tag:calvinballimusic.com,2005:/blogs/cal-s-stories?p=4Cal's stories2023-03-29T16:53:02-05:00Calvin Luna Ballifalsetag:calvinballimusic.com,2005:Post/71807922023-03-29T16:53:02-05:002024-01-29T22:39:45-06:00My Planty Friends (Plant In and Out Song)<p>Many of us share an appreciation that values the time and management of our flora. Our kind loves plants and everything to do with collecting them and of sharing garden information with others. Plants give us joy, so we start seeds and cuttings onto their journey, then we watch them grow into the most exotic and romantic flowers, which makes us want more of them. Our 'planty friends' collection can swell to great numbers if we are not careful.</p><p><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDQnO-1DtGY" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/393980/92beb49eb8136ad86d8bf8944654bafef213bf62/original/planty-friends-1.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></a></p><p>As a helpful ambassador for my wife's plant swap group, we wrote a fun song to portray the toils of moving our favorite plants in and out of the house during the winter months. With the crazy yo-yo weather around these days, it can be 80 degrees in early spring, then in the 30s the following day. It's all confusing to the plants and to us as well! Eileen wrote the words however I added a few lines, sang, and played all the instruments. Anyway it was fun making this ditty.</p><p><br>My wife and I are both artists and we are so fortunate to have many tools to create artwork at our home in La Casa Nueces Studios. It goes beyond music and painting. We create original designs in mediums such as fabric, paper, wood, paint, and lots of it! Eileen's love for graphic design and creating beautiful things seems to be never ending. She's always thinking and imagination is her gift! I am very blessed to have this awesome woman and creator in my universe.</p><p><br>As I begin my 70th year on this earth, I strive to be more assertive in playing music and creating art. It usually comes easy for me and this song, I guess, was inspired by funky tunes from the seventies. I loved 'Mustang Sally' and all those funk like grooves everybody was playing! Since I was 15, I have played this same bass and drum style that you hear on this song, '<a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDQnO-1DtGY" data-link-type="url">My Planty Friends</a>'. As you listen and watch the video, the first part has a simple bass drum, guitar, and vocals jive. As the song goes into the expanded stage, the keyboards and bumped up guitar phrasing is emphasized. I guess I should have made the song longer but the story is straight to the point of what it takes to be a plant parent. Thank you for listening to ‘<a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDQnO-1DtGY" target="_blank" data-link-type="url">My Planty Friends</a>’.</p><p><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDQnO-1DtGY" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/393980/da7562d1bad83d341994803e13cfcf2adfbc73a6/original/old-1.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></a></p><p>Come back often to <a class="no-pjax" href="calvinballimusic.com" data-link-type="url">calvinballimusic.com</a> for new original songs and stories.</p>Calvin Luna Ballitag:calvinballimusic.com,2005:Post/71367222023-01-11T16:52:15-06:002023-01-11T16:57:54-06:00Creating the 'Going to a Plant Swap' Song<p>What time is it? It's plant swap time! </p>
<p>My wife Eileen started a plant swap group 5 years ago in our area for people who love plants. It is for those who like to trade their plants in exchange for others that they may not have. It's pretty cool that no money is ever needed. What started out as a handful of people is now over two thousand and still growing! The spring and fall swap meets take place when the flowers and plants are in full bloom. We meet planty people from all over the Houston area. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393980/e96f8a617c461153bda29f7ace6de9bcac27c899/original/monstera-crazy-1.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" />People love plants and I love to see my wife entertain and educate them through facebook as well as meeting them in person along the way. Because Eileen has been working at a local nursery for some time, she is very knowledgeable in the names and care for many, many plants but learns something new every day. She also teaches organic gardening methods. </p>
<p>Besides creating artwork, Eileen spends her time in our acre yard trimming, feeding, watering, and potting up plants. It's funny that her closest planty friends also have their gazillion plants...but you can never have enough. There is always something you don't have that someone else does. That is why you should always a have a plant HAVES list and a WANTS list on hand and ready at all times. </p>
<p>We both are very creative people. Me, as a musician, composer, and song writer at La Casa Nueces Studios. Eileen is a fantastic artist / graphic designer and can create colorful signs, costumes, garden art, plant arrangements. She and her sister have made me several cool costumes to welcome plant swap meet attendees. They have made me over as a sunflower, stinging bee, and soon as a dandelion. I wonder what she will create for me this spring...hmmm? </p>
<p>After years of plant swap successes, I had a thought of creating a song dedicated to our plant group and to my wife. Together, she and I sat down in our music studio and came up with words and music for a toe-tapping song. I recorded and played all the instruments and sang on 'Going to a Plant Swap'. It was so much fun putting it together and we decided to add it to my website for you to hear. So please give a listen and hopefully it will make you smile today. You can also sing it to your plants and go MONSTERA CRAZY!!! </p>
<p>CANNA swap with you? ALTHEA at the swap! </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393980/4ef57120ce0ccee8d419fe6955dce33c15bf617a/original/althea-at-the-swap-1.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" />Thanks planty friends! </p>
<p>Cal </p>
<p> </p>
<p>To see the 'Going to a Plant Swap' music video, click on the link below.</p>
<p><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrU59yWmW_g" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrU59yWmW_g</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Go to <a contents="calvinballimusic.com" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://calvinballimusic.com">calvinballimusic.com</a> to hear my original music, stories, and video. </p>
<p>My email is <a contents="calvinlunaballi@yahoo.com" data-link-label="" data-link-type="email" href="mailto:calvinlunaballi@yahoo.com">calvinlunaballi@yahoo.com</a> </p>
<p>I would love to hear more stories about your gardening experiences!</p>Calvin Luna Ballitag:calvinballimusic.com,2005:Post/67831442021-10-21T18:09:54-05:002023-01-11T16:51:17-06:00Memories of Killeen<p style="text-align: center;">By Calvin Luna Balli </p>
<p style="text-align: center;">October 19, 2021 </p>
<p>This might be a little long but please give a listen. It is a story of the time I lived in Killeen, an arid mid-Texas city halfway between Waco and Austin. I was an army brat who traveled around the world and became a Killeen resident in 1967–1970. This is how I remembered those years. </p>
<p>When I was 15, my family of eight arrived to Killeen from a years long assignment in Quito, Ecuador in September 1967. We lived in Pershing Park on the Fort Hood Army base on Cutler Street. As youngsters do, we would explore our new home by walking through a wonderful little valley of oaks and pecans near our neighborhood. Later, our strolls would include my friends along the way to Rancier Drive (one of the main drags in Killeen). We strolled past the Courtesy Chevrolet dealership and hung out at Burger Chef. I would often visit my buddy Ricky Luper who lived near the base entrance on Green Street. We did not have cell phones back then but had party lines in our houses. You could be having a conversation when someone would slam their phone down saying, “Get Off That Phone!” Crazy times! </p>
<p>Upon arrival to Killeen, I began my painful entrance into the American school system. Sadly, I was enrolled at Rancier Junior High and hated it there. After the exciting Army brat life of world travel, I had what I perceived as a life of drab and mean teachers. I was a hip young modster who was totally into the British Invasion! I wore Beatle boots and the latest line of mod clothes from Sears and Spiegel catalogs. I rebelled by wearing a Beatle haircut and exclaiming words of the day like groovy, far out man, peace man, sock it to me baby. Music of The Byrds, Sunshine Superman, The Beatles' Rubber Soul, and The Animals were in my ears! I was already hooked into that Haight-Ashbury scene. I just did not fit in. </p>
<p>1967 was the year I discovered Jimi Hendrix and the Who. Music consumed my whole 15 year old world. I ate, and slept, and dreamt MUSIC! I met a happening guy named Mike Vasquez whose parents let him have the garage for his bedroom. He painted all the walls black, put up neon and black lights to display his art scene of the sixties. All the lights were grooving to his music machine. My friends met at Mike's house to hear the latest music on vinyl records after school. </p>
<p>A few of us Army brats had the privilege of using or borrowing any kind of musical instrument from a Fort Hood recording studio. I would borrow cool guitars and amps and so did my musical-minded friends. We rented time at the Army base studios to jam to our hearts' content. I used my time there to craft my chops on guitar. Mom couldn't afford instruments and dad was in Vietnam so the music room was a godsend. I would also watch our favorite local band The Scop and gaze onto the hands of the guitarist and try to memorize his chords. I learned quickly and my Killeen friends helped along the way. Gracias amigos! We played our music and lived the fun and exciting times of 1967 Killeen. </p>
<p>The following year, I began attending Fairway Middle School. </p>
<p>I met a wonderful friend in Obe Arevalo, whose dad ran the projectors at the drive in theater. Obe would often borrow his father's Chevy Nova while his dad worked the movies and we would roar loudly through the streets of Killeen. We would listen to the latest music on AM radio and seek out our friends (perhaps some of you). Obe had a drumset and I was beginning playing the guitar, so we would jam in his bedroom and learn the latest songs. He sang with a great powerful voice. Man, we clicked! </p>
<p>At Fairway, I became friends with Henry Irrizari who oozed funk and a had a guitar or two. Alex Gonzales was always in the picture and had style and great musical equipment. He played guitar and always had a outstanding attitude with everyone. Alex had a cool Moped scooter too. My family loved him! Ricky Luper was a wonderful influence on me musically. He drove a Shelby Cobra, had a VOX Amp and cabinet, along with a few guitars. Another friend named Bill (I cannot remember his last name) played bass with us and had funk too. </p>
<p>Then there was Chris Price, a keyboardist who was a self taught student of Mozart and Beethoven. He had an Antebellum home several blocks up from the McDonalds. Greeting you in the enclosed patio was a world famous talking mynah bird. Any of you remember this fella? </p>
<p>Our little group played several teen club parties at places like the Annex and outdoor jams. We would often jam in my living room. Our setlist consisted of popular rock songs from the day such as The Doors (Chris' keyboard was amazing on Light My Fire) and Iron Butterfly's In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida. </p>
<p>At Fairway I became best friends with a cool British American girl who shared similar ideas and attitudes of the day. Janie Dowdle was taller than me and everyone noticed her long, long blonde hair and beautiful green eyes. I know some of you remember her. She always carried a fancy camera and was a hippy, a freak like me. Her mom would let Janie borrow a light lavender Buick convertible and she would pick me up. We would drive around Killeen but mostly out west at the far end park. We both embraced those times of political rebellion and artistic expression. </p>
<p>At her house, I would often watch her develop film in the dark room and watch her pictures appear like magic before my eyes. It was soooo cool. She had that same ambitious love of photography as I had for writing my music. I would not be surprised if she won notoriety in photography. I would love to see her pictures of me and our friends as well today. Wow! What a treasure that would be. I was a silly, immature boy to this Elizabethan English young woman. She felt suffocated by her British mother and her full bird colonel father from the Dallas area. We bonded, of course. </p>
<p>We somehow got into the Oleo Strut art scene drawing posters and listening to the GIs' speeches and views of the war. My father was away in the jungles of Vietnam and I wanted him back alive, so I participated in several Oleo Strut generated peace rallies. Later in 1971, I returned to Killeen to demonstrate and march with Jane Fonda (as seen in the documentary <a contents="Sir! No Sir!" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFzP8EBJqDc" target="_blank">Sir! No Sir!</a>). I was one of the fellas with Ricky Luper and my brother Manfred who walked behind her in a peace rally through several streets in downtown. </p>
<p>My participation in the Oleo Strut scene opened me to a world of media and news. Just like my dad was! I loved to draw psychedelic Peter Max type demonstration posters to hang on the walls. We used watercolor markers of many different colors. The local weed was always bad so I drank the Boone's Farm Wine instead. Bell County was dry back then so we high tailed it to Harker Heights before the liquor stores closed to buy our brew, cigarettes, and rolling papers. </p>
<p>Does anyone in Killeen recall the midget house? There was a family of little people (a mom, dad, and two kids) who built a small house to fit their size. It was cool and stood out on the street. They even had a small picket fence around this most fanciful little house. The family went all out displaying Christmas lights with a Santa sleigh and reindeer. They were friendly elves with a mystic Hobbit like home. Many of their visiting friends were little people too. </p>
<p>I was a gullible guy and some of my friends tried to scare me with superstitious Texas lore. They told me not to get caught alone outside because the infamous Goatman would get me. He stayed mainly on the south end of Killeen proper. I also got chills hearing the Jackalope stories (half jack rabbit and half antelope). I thought I knew everything back then so it really shook me up! The vilest miscreants of a savage race of Texas oddities. And now we hear about recent Sasqwatch sitings in west Texas. </p>
<p>I began my last year at Killeen High School in 1968/69 and lived in the Lake Belton neighborhood north of the Bowlerama. (Afterward, we moved to the Houston area where I reside today.) My friends were scattered around Killeen. We had no Metro so we walked, bicycled, Mopeded, or motorcycled our way around town. </p>
<p>The assassinations of Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy and the damn Vietnam war was a bummer during my high school years but I lived the history. Some of my Killeen High School friends were with me on my 16th birthday party when the astronauts landed on the moon. We got to see it on dad's brand new color TV. </p>
<p>The bad times in Killeen were with my brother Manfred (Arthur Balli). He was a pistol and created a lot of misery to everyone. He once stole or borrowed (is what he said) a Killeen Cop car. Yep, one afternoon I heard a siren go off in the front of our house. My mom and I walked out the front door and saw Arthur sitting behind the wheel of a police car. He was arrested and given a year probation and a week in jail. I attribute this poor judgement on an incident that happened two years earlier, when he had a brain concusion from a bad motorcycle accident. He was never the same again. </p>
<p>To my fellow Killeen High School classmates, we must have passed each other in the hallways, in the gyms, at the football games, or eating burgers at McDonalds. Alex Gonzales was working there and was a major influence on all our lives. We are all connected. We are family. We are Killeen Fighting Kangaroos!! </p>
<p style="text-align: center;">----------------------------------- </p>
<p>These are the names of people I once knew in Killeen: Janie Dowdle, Alex Gonzales, Jerry Perry, Mike Vasquez, Toni Vasquez, Charlotte Maultsby, Obe Arrevalo, Ricky Luper, Tom Sonley, Cole Hallmark, Johnny Williams, Bobby Bereau, Chris Price, Henry Irrizari, Bill (the bass player), Donna Ratliff, Linda Elder, Otto Sanchez, Steve Lee, Nancy Perez, the Pena and the Dunn boys. I recognize most of your faces at least in my mind. Now fifty years later it's great to be alive and to celebrate a monumental achievement. We made it to 2021!!! </p>
<p>It was wonderful seeing all of you at the Killeen High School class of 1971 reunion. It is also sad to know that so many people are not with us anymore. I hope to see many of you again real soon! </p>
<p style="text-align: center;">----------------------------------- </p>
<p>Here is an update on what I am doing today. </p>
<p>I have several hobbies as well as working part time as an usher for the Houston Texans games and at many concerts and events. I golf, travel around Texas and the country in our teardrop camper, play with our dogs, visit with our grandkids, garden, and live the best I can with what I have. </p>
<p>I do some original wood work by creating whirlygigs and yard art along with my wife, Eileen. My favorite wood pattern is a war pony since I am a fan of the cowboy painter, Charles Marion Russell, whom I wrote and recorded several songs about. On my website, listen to my song <a contents="Ghost Horse" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://calvinballimusic.com/track/2006226/ghost-horse" target="_blank">Ghost Horse</a> about the love of Charlie and his favorite horse, Monte. I love reading about western history and expeditions and have discovered many similarities in myself and Charlie Russell. </p>
<p>My creative juices are reactivated after a bout of retirement complacency and health issues. I am finalizing a tribute song about the Lewis And Clark expedition to be entered in the Library of Congress along with other musical ventures. I just hooked up with a gospel singer who reminds me of Louie Armstrong. We are currently writing a song called Get Right With God! Its got a Sly and the Family Stone funk. I will lend a hand on background vocals but he will carry the weight of the main vocals (a la James Brown). </p>
<p>Thanks to all of my friends and acquaintances for being a part of my life's journey. I will walk with you again hand in hand into Heaven someday. </p>
<p>Vaya con dios. </p>
<p>Go to <a contents="calvinballimusic.com" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://calvinballimusic.com/" target="_blank">calvinballimusic.com</a> to hear my original music, stories, and video. </p>
<p>My email is <a contents="calvinlunaballi@yahoo.com" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://calvinlunaballi@yahoo.com" target="_blank">calvinlunaballi@yahoo.com</a> </p>
<p>I would love to hear more stories about your Killeen memories, so please share. Go Fighting Kangaroos!</p>Calvin Luna Ballitag:calvinballimusic.com,2005:Post/62836812020-04-15T19:33:37-05:002020-04-15T19:33:37-05:00The Stones...My Story<p>The year 1964 was an important year for me since I was eleven and growing up quick. As an army brat who had already traveled very much in my short lifetime, I had experienced a vast variety of foods, cultures, and especially music (Japanese, German, USA, and Texas). My brother, Arthur was only 11 months older than me but he always seemed to be so grown up. We were close at that time and had developed similar musical tastes since my dad always had the record player spinning tunes in our house. We loved watching mom and dad dance and often joined in! My parents were always attending the NCO (non-commissioned officers) dances at the army bases we stayed at. </p>
<p>Three years earlier, while stationed in Bremerhaven, Germany, my dad encouraged us to watch a new band called The Beatles on local television. They were on the nightly news playing nearby in Hamburg. My parents' jubilation on seeing the lads from Liverpool, England was very instrumental in shaping mine and Arthur's fondness for music. From that very moment, I was hooked on good ol' rock and roll! </p>
<p>My mom was very eager to satisfy our curiosity about The Beatles with their music, fashion, and talent. The modster kids (including us) wanted to cut their hair in cool shaggy styles and wear Beatle boots. The Fab Four had a classic suit and tie look (you know, the good guys), but there was another side of music with a bad boy charm, rough cut hair, and a bawdy style. The Rolling Stones were trailing right behind with an earthy Delta Blues sound that was so infectious. </p>
<p>My brother and I read teen magazines such as Downbeat and Hit Parade. We loved to see what was happening in England's music scene since they were dominating the world with their distinct sound and fab musicians. All the cool music was coming out of Britain, but years later we heard stories that these blokes were inspired by American Mississippi blues. They were listening to black music such as Muddy Waters, Jimmy Reed, and other old blues players. I loved The Stones' renditions of this wonderful music genre and was really inspired by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards almost as soon as I was by The Beatles. </p>
<p>In 1965 while traveling to a post Quito, Ecuador, my family stayed at Fort Clayton, Panama to get shots and check ups. My mom gave Arthur and me an allowance to pick up some cool records at the PX. I bought my first album Meet the Beatles and Arthur got 12 x 5 by The Rolling Stones. For the next three years we bought a lot of records and loved to share our music with other kids at the local teen parties. My mom would order our English style clothes from Sears and Roebuck and Spiegel catalogs. I loved the flowery shirts, corduroy pants and jackets, and Beatle Boots. Arthur was inspired by the pirate look that The Stones and Jay and the Americans were wearing. Mom would also buy us vertically striped pants like Mick would wear. Yes indeed, we American kids loved the fashions these motley looking musician lads were wearing. By then, I was really getting into the Stones' groove since 'I could get no satisfaction' with only the Beatles. Both bands had great songs and musicians to idolize. </p>
<p>My favorite Stones songs from 12 x 5 are Time is on My Side, which was played the most, but I loved their rendition of Under the Boardwalk. It had a New Orleans dream-like sound about it that still resonates with me today. My all time favorite album by The Rolling Stones is Now, which is a bluesy 1965 album. All the songs are fantastic! Mick Jagger became the iconic singer and harmonica player the world was needing while performing Heart of Stone, Down the Road Apiece, Little Red Rooster, Off the Hook, and so on. What a great album it is! The mid sixties to 1970 were the best years for English rock and we teens really dug it. </p>
<p>In 1972, I paid 20 dollars to see the Rolling Stones with Stevie Wonder as back up at Hofheinz Pavilion in Houston, Texas. The Stones were promoting their new album Exile on Main Street. It was a tour de force show with a lot of players. What I really remember was how badly the Stones were playing. They had Jack Daniels bottles on the amps and many of the musical gods (including Keith and Mick) were lit up and playing terribly with slurring words, off-key timing, and general stumbling around. The only bright spot was that Mick Taylor played lights out lead guitar and was simply incredible!!! I know I got my money's worth that night during the Stevie Wonder performance. He had a fantastic big band and a show I will never forget. He blew the Stones away! </p>
<p>Through the years I bought all the Stones albums and loved to hear Mick sing. He truly is the best lead man of any group in the world. Keith has said many times that Mick is the best harmonica player ever and Mick really delivers on harmonica on Now from 1965. It's tough to pick but my favorite song harkens back to their beginnings. On the 1997 Bridges to Babylon album, one song called Out of Control, really moves me. </p>
<p>Last year in July, I was working a security gig at the Rolling Stones No Filter Tour concert at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. An hour before the show began, a group of us gathered at the entrance to the stadium floor where I could hear The Stones rehearse. They played a song that made the hairs on my neck stand up. I was carefully listening to every note and could hear Mick ask questions about the sound during the microphone check. Ronnie Wood was playing his wah-wah pedal and I could hear Charlie Watt's and Ronnie's laughter in their friendly communication. Out of Control was inspired by The Temptations song, Papa was a Rolling Stone. I could hear the great sounding bass part. Mick was playing his unbelievable harmonica riff and after he stopped I could hear Keith say, “Wow Mick you sound really good.” “Thanks Keith!” I couldn't wait for the show to start!! </p>
<p>I was assigned to the VIP section in front of an extended runway ramp jutting out into the audience. </p>
<p>Oh my goodness!! With his signature moves, Mick strutted out to sing and dance with the band's musical cadence. It was truly a moment I will never experience again. I was very fortunate to be so close to the one and only Red Rooster. </p>
<p>They came out and delivered a fantastic show! The original concert was scheduled in 2018 but was canceled because Mick had heart complications. Only weeks before the show in Houston, Mick had surgery then in time, got himself into shape. Obviously, he was already in great shape and it didn't take long to see how fantastic he looked and danced. (His 75 year old body can run circles around my 65 year old one and then some.) I was mesmerized by seeing my old heroes play their songs so close to me. The sound was OK being that it was a huge stadium and at times Keith's guitar would blow your ears out...like the song says, Out of Control! </p>
<p>This was my third time to see The Stones live and was my all time favorite show. I mean, how can you beat it! They are the Rolling Stones!!! I was so close to the stage that on several songs, Mick, Ronnie, Keith, and Charlie sat at the end of the runway right in front of me to sing, play on classical acoustic guitars, and tambourine. I was only 25 feet from them!!! Thank you Mick Jagger for reaffirming to me that your troupe is indeed the greatest rock and roll band in the world. The only thing that would have made it better was if my brother Arthur was alive to see the show with me. After all, it was him that turned me on to the Stones way back in 1964. It's now 56 years later and their music will never fade and is now as popular as ever. </p>
