If you're a WPLN listener, chances are you've heard Khalil Ekulona's voice. In this issue he's answering our questions.
Any vendor of The Contributor can accept VENMO as payment. Technology is a barrier to those experiencing homelessness. Many of our vendors don’t have phones or bank accounts, or use online commerce. Thus we simplified the VENMO process by using one account for all vendors. This means YOU MUST IDENTIFY YOUR VENDOR when using VENMO. Here is the skinny on how to do it right.
#1 You must have a VENMO account. Sign up at www.venmo.com if you haven’t already.
#2 SCAN THE SQUARE QR CODE in the top left corner of the cover of this paper using your phone or tablet camera. Then press the button that appears once it has been recognized.
#3 CLICK the blue “Pay or Request” button on the screen with The Contributor yellow and black logo.
#4 TYPE in the amount you wish to pay The paper costs $2. Tips are welcomed. Vendors get all the money you send and can pick it up the next business day at our office.
#6 HIT THE PAY BUTTON.
#7 The FIRST TIME you pay anyone using VENMO you will be asked to enter the last 4 digits of their phone number. Type 6829 in this field. Our phone number is (615) 829-6829. Or, you can scroll down and skip this step. (VENMO wants to protect you from sending money to the wrong person with a similar name. The next time you pay a vendor using our account, you won’t be asked to verify again.)
#5 Most importantly, TYPE YOUR VENDOR’S NAME AND BADGE # in the “What’s this for?” box. Then hit the PAY button. Their name and 4 digit badge # should be written on the front cover of the paper below the QR code. You must identify them to insure they will get the money. First name, last initial and 4 digit badge # will ensure that a vendor with a similar name doesn’t get confused for your vendor. You can also leave feedback in this field. But always identify the vendor. If they didn’t write their name or badge # on the cover of this paper, please describe where they were and what they looked like. This usually can identify them.
#8 ALWAYS TAKE THE PAPER HOME WITH YOU. When vendors sell out, the satisfaction of having a business that sells out its products begins to sink in! Vendors who sell out, come back to our office to buy more. This helps our vendors meet their sales goals. And, it is there that we can meet with them, give them their VENMO payments or mail and work on solving their barriers to housing and life’s goals.
#9 Friend us on VENMO and leave feedback. Open the app and click on “Me” at the bottom. Then select “Transactions” to see your payments. Click on the payment to The Contributor in your transaction list and then click on our icon at the top of the screen to see all of those transactions between us. On this page you can “Friend” us and click on the speech bubble icons of all your payments to leave feedback on your experience. Constructive feedback and praise help encourage our vendors to do their best.
Jamie W. on gratitude, making top seller, and going through hell with her husband and five catsBY JUSTIN WAGNER
Jamie W. just won her seventh consecutive Top Seller award at The Contributor’s vendor awards breakfast fundraiser in March. Though she was happy to receive her medal, it surprised her – since August, she’s been vending with a broken leg.
When Jamie was struck by a car crossing the road, all routine was thrown out the window, as she was thrown into a full year of recovery and physical therapy.
“On the afternoon of August the 19th, I was crossing Dickerson Road — I usually take the bus wherever I go, but anyway — I went up there to buy a bottle of ketchup, and then I was trying to get across the street, I was hit by a car. I got up to see if I could walk or move around, and then I couldn’t feel my left foot, so I fell back down to the ground,” Jamie said.
”The next day I had surgery, and then I was in there for about six days. About three or four months, I couldn’t put no weight whatsoever on my left leg. It’s like I had to have help from the bed to the bathroom.”
Jamie said it was painful needing assistance to go about her daily life — whether taking care of her many pets or vending —
but her husband Tommy has helped make those possible during her recovery.
“Before my injury, I was so independent. I could go wherever without having to have help,” Jamie said. “I got five cats: Emma, Lucy, Riley, Bailey and Bo Duke. I’ve been with my husband, come March the 29th, we’ve known each other and been together 16 years. I’ve been selling the paper for about 12 years.”
Jamie said she’s never overjoyed to go out and vend these days with the pain in her leg, but it’s income she relies on to keep a roof overhead and take care of her family. It’s been that way since she first signed up for The Contributor, after a string of unsuccessful job applications pressured her to look for any income source she could find.
“My roommate passed away; she got a disability check, and I get one too, but she helped us pay the bills and whatnot,” she explained. “When she passed away, we didn’t know what in the world we was gonna do. We went everywhere trying to apply for jobs, I mean we went all over the place. Nobody called us or anything. Then somebody, I can’t remember who it was, told us about The Contributor … it was gonna be our only option.”
The sheer length of the recovery process has proved to be an enduring frustration as she makes ends meet.
“Excuse my language, but I’ve been through hell. I thought by the end of November that I would be a whole lot better and be out there, but evidently this is taking forever. It happened in August, and I couldn't really do nothing September, October, or November.”
“It’s like God telling me to slow down,” she said.
It’s also proof of Jamie’s resilience, given what she’s been through over the years. After a heart attack and a similar injury years ago which gave her a tailbone fracture, she’s endured much to show up for her customers, her cats, and her husband.
Jamie’s whiled away the deluge of downtime with the assistance of classic, heartfelt drama films and country music.
“I love watching that movie, Steel Magnolias . It’s got Julia Roberts, Sally Field, Shirley McClain,” she said. “It’s about these southern women and Julia Roberts — her name on the movie is Shelby — she’s a lady who’s gonna get married and she finds out she’s gonna have a baby, and then, too, she’s on dialysis
… it’s a good movie.”
There’s been plenty of time to revisit old favorites, though Jamie hopes she can eventually get back to enjoying Nashville’s live music scene.
“My favorite singer is Tanya Tucker. She’s been around since 1972,” she said. “I ain’t really been able to go [to concerts] this year because I don’t want people bumping into me on my leg. One time we went and there was gonna be Kenny Chesney, Darius Rucker, and someone else, but with that, we were elbow to elbow with people. We had to fight our way to get out of there. I’ll never do that.”
Jamie said she is grateful to the community around The Contributor, including her customers, many of whom have been missing Jamie at her regular spot, she said. As she progresses toward a full recovery, she implored her fellow vendors and Nashvillians to be as careful as possible traveling on foot in the city.
“I just wanted to say, for everybody crossing the street, please be careful … God bless all the people with The Contributor, may God bless my customers, and thank you, everybody, always be cautious and careful.”
Early in 1916, Cumberland University’s President Homer Hill and the school's board of trustees decided that their failing football team should be shut down to help relieve the school’s mounting financial woes. President Hill called a bright law student named George E. Allen, who was student manager of the school’s baseball and football teams, told him to notify all the schools on Cumberland’s 1916 football schedule that Cumberland was dropping football immediately. George was also told to clear out all the football uniforms and related gear from the lockers where they were stored. He did this, but forgot to notify Georgia Tech, who was scheduled to play Cumberland on Oct. 7 at Atlanta’s Grant Field.
When Georgia Tech discovered a few weeks before the game that Cumberland was not going to play them on Oct. 7, the school’s president notified Presiden Hill that, to cancel the game at this late date would require Cumberland to pay a $3,000 forfeit, money Cumberland didn’t have. Hill called George into his office and informed him of this. Both were disappointed that a rich school like Georgia Tech would hold little Cumberland to the contract.
The spring before Cumberland upset Georgia Tech in a baseball game at Cumberland which the host school won 22-0. Georgia Tech’s baseball coach, John Heisman, also the Ramblin Wreck’s football coach, was miffed when he realized that Cumber-
BY RIDLEY WILLS IIland had played four semi-pro baseball players whom George had recruited in a Nashville bar. This may have caused Heisman to influence Georgia Tech’s president to take their hard line on the football game.
Cumberland’s president decided to play the football game with Georgia Tech and hoped that nobody on his team got hurt. The problem was that Cumberland didn’t have a team. So two weeks before the game, George cobbled together a team consisting mainly of law students who had played high school football. He managed to filch some shoulder pads and helmets from Castle Heights Military Academy a half mile away and found some jerseys from the 1915 Cumberland team. He also was busy raising the $500 that it would cost to make the train trip to Atlanta and stay two nights in the new Georgia Terrace Hotel.
The brand new Cumberland football team had two or three practices where they learned four running plays and one passing play. Most of the boys agreed to play mighty Georgia Tech because they wanted to stay and party in a fancy Atlanta hotel with their girlfriends. For the most part, priorities at Cumberland were to get a good education, enjoy fraternity life, and survive playing 60 minutes of football against undefeated Georgia Tech.
