I don’t know why, I didn’t hear this anywhere tonight that I know of…

The Leader of the Band

An only child
Alone and wild
A cabinet makers son
His hands were meant
For different work
And his heart was known
To none –
He left his home
And went his lone
And solitary way
And he gave to me
A gift I know I never
Can repay

A quiet man of music
Denied a simpler fate
He tried to be a soldier once
But his music wouldnt wait
He earned his love
Through discipline
A thundering, velvet hand
His gentle means of sculpting souls
Took me years to understand.

The leader of the band is tired
And his eyes are growing old
But his blood runs through
My instrument
And his song is in my soul –
My life has been a poor attempt
To imitate the man
Im just a living legacy
To the leader of the band.

My brothers lives were
Different
For they heard another call
One went to chicago
And the other to st. paul
And Im in colorado
When Im not in some hotel
Living out this life Ive chose
And come to know so well.

I thank you for the music
And your stories of the road
I thank you for the freedom
When it came my time to go –
I thank you for the kindness
And the times when you got tough
And, pap, I dont think i
Said i love you near enough –

The leader of the band is tired
And his eyes are growing old
But his blood runs through
My instrument
And his song is in my soul –
My life has been a poor attempt
To imitate the man
Im just a living legacy
To the leader of the band
I am the living legacy
To the leader of the band.

I can’t explain it, I know it is a tourist trap, but Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville Orlando feels like coming home to me. I could sit on the deck at the Porch of Indecision for hours on end. I could wander the gift shop and drop hundreds if not thousands of dollars if I were made out of money (the fancy Adirondack chairs average $500 a piece I think). OK, I’m off a bit…they average $424 but that’s before shipping.

What can I tell you? Day two of VSLive! Orlando and we’ve hit Margaritaville for reals. It was a good time, though honestly the food to me is no better than Cheeseburger in Paradise. Which is to say it isn’t bad but it certainly isn’t anything special. You go to Margaritaville for the atmosphere and the drinks, period. The shops fun too, but that’s not a prereq as all that stuff is available online.

I had me a Marg, a Corona and a BBQ Cheeseburger in Paradise and now I wish I were going to the Kenny Chesney show Friday night. Oh well, maybe next year. I have to say it is fun hangin’ with Bert and Terry in Orlando, but I wish Lori was here. It would be infinitely more fun if it were just she and I and we really WERE on vacation.

I have to say the conference hotel (NOT where we are staying btw) is really cool. I dig the theme and the atmosphere of the place. Check it out:

http://www.universalorlando.com/ht_rpr_index.html

The neat thing is if you WERE staying there it is walking distance, you get free Universal Express Pass and free theme park tickets, not a bad deal considering the price of parking, individual park one day tickets and the fact that normally the Express Pass tacks on an additional $25 per ticket per day I think.

At any rate it is Tuesday night, tomorrow is the last day of the conference and we’re heading home Thursday. Orlando is almost over, and I wish I could stay a while longer to just enjoy the city. I don’t know why, perhaps it is because this town is a giant tourist trap, but I like it here. The weather is nice (for now) and I am really enjoying all the palm trees and boat drinks. I guess that goes without saying…

Hi from Orlando…I miss you all…I’ll try to bring some warm weather back with me…