<p>Here is a link to a video of <a contents="Out Of Control" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHlxGg0QIqE" target="_blank">Out Of Control</a> made in Havana, Cuba played for 1.5 million fans in 2019. It is the same No Filter Tour I saw in Houston. Yeah baby, they can rock!!!</p>Calvin Luna Ballitag:calvinballimusic.com,2005:Post/62230752020-02-21T14:13:39-06:002020-02-21T14:13:39-06:00An Usher in Houston<p>Upon my official retirement in 2012, I relaxed a bit too much and sat watching television then gained weight. After forty seven years of a professional career and paying my taxes (and still paying), I needed a break from the daily grind. I guess most guys when they retire lose their previous ambitions and some just die. I tried to stay busy around the house but lost interest in a lot of things I used to enjoy such as writing music, golfing, camping, working, traveling. I was bored and my legs were starting to hurt. </p>
<p>After about a year of couch potato living, my wife, Eileen came to me while I was munching on junk food and watching my favorite western channel. She said that if I don't get a job or something I was going to die on her. I asked, “What do you want me to do?” She said she found a job online that I would really like, “Would you like to be an usher for the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium?” I said, “Huh?” She repeated the phrase again while I bit down on a wonderful delicious burger I had made. I said, “Sure, yeah!” She helped to update my resume then apply for employment. It went pretty smoothly and the next day I went for an interview. I was accepted and began working an assignment for the Houston Rodeo at NRG! (Also, I went to the gym twice a day to strengthen my legs since I would be standing a lot.) </p>
<p>I began my new working life as a retiree and really have a fun time! At NRG Stadium, I helped people on the escalators, at the elevators, guarded doors, and eventually became an usher for the upper level seating. An NRG Stadium usher checks tickets as people come through your assigned area. If they do not have the right seat number, I would direct them to the place they were assigned to. Easy shmeezy! As a beginner who did not know the system, I was taken advantage of by the supervisors and given the lower end positions. I finally spoke to the right supervisor and asked about the cooler usher jobs by the VIP seats. </p>
<p>I need to tell the guys who are reading this that the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo has the most beautiful women of all the NRG events through the year. What can I say...I'm a guy!!! I told my wife this and we both agree that I can look but cannot touch! Ha! I saw many country shows such as Garth Brooks, Blake Shelton, Brad Paisley, Luke Bryan, Chris Singleton, Brooks and Dunn, Cardi B, Camila Cabello, Cody Johnson, and a slew of others. I saw some famous rodeo stars riding bulls, wrangling broncos, wrestling steers, and roping calves from a ground level vantage point. Each year, the rodeo lasts almost three weeks and ushers have the flexibility to pick which nights to work. We even get a small bonus if we work all the scheduled days. The Houston Rodeo is getting started again for 2020 and I plan to see more amazing country stars and exciting events. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393980/a38aa2118fd58c54cb2e6ac6e9c34dba4ec47162/original/calvin-at-nrg-monster-trucks.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Other NRG Stadium events are fun too! I have worked the Monster truck shows when the doors are open and the weather is cold. There is always a stinky smell of petrol in the air and it is very noisy. Grave Digger rules but the women drivers hold their own too. While sitting in my chair looking up at my section, I love to see the excited and wide-eyed expressions on the kids' faces when the trucks go by behind me as they flip and jump ramps. The Monster truck show has certainly come along way from the days of Big Foot in the 1980s! </p>
<p>I've worked several final four college basketball games and have seen Duke, North Carolina, Virginia and others. The fans and their college bands are the loudest of all events since the screaming girls will make you cover your ears! The games usually sell out so moving the fans after the game is not so much fun. </p>
<p>The high school football playoffs are fun to watch and those energetic kids can really rack up the points. The losing team and the cheerleaders sure do cry a lot though...it's only a game kids. </p>
<p>The World Cup of soccer is cool too. I've seen several games with huge stars from Uruguay, Mexico, Brazil, and Portugal where I can practice my Spanish and where the chicas are so cute! I do not like the crazy way the big stars will fake a small hit by flailing away in immense pain to draw a foul. When watching replays on the huge screens above, I can see that they win the Academy Award for acting hurt. The Latino world and Europe sure love their international futbol sport with a passion. </p>
<p>Both the Motocross motorcycle and bicycle shows are really fun to watch. Each event is always short and excitingly quick. I really do not see why people pay so much for a short event but I think it's all for the kids. Motocross events were recently added to the Olympics since the crazy but controlled flips these people do are incredible. </p>
<p>Even though they don't take place at NRG that often, my favorite events are the music concerts. I've seen Guns N' Roses, Beyonce with Cardi B and Camila Cabello, Taylor Swift, but my all-time favorite was The Rolling Stones - No Filter tour. I was so close to them working security by the middle runway stage leading out to the center. I was only 20 feet away from Mick, and Keith, Ronnie, and Charlie Watts. I was star struck to experience this dream come true! </p>
<p>As an usher for the Houston Texans football team, I have a primo position right behind the opposing team's bench for each home game. I get to watch some incredible football only a few feet from players such as Antonio Brown, Tom Brady, Dak Prescott, Aaron Rodgers, Andrew Luck, Ben Roethlisberger, and most of the NFL teams the Texans play. Hours before the game starts, I enjoy watching the players walk by after getting off the bus as they enter the stadium. You know who the super stars are since they walk in sporting outlandish clothes and bling while all the other players wear fancy suits and ties. Yes, it is a site to behold for a die-hard sports fan. In my seating section, I have also seen Dan Marino, Lyle Lovett, Lester Holt, Jerry Jones, Troy Aikman, Michael Irving, Tony Dorsett, Emmitt Smith, Michael Vick, and many more celebrities. I treat them just like any other ticket holder when they ask for assistance. Houston's own JJ Watt is always such a gentleman throwing a football to and catching from fans (especially children) in the stands as he walks around the field perimeter at every game. Our Houston Texans Cheerleaders are really cute and I have even received a few flirtatious winks as they danced near me. As I tell the fans who ask me to take a picture of them in front of the football field, “Welcome to the NFL experience!” It truly is. We win some, we lose some, but watching the Texans play so close is always a spine tingling experience. </p>
<p>Another event I do security for is the EDM (electronic dance music) shows at selected venues. It's my favorite event since I see way too much fun and craziness. Most of the participants are young millennials so the smell of weed and the total freedom of expressing themselves is insane! 98 percent of the girls wear G-strings with tiny bras or nothing at all but body paint and tattoos! I've seen a lot of skin if you know what I mean. I love the huge sound system beats and laser shows that the crowd dances to, as well as, the selected music from worldwide famous DJs. </p>
<p>Sometimes, I usher at the Smart Financial Center in Sugar Land, Texas. I've seen Willie Nelson, Indian Bollywood shows, BTS and Korean K-Pop, Roy Orbison hologram concert (this blew my mind!), Christina Aguilera, Mark Knopfler, Michael Flatley's Lord of the Dance, and many more great musicians. My favorite show was with Bob Dylan where I was assigned to usher in front of the stage. While waiting for the doors to open before the show, a man approached me and introduced himself as Bob Dylan's personal stage manager. He told me on behalf of Bob and himself that I do not work for the venue that night but instead I will be on Bob Dylan's personal security team. Wow! He told me to keep a watchful eye on people with cameras or cellphones taking videos. He said Bob will stop his show if he sees anyone pointing a camera his way. </p>
<p>When the show began, I had a seat right in Bob's line of sight to the audience in front of me. He played the piano and sang but never picked up the guitar during the show. He must have dug my head moving to the cadence of his songs since very time I would turn around to peek at Bob, he would look at me and sing, sometimes grinning at my bobbing head...every time! It was as if Bob was singing to me. I often see celebrities in the audience but never reveal them. Once I had to escort one out of the building but I'll never tell who. </p>
<p>If I can do this at my age you too can usher in your retirement and enjoy all the shows for free! The salary is not great but will help make ends meet. I often advise unemployed handicapped people (even those in wheelchairs) that NRG can hire them to watch elevators and doors. It's a fun job and is a great place to meet and greet people from all over the world. </p>
<p>And now on to my next assignment...see you at the next rodeo!</p>Calvin Luna Ballitag:calvinballimusic.com,2005:Post/61825242020-01-27T14:44:16-06:002020-01-27T17:22:07-06:00Meeting Apollo 7 Astronaut Walter Cunningham<p><strong>You never know who you'll meet at Luby's! </strong></p>
<p>My wife, Eileen and I volunteered for the 2019 Thanksgiving Day parade in downtown Houston handling a giant Dr. Seuss Lorax balloon. Since we had so much fun handling a NASA astronaut balloon in 2018, we decided to do it again. Our job was to be part of a group of around 15 people who each held a rope to wrangle the balloon up, down, sideways, or wherever needed to avoid trees along the downtown route. It was a challenge fighting the wind and a blast waving, smiling, and cheering up the children (young and old) who came to watch the parade before stuffing themselves with grand turkey dinners. </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393980/18156f167a19ed17883ed2bb633174ec66317aee/original/lorax-pic.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_none border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393980/e9a01ab4cc453b14f11c39982f2bc33d20487ad8/original/1.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_none border_" /></p>
<p>When the festivities were over and we were heading toward home with hungry stomachs after a physical balloon workout, Eileen said we should go to the nearby Galleria area Luby's Cafeteria to eat a Thanksgiving meal. We have no children and had nowhere to go, so we both agreed...Luby's!!! </p>
<p>We arrived to the pleasant aroma of roasted turkey wafting through the air then went inside to join the long line of people waiting to get their meal (later, as we left, the line was way out the door and there were makeshift dining tables outside the restaurant). Eileen took photos of a chalkboard sign stating facts about how many turkeys were consumed at Luby's for the 2018 holidays (52,000), pecan pies (32,000), mac and cheese (12 truckloads or 482,820 pounds!!), etc. A distinguished older couple behind us asked what we were taking photos of so we started an animated conversation about things like jalapeno cranberry sauce and how tired my legs were after having dragged a giant Lorax balloon along a 2.3 mile path. The gentleman and I spoke about mutual health issues and his knee surgeries and working out at the gym.. </p>
<p>By the time I got my turkey dinner special and Eileen got her Luann platter with fish, the gentleman asked if we would like to sit together for dinner to continue our fine conversation. We approached the cashier and I was reluctant about spending our time with strangers. Eileen encouraged me to do so since it was an interesting conversation and after all, it was Thanksgiving! </p>
<p>We followed the couple to a booth and made formal first name introductions then started a conversation I will never forget.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393980/b71633b335cad63a1f9d9d53352eee85ce374b6d/original/walt-and-dot-cunningham.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_none border_" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393980/ce70f872a7547bcb687bd36a670c63fa154461e3/original/asrotnaut-walt.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_none border_" /></p>
<p>Walt told me he was one of the original astronauts in the Apollo program. I was so impressed to meet an astronaut not really aware that I was speaking to the one and only Walter Cunningham!!! (I found out his last name later on the ride home.) We were originally introduced to them as Dot and Ronnie. For an hour and a half we spoke to them about all sorts of things like art, travel, kids, fast cars, the military, NASA, life experiences. Walt told me three times during our conversation that he never thought he would get up that morning to have this most interesting conversation we had. Asking strangers to dine with them has never been done before either. They seemed to enjoy our company. </p>
<p>We began our conversation about Walt being a Marine jet fighter pilot in Korea then I told him I was an Army brat and had flown in a few military planes and was briefly at the controls of a medical Hercules C-130 plane over Panama. I told him that on takeoff from Quito, Ecuador, the co-pilot buckled me into the side seat near the rear and told me not to get up or take my seat belt straps off. He said after takeoff he would open the rear cargo doors so I could take a glimpse of the Avenue of Volcanoes all the way to Peru. Walt was not impressed, telling me it was wrong of them to open the doors for me. But it did happen when I was 14! I told both Walt and Dot that only me, the pilots, and a couple of nurses were on the plane to take my brother (in a pressurized compartment) who had a serious motorcycle crash to a hospital at Fort Clayton, Panama. My parents could not go since Mom had to care for five other children and Dad was in Bolivia sniffing out the trail of the notorious Che Guevara. </p>
<p>I think Walt was impressed by my once in a lifetime stories. I also told him that my father would buy me chemistry sets, lab and rock sets, microscopes and telescopes, then even helped my father with Heath kits making transistor radios, walkie-talkies, and stereo components. In those days of the early sixties this is what great fathers of vision and mechanics did for their sons. Perhaps Walt did the same for his kids. </p>
<p>I told Walt that in high school I took drafting classes on old board tables like he did and learned calculations using ivory slide rules (since pocket calculators had not been invented yet). I told him that the night before, we saw a documentary about the astronauts (including himself) actually using drafting tables to design the Command Modules. I was soooo impressed that these guys were talented to do that because I too can relate to the precision and expertise needed to be a good board drafter. He was fascinated by my knowledge of aerospace engineer and space architect Wernher Von Braun. I told Walt that it was the Germans who first went to space with a V2 rocket nearly 13 years before the Russians did so with Sputnik. That bit of knowledge made his mind search. </p>
<p>Another topic that seemed to impress Walt was my knowledge that in the late fifties NASA put a radio tracking station on top of Ecuador's Mount Cotopaxi. It was built along with 22 other worldwide sites to track spacecraft as they flew overhead. On a 1966 camping trip with my father, brother, and friend, we climbed halfway up Cotopaxi and could see the station way above us on top of the volcano (as well as flying saucers...<a contents="but that's another story" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://calvinballimusic.com/cal-s-stories/blog/ufos-in-quito-1966" target="_blank">but that's another story</a>). I grew up following NASA from that day forward and even got to see Neil Armstrong and Dick Gordon pass by near my dad and me at a ticker tape parade after Neil made his famous mission in space earlier in the year. </p>
<p>Walt seemed to be very interested in my knowledge about his NASA days but I didn't realize until later that his mission right after Apollo 1 and the death of his astronaut friends (Gus Grissom, Edward White, and Roger Chaffee) that his mission would be the most important for NASA leading up to Neil walking on the moon. What Walt did on his turn in space on Apollo 7 was so important scientifically...well he had the right stuff!!! </p>
<p>Dot told us that Buzz Aldrin was such a showoff and showed us many photos on her cell phone of Walt, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and the rest of the astronauts in the early NASA days as well as their 50th reunion. I didn't have my glasses but I kept on nodding to her about those wonderful historic pictures. She told us why Buzz wore such outlandish clothes and hands full of gaudy jewelry. He told her that those clothes and bling would be worth a lot of money on his passing. We four laughed and laughed. </p>
<p>I was born in 1953, the year of the first Corvette and Eileen was born in 1963, the year of one of the most popular Corvettes so I asked Walt what was his favorite sports car that he had owned. Dot told me, “Oh don't get him started on that!!” He said his 2015 dark grey Corvette he has now is his favorite. We both agreed the Corvette is a jet fighter's dream car and he has owned many Porsches and Ferraris through the years but the Corvette is both of our favorites. </p>
<p>I could see in his eyes and his face that he was in deep thought about our discussion. He told me that this enlivening conversation was a reason why he met us. I asked Dot what was the most memorable Thanksgiving she ever had. She told both Eileen and I that today, right now was the most memorable. We melted like butter and agreed. Wow! </p>
<p>Besides my dad, I now have a new hero and this was probably the most interesting conversation I have ever had with someone other than my wife. Thank you <a contents="Walter Cunningham" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16_hKZZKAgg" target="_blank">Walter Cunningham</a> – astronaut, Korean jet fighter pilot, physicist, entrepreneur, venture capitalist, author of The All-American Boys, and international celebrity. </p>
<p>I recently bought his book, <a contents="The All-American Boys" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.amazon.com/s?k=all+american+boys+cunningham&i=stripbooks&ref=nb_sb_noss" target="_blank">The All-American Boys</a> – An Insiders look at the U.S. Space Program. I can't wait for him to autograph it for me someday soon. </p>
<p>Keep your eyes, ears, and heart open since <strong>you never know who you will meet at Luby's</strong>.</p>Calvin Luna Ballitag:calvinballimusic.com,2005:Post/60464502019-12-26T15:43:00-06:002019-12-26T15:43:00-06:00Overnighter to Dallas<p>Camping in Texas in December can be a wonderful experience... </p>
<p>Our Texas Ladybug teardrop camper was packed up and ready to go. My wife, Eileen had a couple of days off from work and told me that we should go camping somewhere. We thought about going to Fredericksburg and Johnson City to see some beautiful Christmas lights but did that magical trip several Christmases ago. It is a must see!!! We soon settled on camping in Dallas since we have never been there during the holidays. </p>
<p>We left Houston around 3:00 pm on December 17th and headed north on I-45 with cold weather and blue skies ahead of us. We like to travel off-season and on a small cash budget so we built a lightweight teardrop camper complete with sleeping quarters and small cooking area to pull behind our little Pontiac Vibe. Maya, our cocker spaniel, rode with us even though she ducks her head under the back seat when she hears anything strange or if someone is looking at her. Maya is a very smart dog and makes our trips entertaining, but she hates to travel. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393980/93b043bf6f08746e5692a5c930b4e78f34d3cc23/original/sm-corsicana-christmas-tree-1.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_center border_" />Halfway to Dallas, we pulled over and ate at Taco Bell in Corsicana for cheap tacos. We gassed up with twenty dollars and filled up our car. It was kind of expensive at $2.27 a gallon when we should have filled up near our home at $2.05 a gallon. Oh well, that's the price of living on the cheap side of life. </p>
<p>We left Taco Bell and visited the Russell Stover Candy Factory store to load up on some gifts. It was amazing to see all the chocolate varieties they have. I asked the hostess if she tires of eating chocolate all the time but she never eats it and doesn't have a sweet tooth. What?!! I also asked if the graphics people love their jobs designing all the fun wrappers and packaging. She said that yes indeed they love their jobs and the factory keeps them very busy. (I asked because my wife mentioned how awesome the artwork is and that she would love to be on their design team. She is a graphic designer.) </p>
<p>I walked around the store a bit more then told Eileen that I was going outside to entertain Maya with our favorite game of retrieve the golf ball in an adjacent field. I use a seven iron shot where she can see the ball then run run run after it and bring it back to me. She often gets side tracked a bit with her powerful nose and will drop the ball to sniff other things. I then have to call out to her to get the ball and drop it at my foot. She eventually will do just that. Maya is simply adorable with her dark bubble eyes and long floppy ears. </p>
<p>On the road again, we arrived in Dallas at dusk so Eileen used Google Maps to find the best neighborhood Christmas lights. We arrived at a fancy old neighborhood with million dollar mansions and grand light displays. We drove further to another street where an amazing light show was in progress orchestrated to music on a radio station. So cool! There were lights with several blinking patterns draped around two huge oak trees across the street from each other along with lighted Christmas trees in four yards. I have never seen anything more spectacular except during a rock concert with computerized lighting. </p>
<p>We drove to another street that was listed on the 10 <a contents="best" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.dmagazine.com/frontburner/2017/12/this-is-the-single-best-christmas-light-display-in-dallas/" target="_blank">best</a> Christmas light displays in Dallas. The police even put up a street barricade for all the traffic that come to see the house. When it was our turn, I parked the Texas Ladybug in front. There were several hundred vintage plastic blow mold Santas, snowmen, angels, Snoopy, Kip's Big Boy, The Three Stooges, etc. lit up around the yard along with the original famous Big Tex head from the Texas State Fair on top of the house. What a fun and unusual sight! The Santas were placed next to each other to form a fence around the whole front yard with a sign that read “Lights By Clark W. Griswold the III.” You know the crazy wiring of all the plugs to one light socket? Yep, the wiring looked very similar to the Christmas Vacation movie. <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393980/2c8d4e5fadeb34c4869b6700af71fd9584d0f91f/original/dallas-lights-1.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>We finally made it to a Wal-Mart to camp for the night. FYI: There is an unspoken rule that most Wal-Marts will let you park overnight for one night, especially the larger 24 hour stores. We usually end up shopping for something there anyway. </p>
<p>The next morning, we ate at Dallas' Original Pancake House (open since 1953). The food was tasty and my plate of Huevos Rancheros was incredible. Our waiter told us of the restaurant's history and that he had been going there since he was a kid. Eileen and I were searching for something to do on our last day in Dallas so we headed to King Architectural Metals to buy steel pieces for welding. Eileen is wanting to start welding next year to create yard art for fun and to sell. While she was inside ordering scrolls and metal stars, Maya and I enjoyed playing golf ball fetch at a small picnic area they provided. Maya had a great time as usual. </p>
<p>Since we were in the area, we wanted to pay homage to one of our favorite Texas guitarists, Stevie Ray Vaughan. He is buried at the Vaughan Estate site at Laurel Land Memorial Cemetery. His grave rests in front of his parents' gravesites under a big oak tree. It was a very moving experience as we are die hard SRV fans so we wanted to leave a memento of our visit. We tied Maya's red bandana around the Vaughan Estate marker pole where other fans have done so. Eileen and I took photos and said our blessings to the man and his family. We never thought about coming here before, but are glad we went. Wow. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393980/57c8daf95eed1b50383f3412a7c3c2272a6ed35a/original/sm-srv-grave-1.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393980/5678e216ff4b325e66a0e99c047929d6d783c529/original/sm-srv-house-1.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Upon leaving the site, Eileen Googled again and found an address to the original boyhood home of Stevie Ray and Jimmie Vaughan nearby in Oak Cliff. As we drove toward the destination and turned the corner onto Glenfield Avenue, SRV's Soul to Soul came on the radio!! Wow! It was as if God and Stevie were playing the song just for us. I cranked it up while parked in front of their house and we were mesmerized by what we were seeing and feeling. I told my wife and pointed to what must have been Stevie's bedroom window. It was a small 1,100 square foot <a contents="house " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://candysdirt.com/2018/07/19/stevie-ray-vaughns-childhood-home-in-oak-cliff-already-under-contract/" target="_blank">house </a>with a carport and a covered patio where the music first began. I am sure its present owner must have known that was the boyhood home of one of the greatest guitarist who ever lived. It was a moment we will forever cherish.</p>
