The Contributor: May 11, 2022 by the-contributor-live

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Volu m e 16

| Number 10 | May 11 - 25, 2022

MEGAN BARRY

On Substance Use Disorder: One Family’s Story

I N T H E I S S U E L a N ticia

Contributor Board

LOCALES - POLÍTICA - INMIGRACIÓN - TRABAJOS - SALUD - ESPECTÁCULOS - DEPORTES Y MÁS...

GRATIS

Mayo

2022 Año 20 - No. 349

Tom Wills, Chair Cathy Jennings, Bruce Doeg, Demetria Kalodimos, Ann Bourland, Kerry Graham, Peter Macdonald, Amber DuVentre, Jerome Moore, Annette McDermott, Drew Morris, Andy Shapiro

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“DONDE OCURREN LOS HECHOS QUE IMPORTAN, SIEMPRE PRIMERO... ANTES”

Nashville, Tennessee

Escasez de Médicos en EE.UU podría costar 7,000 vidas al año en el 2034

World News

La Noticia + The Contributor

Fundada como una Escuela de Medicina independiente en 1976, St. George's University se ha convertido en un centro de educación médica internacional, atrayendo a estudiantes, exalumnos y profesores de escuelas de medicina y programas de MD de más de 150 países a la isla de Granada.

los mayores desafíos de atención médica de Estados Unidos. Estados Unidos necesita médicos desesperadamente. Según la Asociación de Colegios Médicos Estadounidenses, podríamos enfrentar un déficit de hasta 124,000 médicos para 2034. El déficit podría costar hasta 7,000 vidas al año. Esta inminente escasez de médicos es en parte producto del envejecimiento de la fuerza laboral. Dos de cada cinco médicos que ejercen hoy alcanzarán la edad de jubilación en los próximos 10 años. Los habitantes de la ciudad y los pacientes de altos ingresos podrían no sentir el impacto de la escasez. Pero la historia es diferente en la América rural. Más de 130 hospitales en áreas rurales han cerrado desde el 2010. Más de 4,200 comunidades rurales están experimentando una escasez de trabajadores de la salud.

Los códigos postales con cantidades desproporcionadas de minorías raciales y étnicas también tienden a carecer de acceso adecuado a los médicos. Afroamericanos e hispanos tienen aproximadamente el doble de probabilidades que sus pares blancos de vivir en áreas con pocos o ningún proveedor de atención primaria. Los graduados médicos internacionales tienden a ser los que se dirigen a comunidades de alta necesidad como estas. Representan más de dos tercios de los médicos en áreas de los Estados Unidos con altas poblaciones de minorías étnicas y raciales. Estos gravitan hacia especialidades de gran demanda. Ellos representan más de la mitad de los médicos en geriatría, donde la escasez se agudiza a medida que la población envejece. También representan altas proporciones de las fuerzas de trabajo de endocrinología, oncología y cardiología.

La Noticia, one of the leading Spanish-language newspapers in the nation, brings Spanish content to The Contributor.

INSP goes Inside a Ukrainian village where farmers stay “Miles de médicos jóvenes se entethe wheat harvest but raronfor recientemente dónde pasarán los próximos años de sus vidas en residencia. Un número significativoattack. de fear Russian ellos serán ciudadanos estadounidenses que completaron la escuela de medicina en el extranjero. Este cuerpo de médicos con educación internacional se ha vuelto cada vez más importante para el sistema de atención médica de EE. UU. y está abordando una parte desproporcionada de

Foto: St. George's University

Vivimos en un país con mucho poder, talento y personas: Casi 333 millones en este momento, y nuestra salud económica depende de la de nuestra población también. El alto costo Por Yuri Cunza de las carreras en Editor in Chief salud, el tiempo y @LaNoticiaNews la vocacion, anticipan un panorama preocupante en lo que respecta a la capacidad y abastacemiento. Para el 2034, Estados Unidos podría enfrentar un déficit de hasta 124 000 médicos. Eso podría costarnos 7,000 vidas al año. Afortunadamente, hay una manera fácil de aliviar esta escasez crónica: apoyarse más en médicos capacitados internacionalmente, particularmente en las áreas marginadas, rurales y de bajos ingresos del país. Muchos de ellos son ciudadanos estadounidenses que se fueron al extranjero para estudiar. Y miles acaban de encajar en residencias en todo el país. A continuación, el doctor G. Richard Olds, presidente de la Universidad de St. George, nos explica como podemos enfrentar este apremiante y desafiante panorama:

