I was someone for many years that did think “It was just marijuana”, but over the years, I discovered sobriety and listened to people speak and read about things and also figured things out on my own and today I realize that marijuana is the gateway drug.  It is THE gateway drug.  It is the drug that leads to bigger and deadlier things.

The following is an email I received from a longtime family friend named April.  She grew up with my sister.  She wrote this to me after a discussion on Facebook I posted about marijuana.

Hi Tommy,

My family has been greatly affected by drugs and alcohol too, and I wanted to share with you. My son Joe is 26 years old. When he was 13, he was hit by a car. He suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).  The driver of the car was a 19 year old man who was high.  Joe was a passenger in our car and the side of the car took the brunt of the impact. The person who hit him was high on marijuana. To this day, I will never forget some of the comments that were made to us about the fact that “it was just marijuana” and “I didn’t realize that marijuana could cause someone to be so impaired”. Believe me, we’ve heard it all. Anyway, you know what I mean. Marijuana can kill people!

My reason for writing you is my son survived that accident and is now living his life with limited use of his right arm, wrist, and hand. He does have some developmental issues, mostly delayed speech, and some times problems with recalling words. This is the person the doctor’s said would not live through the night. He is NOT a victim, but he is strong, loving, and a precious gift. 

Over the years, we have been able to meet with the person who caused this and forgiveness has been given and received. 

Now, I feel as though God is leading us to talk about this. Joe spent almost 3 months in a coma. He has spent nearly 13 years in some sort of therapy, physical, occupational, and/or speech. His medical bills have reached over the million dollar mark and his choices for what he wanted to do with his life are limited. BUT, he does not believe that this happened to him for no reason. Our desire is to speak. To try and reach young people and let them know that the choices they make do not just affect them sometimes. 

Before the car accident, my son was an active, normal, and very athletic young man. He was a rollerblader, a skateboarder, and football player. He was an annoying 13 year old kid who was in between the 7th and 8th grade. After the accident, he could not speak, walk, or do anything for himself. He had therapy several times a week to regain all that had been scrambled in his brain and to put all the files back into the proper order. I have lost track of the number of surgeries that he has had on his head and his arm. In order to save his life, the surgeons removed a large portion of his skull to allow his brain to swell. He later had several plastic surgeries to replace the piece of skull that was removed. He lost every friend that he had. His life was changed, because someone made a choice to use marijuana and then get behind the wheel of a car and drive. 

We mourned the child we used to have and celebrate the child that we have now. 

I just wanted you to know that if you ever feel that we could be used to speak with some of the kid’s you are working with, we would be willing to help. I believe that it would be an amazing way to take a horrible thing and have something good come out of it. 

Our lives are not our own. We were created to worship God and it will not look the same for everybody. I had to learn to surrender all of this to God and in the meantime, He saved me from a life of sorrow and pain. He made something beautiful out of ashes. There is nothing more precious. I had to learn to trust, to let go, and to follow. Our trials have a way of either bringing us down or lifting us up. I thank God everyday for His son Jesus and that He is the giver of life!

May you be lifted up!

Thank you,

April, Rick, and Joe Young

But, as I woke up this morning and just had my thoughts as I was staring at the ceiling, I actually thought to myself, “Do I truly remember how do be on the radio!?”  I know it will be like riding a bike, once I get in there again.  Well, that’s what people say.

What will that feeling be when I’m in my studio chair and my squawk box is ready to go and I make that popping noise that everyone usually loves or hates!?    How will I feel when I am finally in that chair and I look to my left and see Randy and Laura and I look across the glass straight ahead signaling to Jeff and then Jerry to my right and Emily right behind me?  Will I cry?  I would bet a million dollars we all will be crying.

Each one of us has a personal journey to tell on the air. Each one of us has come back changed, for the better.  We all grew.  We all learned valuable lessons in life and have much to share on the air.  I listened around the radio the other day and everyone was talking about nothing at all, they had nothing to say, no substance.  I strongly feel for as long as we have been off the air, we can just open up our mics and just talk and everything and anything we say will be emotional and hysterical because what we have just been through.  We’re a good morning show that has been around for 23 years that took a year off and grew up and now is coming back.  That to me is dangerous, in a good way.  We’re going to explode through the roof.  I say that because I love the show and I am confident.     