<p>After a lunch at Whataburger, we visited the famous Fair Park where the Cotton Bowl football games and the Texas State Fair takes place. It was cold and there were no events happening but we drove among the beautiful art deco buildings and retro sculptures. We even saw the Texas giant ferris wheel from a close distance. Of course, we played golf ball with Maya in a lonely Fair Park field to appease her boredom. Afterward, we spent a couple of hours window shopping at the old downtown Farmer's Market that has been genteel-ized into an uptown shopping center (waiting for night time to see downtown Dallas' Christmas lights before heading back to Houston). Dallas does have a charm and unique quality all its own among Texas cities with a beautiful skyline and lights galore! <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393980/2cb5032aece60f3c7ff88a364ab38cc5b9155704/original/sm-maya-golf-ball-1.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Driving home toward our Houston home, we spent another overnighter at a rest area south of Corsicana. When we awoke it was 24 degrees outside and the grassy fields were frosted over...perfect for Maya to retrieve one more golf ball. We can't wait for our next camping trip to begin. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Texas, Y'all!</p>Calvin Luna Ballitag:calvinballimusic.com,2005:Post/60462192019-06-02T19:00:00-05:002019-12-26T14:30:51-06:00NASA Roots in Quito, Ecuador<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color:null;">Since the 50th anniversary of the first lunar landing is upon us this year, these are my own experiences of where I was at during that incredible time. </span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color:null;">During the early summer of 1964, the Balli family moved from the states to Quito, Ecuador. My father Calvin was enlisted in the Army and was assigned to the US Embassy for the next 3 years. Before our arrival, he briefed my brothers and me on the purpose of our stay, which was to obtain information on Marxist revolutionary Che Guevara. The embassy found us a two story house on the slopes of Pichincha, a nearly 16,000 foot volcano overlooking the city of Quito. From our house we could see Mount Cotopaxi, the highest volcano in the world due to the equatorial bulge of the earth. The scenes of the Andean mountainscape was breathtaking and promised many exploratory adventures for young boys!</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color:null;">My father would let us know when a rocket would be launched from Cape Canaveral so we could anticipate watching the night sky to see the spacecraft (in the form of a tiny bright dot) whiz by the star-filled sky. It was so cool to witness this history since humankind had never seen a feat like space travel before! We would never know what the flight plan would be during these missions but were confident that the tracking station on top of Mount Cotopaxi would communicate with the spaceman in flight.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color:null;">In 1957, before I even knew about space travel and before satellite technologies, NASA and the United States built a tracking station on top of Mount Cotopaxi. It was to be used to monitor the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo spaceships that flew in orbit high overhead. There were also 18 other mini tracking stations used around the world to communicate with Houston's mission control. Many future astronauts would train on the slopes of Cotopaxi learning the skills and strategies for an eventual flight to the moon. Military pilot, Neil Armstrong was one of them.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color:null;">The science of men in space was in its infancy and the United States was desperately trying to keep up with the Soviet Union who was leading the space race with Sputnik and had already placed the first man, Yuri Gagarin, in orbit. On October 3<sup>rd</sup> 1962, Mercury capsule Stigma 7 was launched from Canaveral, Florida. Pilot spaceman, Wally Schirra named his spacecraft using the mathematical symbol for summation as appropriate for an engineering evaluation and the number 7 to refer to the seven original Mercury astronauts. <span style="font-style:normal"><span style="font-weight:normal">Passing over Quito, towards the end of his fifth orbit of six, Schirra was asked by the engineers at the tracking station if he had any message to pass on in Spanish to the people below who were watching. He made some comments on how beautiful Ecuador was from space, ending with a friendly “Buenos Dias, y'all!” Wally noted later that he was mad as hell at this point since he was preparing his dangerous re-entry and didn't want to make any public statements.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><span style="color:null;">Later, In 1966, Neil Armstrong and other astronauts came to visit Quito and I got to see him pass by in a parade motorcade while my father </span><a data-imported="1" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zan0fr8JgbU" target="_blank"><span style="color:null;">filmed</span></a><span style="color:null;"> with his Super 8 movie camera. The streets were lined so heavily with people that the motorcade at times had to slow to a crawl while Neil and famed pilot Dick Gordon shook people's hands. The third man sitting in the car of the film and smiling at me and my dad was the US Ambassador, Wymberley D. Coerr. Later that afternoon I got to see Neil speak at the US Embassy. I was so impressed with this guy not realizing at the time he would be the first man to walk on the moon!!! Ecuador treated him like royalty!</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><span style="color:null;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393980/a7826972d85266222b85069873d97787144d7f26/original/astronaut-parade-2.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MzcxeDI4MCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="280" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="371" /></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><span style="color:null;">The reason for the motorcade was to celebrate the two astronauts and the service they did for NASA and Ecuador. Neil had just made his first spaceflight as command pilot of Gemini 8 in March 1966, becoming NASA's first civilian astronaut to fly in space. During this mission with pilot David Scott, Neil performed the first docking of two spacecraft. The flight was aborted after Armstrong used some of his re-entry control fuel to stabilize a dangerous roll caused by a stuck thruster. During training for Armstrong's second and last spaceflight as commander of Apollo11, he had to eject from the Lunar Landing Research Vehicle moments before it crashed. The film of this event is historical and you can see Neil parachuting down near the burning vehicle. He proved he had the right stuff to become the first man to walk on the moon. </span><a data-imported="1" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4bfwzlt6ms" target="_blank"><span style="color:null;">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4bfwzlt6ms</span></a></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><span style="color:null;">Dick Gordon served as backup pilot for the Gemini 8 flight. In September 1966, he made his first space flight as pilot of Gemini 11. At the time, the flight set an altitude record of 851 miles, which stands as the highest earth orbit ever! Gordon was one of only 24 people to have flown to the moon, as the Command Module pilot of Apollo12. The world over, people loved these spacemen and their crazy flying machines.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color:null;"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="font-weight:normal">It's funny that years later my love for NASA and Neil Armstrong in particular would culminate to a final crescendo...and on a very special moment of my life. Fast forward to July 19, 1969. I was celebrating my 16th birthday while Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins were in the moon's orbit expecting to touchdown soon. I was sure hoping that the Eagle would land on my birthday. It was a hot summer night in Killeen, Texas where I and a few friends had a sleepover during this most famous event in history. We were glued to the TV along with people all over the globe!</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color:null;"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="font-weight:normal">On July 20th, the spaceships separated and pilot Neil Armstrong, with seconds to spare on fuel, landed the Lunar Module on the moon. Even though it wasn't my birthday, this landing was so monumental and historical...one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind. I mean who could write something as profound as that? Neil did!!! He will forever be a most celebrated hero in my life as are Lewis and Clark and Thomas Jefferson. But my father Calvin who gave me the opportunity to experience all these momentous events of my life is my Numero Uno Hero. Thanks dad in heaven.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><span style="color:null;">I can't believe this event is now 50 years old in 2019. It is also fifty years that I have called Houston home and mission control is nearby. Come and visit to see the place for yourself sometime. Look up at the moon and know that American spacemen where there too. Someday soon men and women will be there again.</span></p>Calvin Luna Ballitag:calvinballimusic.com,2005:Post/60462182017-09-26T19:00:00-05:002020-01-27T18:02:13-06:00Army Brat in 1967-1969 Fort Hood, Texas<p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color:null;">(NOTE: In honor of the Ken Burns </span><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.pbs.org/show/vietnam-war/" target="_blank"><span style="color:null;">Vietnam </span></a><span style="color:null;">documentary on PBS,<br>I am writing this story from my own experiences during that time frame.)</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color:null;">I was a teenage army brat living in Fort Hood,Texas, which was at the time the largest Army base in the free world. My family lived there starting in 1967.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color:null;">I was a cool looking dude transplanted from Galveston, Texas who was going through the usual growing up pains so I found ways to grow closer to the world through music, fashion clothing, and girls. I also became involved in the wonderful pop art movement that was going on. Killeen (the city adjacent to Fort Hood) was a pretty cool place for a teenaged Army brat and I have many fond memories.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color:null;">In Killeen there were a lot of things going on. Hollywood movies and movie stars were a gas, the Beatles and Stones were at their peak, the first Killeen McDonalds and <span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">Der Wienerschnitzel opened for business,</span></span> and the GI anti-war movement heated up. For us freaks (longhairs) we used many cool sayings like far out man or keep the faith and we certainly resented plastic people. We spoke about peace and everything groovy, had a positive outlook, and we obeyed the law. Killeen was a happening place and the Oleo Strut provided a venue with a San Francisco-like feel of the late sixties. I was a teen and in the best years of my life.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color:null;">My good friend, Obe Arrevalo ran the projectors at his dad's drive-in theater on the outskirts of town. His dad would lend Obe his Chevy Nova and we would cruise the streets and see all the new movies for free. I would also help thwart the trunk stowaways who tried to sneak into the theater. Another friend was Ricky Luper, who had a brand new Shelby Cobra but mostly we just walked everywhere. We either roamed the street of Rancier or got a ride from a friend. Ricky and I would listen to The Doors, Hendrix, and played our own music in his garage.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color:null;">As a teenager I lived the life of an Army brat so I learned about the privileges and military perks early. We bought what we wanted (such as clothing, watches, etc. at deeply discounted prices) from the Annex or PX. My friends and I would also go on base, borrow guitars, instruments, amps, PA equipment then reserve time in the Army sound studios. We spent a lot of time playing music so I really got better on my guitar. They also had an NCO club on base where we attended teen parties, ate burgers, and played Bingo. What fun we had!</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color:null;">Later, my father bought an off-base two-story house on Lake Belton South near the outskirts of town. He then left my mother and six children to fight a senseless war in Vietnam. My siblings and I went a bit wild during the next 14 months while my dad was away. Over all, we had a blast! (I still cannot imagine what he went through since he did not speak of his experiences. He won a bronze star for saving himself and two other guys from a thrown hand grenade in camp then became a Master Sargent and served with distinction. Earlier in his military career, he fought heroically facing hundreds of Chinese protecting the border of South Korea. He honored the corp.)</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color:null;">In 1968, activism against the war was all around us even in that predominately military town. I couldn't help but get interested and started a band surrounded by friends who had similar anti-war values. Ricky Luper, Obe Arrevalo, Chris Price, Henry Irrizari, and Alex Gonzales, and I would perform rock songs at local Killeen parks, Lake Stillhouse Hollow, and at various friends' homes. Chris would always get huge kudos for playing his Farfisa organ on<span style="font-style:normal"> Light My Fire </span>just like The Doors' record.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color:null;">The hippie movement was in full force so I learned how to sew bell bottom pants from my grandmother who would treadle her feet up and down to the rhythm of the sewing needle. I was a Modnik, had a flare for anything British, and was styled up for the teen club scene.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color:null;">At 15 years old, I met my first girlfriend in a Killeen High School art class. Initially, our similar artistic ambitions brought us together but we had a lot in common. The Who was our favorite band, our fathers had just left for Vietnam, I played guitar and first started writing my songs, she painted beautiful art, and took wonderful photos...we were both ripe for experience in the culture of the day. Our mothers did their best to keep us in line while our dads were fighting in the jungles far away.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color:null;">Our high school had a pretty good football team so Janie and I would go to all the games and hold hands. Occasionally, I would get a nice kiss. Yong Ye was the football player to watch since he had a blackbelt and was popular. At times, our art class would get to develop film in the darkroom so Janie and I could sneak in some together time. My lady friend was really sweet on the eyes and her eagerness for working with film was enticing.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color:null;">1969 was the year I first experienced pot. Janie and I were staying the summer together in downtown Killeen at our friends' house (Tom and Charlotte) when she came to me with a lid one day. I was a bit shocked to see her pull a bag out of her purse and I resisted at first but gave in to the pernicious weed. My first high was in our hosts living room with two other couples. We had a blast spinning LPs, laughing, and talking. We spent a lot of that beautiful summer in that house wearing flowers in our hair, skinny dipping at Lake Stillhouse Hollow, seeking the infamous Goatman, picking up horny toads and tarantulas, making music, watching man land on the moon, and smooching. It was my Summer of Love!</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color:null;">The GI movement against the Vietnam war was in full mode. There was a lot of anti-war activity going on and people were voicing their opinions. One of America's most important coffeehouses was the Oleo Strut since it was the place to go for political activists. It came about as a printing press for the<span style="font-style:normal"> Vietnam GI</span>, an underground newspaper that was written by GIs about daily reports coming out of Saigon. American soldiers from around the world would gather for coffee and discuss how they could help end the war. (</span><a data-imported="1" href="http://sirnosir.com/archives_and_resources/library/articles/guardian_01.html" target="_blank"><span style="color:null;">Read about the Oleo Strut.</span></a><span style="color:null;">)</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color:null;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393980/b6f35eb17c81c911cfe8ac4cfe099d14e6b9c4c3/original/oleo-strut.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MjgyeDE5MCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="190" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="282" /></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color:null;">I would often pick up a copy of the <span style="font-style:normal">Vietnam GI and love</span>d to read the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers and observed pictures and stories of the true news media from the front line. (We did not trust the mainstream news.) I do not remember when I first went to the Oleo Strut but I know Janie and I would go there for the art and music scene. The printing press was always churning out papers and the coffeehouse encouraged artistic expression so we would use our talent by painting anti-war posters and banners. The message was clear...End the War! I was inspired by Peter Max so I drew and painted like him in colored pens.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color:null;">I listened to many eye-opening conversations about the soldiers' personal war involvements. The Oleo Strut was an underground community and the government knew of it well. I saw many citizens and GIs go in to protest and finally made up my mind that I wanted my father back! I loved my dad and didn't want him to come home in a body bag. I too protested and became aware of what much of the real military thought about Vietnam.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color:null;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393980/489dc984481f82944ab74d08911aa52d3d128437/original/vietnam-gi-002.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MjEzeDMyNiJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="326" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="213" /></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color:null;">One day, I caught the buzz that Jane Fonda was coming to Hood...and well fellas, she was Jane...the sexy Barbarella of movie fame! So yes I wanted to see her in person. My friends and I arrived early as the crowd surrounded the Oleo Strut podium. We listened to the anti-war speeches then followed Jane with hundreds of others to walk the loop around downtown. We gave out newsletters and chanted about our cause. It was great to hear the cheers of this peaceful rally. There were no arrests even though the smell of herb filled the air.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color:null;">I want to honor those brave young men who went to Vietnam and those I spoke to at the Oleo Strut. I know some are gone and others are still living to tell their stories (or choosing not to tell them). We fought for a righteous cause and helped spread the message. I was there!!</span></p>Calvin Luna Ballitag:calvinballimusic.com,2005:Post/60462172017-09-12T19:00:00-05:002019-12-26T14:32:13-06:00Adventures in Chaco Canyon<p>I began my trip to Chaco Canyon in the fall of 1986 while working as an illustrator for an oilfield company. I drove my white 1984 Jeep Laredo from Houston to Amarillo, then along Route 66 to Albuquerque. Just before Gallup on Hwy 40 I headed north on Road 371, a partially paved road of about 65 miles. The scenery was a dry desert of canyons and cattle guards. As I slowed down to drive over the rumbling guards, I was reminded of how these cows could live in this hostile country in the first place! Its dry, hot, rocky, and sandy road was a slow-goer with a lot of potholes.</p>
<p align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The primitive site I was driving to has the same mystic lore as Stonehenge in England, Mexico's Teotihuacan, or Peru's Machu Picchu. In northwest New Mexico, the canyon ruins were once a valley of pine trees in the year 850AD. Now the trees are all gone and nothing green growing can be seen here. At its peak population of a thousand Pueblo Anasazi, they lived in an adobe D shaped structure consisting of rock-walled living areas and large ceremonial Kivas. It was the center of trade and rituals in its day. According to the canyon cliff's petroglyphs and Pueblo Bonito itself, the people worshiped the solar and lunar cycles. In 1987, UNESCO proclaimed Chaco Canyon as a <a data-imported="1" href="https://www.nps.gov/chcu/learn/nature/darkskypark.htm" target="_blank">World Heritage site for International Dark Sky Park </a>preservation. There are no city lights for hundreds of square miles and it is a night photographer's and astronomer's paradise. You can experience the night sky as you have never seen it before. <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393980/ee9e973e3929fb37e0f8c499128392fbbab665da/original/pueblo-bonito-aerial1.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTYzeDEyMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="120" style="margin-left: auto; display: block; margin-right: auto;" width="163" /></p>
<p align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">If you arrive, just as the solar solstice is at its peak, you can view the sun rays filtering through a rock crack onto a petroglyph spiral known as a sundagger. (I saw the spiral but was not there during the solstice.) The Anasazi studied the stars and planets so this site attracted ancient astronomers and star worshipers from far off places. Not only did they trade textiles, precious stones, and pottery, they passed on information to Mesa Verde and to other historic sites. During that time the land was fertile and had plenty of water but it became depleted so the people left. Today it is dry with no irrigation.</p>
<p align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393980/302b1b8fa00887ee4002c676fe90d6286577aef6/original/sun-spiral-1.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTYxeDEyMyJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="123" style="margin-left: auto; display: block; margin-right: auto;" width="161" /></p>
<p align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">After a nearly two hour drive, I eventually arrived to the parking lot near Pueblo Bonito. The going was slow and the scenery wasn't much to look at until I finally saw the cliffs that protect the pueblo city of yesteryear. After a brief lunch of a prepared sandwich, I was in awe and couldn't wait to walk around this ancient place. I took a solo walking tour of the many rooms and sat among Kivas in almost a meditation-like mood. I was thinking how it must have been for these people to store grains, prepare food, and to communicate with their neighbors in this commune-like atmosphere and could still see the blackened walls where cooking stoves were located. I spent several hours in and around Pueblo Bonito and experienced an ancient education. I then walked back to my Jeep to get my backpack with food and camping gear.</p>
<p align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">In 1986, Pueblo Bonito did not have a visitor's center but the front Chaco Canyon entrance gate was locked at dusk (miles away). So I camped where I wanted without the park rangers knowing of my whereabouts. I headed past Pueblo Bonito and followed a walking trail where I saw others go earlier. I reached a point where I could climb timeworn cliff steps then blazed my own trail. The cliff rose to about 80 feet high and ran along the side of the pueblo's walls and chambers. (In recent times that cliff's precarious leaning rock wall caved in and destroyed some of the back walls and rooms. The park cleaned up the mess and they found many artifacts that were hidden and now reside at the Smithsonian in Washington D.C.)</p>
<p align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">About halfway up, I took a tobacco break on a ledge. I was probably the last person in the park and could see my Jeep sitting by itself in the parking lot. I was in heaven! I experienced that ancient site like an old medicine man! The smoke was working and I felt like Indiana Jones in the Temple of the Anasazi. As I looked around me, my senses were very keen and I saw something very strange poking out of the sandstone cliff. I got up and bent down for a better look. It was a molcajete still embedded in its hiding place for centuries!! I couldn't believe my luck on finding this artifact. I got a knife out of my backpack and slowly chiseled it out of its hold in the cliff. I slowly removed the find and cleaned it up. The bowl still had an ear of corn marking on the grinding surface where a woman used it to make her masa. (Was there an ear of corn left to embed its shape through wind, sun, and time?) I also found the grinding stone. I was so excited and searched all over for other treasures but didn't find anything else. I then wrapped a towel around my find and placed it in my backpack.</p>
<p align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I finally made it to the cliff top as the sun went down then walked to a place almost directly above Pueblo Bonito. I sat on a large ceremonial rock at the cliff's edge and made my camp nearby. After pitching my tent and making a small fire, I ate dinner then took off all my clothes. I proceeded to smoke and mediate on that rock where generations of medicine men and Anasazi people must have sat before me. For hours, I danced around my campfire and communed with ancient spirits. It was such a sacred place to glance down to the valley below and to the bright stars above. I was high on life! This was such an incredible experience and one I hold so dear to my heart. New Mexico is definitely a land of enchantment. I eventually wound down and crawled into my tent.</p>
<p align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The next morning, I drove to the other side of Pueblo Bonito canyon and saw petroglyphs and other ruins, but none of that mattered to me anymore since I had already experienced something precious I would never witness again. I left Chaco Canyon and now in 2017, I want to return and show my beloved Eileen the awesome park and look up into the black starry sky! Pueblo Bonito should be on your bucket list and maybe, just maybe, you can find an artifact like mine. Today you would need to report a find like that and you will never be able to take it home. I was lucky and couldn't resist. I proudly displayed that molcajete for years with my other odd curios, but someone stole it from my home. I was upset for years but got over it.</p>
<p align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Please stay tuned for other stories of a lifetime of wonderful experiences.</p>
<p align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Peace friend.</p>Calvin Luna Ballitag:calvinballimusic.com,2005:Post/60462162017-09-06T19:00:00-05:002019-12-26T14:32:38-06:00Hunting Inca Dove in the Andes<p align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">As an army brat in 1966, my father gave my brother and me the opportunity to use his 22 Remington rifle and shotguns. He bought them from a friend and my dad would show us how to use them safely.</p>
<p align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">We lived on the slopes of Pichincha, which has an elevation of nearly 10,000 feet above Quito, the capital of Ecuador. Our house sat very near an earthquake crack that skirts down the volcano called a cabrada where we would explore. My father would often take us boys into the Eucalyptus forest across our street to hunt small animals and to practice using the firearms. So my older brother, Arthur and I became very experienced in using my dad's guns.</p>
<p align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I remember once when I first used his shotgun, my father braced it onto my shoulder and carefully showed me how to squeeze the trigger. I did and the force knocked me down and the recoil really scared me. It was a loaded double barrel, and as I fell backwards I unintentionally aimed the gun right at my dad with my finger on the trigger!!! He quickly yelled at me not to pull the trigger and to point it away from him. We both were very scared!!! Eventually, I received further training and could use the shotgun confidently, but I loved using his 22 rifle better. The smell of gunpowder was very pleasant to me and I can still smell that pungent aroma...heavenly.</p>