Casi un tercio de los psiquiatras son graduados de escuelas de medicina internacionales. A raíz de la pandemia, el país necesitará muchos más de estos profesionales de la salud mental para ayudar a las personas a superar las consecuencias. Más de la mitad de los condados de EE. UU. no tienen un psiquiatra en práctica. Hasta el año pasado, unos 122 millones de estadounidenses, más de un tercio de la población, vivían en áreas con escasez de profesionales de la salud mental. Quizás la escasez de médicos más peligrosa a la que nos enfrentamos es la atención primaria. Para el 2,034, la Asociación de Colegios Médicos Estadounidenses proyecta que en los Estados Unidos faltarán hasta 48,000 médicos de atención primaria. Más de mil condados ya carecen de suficientes médicos de atención primaria para satisfacer la demanda. Es probable que los graduados médicos internacionales también sean los que reduzcan esa brecha. El setenta por ciento de nuestros graduados en medicina de la Universidad de St. George en Granada siguen carreras en atención primaria, muchos de ellos en áreas desatendidas. Este año, en Match Day (día en que el Programa Nacional de Emparejamiento de Residentes o NRMP publica los resultados a los solicitantes que buscan puestos de residencia y becas de capacitación), miles de estudiantes de facultades de medicina internacionales dieron un paso más hacia su destino, dando forma al futuro de los Estados Unidos en el proceso. El país necesita estos médicos en ciernes para ayudar a aliviar la escasez de médicos, sin importar la especialidad o el código postal.”

Vendor Writing

Moving Pictures

In this issue, vendors create playlists, talk about their dreams and one vendor celebrates 15 years of sobriety.

Stay awake for a midnight showing of A Nightmare On Elm Street at the Belcourt Theatre this month!

Envíenos sus sugerencias por e-mail: news@hispanicpaper.com ó 615-567-3569

Conoce tus derechos: ¿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)

por

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 de Estados Unidos en el caso Miranda vs. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, de 1966.

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Contributors This Issue

Linda Bailey • Amanda Haggard • Chris Scott Fieselman • Tom Wills • Thomas Peter • Yuri Cunza • Beh Lih Yi • Li-An Lim • Mr. Mysterio • John H. • William B. • Norma B. • Joe Nolan

Contributor Volunteers Christine Doeg , Volunteer Coordinator Joe First • Andy Shapiro • Michael Reilly • Logan Ebel • Ann Bourland • Laura Birdsall • Richard Aberdeen • Marissa Young • Ezra LaFleur • Rachel Stanley • Linda Eisele • Matthew Murrow • Wendy Curland • Gisselly Mazariegos

Cathy Jennings Executive Director Tom Wills Director of Vendor Operations Carli Tharp Social Services Intake Specialist

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!

Ree Cheers SOAR Manager Rachel Ternes Housing Navigator Catherine Hardy Housing Navigator Jesse Call Operations Consultant Raven Nye Director of Housing Initiatives Barbara Womack Advertising Manager Amanda Haggard & Linda Bailey Co-Editors Gisselly Mazariegos & Isabella Romero Interns Andrew Krinks Editor Emeritus Will Connelly, Tasha F. Lemley, Steven Samra, and Tom Wills Contributor Co-Founders

The Contributor now accepts Venmo! Scan the QR Code above, or find us: @The-Contributor Make sure to include your vendor’s badge name and number in the description. If you bought this version digitally, you can still leave your regular vendor a tip. Email Cathy@thecontributor.org for more information or with questions!