On Thursday before the Saturday game, the 14 Cumberland players went to Horn Springs, a resort a few miles west of town, where there was a dance band, and a decent
vocalist singing some of Al Jolson’s jazz hits. They enjoyed themselves
When the team boarded the train at Lebanon’s tiny depot for Atlanta, each member had a suitcase and a potato sack filled with his football gear.
On arriving in Atlanta, they were greeted by a delegation from Georgia Tech who thought the Tennesseans “looked unkempt and out of sorts.” From there the team walked to the hotel, gawking at the big city. Upon arrival, their coach told them to get a good meal, turn in early and be downstairs for breakfast at 8 o'clock sharp.
On game day, Georgia Tech sent a bus to pick up the Cumberland team, some of whom had headaches after a long night of partying, having slept only a few hours.The Georgia Tech players were not hungover. Overwhelming in size and strength, they were ready to pulverize Cumbarland. In the stands were only about 75 Cumberland fans, all of whom had come down with the team.
The game was a nightmare. At the end of the first quarter, the score was 63 to 0 in the Ramblin Wreck’s favor. The Cumberland players were “battered, bruised and pooped.” The second quarter was just as bad. Tech led 126 to 0 at half. The Cumberland players seemed to have “lost their souls, stumbling through a desert.”
Before the second half, Cumberland’s coach asked the referees to reduce the 3rd and 4th quarters from 15 minutes to 12.5 minutes. The referees said OK if Georgia
Tech’s coach agreed. Heisman agreed. Just before the second half kickoff, Georgia Tech coach Heisman looked down his bench. At the end was a player wearing a maroon Cumberland uniform. Heisman told the young man that he was on the wrong side of the field, The boy said he knew that but he did not want to be put in the game and begged to be allowed to stay. Heisman relented.
In the abbreviated second half, Tech scored 54 points in the third quarter and 42 in the fourth quarter, making the final score 222 to 0. Georgia Tech scored 10 touchdowns on first down and never made a first down as they always scored before that. Cumberland completed 2 passes, had six interceptions and minus 42 yards rushing, The unbelievable score made North sportswriters realize how good Georgia Tech was. They went on to an undefeated season with 7 wins and one tie with Washington & Lee in 1916 and were national champions in 1917.
The Cumberland team arrived back in Lebanon, “beat up, worn out and exhausted.” Yet, they had accomplished their mission. They had survived, saved Cumberland $3,000 and, for the first time ever, sports fans in New York, Boston and other northern cities knew that there was a Cumberland University and where it was.
The information in this article came from Sam Hatcher’s book, written in 2016, Geisman’s First Trophy.
My heart rains
Droplets free fall
Ping off each empty chamber
My voice lost inside the parched valley of my mouth
Water has come only to my eyes
Huge mountains live in my throat
My arms a continuous two way roil of granite
Dynamited to dust, choking out the world
Note: Some people ask, what is it like to suffer from depression? It is like that, only we struggle to find our way out of the grief. Thanks to The Contributor staff, volunteers and my patrons, I find my voice and begin to feel love and connection again.
Housing, food and utilities are the top three categories for requests received by our local 211 phone line in 2023. This is similar to the nationwide trend.
The 211 Helpline is an information and referral phoneline for individuals seeking assistance in times of a crisis. Our local helpline is managed by United Way of Greater Nashville and covers 42 counties in Middle Tennessee.
Before we dig deeper into the type of requests received by our local 211, I want to examine the national trends based on the new 211 Impact Survey for 2023, which United Way Worldwide released a couple of weeks ago. This survey examines 211 call data from all 50 states. It shows that calls for housing by far outpaced all other requests for assistance, which reflects what we already know. We have a lack of accessible affordable housing for many low-income Americans.
Nationwide, 211 operators triaged about 42,000 calls daily in 2023. While the call volume spiked during the height of the COVID pandemic and has gone down somewhat, it has not receded to pre-pandemic numbers yet. Besides housing, assistance for utilities and food relief rounded up the top three request across the United States last year.
During the same time period, from January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2023, Middle Tennessee’s 211 received 39,336 calls for the following requests (ranked in order):
• Housing & Shelter 14,806 calls (37.6 percent of all calls)
• Food: 5,906 calls (15.0 percent)
• Utilities: 3,865 calls (9.8 percent)
• Employment & Income: 2,873 calls (7.3 percent)
• Healthcare & COVID-19: 2,408 calls (6.1percent)
To examine all types of call requests visit uwmidtn.211counts.org where you can filter the calls for different time periods.
The data on that website breaks each category down even further. You can see in the chart about Housing & Shelter that rent assistance topped the housing requests with 42.1 percent of calls, followed by callers who were seeking help to locate a shelter (27 percent).
LaKelia Lovan manages United Way of Greater Nashville’s 211 program. Lovan together with a part-time staff takes care of the resource side of the local 211 Helpline. “But when you call 211, you speak to a call specialist who is at Heart of Florida United Way,” Lovan explained.
What this means is that the local staff updates information about the different regional resources. That information is then accessed by call specialists in Florida who answer the calls, vet the requests, and share contact information, eligibility, office hours, and so on with people in need.
“We are in the process of bringing the call center back to Tennessee,” Lovan
BY JUDITH TACKETT
said. “We’re looking to do that by August 31 of this year, which is when our contract ends with Heart of Florida, so that’s when we plan to bring it back.”
Another big change United Way of Greater Nashville plans for 211 is to transition from the Wellsky software to Visionlink. According to Lovan, Visionlink will be more user-friendly with added capabilities including Artificial Intelligence (AI) and API, which stands for Application Programming Interface. Chattanooga and Knoxville are already using Visionlink.
In total Tennessee has six 211 systems and all of them plan to switch to Visionlink, making communication across the state easier and more attractive to secure additional funding. The data collection capability of 211 certainly allows for state government and other organizations to delve into the needs across the state.
Another reason for partnering with other 211 providers across the state is to develop a back-up system in case of emergencies. “So, if Nashville goes down, Knoxville can answer,” Lovan said, explaining that the benefits for having the call center located outside of Nashville became clear during the Christmas bombing of 2020 in Downtown. While United Way of Greater Nashville had lost power and the Internet was out, the fact that the 211 call center was in Florida allowed people to continue to call in and speak to a call specialist. The same situations have happened during tornadoes and other occasions when power was lost locally.
United Way of Greater Nashville’s 211 serves as a resource in case of citywide emergencies, which is noted in written Nashville’s Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (CEMP). 211 is an active member of the local VOAD, which stands for Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster. Lovan said that
if, for example, a tree is down due to a tornado, people can call 211, the information will be entered into a database (Charity Tracker) that connects all local nonprofits and someone who provides tree removal work during an emergency situation will get the message and can respond. This particular service connection, however, is only happening in Davidson County so far. Lovan’s dream is to eventually be able to have the capacity to offer such services across the region. That effort has already started with proactive measures in Clarksville to set up a similar emergency response system through 211. But all that takes funding and more staff to manage, which brings us back to the benefits of statewide collaboration among the different 211 operators.
Data from the 211 system allows us to look at needs over time. The 2023 nationwide 211 Impact Survey shows that, “housing assistance referrals continue to increase, with total referrals nearly double pre-pandemic numbers.” Housing-related requests increased from 2.6 million in 2018 to 5.3 million in 2023.
I examined some trends through our local 211 database posted on uwmidtn.211counts.org. The database goes back to June 2019, which is where I started when looking at trends for Housing & Shelter, Food, and Utilities requests. Housing & Shelter requests steadily increased since 2019, and looking at the last 365 days, the call volume has reached over 15,000, indicating that housing needs continue to rise in the 42-county coverage area of Middle Tennessee.
One thing to be aware of is that 211 is a helpline that refers people to providers for assistance. A call is listed as resolve if a 211 call specialist has been able to provide the caller with resource information.
“We don’t know if you got connected
because we don’t do close loop right now,” Lovan explained. “That is something we’re thinking about doing in the future.” The goal is to provide at least three resource, if available, in a person’s area. If a call is not resolved, that means the system does not have any resource in the database.
Call specialists are trained to vet calls for other needs and help link people with information to those additional services. For example, someone who is requesting rent assistance may also be in need of food. In addition, call specialists are trained to address crisis calls.
The accuracy of information depends largely on agencies keeping 211 updated. Lovan highlights their partnership with Second Harvest Foodbank, which provides daily updates to 211 about opening hours or any changes in services.