<p align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">My father loved dove hunting and on three occasions he took us to the slopes of Cayambe, a nearly 19,000 foot volcano on the bulge of the Equator. It was a favorite site for hunting the beautiful Inca Dove. We walked the slopes of this majestic Andean mountain in pursuit of these juicy birds. On the equator, the snowline is very high at nearly 16,000 feet but the hilly terrain below have high pampas-like grass that hid these elusive birds. We occasionally got a peek of the seemingly close by snow capped peak as the misty cloud cover lifted now and then.</p>
<p align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393980/cd4dc7dd105d51570c72610121f4e8ab6abeabae/original/inca-dove-1.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTg5eDEzOCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="138" style="margin-left: auto; display: block; margin-right: auto;" width="189" /></p>
<p align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">On this hunting trip, my dad's military buddies brought their hunting dogs who would walk along the grasses and flush out the doves. I shot ten as did my brother, the dogs would bring them back, then we would put them in our hunting vests. That day we brought home around fifty birds.</p>
<p align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The beauty of the mountains, the dove song, and having such a wonderful father who really cared that his sons should have the opportunity to see the world made this hunting experience a wonderful adventure to remember. I really miss my dad.</p>
<p align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">This is only one of the beloved memories of my dad and I will share more with you soon.</p>Calvin Luna Ballitag:calvinballimusic.com,2005:Post/60462152016-11-18T18:00:00-06:002019-12-26T14:32:56-06:00Busted at Andrews Airforce Base<p>Of all the experiences that I have gone through in my life, this story I am about to tell is perhaps my most daring, certainly my most foolish. Now that I am retired, I have been waiting for the day when I could share this extraordinary event to my fans and friends.</p>
<p>In the last part of the eighties, I took a work assignment from a local Mexican construction firm in Houston, Texas and was hired to manage the inventory of hardware such as nails, power equipment, braces, etc. out of a trailer in Annapolis, Maryland. Also, since I was a board draftsman, I was familiar with drafting and reading blueprints and schematics.</p>
<p>In the early summer of 1988, I left to Maryland as part of a start up crew in a Ford F250. The owner of the company rented a nice apartment for us where I bunked in with four other individuals. We joked around and really had a great time together. The guys also helped me improve my Spanish and I helped them learn English. They also taught me about construction.</p>
<p>On the first day of the job, the slabs for a retirement facility were already set and I helped my friend Roy pop down the chalk lines of the walls that were soon to be built, which took a week to do. As the days went on, all the crews started coming in. The forklift operator brought in the two by fours and roofing materials and placed them near the area where the walls were going up. I would watch all the activity as I doled out the nails and kept an inventory spreadsheet on a brand new IBM computer. After the walls came the sheetrock.</p>
<p>There was so much energy around the building project and I became friends with everyone. We worked from sun up to sun down and were all exhausted by the time we got back to the apartment. I watched my friends from south of the border cook some interesting food, which did not all appeal to me. I often chose a hamburger from Hardees and the local fast food places instead. After work, I would go to the Annapolis wharf and check out the sites. I love history and there was so much of it around me in that historical area.</p>
<p> One morning, while driving the guys to work, we passed a roadkill deer when one of them suggested that we pick up the carcass for a meal. Fresh meat! After work (twelve hours later), they insisted that I stop by the deer then they proceeded to tie it to the trunk since in Mexico, they were used to taking any opportunity to obtain free meat. We drove back to the apartment. In the parking lot, they skinned the deer then cut off choice pieces of meat. They boiled it but the stinky odor was very strong so I napped outside on the patio. One of the guys woke me up to a plate of tortillas, potatoes, and meat. I took one bite and wanted to puke! YUCK!! In turn, they each took a bite from their own plates then ended up throwing the putrid mess away.</p>
<p>Soon, we were constructing the third level and I began assisting the roofers by bringing them 4x8 foot sheets of plywood on my shoulder and back. I would literally run on top of the high trusses that were spread several feet apart and give them to a guy with the nail gun. I was in the best shape of my life! But there was much danger too. If I fell, I would probably have died or broken many bones. Thankfully, I have always had good sense of balance and dexterity even from childhood.</p>
<p>The construction site was huge consisting of about 800 units. Midway through the project, a buddy and I drove back to Houston to pick up more supplies and my car. I had a Pontiac Ventura with a honeycomb grill. (I really loved that car!) I also offered a job to my brother DJ and returned with a supply of a most wonderful herb from Oaxaca for the crew. Because I was the only guy who had a car, I would often take the guys on excursions.</p>
<p>On our trip back to Maryland, my buddy, DJ and I went through Mississippi and passed a KKK bus filled with members of the clan in their finest cloth gowns headed for a meeting somewhere. We sunk real low in our seats as we passed by because, I guess, of all the nervousness and the thought of the clan getting a hold of us and stringing us up from a hangman's tree. We were scared shitless!! I sped onward to get away from them and less than a mile ahead, I had a blowout! I pulled my car to the road side and quickly maneuvered behind some tall bushes. We got out of the car and were ready to run if necessary when they passed by. We sure were relieved when they didn't see us. Afterward, we fixed the flat and continued on to Maryland.</p>
<p>The weeks went by and on Sundays, I would drive some of the guys a few miles away to Washington D.C. where we would explore the Smithsonian, the National Zoo, view the monuments and points of interest. We must have gone to D.C. six different times and still did not see all the museums since there was so much there! On other weekends, I would drive to Baltimore or visit Mount Vernon.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393980/06bb786d8bfedda222af4ac506a2f1a6202b48e3/original/calvin-at-dc-001.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MjI5eDE1MCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="150" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="229" /></p>
<p>As the end our assignment approached, I drove in to D.C. by myself. I passed Andrews Air Force base and couldn't help but stop and take some pictures. At the time, I had a 1970 Nikon F camera with Nikkor telephoto lenses. It was a beauty of a camera and was big, bulky and could be taken apart at the push of several buttons.</p>
<p>I pulled over and drove next to a hanger and parking lot never noticing a no trespassing sign that was posted there. I proceeded to walk onto the tarmac. Before me stood these huge B1 Bombers and fighter jets. I was in awe! I crouched down taking my pictures when suddenly I saw two soldiers with machine guns and German Shepherd dogs running toward me. I froze. They grabbed me and asked me what the hell I was doing and told me that I was trespassing. They then escorted me into a building and I was interrogated for four hours by the FBI, Secret Service, CIA and others. I felt so stupid. They took my camera away from me and developed the film. I told each and everyone of the men that what I did was the dumbest thing that I have ever done and that I was not a spy!</p>
<p>The feds went through my entire history and called my father, who was a retired lifetime military officer. Since I was embarrassed about the whole predicament, I implored them not to call my dad but they did anyway. He told them that I was foolish and that no, I was not a spy, just an IDIOT. I really didn't realize how serious my situation was. A little later, they escorted me to my car in the parking lot. They already went through my car but one of the officers asked me to reach under the driver's seat and pull out a bag. Uh Oh! I pulled out a plastic baggie and open it up for them to see. Inside, I had stashed two ounces of herb from Oaxaca. It was the most beautiful sinsemilla that you have ever seen...way before today's hydro. Now I was in deep shit!</p>
<p>They immediately took me back inside the interrogation room to drill me about the baggie. If prosecuted, I would have been going to a federal penitentiary in Bugtussle, Mississippi (or somewhere worse) then throw away the key. I really felt ashamed. They finally let me go but said I must return to face a judge to decide my fate.</p>
<p>I returned to work the next day then soon finished the construction job. I returned home to Houston and faced my father. He wasn't very proud of me but he forgave me. I soon returned to Washington D.C. to face trial where a judge read me a long passage then slapped me with a misdemeanor sentence and a year of probation for trespassing. He never did mention the pot! Apparently, the three soldiers who took me to my car split the herb and never reported it!! I was a free man.</p>
<p>I know, some of you who are reading this today are thinking, that this story can't be true but it did happen long ago. I am now older and wiser and have waited for the right time and place to tell my story (especially since the country's marijuana laws are changing). I am no criminal...crazy maybe, stupid yes... but I never hurt anyone but myself. In the end, the feds let me go and told me to never set foot on Andrews Air Force base again. I haven't and never will! Boy did I learn a good lesson there and then.</p>
<p>In reflection, I know I was wrong. I thought that I was invincible and impervious to the law. I have always taken chances good and bad but they are a part of my history and memories. I saw those wonderful B1 bombers and huge fighter jets of the Reagan era and later found out that President Gorbachev was in town to meet with President Reagan...and I photographed his Russian jet!! The authorities never gave my film back but I did have some cool pictures of those incredible planes at Andrews. Now take heed that when you visit a government area and they post a no trespassing sign, I would advise you to not enter. It is not worth it. They had me against a wall taking my picture from every angle and for a split second they could have bashed my brains out with their rifles. I was really scared that day!!! Stupid too. I think the worst part of this incident was facing my father since I let him down. We all make mistakes though...forgive me Dad.</p>
<p>Thanks for reading my true story. I can't wait to share my next amazing story with my fans and friends. Until then, keep the faith and stay out of trouble.</p>
<p>Cal</p>Calvin Luna Ballitag:calvinballimusic.com,2005:Post/60462142016-05-31T19:00:00-05:002019-12-26T14:33:20-06:00Guitar Gods' Demise -- The End of an Era: The First Rock Stars<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-weight:normal">As a baby boomer, I have been blessed to experience the initial sounds of the first wave of rock and rollers. I was there when Ray Charles and Elvis began their journey to the land of great music. Decca, Polydor, EMI, Chess Records, Stax and others were recording the jazz greats an</span>d guitar gods.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">In my childhood homes, my father played a variety of records from all the great country guitar players to the soul of Memphis. It was like magic to my ears and my dad loved them all! Buddy Holly's ballads, Little Richard's high pitched screams, and Chuck Berry's jingles were leading the way to a new sound on the music scene.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I began my own musical sojourn one night in 1961 when Elvis came for a brief stay at a Bremerhaven, Germany hotel my father was managing while in the US Army. (How cool is that?!) We lived close by when I was just a seven year old kid, when my father directed my two brothers and me to watch four Liverpudlian lads on a local television station. The Beatles were playing live nearby at the <a data-imported="1" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaiserkeller" target="_blank">Kaiserkeller</a> in Hamburg. We kids watched as early rock and roll alchemy was being formed right before our eyes!</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">During those heady times, I was being influenced by the now called legends and the sounds of that era. I chewed on the sinews of famous melodies, the masterpieces and remarkable sounds that now surpass the test of time. We all have our favorites that periodically invade our radios, phones, and our dreams.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Lately, I have become concerned because as I grow older many of my musical influences are dying off. I am 64 and really missing the good old days of listening for our favorite songs on the radio and inviting friends over for an old-fashioned album listening party (complete with high fidelity pops and hisses). We were all much younger when I became aware that all the great recording technology was in its infancy. All the great musicians were creating and writing the how-to manuals of rock and roll.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">One by one and than there's none...</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I am missing those times when my ears were tuned in. We didn't have a cell phone or computers but we bought Fenders and Marshalls to emulate our heroes along with all the mesmerizing foot switches and pedals to dance on. My father bought a Teac recorder and would often create personal compilations of his record collection to listen to. He loved salsa music so we would listen to Tito Puenta and Xavier Chugat and would often dance with him and mom in the livingroom when he spun those beloved tunes. At other times, I would hear Frank Sinatra, Duke Ellington, and Miles Davis soaking the airways as they pioneered through my early years.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">As I grew, my own tastes and musicianship evolved as well. Along with the Beatles and the sixties, I learned from geniuses like Bob Dylan, the Stones, Eric Burdon and the Animals, Eric Clapton, Rick Derringer, Dave Clark Five, The Kinks, Glen Campbell, and even good ole Johnny Cash. There were so many favorites that I could fill a book with their names and influencing compositions. The greatest baby boomers are leaving us one by one so I want to say to all of you who are still living, thank you for leaving your legacy in fine recordings for the future to enjoy.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393980/70ad97d644c3c2ed21f9460b374f591ed97e7a22/original/cal-before-after-2.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MzA5eDE3NCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="174" width="309" /></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">As seasoned musicians, we don't play live music very much anymore, but play the recordings we will always do. Many of us are always grateful for that past time and every present moment we have when we play our guitar or instrument of choice. Contemplating on the phenomenal time frame we came from, we realize now that we led the way and preserved real rock and roll for eternal times.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I have hope for the future in music and know that future generations will eventually go back to the original template that was created in the golden era of true rock and roll, thus adding their names to history.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Them days...</p>Calvin Luna Ballitag:calvinballimusic.com,2005:Post/60462132016-01-28T18:00:00-06:002019-12-26T14:34:04-06:00New Orleans Memories<p lang="en" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Mardi Gras season is once again upon us so I would like to share a few memories of New Orleans as I remember them.</p>
<p lang="en" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I live in the south, which some consider the middle of the country, so I only have a six hour drive by car to New Orleans. The place is happening and is the very best party you can ever join in just about any time of the year. I have been going there for years and each time is memorable.</p>
<p lang="en" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">A couple of years ago, I took my wife Eileen and her mother Barbara for The Big Easy's new years eve celebrations. We didn't know what to expect so we started walking down Bourbon Street to the laughs and sounds of hundreds of people in the streets. We went with the flow and grabbed at doubloons and colored necklaces thrown around by happy people. To our delight, we stumble onto a one person act where a man was sitting in a box with his baby face sticking out in a crib like contraption but when you really looked at him...he appeared to be a baby with a man-sized head and a cigarette in his mouth! Mama told him that it's bad for babies to smoke and he kept up the rapport and told her, "I'm sorry, Mama," and put out the cigarette. So funny!</p>
<p lang="en" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393980/36381ca904441ea936d9cfcd548344c16da1ae3b/original/nola-mama-and-baby-1.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTc5eDI0MiJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="242" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="179" /></p>
<p lang="en" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I was sporting two beautiful redheads and they were looking mighty sweet in their exotic attire and colorful feather boas. I couldn't keep the fellas off of them! We all were dancing in the street and had so much fun and laughter. My then 67 year old mother-in-law was asked by several younger guys to dance (which she loves to do and can out-dance anyone I know) but they couldn't keep up with her! At one time two fellas were trying to cart her off with them but we reined her in and kept a bit closer together through the Bourbon Street craziness.</p>
<p lang="en" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">We continued making our way through the French Quarter and were dazzled at all the music and excitement. There were cat calls from above us for the girls to show off their boobs for doubloons. We did not comply but received our fair share of necklaces just the same. We would hear incredible musicians, watch fascinating magic and street acts, see painters create mini masterpieces, and my two happy campers had huge smiles and their laughter was heard all the way to Big Bend in West Texas.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393980/93fdddefe9d80d28d3c64a4becc181065822a70f/original/nola-cal-mama-and-eileen-1.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTUxeDI4NyJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="287" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="151" /></p>
<p lang="en" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">We made time to pop into Harrah's French Quarter casino. I have never seen anything like it! I've never been to Vegas and gambling in Texas is illegal so I never got to go. We walked through a Roman like Parthenon and were put at ease with a humming mantra of slot machines. They also had a rotunda honoring New Orleans jazz greats as well. After losing a few bucks, the smoke filled air got to us so we departed and visited the art galleries along Decatur Street.</p>
<p lang="en" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Eileen was in her element with her camera and we waited patiently for every shot. You can't rush art.</p>
<p lang="en" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Later, we became hungry so we waited in line for some fine Cajun food at The Gumbo Shop on St. Peter Street behind Jackson Square. They make a praline sundae dessert that is to die for. It's basically vanilla ice cream with a pecan and coffee infused caramel sauce drizzled on top. My wife almost licked the bowl!</p>
<p lang="en" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">After a wonderful culinary experience, we headed to the Mississippi River to partake in a magical New Orleans style midnight! The sky lit up with bombs in the air during an awesome fireworks show while zydeco music played all around us. It was kind of weird to look up at the Jax Logo on top of Jackson Square's building. Displayed on top was the ugliest baby statue since Chucky. I don't get it. They have this giant baby with a new year's banner with a horrendous face. Apparently, the Crescent City has been using it for years. Anyway, we hugged and kissed at the stroke of midnight and held onto each other for warmth.</p>
<p lang="en" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">It was all a great adventure for me and my two lovely ladies.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="en">TIP: We stayed in a Motel 6 at </span>4200 Old Gentilly Road <span lang="en">outside of the French Quarter that was under ninety dollars for three. It was roomier and nicer than we expected!</span></p>
<p lang="en" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"> --------------------------</p>
<p lang="en" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I have many memories of New Orleans since the 1970s and I would like to share a few highlights. I consider it the party capital of the United States. The Big Easy should be on your bucket list of places to see.</p>
<p lang="en" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">-- One time, I woke up with my face in the urine scented mud after a crazy Bourbon Street night on vermin infested Pirate's Alley. My friends and I had an all-nighter of drinking and fun. It was horrible! I must have passed out.</p>
<p lang="en" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">-- When hunger hit in the French Quarter, our go to meal was the Taki-Outi with their delicious chicken strip on a stick (or sausage or turkey).</p>
<p lang="en" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">-- We ate breakfast at the old Magnolia Bar and Grill on Decatur Street (now called <a data-imported="1" href="http://www.bellesdinerneworleans.com/" target="_blank">Belle's Diner</a>). The cooks wore ties with their white shirts and made you feel so special with their charm. Their breakfast of pancakes, bacon, eggs and coffee was so good but really it was the ambiance of the place that had a distinguished feel about it. Eating there was a celebration and man those cats could sing!</p>
<p lang="en" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">-- Riding the historic trolley cars throughout New Orleans' Garden District was an experience from a past era. The trolley would drive by many beautiful mansions and one of a kind shops so you could really get a feel of how it was a hundred years ago. Everything is so old and you just have to stop to take pictures. I love to talk with the locals to strike up a conversation. It's fun!</p>
<p lang="en" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">-- The big cemeteries are one of The Big Easy's treasures! It's crazy but there is wonderful carved art everywhere in these old, historic places. The above ground tombs are so old that they contain the disintegrated bones of several family members and maybe even a fresh body. Eerie...but cool!</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393980/2fa2b6b6fb4ef7209b68ac1f42abdbc42a7d19c6/original/nola-tombs-1.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MjI4eDE4OSJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="189" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="228" /></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="en">-- In the 1970s, I took my sister Barbara, my cousin Tina, her friend Rosa, and a slew of other friends to Mardi Gras. We hooked up with my dear friend Jeanette in Gonzales, Louisiana who was the perfect hostess since she was from Louisiana and was big on history. Jeanette took us to the local cotton plantations and beautiful vistas of the Mississippi River. I especially loved how the moss hung to the old cypress trees. Jeanette also cooked up a fine meal of shrimp gumbo, jambalaya with Cajun rice, and pecan pie. We were in a soul kitchen in the heart of Delta country. Thanks Jeanette!!! Afterward, we all headed to New Orleans and had a ball eating, drinking, and having fun with the hundreds of others crowded on the streets. We picked a spot to watch the parade floats go by sponsored by their respective s</span>ororities. There were b<span lang="en">alloons in the air and doubloons flying everywhere! All you had to do was wait a moment and a necklace would hit you. You could also throw them back to other people since you had so many. It was so much fun! The highlight of that trip was watching this creepy Chester the Molester pervert open up his trenchcoat and rub himself on unsuspecting people. I saw him first then told a couple of my male friends to watch this guy in action. We laughed and laughed as he went along the hundreds of people who were watching the parade. As the girls would reach up to grab a thrown necklace, ol' Chester would mosey on over and hump the unsuspecting girl. He must have been caught a million times but he still did it. So I warned my sister and the girls to watchout. When he came to us, I can't remember who confronted him with a hard elbow, he backed off and fell backwards painfully on the ground exposing himself to all of us. All the girls wanted to kick his ass, but us guys laughed so hard.</span></p>
<p lang="en" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">-- It was Fat Tuesday, the last day of Mardi Gras. My friends and I went to the Superdome to catch a big music concert. As my friend Richard and I were walking around the dome, we walked alongside the entourage of Dr. John the Night Tripper. He had just completed his show and he and his band of gypsies were ready to head into the dressing rooms. Richard and I acted like we were part of his posse and glided right into a big rotunda like waiting area. We sat down and marvelled at all the activity. On the doors of the performing artists of the evening were star shaped signs touting 'Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Dr. John, Jimmie Vaughan and the Fabulous Thunderbirds' and others. We were tickled pink to be there. It was exciting!</p>