Editorials and features in The Contributor are the perspectives of the authors. Submissions of news, opinion, fiction, art and poetry are welcomed. The Contributor reserves the right to edit any submissions. The Contributor cannot and will not endorse any political candidate. Submissions may be emailed to: editorial@thecontributor.org Requests to volunteer, donate, or purchase subscriptions can be emailed to: info@thecontributor.org Please email advertising requests to: advertising@thecontributor.org

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| The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 3

VENDOR WRITING

“FAMILIAR LULLABIES” Written by Chris Scott Fieselman

I’ve got 20 MP3’s ready to become a CD. The one thing I want to do before I die, Is share with the world “Familiar Lullabies.” Like the songs from a Father, To his beloved Sons and Daughters. The last words to be heard before going to bed. Good Night, Sweet Dreams, I Love You & God Bless. No other song writer could ask for more, Then two music composers with Emmy Awards. Jimmy Dale, way back when with “Sonny and Cher,” And Dave Porter, for the music of “Breaking Bad.” The various vocals of women and men, Are what make this collection, without question different. If a song has the power to change someone’s life. Then those were the songs, that I tried to write. I remember the first song I ever produced. Laurie Vega saying truly, “It Can Happen to You.” A meaningful message, so beautifully said. My words finally heard, instead of just read, Next, a song of contentment for the common man, Who understands, he has all that he needs. You’ve got to love a song with a harmonica, And Jimmy Messina singing on “Easy Street.”

A Tender Duet for the men who forget, The way that they used to be. The words that were written about them back then, Found hidden in “Her Old Diary.” Guitarist, Vocalist and friend Ray Nesbit, And the beautiful voice of Barbara Smith. Ray did another love song of mine, ‘Bout re-connection and reflection, “After So Much Time.” Barbara Smith didn’t quit, she too did another. A First Impression Lesson song, I titled “Book Cover.” Now, I know what it’s like to be too shy. I’m just like any other guy. Hesitation, Frustration or possible Humiliation. Needing Motivation to face an, “Infatuation Situation.” Also… There’s more to this song, I think you should know. Ray Nesbit does an Awesome Guitar Solo. There’s always that sentimental time of year. The day the world waits for, to finally get here. Like ornaments hung upon Christmas Trees, Are our reminders of “Christmas Memories.”

If there’s one thing I Love, That I can’t get enough of, It’s the Freedom an Eagle feels. A five-and-a-half-minute long biker song, The Testimonial “On Two Wheels.”

Let’s Never Forget… When those three words were said. On 9/11, we remember, those towers fall. United We Stand and Never Again. There’s a “New Yorker in Us All.” Such a beautiful song. It touches the soul. There’s a version with the words sung by a Piano, And a YouTube video of this song as well. A live church performance, I posted myself.

There once was a time, I wasn’t so strong. Addiction can happen to anyone. I’ll never go back to my life like “Crack Song.’ I pray that someday, this song may help someone.

Seven years here in Nashville, Tennessee. Everything I have learned, has turned to Empathy. Trying to describe a life of Homelessness, While, knowing the solution is the “Eagles Nest.”

No-one can explain what can’t be understood. Why bad things happen that end up being good. When all things in life have a time and a season. I’m reminded, remember, There are “Hidden Reasons.” Sung by Professor James Wiggington.

“Live Life” like it’s your only one. A little less worry and a lot more fun. So much to do. So much to get done. Don’t waste it waiting for that day to Come.

“One Kind Gesture” one kind move, Sounds like the music of Dr. Seuss. So, I decided the right thing, I’d like done with this, Was a song with a chorus, being sung with young kids. To ask God to Bless those who persecute you? Or ask yourself truly, What Would Jesus Do? What Saint Stephen said, When they stoned him to death? No matter what they do to me, Lord, please… “Keep Loving Them.”

I’ve got other songs too, that were done by my friends. “The Outlaw Mary Jane” was one of them. I remember my first time on an “Electric Bike.” Patricio Tower did that song, before he died. The birth of a first child and the start of a journey. P.J. Steelman did “2-1-3 Family.” My life’s been a fire, inspiring some. Thanks again, Sam my friend, For writing “Shine On.” The End.

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NASHVILLE HISTORY CORNER

Vendor Group Photo from 2016.

