1. Is it just me, or does everyone see a resemblance between John McCain’s Mother and the chicken lady from Kids in the Hall? (I’m sorry - I’m so going to hell for that one).
2. Me and one of my favorite people and favorite artists - and fellow cancer survivor - Lila Graves.
Today’s recommended reading:
Compassion is not socialism from Cobalt Blue:
Republicans seem to lack empathy and I don’t understand why that is. But for some reason they are incapable of imagining themselves in the position of anyone else. They cannot see that racial discrimination still exists and still holds back too many people. They cannot see that poverty is an enormous problem in America. They cannot see that people around the world despise America not because they are jealous of our wealth and freedom but because they resent being exploited and ignored. Barack Obama, though, is the most empathetic candidate we’ve had in a while. Bill Clinton was empathetic, too, probably because of his personal background. Al Gore wasn’t, really. Neither was John Kerry. But Obama is. He understands what it means to be poor and to struggle. He knows what the rest of the world thinks of us and why.
And Sarah Palin’s War on Science from slate.com:
This is what the Republican Party has done to us this year: It has placed within reach of the Oval Office a woman who is a religious fanatic and a proud, boastful ignoramus. Those who despise science and learning are not anti-elitist. They are morally and intellectually slothful people who are secretly envious of the educated and the cultured. And those who prate of spiritual warfare and demons are not just “people of faith” but theocratic bullies. On Nov. 4, anyone who cares for the Constitution has a clear duty to repudiate this wickedness and stupidity.
Yes.
—–
Destined.
Another crappy camera phone picture of another reason to love Alabama.
1. Like this is a surprise. Where would they be without having intellectually lazy white people to hate? And nobody does intellectual laziness like republicans: Al-Qaida is rooting for McCain. (Talking Points Memo)
2. Good stuff: Criggo.
3. How to know if you’re an elitist. (SFGate)
4. Ran about 5 miles today. I was gonna go longer, but I’m still feeling the effects of this cold. After about a month.
5. Palin As President. Click around. Have fun. Be afraid. (From Foust)
6. Photos I’ve taken with my 3.2 megapixel camera phone. (graphjam.com)
7. Lasting. Taken in Richmond. A few weeks ago.
As promised, monkeys in trees.
No one ever took credit for him, but Jeanie found this guy climbing up the tree in front of her booth.
We have no idea where he came from. Such is Kentuck.
Damn.
Big.
The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band.
Went out to worship The Reverend last night at Gravity. The Reverend did not disappoint. I had seen them this summer at FloydFest and was completely blown out of the water, and this show was right up there. I think the audience at FF was a little crazier and more open to The Reverend’s energy and passion than the little hipster kids in Charlottesville, but it was still a fantastic show.
This is a man who knows what music is, what music can bring to people, and what it means to connect to an audience. On the surface he’s all big and wild and crazy, but there’s also a sweet and knowing artistry going on that tells lots of truths. And I’ll also say a word about the other members of the band - the hot-as-fire-and-brimstone Breezy Peyton on washboard and the always solid Jayme Peyton on drums (and pickle bucket - a upside-down standard 5-gallon bucket where the floor tom is supposed to be, outfitted with standard tom-tom legs and held together with duct tape). When I saw them before they seemed almost like an afterthought to Reverend Peyton’s larger-than-life talent and personality, but make no mistake, a big part of what makes this band special are the ways they use subtle changes in tempo and energy and pacing, and the Big Damn Band’s rhythm section are where so much of that subtlety comes from.
I bought a t-shirt. I got The Reverend to autograph it. I shook The Reverend’s hand and spoke with him. I am a fan.
I wish I’d had a real camera. But a phone cam pic is better than nothing.
Charlottesville
I’m so glad to be back. I had a really sweet trip this year, but I so missed my home. My couch. My shower. My tiny condo. My dog. And most of all, my comfy bed.
It was a long trip home. I wanted to take my time, take some new side trips and drive on some roads I had never been on before, so when I left Northport Monday morning, I drove north up Alabama 69 for an hour or two before heading north on I-65. It was fun to take a different route, but I can’t say it was really that pretty or interesting. I eventually made my way back over toward Knoxville, and stayed last night at a sad and ugly interstate motel an hour or so north of there.
One of my artshow neighbors had told me about this place with lots of cool abandoned settings where he had taken photos on the Virginia/West Virginia border, and I had planned on heading that way to see if it was as interesting as he described, but when I googled the place, it sounded doubtful that I could even get into the buildings he was talking about, and since it was at least 2-3 hours out of my way, I decided to cancel that side trip.
So this morning I pulled out my maps, and I saw that the town where I was staying was on the road I might take if I wanted to head north from Tennessee up to the Cumberland Gap area - where Tennessee, Virginia and Kentucky meet. I have always wanted to drive through the far southwest corner of Virginia, but have never really been west of Bristol. The “Crooked Road” (US 58) through that part of the state has been improved dramatically in the last decade or so - almost all of it is 4-lane now - so I decided I’d take this opportunity to visit one of the few parts of my home state I’d never been to before. It was an amazing drive - the mountains heading up there are dramatic and beautiful, and the scenery along 58 is magic. I didn’t take any pics, but I’d really love to go back again and spend a few days there sometime if I can figure out a way.
It’s good to be home.
—–
The pie that other pies dream about being. Johnny Ray’s, I miss you…
Damn, Kentuck’s over. As always, it was great - the people are sweet, the art is inspiring, the friends are the best. Among the new legends: Behind-the-booth hairstyling and monkeys (well, gorillas actually) climbing trees! (We’re gonna save that photo for another day…)
Tonight: Dinner at Pepito’s with Tim, Jeanie, Kim and Jean. Tomorrow the remaining members meet for the annual get-out-of-town breakfast at City Cafe, then I hope to take some pics before I start for home. Not planning on getting back til Tuesday though - there will be a little exploring on the drive back to Virginia.
Like Kentuck’s not enough fun - I got a haircut from Lila!
And now, the famous Bob the Turtle. Kentuck rocks. I so do not want to go home.
Northport, Alabama
1. Today might have been the greatest day of eating in my entire life. It started with breakfast of pancakes and bacon at Bryson City’s Everett Street Diner, then an open-faced pork barbeque sandwich and lemon cream pie (yes, that pie, the best food on the earth…) from Johhny Ray’s in Birmingham, followed by ribs at Dreamland in Tuscaloosa. My stomach has never had it so good. No stomach has ever had it so good.
2. All set up for Kentuck. Life is good. Life is better than good. Life is Kentuck.
3. Every time I drive past Lake Ocoee in southeast Tennessee, I find myself pulled over taking pics. Today’s drive was no different - a cold, foggy and drizzly morning. Perfect.