“I would love for every agency to do that,” Lovan said. “That doesn’t always happen, but we do try to update each resource annually.”
One proactive service our local 211 provides is to ask callers if they are participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). If they are not participating yet, they are asked if they want to do an assessment to see if they qualify for SNAP, which is also known as food stamps. People who qualify will then be referred to the Department of Human Services (DHS) to apply for these benefits. 211 operators will make a follow-up call to check if people were able to connect with DHS and help them overcome any barriers if they have not been able to reach DHS yet.
In our conversation, Lovan stressed that if anyone knows of resources that are not yet listed in the Middle Tennessee 211 system, they should reach out and alert her, so she can add it. After all, the system is most useful when resources are actually listed and updated by the agencies that provide them.
You may not know what he looks like, but chances are you have heard his voice. Khalil Ekulona has made a name for himself as the host of WPLN’s flagship show, This Is Nashville, which airs Monday through Thursday at noon. This is Nashville explores Nashville and Middle Tennessee through the eyes of people who live and work in this community. WPLN is the local NPR affiliate.
Ekulona was born in New Jersey, grew up in Maryland, and moved around a lot during his journey. “I had a lot of different experiences in life professionally and personally that have enabled me to feel comfortable to sit in the host chair for the job,” Ekulona says. “I’ve done a little bit of everything.”
Initially he went to college to be a politician but realized after an internship in Washington, D.C., that this was not his path. So, he moved to Los Angeles, where he had a hip-hop group called Fresh Air (not to be confused with NPR’s nationally recognized radio program of the same name), which almost got signed to a label. Ekulona revealed that original members are currently talking about getting the band back together.
To make ends meet, Ekulona also worked as an educator. “One thing I realized about educators, you’re not just teaching students about something, you’re entertaining,” Ekulona says. “You’re a counselor. You are a de facto parent. And you have to be a wonderful listener. I think those are things that have helped me while I’m sitting in the host chair.”
After a decade in Los Angeles, he moved to different cities and ended up in Alburquerque, New Mexico, where he started to work with Public Access Television and Local iQ, a free paper that would be the equivalent of the Nashville Scene. He did some morning magazine television for the NBC affiliate, KOB Channel 4. All this work caught the attention of the local PBS affiliate and , eventually also the NPR affiliate, KUNM. In 2019, Ekulona became a fill-in radio host for All Things Considered and Morning Edition. Then the COVID pandemic hit, and he became part of a daily radio show that provided people with pandemic-related information. A few months later, the show changed its format and aired weekly, which allowed them to dig deep into issues.
“We covered the uprising that happened after George Floyd’s death deeply. We were able to really explore a lot of themes,” Ekulona recalls. “And from what I hear that got me on the radar of WPLN as they were starting their search for the inaugural team they put together for This Is Nashville.”
How did you prepare for your job as the host of This is Nashville and learn about the city?
I looked up news and things. But the news doesn’t tell you everything you need to know about a city. The news helps you make assumptions about a city. It does inform you about the issues that are going on, but you don’t get a grasp until you get down and talk to the people. And that is one of the goals of The is Nashville, we go out and talk to the community.
Former Mayor Megan Barry introduced me to a lot of people, and my good friend Willy Sims, also known as Big Fella, introduced me to a lot of people as well. So, I got to meet leaders. I got
BY JUDITH TACKETT
to meet officials. I got to meet educators, and other folks. But I’m also just going around to coffee shops and local bars sitting there talking to people about this town without letting them know that I was here to be the host of this show to get to know who the people are. What are their worries? What are their wants? What are their needs? What are the issues that they’re concerned about? What do they love about the city? What would they like to see? Where would they like to see the city change?
It's all encompassing.
What were some of the biggest hurdles to understanding the culture of Nashville? And what are you still learning?
I’m still learning little pieces of Nashville’s history. Nashville tells one history about itself, and then there is a lot of hidden histories, as with every place. Nashville is not an anomaly in that sense. There are little bits of history that are coming out that we’re all discovering. That’s nice.
One of the true hurdles was meeting younger people, people in their 30s, who were born and raised here. I’ve met a wonderful amount of elders who tell me about the city and what it was like and the changes. But meeting a unicorn, which is the term for a young person under 40 who’s born and raised here and has never moved, that gives me a sense of how this town has changed [in recent years.]
You have a platform through your radio show, which brings influence. How do you want to use that influence in Nashville?
It’s my tag line at the end of the show, I want people to be good to each other.
I want people to understand a little bit about the next person’s life, not compare it to their own but to have an understanding of each other. It’s not enough to tolerate another community or another group or another belief system. That doesn’t get the job done. What we need is understanding of each other. And a little bit of patience, too.
People tend to separate themselves and de-
fine themselves through their identities — their political identity, their ethnic or racial identity, their sexual orientation. But we’re all human beings. We all walk with our struggles. We all walk with our triumphs.
What are some of the voices during your interviews that stand out to you? What sticks with you?
You know, it’s been so many people and admittedly it’s hard to remember some specific shows. I go into a zone when the show is on air.
Voices that really stand out, when I met with the Freedom Riders — King Hollands and Ms. Frankie Henry and Professor Gloria McKissack to hear about what they did a little over 60 years ago. Knowing that it’s not that long ago. And I get to sit here in the same physical space with people that I read about when I was younger is something that really stands out to me.
All the episodes we’ve done about the unhoused community. Getting to talk to people who are in that situation and learning about their lives, looking at them, getting to touch them and embrace them after the show or before the show. Those are voices that really stick with me.
Episodes about the hip-hop community are fun episodes that really stand out. Riding shotgun was a segment I used to do. I rode with a gentleman who was in a rodeo. Talking to the wonderful McCrary Sisters, that is an episode that was a lot of fun.
Two episodes that really stood out was when we honored the lives of Charlie Strobel and Bishop [Marcus Antoine] Campbell. Two men who gave so much of themselves for the community. I never met either man in person, but at the end of each episode, I was in tears because I felt the love. I felt the service that these men gave to the people and the community here. Butch Spyridon, to talk to this man who to many people he’s a hero. To other people, they’re really upset with him. But the Nashville that we’re looking at was a part of his vision. He helped make that happen. To talk to him and learn about what his dream was, what his path was, how he got some of these things done to have Nashville
be this growing “It City” that it is now. There were so many people. I have truly enjoyed every episode. That’s not hyperbole, I truly have.
What are some low-hanging fruits you think local leaders could and should tackle to improve the lives of Nashvillians?
One, the roads. I know Mayor O’Connell has a transportation and transit referendum coming. But making the roads and commutes easier, getting rid of the potholes and staying on top of that.
I think that’s something that’s low-hanging fruit that they can get to. It will create more jobs fixing the roads, and it will help people. Another thing is to improve WeGo in the city. Offer more bus routes, more access, more buses, so that people can travel around the city and the region much easier than they can now.
I say it’s a low-hanging fruit, but maybe it’s not: housing. Rent control. Let’s go, Council!
Make a measure for rent control in Davidson County. Because it’s very expensive living here. I just see too many people who are struggling in Nashville. They care about this place, and they give to this city. They’re not just here to take. And it doesn’t feel to them that the city is giving back to them.
Those are some of the low-hanging fruit things that I think the city can get to. They’re big [issues], but I think the city can start making some moves and bringing ideas and debates to the floor where we can have super honest discussions.
Also, I think there should be a citywide effort to really, truly get out the vote. The numbers of people who live in Davidson County and the numbers of people who vote, it’s too low for the important decisions that are going to happen and are going to shape the city for the next 30-40 years. A lot of people like to talk about it, but not enough people engage in it. And so, find some way to inspire them to engage.
What are the most important long-term issues that you hope Nashville will address and who should take the lead?
I’m going to say, long-term issues are affordability and housing. It should be a combined effort between city leaders — elected officials, Metro Council, and the Mayor’s Office. Then [collaborate] with organizations like The Contributor, like Open Table Nashville and others, working along with community members, and most importantly, business leaders. Can you get Nissan, Amazon, Oracle, HCA, the Tennessee Titans, and others on board for something that is really substantial and has long-lasting effects?
I think there can be coordinator work between those four entities — the business community, elected leaders, established nonprofits, and members of the community — to make something happen and have something work out for everyone.
And what else would you like to share with us?
