Thank you.

Murner called me today.

“Honey, you have company?”

“No, hahah it’s 11 am, why what’s up? Everything okay?”

“Well, I cooked green beans and cornbread last night. You want some for lunch today? You have enough gas to get up here?” (Her house is less than a mile away from mine, but yesterday I drove from Simpsonville to my house on “E” due to the gas shortage conspiracy.)

“Sure, I’ll shower and be on my way.”

Murner prepared a very nice box for me. She even added a few things.

Green beans, cornbread, tomato, baked sweet potato, apples, candy bar.

I’ve always had a hard time accepting anything – birthday gifts, candy bars, help with homework, $$$, etc. I contribute it to an awkward pride that I wear on my sleeve, belt and in my socks.

“– we are here to learn to endure the beams of love –“

Anne Lamont from Traveling Mercies 

Thank you. 

The Devil’s tail

This American Life is my favorite part of radio. You can access it here: http://www.thislife.org/Default.aspx

I wish that every time I spoke there was Jazz in the background or a sweet drum and bass making my sentences cooler. That’s radio though, not everyday life. This show is something special.

The episode that aired 9/5/08 – I really enjoyed “Act 2″ and “Act 3″

Act 2 was a story about the “voice”

You know the voice that tells you that you’re perfect and stupid. The little guy that makes excuses for you – “its not you, its them.” It can be our prefect poison and our fighting spirit.

Act 3 was a story about a guy that goes to battle with a demon. The battlefield – his university classroom. He grew up a fundamentalist Christian and began questioning his lifelong beliefs once he started conquering college. Then one day – his professor said that the next class, they would have a guest speaker – a medium that would channel a demon. She would take questions. His story chronicles his paranoia, preparation for battle and the loss of his faith. 

I like this episode so much because its all about inner demons. The way we wrestle with the devil’s tail – the constant fight to get it right. You know, “it.”

Rusul Jalal

This is Rusul. She’s 7 year’s old and here in Greenville from Iraq to receive treatment for injuries she suffered during a US air attack in her hometown – Hasswa. 

On Sept. 13, at Coffee Underground, Dry Ridge productions is having a nearly all day concert for her benefit. Admission is free but donations are strongly encouraged as all the proceeds go to Rusul. For more information about her, I encourage a google search. The organization No More Victims has brought her to Greenville, so their website is a great place to go for more information about her. 

You should come. The lineup is as follows. 

2:00 Austin Webb

2:45 Jim Bell 

3:15 Rachael Gallman 

4:15 Michael King

4:45 The Snacks

5:15 Me

5:45 David Funderburk 

6:15 O Mello Cello Tree

6:45 Andrea Miller 

7:15 Wasted Wine

8:00 Hannah Baker 

8:30 Niel Brooks

9:30 Larry Hoskinson 

If you come during my set, I plan on providing most people in the audience with a kazoo for an interactive song. You can keep it after! Wha!

the Effort in Living

Every time I get sick, I think it just might be the end.

“It’s cancer. It’s probably colon cancer. I’ll be in the papers. Everyone is shocked that I have colon cancer because I’m so young. Or maybe its lung cancer and I’ll blame second hand smoke… always being careful not to blame my dad or LBowes or my friends from high school. “

Last night, I drowned in tussin and conjured up some mint tea. Today, I’m feeling almost cured. There was a point when I told people that every time I woke up I’d yell, “I’VE MADE IT!” I’d always note that I recognized the everyday effort it takes to stay alive. Constantly breathing – Finding food – !LOOKing OUT! for danger.

Confession – it’s not everyday that I yell, “I’VE MADE IT!”

Constantly – I take for granted the effort it takes to stay living. Understandable. No one thinks about that all the time…I wish I could stay more aware of the energy just spent living – I’m certain I’d live more.

jumping out of airplanes, eating tangerines, kissing animals, hugging grandparents