I have a truly amazing collection of friends and family. They are artists, activists, musicians, authors and so much more. I wish they all had websites, but no such luck. For those that do, allow me to introduce them to you, (alphabetically, of course, so that none will feel slighted):

Don Barnes: Don has made the incredible journey from scientist/vivisectionist at an animal testing lab to one of the foremost animal rights activists in the US. Among his numerous accomplishments have been serving as the president of VOICE For Animals, working as the Animal Protection Institute's Southern Region Representative and, now that he's "retired", heading up the Affordable Cat Fence Company, which offers the most effective humane yard containment system for cats made today (his own invention!).

Alyssa Burgin: Alyssa is an activist extraordinaire. She claims that she hasn't figured out how to clone herself yet, but I remain suspicious. How else can she run Texans For Peace, handle media relations for Citizens For Ethical Government and simultaneously remain involved with dozens of other groups all over Texas?! I've personally witnessed her write email (at around 180 words per minute), watch TV, listen to the radio and talk on the phone all at the same time...and not miss anything. It's an X-File, I tell ya'.

Chris "Crash" Craddock: Crash is a talented guitarist currently playing with Emily's Gone Mad. Crash has recorded a number of songs with me. He's also an extreme skateboarder and martial arts practitioner, as well as having the endearing ability to discover a person's best characteristics, and then introduce them that way to his friends.

Vie Dunn-Harr: Vie is an artist and art teacher. She calls herself a contemporary realist, but I find that far too restrictive a description. Her web gallery features the more accessible of her paintings, but she also dabbles in contemporary and abstract art, for example. She is perhaps best known for her intense renderings of flowers.

Greg Forest: Greg is a guitarist, author, music producer & engineer and political activist. He's played with The Stratoslackers/Texas Tune Stranglers, The Welfare Fathers, Coot Geezer & The Old Stars and many others. Among his frequent collaborators are Ronnie Leatherman & Jay Boy Adams. Greg throws great mini-concerts from his home, Slacker Manor, although why he thinks he qualifies as a slacker, I'll never know. He's the author of 'The Complete Music Business Office' and the upcoming 'Guerrilla Warfare in the Music Trenches'.

Claire Franklin: Claire is a skilled drummer and percussionist. We worked together briefly in a band called Silicone Bob, but our friendship has continued beyond the band. She's lent her drumming and songwriting talents to Bullwinkle, Elysian Sex-Drive, Frog & Flower and Chime. She's also an excellent recording studio engineer.

A. Andrew Gonzalez: Andrew is my boyfriend, but is also an acclaimed visionary fantastic artist. He's worked with the legendary Ernst Fuchs, won Best In Show at the 100 Sacred Visions exhibit in Austria, won second prize in the Brave Destiny Exhibition in London, was a featured artist at the Enosa Festival in Oregon and has had his work reproduced on numerous CD covers, magazine covers and promotional materials, including an Italian marketing campaign for automaker Renault.

Anthony A. Gonzalez: This is Andrew's father, also a respected artist. Tony paints contemporary romantic realist art in the vein of John Singer Sargent and Joaquín Sorolla. He has become the portrait painter of choice for the city of San Antonio, Texas, capturing a number of the city's mayors on canvas.

Margie Laupheimer: Margie is a cousin of mine, and is also the founder of Earthhope Action Network, a website, newsletter and forum born out of her deep love of nature and her desire to make a difference. Get news, action alerts, a directory of environmental organizations and more. Margie also plays a pretty good banjo!

Mike Laupheimer: Mike is a cousin of mine, and is also a software designer, amateur geologist and electronics hobbyist. iMiser, which is a research aid, offline information manager and Internet database, is his current obsession. You know how you finally find a website with the content you want, and then it disappears? iMiser is your solution.

Erik Marcus: Erik is a leading vegan author, activist and public speaker. His book Vegan: The New Ethics of Eating is considered by many to be the best guide available for switching to a vegan diet. In addition, he provides information & podcasts via his site Vegan.com. His newest book, 'Meat Market: Animals, Ethics, and Money', is on store shelves now. He's also written for Salon, In These Times & Vegetarian Times.

Maximus: Doc Johnsen holds a Doctorate of Naturopathic Medicine, as well as numerous certifications in natural healing modalities. He's also a multi-instrumentalist. Crystal Penn has developed the Crystal Key, a melding of astrology and music that postulates that each person resonates with a unique chord. As Maximus, their interests entwine to create a unique form of music therapy.

Bea & Mack McKinney: Mack is the creator of askSam, software that makes text from virtually any source into a searchable database. Bea is a publicist, writer, artist and music fan extraodinaire. They own The Ain't Right Ranch and brighten the lives of those around them with their seemingless endless energy and upbeat attitudes.

Angela Nations: Angela is a belly dance instructor and performer with the Karavan Dance Company. She also performs modern dance pieces at place's like San Antonio's Jump Start Theater. As if that wasn't enough, she's a model (who sometimes goes by the name The Morrigan), choreographer, voice-over artist and real estate agent. When she worked as a radio publicist, she was honored by American Women in Radio and Television.

The Necro Tonz: This band was one of my "labelmates" at Ubitout Records. They play death lounge, which is appropriate, given their undead state. Specializing in "songs by bands considered dead, songs by bands that have experienced a spectaular rock 'n' roll death, or well... songs about death", their show is something to behold!

Suzy Olsen: Suzy is an artist with distinctly different sides. Her commissioned works are generally architectural and capture not only the visual characteristics, but also the feel of rooms and buildings. She recently worked to restore murals at the Alamo. (Yes, THAT Alamo!) Her personal work is a freeform exploration of the soul. Suzy is one of the most loving and empathic people I've ever known. She's asked me to mention that she's deaf, & encourages other deaf people to follow their dreams.

Steven O. Sellers: Steve is a musician, on-air personality, newscaster and voice-over artist. He's won broadcasting awards from United Press International and the Associated Press, among others. We met when he interviewed me about Knowledge Hound for one of his shows. For all his accomplishments, Steve is one of the sweetest, humblest people you'll ever meet.

James Sidlo: James is a guitarist and effects master. He can engulf you in a lush soundscape, encompass a herd of wild beasts and then move effortlessly to some liquid licks. He's contributed his talents to some material that I'm working on right now, as well as playing with Psuedo Buddha, Dreamland, Crevice and Honey Barbara. AND he holds a full-time job. Sheesh! Plus he's fun to talk politics with. ;)

Chad Sonenberg: Chad is a monster guitarist with an impish sense of humor. He's been endorsed by Ibanez Guitars and Gibson Strings, gotten raves from Guitar Player magazine, and is a NYC music circuit mainstay, having played with Bibi Farber, Tom Laverack, Dana Kamide and Janet Speaks French, among others. He was a regular with The Lala, which for years was the unofficial house band for lengendary New York club, The Bitter End. Somwhere along the way, he helped form the jam band Jigtune. His current group is Alexcalibur.

Mary Thorman: Mary (aka Chiki) is my mom. She describes herself this way in her blog: "I have a Masters Degree in Gerontology, but have worked as a migrant laborer, chicken egg collector, radio broadcaster, secretary, social worker, research director, bureaucrat, writer, editor, political organizer, publicist, telephone operator, and more." She currently lives in the mountains of Costa Rica, where she pursues her hobbies of photography, entymology (insects) and anything else that women are supposed to think is gross.

Karen & Cy Torgerson: Karen is a talented artist and Cy is a talented guitarist. Together, they run The Bohemian Guitar Player, a music store and guitar lessons venue in Boerne, Texas. They seem to know everyone and are instrumental in promoting free speech in their town by lending out their public address system for rallies of all kinds. They also host the area's best Halloween/jam party!

Robin Urton: Robin is an artist, art history buff, art teacher & web designer/developer. She paints free-form, dream inspired works, often using oil on plexiglass. Many of her works have several uniquely-shaped layers within a shadow-box frame, giving them a 3-dimensional look. Her deep connection to nature and spiritual themes is evident in her work and life.

Kenny Walker: Kenny is one of the best bassists I've ever heard, as well as being an on-air DJ and all around great guy. He plays music with another friend of mine, percussion legend Gumbi Ortiz in The Latino Projekt, and is the leader of Dr. Lohertz & The Groove Injektors. He seems to like the letter combination "jekt", but that's ok, 'cause it all sounds good! Kenny recorded an early version of 'Falsehood' with me.

John Wood: For 30 years, John was the editor of the IBM Dictionary Of Computing, known as "the most comprehensive computing dictionary ever published". In 1995, he retired to Costa Rica. Alas, data collection is in his blood! Even though the most common form of transportation in CR is by bus, he couldn't find a comprehensive bus schedule... so he wrote one. It's called 'Costa Rica By Bus'.