I'm rather late in sharing this with you, as it happened over a month ago, but at dusk on the evening of April 5th, Jim heard a soft hooting outside the living room window.  Peeking out of the blind, he suddenly dashed out to the front porch, calling for me to hurry… Read full post »

I've been reading about the impending Brood II 17-Year Periodical Cicada emergence that will be happening on the east coast very soon.  If any of you are going to be affected by the East Coast Brood, I want to try and give you a sense of what might be in store for you.&n… Read full post »

Another legend was lost today.  George Jones has died in Nashville at the age of 81.  I don't think one could overstate the influence he has had on generations of male country singers. Everyone wants to sound like "The Possum." I bet they'll be belting out some George Jones song… Read full post »

I'm just a hollowed-out shell of a blogger these days. Reliving the glory days and trying to find something else to write about.

But since I'm only temporarily (I hope) uninspired, I thought I'd dig up this oldie from 2010, which marked a high point in my "career" at Open Salon. What I… Read full post »

I'll admit the headline is rather dramatic, but I don't think it's all that far from the truth. I really thought that things couldn't get any more hateful in the Tennessee General Assembly this year. I thought it had reached its nadir when a bill was introduced which proposed… Read full post »

No offense to Paul McCartney, but I think I have had enough of silly love songs. So here's a few from my misspent youth that are a bit more unconventional. 

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!

The Ramones - I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend 

The month of May, which is when the Tennessee legislature normally adjourns, feels like a million years away right now, and there's no telling how much damage will be done by then.  There is a bill to arm teachers.  There is a bill requiring an ultrasound in or… Read full post »

Why, it seems like just last year the Tennessee State Legislature was calling teachers overpaid, incompetent, selfish union thugs.  I get teary-eyed just thinking about those good old days.

But being a group of people not overly concerned with things like consistency or logic, this sam… Read full post »

Actually, the title of this post is longer than what will fit into the 60-character limit.

I Don't Have That, So You Shouldn't Either (or I Do Have That, But It's Only Because I'm So Much Worthier Than You) 

My very long title refers to the constant demonization (from "above"… Read full post »

Several weeks ago, in a planter filled with dense coleus leaves attached to the side of our house, we noticed a little nest that looked like an igloo made of small twigs, leaves, and pieces of fluff. It was very well hidden, but inside we could see four speckled eggs, watched… Read full post »

In which I present two true stories and ask which one is the real problem? 

Voter Fraud

Along with an increasing number of states, Tennessee has recently passed a law requiring state-issued photo identification in order to vote. The rationale behind this new law is that it will pr… Read full post »

As my fellow Volunteers know, 2010 marked a seismic shift in the state of Tennessee in that, for the first time since Reconstruction, the Republican party took control of the Governorship and both houses of the State Legislature.  Prior to that time, there had always been enough of an even distr… Read full post »

Country music pioneer Kitty Wells has died at the age of 92.

Do you believe there was a time when they thought women couldn't make hit records? She showed those good old boys what the gals were really made of.

Her signature song, It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels, was a st/… Read full post »

 As I prepare to celebrate my semicentennial, I can think of no better role model.

 Hit it, Sally.

It's simple.  Take a favorite song, book or movie title, and replace one word with "spam". Because spam can ruin anything. (As per the title above, Beatles songs are especially suitable.)

Baby You Can Drive My Spam

Norwegian Spam

Can't Buy Me Spam

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Spam

A… Read full post »

I just found out this morning that Bob Welch, former member of Fleetwood Mac, died in Nashville yesterday, of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.  He was 65 years old.

From the article:

In an interview with The Tennessean in 2003, Mr. Welch said he never dreamed he’d be remembered fo… Read full post »

I left a comment on J.D.'s epic end-of-the-world poem, saying I wasn't going to do my own post. But I have found it somewhat freeing in the past to share things here from my life, whether good, bad or ugly.

I guess this falls in the somewhat "embarrassing" category, but, hey,… Read full post »

I think it's somewhat disappointing that there wasn't a special Memorial Day cover page for the weekend because, although I think my own Memorial Day post is pretty cool, I feel bad that that post is hanging out alone there, when there have been so many other stellar pieces of writing… Read full post »

Arizona bans funding to Planned Parenthood in abortion fight

(Reuters) - Arizona Governor Jan Brewer on Friday signed into law a bill banning abortion providers like Planned Parenthood from receiving money through the state, her office… Read full post »