blown away by Wicked. We all were. The ultimate peak comes at the end of act 1, with Defying Gravity. It's easily the best, most powerful theatre moment I've ever been a part of.

It was cool when we got to do the "Behind the Emerald Curtain" tour the morning before the show. Two friendly, amazing cast members showed us how Wicked works behind the scenes. Very worth it.

I love walking around this city, staring at the lights in Times Square, getting purposely lost in Central Park, meeting friends, and drinking Guiness (a word I don't know the plural of) in Irish pubs.

We spent a lot of time at Ground Zero feeling the pain, checking out the latest plans for the Freedom Tower, and learning about September 11.

Upward!

Jim

college tour photos

Today we went into the scenic Hudson River Valley in upstate New York. Roosevelt territory, across the river from West Point.

Bard College is great and cool, but it didn't have the right vibe for Jack.

Vassar College, just down the river, is his favorite so far.

Tomorrow we enter New York City for more schools and a few Broadway shows. Jack is in heaven.























48 photos of our trip so far: http://web.mac.com/jimsmart1/