It doesn’t truly matter anymore why it has taken almost 13 months.  That’s old news to why this happened and all the events leading up to it.  I can’t wait for us to talk about the timeline on the air, because it will be funny, especially when I pop in with my thoughts on the whole frickin year and a month.  

Will I still have my connection to Jeff where I can communicate with him just by facial expressions?  Will I have that pacing and rhythm as I talk to Jerry in his headset as he talks on the air?   Will I be able to tell Randy what to do with hand signals like before?   How will I treat Laura in the morning, because I think I love her even more than when we left radio over a year ago.  

I can’t wait to get back on the air.  I finally feel it’s time now.  I’m like a kid at the park calling for his mom to pick him up, because he’s done playing and wants to go home now.  I want to get back to radio now.

The last time I wasn’t working for 13 months, I was 15 years old because I wasn’t old enough to work. 

I wouldn’t wish not working on anyone, but if it happens to you, just breathe, it can be a good thing for you.  As a matter of fact, I want to take a year off again in like 5 to 7 years.  This time, I will be ready for it. 

We are right in the middle of a long holiday weekend.  I feel good about the next couple of weeks.

I miss Jeff and Jer. I miss seeing them every morning.  I miss Laura and Randy and Emily.  I miss us all together. I miss the laughter and I miss what we talk about during commercials.

I am proud of all of us.  We didn’t get weak and crumble during this time.  We all came close, but we’re ALL still standing. Elton John actually called me the other day and he said he can’t believe “I’m Still Standing!”   (I know that was bad).    

Just like an athlete talking about his team being the best.  I say that about the Jeff and Jer Showgram.  We are the best. There is nothing to listen to in San Diego right now.  We need to get back on now.

I feel good about the next few days.

Please know,  when that moment comes when I do finally get the phone call telling me the absolute information in it’s entirety 100% ,  you will know too. 

What a year——-and a month!

I sat there in my bedroom and recalled how I was feeling earlier in the year.  When I think of Chelsea, I think of Amber.  For me, they are together.  But, it is called Chelsea’s Law and Brent and Kelly and all their supporters along with Nathan Fletcher worked so hard and as I remember when the thought of Chelsea’s Law was being brought up, everyone involved said it was going to take a lot of hard work and it will not be as easy as you may think to get it passed because of the funding.   

It makes me happy to know that they did it!!!!! 

This morning I’m remembering all that I was upset about that inspired me to wake up each day to help Chelsea and Amber’s families.  I remember thinking this terrible tragedy could have been avoided if people would have done their jobs better and there is no reason at all why this monster should have been able to walk the streets.  I remember feeling pissed off at the the thought of the system and how it let people go undetected.  The system failed Chelsea and Amber.  I remember thinking how can a monster who was known for hurting children be allowed to be near a school and walk through Lake Hodges?  I remember thinking to myself the prison and jail system was a joke when it comes to sentencing and keeping these monsters behind bars.   All these things were on my mind and it was upsetting to me and it made me get up and do all I can to help both families.

Today, as I wake up and think about it, I’m realizing all that I was mad about will be handled correctly and handled right with the signing of Chelsea’s Law!!!!!!

“The measure calls for life sentences without parole for sex offenders who are deemed especially violent and target children. It also increases the parole terms for offenders who target children under the age of 14 and restricts their ability to enter parks, thereby protecting children from the dangers of being kidnapped during play.”

You wish this never happened to a 17 year old girl who was full of promise that went for a jog.  You wish this never happened to a little girl who was just 14 who woke up early to get to school because she had the money to buy a lamb.

It angers me again to think of that monster.

We can’t forget. We need to always remember Chelsea King and Amber Dubois and never let their names and faces fade away.  We have changed our lives in honor of Chelsea King and Amber Dubois.  I started walking and hiking Lake Hodges after all this and you walk a little different now and you make sure others are safe and you make sure you are safe when you walk.  You can’t walk through Lake Hodges without thinking of Chelsea.  I wish they would simply change that parks name to Chelsea’s Park.

I have met so many good people because of Chelsea and Amber.  People have said I have done a few things to help, but the people I have met have done so much more.  People like Sara Muller Frances to Susan Wintersteen and Chad Goodman to Rebecca Hawkes, Lori Howard, Michele Blasko and De Le.   There are so many San Diegans that have come together and have become close friends and family because of this terrible tragedy, but together they all made something good happen.

