My Riverfest Schedule with Klatch (Now get off my back Monica)
Current mood: rockin
Category: Parties and Nightlife

Well it's time for Riverfest again and my band, Klatch, will be performing three different shows this year.  I hope you all can make it out and be sure to come up and say hi if you do.

Saturday May 10 – 3:00 to 5:00 PM – Alef's Harley Davidson River Ride Concert.  On Main Street in front the library.

Monday May 12 – 5:00 to 9:00 PM – Riverfest Food Court at Century II.  Dinner and a show.  What a deal.

Saturday May 17 – 6:00 to 8:00 PM – Kennedy Plaza on Douglas Avenue in front of Century II.  We will be just to the West of where the pops concert is located.  The pops concert is right after us and then the fireworks.

4:02 PM - 4 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment

Watch me on Ch 12 News
Current mood: sympathetic
Category: Movies, TV, Celebrities

I don't know if all of you are aware of the tragic rape and robery that occurred a few weeks ago in East Wichita, but that happened just two houses North of me.  You may remember seeing the pictures on TV of two of the idiots that committed this crime as they were withdrawing cash using the poor ladies ATM card.  It upsets me that I was sleeping two doors down unaware that she needed some help.  Keep her in your prayers.

Anyway, Alana Rocha rang my doorbell while I was home for lunch and wanted to interview me about the crime.  I didn't ask when it was going to air but since the new enhanced photos of the idiots were just released, I'm guessing it will be today.  So let me know if you see me at 5,6, or 10 on CBS local news (KWCH).  I'm sure they'll use about 3 seconds of the 10 minute interview and have me saying something completely dorky.  And to top it off Alana forgot to give me her number before she left. ;)  I sure it was just an oversight.

11:55 AM - 3 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment

Profile Pictures
Current mood: determined
Category: Friends

You know it seems like most of my friends have a ga-jillion pictures on their pages and I love that.  I love going out and looking at all the pics.  So I think I need to get with the program.  Stay on my case to get a bunch of new pics up and I'll try to keep adding them regularly.  Time to dust off the ole camera.  I've had a few requests for pics of my bike, so I'll get that done.  Any other requests?  Be nice....

9:14 AM - 7 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment

Donald L Mercer (Big Donnie) 1942-2006
Current mood: peaceful
Category: Friends

The time for my Dad to go ended up being sooner rather than later.  He died Tuesday morning around 3:00 AM.

There was something about Monday night.  I felt like I needed to see Dad.  So I dropped by to watch Monday Night Football.  We talked about our weekends and he was showing off his new lift chair that helped him to stand up.  I had been there less than an hour and my Step-Mom asked if he was feeling alright.  He was acting a bit strange so we gave him a nitro pill and called his doctor.  After a call back from the doc we gave him some additional medication and we're keeping an eye on him.  He was starting to look worse so we decided it was time to go to the hospital.  This all transpired in about 10 minutes time so things were moving much quicker than before.

It was while we were helping him to the door to get in my car that he lost consiousness.  Kay was crying "Oh Daddy" as I got in front of him, bear hugging him with my arms under his, and continued dragging him to the car.  Loading him in the car was something the two of us together could barely manage, but we did.  I sped off with my Dad's lifeless body next to me.  As I expected, when I arrived at the emergency room in about 2 minutes, they called out "code blue"  and three big guys loaded him onto a gurney.

A few miracle drugs later and they had his heart restarted and his vital signs looked very good.  However Dad, even though he had his eyes open, was unresponsive.  While moving him to coronary intensive care I found a computer and jumped on it to get a flight booked to get my little sister here.  I knew this was the most serious trip to the hospital yet.   I was able to get her booked on a flight arriving at noon on Tuesday, but after a few hours of struggling to make it, Dad just couldn't wait that long.  My heart is truly broken for my little sis.

I was the lucky one.  I got to spend his last good hour with him.  My big sister made it over from El Dorado and she got to spend the night in the hospital with Dad even though he couldn't respond to her.  I wish so much that I could have gotten my little sister her quicker or that Dad could have hung on little longer, but it was not to be.

