How we Processed AR's Change with Our Moderators: An Excuse for a Boat Ride

We did not enjoy hearing the news that AR has made changes with our moderators.

We don't know all of them, but we do know some of them, and we very much appreciate and respect the job for us that Rich, Laurie, Colleen and Mark have done. (these are the ones we know)

The thing we like most is our moderators are us. Agents too, and very good ones at that, they know from first hand experience what each of us deals with these days: the Excellent, the Good, the Bad and the Ugly.

The idea that someone might be in charge that might not be one of us, gave our head a bit of a spin. It's an idea we don't like.

We thought we'd get away from ourselves for a moment... and clear our heads with a boat ride.

Here in our mountain paradise, any excuse to get out on the boat is a good one. We were at least thankful to AR for that. 

This is where we keep our boat in The Tahoe Keys... at our friend Elise's house. It's a prime spot right in front of the channel entrance to Lake Tahoe.

That's Elise passing a fresh strawberry to Gary. My better 7/8ths, Maxene, is taking the picture.

But I wasn't thinking about that though. Pulling out of the Keys, I was thinking about how we can make sure that our new AR editor (feature selector) is a practicing real estate agent.

The iPod on board was on shuffle. I works magic that way. It's got about 8,000 songs. And the stereo has built-in woofers. You can hear it clearly for miles. But I wasn't listening... the roar of AR quandary was with me.

Leaving the Tahoe Keys. We weren't up to speed yet, but as we cleared past a bouy marker, the iPod blasted "All Down the Line." Maxene and Elise were dancing behind us.

I wondered about all the recent AR changes. First Caleb, then the news of the Home litigation, then changes with the flag menu, and now the moderators...with someone replacing them that is yet unknown.

I thought about that as we picked up speed. Ian Stewart's piano licks, and Bobby Keyes horns kicked out the chours... "Won't you be my baby all of the time...." Mick was chanting, and then I noticed what a really beautiful day we were in.

I thought about one time years ago when I had done a little business with the Rolling Stones. But that was a long time ago. In another incarnation.

Now mostly, I had thoughts about our current business, blogs and AR that overtook times and days of yesteryear. 

It's funny how one can hear themselves think, and talk over a high-watt stereo at 45 miles an hour over open water... but it is possible. And it can be exhilarating too.

From here the view is stunning. Mountain majesty surrounds... and we were listening to Eric Clapton play some good delta blues. We talked briefly about him being on Larry King tonight.

At one time I was Dir. of Marketing and Development for the Blues Museum. I thought about that for a second, and about my home town in the Delta where the blues was born. I thought about naming a street in downtown Clarksdale after John Lee Hooker. And telling him about it before he passed on. But these thoughts were over in seconds. That was yet another incarnation too.

I was mostly thinking about the phone call I had just put in to Caleb before we left. When would I hear from him? Would I hear from him? What would he have to allow about the future of AR? Would he have any insight about how features would be selected now?

Would the same AR conscience that our moderators gave us prevail? It seemed my mind was going faster than this boat.

Full tilt open water. That's Heavenly Mountain in the background. We were in the middle of a blue world, streaking across blue water under a crystal blue sky. This is why we live here.

I had forgotten about Caleb for a moment, and my thoughts wandered over to Rich. I sent him an email before we left as well. I wondered what he might have to allow. He had been instrumental with us becoming involved with AR from the get go... before I ever knew what a moderator was, or did.

It's funny, but I don't remember the music we were listenting to just then. It was so meaningful, I forgot completely. Oh well, a mind is a terrible thing to waste, but it was clearing now... here in the middle of lake let-it-all-go.

Sometimes the wind rushing through your hair helps one forget that it's gray. Or that you're not as young as you once were. But these are passing thoughts... especially when about to enter the splendor that is Emerald Bay.

This is one of the most photographed sites in these United States, and one has to slow down to below wake speed to enter here.

There's a road around it, but high up, under snow capped peaks most of the year. And the occasional bald eagle swoops and soars happy here too. There's also a waterfall high up above, but not visible from down here at the water's edge.

I forgot about AR here for only a moment. More attention was devoted to an upcoming visit to Washington DC to see my grandson for the first time... on his first birthday.

That was a lot more pleasant than most of the day's other mental ramblings.

Emeral Bay is quiet, especially this time of year. There was nobody there other than the tourist Mississippi river replica paddle wheeler and one other small boat.

We had a bit of snow, a dusting, two days ago. It sparkled off the mountains above, bringing a great smile to Gary.

Behind us, Maxene and Elise ate strawberries, took pictures and sang along with the music.

It's really slow, keeping a motor boat below 5 mph. My thoughts wandered here again.

What if AR did get sold to Home Inc? That would have been terrible, or at least replete with a new level of oppression... and expense, I mused here on this stunning day.

"What am I going to post next?" brought no relief. I wondered if there is such a thing as a mental enema?

As Elise and Maxene, her hair now big and wind blown. settled into the front of the boat, the iPod found "Uncle John's Band" by the Grateful Dead. It had been years... That was another incarnation too.

"When life looks like easy street, there's danger at your door..." I thought about the different times in our lives where that line had meaning. But it had no bearing now. Not on this day.

I thought about the good year we are having... in this difficult market. It's not easy street, but there's plenty to be grateful for.

Here we are on a work day, with family and friends, out on our boat on Lake Tahoe. I was glad for any excuse to rationalize this. "Come hear Uncle John's band... playing to the tide... "

This is the island in the middle of Emerald Bay. As we passed around it, the Dead gave way to Captain Beefheart. It's amazing what an iPod on shuffle will do.

Under a near cloudless sky, we were transfixed by scenic beauty and stream-of-consciousness poetry. " What does it mean?", Maxene laughed.

Then that gave way to a recording of a 1920's Mississippi Delta field holler. The very root of contemporary American Music and Rock n' Roll.

Ok, we've got a music background. Gary has a recording studio in his house. He is an excellent songwriter and guitar player. Elise was a slide guitar player in a band of consequence, and Maxene's first husband was the bass player for The Who. It's funny the thoughts that an authentic field holler brings... and none of them were about AR.

There was evidence before us that this was working. This was all mind clearing stuff.

Picking up speed, leaving Emeral Bay, the iPod again found magic. "We Can Work it Out" reminded us of more than just the Beatles.

I thought of Zak Starkey, Ringo's son, Maxene's friend who plays drums with Oasis and The Who. He once told us a story about his "dad's band", as if it was just a casual thing. There was nothing casual about 4 Liverpool lads who changed the world.

I thought again over my concerns about AR, but the thought had little weight now.  "We can work it out" is what the song was saying. That seemed good enough for me.

Open water, flying across it, on the home stretch now. Nothing but blue sky, and a lone white speck of a sail boat off in the distance. My mind felt as clear as the scene.

And one more time the iPod spoke: "Fun, Fun, Fun" by the Beach Boys was the message.

Elise did the pony, the twist and the jive behind us. Maxene hooted and hollered. Gary just marveled and smiled.

And I guided us back home, across steel blue waters, with a clear open mind, free of clutter, having a great time.

We were all happy just to be.