One thing I saw that nobody really talks about is the love that Brenda Van Dam gave to both families.  She was there for both Chelsea and Amber’s parents.  Brenda and Damon both are there for these families. The people behind the searches like Fiona Oberrick from Laura Recovery came to San Diego because of Danielle Van Dam.  So, never forget Danielle.

Brent and Kelly along with their son Tyler are amazing.  I remember meeting Brent the last day of the search and wondering to myself how can that man walk around right now without collapsing, but he did it and only he knows what got him up every morning.  I have had a few private talks with Kelly and she is a precious and delicate soul.  To hug Kelly feels so warm and has so much love behind it. I will never forget when she said LOOK AT ME!  I will always remember how well spoken Tyler was at his sister’s service.

I remember meeting Amber’s family, as I was helping with her memorial service.   I got close with her mom Carrie.   Carrie has trusted me to be her unofficial spokesperson.  Moe is Moe, I love that dude.   Carrie called me earlier this week and I had to sit down and smile, because she told me, “I don’t know why Tommy, but for some reason, my daugther Allison misses you and wants to see you.”  I’m still not sure if that was a jab or a compliment from Carrie.     BUT, this weekend I’m taking Allison out for ice cream.     

Almost everything we were pissed off about earlier this year has been taken care of now with the signing of Chelsea’s Law.

The system is being fixed.  You mess with a child and you go to prison and they lock you up and they throw away the key.

San Diego came together those few weeks earlier in the year.  I will never forget that time.  I feel blessed to be able to help and do all that I could to be part of the cause.

Finishing Chelsea’s Run to the bus trip to Sacramento and the organizing of Amber’s service was an honor and I just wish it never happened, but because it did and because of the love and strength from Brent and Kelly and Carrie and Moe, things have changed for the better.  Your child will be safer now, because you have Chelsea and Amber watching over them.

God bless the families of Chelsea King and Amber Dubois!

God bless Chelsea and Amber!!!!

If you live in Poway or around the 56 freeway, I want you to especially pay attention to this blog.   The problem is everywhere in town, but the majority of it is coming from Poway, Carmel Valley, and the Rancho Penasquitos area.   

At 6:30 tonight at a home in El Cajon, Dave Ross from the San Diego Sheriffs will show the presentation that made me walk over to KUSI’s GM’S office and say, “You need to put this on your TV station!”

We are back to school with our kids.  We are going to “Back to School Nights” and seeing their classrooms and meeting their teachers.  That’s all fine, but the reality of it all, especially in 8th grade to 12 grade, drugs are being taken by kids.

If you’re a parent reading this rolling your eyes then I can put my money where my mouth is or whatever the phrase is, by inviting you to Karin Prather Murphy’s home in El Cajon.   You can email her for directions.   nailz4u@cox.net

Karin’s son Seth died earlier this year from drugs and it is her passion to bring awareness to everyone and to help parents and their children.   It’s in honor of Seth.  She even started the Seth Foundation.

You may have read a few blogs about my opinion about drugs and what I’m really feeling and nervous about as a parent of two kids that fit the description of kids that may be in the position to be asked to use drugs.

I speak to my kids all the time about drugs. I spoke to them at dinner just last night.   The things they know and see are “frickin incredible”.

If you believe me, then come see the presentation tonight.

If you don’t believe me, then come see the presentation tonight.

If you are not sure and you have never even had a drug problem in your family, but you have teens or a child, then come see the presentation tonight.

If you are a teen or young adult that needs help, come see the presentation tonight.

Email Karin asap at nailz4u@cox.net    Tonight in El Cajon, your eyes will be opened to the problem that has inspired to do all I can to help bring awareness.

Today, I’m a totally different person and if I had a chance to go on a cruise, it would be with kids from the Hopes and Dreams Academy.  

I heard Bob Taylor say that in 5 years you can do anything you want.  You can become an expert in anything you desire in 5 years time. You can change your life in 5 years.  Did my life change in 5 years?   YEP!   Where will it be in the next 5 years?  I smile when I think of the possibilities.  I want to say in 5 years, “Remember when all this was just a thought back in 2010!”

Yesterday, I found myself staring out at the ocean thinking about things.

When I stare out in to the ocean, I think about things that are important in my life AND where my life is heading.  I thought about my kids and I thought about my mom and sisters.  I said a prayer and asked for my brothers to watch over my mom.  I thought “briefly” about radio and then thought about my friends and everyone I love.