<p lang="en" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">-- Last but not least, during the late 1970s, me and my Houston friends went to Mardi Gras to see Saturday Night Live's original cast, The Not Ready for Primetime Players!!! <a data-imported="1" href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0694650/" target="_blank">(SNL Mardi Gras Special)</a> I saw Garrett Morris, Jane Curtin, Gilda Radner, Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, John Belushi and the rest of their team. They filmed their individual skits throughout the French Quarter so as you walked about from Jackson Square to Bourbon Street, you could watch them film their scenes. The best part of that experience was watching John Belushi snatch a beer can out of my friend Richard McKinney's hand, tilt it up to swallow the remains, then slam it to flatten it on his forehead. He then cracked a bull whip to the music from Rawhide when Dan Aykroyd couldn't crack it! Just like in the Blues Brothers movie, we got an early look at John and the bull whip skit. So cool!</p>Calvin Luna Ballitag:calvinballimusic.com,2005:Post/60462122016-01-09T18:00:00-06:002022-05-09T05:55:38-05:00My Mom and the Dallas Cowboys<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color:null;">In 1968, before the Dallas Cowboys became America's football team, they were the professional team for the state of Texas and under the leadership of coach Tom Landry, they were good, really good. Dandy Don Meredith was the quarterback in charge and he got his nose busted several times during games but kept on making touchdowns. Back then, the Cowboys made the playoffs but didn't go very far since they were a mediocre team. In 1969, Roger Staubach was drafted and he brought them to the promised land. Fans were then hooked!</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color:null;">When my father retired from the Army years ago, my family ended up in Fort Hood, Texas then moved to Houston. During the early seventies, we started watching football games on TV and I remember my mother slowly becoming a Dallas fan. How could you not?! Since the Houston Oilers had such dismal plays, Texas needed a winner. So we all (as a family) got hooked on the success of the Dallas Cowboys. They developed Hall of Fame players throughout those years and we got spoiled with the pride of Texas' football darlings. Eventually, my sister and her friends became huge fans along with the guys and my mom. We were all on board.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color:null;">Strangely, my Houston friends hated this team, which I'll never understand. It doesn't matter where the team is from in Texas, my family supports and cheers them on especially when they meet the playoffs. My mother, Maura, feels the same way...cheering for our Texas teams! She is now in a nursing home and is in her last years of life but still gets excited when football season is here. Quarterback Tony Romo is her latest football hero. She loves that man and he can do no wrong in her 83 year old eyes! She also refers to the team as “My” Cowboys with such joy in her face.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color:null;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393980/dd4712d8cf252bd7339887cb29c615f4ae3b1fd9/original/maura-cowboys-002.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MjAzeDI3NiJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="276" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="203" /></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color:null;">I still remember my mom in 1995 when they won their latest Super Bowl Championship. She was sooooooooo happy but she always still yelled at the TV with the rest of the fans when a play was not up to her standards. She would jump up and high five anyone around when the boys scored. Mom's energy and sheer jubilation for the game outshone anyone I know. I've never seen a bigger fan! (The Dallas Cowboys made that time joyful even though she lost her baby boy, Edward, a few months before.) So if you are privileged to meet my mom during football season, you will usually see that her room and bulletin board is covered with Cowboys logos and memorabilia. She has been the matriarch of my family and is one of the oldest Cowboys fans in the world!!!! Unfortunately, she has never seen her team or met a Cowboy in person. I hope she hangs on for many more football seasons to come!</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color:null;">Now, my niece Michelle and her friends are huge fans like mom was. They are leading the crusade by having tailgate parties and seeing the games in person wherever they are playing as often as possible. Thank God for the Dallas Cowboys in helping my family stick together through both fumbles and touchdowns.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color:null;">Love you Mom!</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color:null;">Cal</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color:null;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393980/905a9bf957bcc82f664f5efd6f6517c2421d5954/original/cal-maura-001.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MjE0eDE3NCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="174" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="214" /></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color:null;">NOTE: We are also Houston Texans fans but the letdowns every year are tough. Come on Texans!!</span></p>Calvin Luna Ballitag:calvinballimusic.com,2005:Post/60462112015-12-15T18:00:00-06:002019-12-26T14:34:55-06:00Meeting Randy California<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">In the fall of 1968, my friend Ricky and I were enjoying his birthday gift from his grandmother, a brand new olive green Shelby Cobra. We had Steppenwolf's Born to be Wild blaring from the car's radio as we roared out of Killeen for Waco, Texas. We were two adventurous fifteen year old lads having fun! I remember the look of Ricky's smile and laughter like it was just yesterday. Since he was so young (and may not have had a driver's license), we mainly took the back roads and I even got to drive that hot car.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Ricky and I had a jam band and we would often go to the Fort Hood Army base to rent sound studio time, which was free to military personnel. As an Army brat, I was privileged to obtain this service as well as renting all kinds of musical instruments for free. We would practice in Ricky's garage after school and had fun playing teen club parties.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">We listened to all types of music and learned the chords of popular artists like Steve Miller. Living in the USA had just come out and I really dug the cadence of the song. The pop sound at the time was changing and American musicians were getting more respect since the British Invasion took over the world so creatively. The L.A. based band, Spirit was leading the way with their dramatic and unique artistic flare so when they were going to perform in Waco, Ricky and I had to see them. It was my very first concert!</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393980/a6c8f2e073a0ee45e4d5cfef9b516c8871bc18ef/original/spirit-pic-001.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6Mjc5eDE2NyJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="167" width="279" /></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The show was held at the old convention center and Spirit was there with other bands (which I do not remember). We were the only people in the audience who didn't light up. Seeing my hero, Randy California, sing back up and play his lead guitar put me in a state of pandemonium and a natural high. I was mesmerized by his guitar talent and the quality of his songs. After a instrumental intro, out of the wings came lead singer Jay Ferguson and the music really kicked into high gear when suddenly, he falls off the stage. For a few moments the music stopped then up hobbling and limping onto the stage, Jay began singing. They played three more songs then Jay called it quits since he was too hurt by the fall. Randy stepped up to sing and played his ass off. Wow! I was so impressed with the music these guys were playing...LIVE!! Spirit became my favorite band even today and were influential in my songwriting abilities. I have been listening to Mechanical World, Fresh Garbage, I Got a Line On You, 1984, Mr. Skin...you have the world at your finger tips. I will listen to Randy California's guitar licks 'till I die!</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">In the late seventies, <a data-imported="1" href="http://www.randycaliforniaandspirit.com/biography.html" target="_blank">Spirit</a> played at Liberty Hall in Houston. I got the word out to my circle of friends and about eight of us loaded up into two vehicles. Back then before the internet, you bought concert tickets at the door so you would arrive early for best seating then have your hand stamped so you could go in and out of the venue as you pleased. After we secured our seats, I motioned to my friend Eric Hayes to follow me outside for a smoke. (Eric was a friend who I met early in my travels to Ecuador. During this time, he was in Texas to find a job in Austin as a motorcycle mechanic.) As we were about to light up, out of a back door pops my hero Randy California! He also came out to smoke and asked us about Houston. We must have talked for about ten minutes then Eric passed him some punta rojo from Columbia. Randy then changed the subject to Peru, Ecuador and Columbia. He wanted to visit those countries someday.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393980/99c11f797e70a37cd19bc65d170da1656bcacfae/original/randy-wolfe.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTc5eDIwOSJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="209" width="179" /></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"> Randy was in a happy mood and had a cool Afro. He thanked us for the buzz then walked into the hall. We followed, took our seats, then told our other friends our story who did not believe us at first.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">That night was really special and all of<span style="font-style:normal"><span style="font-weight:normal"> us got a treat with a performance of Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus. I can't think of another American band ever to have such originality and Spirit was the personification of the great seventies bands. It's too bad that great bands break up. At one time, <a data-imported="1" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randy_California" target="_blank">Randy</a></span></span><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="font-weight:normal"> almost formed a band with Jimi Hendrix! They were friends so Jimi gave Randy Wolfe his new last name as 'California'. If you were fortunate to have seen these guys live, you indeed saw the best. Randy California, Ed Cassidy, Mark Andes, John Locke, and Jay Ferguson will live in infamy.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">If Randy California was alive today (he died in 1997), I would like to think that he would remember me and my stories. Just think...I got to meet Randy and had a smoke with him!!!</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Thank you for reading my story. You can read other original tales from my life experiences at <a data-imported="1" href="http://www.calvinballimusic.com" target="_blank">www.calvinballimusic.com</a><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.calvinballimusic.com/">.</a></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Cal</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">NOTE: The attached photo rights belong to their respective owners.</p>Calvin Luna Ballitag:calvinballimusic.com,2005:Post/60461972015-12-06T18:00:00-06:002022-05-31T06:38:19-05:00Spear of the Auca - The Haunting Spear<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I remember when...In the 1950's and 60's, technology was evolving in South America, but not as quickly as in The United States. They were way behind and even getting messages to the remote jungles of the Oriente and all of the Amazon delta took years to do. Pilots of small planes would try to communicate with the indigenous Indians by dropping small bags of food and toys and messages to the awestruck but frightened Natives. These were stories that I had read in National Geographic, Look, and other publications. Even going into the 1970's (and possibly even today), there were certain Indian people of the Ecuadorian jungles who still practiced shrinking heads and cannibalism rituals. The most famous of these are the Aucas and Jivaros.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">In the fifties Jim and Elisabeth Elliott and several of their missionary friends attempted to connect with these people and convert them to Christianity and stop their barbaric and inhumane behaviors. Jim and two of his buddies would fly in a small Cessna and travel in a tight circle, drop a basket on a dime, and opened a line of communication with these headhunters. The Indian would take out the package and would leave a bone or offering to the “bird God from the sky.” Jim would pull the rope back up then return to their post. This went on for several times, but the guys needed to find a place to land nearby and speak with these people and film their native lifestyle. Several attempts were made in the following weeks to find a suitable site and soon they found a strip of smooth sand along a riverbed and landed. The men connected with these people and studied there ways briefly, only to be speared to death. This reverberated around the world and promoted a generation of Christian missionaries to the jungles of the Amazon. Jim's story and the headhunters of the Oriente was made into a movie called “The End of the Spear” which attracted a lot of attention in 2006.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Years later in 1966, I was a 13 year old Army brat in Quito, Ecuador. Near our house on the slopes of an Andean volcano, Pichincha is a playground for the young Indiana Jones kid I was. Eucalyptus forests gave way to tropical highlands and lush jungles. The land of the Jivaros wasn't very far away from our home and my father would keep us kids up to date of the world around us. We had heard the Jim Elliot story and others from my parents and my dad became a collector of Ecuadorean art such as wooden sculptures, wooden frames, paintings, Indian artifacts, ponchos, precious stones, and shrunken heads (which my mother refused to have in the house and he had to return them...Ha). I remember all the cool things he would show me and my brothers.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">My father worked at Quito's U.S. embassy. As an official of the government, we were offered an opportunity to represent Americans abroad. My dad had a cool Buick Electra boated from his home town of Galveston, Texas so we drove around with class. Our Quito house was beautiful with high walls around the estate, which had glass shards to cut anyone who tried to climb over them. (I know that I'm getting away from my story but keep reading...) The U.S. embassy would assign maid service to the American families serving there. Since ours was a large family with five children, we were assigned two maids. Over time, we went through several women but one stayed on throughout our three year stint. Her name was Alicia. She lived in the attached room in the back and would leave Friday afternoons to stay with her missionary husband who had a church in the city.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Alicia's husband was working the Auca and Jivaro territory since he had good relations with the people offering a Christian hand, food, and skills. Often he would collect their relics and Alicia would sell them to my dad. One day she gave my dad a spear made by an Auca warrior and a news clipping of the story behind the weapon. It was made from the hardest wood of the Amazon, was black, and over six feet long. The point tapered into a serrated edge that ran about eight to twelve inches into a smooth shaft. Along the end of the serrated sides was twisted bamboo adorned with colorful feathers of parrots, hummingbirds, and other birds. We also received other interesting items from him including precious stones.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The news clipping of the spear was horrifying!!</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393980/b2fabc968097b161507f8628120287071587b479/original/spear-story-1966-jpg.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDUweDUzMyJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="533" width="450" /></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">During the mid sixties, these famous Aucas and Jivaros were furious enemies. A river separated their lands from each other and one day a group of Jivaro women crossed the river to collect yucca roots and plants to feed their families. A party of Aucas saw them and speared the women to death. Alicia's husband was nearby and came rushing to the scene. He captured a photo of the two women who were speared as they attempted to flee and met death on a canoe. The Aucas got away before they could collect their spears. This picture and story was captured in all the Ecuadorian newspapers. That is how Alicia got the spear and the news article for my dad, which tells the story of how these women died. (This is nearby where Jim Elliott and his friends were speared to death in the late fifties.)</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Have I got your attention? It gets better.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">My family kept that spear for many, many years. It was put on the wall in my dad's garage and was forgotten but later, for some reason, I moved back with my parents and slept in that room where the spear was kept. On two separate occasions, I came to fear that room. While I tried to sleep one night I turned over and laid on my stomach. I heard something and looked around. Suddenly I felt a weight on me. I couldn't breath. An evil spirit was choking me and pinning me to my bed. I could not free myself from this evil. It lasted for around twenty seconds and I could hear an evil voice in my ears that sounded of an old Auca woman laughing and saying something to the effect of “let me go!” I was finally freed and scared out of my mind. I looked up at the spear and suspected that was the reason I had this frightening experience.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Several days later, it happened again! I knew then that the spear was haunted so I told my older brother who was living in Minnesota about the horrifying incidents. He also had the same thing happen to him! I had to rid myself of this evil in our house.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">About a week later, I wrapped the spear in a cloth along with its story (leaving out the evil spirits part) and drove to The Greenspoint Wyndham Hotel (an upscale hotel near Houston). I looked around the underground parking facility and finally came upon a fancy expensive Mercedes Benz. I took the spear and laid it gently near the driver's side then drove away. I was rid of the evil and never heard that bruja (sorceress) voice again. Thank God!</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">In hindsight and thinking about it now, I wish I would have donated the spear to the Fine Arts Museum. It could have been a wonderful addition to their South America exhibit and a cool spooky story. I need to tell you all that the voice was terrifying. I have lived a safe and fortunate life that many may never experience, but I'm here to tell you, there is evil and the devil lives. Jesus is my Savior and will always be the beacon of light that gets me through each day.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Thanks for reading my story! Stay tuned for more true adventures to come!</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Keep the faith,</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Cal</p>Calvin Luna Ballitag:calvinballimusic.com,2005:Post/60462102015-11-19T18:00:00-06:002019-12-26T14:36:44-06:00My Mom's Cooking<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I love my mom. It is for my love of food that I owe her my life. It was she who fed me but most importantly, she introduced me to her vast knowledge of spices, fruits, and vegetables.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The many daily chores I saw my mother accomplish while I was a youngster was memorable since she had attended to six children, one big child (my dad), and herself. Can you imagine the work she had to do? Amazing! That will be another story for later but today I want to reflect on the wonderful foods that she made for her family.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393980/c4b5ba58add097cb0efb6203e8ce267edabb4eff/original/sm-maura-kitchen.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MjUxeDE4MSJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="181" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="251" /></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">My mother, Maura Luna, came from a family of master cooks that had a strong family tradition of Texan and Mexican blends of cooking...some may call it Tex Mex with a Luna twist. My mother learned many recipes from her mother, which were passed down through generations.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">As the wife of an American soldier, Mom was blessed with an opportunity to travel overseas to be with her husband as well as taking her children along. The US government provided perks such as housing and medical care. As my dad worked up the military ranks, they also provided local servants to help out with everyday maintenance such as cooking, cleaning, laundry, and lawn care. My earliest memories of food began when we were stationed in Japan when I was 6 years old in the late 1950s. My mother had a mama-san (a Japanese house mother) who helped take care of us kids and cooked for us. She mostly made noodles and oriental soup variations but my father, who grew up with huevos rancheros (Spanish style eggs) soon put his foot down on the noodle dishes. He thought that she and his new family, even in Japan, should learn my mother's style of cooking.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">It was my mom's flour tortillas that started my food lover's journey that influenced the rest of my life. She learned this simple and cheap skill from her mother and I grew up watching her almost daily make homemade tortillas. On a clean counter top she threw together some flour, salt, lard, and warm water to create a smooth, white dough. She would then pinch off a bit at a time to roll into balls, flatten them out by hand, then use a rolling pin to make perfectly round tortillas. Next, she would cook them on a hot griddle, turning them over to slightly brown both sides, then place them in a cloth layered basket to keep in the heat. Of course, the smell was so heavenly that we hungry kids would sneak a bite until she put a stop to it. There is nothing more wonderful than a hot, homemade tortilla smothered with butter and Mom's love.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393980/0c0ce6fab6cf12039afb0c8e8a40dea9bcfd042a/original/sm-maura-w-kids.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MjEzeDIxOSJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="219" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="213" /></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Mom also made a mean huevos rancheros for breakfast. She would start out by making fresh a pico de gallo that was to die for by grinding garlic and herbs together in a molcajete (a stone bowl or mortar and a pestle to grind spices). In a hot skillet with olive oil, she would toss in fresh cut tomatoes and onions, the ground herb sauce, salt and pepper, then set it aside. Of course, the bacon was ready and waiting by this time and the grease was ready for perfectly fried eggs. My mother knew the exact time to turn over an egg, not too runny but not too hard. (I too follow my mother's example about over easy eggs. It's an art form.) For the children, she made scrambled eggs.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Mom would always have a big bowl of cooked pinto beans in the fridge. On her hot griddle with bacon grease, she added the cold beans to make fresh frijoles refritos (refried beans). Mom would then plate the eggs, bacon, and beans then pour pico de gallo on top. Tortillas were served on the side to sop up the sauce. Breakfast perfection! Huevos rancheros with flour tortillas is still my all time favorite dish. Breakfast at Mi Tierra restaurant in San Antonio is my second favorite.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">My mother was every bit the Betty Crocker mom of the fifties and sixties. She dressed the part, had the in style hair do, and owned the latest kitchen gadgets as well as wearing an apron. Her desire to expose her family to worldly and innovative recipes was fulfilled through cookbooks and the local cooking styles of the countries we were stationed in. Oh yes, she experimented on our stomachs but her tried and true rice with chicken is my second favorite 'Mom' dish. She would make the best Spanish rice by frying the grains first, briefly frying chicken portions, then steaming them all together to perfection. When served with pinto beans and flour tortillas, it tasted soooooo good.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">For breakfast, she made both oatmeal and porridge. We loved her rice atole (Mexican rice pudding) with cinnamon. Almost every night after dinner she would fry up some flour and other ingredients to make tasty bunuelos. With cocoa or coffee, they were a cheap and easy dessert for us kids. One of my favorite desserts was her infamous apple dumplings. She would roll out some dough and stuff each pocket with apple, spices, and sugar juice then top them with cinnamon, butter and raisins before baking. These were a huge hit with my family! We lived for her apple dumplings.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Mom would also make an assortment of cookies, pies (pumpkin, pecan, cherry, and my favorite lemon meringue) and cakes (I especially loved her German chocolate) from scratch but the best part of all her cooking was the love she put into each dish. She really made a great effort to bestow everything she had to give her very best. Not all of it was delicious but I consider it a culinary journey...we all survived. I loved my mother's cooking and have attempted to recreate some of it for my own family.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">NOTE: This story is dedicated to Maura Luna Balli on her 83rd Birthday on November 29<sup>th</sup>. Happy birthday Mom!</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393980/12c5846a3765c9ff05ef65e51f4e1281e2649cd8/original/sm-maura-mug-2.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTc0eDIxNyJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="217" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="174" /></p>Calvin Luna Ballitag:calvinballimusic.com,2005:Post/60462092015-10-21T19:00:00-05:002024-01-29T22:39:45-06:00Plane Crash on the Guadalupe<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">In 1980, my friend Mike Buzzo had a party at his Treasure Island home in Lake McQueeney, Texas where the infamous Guadalupe River winds down from New Braunfels. It also forms a lake near Seguin, home of the giant pecan monument. The area is full of pecan and hardwood trees, rolling hills, and is one of the most picturesque regions of Texas. Treasure Island is occupied by many affluent people who own million dollar estates including senators, lawyers, and legislators. The island is beautiful and the lake water is blue green.