Candid pictures are the best pictures, to a person like me, who likes to take pictures.  I have the photographer "eye" , so I have been told often and the invention of digital photography and these Canon cameras that both Nina and I had in London, UK changed the game and augmented our snaps stash. Inna took the snap of me to the left as we were sightseeing in London aboard the "Big Bus" tour.
This particular "Turkey Day" I have many new "thanks" for the giving. 
As I relax in this secret room's easy-chair with pen and pad-of-paper (tablet) in hand I can enumerate TEN things I am thankful for this very unique conjunction, "Thanksgivukkah"! http://www.ibtimes.com/thanksgivukkah-2013-3-facts-you-need-know-about-thanksgiving-hanukkah-hybrid-holiday-1484988
A few I want to recognize are, the "Pope", St. Frances for without her saintly spirit and kind presence, nothing would be possible. Also, I achieved one year at my new job in a new industry ("I.D.S."); I visited my old southern home, Nashville, TN, saw my dentist and ophthalmologist (taking care of health business), missing "Hootyville" and many friends I made there who I got to re-connect with; I was able to so-far dodge a jealous, mean-spirited control-freak , fifteen year my junior sibling's negativity. (see my wordpress.com blog). I bought and sold many necessary items on www.craigslist.org that helped mum's house and me, personally; Sold many copies of my memoir book; achieved new humility and spiritual success.
 And finally for now, this one is MAJOR: I rendezvoused with my fiancee`, Inna in London, UK (see pic on our landing page) with kudos to Virgin Atlantic on the round trip majestic flight and to the magical and historic city of London for hosting us with hospitality only befitting royalty. We pray that you and yours have equally satisfying "Thanksgivings" to baste your turkey feast with and that the rest of 2013 plays out peacefully for you! Cheers!

                                   I am a veteran Romantic Warrior. I “fight” because I believe that there is that one soul-mate who is “out there” for each one of us, and it is my mission to blaze the path so that you will be able to find yours by following me – if you need to.  Not everybody does.  No matter where the latest front-line is; from Fayetteville, NC to Worcester, Massachusetts, Atlantic City, Nashville, Tennessee, New York City, Minsk, Belarus or Zaporozhe, Ukraine.  I seek to conquer the naysayers, non-believers, unforgiving and drama purveyors into silence while they re-train their habits by dint of the example of persistence that I set. I simply wear them down with my impenetrable armor of loyalty, truth and diligence.                 When I am successful soon, they see the folly of their ways and thought processes. Some of them might even fall in-line, but it isn’t easy. For over forty years I’ve waged this campaign and during my apprenticeship, I really did not know what I was training for. I bear the scars to prove it.

 
Next I will take my quest again across the Atlantic, where the one woman I love, who gave me the best long-distance twenty-two months of my life via the internet, and who has tried to “wait [for] my kiss” impatiently lives.  What, you ask “is this an internet romance?” And I am not too proud to admit that it is because this veteran of the romantic wars is blessed with the ability to keep pace with the current trends!

I will slay the “dragon” of negativity subliminally. You do not always have to overtly challenge the disease of unrequited love, as much as you have to pick your spots and believe with a strong universal consciousness and spiritual presence.  I use many tools. From tarot cards to telepathy and in this war, very often my most useful weapon, the pen, really is mightier than the sword!  I banish cheaters and selfish women who trick their man into fatherhood alike; no backstabbers can cross into the territory that my army has cleansed of negativity in love.  Nothing turns off a veteran Romantic Warrior more than deception in romance – unless you are “romancing the stone”.
Finally it is the MIND that many must master - their own.  Not letting your mind master you, but being the watcher of your own thoughts and staying in the present moment as much as you can.  Being in the "now" is the key to liberation of thinking.  I disidentify from my mind - it is not easy to do - as much as possible these days because it is the key to peaceful awakened and somnolence in the face of the frustration of money being the only object to Inna and me not being together yet.

 

The above story is actually a “romance” of sorts!

 

Alternatively, I am described as a “veteran” Dee Jay by one of my protégé, DJ Onasile who hails from Jackson, Tennessee and who is one of the first spinners I met when I arrived in Nashville back in 2001.  Both of us are Capricorns, both wearing our hair in the dreadlock style and we went on to become good friends.  I remember interviewing him for the webzine, DJ Zone in 2002.  I think he really was impressed by my write-up and how professionally I conducted that interview which we did at the downtown Nashville Hooters restaurant.  I became accustomed to recording my write-up on hand-held recorders and then transposing them via word processing into my computer to edit and then posting them – a truly “veteran” idea that could only come from a veteran of audio/video and music!