There were two things that stayed on my mind the most as I just took in the view.    The first thing were my two kids Eddie and Vanessa.  I just want to be able to teach them what is truly important in life.  I wish I had someone to sit me down when I was a kid and tell me a few things.  I think I know a lot about life NOW, but it took a lifelong of mistakes and blunders to give me this wisdom.  I want to be able to give all I know, good and bad to Eddie and Vanessa for them to make good choices in their life and to be successful and happy.  I have learned the definition of success over the last year and I want to teach that to my children.  Success isn’t a money thing, it’s a heart and soul thing.

The 2nd thing I thought about was the drug problem in our city and in our schools.  I stared out in to the ocean wondering how the drug problem currently in San Diego got this way and I thought about myself and my history and how things happen and how I wish I was able to do more with this problem.  I honestly feel, this is my passion in life more than anything including radio.  I feel like I get it and understand how things happened and I want to be able to bring awareness to everyone, because people aren’t understanding it YET.

KUSI is allowing me to work with them on their committment to this problem.   They rescheduled their week long news reports to October 4th.  They will talk about all that I have learned and all that is happening in our schools with the prescription drug and oxycontin problem.   They also rescheduled their prime time public forum on this subject to Tuesday October 12th.  So, erase the September date I originally told you about and change it to Tuesday October 12th.  I am so proud to be part of the planning and producing of this forum.

It’s a good feeling to feel at peace with your life as you stare out in to the ocean and feel that it is on the right path and your head isn’t all jacked up.  5 years ago, if I stared out in to the ocean, I probably would be thinking more about radio and only radio and wanting to be rich and I probably would be checking out the chicks on the sand instead of looking out in to the ocean and feeling God.

I love how my life is today. I love how I keep good healthy people close to me. I love that I don’t date and I love the things that are close to me and I actually love that radio was out of my life for a year, because it brought my life back to me.

Timing is a trip.  I believe TIMING of things isn’t just a coincidence it’s God saying, “Yep, you heard me.”  

When I got in to my car, I had a text message from a long time friend asking if I could call her son because there was drama.  I called the kid and he told me what was going on in his life and in his home and I knew right then that the path I was on about drugs and wanting to help was the right one.

I spent the next hour or two talking to the kid and giving him advice.  It felt like I was doing what I was meant to be doing in life. 

Isn’t life a trip?  Why didn’t I get it back then?  Why didn’t I feel the way I do about things NOW back when I was 23?  If I lived a clean life for all those years, would I feel the way I do today about things?  I’m going to assume that I lived my life for a reason and that reason was to get where I am today. 

Is it true He knows where you life is heading?  Is it true He knows what he wants you to do in life?  Did God really know I was going to make my mistakes in life?

Is sobriety a God thing?

I am passionate about things that I know.  Things I know in my heart.   Does everyone feel that?  Is everyone waking up this morning passionate about something?   Are there people in the world not feeling at peace?   Do people know they are living their life for a reason that they may not even know yet?

Could I be wrong about all that I feel?

I believe I am right.  I can feel it in my soul.  How do I confirm what I am doing is right? 

Will He show me another sign?

Is the ocean God?    

I was able to go to the Emmy awards with Laura and Anita on Sunday.  It was sure fun going to the show and hanging out with them both.  I talk to Laura a few times a day and it’s rare we go out.  We need to change that and do more stuff together.  Anita is Clark Batram’s wife. Clark started http://www.hopesanddreamsacademy.com with me a few months ago.

Juli Dodd is also a friend of mine from San Diego.  She was up there too with her sister Cathie.  Juli was nice enough to take these pictures of all of us.  She said I can post them on my blog if I mention her business:   http://www.tearsofjoyvideo.com    It’s a really cool business that captures events for you and makes a video blog or presentation.  She does them for the Emmy Awards and many other things.   This is Juli on the right next to Simone and Cathie on the left.  

Here I am telling all the nominees to please keep their acceptance speech to just 1 minute!

I really like going to the Emmy and Academy Awards.   I still get star struck. 

We arrived in Los Angeles Saturday night and stayed at the JW Marriott next to the Nokia Theatre.  We had two rooms.  Anita had her own room and Laura and I shared a small bed together.  JUST KIDDING.  We had a girls room and a boys room.

While they were taking pictures of each other and having a great time in their suite, I was all alone and the only one that took a picture of me was ME.

Yes, I use Ban deodorant (powdered scent).

Saturday night for a few hours we hung out at the pool bar and just people watched and looked down at the view of the red carpet.

It’s kind of funny.  Laura and Anita are like models.  Every chance we got, they would pose.  They are like professionals. I don’t think I have ever seen a bad picture of either of them.

You know what was really cool?   My brother Ray’s high school girlfriend Paula from a very long time ago at Castle Park met us there with her two kids Jen and Andrew.   She was really close to Ray and even lived in LA with Lola in the early 70’s.  I love seeing Paula, because she tells me stories about when I was a little baby and things about Ray that I never knew about.  She fills in some missing pieces of my life everytime I see her.   During the Emmy pre game stuff, Paula came to me and said she was in the bathroom and she said she felt my brother Ray telling her he was happy we were together for the weekend.  I really believe that.   Here’s Paula with her two kids.

It was cool after the show was over to walk through the Marriott and through one of the after parties.  Laura got to say hello to Aaron Paul the dude from Breaking Bad.  She was so excited, she called Jerry and told him immediately.  It took Jerry a few seconds to remember who Laura was.

I thought Jimmy Fallon did an amazing job hosting the Emmy Awards.   Although, I will always remember the fun all of us had going up to the Emmy Awards, the one thing I will forever keep with me in my heart was what George Clooney said.

George Clooney accepted the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award for all the stuff he does and is part of when the camera’s not rolling.  George Clooney does so much stuff that it makes you want him to succeed in life to do more good for the world.  He works so hard for the people of Haiti and many other people in the world and he is always the first celebrity to be anywhere to help during a time of need.         

BUT, what George Clooney said during the broadcast was that we all fail when it comes to helping out years after the story has been in the news.  Katrina, for example was in the news of course 5 years ago and we all helped out as much as we could, but are we helping them now?   We all fail when it comes to follow up.   What about the stories you NEVER hear or read about that needs just as much attention as the popular stories?   We all fail when it comes to helping them.

That hit me big time and that will forever change the way I am.   I want to help and I want to be there and lend a hand or all I can, but I have also failed when it comes to the stuff you don’t hear or read about anymore and I’m glad I was at the Emmy Awards for that moment alone.

It was about 1am when I realized something so powerful that it may perhaps put my radio squawk box in a shoe box and up in a closet and move on from radio and ultimately the Jeff and Jer Showgram.   The show is my family, but I think after what I am about to announce they will support me on this, because I can only do it with their backing and blessing.

At 11:30pm Sunday, I left the JW Marriott hotel underground parking garage with Laura Cain in the passenger seat and our friend Anita  Bartram in the backseat.   I was driving and we just spent the weekend at the Emmy awards.  We were all excited and tired and just wanted to get home to our families.

I was struggling to stay awake, so I downed a Red Bull and a Monster.  Anita fell asleep fast and Laura was up talking to me and reminding me how to get to the 15.  I wanted to take the 15 all way down to San Diego instead of taking the nomal Insterstate 5 freeway.

With Laura as my guide, I made it from the Nokia Theatre in downtown Los Angeles to San Diego in 89 minutes.  I even dropped off Anita at her home and helped her with her bags and made it to my house and in bed like in 100 minutes from the time I left Los Angeles.  I need to repeat that because it is not a typo.  I made it from LA to San Diego in 89 minutes.

It was a revelation to me last night that I could perhaps put away my radio micorphone and headsets and become a Nascar driver!!!  I think I can do it.  I can be a famous Nascar driver dude.  There’s just that one famous dude that’s from San Diego and that’s it. I can be the 2nd famous and successful Nascar dude from this area and I can specifically claim Chula Vista as my homebase.

I can drive real fast around a circle.  It’s easy.  I don’t even need much practice or training.   I think if I win a few races, it will be good money and that would kind of replace all that I went through to survive during this year hiatus.

I think if I take Jerry to Karl Strauss for lunch and get him some beers, he may back me and buy me a cool car to drive. I can put Jeff and Jer’s faces on it and other friends that have money.  I can get Bob Taylor from Taylor Guitars to pitch in and maybe even Werner from Ocean Enterprises.   I can call all my rich friends to help get me a few cars to drive and then I can qualify for all the big races like the Daytona thing and the big Indiannapolis one.

