Foxie Turns 1… a couple of shots from the party

what a cute little bunny, i mean Fox!!!

fox and his mommy, jill, enjoying a yummy breakfast…

 

Foxie’s First Birthday, Some Shots…

 

The little wet-head.

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 Diaper-baby Foxie and his Uncle Scott.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Uncle Gravy Donger and Little Foxie.

 

Cheap Airfare!

Oh mi gosh, I’ve just found the best website for finding airfare! Farecast.com is a great site for finding the cheapest flights and has the most intuitive search options…

http://www.farecast.com/

Maybe I’ll be able to afford to travel someday…

 

Pom Poco (Or, “I Wish That I Could Be A Animae Raccoon!)

Coolest movie I’ve seen in a while! Saw it at a fundraiser for Climate Change Convergence. Wow. Definitely CHECK OUT POM POCO!!!!

 

To Be Nobody But Yourself…

Okay, creepy, but I found this on a stormfront nazi party message board… before you get all creeped out, I was looking on there to find out what they are saying about the resistance in Knoxville, TN that happened today when they had staged a protest around a local horrific murder trial. I lurked for a minute or two, and noticed this quote under one rant about jews or something.

Geez, It’s so creepy to me that the same exact quote that spoke to this neo-nazi could really speak to me! I guess it’s the same how so many different people interpret the bible for whatever the agenda…one book, one billion interpretations. But I was a little uncomfortable that someone in the Klan is also an e.e. cummings fan. I’m an e.e. fan, but definitely not a nazi… how weird!

I think that this is a good reminder that it’s so important that we find the commonailites within us with others, especially those that see the world so differently. If we can find that common thread, perhaps we can find a way to relate to each other, and hope for change, betterment of mankind, and strengthen the bonds of love and fellowship, and work for peace.

 

Q: What does Wilma Dykeman, Myself, and a Paper Towel Have in Common?

A: Motivation, encouragement, being yourself with no excuses, and getting fired up! That’s what! For those of you who are wondering how these fit together, let me fill you in! I went to Wilma Dykeman’s memorial service today at Diana Wortham Theater in Asheville. We honored her memory and legacy today, about 300 of her friends and admirers. Wilma was outspoken and lovely in her lifetime, and took multiple stands for justice and power. She was herself, with no apologies.

So the real motivating factor came from a letter from Wendel Berry to Dykeman’s family, talking about the time that he first really talked to Wilma, and how she said something really nice about his lecture that he had given. He told her, “Thanks. You are being really sweet.” And she said, “no, I’m being honest!”

Well, that may not seem like much to some, but here was a woman, all 86 years of her life, she spent being her. Her motto was to live the life as “i think, i like, i am” instead of worrying about how it might affect other people.

So, impressionable little ole’ me, all 28 years young, heard that, and thought, long and hard for all of 30 minutes, thinking about how I’ve always wanted a nose ring (how silly of a want, I know) but was too afraid of hearing about it from other folks. I’ve worried about what my mom would say, or someone from work, or etc. instead of just doing what I wanted to do. It’s a microscopic hole in my nose that can heal back at anytime. It’s not really about the nosering, but more about giving a big fat finger to worrying about what other people think. As if a small ring in my nose could keep me from doing my job.

So there, Roan. And there, everybody who’s got a problem with it.

……………Okay, though, having said that, I really do wish that it had been a lot smaller of a ring. I took it out, hoping to put in the tiny little stud, but couldn’t get it back in. So now I have the ring back in with no ball on it, hoping that I can go back tomorrow and he can fix it. I really wanted a stud only, but he talked me into the ring, saying that it would be more sanitary and heal quicker with less chance of disease. Let’s cross our fingers and hope that they can fix it up tomorrow morning, to where it’s more igcognito and less punk-rockish!

 

Blue Ridge Old Time Music Week, Google Group!

I’ve set up a google group for Blue Ridge Old Time Music Week 2007 attendees to stay in touch with one another! The group will allow us to make announcements, share photographs and sound files from the week, and have secure way to communicate without having to make our information public. I have posted a sound file, a welcome to new members, and have some other material that will be loaded soon! I’m so excited! If you were at Blue Ridge Old Time Music Week this past year and want to join, check out the Google Group!                             (photograph taken by Andy Mrozkowski, 2005)

 

Ryan Harvey, Concert on YouTube

Found this video of Ryan Harvey, my favorite songwriter these days, playing the best 911 commentary I’ve heard in song in a while.
Check out more Ryan Harvey on the Riot Folk Website.

 Here’s the link to the lyrics to “Was it Worth It?”

 

Another mountain music post…

Gary Schueffler asked me to record me singing “The Cruel Mother,” a really sad ballad that dates back to the 1600s, and is about a mother that gives birth two twin boys and then stabs them and forsakes them in the woods. It’s really sad. Bobby McMillon taught it to me, so here it is.

The Cruel Mother.mp4

 

Go Away With Me

I learned this from Alice Gerrard last week in the Country Music Singing Class at Blue Ridge Old Time Music Week! My singing’s a little rough, but my buddy, Brad Pope, played the guitar for me and we recorded it so he could learn it! Yeay!

Go_Away_With_Me.mp3