It has been an honor. It has been a privilege and absolute joy to sit in this chair as the host. I get to learn so much about this town and people, and most importantly, I get to learn a lot about myself. I’m trying to do better and be better every day as I hope the rest of us are, but we can only take it one day at a time and step by step.
Hikers, bikers, climbers, kayakers, and runners lovers of ANY outdoor activity, I am talking to YOU!
The Tenn Green Land Conservancy is sponsoring a HIKE-A-THON event that begins April 1, 2024 and runs through April 30, 2024. (Check out the rules/regulations at your convenience.)
Sorry for the late notice, I just found out about it a few days ago, but hey, at least there’s some time left in April, right?
They have a number of scheduled in-person activities that you can participate in either individually or as a team.
Or, if you’d prefer, you can do your own thing either individually or as part of a team when and where you choose. (If you do choose that option, it is recommended that you document your activities within two days of completion on the sponsors website to ensure you receive credit for the activities you participate in.)
Now, what if I told you these events also gives you an opportunity to raise money to help the local environment in Tennessee at the same time?
Do I have your attention yet?
As an added bonus, the event is managed virtually so again you can participate at the times/ places you choose. Doesn’t that sound exciting?
According to their website, the proceeds raised by this organization support “the protection of Tennessee’s wildlife, land, and water” and it encourages people of ALL ages and abilities to get outside for a chance to win some awesome prizes. (As I scanned the list of potential prizes I couldn’t help but notice that a few of them were donated by a sponsor of The Contributor, Edley’s BBQ.)
There are also several non-traditional categories in this competition like: Most Overall Adventurers, Most Unique Donors, Best Team Name etc.
There are even categories specifically for seniors and people with disabilities, (so you can’t use that as an excuse not to at least try.)
There’s also a photography competition for all you shutterbugs out there! On that note, if you choose to do that, please do so safely! DO NOT injure yourself or worse trying to get the “perfect shot.”
Their website even has a Tennessee Treasure Hunt card that participants are encouraged to
download. If you complete 10 or more challenges, you’re eligible to win a special prize!
So what are the some of the activities listed on the card?
• Visit A Waterfall
• Explore A New Area
• Try A New Adventure Activity
• Visit A State Natural Area
• Sit By A Creek or Steam
• Enjoy A Sunrise/Sunset While On An Adventure
• Bring A Friend On An Adventure
These are just a few examples. There are a total of 16 activities to choose from.
For those who are NOT into any of the aforementioned activities, maybe you think this article’s NOT for you, PLEASE WAIT!
Let me assure you I AM NOT the outdoorsy type myself. I have a disability (cerebral palsy), so activities like these have ALWAYS been virtually impossible for me because I use a wheelchair on a regular basis.
So why the interest now?
Recently several Tennessee State Parks announced all-terrain wheelchairs would be made available for use to adults and children free of charge so that people with disabilities could experience the beauty of many of the green spaces Tennessee has to offer.
These chairs can be operated either independently or by a caretaker. (It is recommended that you call to reserve them in advance.)
Locations in Middle Tennessee Include:
• Cumberland Mountain State Park
• Cummins Falls State Park
• Henry Horton State Park
• Long Hunter State Park
• Radnor Lake State Park
• Tims Ford State Park
There are other locations that have the wheelchairs available in both East and West Tennessee. (See tnstateparks.com for a complete list.)
I was also inspired by a woman named Minda Dentler who was paralyzed as an infant in India after contracting polio.
Though she was in a wheelchair, she had surgeries that have allowed her to walk with braces and crutches. (I can relate.)
She recently competed in the Ironman World Championship Triathlon (that involves swimming, biking, and running). She even wrote a book about dealing with her disability entitled,
Now that’s impressive, or at least I think so!
Don’t get me wrong, I’m NOT going to sign up for anything as rigorous as a triathlon, but I wouldn’t mind trying something new, exploring a new area, or even seeking out a change of scenery. It might be just what the doctor ordered for me right now.
Tennessee has SO many interesting, and amazing things to see and do. Why not take time —
make time — to appreciate them?
There are advantages to participating in activities like this. It can be good for your physical, mental, and emotional health.
So how ‘bout it, are you willing to give something like this a try?
As for me, I’m still trying to weigh ALL the options available to me, and go from there, but one thing is sure, if/when I do, you can read all about my adventures in the pages of The Contributor!
On April 22, our country’s highest court will take verbal arguments on the most significant court case to affect homelessness in 40 years, Grants Pass v Johnson.
Grants Pass, a small city in Oregon, like too many other American cities, started experiencing growing pains as cost of living outpaced wages and more and more people began to enter homelessness. With a one percent vacancy rate and half of renters struggling to afford their rent, the only emergency option in the city is a faith-based homeless shelter that actually requires guests to pay $100/month to live on
site. With scarce options for someone experiencing a housing crisis, Grants Pass began to see more and more people living outdoors.
The solution? Impose a city ordinance issuing a $300 fine to anyone using a blanket or even cardboard on public property.
Effectively outlawing the involuntary and life-sustaining act of sleeping, this ordinance directly targeted anyone experiencing homelessness who was sleeping outdoors in public spaces.
To challenge this ordinance, in 2018 Grants Pass, Oregon v Gloria Johnson was filed. Gloria Johnson, then homeless with her dog, was unable to seek shelter where pets were not allowed.
Her dog helped her sleep and cope with her PTSD, per court records, so she had no alternative but to exist outside. Six years ago, courts ruled on Gloria’s behalf, upholding the unconstitutionality of penalizing someone experiencing homelessness in Grants Pass where there are insufficient shelter and permanent housing options. This decision was later upheld by the 9th circuit court of appeals, however, last year multiple entities petitioned the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) to review this case. To many’s surprise, SCOTUS announced in January that they agreed to hear it.
Since then, entities on both “sides” of the arc of justice have been filing
what are known as amicus, or friends of the court, briefs. Those who insist that we need laws that promote the ability to fine, cite, and arrest folks sleeping on public property filed many briefs that, upon review, were lacking of any expertise and devoid of any compassion. Their testimonies can be summarized as “ homeless people are dirty, dangerous, use drugs, and refuse to go to shelters” and “the only way we can respond to homelessness is with fines, citations, and jail time,” nevermind what actually happens to someone after the fact.
Advocates, activists, faith leaders, direct service organizations, friends with lived experience, social scientists, policy experts, and countless attorneys
submitted over 40 briefs documenting decades of research about how housing first models successfully end homelessness, how trauma informed care equips communities with compassionate and evidence based tools to connect people with resources, and how carceral responses to homelessness constitute a form of cruel and unusual punishment. Arguably most powerful though, were the included vignettes of real people and their very real stories about how criminalization actually impeded their ability to obtain a roof over their head.
Lindsey Krinks, co-founder of Open Table Nashville, recounted a story of her friend “Alabama” that was included in one such brief: “Alabama had
experienced homelessness for nearly 20 years and had been hit by a car. Because he had steel rods in both of his legs, he used a shopping cart to hobble around. He slept outside because he lived on the other side of town from the shelter and also wasn’t allowed to take his cart in to help him walk. Alabama had been arrested 198 times and had over 250 charges for petty offenses like ‘obstructing the passageway’ which made it almost impossible for him to get into housing. When Lindsey started working to get him into housing, she had a difficult time finding him for his housing appointments because he was arrested so often, sometimes multiple times a week. He was also in and out of the
hospital. Lindsey made him a T-shirt that said “Please do not arrest me” on the front, and ‘My outreach worker is working on my housing’ on the back. She was eventually able to help him stay out of jail long enough to get Alabama into housing, and after he was in his own place, he had no encounters with the police, no citations or arrests, and was able to stay out of the hospital.”
In our hearts, through research, and honestly even through common sense, we know that housing ends homelessness, but now our country’s highest court will weigh in. This court case will determine if communities across the United States can enforce current vagrancy-type laws, like Tennessee’s
own 2022 felony camping ban. It also has the potential to usher in a frightening new wave of increased efforts to criminalize homelessness and cement into law the ability to respond to our housing crisis with these ineffective and punitive approaches.
“If we’re going to fail at providing people housing, if we’re going to fail at providing people shelter…are we also going to say they can’t use a blanket and pillow?” posed Communications and Campaign Director, Jesse Rabinowitz, with the National Homelessness Law Center when talking about this case.
On April 22, SCOTUS will take verbal arguments and is expected to make a ruling by the end of June.
