The first musical I remember watching was when my sister Debi was in a show in Elementary School called The Electric Sunshine Man. The music still lives in my head all these years later, as I still know the first song’s chorus. In 1982, GB took Deb and me to see the movie version of… Read More Let’s go to the theater 

When Grandma Bobi (GB) returned to Concord, I spent more time with her and Grandpa and learned about their music. They had albums of swing music. This was the first time I learned about this high-energy music from Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, and Benny Goodman. I remember the song Yes! We Have No Bananas, In… Read More Bobi’s Music

It’s funny the things you can remember as you get older. For example, I can remember three albums that my parents had. They were Elton John’s Captain Fantastic, Barry Manilow’s Tryin’ To Get The Feeling, and the Carpenters. At the age of eight, these artists imprinted themselves on my brain, and to this day, I… Read More Albums of my childhood

In 1985, While in High School, our band director was contacted to see if he wanted to bring Maynard Ferguson to the school as a fundraiser, and when he asked the students, it was an instant yes! I had discovered Maynard’s music earlier in the year when the guys in the trumpet section introduced me… Read More Soundtracks of my past: Maynard Ferguson

On April 29, 1992, the riots erupted in Los Angeles, and I was working at the Disneyland Hotel in the Monorail Cafe. I remember hearing about what was happening and watching it in the cast member lunch room. Like everyone around me, I was glued to the TV all day and all night. As the… Read More Rick and the LA Riots

In the early 90s, while living in Santa Ana, I traveled by train twice, once to see Mom and another time to visit Grandma Bob’s brother in New York. The trip to visit Uncle Joe in New York was exciting. It would take three days to get there, and I could relax, listen to music,… Read More All aboard

It was May 25, 2002, and I was not feeling all that well. I thought I was getting sick. I worked at Nordstrom’s and worked a shift on Saturday, but I was exhausted, sweaty, and had stomach pain. On Sunday, I went to work, but I could hardly move my stomach pain way too much,… Read More You need to go to the ER, now

In September of 1991, I was lead at the Monorail Cafe at the Disneyland Hotel, and I read in the cast newspaper that they were closing the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island to refurbish it for a new show. That winter, I thought it would be fun to see what the Rivers of… Read More I met a Disney Legend

While living in Los Angeles, I was lucky enough to work as an audience member for many TV shows and award shows. It all started while working at the Disneyland Hotel. A group of friends wanted to see a TV show taping, so I drove up to Hollywood from Anaheim to get the free tickets.… Read More Rick’s years as an audience page

Saturday, March 7, 1992 As part of the Disney Management Program, you shadow various departments around the Park. This Saturday, I was to spend five hours with Parks Security. When I arrived for my shift in the late afternoon, as soon as they gave me my radio, there was a call, “Horse down on Main… Read More Rick’s day with Disneyland Security