The Hillbilly Philosopher

Click here for a YouTube video of the St. Baldric's shenanigans.

A heart can beat hundreds, thousands, millions of beats - but when it stops - when it cannot be revived, Death enters. I am no stranger to Death. We met when I was a grade schooler; my great grandmother , a sweet little lady I recall visiting in her high rise assisted living building, died. To be honest, I felt nothing - for her loss that is. I did not see her enough to feel a bond, and was not old or mature enough to imbue any false feelings of familiar grief over her loss. I do recall crying because I saw my mother cry - something that always makes me cry - but not over the loss of great gramma. ( I also remember my cousin David doing his damnedest to drink all the coffee in the urn - I think maybe we were in third grade. To say he was wired on caffeine and sugar would be abashedly understated. ) I met Death again , when at the age of 16 my grandmother, often sick and pain crippled by arthritis, passed away. I did cry, it hurt like hell. She, along with my Papa, looked after my s

6:57 am - March 12 2011 I'm sitting in a parking lot, my nerves about shot. It has been an interesting week to say the least, and somehow it all leads to here, a 5k run through the quaint little town of Pittsboro. Let's get something straight from the beginning - I HAVE NOT TRAINED FOR THIS AT ALL. AT. FREAKING. ALL. OK, better to start at the beginning.... A week ago yesterday I went to the Doctor and got told " Stop your two pack a day smoking habit or else." That was on a Friday. I greatly reduced my smoking that weekend. I had my last cigarette ( more later ) on Tuesday. Wednesday of this week, thursday - Friday until about 5 pm - NONE. That part most of you knew about. I was very public about my desire to quit. What I was private about was that I also rejoined the health club, and have been going each morning. I have a real desire to get my weight and health where they need to be. My plan this time is the reverse of last time - this time it is 1) S

At the age of thirteen I smoked my first cigarette, a Marlboro light - and thought - "Well, that was kinda gross". Two years later I was casually smoking at High School - I can remember most clearly smoking Winstons in Kent Smith's old 3 series BMW riding around Angier before bacnd practice.... I was able to pickem up and putem down for a while when young - I don't think I ever had a pack that did not last me 2 days , until I graduated and went into construction work. Stanidng outdoors for hours at a time, with nothing to do but shovel and bitch, or listen to someone else bitch, smoking was a diversion. It was what all the older dudes were doing. Seriously - I cannot think of a SINGLE coworker back almost 20 years ago on my crew that did not smoke - hell, I can remember most of their brands to this day, having as the new guy being often sent to the store for smokes and snacks. Now let's time warp a little bit. A little over a year ago I got concerned about m

Just wanted to share some good news - two of my recent writings - "Either cut bait or fish!" and " The FlowerPot Man" have been selected to be in the 2011 Edition of the Red Clay Review, a literary magazine sponsored by the Central Carolina Community College System. Details of availability will be forthcoming.