THE HISTORY OF ‘THE CONTRIBUTOR’ BY TOM WILLS Street Papers provide income for the homeless and initiate a conversation about homelessness and poverty. In 2007, The Contributor founders met at the Downtown Nashville Library to form one. In a strike of lightning we named it The Contributor to infer that our vendors were “contributors to society,” while their customers could contribute to their work. But, thunder from lightning is always delayed. Three years later, Nashville embraced us like no other city in the world. The Contributor became the largest selling street paper per-capita on the globe. And today 70 percent of our six months or longer tenured vendors have found housing. BOOM! The thunder has struck. The Contributor is a different kind of nonprofit, social enterprise. We don’t provide emergency shelter. We don’t hire people in poverty to create products or provide a service. Rather, we sell newspapers to homeless people who work for themselves. We train them to sell those papers to you, keep the money they earn, and buy more when they need to replace their stock. Our biggest fans don’t always get this. Like lightning without the thunder, they

see the humanity of the vendor but misunderstand the model. Case in point: In 2013 during a funding crunch, a representative of one of Nashville’s biggest foundations exclaimed, “I’m such a big fan that I never take the paper!” We responded, “Well, that’s why we are in a funding crunch.” BOOM! Thunder was heard. Taking the paper makes our model work, not taking it breaks it. And, selling the paper twice doesn’t just fund the paper, it funds housing and change. BOOM! Our vendors report their sales to qualify for subsidized housing and even for standard housing deposits and mortgages. And we support their endeavors with our other programs. They don’t consider your buying the paper a “contribution.” It is a sale. When they sell out, they buy more and build the paper trail of a profitable business. Until making these sales, many of our vendors had never experienced the satisfaction of seeing their investment pay off. And when it does, it liberates! Fifteen years later, our vendors are still “contributors” to their own destiny. And Nashville has become a city of lightning and thunder. BOOM!

May 11 - 25, 2022

| The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 5

PAGE 6 | May 11 - 25, 2022 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

INTERNATIONAL NETWORK OF STREET PAPERS

Inside a Ukrainian village where farmers stay for the wheat harvest but fear Russian attack BY THOMAS PETER The wheat has been sown for the coming season but nobody in Yakovlivka, a small farming village outside Kharkiv in northeastern Ukraine, knows if it will be harvested. A week after Russian forces launched their invasion on Feb. 24, the village was bombed. The head of the village administration said four people were killed and 11, including children, wounded in the attack. “We were sitting in our cellar for four hours and read the Lord’s Prayer. We wrapped the kids into blankets and just couldn’t fall asleep until three or four in the morning,” said Nina Bonderenko, who works on her cousin’s farm. Villagers said the attack may have been aimed at a unit of Ukrainian soldiers camping temporarily in the village school, although apart from some broken windows, the building was undamaged by the blasts. [Reuters was not able to independently verify the villagers’ account

of the bombing.] Russia has denied targeting civilians in what it calls a “special operation” to demilitarize and “denazify” its neighbour. Ukraine and its allies dismiss that as a baseless pretext for war. Since the village was bombed, residents say all certainty has been lost. “We have planted all the wheat. But will we be able to grow anything and harvest it under the current circumstances?” said Vadim Aleksandrovich, director of Granary of Sloboda, a farming company that emerged from a former Soviet-era collective farm. “Only God knows. We are doing our best.” With the country at war, the uncertainty facing Yakovlivka is shared across the country by farmers who produce the grain that has historically made Ukraine, the world’s fifth biggest wheat exporter, one of the great breadbaskets of the world. Last season, Granary of Sloboda’s

harvest amounted to 3,000 tons of wheat, 3,000 tons of sunflower and 1,000 tons of corn. But now, 80 percent of the firm’s 17,300 acres are not accessible because of mines or combat operations, Aleksandrovich said. Only the fields immediately around Yakovlikva village can be reached relatively safely and there is heavy fighting around the firm’s seed storage facility at its base in Izyum, some 87 miles away, he said. Before farm workers can go out to the fields, they call emergency services to find out if the area is safe. When rockets land in the fields, explosives disposal services remove any projectiles. “The situation is very tense, and it is unclear what will happen to us,” Aleksandrovich said. “We don’t even know what will happen in one hour.” Despite the uncertainty, most of the villagers have remained, refusing to join

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to The Contributor staff and its vendors!

