Took two days away while working on new songs for my new album and went up to Gettysburg to explore the battlefield and this historic town. Here I am at the New York Irish Brigade Monument, honoring the sacrifices of the 69th, 63rd and 88th infantry regiment to preserve the Union and which were composed mainly of Irish-Americans.

The full-size monument with the iconic Celtic cross. On the front of the cross is an ornate bronze ornamented by a 2nd Corps trefoil, the numbers of the three New York regiments, the Seal of the State of New York, and a harp flanked by eagles. At the foot of the cross lies a lifesized Irish wolfhound, symbol of honor and fidelity. The monument was dedicated on July 2nd, 1888 and sculpted by a Confederate soldier who fought at the battle who wanted to remember the bravery of his Irish brethren and camrades in arms.

Atop Devil's Den with Big Round Top in the background

One of the many fine equestrian statues on the battlefield. This one is of Union Major General John Sedgwick mounted on his horse from Connecticut.

Lover of horses and all things equestrian. Stopped to see one of the smaller monuments to the First Massachusetts Cavalry and their horses who served at Gettysburg.

With Danni Sheron having fun laying down our vocal duet on the new song at Commodore Recording Studios.

Posing with jazz and rock drummer, Edgar Myers as we work out the arrangements and lay down the drum tracks on my new song.

Tracking my main vocals for the new song before harmonizing with Danni.

Posing with the talented and unique singer-songwriter, Danni Sheron in between vocal takes in the isolation room at the studio..

Posing with the gifted bassist, David Lester after recording the melodic and syncopated bass tracks for the new song. David is a graduate student of music at the Manhattan School of Music in New York City.

Posing with Edgar in between drum takes at the studio. Edgar is playing a vintage drum kit made by the now defunct Maryland Drum Co.

First moment of rest and meal of the day after the first day at Otakon. Enjoying an iced cappuccino and a croissant at Maison Kayser across the street from the convention on Friday, July 26 2019

A print of Tetsuya Kuroko and his dog from one of my favorite sports anime, Kuroko no Basuke (Kuroko's Basketball) signed by animator and episode director of the anime, Yoshiaki Kyogoku. Honored and thrilled to have the opportunity to speak with him, too. A truly great day!

Honored to meet and speak with Hirokatsu Kihara, who directed the famous Studio Ghibli anime, Majo no Takkyūbin (Kiki's Delivery Service) and is a close colleague of Hayao Miyazaki. Kihara-san was so kind to personally sign a beautiful print from the anime for me. This anime is celebrating its 30th Anniversary this year.

Found this beautiful framed print of Kuroko and his teammates on the Seirin High School Basketball Team.

Found the rare fan book for my favorite anime, Free! The inset page depicts the five main characters of this coming-of-age story of the Iwatobi High School Swimming Team: Haruka Nanase, Makoto Tachibana, Rin Matsuoka, Nagisa Hazuki, and Rei Ryugasaki.

A photo of three of Japan's most famous voice actors in anime today, l-r: Makoto Furukawa, Manaka Iwami and Nobunaga Shimazaki before they spoke at the Fruits Basket panel at Otakon 2019, Saturday, July 27, 2019. Shimazaki is the voice actor for my favorite anime character, Haruka Nanase in the coming-of-age swimming anime, Free!

A signed print from Kiki's Delivery Service by the director of the anime, Hirokatsu Kihara of Studio Ghibli to me.

Attended a wonderful lecture by the famous Japanese orchestral composer, Kaoru Wada at Otakon on Sunday, July 28, 2019. Wada-san presented a survey of his orchestral works by playing audio samples and discussing instrumentation and orchestral arrangement and his overall creative process behind several famous anime, including his music for the internationally-renowned anime, Inuyasha.

Attended an informative lecture of Yoshiaki Kyougoku, the animator and director of the popular sports anime, Kuroko's Basketball. Kyougoku is also well-known for his direction of the anime, Tokyo Ghoul.

The group photo taken of Furukawa, Iwami and Shimazaki-san with the attendees of the Fruits Basket and Laid Back Camp panel at Otakon 2019. Can you find me in the photo?

Posing in front of a segment of the western side of the Berlin Wall at the Newseum in Washington, DC. One of the watershed moments in my life when I was in graduate school. We never thought this would happen, but it did happen because people kept up the good fight in the West and the East.

One of the original rainbow flags created by San Francisco artist, Gilbert Blake in 1978 with the Singer sewing machine used by the artist forming the centerpiece of the "Rise Up! Stonewall and the LGBTQ Rights Movement" exhibit at Newseum.

Posing in front of the Stonewall history section of the exhibit.

Poster from the exhibit discussing the important role that Frank Kameny, the brave Federal scientist, astronomer, public servant and activist who led the protest of Federal workers against President Eisenhower's order and the Civil Service Commission's purge of LGBTQ Federal employees from their government jobs in the 1950's.

A cover from The Advocate depicting the Episcopal Church's first installed openly gay bishop, Gene Robinson, who wore a bullet proof vest on the day he was elevated to the position. Bishop Robinson gave a beautiful eulogy this year at the National Cathedral during the reception of Matthew Shepard's ashes for interment in the Cathedral. Matthew Shepard was a 21-year old student at the University of Wyoming, who was brutally murdered after attending a famous LGBTQ meeting for being openly gay.

The poster from the Rise Up exhibit depicting a moment in time during the riot on June 28, 1969 at The Stonewall Inn on Christopher Street in Greenwich Village, NYC.

Some of the striking graffitti on the Western side of a piece of the Berlin Wall .

The sign announcing one's crossing via "No Man's Land" to the Soviet-controlled East Germany and Bloc.

Section of the exhibit devoted to the life and civil rights advocacy of San Francisco City Supervisor Harvey Milk and his assassination.

The Wall