Yes, I do want to get back on the radio even if it’s just for that first day back on the air, because sitting out for a year, I just need to get back on the air to make this whole year worth it and to say we did it, but the minute I officially pop in with my box and say HELLO, then I can put together my departure from radio and become a famous Nascar dude.

Some people say that Nascar dudes are like athletes.  Hmmm, not sure about that.  I can continue to eat and not really worry about working out since all I have to do is sit in the seat and go in circles.  I can do this. 

So, I am checking with the Guiness World Record people to see if 89 minutes is a record or not and if it is, then I can use that fact in my press release that announces I am perhaps leaving Jeff and Jer and radio to become a Nascar dude.

I feel so happy about this and so blessed to have been able to go that fast with no other cars around me and without any cops or CHP messing with me. 

I feel I was given a chance to see the driving skills I obviously have and think of this career change.

God bless us everyone!!!!!

Wayne says that in his house is the ghost of the original owner of the home.  Wayne was telling us that he feels the ghost of the man every night when he goes to bed.  He says the ghost touches his forehead.   UH, what?   If a ghost was touching my forehead when I went nighty night, I would not stay in the poltergeist house.  I would have ditched the first time. 

Later on in the day, Wayne and I set up a tape machine and I went down to my mom’s house and gathered a few reel to reel tapes from 1993-1997 Jeff and Jer days.  My mom’s house is the storage place for old Q106 tapes.  I have a storage room in Poway that is the official storage room for the Y95 and B100 days which is 1988-1993.   The rest of the newer stuff I have on a drive.  BUT, Wayne and I wanted to see if through time, the reels were stored properly and sounded okay.  THEY DID.   The tapes preserved well and yesterday I took a few minutes to listen back to old school Jeff and Jer from the early 90’s.  It was fun to listen to see how we all were.  In one segment, Jeff talks about going to dinner with Nina and Laura started talking about Dave and then I talked about Dannell being pregnant with our baby.  It was a trip.

The Jeff and Jer Showgram is family.  Even though, I talk to everyone on the show individually, we haven’t seen too much of each other. It was so much fun to hang out yesterday and it was cool to hear how we talk to eachother.  Yesterday, at lunch was like being on the air.   It just feels so good to be with everyone and just talk.   We stuck it out for one full year and a little bit more and now we’re on the eve of coming back on the air and I am so proud of all of us.

I can’t wait for the Jeff and Jer Showgram to get back on the air especially in San Diego.  I flip around all the time to see what everyone is doing on the air and I’m friends with everyone, but there is nothing truly out there that’s all that great and that’s why I can’t wait for the Jeff and Jer Showgram to come back on the air.  We’re going to explode.  We have so much energy and stuff to talk about that we are already debating with who gets the first line when we turn on those mics for that very first time.

I have a real cool weekend planned.  It actually starts today when I pick up Eddie from school and we go to the Carmel Valley skatepark and practice for his competition tomorrow.  He has two more AM SLAM competitions before he turns 14.  Tomorrow is in Carmel Valley and then later on in a few weeks is the the final one in Oceanside.  

Tomorrow also marks the one year anniversary of meeting Jamie.  I am pretty mushy with dates and anniversaries and it is a big deal to me that I met Jamie one year ago.  It’s cool within one full year, we’ve become great friends.  I think what it is, is that she came in to my life when things were happening that I wasn’t familiar with.  She was there when I was going through all the emotion of not being on the air and then when I got involved with all the Chelsea and Amber stuff. She was my friend and someone I was able to vent and talk to during this whole unforgettable era in my life.   I also think the fact that she’s a first grade teacher made me like her even more, but we are just friends.

Castle Park High School has like a little reunion on Saturday and I’m trying my best to make it there, because I would love to see so many friends from school.

BUT, early Saturday evening, I take off to Los Angeles with Laura and Anita.  We will be going to the Emmy’s on Sunday.  So, you need to watch for us.

With all the stuff that is going on and with all the things lined up over the next few days, I feel like this weekend is a time to put the last year to rest and come back home from the Emmy’s and start a brand new year and get back to work.  I love the fact that getting back to work means way more than radio.  I am still going to continue my work with Clark Bartram on Hopes and Dreams and I love the fact that the suits at KUSI has made me feel at home where I can assist the TV producers with the community forum on drug awareness in our schools.  We are penciled in to have the forum on September 28th, but I hear KUSI may move it to October, so we can talk about it on the air.   