We were surrounded with loving family all night long.  There were all three of my Dad's brothers and two of there wives, one of his three sister's, my big sister's family of five, one of my three step-brothers, and my best friend in the world and the mother of my girls, Toni.  Without her there a part of me would have been missing that night.  What a fantastic family I am part of.  There is so much love and support from everyone.  I know that we are very lucky.  Not all families have what we do.

It has been a whirlwind ever since and I was able to actually get some decent sleep last night.  We spent yesterday planning the broad stroaks of the funeral.  It will be Friday at 2:00 PM in Wichita with the gravesite service in Oklahoma on Saturday at 1:00 PM.  I wish I could talk to all of you right now, but time and emotions do not permit.  For those of you that I speak with personally, I will try to contact you soon, but please understand that it may be next week before that can happen.  I have some very close and special friends that I have met through MySpace and through my band Klatch.  I know that you are thinking of me and my family and I appreciate it so very much.

I had begun writing a song for my Dad a couple of years ago.  Maybe I'll try to finish it by Friday.  He has always been so dear to me and I love him with everthing I have.  I have so many fantastic memories and I hope I get a chance to visit them all in the coming days.

Dad, I miss you.

Donnie

9:29 AM - 9 Comments - 10 Kudos - Add Comment

A Little Out Of Touch......Sorry (Final Attempt)
Current mood: worried

Hi everyone.  I have been very bad at keeping up with all of you this past week.  I'm very sorry about that.  It's nothing personal, it's just that my personal and family life have been very demanding and distracting lately.

My dad went back into the hospital Monday night due to his heart disease and has been in Coronary ICU all week.  He has congestive heart failure and possibly had a heart attack and has had a couple of mild strokes this summer.  The doctors have told us that there is nothing more that they can do for him other than try to keep him as comfortable as possible.  What an awful and helpless place to be.  It's a bitter pill to swallow and my dad is really struggling with this reality as am I.  They just moved him to a regular room at 10 PM last night.

Since I sat in the hospital as a teenager holding my Grandma Mercer's hand as she struggled for every breath until she couldn't struggle any more, I have had a very heartfelt personal grief about smoking.  Not that I beat people up about it, but it makes me so sad.  I do make sure that those I am close to know that I hope they can quit and that I am there for them and will support them wholeheartedly if when they are ready to quit.  My dad says he wishes he wouldn't have waited until it was too late...me too Pops.  If you smoke please realize that it's not just some fun or comfort or stress relieving thing for you to do.  It's hurting you and your kids and will take you from them before you want to give up your kids and grandkids.  Please try to take care of yourselves and those who love you.

I love my dad so much and make sure he knows it every day.  He has always been my biggest fan and it was good that he could make it out to my show at The Kansas State Fair.  He even made sure to get his picture taken with the band.  I'll have to get it posted here soon.  I hope that I have always made him proud with the man that I have grown up to be.  He is a great role model for me and I hope that I can be the loving, compassionate, friendly, and true to heart person that he is.

You may have noticed that I changed my screen name to Donnie this last week.  I don't know, I guess I was feeling like being surrounded by family.  Any of you that have ever been around me with my family know that they have absolutely no idea who 'Don' is.  To them I am 'Donnie' and more specifically 'Little Donnie' and my dad is 'Big Donnie'.   So if you feel so inclined as to call me Donnie, that would be just fine by me.

I know from reading blogs and messages from others of you that many of you have had to deal with similar problems with your own families or yourself.  My heart goes out to you and I thank you for your support.  It means a lot to me.

My music has always been my release and I have a busy weekend of shows this weekend so I hope to see all of you soon.  I'll be in Winfield Friday night at O'Kelley's.  Saturday afternoon from 5:30 to 6:45 we are performing at a charitable fundraiser at The Port of Wichita.  Saturday night I'll be in Old Town at Club Indigo.  Sunday I'll be at the Rolling Stones concert all day thanks to the best boss in the world hooking me up with free tickets.

Honestly I may not ever get caught up on my MySpace messages so please just send me a new one if I haven't gotten back to you.  I hope to see you all very soon and thanks for letting me vent just a tad.  At this point I don't know if Dad has a couple of days, months, or years, but no matter how long we have together I will cherish what time we have left.

I love you Pops.

