a long Saturday stretches out before me...

(rubbing eyes) damn, it's morning. Actually, I've been up for nigh onto an hour...my body, after necessary sleep has been accomplished, does not let me go back to sleep if I awaken earlier than necessary. Another of nature's little jokes...I'm a bit groggy and have a mild headache, and being able to sleep another hour or two would be nice...but, you can't have it all.

I am going to help my brother Mark move some stuff from storage today (hey, I remember when I had stuff in storage. I can remember when I had stuff! Now, all I possess can practically be carried in a gym bag. Beware of locusts, especially pretty ones. They pick you clean.)

Then I have to prep for my trip, then I have to drive four hours to the DC area to see my boys. I'd love to get started on the lawn for my ex, but she has said no, on religious grounds (she keeps the Sabbath, unlike most Americans who just try not to get too drunk on it). As much as I'd like to get around it, I do have to respect that she is one of the few people I've ever gotten close to with a clearly defined religious coda. Vastly superior to lip service or pew-warming. She is willing to be inconvenienced by her beliefs. That's rare. Terrifyingly rare.

Gonna spend the night with Anastacia and her hubby. Haven't met him yet, but by all account he's a good guy...you owe it to your friends to accept their choices for spouses.

Then, tomorrow I am going to spend the day trying to put a dent in the wild meadow that was once a back yard at a house I once bought (and gave away, in the name of love and peace). There is no way it can be as shaggy as it has been painted for me, so I guess I'll just have to see what is what.)

Oh? You want to know what's up with the books? Me, too. Actually, I'm happy to report that both are in good shape. I have to make final prep of "The Morgantown Suite Poems" on Monday so that I can have a few copies to deliver to Arts Mon and do some kind of event for the local library to flag the book.

Sanity check:
June 9th...Peri's birthday and the release of the book.
June 10th...Toastmasters meeting (okay, not too bad)
June 11th...High school reunion
JUne 14th...and old friend's "birthday" (if she reads this, she'll know)
June 16th...release of "Art&Soul" from the Appalachian Education Initiative. From their website (so I assume it is rock solid) comes this list of the artists profiled:

Maggie Anderson – poet – grew up in WV
Michael Cervaris – actor/musician – from Huntington
Ted Cassidy (Lurch) ** -- actor – grew up in Philippi area
Stephen Coonts – author – grew up in Buckhannon
Diane Curry – musician (opera) – grew up in White Sulphur Springs
William Francis DeVault (!!)– poet – grew up in Morgantown
Little Jimmy Dickens – county music singer – grew up in Bolt
Paul Dooley – actor – from Parkersburg
Brad Dourif -- actor – grew up in Huntington
Joanne Dru ** -- actress – grew up in Logan
Jennifer Garner – actress – grew up in Charleston
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. – author – from Piedmont
Denise Giardina – author – grew up in McDowell Co.
Homer Hickam – author – grew up in Coalwood
Kermit Hunter ** -- playwright – grew up in Welch
Johnnie Johnson – pianist – grew up in Fairmont
Lawrence Kasdan – director – grew up in Morgantown
Becky Wilson Kelly – author/illustrator of children’s books – grew up in St. Albans
Don Knotts – actor – grew up in Morgantown
Blanche Lazzell ** -- visual artist – grew up near Maidsville
William Robinson Leigh ** -- visual artist – grew up at Falling Waters
Chester Lester – songwriter – grew up in Charleston
Ann Magnuson – actress/singer/performer – grew up in Charleston
Peter Marshall – actor – from Huntington
Kathy Mattea – country music singer – grew up in Cross Lanes
Charlie McCoy – musician (harmonica, guitar, trumpet) – grew up in Fayetteville
Irene McKinney – poet – grew up in Barbour Co.
Louise McNeill ** -- poet – grew up in Buckeye, Pocahontas Co.
Beth McVey– broadway actor – grew up in Huntington
J. Mark McVey – broadway actor – grew up in Huntington
Lou Myers – actor – grew up in Chesapeake
Devon Odessa – actress – from Parkersburg
Brad Paisley – county music singer – grew up in Glen Dale
Squire Parsons – singer – grew up near Newton in Roane Co.
Michael K. Paxton – visual artist – grew up in Logan Co.
Jayne Anne Phillips – author – grew up in Buckhannon
Rachel Proctor – country music singer/songwriter – grew up in Kanawha Co.
Soupy Sales – comedian/actor – grew up in Huntington
Chris Sarandon – actor – grew up in Beckley
David Selby – actor – grew up in Morgantown
Michael W. Smith – singer (Christian singer/songwriter) – grew up in Kenova
Christopher Sperandio -- visual artist – grew up in Kingwood
Morgan Spurlock – filmmaker – from Beckley
Buddy Starcher ** -- country music singer – grew up in Kentuck and Craigsville
Eleanor Steber ** -- singer (soprano) – grew up in Wheeling
Beverly Van Hook -- author – grew up in Huntington
Clyde Ware – movie director/TV script writer/novelist – grew up in West Union
Billy Edd Wheeler – country songwriter – grew up in Whitesville
Don Whitlatch – visual artist (painter) – grew up in WV
Melvin Wine** – fiddle player – from Braxton County
Bill Withers – musician – from Slab Fork

The ones marked with the (**) are deceased. Those marked with (!!) are me. If you want more information on this project, visit the website at:
Art and Soul.

June 20th: We open pre-ordering on "The Compleat Panther Cycles"

July is a blur right now...definitely on scheduling overload for the summer.

Okay, people, get out there and make a difference. And be careful out there.