Time is more valuable than money. We spend our whole lives trying to get money and we sometimes miss the fact that every human being on the planet is equal when it come to time. Time is the true ruler of everyone's fate. Indeed, some people get paid a lot more per hour than other people, but that does not mean that everyone's time has a different value. It is a big concept, I know, and it has taken me all my years of living to figure out the value of time.

Every person on the planet experiences each second the same. We all experience time ticking by the same. We are all equal in that respect. We are all one in that respect. Respect. What happens to one of us happens to all of us. It takes a village to raise a child.

I should know. My father is a beautiful man who works so hard everyday of his life. He raised five children and I am the middle child. I never saw my dad growing up because he worked 12 hours a day and was gone when I got up and asleep when I came home day after day year after year. Mom, well, Mom definitely had her hands full. I mean, raising 5 kids in a Catholic house is a full time job. Looking back, I realize that I am who I am because I had money and clothes and food because Dad works so hard, but I did not have time. That is why I guess I am such a ham for attention. Gosh, the things I used to do to get attention at school, which, of course, is why all my teachers hated me and I don't blame them, I mean, "get down off that desk, Cepican!!!"

And so it went that the years rolled by and I had to get my time spent on me out there in the world and find people to take the time to teach me common sense. Because, while I was educated very well and got straight A's, I still did not have enough time invested in myself by teachers and because I was so desperate for attention, doing crazy things, some great teachers could not teach me lessons I needed to learn. So, I have to learn for myself. When I moved out of my parents house when I was 18 years old to go to University of Iowa, I never went back. That is why I moved to California by myself when I graduated University of Iowa 5 years later, because it was natural for me. That is how I grew up the middle of 5 children.

I know all about making money and I am very good at making money. But, I don't want money. I want time. I want teachers, friends, to spend time teaching me things I missed growing up, things like...common sense :). And, that is why I am so grateful to mi Familia in Rialto, California. I teach you about academic subjects, concepts and ideas, and you teach me what you learn from Mom and Dad. We are all one and it takes a village. I have learned so much from Rialto. You are my family. We are building R-Town. Rialto saw a major change to it's tax base when Norton Air Force Base closed and Kaiser Steel Closed and all the white people moved away from Rialto in what is called "white flight" a concept I studied at University of Iowa. Look at the Rialto Junior High School yearbook from the year 1981 right before Kaiser Steel and Norton Airforce base closed 100% blond hair blue eyes. Then, look at the yearbook from the year 1983 and everyone is Latino. That is a major demographic shift. The tax base evaporated, and the bottom fell out of the real estate market. There was another profound impact of the Kaiser Steel and Norton Air Force base employing people, they were some of the first industries to give African American's a real paying job and a chance at the American Dream, a chance to accumulate wealth for their families. The African American population set their sights on Rialto, because it was and is a suburb of San Bernardino. That is why there are many wealthy African American families on the north side. However, south Rialto sat in disrepair for 20 years, but at the same time many, many, many fine artists from East Los Angeles began to move to Rialto because the houses were more affordable. And, it just so happens that Rialto is the prettiest bedroom community in the Inland Empire and now we are experiencing a Renaissance in the arts and peace and love is on the rebound. The 210 Freeway and the 10 Freeway are on the top and bottom of our fine city and the Metrolink goes right through the very middle!

A day is coming soon when people will come to Rialto for a beautiful day of shopping, lunch, coffee, take in a show at our beautiful theatre on San Bernardino Ave. and then get on the Metrolink and go back home to Orange County or Los Angeles County to spread the feelings of love and intrinsic happiness that Rialto's artists have spent their time developing. We are a beautiful community and that is why it is our turn next. We got next. Did you ever wonder why Riverside Ave. has an island in the middle like Santa Monica Blvd. in Beverly Hills and Hollywood?

Well, I will tell you. One of Rialto's first Mayor's 100 or so years ago had a dream and a vision to build Rialto as a fine arts capital of the world. His name was Mr. Boyd. He used his own money to build the brick theatre in downtown Rialto on the corner of Riverside Ave. and Rialto Ave. It is now our fine conveinience store operated by a wonderful Korean woman who cares about R-Town. Alas, I digress. Let's continue. Hollywood started in New York City's Tin Pan Alley in the Chelsea District (which is now becoming a national historical society landmark, a hot bed of the fine arts industry always was always will be!).

The owners of the infant movie industry needed sunlight to make films because the technology in those days required real lights because Edison and Tesla were still perfecting the incandescent light bulb. Movie industry executives in search of 365 days a year of sunshine to make movies, set their sights on Southern California, land of eternal sunshine! Happy Happy Sunshine! Mr. Boyd, a transplant from back east, knew that Rialto had a destiny and so he brought the Movie Industry Executives from the Chelsea District to Rialto to see our beautiful Riverside Ave. Blvd. with the island in the middle and the theatre he had built with his own money. Mr. Boyd put them up at the beautiful Rialto Hotel (before it burned down). The executives were amazed and said that if Rialto's citizens could build a light rail line (at the time there were only freight tracks used to gather all the oranges that were growing here at the time...oranges built Rialto...and I think we all know who harvested the oranges, right?) then they would move their movie industry from New York City's Tin Pan Alley to Rialto, California.

Well, as we all know, Rialto is a bedroom community. We sleep at night. It is all quiet, not like Hollywood! So, as it went, the bond initiative went down 3-2 in the city council. And that is just as well because Rialto was destined to be a bedroom community that sleeps at night, and that is a beautiful thing.

Now as we continue to build up our fine arts industry in Rialto, we can clearly see the day when people will come to Rialto to experience the beautiful vibes we are creating here in our recording studios, art studios, crafts, handmade clothes, jewelry, beautiful, culturally significant things that took a long time to make. :) Time spent with love and peace guiding the way. The Alley Cat and Jim Palmer's Jazz & Art Xchange in downtown Rialto are only the beginning of our very own Little Bohemia!!! Intellectuals will come from all around to discuss high ideals and help peace and love guide our planet. We are all one. What happens to one of us happens to all of us.

That is what we can offer and that is why people will come here to spend the afternoon and experience our intrinsic happiness that we are trying to teach the world. Then, they will get back on the beautiful Metrolink at night and take the intrinsic happiness home to their own families and spend time with them. Time is more valuable than money. Every one of us needs time invested in us by those around us. Spend time with your family. Time makes all the difference. You can tell when someone has had a lot of time invested in them and when someone has not had time. You can have all the money in the world, but if you do not have time invested in yourself by those around you, then it makes it hard to realize that intrinsic happiness is a gift from God that is inside each and every one of us. You don't have to look outside of yourself for happiness that is intrinsic, that means "inside," of yourself. When you go looking around for something, you must know that it's already inside of yourself. And when you feel as though a tangible "thing" will make you happy, you must understand that happiness is not a "thing" at all, but an intrinsic feeling that does not cost one penny...but it takes TIME to reaffirm to yourself everyday. Indeed, like "enlightenment" itself, we never truly reach it, but it is the journey in that direction that makes all the difference. It's all about the journey :) Slow and steady wins the race.

Invest your time in the ones you love. It will pay dividends that you cannot even comprehend! I love you all, Rialto. You are a beautiful family and I am grateful for the time you are spending with me. Time matters. Time is equal for all of us.

Thank you for taking the time to read this blog.

peace

mc