I miss being on the radio so much.  I have a lot to say and a lot to write about the moment we make everything known and official.  This last year has been a very emotional year to say the least and I can’t wait to actually tell you my thoughts about it all, but I can’t do that until the word is out and we are just about there.

Have a great weekend!!!!

How cool is it to know that there are teachers out there that cut their summer off sooner than expected to go to their classroom and make it look all pretty for their new students.

Teachers influence our children so much. I am alive today, because I had great teachers, counselors, and coaches that cared and loved what they did.

Here’s a great example of how a teacher influences a child.  I’m okay that this happened, but it’s not suppose to have happened, especially in school, but it made my son think and he brought it home that day and debated me, which I loved.

Eddie jumped in my car last week and quickly said to me, “That’s pretty messed up that they’re builidng that mosque in New York, huh?”   I asked if he was talking about that in class and he said, “Well, the teacher told us she wasn’t suppose to but she wanted to vent and said it should not go up.”   I asked Eddie what he thought and he said, “It’s messed up.”

I do know if Eddie’s teacher said the opposite, he would have felt the same way the teacher felt regardless, because he grew up thinking that the teacher is always right.   

Going back to school is a fun and exciting time.   Especially, when you have little kids and you see their cute little classroom and all the parents meeting in front of the school dropping off their child and gossiping about the neighborhood.  

But, it’s also a scary time if you have kids that are older.  If you don’t think it’s a scary time, it’s because you may not know what truly is going on in our high schools in San Diego.

I speak to my kids almost daily about drugs in school and in their school.   They go to a great middle school and a great high school in the area and they are aware that drugs are in their school.  

I was with a group of kids as I was preparing for the KUSI drug forum and I asked one of the kids if they think oxycontin and heroin is a big problem where they go and one of them said to me, “I know of a few people that do that, but ecstacy is the main thing people are doing at our school.”    Days later, that same child said to me, “I know someone that sells heroin at school, they call it brown.”

This is what reality is in our schools.   Parents including myself need to wake up and get to know our children and what they are doing at school and who they are hanging out with and remind them to say NO to drugs and to make sure they are not being peer pressured.

My kids have friends that are their age that have already been in and out of rehab facilities.

I didn’t have this view a few months ago.  It changed when I watched a presentation about the prescription drug problem in San Diego and our schools especially where I live in the Poway School District. 

Tonight, when you are buying your kids school supplies, you should literally go to the pharmacy and also get drug test kits.  Drug test your kids.  Make it part of your routine every few days.  I’m saying this because drugs are now little pills they can easily get in their own medicince cabinet.   The drug dealer today in schools is actually their own parents that are on medication that are not hiding or locking up their medication properly or destroying what is not needed.  The drug dealer today at school looks like a kid that would babysit for you.

Just know that there’s a big problem out there.  Don’t be ignorant to any of this.  Don’t pretend this isn’t happening.  Don’t be a Carmel Valley mom sipping your wine and sending off junior to school thinking that there are no drugs at Torrey Pines High School.

The reason why I talk about this now is that I come from the old school way of thinking and doing drugs.  I thought the chain went from weed to speed and that was it and only a few did heroin.   Today, kids are going to heroin in high numbers, because they think it’s just a cheaper way to get high than paying for the more expensive oxycontin.

Marijuana is still the gateway drug.  If you can stop your kid from thinking marijuana is fine and dandy, you are already ahead of the game.  If your kid thinks that weed is mild and not truly a drug, you got yourself a big problem.  Many people that do oxycontin started because they hear it’s way better than getting stoned.

Check their backpacks too.  Also, if you give your kid 3 to 5 bucks for lunch and he or she comes home with a few hundred dollars,you may want to count your pills you have up in the medicine cabinet.

There’s a cool little website that Eddie plays around with.  You pop in a picture of yourself and it spits out funny little images of you.  http://www.photofunia.com   What I love about this next picture is that Eddie put in a picture of himself and the picture that came out looks like my brother Frank. 

I woke up in the middle of the night and heard this song on the television.  I heard it from the beginning until the end.  It played during the end of a movie while the credits were rolling.  It was at the right volume where I could hear the keyboards, drums, guitar and vocals really well.  The song spoke to me. John Fogerty is a white dude, but this song shows off his soul.  I heard the easy lyrics and it felt like I was going to church. I heard the chords and I realized I was in church.  Creedence Clearwater Revival:   Long As I Can See The Light!