Little Donnie

9:43 AM - 4 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment

Something about the chaps!
Current mood: amused
Category: Fashion, Style, Shopping

Well there must be some mysterious power behind the picture of me in my chaps.  I have received nothing but grief since I changed it out as my profile pic.   You gals are crazy and awesome.  So due to my fear of retribution I have changed my pic back, at least for a little while.

So what is it?  What is it about the chaps?  I suffer from the same illness I must admit.  A fine woman in a set of chaps does me wrong.  Hmmmm.  The world will never know.

Well anyway, all of you chap laden women, please show up my shows and drive me crazy whenever possible.  It would really mean a lot to me.  And as far as my chaps go, you just let me know when you think I ought to wear them for you.

8:15 AM - 6 Comments - 12 Kudos - Add Comment

Nice Klatch article in F5
Current mood: pleased

F5 Magazine wrote a VERY nice article about my band Klatch.  I've never known them to be so complimentary before.  Anyway, I wanted to share it with my friends.  I'll have to pick up the print copy for my scrap book and see if they included any pictures.  It felt nice to get such a good write up.  Check it out.

Click on the Link:

http://www.f5wichita.com/music.php?pageNum_rsMusic=1&totalRows_rsMusic=10

www.klatch.us  

1:01 PM - 3 Comments - 6 Kudos - Add Comment

Oh Baby it's time for Sturgis!!!
Current mood: excited
Category: Travel and Places

Oh yeah, it's time to head up to Sturgis, South Dakota and see what kind of craziness I can find.  I'm heading out Sunday with my Uncle Jerry and cousin Jay.  We are going to have a blast.

I'll be at tons of concerts while I'm there.  I'm going to see Lynard Skynard, Gretchen Wilson, Blue Oyster Cult, Kid Rock, Buck Cherry, and most importantly ALICE IN CHAINS.   I am pumped.

If you're going to Sturgis let me know.  You never know we might bump into each other.  However I think there may just be a few bazillion people there.  Maybe I'll come back full of tatoos and piercings or more than likely just a camera full of awesome pictures.

If any of you are going to my shows at Legends in Hutchinson this weekend, I'll see you there, otherwise take care and I'll catch up with everyone when I get back.

Don

2:15 PM - 3 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

You are so wonderful
Current mood: happy
Category: Friends

Wow!  All of you MySpace friends are so good to me.  Thank you so much for the tons of birthday wishes and a special thanks to all of you that came out to the shows to wish me a happy birthday in person.  Big sloppy kisses for everyone.   I was overwhelmed.  I started out on MySpace 2 1/2 years ago just because the rest of the band was on here.  I'm so glad I did.  I've met some great friends through here and kept in touch with some that I already had too.

I know I keep myself too busy and don't get to reply as fast or as much as I would like, but thank you for bearing with me.  So far 40 is treating me quite well and I'm really enjoying my new place at the retirement home.   Thanks Momma for the best fried chicken dinner ever.

It's so much fun having my old friend DA behind the drums with me again, however I will miss Mike a lot.  He and Clara are really good friends.  The band is very busy being in the thick of transition right now, but we'll get through it quickly I'm sure.

Fathers Day is next Sunday and I'm hoping to spend some good time with my dad.  I also plan to see my girls this weekend too.  They're my best friend's girls, but I am Daddy to them and I love them so much.  Anyway I just felt the need to ramble on for a bit.  I haven't in a long time.  It has been good hearing from all of you.  Thanks again.

Don

8:19 AM - 2 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Four-Oh Nooooooooo!!!
Current mood: restless
Category: Friends

Tell me it isn't so...

Yes Thursday I turn 40...the big four-oh.  I'm so busy I don't know that I have time to squeeze in a mid-life crisis, but I'll try.  This birthday is a little hard for me to swallow, but I'm sure all the loving support of my friends will help me deal with it.  ***yeah right***  You are some seriously cruel people.  It's not even my birthday yet and can't begin to tell you how much crap I've been getting from everybody.  It seems so unfair...I mean...I'd never do anything like that to you.

Come celebrate with me in Old Town all weekend.  I'll be performing Thursay at Mort's, Friday at Center Stage, and Saturday at Club Indigo.

1:36 PM - 4 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment