Tuesday, February 23, 2010

VANESSA SURGERY UPDATE: GREAT NEWS!

• Tumor removed!
• Colon reattached!
• Colostomy bag removed!
• Vanessa's next steps to be determined after evaluation!

This is great news! I would like to take this moment to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Vanessa's family, especially her mother Lucia who has been through this ordeal with Vanessa every step of the way.

Big love,
D.A.

Here's a quick hello from Vanessa:

" Surgery went well!!! Little bit ouchy but happy it went so well... Much love!"

Vanessa Out of Surgery

Hey Gang, thank you all for your best wishes and support..

Vanessa got out of surgery late last night at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston TX. Details are still forthcoming..

The word is that it went "great."

For now..take a breath..

..Stay Tuned and Thank You for Fighting..

cheers,
D.A.

Monday, February 22, 2010

Vanessa Conquering Tumor

"we stopped by the health museum in houston and found this inch worm that looks alot like a large version of my tumor.... so i told it to surrender to the light of my ultra healing badass rays... xoxo"
—Vanessa 2/21/10
Hey Gang, Vanessa went into surgery today Monday 2/22/10 at 2:18pm Houston Time. We haven't heard any word as of yet so please send ultra healing badass rays toward Vanessa right now as she undergoes the operation to remove her tumor.

Monday, February 15, 2010

BITCHASS BENEFIT: THANK YOU from VANESSA..!


Hey Gang,

You'll notice that the sound and the video are out of synch and
the video abruptly ends before she is able to thank everyone but
this message from Vanessa is emotionally heart-felt.
Again, thank you to everyone involved.
We will continue to be follow you and your successes.

Right now, Vanessa is gathering her strength for her big surgery
date next monday, 22nd of February,
at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston Texas

Any words of encouragement, strength, and best wishes can be
made to Vanessa directly at thehealingdoor@gmail.com

Make it a great and wonderful week everyone..!

D.A.

.. ♥ ..FIGHT..!..WIN..!..WE LOVE YOU..!.. ♥ ..


Friday, February 12, 2010

Bitchass Benefit: BEATS ANTIQUE Special DJ Set Featuring Zoe Jakes video by Puzzling Evidence TV on Youtube


For Vanessa, a Special DJ Set by Beats Antique featuring the
lovely Zoe Jakes..! Thank you so much Zoe, David, and Tommy!

Beats Antique is currently on tour and will be at The Shrine Expo Hall
this saturday 2/13/10 with Bassnectar, the Yard Dogs, and more!

LOS ANGELES CA 2/13/10 The Shrine Expo Hall
FLAGSTAFF AZ 2/17/10 Orpheum Theater opening for LES CLAYPOOL
LAKE TAHOE 2/19/10 Montbleu Theater opening for LES CLAYPOOL
EUGENE OR 2/20/10 McDonald Theatre opening for LES CLAYPOOL
SANTA CRUZ CA 2/21/10 The Catalyst opening for LES CLAYPOOL
ARCATA CA 2/26 Arcata Theater


Bitchass Benefit: Special Performances by Members of The YARD DOGS ROAD SHOW video by Puzzling Evidence TV on Youtube





THE YARD DOGS ON TOUR RIGHT NOW!!!

This is just a small taste of what the YARD DOGS ROAD SHOW have in store for you on their newly launched Valentine's Tour! What you're witnessing is a very Special Performance by Members of the Yard Dogs as gift for Vanessa's Bitchass Benefit.

..catch them on the road right now..

Yard Dogs Valentine's Tour:
FLAGSTAFF, AZ Feb. 11 with Circus Bacchus at Orpheum Theater
SAN DIEGO, CA Feb. 12 with Lynx and Janower at the Casbah
LOS ANGELES, CA Feb. 13 with Bassnectar, Lucent Dossier, Beats Antique at Shrine Expo Hall
SANTA CRUZ, CA Feb.19 at Rio Theatre
REDWAY, CA Feb. 20 with Dirty Dozen Brass Band at Mateel Center
SONOMA, CA Feb. 21 & 22 at Sebastiani Theatre

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Bitchass Benefit: EXTRA ACTION MARCHING BAND video by Puzzling Evidence TV on Youtube; Pics by Shannon Corr








"Powerful and empowering, the Extra Action Marching Band seduces the pre-civilized will. They are immediate and visceral - more of a sweaty invitation than a show. They are a parody of idioms with shattering volume - guerrilla theater with the rug rolled up. Extra Action has performed in back alleys and at the Hollywood Bowl, they have played Black Sabbath in a synagogue for dancing octogenarians - but their preferred venue is a small locked room with the heat turned up."

Hey Gang, D.A. here. Extra Action has been my family since 1998 when pretty much the entire band lived together in a crazy "Live-Work" warehouse space simply known as SPACE in Fruitvale, Oakland CA.Space was a raw and explosively creative warehouse convergence powered by some wild and crazy kids all hailing from parts unknown to make amazing things happen in the San Francisco Bay Area. In 1998, it was as if the beacon, the call, the lightning rod was here... and we answered it. In the short time that we were all together, from Oct. 98 —Feb. 00, some truly epic shows combusted within those walls. Crash Worship, F-Space, Seemen, Spaz, AWD (before they reformed as Xeno), and the End of the Word Cirkus, just to name a few. Once upon a time, the legendary Master Musicians of JaJouka from Morrocco held a very special and sacred show for us and our friends in Space that will never be forgotten. To this day, the Master Musicians laugh and refer to us as "the scary place." Those were the days..

But apparently... those days are alive and well. With deep-rooted friendships, veterans of Space led by Extra Action, Beat's Antique, and Yard Dogs, came together once again to rally for our dear friend Vanessa, to give you the Bitchass Benefit. It was a lovely spectacle. Watching the videos of the Benefit, it's fun to hear all the references to "Space" as if alluding to outer-space. Those of us who lived that experience know that Space was our home. Beautiful to think of our inside joke to be in reality, the fertile ground and jumping off point for the collaborations that would take us through the next phase of our lives.

Proud to know that 12 years later, those collaborative friendships are still making their way through the world into the future.

I would like to take this moment to thank those crazy kids from Space. You know who you are..I see you.

Thank you,
D.A.



Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Bitchass Benefit: Sugar Butt Tiger!!! with Eric McFadden! video by Puzzling Evidence TV


..One helluva rock show..SUGAR BUTT TIGER with ERIC McFADDEN tore it up..

BITCHASS BENEFIT: Cowboy Girls!!! Videos by Puzzling Evidence TV

A fantastic array of videos shot at the Bitchass Benefit by Puzzling Evidence TV are up on YouTube. More of these on the blog to come but for now, check out the awesome gunslinging balancing act that is THE COWBOY GIRLS!!!


Check out more from the Bitchass Benefit on Puzzling Evidence TV's Channel on YouTube

ATTENTION HOUSTON TEXAS: Vanessa Seeking Temporary Housing for 1 month starting Mid-February

Vanessa will need to be in Houston Texas from mid-february to mid-march
while at MD Anderson for her surgery and further treatment.
If you have any info regarding temporary housing possibilities in Houston, please email Vanessa directly at thehealingdoor@gmail.com
THANK YOU

THE YARD DOGS ROAD SHOW!!! NOW ON TOUR!

photos: Hilary Hulteen - Hills of Sonoma / 2010

THE YARD DOGS ROAD SHOW is hittin' the road!!!

Truly inspiring, the Special Performances by Members of The Yard Dogs Roadshow at the BITCHASS BENEFIT was an incendiary gift to Vanessa and and we wish them bon voyage as they launch their spectacular new Valentine's Tour!

"The Yard Dogs Road Show is a hobo cabaret, a living patchwork of vaudeville and rock and roll. In the enchanting land of stage show entertainment theirs is both pleasant and formidable terrain. They require a sensitivity to the subtle and the absurd. They lead the modern hobohemian on a visual and sonic journey through part of history that may or may not have existed – followed by an ambitious return to the emotional challenges of our punch-drunk contemporary world. It’s a true story on stage: sword swallowers, dancing dolls, fire eaters and sunset hobo poetry - all animated by the live sounds of the Yard Dogs cartoon heavy band.
Yard Dogs Road Show is pure visual and sonic voodoo."

Valentine's Tour:
FLAGSTAFF, AZ Feb. 11 with Circus Bacchus at Orpheum Theater
SAN DIEGO, CA Feb. 12 with Lynx and Janower at the Casbah
LOS ANGELES, CA Feb. 13 with Bassnectar, Lucent Dossier at Shrine Expo Hall
SANTA CRUZ, CA Feb.19 at Rio Theatre
REDWAY, CA Feb. 20 with Dirty Dozen Brass Band at Mateel Center
SONOMA, CA Feb. 21 & 22 at Sebastiani Theatre

..catch them on the road..

Monday, February 8, 2010

BITCHASS BENEFIT: A Document of Thanks

Wow..after Friday night's event, I know in my heart of hearts that THIS COMMUNITY is alive and well. You could feel the love in the room, sprinkled with misty-eyed moments and warm smiles all around. It was a special night that will resonate far into the future.

Vanessa could feel your love too, watching from her family's home in Dallas TX, live via the information age. I spoke with Vanessa last night, overwhelmed by your support, I let her know point blank that the love she is receiving was already put out into the world by her a long time ago. It's true.

Right now Vanessa is dealing with the ins and outs of the health care system as she prepares for her surgery on the 22nd of February at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston TX. Please know that your contributions are what has given Vanessa a fighting chance, taking care of her needs and of her five-year old son Logan for the near future as she goes through this ordeal.

Keep the success of Vanessa's surgery in your hearts and thoughts and let's hope that chemotherapy will no longer be necessary. In fact, let's imagine that Vanessa's colon cancer goes away right now. All together now... 1..2..3..

Thank you.

In a moment, I'll introduce Linda Kim who had a monumental impact at pulling this event together and would like to thank you by name. With an event of this magnitude, our greatest fear is that we may have forgotten someone along the way. Therefore, we have decided that this BITCHASS BENEFIT: A Document of Thanks will be a living document, in celebration of everyone who helped make the Bitchass Benefit a resounding success, that can be updated as long as this blog needs to exist.

So now I want to take this moment to say to each and every one of you..THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU...FOREVER.

Thank you to all of the people who stepped up to produce the Vanessa's Bitchass Benefit. It was an inspiring victory and you are all champions.

Thank you to all of the volunteers, working behind the scenes, being the ninjas that you are, making it all happen.

Thank you to all of the performers who answered the call, and rose to the cause. May your songs continue to be sung far and wide.

Thank you to all of the sponsors, merchants, and artists, for generously donating Prizes to be won at the Bitchass Raffle. You made everyone a winner.

Thank you to the Oakland Metro Operahouse for generously opening up your doors, giving us the space to make the Bitchass Benefit happen. There was a lot of love there.

Thank you to everyone who helped spread the word. May your voices and causes always be heard.

Thank you to all of you fighters out there, lending your fighting spirit with blessings and words of encouragement. You inspire Vanessa to stand up, to stand strong.

Thank you to all the healers, from all studies of medicine, helping Vanessa to get well. May you continue to inspire the world recognize to recognize the healing power that they already possess.

Thank you all for contributing to Vanessa's fund. Your generosity is allowing her the peace of mind that her immediate needs and that of her son are taken care of while she goes through her ordeal. Your direct donations are what made her second opinion happen. Feel good about yourselves because you are changing the tide.

Thank you to Vanessa's circle of friends and family, near and far, surrounding Vanessa with love and support, who wouldn't let her give up on her second opinion. Your love is powerful beyond belief.

My love and gratitude goes out to all of you.

sincerely,
Dominic "D.A. of Black Rock" Tinio

And now a special thank you from Linda Kim:

"Hello Vanessa Lovers

The Bitchass Benefit was a huge success!

Thank you to all the performers:
Yard Dogs, Beats Antique, Extra Action, Turks (thank you Ryan for passing the hat!), Sugar Butt Tiger, Cowboy Girlz, and of course, DJ Junkdrawer. A very special thank you to Flash — You are always an inspiration to us all.

All of you responded, without hesitation, with a resounding "Yes!" We were able to set a date and the line-up in less than one week. Thank you for your ready willingness to make this ultimate dream show happen.

Thank you to all who helped organize & worked the benefit & raffle table: Violet, D.A., Serena, Danny, Sister Mabel, Juliana, Che, Eric, Courtney for the bitchin' flyers, Leroy for many hours at the door and special thank you to Chris for working the door all night long!

Thank you Katy Bell for making the raffle a success, and for your ceaseless energy.

A big thank you to Simon Cheffins for making it all work on stage - the crazy schedule worked crazy good! And thank you Sal & Greg for the sound.

Thank you to all who donated exquisite, beautiful, & valuable raffle prizes. WOW. That's all I can think to say on this. WOW.

Thank you
Jon Schainker for the webcast & recording. Vanessa told me that she felt like she was being carried by the crowd all night as she watched. She was definitely with us at the benefit.

Thank you Mia & Tom for providing a bitchin' space, for all your help, for setting up the lovely bonus chill room, and for the refreshments. (Happy birthday, Mia!)

Thank you to all of you who came to the benefit and carried Vanessa with your positive energy all night. We could not have done this without you.

And thank you to all who could not make it to the benefit but love and support Vanessa in many ways.

A huge thank you to Dominic "D.A." for this blog!
Please continue to check in here for updates on Vanessa's healing.

All of you have made a huge difference in the life of a very special person.
Let's keep on doing it!
Please keep Vanessa in your thoughts, especially on Feb 22.

Vanessa, Amber D, Linda S, and I thank you all with all our hearts & eternal gratitude.

All my love,
Linda K

PS If anyone has any footage/photographs of the benefit, Vanessa would love to have it. Please contact Dominic at dominic.da@gmail.com."

Thursday, February 4, 2010

BITCHASS BENEFIT TOMORROW NIGHT: FRIDAY 2/5/10..!!!

THE EXTRA ACTION MARCHING BAND..!..BEATS ANTIQUE Special D.J. Set featuring Zoe Jakes..!..Special performances by members of the YARD DOGS ROAD SHOW..!..THE TURKS..!..SUGAR BUTT TIGER..!..COWBOY GIRLS..!..D.J. JUNK DRAWER..!..And as Your Master of Ceremonies, the one the only, our very own, From Discovery Channel's Doing DaVinci..FLASH HOPKINS..!!! plus..THE BITCHASS RAFFLE with BITCHASS PRIZES..!
..THANK YOU FOR MAKING THIS VIDEO VIOLET..!

SAN FRANCISCO: GET YOUR BITCHASS TO OAKLAND FOR THE BITCHASS BENEFIT..!
OH MY GOD WE HAVE AN AWESOME SHOW FOR YOU!
The forecast is calling for rain all week so be prepared, because we need you.
Get your travel plans together, bring an umbrella, AND BE THERE.



Enter The Bitchass Raffle! Win Bitchass Prizes!

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Vanessa's Victory: The Importance of a Second Opinion


So, as you can imagine, upon being rushed to the hospital, having emergency surgery, and waking up with a colostomy bag, and being diagnosed with advanced colorectal cancer that things might be just a little... overwhelming.

Thoughts flood your brain with worry and confusion... CANCER??? Colostomy bag? Radiation therapy? Menopause? Chemotherapy? Surgery? Pain? Hollistic options? Healing? Medical bills? Red tape? The system? Rent? Work? School? Money? My kid? Life? Love? Happiness? Mortality?

Keep in mind that Vanessa and her 5-year old son live in the Bay Area CA and were only visiting family in Dallas TX for the holidays when she was rushed to the hospital. She was admitted to the same exact hospital that her father passed away in from Colon Cancer this past May, and sleeping in his same exact bed at her family's home. [Note: It was previously reported that Vanessa's father passed away from liver cancer.That was incorrect. For the record, her father, Anthony Smith, died from colon cancer.]

Under the strenuous circumstances you might imagine it being easy to just say yes to whatever the first opinion is telling you. After all, they're telling you how sick you are and that they're trying to save your life and time is of the essence. But the truth is, that you owe it to yourself to strive for that trusted second opinion. Because this is a matter of your life. It's your body. Your rules.

Well, this story of victory is one I'm going to have to chalk up to Vanessa's inner-circle of friends and healers and made possible by YOUR donations.

Vanessa's friends wouldn't let her settle for her first opinion which would have started her on Radiation weeks ago and effectively put her through menopause right now on top of everything. Despite all of the pressure that she was facing, Vanessa's friends urged her to to focus on a goal: "Get your ass to Houston and get that second opinion from M.D. Anderson Cancer Center."

For those unfamiliar, M. D. Anderson is ranked No. 1 in cancer care in the United States by U.S. News & World Report. Additionally, they rank first in the number of National Cancer Institute grants and invested more than $510 million in research in 2009.

Under non-profit structure, M. D. Anderson, is focused on research of causes, treatments, and prevention of cancer, with the stated mission of "MAKING CANCER HISTORY." In 2009, more than 11,000 patients participated in therapeutic clinical research exploring novel treatments, making it the largest program of its kind in the United States.

Right now, I'll let you hear the victory news from Vanessa herself and I'll pick up again after the jump.

Here is Vanessa..


THIS IS GREAT NEWS!

M.D. Anderson is NOT RECOMMENDING RADIATION as was previously diagnosed at another facility in Dallas.

So, to keep things in perspective, Vanessa is still fighting cancer.

M.D. Anderson has diagnosed Vanessa with Colon Cancer NOT Colorectal Cancer.

The need for chemotherapy will be evaluated after Vanessa's surgery at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center currently scheduled for February 22nd, 2010.

Please keep Vanessa's wellness in your thoughts.

For now, I want to take the time to THANK YOU. Vanessa's Second Opinion was made possible by YOU! Your donations are what got Vanessa to M.D. Anderson in Houston in the first place. Vanessa still has a long road to travel but you helped her make her first step ONE GIANT LEAP..!

And I want to thank YOU, Vanessa's circle of friends and healers, (you know who you are) with all of your healing love, knowledge, gifts, and support. You are making all the difference in the world. You know this. Vanessa knows this. Keep doing what you do and keep that song in your heart. THANK YOU.

This is one helluva victory and all the more reason for all of us to celebrate together at Vanessa's BITCHASS BENEFIT this Friday Friday Friday the 5th of February at the Oakland Metro Operahouse: 630 3rd ST. at MLK near Jack London Square in Oakland.

BEATS ANTIQUE Special DJ Set featuring Zoe Jakes, Special Perfomances by Members of the YARD DOGS ROAD SHOW, EXTRA ACTION MARCHING BAND, THE TURKS, SUGAR BUTT TIGER, COWBOYGIRLS, D.J. JUNKDRAWER, and FLASH HOPKINS AS MC, plus THE BITCHASS RAFFLE!!!

$15 — $100 Sliding Scale at the Door.
Doors at 8pm SHow at 9pm.
ALL PROCEEDS GO TO VANESSA.

SEE YOU FRIDAY!!!

Stay Tuned and Thank You For Fighting:)

D.A. of Black Rock
(aka Dominic Tinio)