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Mike Buzzo's parents bought the land many moons ago before it was all grown up with oppulent homes. His father, Papa Dan, was a highly decorated WWII Prisoner of War and jungle river guide in Ecuador (<a data-imported="1" href="http://obits.dignitymemorial.com/dignity-memorial/obituary.aspx?n=Dan-Buzzo++%22Papa+Dan%22&lc=4411&pid=144356387&mid=4331644" target="_blank">Dan Buzzo's Obituary</a>). Mike's grandma, who lived with them, was one of the original Daughters of the Republic of Texas (<a data-imported="1" href="http://www.drtinfo.org/" target="_blank">www.drtinfo.org</a>). Misfortune happened on the property in the sixties when Mike lost his mother, Peggy, to a snake bite.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The house was huge and was situated near the entrance of the Treasure Island bridge. It had many rooms and a fishing pier. As you can imagine, the house was decorated with many artifacts, souvenirs, and historical findings from around the world. It was a museum and I loved talking to Mike's grandma “MeMa” to hear her stories of early Texas. She even knew about my own Balli family tree and the history of Padre Island (which was founded by my family - <a data-imported="1" href="http://www.balli.org" target="_blank">www.balli.org</a>). She was such a nice lady and tolerated the noise of Mike's many lake side parties.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">One day I asked Michael if I could bring some friends down there for a party and he said sure! So I gathered up my Houston musician friends and we traveled to Lake McQueeney to jam. At the party, some of us went with Mike on a ski boat to watch him do some barefooting. (Years earlier when the Buzzo's lived in Iran, Mike got to entertain the Shah by showing off his barefooting skills.) At the time, Mike was one of Texas' best barefooters and was known throughout the Seguin area. Treasure Island had many champion skiers and Mike was one of the best.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">As the party was going on and many of us were swimming and having a good time, a Cessna airplane flew low over our heads and disappeared over the tree tops. Mike hollered to all of us that his friend Barry made it and would land at the Seguin airport so a couple friends went to the airport to pick him up. Meanwhile, me and my musician buddies entertained the crowd with our loud music and had a blast!</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">About an hour later we took a break and had some good barbeque to take care of our hungry bellies. By then, Barry had arrived and asked if anyone wanted a ride in his airplane. I couldn't believe that no one wanted a ride, so after eating I told him that I would. So I drove him to the airport in my 1977 Toyota Celica. We arrived and prepped the Cessna 150 for take off.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Barry is an airplane mechanic and had borrowed this plane from a friend at Hooks Airport in Tomball, Texas (north of Houston) for the party. We boarded then with a roar of the single engine, we made it into the air. We followed the Guadalupe River toward New Braunfels and zig-zagged our way over the river to the delight of those on their inner tubes and water rafts. From the air you could see the beautiful contours of the Texas Hill Country. It was breathtaking!!!</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">We flew over New Braunfels then turned around to Treasure Island buzzing only a few feet above the river's treetops. When we flew higher, Barry gave me the controls. It was so much fun turning left and then right looking at the river below. Finally, we arrived at the party and roared real low past the party whose outstretched hands pointed to us with delight. We turned the plane around to repeat the action as we lifted into the horizon...only this time, the propeller sputters out. I was still waving to my friends below then turned toward Barry and his eyes are as big as tennis balls! I was thinking that he was pulling a fast one but he yelled to me to look for an opening in the trees, all the while pulling the throttle to restart the engine. I spied a dirt road ahead and motioned to him, “Over there!”</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">During our silence, we were dropping fast and barely made it over the trees. In the distance, we could see a car moving fast towards us kicking up a cloud of dust behind it. The driver saw our predicament, slowed to a stop, then backed up very fast to get out of our way. As we landed on a narrow dirt road, the left wing hit a sign and we spun around to land near a gully with a ten foot drop. I immediately jumped out and kissed the ground giving my thanks to God. I was in a state of shock! I got up and Barry was almost in tears looking at damage to the wing.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">By that time, the car pulled up in a heap of dust then out stepped a big rich older cowboy and his trophy wife. They were driving a huge white 1959 Cadillac with a big Texas longhorn on the grill. He asked if we were OK in his big Lyndon B. Johnson voice and said he saw our crazy landing and knew we were in trouble. As we all inspected the plane, we noticed that about a foot of the left wing was sheared right off and the fuel bladder was exposed!!! The cowboy offered Barry some duct tape and helped to mend the wing. Meanwhile, Barry gleefully hollered as his head was dug in the cowling, “It's a foul plug Cal! Let's take off so I can fly this baby home!” I yelled back to him, “I'm not getting in that plane!” “Awww...c'mon Cal, she'll be OK!” Ol' Tex's trophy wife then told me to hop into the car so they could drive me back to the airport to get my Celica. I accepted, of course!!!</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The group of us maneuvered the plane around for a take off and Barry got the motor running then headed up, barely over the treetops. The kind couple then took me to the airport.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Boy did I have a story to tell my worried friends who were very scared and thought they would see a fire and smoke over the horizon. I told them my unbelievable story and to this day, I never heard from Barry again. I like to think he made it back to Hooks Airport and kept his job. But I guess I will never know.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Thanks for reading my true stories and come back soon for my next one.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Calvin Luna Balli</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">NOTE: I have an all points bulletin out for my old friend, Michael Buzzo. I haven't seen him in over six years and I just want to see my friend again. If anyone hears from or about him, please contact me! I pray that he is alive out there somewhere and he should know how to reach me. I dedicate this story to him since he is one of the most interesting people I have ever met.</p>Calvin Luna Ballitag:calvinballimusic.com,2005:Post/60462082015-02-27T18:00:00-06:002019-12-26T14:37:40-06:00The Ghost Horse Story<p>In 1927, Double Day and Company published a book by cowboy painter Charles M. Russell called <a data-imported="1" href="http://www.amazon.com/Trails-Plowed-Under-Stories-West/dp/0803289618/ref=sr_1_1/190-6042714-3750441?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1425151785&sr=1-1&keywords=trails+plowed+under" target="_blank"><em>Trails Plowed Under, Stories of the Old West</em></a>. His publisher insisted that the world needed to Know the wonderful and often humorous tales Charley loved to tell to his many friends. He became a master storyteller and would often speak to anyone, who would buy him a drink at the local bar, and give vivid accounts of the everyday cowboy.</p>
<p>One of my favorite stories was called <em>The Ghost Horse</em>. It was about the life of a pinto pony named Paint who for five years lived with the Crow Indians running with the buffalo herds. One night a war party from the north led by a fellow named Bad Wound raided the Crow and stole Paint. This Piegan tribe left the Belly River (in Montana) then rode through the night with their prized horses with ten riders. The next morning, the group noticed there was one riderless pony among their herd. Apparently, the warrior who stole paint was shot and dropped somewhere on the ride home.</p>
<p><a data-imported="1" href="http://willettefineart.com/photogallery/gallery13/" target="_blank" title="Crow War Pony-1 by Brady Willette"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393980/e4938e8331649e6ca8ce07ae39d4017f99108c8b/original/crow-war-pony-lg-1.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTQweDIwOCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="208" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="140" /></a></p>
<p>When the Piegan arrived the next morning to their village, Bad Wound felt blood stains on Paint's mane and immediately knew it was bad medicine. So he shot the poor pinto and left him for dead, only to see him arise the next morning feeding with the herds. Bad Wound realized that he had only stunned the horse and he knew it was very strange medicine so traded Paint off. The pony went to several owners before eventually Charley picked him up with a trade. The painter named him Monty and they lived together as best friends for the next 25 years.</p>
<p>In 2011, my wife and I went to Great Falls, Montana to see Charley and Nancy Russell's museum and house on forth street. I was so impressed with the cowboy storyteller that then and there I decided to write a tribute album to this colorful artist. After a wonderful tour of his painting studio, I was browsing the gift shop's counter and bought the above mentioned book for sale. As I read the historical and humorous stories, I laughed a lot and couldn't keep my mind off the wonderment of the old West that no longer exists. Charley's down to earth writing and illustrations made the book tough to put down and I refer to <em>Trails Plowed Under, Stories of the Old West</em> (as well as his other publications) often.</p>
<p>I had to write a song about this colorful true story. In my interpretation, I called the Indian chief War Wound since I knew I couldn't use Charley's words verbatim. I had to create an eerie sound of wind and use ghostly chords with the synthesizer. As I was painting my sound canvas I wanted to give a feel as if Charley was riding Monty from the hills to the plains (also notice the beating of horse hooves throughout the song). As I imagined the fragrance of flowers on the open range, I wanted to convey some of what the painter might have experienced. At the end, the song changes to a sense of the heavenly presence of a ghost horse grazing in the clouds...yes that is my wife at the very end making the sound of Monty. Charley would be proud of bringing his Indian pony story to the 21<sup>st</sup> century and beyond. He truly loved his horse Monty and wanted the world to know that too.</p>
<p>I was inspired to write the instrumentals for <a data-imported="1" href="http://www.calvinballimusic.com/cals_original_songs/s/ghost_horse" target="_blank"><em>Ghost Horse</em></a> a couple of years earlier by the loss of my friends and brother. I knew right away that the ghostly air of the piece was befitting to a memorial song for Monty when it finally came time to put together my Charles M. Russell tribute album. It already had the perfect music and soul I was looking for! As I began to write the lyrics, I was filled with much emotion and knew Charley really loved his horse...as you can tell I sang my heart out. I still cry when I sing this song.</p>
<p>To this day, my wife insists that this is her favorite song that I ever wrote. I have written many songs but I am so proud to have done this. So, for you Charley, I tried to do you justice in making this song yours. I had his spirit and Monty in my mind when I wrote the words...<em>He runs through the hills with the wind in his mane, My pinto, My old friend...</em></p>
<p>Be sure to check out my <em>Ghost Horse</em> lyric video <a data-imported="1" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJHCg1yQ5m8" target="_blank">here</a>.</p>
<p>The pony picture is called <span id="yui_3_5_1_4_1425149980510_815"><em>Crow War Pony–1</em> by Brady Willette. If you would like to see more of his beautiful artwork and photography, please visit his website at <a data-imported="1" href="http://willettefineart.com/" target="_blank">www.willettefineart.com</a></span></p>Calvin Luna Ballitag:calvinballimusic.com,2005:Post/60462072014-10-25T19:00:00-05:002019-12-26T14:38:01-06:00The Search for Quito's Gold<p>When I was a young teenager, my family and I spent three years in Quito, Ecuador. We had a two-story house on the slopes of Mt. Pichincha. My brothers and I would often explore many of the quebradas and would carefully work our way down ancient pathways zig-zagging down into these beautiful tropical cracks of the earth. As a young Indiana Jones like explorer, I would explore these wonderful trails that held colorful birds, insects, and strange tropical animals. On the side walls were many, many caves which we would often explore sometimes only using candles. Being a brave kid, I would crawl into skinny worm like tunnels to see how far they went. From inside, I would collect bats, scorpions, and giant centipedes with no regard to safety since there could have been cave-ins, wild cat attacks, giant spider webs, and deadly stinging insects. I often brought these creatures to show and tell at my school, Cotopaxi Academy, and received good grades and respect from my peers. (See the certificate below.)</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393980/0f88229524b7a72dde415d4a93b2bf5119751644/original/cotopaxi-certificate-1.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MjU2eDIwNSJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="205" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="256" /></p>
<p>The caves ranged in size from about 3 feet in diameter to 2-stories tall. On the man made openings, I marveled at the hand chiseled walls. Others were natural with small streams of clear, cold water running through them. After I left Quito, I read stories about the lost gold of Quito that may have been hidden in these very caves.</p>
<p>Centuries ago when the Spaniards killed King Atahulpa, his general, Ruminahui became ruler of the short lived Incan Empire. On hearing of Atahulpa's death, he gathered the riches of Quito's gold and led a caravan of 600 packed llamas to hide it in secret caves somewhere in Ecuador. People are seeking these famous riches today but I am sure that with the vast number of unexplored caves on Mt. Pichincha, it may be awhile before they find it. If I were there, I would love to explore them again but this time with a flashlight. For those who currently live there, try taking a hike into these wonderful quebradas and keep an eye out for the tell tale sign of sparkling gold.</p>
<p>I have attached a link to the a story about the Incan treasure – Quito's gold. It goes into more detail about the historic events of King Atahulpa and Ruminahui. <a data-imported="1" href="http://lostincagold.com/expeditions/llanganatis-ecuador/" target="_blank">http://lostincagold.com/expeditions/llanganatis-ecuador/</a></p>Calvin Luna Ballitag:calvinballimusic.com,2005:Post/60462062014-10-22T19:00:00-05:002019-12-26T14:39:18-06:00My Day Job – How I Became a Drafter<p>As you know, I am a songwriter / musician but I thought you would enjoy learning a bit about my day job...</p>
<p>When I was a young boy, living in Bremerhaven, Germany, the United States was enjoying a Camelot like love for our president John and Jackie Kennedy. They were a fresh new couple that created a modern approach to the turbulent times the world was going through. All we saw in those days on television were images of the White House and Capitol building. Those two wonderful structures and their architecture sure lit a fire in me that still resonates today. I would see their wonderful staircases and the dome of the capitol building then draw them in detail. My mind would wonder about what other awesome things were inside. I was so enamored by the architecture and my drawings reflected an artistic talent so my mother would encourage me to draw. She would display my artwork on the refrigerator for all to see. I didn't realize then that I was beginning to develop a love for drafting.</p>
<p>Later, at Aldine High School in Houston, Texas, I began taking drafting classes. I learned how to use the slide rule and draw on the big board. I loved using the straight edge and the 30, 45, and 60 degree triangles then began learning about geometry...it came to me so easily. I also loved using the compass with extensions to draw big perfect circles. Back then we would use electric erasers and I had a brush to wipe off the lead shavings from the graphite pencils. Also, we would use a powdered pounce to clean up any smears on our drawings. Pentel pencils came in a variety of thicknesses and I used them all for my line weights. Before beginning, I would carefully study my projects thoroughly so my drawings were diametrically proportional (I still use that concept in every drawing that I create today). My drafting became an art form!</p>
<p>My professional drafting career started in 1979 when I was hired on at Specific Equipment Company as a drafting department helper. I would make copies of sepias and reproduce bluelines on ammonia printers as well as file away drawings in an exact numbered sequence. In my spare time I would use a drafting table and draw, learning the products that the company was creating. Eventually, I began improving my skills by revising and producing actual drawings. My penmanship was almost perfect. I produced skid mounted equipment such as watermakers, bilge pumps, pressure vessels, heat exchangers, helicopter refueling units, and other assorted skids. In my assembly drawings with pen and ink, I excelled in a mastery of Leroy Lettering in which I used 125, 250, and 300 templates. I became so precise that you could not tell the difference if it was typed.</p>
<p>In 1981, I accepted a position with Dril-Quip and became their first drafter. The new owners, Larry Reimert, Mike Walker, and Gary Smith gave me a chance to draw their designs and I began producing machine drawings. Larry gave me his layouts from which I created rough machines and final machines. I absorbed the science and specifications of forges and casings. In the first year, I created the first Quik-Stab and Quik-Release connectors then moved on to the first mudline casing hangers which ranged from 9-5/8” to 30” in size. I also helped create running tools and tie-back tools. As Dril-Quip grew and hired other designers, I helped in drafting their completion tools, templates, and subsea casing hangers. At that time, I was pursuing a Mechanical Engineering degree and attending North Harris County College but Larry Reimert realized my potential as a natural drafter and encouraged me to leave school to work 10 hours a day with his new company. He advised me to accept his offer of on-the-job training – the equivalent of a degree. I worked with them for six straight years and learned so much about engineering concepts and machining practices.</p>
<p>Due to the downturn in the oilfield economy, I then worked contract for Rogers Design, a division of NASA where I created machine drawings for an exercise bike that was used on the Space Shuttles for many years.</p>
<p>My next assignment was with Ross Hill Controls. I drafted skid mounted housing units that supported the controls and instrumentations for power conversion units. On completing my projects there, I moved on to Specific Equipment Company again. This time I created all the fabrication drawings for their ambitious reverse osmosis watermakers. This included the electrical schematics, flow charts, skid with framing, and writing a technical manual.</p>
<p>Shortly after, I took up an assignment to lead a team of drafters to catalog and photograph a new prototype conveyor for Tex-Marc Conveyors. (The inventor built this original model without aide of professional working drawings.) The purpose of the conveyer was to score and fold cardboard boxes into durable pallets to carry extremely heavy loads. I took all the information and helped put together the drawings needed to make a duplicate for sale.</p>
<p>My next assignment was with Smith International. I created drawings in the Dyna Division for horizontal drilling tools and directional drilling. When my duties there ended, I moved on to Drilex and also created horizontal drilling tools and specifically their stators. At the time I was taking AutoCad certification classes at University of Houston and was applying my new skills.</p>
<p>I moved on to Anderson Greenwood and became a checker for a group of designers. We worked on butterfly valves, check valves, and gate valves in Stafford, Texas. I briefly, went back to Dril-Quip then moved on to Hydril where I applied my AutoCad 3D skills on their blow out preventors.</p>
<p>My next assignment was with Mentor Subsea. Using AutoCad I helped draft drawings for their umbilical connections, control systems, and enclosures. I would also monitor the GPS coordinates of topside vessels that serviced umbilicals to wellhead templates on the ocean floor. I would then translate that information in charts and technical information for their marine engineers in the field.</p>
<p>At Oceaneering Intervention, I was tasked to create drawings for their remote operated vehicles (ROV). One of my duties was to design the flood light assembly. At the time, the company provided ROVs to movie director, James Cameron who was set to shoot his blockbuster hit “The Titanic”. On completing that project, I moved on to Tyco International. Using SolidWorks, I would convert their Gimple valve drawings from AutoCad into 3D. They eventually moved their headquarters to Stafford, Texas and was bought by Dresser-Rand then a great new opportunity arose for me.</p>
<p>For the next six years I worked for SeaRiver Maritime (ExxonMobil) where I learned so much about the monitoring and daily operations of huge oil tankers. I was the sole steward of their drafting department and library. I also documented and set up betterment meetings for our technical and operations manager to delegate work required on the vessels. With a marine engineer, I created AutoCad and SolidWorks drawings or revised files to support the maintenance of these vessels. With my knowledge of PhotoShop, I took on the responsibility of creating signage and other materials for fundraisers and promotions. Due to the aging of the SeaRiver fleet, management did not want to invest any more time and money so they sold off the vessels to make room for future asbuilts (new tankers). Unfortunately, my contract ended at that time.</p>
<p>At Pollution Systems, I was given the opportunity to help design thermal oxidizers and scrubbers. These skid mounted systems entailed intricate piping layouts and came in a variety of sizes. Using AutoCad, I interpreted P&IDs into working fabrication drawings which were general arrangements, assemblies, and service drawings. I would also convert these designs into SolidWorks 3D models.</p>
<p>I also worked various short-term contracts drafting digitized palm reading devices, control system enclosures, and power conversion housing units. To keep my SolidWorks skills current, I have daily worked with online tutorials and am currently attending seminars (Houston SolidWorks Users Group – HOUSUG). I have also been researching new technologies such as Vault, EDPM, Excel, Inventor, Adobe Pro, Access, and AutoCad's newest features.</p>
<p>My love for drafting and design has grown throughout the years and is still fascinates me today. I hope to continue expressing visionary employers' dreams with my drafting and engineering experience. If you are in need of a seasoned professional, please contact me at <a data-imported="1" data-link-label="" data-link-type="email" href="mailto:calvinlunaballi@yahoo.com">calvinlunaballi@yahoo.com</a>.</p>Calvin Luna Ballitag:calvinballimusic.com,2005:Post/60462052014-10-09T19:00:00-05:002020-01-27T18:06:59-06:00UFOs in Quito 1966<p>A few years ago, I wrote and recorded a song called <a data-imported="1" href="http://www.calvinballimusic.com/cals_playlist/s/the_others" target="_blank">The Others</a> which was inspired by several firsthand UFO sightings in Quito, Ecuador.</p>
<p>In 1964, at eleven years old, I was an army brat living in Fort Riley, Kansas. My father was training troops and gaining crucial schooling for a mission he would never forget. My brother, Arthur and I had a paper route in the barracks with the sounds of the Beatles, Rolling Stones, and Bob Dylan.</p>
<p>One day my father came home from work and at the dinner table he told us kids that he got orders to go to Quito, Ecuador. After dinner we huddled around my father with a National Geographic map and he began to tell us the story of Quito. After explaining to us the purpose of his mission, he told us about the culture, the Andes on the equator, the Jim and Elizabeth Elliott story, Kon Tiki and Thor Heyerdahl, the Galapagos and The Beagle.</p>
<p>He loved history and we kids sat for hours listening to him tell us stories of our new destination. But we really got excited when he told us about the UFO sightings that were being reported all through the Andes. At the time, NASA was in its heyday and was operating a satellite tracking facility on the slopes of Cotopaxi the highest active volcano in the world. There was a lot of activity going on in Quito and the astronauts would train in the Andes for their mission to the moon (see my video of the astronaut parade at <a data-imported="1" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYspMyj7w6A" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYspMyj7w6A</a>). My father was gaining all kinds of intelligence to prepare for our new destination.</p>
<p>In the summer of 1965 at Hobby Airport in Houston, we boarded a colorful Panagra airline jet to Panama. We stayed there for a month while the army prepared our housing, school, and other pertinent things. All the while the Balli kids got training as well. We were constantly told about etiquette and discipline since we were representing American children and had to be at our best behavior. Our family stayed in Fort Clayton, toured the Panama Canal, and explored the jungles. The Px and Commissary (stores for military personnel) had all the cool stuff a young teen boy could want. After getting all our shots and buying up albums we finally headed for Quito.</p>
<p>We got off our plane and marveled at all the huge mountains!! It was amazing!! Driving up to greet us at the airport was my dad in his Blue 1964 Buick Electra, which was shipped in a week earlier from Galveston, Texas. He was so proud! He drove my mother and 5 children up the ominous slopes of Pichincha to our house nearby which was a fortress with a high brick and wire fence. We had never lived in a house so big and never enjoyed such a wonderful view – Quito was slightly below us with Mount Cotopaxi in the distance. We were less than 12 miles from the equator – on top of the world and the furthest distance from the center of the earth. Inca land.</p>
<p>Soon, we were settled in and after a few months began seeing strange lights at night on the high mountains now and then. It was true, there were UFOs. They would dance around before your very eyes near Mount Rucu. They would appear and disappear through the clouds. I am telling you the truth, in 1965 the US government did not have anything near the acrobatic display we were witnessing. There were treacherous jagged peaks and gale force winds in those mountains. Yet the UFOs could maneuver with ease. One day my mother who was watering her garden in late afternoon came running into the house to alert us kids to come outside quickly. We thought we were going to be hit by an earthquake which we had experienced before. I then ran outside and my mom pointed up to some strange lights on Pichincha that seemed to hover for a long time and then suddenly dart away. It was scary and I could see the fright on my mom's face. The Outer Limits was being shown on Ecuadorian HCJB television and we were frightened in a cool way. I am a devout christian and yet this threw my beliefs into a loop, but as a kid in Quito, I accepted other views of life. We coexisted with these eery sightings while in the Andes. NOTE: The above incident happened during the time of the referenced article below of 1966!!</p>