“The Contributor” está trabajando con uno de los principales periódicos en español La Noticia para llevar contenido a más lectores en Middle Tennessee. Nuestros vendedores de periódicos han pedido durante mucho tiempo que nuestra publicación incluya contenido que apele al interés de residentes de habla hispana en nuestra comunidad.
“The Contributor” is working with one of the leading Spanish-language newspapers La Noticia to bring content to more readers in Middle Tennessee. Our newspaper vendors have long requested that our publication include content that appeals to the interest of Spanish-speaking residents in our community.
El controversial Proyecto de Ley de la Cámara de Representantes de Tennessee
2124, presentado en enero por el Representante Republicano
Rusty Grills de Newbern y el Senador Republicano
Brent Taylor de Memphis, ha llamado la atención por exigir potencialmente a las agencias policiales estatales que informen a las autoridades federales sobre inmigrantes indocumentados. La propuesta ha generado debate sobre la seguridad pública, los derechos de inmigración y el papel de la policía local.
El Senado aprobó la propuesta de ley HB 2124/SB 2576 el 25 de marzo con un voto de 26-7, después de que la Cámara la adoptara el 14 de marzo con un voto de 74-22. Solo falta ahora que el Governador del estado, Bill Lee, lo firme y lo haga oficial.
Actualmente, la ley de Tennessee permite, pero no exige, que la policía local informe a los sospechosos de ser inmigrantes indocumentados al Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas (ICE). El Proyecto de Ley de la Cámara de Representantes 2124 cambiaría eso, obligando a las fuerzas del orden a cooperar con los funcionarios federales para identificar, detener y deportar a inmigrantes indocumentados.
Los proponentes del proyecto de ley argumentan que se trata de seguridad pública y cumplimiento de la ley. Creen que los inmigrantes indocumentados que cometen delitos deberían enfrentar la deportación.
Mientras tanto, los opositores temen que el proyecto de ley disuada a los inmigrantes de denunciar delitos o cooperar con las investigaciones debido a la ansiedad por la deportación. Además, plantean preocupaciones sobre el perfil racial.
Si bien el patrocinador del proyecto de ley, el Representante Republicano Grills, enfatiza que la policía local no se convertiría en agentes de inmigración, los críticos se mantienen cautelosos sobre la posible tensión en los recursos policiales y el impacto en la confianza de la comunidad.
¿Que hacer en caso de una redada?
1. Mantenerse callado
2. Sólo dar nombre y apellido
3. No mentir
4. Nunca acepte/lleve documentos falsos
5. No revelar su situación migratoria
6. No llevar documentación de otro país
7. En caso de ser arrestado, mostrarla Tarjeta Miranda (llámenos si necesita una)
Basados en la Quinta Enmienda de la Constitución, los derechos de guardar silencio y contar con un abogado fueron denominados Derechos Miranda luego de la decisión de la Suprema Corte de Justicia
El Proyecto de Ley de la Cámara de Representantes 2124 se aprobó en la Cámara en marzo. Ahora ya está practicamente a punto de declararse ley a menos que el gobernador Lee, se oponga.
A continuación, se presentan algunos aspectos adicionales a tener en cuenta:
Impacto Económico: Los inmigrantes indocumentados contribuyen a la economía del estado y la deportación podría tener consecuencias. Se deben examinar estudios sobre el impacto económico de los inmigrantes indocumentados para comprender los posibles efectos del Proyecto de Ley de la Cámara de Representantes 2124.
Efectividad de Leyes Similares: Se deben investigar otros estados con leyes que requieren que las fuerzas del orden reporten a inmigrantes
indocumentados para ver si estas leyes lograron sus objetivos declarados de aumentar la seguridad pública o la deportación de delincuentes.
Debate Nacional sobre la Aplicación Local de Inmigración: Se debe explorar el debate nacional sobre el papel de las fuerzas del orden locales en la aplicación de las leyes de inmigración. Esto proporcionaría contexto para el Proyecto de Ley de la Cámara de Representantes 2124 de Tennessee y permitiría a los lectores comprender cómo encaja este proyecto de ley en una conversación más amplia.
Al presentar una visión equilibrada del tema, que incluya el impacto económico potencial, la efectividad de leyes similares en otros estados y el debate nacional sobre la aplicación local de inmigración, este artículo puede ayudar a los lectores a formarse opiniones informadas sobre el Proyecto de Ley de la Cámara de Representantes 2124.
El programa de “Delegacion de Autoridad’ iniciado en Nashville a mediados de la década del 2000 permitia a oficiales locales y fuerzas policiales verificar el estado migratorio de arrestados. Este acuerdo finalizó en octubre de 2012 siendo controversial, con partidarios argumentando que mejoraba la seguridad pública y opositores argumentando que erosionaba la confianza entre inmigrantes y la policía.
Envíenos sus sugerencias por e-mail: news@hispanicpaper.com ó 615-567-3569
To live by the gun and die by the gun is a statement that means to demand respect! Life is a vicious cycle of various circumstances and situations that good and bad karma has a hold of. That blatantly means that common courtesy isn't a matter of respect towards the intellect of some individuals, whereas that's nothing new up under the sun, we only thrive to find comfort within the matters of acknowledging difference of opinions. Then we lean towards the masses for the decisions of what should be the sound act thereof.
History states that firearms/guns were created and known as hand cannons way back in the late 1300's. That means that if firearms/ guns derived from the physical concept of a war weapon then the factors of respect and disrespect comes up as the major issue or of the major topic, and respect is acknowledging and accepting one for their abilities and worth. With that being noted, wars are fought for a
variety of reasons, including economic, territorial, religious, political, civil, revenge, and ideological. The reason for living is a mixture of all the reasons for war but the overall aspect is that of respect. For instance, in the wild wild West or the Cowboy era the factors of owning a firearm/gun were those of morals and values. The principles were to hunt wild animals to feed the family, and to protect the home front
Excalibur Release Date: 4-10-1981
Runtime: 2:20
Rated: PG
Tagline: “No mortal could possess it! No kingdom could command it!”
Liam Neeson as Gawain. This is the best movie about King Arthur and Merlin by far. If you like fantasy movies, then check this gem out. (There is a moderate amount of nudity in this movie so keep the kids away from it.)
Sleepwalkers Release Date: 4/10/1992
Runtime: 1:31 | Rated: R
Tagline: “They feast on your fear — and it’s dinner time.”
This was the first film written by Stephen King that was not based on one of his existing novels or stories. It stars Stephen King as the cemetery caretaker, Madchen Amick as Tanya Robertson, Ron Perlman as Captain Soames and Brian Krause as Charles Brady who also starred in Charmed. And also starring Clive Barker and Tobe Hooper. Crazy Credits: Cat’s claws slash through the screen after the credits, exposing a green glow beyond. Energy vampires. Need I say more?
Dragonball: Evolution Release Date: 4-10-2009
Runtime: 1:25
Rated: PG
Tagline: “This Easter the legend comes to life.”
This movie has James Marsters as Lord Piccolo who also starred as Spike on Buffy.
from the "wild life." Now it's known that as life progressed, the wild life began to get on the rise and wars continued. As life continued on, the era of gangsters began in about the 1920s til about the 1930s and we can examine that in that era the wild life/the crime life had truly escalated leaving the factor of respect at it's all time low.
As times have changed circumstances and situations differ but responsible and respectful living is still a harsh reality. Many individuals overlook the historical avenues of why we face the actions we face. May it be because it's best to kill the messenger and not receive or accept the message? Because we humans have a limited free-will in which our "choices" can determine if and how our present and future time is protected. Instead of remaining silent and accepting reactions of “it is what it is”, allow your voice to be heard. All individuals have a right not to be forced, just because history has had an enormous amount of disrespect doesn't mean that we must tolerate disrespect within the present and future.
Having self accountability is the best starting place, because the only reason to have a firearm/ gun on one's person is for protection or strongarm-
ing a person. If a person has to have a firearm it is because of being scared of their actions of their past and they are scared of karma biting them in the butt. For what common reason would a person with a firearm enter into a public place of education, business or worship with a firearm/gun? So a person would enter a school with a firearm/gun to scare a teacher for a better grade? Or a person is going to enter a restaurant or any other public business with a firearm/gun to get better service? Oh a person is going to enter a place of worship to get a promise that they're going to make our Almighty Creator God to listen to their demands? Then when the person with the firearm uses it they face a large amount of time and while in court plead insane, but was sane while they were outside the jail and court room carrying that firearm and becoming the judge, jury, and executor. The mass is thriving to live, that's why we aren't in that wild and or fast lane of life, just because we have to come out into the streets to take care of our livelihoods doesn't mean we are out there to live the wild and fast life. Individuals that are in schools, individuals that are at an employment and those in a place of worship have done no wrong because they are not involved in the wild and fast life.