I just want to share it with you because it’s such a heartfelt beautiful LIVE sounding song.  I don’t know the history of this song YET, but I will make an un educated guess that this song was written with Janis Joplin in mind.  When I hear the words, it inspires me to move on and to get home and know that there is a better way and to focus on that light, even though you think it’s too far out there and you can’t get to it.    

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

Yesterday, was my birthday.  I rarely want to do anything on my birthday.  So, I had a nice, simple, great day.  I started off ready to do bleachers with my friend Anita, but she wussed out because it was too hot, so we decided to just go to breakfast.     She actually found out she was able to go to the Emmy’s with me and Laura when she woke up, so she was very excited and just wanted to figure out what she was going to wear.   Watch for me, Laura, and Anita Sunday night on NBC cable 7 locally in San Diego.   My goal is to go home with Jennifer Aniston or Betty White.

I saw my friend Jamie for lunch. She also just found out some great news a few minutes before we met up.  Geez, I just realized everywhere I went people just found out some great news.  I met Jamie one year ago.  I would never have thought I would still be off the air one year later.  She is the main reason why I was able to be part of so many things over the last several months. I guess you can say she inspired me throughout the year.   

Then it was off to Temecula to see Eddie and Vanessa.  I wanted to go to Richie’s Diner for dinner, but Eddie wanted Shogun AND since it was my birthday, we went to Shogun.  WTF? 

Honestly, I thought we were going to die.  I love Shogun, it’s like Benihana.  BUT, the chef was terrible.  He kept on dropping his knives and stuff when he was doing his thing.  When he twirled his knife, it fell twice and I actually told him, to please don’t do that anymore.  I really feel if I didn’t stop him from trying his tricks, a knife would have stabbed me in the forehead.  

Then, Vanessa drove us around for a few minutes.  She just got her permit so she was happy to drive my car.  She’s a great driver for only being 15 years old.  I had to remind her what RED means and I didn’t have her make any LEFTS and she was really good at driving straight and making rights, although she could learn to slow down a bit while making those turns.   She’s going to be a great driver one day.  In other words, I was scared SHITLESS, but she’s my baby and I love her.    

As you can see, I had a very nice and simple day and I loved it.

The best part of yesterday was hearing from my mom first thing in the morning.  My sister Rose woke up my mom earlier than usual and when the phone rang and I saw it was my mom, I said hello and she sang happy birthday to me.  It was great, because she was sounding good and alert and she was so happy.

I didn’t go to any strip clubs or get drunk and dance the night away.  I just spent a normal day seeing my family and friends.  I loved it.  The only thing I avoided that felt strange was that I didn’t do any work for the show or for the KUSI public forum. I just hung out with everyone and enjoyed their company.  I tried my best to let down and not do any calls. It was the perfect birthday, WELL for me.    

BUT, the one thing that was amazing was Facebook.  I don’t know what to say other than it was so cool to get messages all day and all night from old friends from elementary to high school to radio buddies to ex girlfriends to brand new friends to neighbors to people in the community to EVERYONE.  

I was so appreciative of all the messages.  Of course it made me miss being on the air and getting calls LIVE on the radio, but Facebook is simply amazing.  It took me a while to read through them all and I just have to say that I am so blessed to have the friends that I have and I feel so grateful for all that has happened to me this last year.

I just wanted to say THANK YOU for making yesterday really cool.  

The one gift I got yesterday is the reminder that I have really cool friends and there are people in my life and in my past that have my back.

I love to remember the days of when my brothers were alive and strong and I was playing football in the street and my mom was playing the piano, so when I hear from an old friend from that era in my life, it is really special.  I heard from hundreds of people I grew up with yesterday and that was the best gift ever.

I feel so great the morning after my birthday.    I feel yesterday was like an exclamation point  and a chance to reflect one last time at this last year.  I am so proud, but it’s time to move forward.  It’s time to move forward with everything in my life now.  Getting back to work and focusing on relationships better and moving on from certain things and being part of new things and continuing to TRY to live right and exercise.   As long as I can see the light, I will be just fine. 

The thought of what can happen in a year is exciting.   Who knows where all of us will be next year at this time!!??

Last year, I had long hair and all I thought about was radio and Jeff and Jer.   Today, my head is shaved and I’m part of many community programs and events.  Maybe  next year, I’ll have a FRO and be braiding hair in Maui. 

Thank you so much for yesterday!