<p>Another close encounter happened in the early spring of 1967 when my father and a few of his buddies drove me and a group of explorer scouts up the slopes of Pichincha in Land Rovers for a camping trip. We zigzagged our way up to near Rucu where camp was set up. Our group explored the base of the mountain peak and saw wild llamas and wild mustangs that we had seen before. Soon, clouds started to settle in and keeping a fire burning at those high altitudes was a chore, but we had a good one going with the assistance of army ingenuity. My brothers and I and several other scouts were huddled around the campfire eating hotdogs and telling stories as we glanced below to the lights of Quito. The clouds would break occasionally for us to glimpse the avenue of volcanos that filled the panorama. It was all mystifying. We were again blinded by the clouds where sometimes we couldn't see each other less than four feet away then all of a sudden we felt a force fly near us in a gust of wind. Quietly undulating and wispy but without the roar of an engine. It happened again only this time we saw a blinding light. We froze. My father and his two friends looked at each other in utter horror! Immediately, my father gave the orders to break camp then my brother Arthur and another scout came running down to us since they were somewhere above us exploring Rucu, frightened as hell. They yelled, “Did you see that?” Then explained seeing a bright light dance around them with the sound like a UFO on the Outer Limits TV show. We were really scared! While we boarded the Land Rovers, we again saw the strange lights and heard the spine tingling sounds. My father and all of us were then scared shitless and hurriedly retreated down the mountain to be thankful we could live another day.</p>
<p>Shortly thereafter in the early summer of 1967 we left Ecuador. My dad's mission of getting Che Guevara was over. With the help of the USA and the Bolivian army they got Che and thwarted his attempt to overthrow Ecuador for a crazy Fidel Castro and communism. It is what it is. My family moved to Fort Hood, Texas and my father went on to win the Bronze Star, saving a couple of guys from a grenade thrown in his camp in NaTrang, Vietnam.</p>
<p>This article is what stirred my interest in writing my story on UFO sightings in Quito of 1966. See for yourself at <a data-imported="1" href="http://www.ufo-hunters.com/sightings/search/5197887183c78d384ec2d197/UFO%20Sighting%20in%20Quito,%20Pichincha%20%28Ecuador%29%20on%20Monday%2014%20March%201966" target="_blank">http://www.ufo-hunters.com/sightings/search/5197887183c78d384ec2d197/UFO%20Sighting%20in%20Quito,%20Pichincha%20%28Ecuador%29%20on%20Monday%2014%20March%201966</a>. They are here and always have been. But don't take my word for it. Those of you who experienced the same sightings many of us saw in Quito, please tell us your stories. I would love to have you share on my website as well as listen to my song, The Others at <a data-imported="1" href="http://www.calvinballimusic.com" target="_blank">www.calvinballimusic.com</a></p>
<p>Thank you fans for another true life experience in my Storytellin'.</p>Calvin Luna Ballitag:calvinballimusic.com,2005:Post/60462042014-07-04T19:00:00-05:002020-01-27T17:53:08-06:00Who's Playing Bass With Calvin Luna Balli?<p>It was around the spring of 2010 that I first caught wind of a complicated and talented man named Ned Mefford when my wife posted an ad on Craigslist. We were searching for a bass player and other musicians for a band I was forming. Gretchen, his wife, saw the posting and followed up with my wife to get us guys (and other musicians) together one weekend. Ned and I played a few originals, our wives adored each other then became fast friends, and the rest is music history.</p>
<p>If you haven't heard Ned play before, he's an extremely good jazz bassist. Since our first meeting, we have been jamming, recording, and playing a few open mic gigs.</p>
<p>Now I would like to say a few words about my friend, musician and storyteller from some of his own experiences:</p>
<p>Ned was born October 28, 1952 in Henderson, Kentucky and was baptized in 1984. As a child he played flute and became very good at it. During his junior year in high school he excelled in playing his instrument and performed for many years after that. He became a hippie and moved to Oklahoma. In 1973 Ned moved to Seabrook, Texas and worked with a 5<sup>th</sup> generation Sailmaker then soon became a captain and marine navigator logging approximately 28,000 nautical miles. It was around this time that he met drummer/guitarist Dan Turner with similar musical tastes. They hooked up and Ned purchased a Rickenbacker stereo bass. He also purchased a Peavey bass amp with 15” small stack. I know Ned's musical style and I can hear his music now...Awesome!</p>
<p>Ned joined up with some fellow musicians and became a really good band called Surge. They could have been famous on a greater stage had they advertised more. I know, since I heard a Surge CD recorded back then. The band was very polished and jazzy at times with many harmonies. They reminded me of King Krimson, Little Feat and a jazzy Joe Jackson. Unfortunately, they went through a slew of lead guitar players (all with different ideas and attitudes) then as do all great groups they broke up. – I can personally relate to this type of experience since years have gone by and my own past bands, Wizard and Eclipse, broke up. I had an attitude problem and am not very proud of it. We too should have gotten a recording contract and became famous. I guess I never tried hard enough to do so until now.</p>
<p>About a year ago, Ned and I recorded a song that is now on my website called Jake Hoover's Pig. We nailed it on the second take. He couldn't have played bass any better since it was perfect! When I originally laid down the vocal track, I read my interpretation of Charles Marion Russell's story with a few embellishments. I vocalized my storytellin' as if Charlie was telling the account but never did I dream that when I added the music tracks of Ned and me playing, that it fit perfectly to create the mood I was seeking. He is a serious bass player and is the best I have ever played with. I want to thank you my friend for recording with me and for future good times.</p>
<p>You can catch Ned around the Houston area playing with <a contents="Third Coast Swing" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://swinghouston.com/" target="_blank">Third Coast Swing</a> and with a jazzy The Good Luck Trio. He also plays in Texas' famous Kerrville Folk Festival every year and at local open mic nights. Check out this dynamic bass player, singer, songwriter when you can.</p>
<p>You will be hearing some new stuff from us soon since I am working on some cool melodic originals that will feature Ned as lead bassist. I can't wait to start playing live at a venue near you!</p>Calvin Luna Ballitag:calvinballimusic.com,2005:Post/60462032014-06-11T19:00:00-05:002020-01-27T17:50:52-06:00Payne Stewart – My Favorite Golfer<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">In 1966, I first learned how to play golf as a kid at the Quito, Ecuador golf course. I fell in love with the game and have been playing ever since. My late younger brother DJ and I would play every chance we got and he almost surpassed me in skill during our adult lives. My best round was a 74. I barely beat my brother who shot his best at 76. We were good. These days, I don't play very much but practice hitting a ball in my yard and at the local driving range.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The U.S. Open begins this week at the legendary Pinehurst #2 golf course in North Carolina, which is the most difficult in the world. In 1999, Payne Stewart beat Phil Mickelson in a sudden death challenge at this site and he will always be immortalized as he posed with his leg kicked back and his right arm extended while clutching his winning ball. Today, I saw a picture of Payne's daughter posing the same posture as her famous dad who died in a plane crash the year he won. I tear up when I think of what her dad meant to me.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">One Saturday during the 1995 Shell Houston Open, I brought a friend, Keith, to watch the tournament and to possibly obtain Payne Stewart's autograph since he was the Tiger Woods of that time. Payne was a devout christian who brought back into golfing fashion the colorful knickers and tam o'shanter hats of old to the game. He was always a classy guy and not like the arrogant stuffy guys of today's professional tour.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Keith and I were following Payne's group, eager to get an autograph on my favorite golf hat – a baseball cap, which already had at least six other famous signatures of past major winners on it. After hitting a beautiful tee shot down a fairway, he began walking with a bunch of us tailing him when I noticed he was signing my friend's tournament brochure ahead of me. Keith yelled back at me and said “Hurry Cal, he'll sign your hat.” As Payne was still walking he turned around and saw me waving my hat and picked me out of the crowd saying, “Well, do you want me to sign it?” I tore through the crowd and he stopped to autograph my hat. He asked me where to sign it so I told him on the brim. Payne signed it with a beautiful smile and commented on the logo which had The United States of Texas with the lone star at the center. He said “cool hat”, then left to the next hole. He won the tournament the next day.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Payne died on October 25, 1999 in a plane crash which devastated the golf world.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393980/380ae024df393ededc5a3bdac26c1ff8c6ca103f/original/stewartstatue-600x600-1.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTM2eDEzNiJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="136" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="136" /></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I can't think of another professional player that would have stopped in mid-tournament to say those kind words to me...much less sign my hat. So I would like to say to Payne today, Hip Hip Hooray, Hip Hip Hooray, Hip Hip Hooray to my favorite golfer! He is in heaven watching the show this weekend where he made the most important putt of his life. He went to SMU in Dallas but was born in Missouri. We Texans still honor him as one of our own. I personally will never forget him.</p>Calvin Luna Ballitag:calvinballimusic.com,2005:Post/60462022014-05-02T19:00:00-05:002020-01-27T17:50:24-06:00Why Me? A Tribute Album to Charles Marion Russell<p><span style="color:null;"><span style="font-weight:normal"><span style="background:none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent">In the summer of 2010, I was a mechanical designer for SeaRiver Maritime Inc./ExxonMobil in a high-rise building in downtown Houston. I was hired by Operations and Technical Manager, Ron Floyd. We had some pretty important roles such as watching the everyday operations of running huge oil tankers and we became friends. I was just getting back into practicing some of my old songs since I gave up playing guitar for twenty years, but I was inspired to write again. I guess I had to get my butt out there and play to prove my musical abilities to my wife of several years.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color:null;"><span style="background:none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent">I heard about cowboy painter Charles Marion Russell back in 1985 when my roommate at the time, Cazz, had a framed drawing of a cowboy scene on the wall. He said it was an original by C.M. Russell himself. So I began researching this wonderful artist, reading his colorful stories and marveling at his western art. I have been a Lewis and Clark fan drawing on the inspiration of the Corp of Discovery since I was a kid but I found out that fifty years later, young Kid Russell came through to Montana and became a night wrangler. So both of these historic adventures had a purpose, a dream, which became my passion as well. Days would go by and I aspired to write a song about Kid Russell. One day, I poked my head into Ron's office and told him that I was in the process of writing a song about his home state hero. He was so impressed that I had to do it!</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color:null;"><span style="background:none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent">A few years ago, my wife and I took a road trip through the Rockies to Montana. When we arrived in Great Falls we sought out the homestead and Charles Russell Museum. His artwork had been featured in Houston a year earlier so many of his paintings were still out on that tour. It was awesome to visit his actual cabin/art studio and his amazing Indian artifact collection. We were greeted by Richard Mattoon who is the museum's spokesman, greeter, musician. He played a beautiful melody on his Native flute for us after he heard my story about creating a C.M. Russell tribute CD called Storytellin'. I feel that maybe the ghost of Charles has followed me home because I am about to release my album of songs and stories. I have adapted some of his narratives to music with my own interpretations playing all the music and singing all the vocals. I tried to stay true to the spirit of Charlie as possible. Hopefully, by contacting local and Montana TV and radio stations, I will generate some publicity.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color:null;"><span style="background:none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent">I love Charlie Russell's art and he lives in the 21<sup>st</sup> century through me. We have so many similarities: I paint my canvas with sound, he paints his with pigment. My own wife is promoting me like his wife, Nancy Cooper Russell did. I too have a peculiar way of dress and write stories from life experiences as Charlie did.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="background:none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent"><span style="color:null;">Eventually, I would love to be the creative force in a movie soundtrack about the artist...hasn't been done yet. With my fans' help and good contacts, we can do it someday. As far as I know, no one has ever created a musical tribute collection to Kid Russell before so I hope to be the first. Why me? I'm a rocker, not a country and western singer, but listen to my Storytellin' music and let me know what you thin<span style="text-decoration:none">k. </span></span><a data-imported="1" href="http://www.calvinballimusic.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:null;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">www.calvinballimusic.com</span></span></a><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="color:null;"> or </span><a data-imported="1" href="https://www.reverbnation.com/calvinballi" target="_blank"><span style="color:null;">www.reverbnation.com/calvinballi</span></a></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color:null;"> </span></p>
<p><span style="color:null;"><span style="background:none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent">Cal</span></span></p>Calvin Luna Ballitag:calvinballimusic.com,2005:Post/60462002014-03-29T19:00:00-05:002020-01-27T17:49:36-06:00Roll Call and the Roundup<p>I am introducing a narrative and a new song to my C.M. Russell album called Roll Call and The Roundup. Each year, ranchers would gather at the Judith Basin Roundup near Utica, Montana. In 1887, Kid Russell attended this event and was hired on as a nighthawk. During that time, he created two paintings called Breaking Camp and Cowboy Camp During the Roundup. Both portrayals include 25 of his friends who were the best roping, riding and herding cowpunchers in Montana.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393980/d40693d09cbdbe1bfb447e3f9b444e6de476e7bc/original/breaking-camp-001.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MzEweDE2MSJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="161" width="310" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393980/2ba29456a9c424054f1348190b77e2d4b39f45d6/original/round-up-pic-for-blog-3-14.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MzI4eDE1OSJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="159" width="328" /></p>
<p>In Roll Call I am introducing the names of these notable individuals then following are the sounds of cattle, cowboys whistling, then roaring into the cadence of an original danceable tune. It needs some tweaking and some more guitar work but let me know what you think so far since I want my fans to see and hear my recording process. After this, there is only one more song to add the Storytellin' CD. I can't wait to get this show on the road!</p>Calvin Luna Ballitag:calvinballimusic.com,2005:Post/60461982014-03-28T19:00:00-05:002020-01-27T17:48:46-06:00Arthur and Calvin's 1972 Ecuador Trip - Part One<p>Part One</p>
<p>One night in 1972 I was preparing to go to sleep, when my older brother Arthur comes to me and asks, “Do you want to go to Quito with me?” I said, “well sure I do.” The next day we are aboard a Braniff to Ecuador but we had a short delay in Miami where we hired a cab that took us to a fashionable district to buy some new clothes. Man, were we styling in our threads!</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393980/50d5aef0d59bece9ac93af08b01b5f7feeab398d/original/cal-arthur.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MjAyeDE5NiJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="196" width="202" /></p>
<p>When we finally arrived in the Quito airport, people started treating us like rock stars since we had two big suitcases full of the latest albums of the day, a couple of backpacks, and 4 precious guitars. Also, my full black hair was the longest it had ever been (right past my shoulders). In the states, Arthur and I practiced a few original songs and sounded really good together. Boy, I was ambitious in my early 20s. At that time, I was playing guitars three hours a day and writing my own songs and lyrics. Since we acted like rock stars, we played the part by booking a room at Hotel Colon, where we partied all week. Then we checked out Old Town and the Indian markets where we bought some cool Otavalo ponchos of Vicuna (I wore mine every day).</p>
<p>The next morning we took a bus (the collectivo) to our old house, which my family lived in five years earlier during my teenage years, then walked up to the corner of a long circular fence that had glass shards on top for safety. It was cool seeing our old place! We looked around and noticed a few changes but all was basically the same as it had been nearly five years before. As Arthur and I sat on a curb across the street to marvel at this wonderful house of memories, a woman came running out of the house shouting “My boys! My boys!”</p>
<p>The older woman approached us with open arms then asked about our mom's well-being. Just then we recognized her as the owner of a small store where Arthur and I had an account for snacks and other items. <span style="font-weight:normal">Arthur would always buy goodies, drinks, pan dulce, and American Cracker Jacks. I would always get a fresh baked baguette that was crunchy on the outside while soft and chewy on the inside. Yum! My mother would always give Arthur a hard time about not getting her permission to buy stuff from the store and I am sure this lady embellished the bill since we were Americans. All the same, meeting her again was a delightful surprise. She loved our mother dearly. Shortly afte</span>r we left Ecuador, since my dad's Army service was over, she bought our house.</p>
<p>After the chance meeting, Arthur and I went into the surrounding Eucalyptus forest and into the quebradas we often explored a few years before. It was like paradise! The smell of the forest was intoxicating! While checking out the nature surrounding us, we saw several varieties of hummingbirds and insects. Wow! It was as if time stood still! Afterward, we walked back to a bus stop and checked out the town of Quito.</p>
<p>The next day, we just had to climb Pichincha for old time's sake. We hiked up our old trail, perhaps started as an ancient Andian footpath, and zig-zagged our way up the mountain. We went up with world explorer Baron Von Humboldt in mind as we marveled at the flora change from dense tropical forest at 9,000 feet (yes on the equator) to alpine at 15,000 feet. I remember the pampas-like grass and the difficulty walking through it like a checkerboard pattern while occasionally stirring up a flock of quail or a hare. Due to altitude sickness, I began to lose my breath. I went through a horrible bends-like attack as my head spun and I up-chucked so we headed back down. Even though I was sick, the view I remember was incredible! Arthur and I could see the valley of the Inca king below us. Popping out of the clouds we could see Antisana and Cayambe in the distance and like the painted canvas by Fredric Edwin Church, Cotopaxi, the highest active volcano in the world sat in Quito's backyard. We could see the wonderment of the “Avenue of the Volcanos” stretching to Peru. I started to feel better as we descended the mountain with parrots chattering in the distance and wild alpaca coming into view. We were still resting so high on Pichincha that we saw planes fly below us as they landed at the Quito airport.</p>
<p>The following day we visited our old school, Cotopaxi Academy. Arthur and I held court in the schoolyard with our guitars as we played our songs for the kids. As past alumni we were welcomed guests. One guy named Eric introduced himself and told us that we were famous and that he had heard of the Balli Boys. Apparently, he had heard some of the stories about Arthur and his former Quito-based band with the Vegas brothers and about me and the explorers club I had formed. We met new friends that day: Eric Hayes and his brother, Mike Buzzo, Bruce Laidlaw, and Kim Richards. Later, we went to a party at Bruce's parents' house, which was built right out of a Frank Lloyd Wright blueprint. (I recall some kid breaking their glass entry way during the gathering.) We brought some of our records and the kids loved them since current music from the states was hard to come by in South America. We played our guitars next to the fireplace and it was the best performance I ever played with Arthur! I remember one song was a Shawn Phillips number. This whole evening is my personal time capsule memory with my late brother. It was great!</p>
<p>At the party, I met a beautiful girl named Kim Richards and was infatuated so we started hanging out together. I would drop by her parents' house to play guitar where I met her Saint Bernards. They were huge! Kim showed me a jewel of the tropical jungles in the lowlands that the kids called “Strawberry Fields.” We saw many wonderful plants, flowers, birds, and a rushing mountain river. As we explored the banks, Kim fell in the rapid river and I immediately reached out and grabbed her by the hand. We laughed and laughed. The Andes has that effect on you.</p>
<p>To be continued...</p>Calvin Luna Ballitag:calvinballimusic.com,2005:Post/60462012014-03-27T19:00:00-05:002014-03-28T08:25:59-05:00Arthur and Cal's 1972 trip Parts 2 and 3