Ever since I been in Nashville I’ve been the typo who stay to myself. I travel alone. Lately, I ran into a problem that daring into my heart. The other day my stepson asked me for a dollar I didn’t have. We wrestled for a minute. I couldn’t believe my eyes. I’m married to his mother. Practically took care of him from age nine til he got out of school. I got so upset tilI just didn’t know who to do. He’s twice my size and I couldn’t see myself hurting him. Ya see, God said love must be sincere (Romans 12:9). I feel like it was a time I had to think fast. Before I saw him, God had put these scriptures (2 Corinthians 5:7) on my mind. “For we walk by faith and not by sight. I will fear no evil for thou are with me.” (Romans 23:4). Thing of it is, I’m too old to be fighting
with a kid 34 years old. I couldn’t hurt him because I raised him. Those kind you have to let God Handle it. He practically tore off my right pants pocket, found a couple bucks maybe but he jumped in a car with a dude and I know he’s very hurt he didn’t get what he was looking for. Ya see, God moved the money. I was talking to a friend about this and he mentioned getting robbed and what’s so interesting about it that we have in common was that God moved the money to another spot. I’m sure I put money in right pants pocket but after the fact, the money was in my jacket pocket. (“Praise God.”) I’m pretty much pleased with how I handled myself because if this was 30 years ago, my stepson would be dead. Amazing how God works.
I have a friend who’s familiar with my writing and when I told her I was taking a poetry class offered by The Contributor, she said, “You should try to write an acrostic poem,” and she went on to explain what it was.
A customer standing nearby patiently waiting to get his paper overheard our conversation immediately chimed in and let me know that it sounded like a, “GREAT idea!”
I have to admit, I’ve NEVER done ANYTHING like this before, but hey, I have an ask and you shall receive mentality, so here goes:
Timely (when covering issues facing people in the communities they serve)
Helpful (doing good for others in need)
Encouraging (especially to people who need it the most)
Caring championing the cause of those often unheard)
Original (one of a kind stories and poetry that you can only find locally)
Notable (significant, unusual, interesting content)
T hought-provoking (stories published in The Contributor often help people see things in a way they NEVER have before)
Reliable (published every 2 weeks-even during the Covid-19 pandemic)
Imaginitive (creativity and imagination bring the pages of The Contributor to life)
Bold (they are confident in the steps they take to help those in need)
Unique (true, there are other street newspapers throughout the world, but there is only one Contributor - just try it and you’ll see what I mean!)
T herapeutic (at $2 an issue, it’s a steal, DEFINITELY cheaper than a shrink!)
Optimistic (they offer a bit of hope to individuals in despair-a light in the darkness)
Relatable (reading the paper can help you relate to people in your community either because you’ve had similar experiences or you know some one who has, and that can help you to develop empathy/sympathy for them)
To ALL readers of The Contributor PLEASE feel free let me know how I did with this assignment, inquiring minds want to know!
I decided to do all my errands as a slow travel project. The light from the mirror reached out into my sleeping brain. I stretched and rolled over and put on my waiting boots.
My cat’s feet pet the ground as if to say, what a sweet luxury to be here.
I slip out the door and hear a window shift shut. The front door stretches open slowly. I walk out into the street and a golden leaf pounces through the crisp air.
My research told me that I could get
my cleaning supplies, groceries, bills paid, and everything within a one mile radius. It turned out to be true. It was a lovely morning. And it took me about the same time as driving!
A shiny big dog stops and asks with his eyes if we can “chat“. His human says it’s OK. I pet him and massage his shoulders a little bit and really enjoy the fact that he is a happy dog.
The doors swish open and I decide to take the stairs up to my balcony.
Selected by Charles Williams
Charles Walter Stansby Williams (1886–1945), the editor of the following selections, is today probably the third most famous of the famous Inklings literary group of Oxford, England, which existed in the middle of the 20th century, and which included among its ranks the better-known and longer-lived Oxford Dons J.R.R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis—but he was arguably the most precocious and well-read of this eminent and intellectually fertile group. He was also known to have influenced Dorothy Sayers, T. S. Eliot and W. H. Auden. Lacking a proper degree unlike his fellow Inklings, this genius Cockney-speaking author, editor, critic, and playwright was eminently well-versed in both philosophical and theological writings of the remote past as of the present day (the mid-20th century) and used this familiarity to good effect in his poetry, supernatural fiction and his lesser-known devotional selections designed for the spiritual benefit of the faithful in the Church of England. This series of profound quotations, encompassing all walks of life, follows the sequence of the themes and Bible readings anciently appointed for contemplation throughout the church's year, beginning with Advent (i.e., December) and ending in November, and reaches far beyond the pale of the philosophical and theological discussions of his day. It was under his hand, for instance, that some of the first translations of Kierkegaard were made available to the wider public. It is hoped that the readings reproduced here will prove beneficial for any who read them, whatever their place in life's journey. — Matthew Carver
2ND WEDNESDAY AFTER EASTER
CHRIST was common to all in love, in teaching, in tender consolation, in generous gifts, in merciful forgiveness. His soul and his body, his life and his death, and his ministry were, and are, common to all. His sacraments and his gifts are common to all. Christ never took any food or drink, nor anything that his body needed, without intending by it the common good of all those who shall be saved, even unto the last day . . . He ate and he drank for our sake; he lived and he died for our sake.
Ruysbroeck: Adornment of the Spiritual Marriage
2ND THURSDAY AFTER EASTER
THE Word was from the beginning and therefore was and is the divine of all things; but now that He has taken the name, which of old was sanctified, the Christ, He is called by me a New Song.
St Clement: Address to the Greeks
HE called us when we were not, and willed us from not being to be.
St Clement: Epistles
2ND FRIDAY AFTER EASTER
JEHOVAH’S salvation
Is without money and without price, in the continual forgivness of sins,
In the perpetual mutual sacrifice in great eternity: for behold,
There is none that liveth and sinneth not! And this is the covenant
Of Jehovah: "If you forgive one another so shall Jehovah forgive you;
That He Himself may dwell among you."
Blake: Jerusalem
JOSEPH wraps the body in a clean linen cloth, in which same linen sheet were let down to Peter out of heaven all manner of living creatures; whence we understand that under the representation of this linen cloth the Church is buried together with Christ.
St Hillary, quoted by Aquinas: Catena Aurea
2ND SATURDAY AFTER EASTER
GRANT me, O most sweet and loving Jesus, to rest in thee above every creature, above all health and beauty, above all glory and honour, above all power and dignity, above all joy and exultation, above all fame and praise, above all sweetness and consolation, above all hope and promise, above all desert and desire, above all gifts and presents which Thou art able to bestow or infuse, above all joy and gladness which the mind is capable of receiving and feeling; finally, above Angels and Archangels, and above all the host of Heaven, above all things visible and invisible, and above all that falls short of Thyself, O Thou, my God.
Thomas à Kempis: Imitation
SECOND SUNDAY AFTER EASTER
THERE is joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. But what is Repentance? Not the last and noblest and most refined achievement of the righteousness
of men in the service of God, but the first elemental act of the righteousness of God in the service of men; the work that God has written in their hearts and which, because it is from God and not from men, occasions joy in heaven; that looking forward to God, and to Him only, which is recognized only by God and by God Himself.
Barth: The Epistle to the Romans
ALL things in motion desire to make known their own proper movement, and this is an aspiration after the Divine Peace of the whole, which, unfalling, preserves all things from falling, and, unmoved, guards the idiosyncrasy and life of all moving things, so that the things moved, being at peace among themselves, perform their own proper functions.
Dionysius the Areopagite: On the Divine Names
3RD MONDAY AFTER EASTER
WONDER not then that all the true followers of Christ, the saints of every age, have so gloried in the cross of Christ, have imputed such great things to it, have desired nothing so much as to be partakers of it, to live in constant union with it. It is because His sufferings, His death and cross were the fulness of His victory over all the works of the devil. Not an evil in flesh and blood, not a misery of life, not a chain of death, not a power of hell and darkness, but were all baffled, broken, and overcome by the process of a suffering and dying Christ. Well therefore may the cross of Christ be the glory of Christians!