<p>Part Two<br><br>After the river incident, Kim and I explored the tropical jungles then we thumbed down a collectivo (bus) going back up the mountain and zig-zagged our way back up to Quito. All eyes on board stared at us since we were the only gringos. I looked around to see that many Andean cholos were carrying their piglets to market. It was odd to have a pig snort so near my ears but I smiled at an Indian woman next to me who embraced her pig guardedly. I said, “I ain't gonna mess with your stinky pig lady! Give me a break!” Kim laughed and laughed! We finally arrived back to town and visited museums and some of South America's oldest churches.<br><br>During our stay in Quito, Arthur and I met one of Ecuador's favorite painters Umberto Moreno who offered to rent us one of his large estate's bedrooms for about $20.00 a month. It had a Spanish flavor and a gorgeous view of the mountains. Every morning he would bring us a breakfast tray of homemade bread, fresh fruit juice (mango, pineapple, or orange), and the most wonderful Columbian coffee. (I still think back to those times when I drink a good cup of coffee.) He wanted to find out more about America through our conversations and brightened up when we discussed his Dali-esque paintings. Arthur turned him on to an enlightening substance that encouraged more creativity. Sr. Moreno then thanked us for the experience. After about six weeks, before I left his home, he gave me a heart-shaped diamond ring for my mom. Even in her eighties, she still wears it today!<br><br>One afternoon, Arthur, and I met with Mike Buzzo and a friend of his whose name was Chileno. He invited us to his parents' house near Mount Cotopaxi so we took a one and a half hour taxi ride to a road lined with palm trees. When we got to the house, two beautiful afghan hounds greeted us at the car. We went through two huge front doors into a large Spanish style mansion. In the back of the livingroom, there was a panorama of huge windows. (Chileno's father was an elected Chilean official who was gone on business that day so we had the house to ourselves.) We played guitars, and were having a good time when Chileno asked us to go swimming and provided shorts for the occasion. We dove into the livingroom pool then came back up outside with a spectacular view of Cotopaxi in front of us. Wow! Later, the four of us, explored the estate area and went fly fishing for mountain trout on the slopes of Cotopaxi. This is still one of the most marvelous houses I have ever seen!<br><br>Later, back in Quito, Arthur and I rented horses from the local stables as when we were younger. We rode for several hours then arrived at our old school, Cotopaxi Academy where we were greeted by some of the students. The teachers would not let them ride but the old school day memories flooded back.<br><br>There was an 11:00 p.m. curfew in Quito for Americans but my brother Arthur and I were out partying in the street in front of a friend's house. About 1:30 a.m., a cop car blasted its siren then interrogated all of us. None of us had a car so Arthur had the balls to ask the cops to take us to Strawberry Fields in the lowlands and bribed them with beer and cigarettes. They happily took the bait and drove a few of us to our destination. They called out, “Good luck!” then drove off.<br><br>To be continued...<br><br><br>Part Three<br><br>I met Kim's brother Mike who was an explorer like myself. We took a several days' trip along the coast but Kim couldn't go along since the coast can be full of shady characters. Back then a person could hitch-hike without any problem so Mike and I thumbed our way all the way to Esmeraldas and to the wonderful beaches of Atacames. One of our rides was on the back of a banana truck. We sat on top of green bananas watching as the misty cloud forest turned into lush jungle. We occasionally had to wait our turn as the narrow road could only take one vehicle at a time to go around the mountainous corners. Also, landslides were frequent and many have died or fell over the side. As the truck slowly edged its way around we both leaned way over the rim to peer down at several thousand feet. It was scary but so cool!<br><br>We stopped in Santo Domingo to eat and to catch some sights at a market. As we walked to the sounds of music, we marveled at all the hand made cages of exotic animals and birds from the jungles. We played with a tame kinkajou (also called a honey bear), which have a prehensile tail that can wrap around your arm and hang. Many people have them as pets in Ecuador. There were also sloths, ocelots, tapirs, anteaters, varieties of monkeys, small mammals, parrots, and other birds.<br><br>As we sat in the square eating our lunch we gazed at all the passersby. A family of Colorado Indians walked by in their interesting regalia. The man was painted with a striped pattern and had huge discs in his earlobes. His hair was made a brilliant red by a native fruit and styled by combing it forward. He was draped with a loose tie-dyed cloth sheet and had a handmade quiver of bow and arrows. The woman was also striped with discs in her earlobes but was naked on top. The children wore no clothing. The interesting family carried small cages of birds. Finally, since absorbing so much of the novel smells, sights, and sounds we finally had enough of smoky air and huddles of people around us. It was time to move on and proceed with our journey to the coast.<br><br>Mike and I flagged down another ride then finally arrived in Esmeraldas. We were desperate to get to the beaches of Atacames so we hurriedly flagged another ride and got out of town. The beach was beautiful with white sand and several huts that cooked for the hungry traveler. We explored the region, surfed the waves (so much fun!), ate fresh fish and rice with fried banana, and drank pulque (an alcoholic beverage). We stayed intoxicated for several days. Since we were near the Galapagos, I spent hours watching the interesting marine life and reading Kon-Tiki.<br><br>One morning I woke up and decided to take a dip in the Pacific Ocean even though I was afraid of dangers that prevail in these waters. I was horrified when little crabs nibbled on my toes but was mesmerized by the waves, tiger sharks, and giant manta rays swimming about. I peered down into the depths to a magnificent coral reef. As I swam with the current and took in all these wonderful things, I didn't realize that I was being pulled out to sea by the infamous Humboldt current that runs along Peru and snakes out toward the Galapagos. I am not a good swimmer and didn't have a life vest so I began to panic. I turned onto my back and power stroked my way along all the while praying to God to help me. He was in my mind the whole half hour it took me to swim to shore. I eventually found my opening in the riptide and once my feet touched sand I cried. I thanked God and couldn't believe what had just happened. I could have been lost forever, since no one knew I had gone for a swim.<br><br>My friend went into the city so I stayed alone for a time. I remember cracking a couple of coconuts and reading about Thor Heyerdahl who actually came to Guayaquil (an Ecuadorian city) to get his main sail post from the jungles of Ecuador. As I read Kon-Tiki I imagined I was on that exploration. As dusk arrived, I purchased a plate of fish and rice and sat looking at a slight glow on the ocean. As it got darker the phosphorescence in the water became brighter then soon the ocean was lit up from one side to the other. I sat in the water delighting on the way it looked through my fingertips. Wow!<br><br>Soon, Mike came back and I didn't feel so alone. We went back to Quito but I didn't see much of my brother at that time because he was doing his own thing. For another couple of weeks, I took Kim to her prom and had a good time with my new friends. I will always treasure those magical few months in Ecuador.<br><br>When I finally flew back home, I sat by singer/songwriter Harold Melvin (of Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes) and shared South American experiences. Upon my arrival at the Miami airport, I was totally broke and had no way to afford a trip home to Houston. At the ticket counter, I used a phone to call my dad for a way home but he and everybody else was at work so I openly cried like a man without hope. I was alone and afraid! A friendly angel saw my sorrow and bought me a plane ticket and $10.00 extra to eat on. (I paid back every cent later.) The next day, I arrived in Houston just in time to see the Rolling Stones with Stevie Wonder on the Exile on Mainstreet tour. Ike and Tina opened the show and tore up the stage. Wow! What a homecoming that was!<br><br>After I came back to Texas, Arthur stayed two more years in Ecuador and Peru. He got to see more of South America than I did but once you have been to Ecuador all other places fail in comparsion to what I experienced elsewhere. I hope to go back soon with my wife and form new memories as an older and wiser man. I thank God for my life and adventures in the Andes.<br><br>Keep the faith!<br><br>Cal</p>
Calvin Luna Ballitag:calvinballimusic.com,2005:Post/60461992014-03-20T19:00:00-05:002020-01-27T17:47:48-06:00Return Trip 1967<p>Return Trip 1967</p>
<p>By Calvin Luna Balli</p>
<p>3-5-14</p>
<p>My father's 3 year military assignment in Quito, Ecuador was coming to an end but we kids hated to leave since we were departing from the adventurous jungle and volcano paradise we grew to love. In 1967, my family was heading back to a turbulent time in the states. I was 14 and grooving to the sounds of The Animals, Kinks, Donovan, The Rolling Stones, and other awesome rock groups of the era. My brothers and I loved the mod look and fashions. We wore Beatle boots, bell bottoms, paisley shirts with wild printed ties, and cool patent suede shoes. Mom kept Sears and Roebucks very busy since we had to mail order modern items from the states. It was a cool time in history with the British Invasion going on.</p>
<p>We sadly left Quito airport saying goodbyes to my best friend Frank Borras. His family and several others including Simone Oravec and the Mitchell family were there too. My brother, Arthur's bandmates gave us a final farewell with a quick song. I cried and cried as we hugged our buddies. We flew Panagra Airlines to Panama, Miami, New Orleans and then to Houston Hobby Airport.</p>
<p>In Texas, our family stepped off the plane, went through customs and were greeted by my Aunt Emma and her three kids, Ricky, Stella and Beatrice, and several other well wishers. They laughed at our hippie styles and talk; in some ways, we were more hip and up with the times than they were! We all rode in a huge sedan and headed for Texas City. Looking out the car window, we were in a culture shock after so many years traveling the world and South America's slower pace! Our Texas cousins told us about all the new changes in the states such as technologies and music. They introduced us to American fare such as Moon Pies, my very first taste of Dr. Pepper, and a real hamburger. We arrived in Texas City and stayed at Grandma Delfina's house who always greeted visitors with a big pot of beans and warm homemade tortillas. All my cousins, aunts and uncles excitedly dropped by to say hello.</p>
<p>My brothers, Arthur and David joined me upstairs to groove to the sounds of American music records that my cousins had. Cousin Stella spun the turntable and introduced me to the queen of soul music, “Chain, Chain, Chain...” Aretha Franklin!!!! We had never heard of Diana Ross, The Temptations, Otis Redding, Jackie Wilson, James Brown or any of the other Motown royalty. We all danced for hours sharing both British and American moves. Thank you Ricky, Stella and Beatrice for introducing me to soul music. I haven't been the same since that unforgettable time at Grandma's house! They just don't write music like that anymore. But we lived it!! Back then, you could only hear these great tunes on a radio, record player or a live concert.</p>
<p>Exhausted after traveling, dancing and visiting, we all turned in to bed. When all was quiet in the house, the silence was broken by a loud bout of flatulence by my Aunt Theresa. We all roared with laughter!</p>
<p>Often, we don't realize at the time how memories like these are everlasting and so important to our lives. It was a respite in my mind during the tumultuous times we came back to in the states such as the civil rights movement, the blatant bigotry, and the shame people put on one another. The rock music of the sixties and Motown brought us closer together...one song and dance at a time.</p>Calvin Luna Ballitag:calvinballimusic.com,2005:Post/60461962013-07-03T19:00:00-05:002020-01-27T17:47:09-06:00Wizards Songs<p>Hi fans,</p>
<p>Thanks for tuning in with us. I've added four songs from a seventies band that I played with called the Wizards. We were a band out of North Houston, influenced by English bands, Pink Floyd, Genesis, Yes, 10CC, along with our American: Rundgren, Fagen, Walsh, Eagles.</p>
<p>I remember we use to rent a storage room and practice our songs. We even put egg crates on the walls to add acoustics. We had fun. So much energy and creativity. You know the feeling of forming your first real band and expressing your talent and the wonderful rush you get from the end of that first song. Wow. You know you made it. There were many happy moments. We use to play for several years, practicing and honing in on our songs. We were good. I think our best times as bandmates were those rehearsals, when nobody was there. We played for each other.<br>One day I catch wind that old friend from Peru, Mike Buzzo is throwing a party at his Lake house in Seguin. So I rally the guys and we bring our gear to this wonderful house on Treasure Island, Lake McQueeny, Texas. We play this performance of a lifetime. I think we extended the songs a little. We used a Teac 3340 for recording.</p>
<p>The bandmates were: Michael Mikulin, Vocals, Mini Moog and Rhoades, drums, Patrick Mikulin, Guitars, Vocals, Calvin Luna Balli, Bass, Ricky Andrews, Keyboards, Hammond B-3, Cazz (Rob Casner), Drums.</p>
<p>The reels that I got of the recordings hadn't been played in almost thirty years. I also bought the reel to reel from my bandmate years later. It wasn't working so I took it to this guy who copied the servo plate and got it working. It was so cool to open this treasure, this recording that I hadn't heard in thirty years. I didn't know what was on there, songs we played. Was I good, was this real bad. I didn't know. So I feed the 1/4" tape and snake it through and attach it to the other reel. I flip the toggle switch to play, enter start and it works. I was in tears. I was overwhelmed with emotion.</p>
<p>This recording is a time capsule of a event in my life, September 30, 1978.</p>
<p>As far as, were we good? We thought so. I'll leave it to you to listen. Thanks.</p>
<p>I transferred the recordings from the reel to digital on my Tascam. I in turn went to Mixcraft, tweaked the sound and here is the result. Wizards broke up shortly after. We all went in different directions. But for a short wonderful and memorable time in my life, we were one of the north siders more eclectic bands. Give a listen. Thanks to all of you friends that I played with. It is an honor to have known you guys and gals.</p>Calvin Luna Ballitag:calvinballimusic.com,2005:Post/60461952013-06-12T19:00:00-05:002020-01-27T17:45:54-06:00Ghost Horse<p>Hooray! I'm somebody now! I have 3 songs on amazon, itunes, cdbaby and all over the place! Make sure you download them for your phone so I can sing to you.</p>
<p>Check out my latest musical addition, Ghost Horse, about Charles Marion Russell's love for his favorite horse Monty, written as if Charlie is singing. It is also an ode to family and dear ones who have passed away. This is an emotional song for me as I know Charlie really loved this horse. I recorded two instruments, the Casio CTK keyboard, and a Fender Bass. I added four vocal tracks and my wife added the sound effects. We recorded Ghost Horse at our, La Casa Nueces Studios.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Keep the Faith!</p>
<p>Cal</p>Calvin Luna Ballitag:calvinballimusic.com,2005:Post/60461942013-04-04T19:00:00-05:002020-01-27T17:45:27-06:00Flying the Andes<p>One time, in 1966, my brother and I rented motorscooters in downtown Quito, Ecuador (my father was stationed there by the Army). We had just sort of began riding after learning from friend Bill Moss. At his estate, we would ride around the driveways on his motorscooter and had a blast! His dad's chauffeur would drive us around town in an old Checker cab to our favorite hamburger hangout, La Fuente, and through Old Town.</p>
<p>Anyway, Arthur and I weren't that great of drivers but we were ripe for adventure so we rode through the plazas (where the cuties were), kind of showing off but keeping it cool with all the pedestrians. We were told not to ride our scooters by the U.S. Embassy but the rule was not strictly enforced. All the kids did so anyway. We are riding along when my brother lost traction and slid into a light pole. By the time I got back to him, several nuns have calmed him down and alerted the medics. He had a brain concussion and needed to be air lifted to Fort Clayton, Panama. (I now know my father must have gotten his ass chewed out by the Army brass for this incident.)</p>
<p>My mother had five kids to tend to and my father was away in Bolivia on the hunt for Che Guevera so my brother and I immediately boarded an American C-130 Hercules with a pressurized medic room and two nurses. Bob the co-pilot tucked me into a pull down seat with an oxygen mask and strapped me in. He said not to get out because he had a surprise for me. He apparently got word from my dad that we enjoyed mountain climbing and just loved the Andes. We knew all the names of the volcanoes. With a roar of four turboprops, we took off down the runway. Just after we were airborne, the tail gate opened up and I began to see Quito below, sitting high in the Pichincha range. I also saw the other mountains and verdant valleys. Then we passed by the highest active volcano in the world, Mount Cotopaxi. As we circled, I saw the majestic Avenue of the Volcanos: Chimborazo, Sangay, and the back bones of the Andes all the way to Peru. WOW! The gate then closed and Bob came and greeted me with a big grin. “Did you like the view?” he said, “Wait till you see this! The pilot wants to see you.” We proceeded to the cockpit and I stared at all the cool clouds speeding by, taking in the numerous dials and the smell of leather seats. I was overwhelmed by the moment!</p>
<p>The pilot said “Say Bob, why don't you get us some coffee and let Calvin sit in your seat.” I excitedly sat down in that seat of honor and we conversed about the accident and to never drive those scooters again. They were just too dangerous. Meanwhile, he told me to grab hold of the steering but said not to mess with anything else. He coached me on slightly steering around the upcoming clouds. I glanced in awe over each side of the plane to these huge turboprops, which were in my hands!!!! I must have had the controls for ten minutes!</p>
<p>We soon arrived in Panama where Arthur got the care that he needed. While waiting there for three days without my parents, the U.S. Army put several guys in charge of me with the intent to keep me happy and worry-free about my brother's well-being. One of those days, they took me to the canal zone to tour the locks. The next two days we flew out to the Darien zone and hunted for anything we wanted like tapirs and three toed sloths. We also picked papaya. That was so much fun!!</p>
<p>I'll never forget that once in a lifetime trip!</p>
<p>Stay tuned for more true adventures to come...</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Keep the faith,</p>
<p>Cal</p>Calvin Luna Ballitag:calvinballimusic.com,2005:Post/60461932013-03-26T19:00:00-05:002013-04-30T14:19:42-05:00Charlie Russell update
<p>I have just completed writing the lyrics to: Breaking Camp, rewording Off She Went and The Ghost Horse. I also have laid down the guitar and keyboard tracks to these songs as well. In the next several days I should have the main vocals to these three songs. Breaking Camp is a song about Charlie's time as a night wrangler and him speaking first hand about the cowboys and herding the animals. Off She Went is a song written by me and my old friend Richard Dale McKinney. Since I never used this song professionally and have tried to get Richard to record it with me, I am using this song anyway. I give half the credits to my friend and hope this song will be a highlight of the album. The Ghost Horse has my best singing by far. This is a first hand account of Charlie talking about the history and love for his famous pinto, Monty. I am also in the process of writing a story about Hoovers pig. On my song list that I have on my website, Hoovers pig is an instrumental. I was going to laydown on top of these tracks and do a narrative of Charlies story, but I feel I might get in trouble with the copyrights. So I will instead sing the song along with the music. Lots to do, stay tuned.</p>
Calvin Luna Ballitag:calvinballimusic.com,2005:Post/60461922013-03-26T19:00:00-05:002013-04-30T14:21:03-05:00Moving on
<p>As some of you know, I am a mechanical designer drafter by profession. I have been with my past employer for over five years. They ran out of work for me to do. I have since been unemployed. I am taking some refresher classes in AutoCad 3D and SolidWorks 3D from home. I have been using AutoCad for twenty years and am using this time to get alot of rest. Especially sleep. I am honing down on my skills for that right job. I know there is no excuse for time, but I am a little down on my other projects. This is taking a little longer to do. I will be in the saddle soon. Thanks for all your concerns.</p>
Calvin Luna Ballitag:calvinballimusic.com,2005:Post/60461912013-01-28T18:00:00-06:002020-01-27T17:44:02-06:00Release of Demo/Promotion for Tribute album<p>Welcome fans to my website. Sorry I haven't been very consistent in updating my blogs, but this is a new year and lots of exciting things happening. I have been procrastinating way too long and am very eager to get my songs "out there". I am getting very close to releasing my album, "Storytellin', Songs of Charles Marion Russell, Montana and the West. This tribute album to Charlie, will hopefully be my signature to my musical career and bring a new generation of people to the art and stories of this amazing person. For those of you that do not know of CMR, he was born in 1845 and died in 1926. He painted thousands of scenes of cowboy life in Montana. He isn't as well known as Fredric Remington, but just as good.</p>
<p>I first became interested in Charlie, when a roommate of mine Robert Casner showed me an original that his father gave him, that was hanging in the living room. Caz began telling me about this cowboy artist. This was around 1986. I started a little research of my own and discovered the art of this wonderful guy. Years went by and I didn't think about Charlie's art.</p>
<p>I love art and especially paintings. My favorites at the time are Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo, Charles Wilson Peale, Fredric Edwin Church, George Catlin, Albert Bierstadt, Titian, El Greco, Margret Mee and many more. But now my knowledge of art has gotten deeper and more to the old west. I have been captivated by Charles Marion Russell, Georgia O'Keefe, Fredric Remington and the indian painters of the Southwest.</p>
<p>At my last job at SeaRiver Maritime, Inc. ( a division of ExxonMobil), my friend and boss Ron E Floyd who was born in Montana, sparked an interest in me and Charlie. I was already a huge fan of Lewis and Clark and the story of the Corp of Discovery. They passed through the very lands that Charlie explored in Montana. I knew what my purpose was.</p>
<p>I told my wife that I wanted to make a tribute album to my favorite artist Charlie. So, two years ago, we went to Montana and we went to see the land that Lewis discovered. We went to Three Forks and stood on the very ground that Lewis saw. I was mesmerized. We went to Great Falls and to the Charlie Russell Museum. I told the staff that I was making a tribute album and would one day contribute some of my sales to the museum. So we began reading all we could about Charlie. My creative juices started pouring out of me and I am near completion of this bold endeavor.</p>
<p>Storytellin' is my album of songs and narrations of Charlies stories. The narratives were done by me in my old west voice with special effects by my wife. This is a complete original project that no one has ever done before. Yes, people have written many songs and one act plays about Charlie, but no one has ever done a tribute album to Charlie. His story is so compelling and the modern world needs to be reminded of this gifted man. So with a little luck and the grace of God, I'll be able to accomplish this. This is my destiny and I will promote this album for the rest of my life. God bless you Charlie and Nancy, for giving me the inspiration and purpose for my website. Pleaseeeeeeeeeeee...... stay tuned.</p>
<p> </p>Calvin Luna Ballitag:calvinballimusic.com,2005:Post/60461902012-08-25T19:00:00-05:002020-01-27T17:43:35-06:00Meeting Dave Holland<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393980/1758b80b970a1876584ebc10204408dd458d1203/original/sm-d-holland-pic-5-12.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTQxeDE2OCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="168" width="141" /></p>
<p>In high school in the early seventies, my buddies and I would groove to the tunes of a band from the Black Country of England, Trapeze. They were comprised of three lads, Mel Galley (guitars), Glenn Hughes (bass), and Dave Holland (drums). They played with a lot of funk and had a huge international following. Later, Glenn left the band after their monumental album Meduza and joined Deep Purple.</p>
<p>So fast forward to early this year, when my wife pulled into an ExxonMobil station on our way to the Kerrville Music Festival. I opened my door to pump gas when I heard in the distance at another pump, Black Cloud (one of my favorite Trapeze songs), blaring from a Hummer. I stepped out and did my best Chuck Berry interpretation of Mel's guitar lines of the song, and watched a lady from the Hummer point at me laughing hysterically. So I started pumping the gas when all of a sudden the Hummer pulled up to us. The lady told me that she really appreciated running into a Trapeze fan in the middle of nowhere, Texas. I told her that I grew up listening to that song. Then in the moment’s excitement, she asked if I would I like to meet one of the band members. Out of the darkness of the front passenger seat, I see Dave Holland!!! He said to me in a cockney accent, "What's up mate?" My wife and I were shocked! Eileen asked if he would mind taking a picture with me. So here is a picture of us at 1:00 in the morning!</p>
<p>We spoke about Glenn playing with Joe Bonnamassa, and I asked about Mel. Dave said that Mel died a couple of years ago, but Trapeze has recently been resurrected and will be on tour soon. I gave him my business card, and he invited us to attend a show when they come to our town. I sure wanted to pick his brain on all kinds of mic techniques and such but time was short. This was very meaningful since I am a huge Trapeze fan.</p>
<p>Lately, I have been listening closer to Dave’s drumming on the old Trapeze songs. I did not realize what a drumming virtuoso he really is! Ain’t that cool?</p>
<p>Keep the faith! </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Calvin Luna Balli</p>Calvin Luna Ballitag:calvinballimusic.com,2005:Post/60461892012-04-19T19:00:00-05:002012-04-20T16:08:15-05:00New Music Jam Videos Posted
<p>Check out my newest music videos of me and some friends! Pat Mikulin (guitar/vocals), Nick Nixon (skateboard guitar/vocals), Calvin Luna Balli (bass/vocals), and Special Guest Jerry Turner (drums) jammed at Twin Oaks Tavern in Humble, Texas. This was one of several bands/vocalists to perform for a Stroke Awareness benefit on March 25, 2012. The tunes are called "Nothing's Been Right Since You Left" and another from the same night called "Jammin'" performed by Kidd Blue as well as <a href="http://www.calvinballimusic.com" data-imported="1">www.calvinballimusic.com</a> <a href="https://www.reverbnation.com/calvinballi" data-imported="1">www.reverbnation.com/calvinballi</a> <a href="https://www.reverbnation.com/patrickmikulin" data-imported="1">www.reverbnation.com/patrickmikulin</a> <a href="http://www.skateboardguitar.com" data-imported="1">www.skateboardguitar.com</a></p>
Calvin Luna Ballitag:calvinballimusic.com,2005:Post/60461882012-02-10T18:00:00-06:002019-06-05T03:21:00-05:00About Nancy
<p>I just finished writing the followup to Kid Russell. This song is about his supportive wife Nancy Cooper Russell. She was only 17 and he was 27 when they met. He was a drunk, stinky cowboy who slept out in the streets of town. A friend of Charlie's told him about this young pretty filly at friend Ben Robert's place. She was an orphan teenager who helped out with the household chores and Ben invited Charlie over and thought they could be a pair. The plan worked and Charlie cleaned up his act in a hurry!</p>
<p>Charlie Russell already had a reputation as a fine artist but didn't know anything else but cowboying. The couple soon married and fondly recalled that on their first Christmas they hadn't but 2 pennies to rub together but Charlie delightedly reached into his Christmas sock and pulled out a knitted pair of slippers Nancy had made.</p>
<p>Nancy quickly saw the earning potential of Charlie's work (he was so gifted and painting was easy for him). He would only ask the bare minimum for his artwork so she took control of his creative endeavors and made him who his is today. So much so, Charlie's drinking friends at the Mint Saloon hated her for taking away their drinking buddy.</p>
<p>Charlie would get up about 4:00 am each morning. Make some grub in his log cabin studio next to his house. His favorite horse, the legendary "Monty", would gaze in on Charlie while he whittled or painted his way until noon. Nancy would make him lunch and add a couple of honey-do's to his work until 2:00 pm when he left to be with his buddies for the rest of the day. Nancy was always at the door as he left signaling two fingers (drinks), Charlie signaling three. She worked her butt off to expose her husband's work for the world to see. As a result, they became quite wealthy and famous in their time traveling aroung the world selling Charlie's cowboy art at the best galleries. Charlie was a rock star in the Great Falls, Montana area!</p>
<p>Men and women alike wanted to be near this likeable guy since he would tell cowboy stories as he molded animals out of beeswax that he carried in his pocket.</p>
<p>He was every bit the painter as Frederic Remington was but actually live the cowboy life. Charlie didn't get quite the fame of his counterpart though.</p>
<p>Nancy needs to be remembered as the woman who put western american art on the map. Her husband was the best in my book! The Charlie Russell project is really coming together. Stay tuned.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/393980/045bc1565fa7d092d4a4b2ca3a7f5049476e11c8/original/nancy-russell-sm.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MjA4eDE1NCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="154" width="208" /></p>
<p>Keep the faith!</p>
<p>Cal</p>
Calvin Luna Balli