William Law: The Spirit of Love
3RD TUESDAY AFTER EASTER
FAITH becomes hope through repentance, as does fear through faith; perseverance and exercise in these, united with instruction, are perfected into charity; and charity is perfected into knowledge.
St Clement: Stromata
EACH one creates his god, when judging, "This is good or bad"; and men mourn or rejoice too much at events.
Pascal: Pensées.
3RD WEDNESDAY AFTER EASTER
THE scars that remained in Christ's body belong neither to corruption nor defect, but to the greater increase of glory, inasmuch as they are the trophies of His power; and a special comeliness will appear in the places scarred by the wounds.
Aquinas: Summa Theologica
HE does not waste a word in talking about immortality, as to whether it actually is; he states what it is, that it is the separation between the just and the unjust.
Kierkegaard: Christian Discourses
3RD THURSDAY AFTER EASTER
I AS often lifted my eyes and he sent me help from his holy place. And herein I found the difference between this and my former state chiefly consisted. I was striving, yea fighting, with all my might under the law, as well as under grace: but then I was sometimes, if not often, conquered; now I was always conqueror.
GLORY is perfected in grace.
John Wesley: Journal
Echkhart: In Collationibus
Sponsored by Matthew Carver, publisher
3RD FRIDAY AFTER EASTER
WE should mark and know of a very truth that all manner of virtue and goodness, and even that Eternal Good which is God himself, can never make a man virtuous, good or happy, so long as it is outside the soul; that is, so long as the man is holding converse with outward things through his senses and reason, and doth not withdraw into himself, and learn to understand his own life who and what he is.
Theologica Germanica
3RD SATURDAY AFTER EASTER
O LORD Jesus Christ, our Watchman and Keeper, take us to thy care: grant that, our bodies sleeping, our minds may watch in thee, and be made merry by some sight of that celestial and heavenly life, wherein thou art the King and Prince, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, where thy angels and holy souls, keep clean our bodies, that in both we may please thee, sleeping and waking, for ever. Amen.
Christian Prayers, 1566.
WHY comes temptation but for man to meet And master, and make crouch beneath his foot, And so be pedestalled in triumph. Pray
'Lead us into no such temptations, Lord!'
Yea, but, O Thou whose servants are the bold, Lead such temptations by the head and hair, Reluctant dragons, up to who dares fight, That so he may do battle and have praise.
Browning: The Ring and the Book
THIRD SUNDAY AFTER EASTER
THE names of first or last derogate from it (God's mercy), for first and last are but rags of time, and his mercy hath no relation to time, no limitation in time, it is not the first nor the last but eternal, everlasting. Let the devil make me so far desperate as to conceive a time when there was no mercy, and he hath made me so far an atheist as to conceive a time when there was no God: if I despoil him of his mercy, any one minute, and say, Now God hath no mercy, for that minute I discontinue his very Godhead, and his being . . . As long as there hath been love, and God is love, there hath been mercy.
Donne: Sermons
4TH MONDAY AFTER EASTER
WHEN the Kingdom is delivered up to God, even the Father, and all his powers are put down, then perfection begins. Here is hindrance, here weakness even of the perfect; there full protection . . . We then must strive for those things wherein is perfection and wherein is the reality. Here is the shadow, here the symbol; there the reality. Here we walk in the symbol, we see in the symbol; there face to face, where there is full perfection; for all perfection is in the reality.
St Ambrose: De Officiis
4TH TUESDAY AFTER EASTER
IF to obtain the temporal inheritance of his human father, a man must be born of the womb of his mother; to obtain the eternal inheritance of his Heavenly Father, he must be born of the womb of the church.
St Augustine, quoted in St Thomas: Catena Aurea
27. Nigeria's western neighbor
29. Listening devices
31. *Hamlet: "To be, or not to be: ____ is the question"
32. Capital of Vietnam
33. Bar by estoppel
34. Indian restaurant condiment
36. Petri dish filler
38. Prima donna
42. Artist's tripod
45. High tea sandwich
49. P rignon's honorific
51. Destroy a document (2 words)
54. Seize a throne
56. City in Japan
57. Type of sailing vessel
58. Capital of Latvia
59. Outback birds
60. "Blast from the ____"
61. "The ____ of Tammy Faye," movie
62. Uncommon
63. Went down slippery slope
64. Cathode-ray tube
66. *Merchant of Venice: "But love is blind, and lovers cannot ____"
Sometimes I wonder why do I even bother to try?
After 15 years of being here in Nashville, Tennessee. A Long Island, New York, Songwriter, Music City wannabe.
From April 23rd, 2009 until April 23rd, 2024...
I still have yet to find, The right un-open door.
But, thanks to what I do in “The Contributor” And the opportunity they gave me, When they made me an offer.
A Gifted Lyricist with something different to give, Can be someone with something, anyone can afford, And always leave them wanting more...
Pieces of Poetry 22, Double Deuce is on the Loose. This is the Life I Choose...
My Words were put to Music. I produced a CD, With the help of 2 Music Producers, Who both have won Emmys.
Kind of like a Musical Soundtrack of my Life, I decided to title “Familiar Lullabies” “Seek and Ye Shall Find”
The songs I left behind as a reminder, For all to hear for free...
While I keep on-a-writing, What someone, somewhere, might recite? For Somebody, from Me.
New and Improved, published every 2 weeks... Pieces of Poetry 22, Double Deuce is on the Loose. This is the Life I Choose...
And... What about that book? That took a good 7 years of living here, To come up with, cook up and construct? I did the best I could, but it wasn’t good enough. “Lessons Learned from Wisdom’s Words”
A collection of Song Lyrics, Stories and Poetry, That were impressive when they were first read, But have yet to ever be heard. Printed and Published in “The Contributor” Written by none other than another, Unknown “Silent Songwriter”
From of all places, Long Island, New York? Shared for 2 weeks, no longer, no more. That cannot be seen in any, Nashville, Tennessee, Public Library. After all, why carry something, No one would ever ask for. It cost me plenty to become an author, Of song lyrics and poetry that were, Meant to be Remembered or, Destined to be Ignored... Pieces of Poetry 22, Double Deuce is on the Loose. This is the Life I Choose... Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts,
Why not Homeless World Scouts?
Remember the movie “Saint Cloud Hill”? It was back then and it always will be, Part of Nashville’s Long Forgotten History.
The Captain Chris Scott Fieselman, Who began and ran a Homeless Camp, Right there on the side of Fort Negley. A documentary about me, going up against the city, That never made me any money. Now that’s funny...
Welcome to help from The Eagle’s Nest.
Where No Honest, Hard Working, American, Has to settle for anything less.
Fight the good fight and look like you’re winning. Camping can be a new beginning. Make them an offer, give them an option, And they will learn to Sink or Swim. Or eventually end up playing a game, No one ever profits from, A game no one ever wins...
What a statement I’ve chosen to make, Knowing that there are lives at stake.
Like trying to design a Travel Brochure, To entice beggars flying signs, To become something more.
Kind of like sending them a Birthday Card, When they read it, they can see that, It comes from the Heart.
To me that is Truly Important Information.
Like a Road Map that gets them to a Final Destination. What do you want? A Written Invitation, Where and when you can attend, New Vendor Registration?
Selling a paper is different than begging. Something some folk look forward to, With great anticipation.
Not every city has a Street Paper to offer. You’ de never know me if not for The Contributor.
A Responsibility, an Honor and a Social Obligation. An Opportunity to Promote Unity, Through Community Communication.
To find a way to climb out of a bad situation and then... A homeless camp that resembles an Indian Reservation, Forgive me for having such a Vivid Imagination.
Every day spent with an accomplishment, Is a day of appreciation. That will instill motivation.
Knowing that you have something to hope for, Is reason enough to be patient.
Sometimes you have to fall
Far enough to lose it all,
To Understand God’s Plan for Salvation.
Pieces of Poetry 22, Double Deuce is on the Loose. This is the Life I Choose...
To be continued...
When I was a kid my dog, Hecuba, had surgery for bladder stones. When she got home she had on one of those big plastic collars that came up around her whole head to keep her from chewing at the stitches. For two weeks I could hear that collar scraping along the walls and bumping into the furniture everywhere she went. She never really got used to it, but she did heal. Within a month she was collar-free and back to chasing rabbits around the backyard. I think I heard you scraping down the hall earlier, Aries, and I know you’d rather do anything than take the time to heal. But don’t take the collar off yet. You’ll thank me when you’re back in the yard.
TAURUS
Webster’s defines a burrito as “a flour tortilla rolled or folded around a filling.”
As usual, I have some problems with this definition. If I were to fold a flour tortilla around, say, a filling of packing peanuts and allen wrenches, is that more burrito-ly than, for instance, this cornbread pancake wrapped around eggs and potatoes? What I’m trying to say here, Taurus, is that if you’re having trouble making your life fit the definition of success, you might want to adjust your definition before you make too many extreme changes to your life. While you think it over, have a bite of this burrito. It's delicious.
There’s a new cat in my neighborhood that’s small and black with white feet. I don’t think she belongs to anybody and she’s getting more curious about the potted plant by my front door. I’ve caught her rubbing up against it a few times now, but she always runs away when I say “hello.” Just like with cats, Gemini, people take a while to build trust. You’re doing a great job of starting slow and keeping your distance. Don’t worry if it’s taking longer than you thought. Not every day will feel like progress, but things are shifting in the right direction.
I’m so glad we made it through that storm, Cancer. All that thunder and wind! I was getting pretty nervous. But now we can relax and step forward confidently into… ugh…it’s another storm. Sometimes they just keep coming, Cancer. This season won’t last forever, but as long as we’re here try to remember that you aren’t in this alone. When the windows rattle and the roof drips, give us a call. Even if it’s the third, fourth, or 29th storm in a row. You aren’t in this on your own.
What’s your pump-up song of the spring, Leo? Mine’s “Dance’em If You Got’em” by Viggo & Vickie. Everytime I put it on I feel absolutely invincible, like I could run through a brick wall or something. I like to put it on when I have something really mundane to do like change the battery in my smoke alarm. But after that I usually have to do another tedious task like sorting the mail folder. It’s hard to stay pumped-up when there are so many boring things that just have to get done, Leo. Maybe make this your last unexciting task of the day. Maybe after this, just dance’em till you don’t got’em anymore.
I got my tax refund, Virgo! Now I can afford to take you out for a milkshake (if you’re all right to split one) and then you can drop me off at work so I can get back to saving up for another milkshake. This endless cycle of work, debt, indulgence, and want is feeling a little more endless than usual, Virgo. I haven’t figured a way out just yet, but I feel better about it when I can do something for you and I feel a little more human when you turn around and do something for me. Not a trade, just mutual support. I think that’s the only way through.
If I could write your story in a book, Libra, I’d start with your great, great, great grandparents. You probably don’t know much about them, but they would have liked you. Sometimes they would laugh and sometimes they would worry. Sometimes it seemed like nothing would be ok and sometimes it felt like things were really coming together. They did their best. In the book I’d write, you would start to notice how similar they are to you. But the difference would be that their dreams and worries are all finished-up. Yours feel much bigger because they’re still in progress. You’re just one point in a long line, Libra. And you’re doing your best.
How nice, Scorpio, there’s a little mushroom in the grass that wasn’t there yesterday! Oh, look, there’s another one! And two more over there. Wow, there’s a lot of these. Wait a sec, do all these mushrooms spell something out? Back up, Scorpio, I think it says…yeah it says “We’re Still Hungry.” Well, that’s ominous. But it reminds me, Scorpio, that expressing how you feel is the only way to let others know what you need. Think about that while I get the mower.
Every 13 years, the southeastern United States is flooded by the cicadas of brood XIX. Over a few short weeks they molt, scream their song, mate, lay eggs and die, not to be seen again for more than a decade. At least, that’s the story us top-dwellers tell. Cicada nymphs, on the other hand, have a very different experience. They spend 13 years underground tunneling and chewing on roots. I like to imagine they have a very satisfying existence. You’re awfully focused on the end results, Sagittarius. Maybe this week, just enjoy being an underground unmolted nymph. This might be the best part.
It’s OK, Capricorn, you don’t even have to read this one. I mean, you can if you want to, but I know there are so many texts and emails and messages you have to read every day and now here’s one more message to add to that long list. So I just want to make sure that you know you can stop any time. And if you got this far I’d like to emphasize that there’s no expectation that you reply. Come to think of it, Capricorn, maybe you don’t have to read and reply to all those other ones either. Maybe we could all do less of that. Maybe you could put this down and count the wrinkles in your knuckles till you get bored. See how it goes.
Sometimes when I’m driving and feeling anxious, I turn off the radio and I just have a little conversation with myself right there in the car. “What are you feeling anxious about?” I might ask. “Well, I’m late to work and I forgot my lunch again,” I might reply. “What can you do about that right now?” I’ll wisely continue. “Could I run stop signs and speed?” I wonder, testing my inquisitor. “No. Don’t do that.” I snap back. “I guess I can't really do anything about it right now. I can either drive and worry or just drive.” Sometimes it helps me to say what I’m feeling out loud even if nobody else can hear. You can try it too, Aquarius, even if you don’t have a car.
Recent surveys indicate that Americans are unhappier than ever. We don’t like our jobs, we’re afraid of the future, we don’t have friends and we’re disconnected from our families. But most of all, Pisces, we’re fed up with being surveyed about our precise current level of happiness. If not for this stack of unfinished surveys, we’d reconnect with old friends. We’d find creative, fulfilling hobbies. We’d master our fear, balance work with life and form stronger families. But these surveys aren’t going to answer themselves, Pisces. Or, wait, hear me out. What if instead of measuring this current moment, we did one single thing to make it better. How does that idea make you feel on a scale of 1 to 5?.
Mr. Mysterio is not a licensed astrologer, a certified surveyor or 250 cicadas in a bathrobe. Listen to the Mr. Mysterio podcast at mrmysterio.com Or just give him a call at 707-VHS-TAN1
The original 1989 film Road House is not a great movie. But it’s become a cult classic because of lots of little elements that add up to something bigger and better than the sum of their parts: Patrick Swayze (the Hollywood hunk who had been a world class ballet dancer) was born to play James Dalton — a gifted bar bouncer with a PhD in philosophy from New York University. One of the film’s great strengths is Dalton’s relationship with his mentor, Wade Garrett played by Sam Elliot in one of his most unforgettable roles. Kelly Lynch was never a household name as an actress, but I can’t imagine anyone but Lynch as Dr. Elizabeth Clay, Dalton’s much-needed general practitioner and love interest. The Road House screenplay is studded with timeless, quotable dialog like “I’ll get all the sleep I need when I’m dead,” “Nobody ever wins a fight,” and “Pain don’t hurt.” Road House boasts the great Ben Gazzara in the role of big bucks baddie, Brad Wesley, and the whole movie shakes and rattles to the bar band blues of The Jeff Healey Band who are cast as the house act at the Double Deuce saloon. Road House is red meat for movie fans who love fisticuffs on film. It’s a bloody knuckle actioner that’s literally directed by a guy named Rowdy (Herrington).
Jake Gyllenhall plays Elwood Dalton in Amazon’s new Road House reboot. This Dalton is a former mixed martial arts fighter who now makes his living off the easy money in the world of underground fighting, where Dalton’s reputation precedes him and all of his opponents forfeit their purses. Dalton meets Frankie, a bar owner in Glass Key, FL. Frankie gives Dalton her contact info, and after he bails out of a suicide attempt, he takes Frankie’s offer to clean-up the ruffian clientele ruining her business at The Road House. This new version of Road House is being criticized for not
being as bonkers or hilarious as the original film. I think director Doug Liman makes a good choice to consciously avoid those things in this new movie. I think he understands that he could never match the weird energy that Rowdy and his cast captured in their film. Instead he gives us an attempted suicide in the first ten minutes of the movie. There’s humor here and some weirdness, but this is not Generation X’s Road House That’s a good thing. We’ve already got one of those.
One of the most interesting aspects of the new Road House is the postmodern meta-narrative created between Dalton and Roxie and Steven — the teenage daughter and father who own a modest but charming bookstore. The three meet when Dalton arrives in Glass Key at the bus stop outside of the bookstore. Roxie offers Dalton a booklet she made to fill newcomers in on local Glass Key sites and history. When Dalton tells her he’s in town to clean up The Road House. Roxie says it sounds like the plot of a Western novel before finding a novel from the 1950’s that exactly matches the plot of the movie.
As Dalton battles the baddies and tries to figure out why they’re so interested in closing The Road House, he and Roxie sort-out the mystery together. All the while lots of her dialog simultaneously comments on the story in the film, and the film itself, and the western genre. Not everybody wants a Road House reboot with a postmodern meta-narrative. I get that. But, this Road House is worth a stop.
Road House is streaming on Amazon Prime
Joe