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PAID FOR BY FRIENDS OF ROBIN KIMBROUGH HAYES FOR JUDGE TREASURER, TONYA SHERELL-BOND

May 11 - 25, 2022

| The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 7

a national exodus that has seen around a quarter of the country’s population of 44 million flee their homes. Of 533 permanent residents before the war, 380 have stayed, with refugees from outside boosting the population to 436, according to local authorities. Although the village shop has closed, people have started to patch up the damaged houses that can still be repaired. “I thought I could live my last days in peace and then this,” said 66-year-old Vera Babenko, picking a bowl out from under a pile of rubble by her now doorless refrigerator. She said a bomb landed just beside her house, about 650 feet from the school the attack was apparently supposed to hit but she said she had no plans to leave. “I want to rebuild my kitchen.” Courtesy of Reuters / International Network of Street Papers

VENDOR AWARDS

Jackie L.

Pedro L.

2021 - Top 15 ‘Contributor’ Vendors (IN ORDER OF TOP SALES):

Alex R., Maurice B., Norma B., Wendell J., Adam H., Loum O., Bronson H., Keith D., Sharon H., Jamie W., Clint M., Jackie L., Pedro L., Brian W., and Marie F.

Clint M. Sharon H.

PAGE 8 | May 11 - 25, 2022 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

(Left) Keith D.; (Below) Jamie W. PHOTOS BY LINDA BAILEY

(Above) Norma B.; (Right) Loum O.

May 11 - 25, 2022

| The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 9

Q&A

LEFT: Max Barry fishing. RIGHT: Megan Barry at a memory walk in Denver in honor of Max. PHOTOS COURTESY OF MEGAN BARRY

MEGAN BARRY

On Substance Use Disorder: One Family’s Story BY AMANDA HAGGARD At The Contributor’s Spring Breakfast, Megan Barry, Nashville’s former mayor, is slated to speak about substance abuse disorder and its affect on families. In 2017, two years into her tenure as Nashville’s mayor, Barry’s only child, her 22-year-old son Max, died of a drug overdose. In the aftermath, which included her scandal and resignation, Barry learned more and more about substance abuse disorder and the barriers folks face in getting the help they need. “Everybody wants their family to be perfect,” she says. “And so we take this kind of suffering as a moral failing and

we look at it as a choice.” In an interview with The Contributor, Barry talked about the stigma families face and the tools needed to move forward in the fight against overdose deaths. One thing that I’ve heard you talk a lot about is the stigma around addiction and substance abuse and how that can be a barrier for both families and the people who are struggling with addiction to get help? I think the stigma and the shame component for this is so palpable. And for me the fact that we’re even talking

about this is about how we start to take away the stigma and shame so that you can see that people you know either have this in their families or struggle with it themselves. I liken it to this idea that one thing with substance use disorder is that people don’t want to talk about it because they’re ashamed and they’re ashamed because we still treat substance use disorder like a moral failing. And the language we use around it is, ‘if you just tried hard enough, if you just stopped, if you cared enough.’ And we would never say that to somebody who had another kind of dis-

PAGE 10 | May 11 - 25, 2022 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

ease, right? If you had cancer, nobody would tell you that you just needed to try harder, right? What helps folks is the medical resources that they need to manage a chronic disease like you would anything else. And the lack of those resources can be devastating to communities, cause loss of jobs and homelessness, all those things. Right, and it’s isolating for the person suffering with substance abuse disorder, but it’s kind of isolating for family too, right? Oh, absolutely. I personally don’t have substance use disorder, but my

Q&A

son Max did. And the fact of the matter is that Max’s shame killed him because he was so ashamed to even let me know what was going on so we could help him. The terms that we use to describe the people suffering from substance use disorder are really nasty words: They’re just an addict. They’re not clean. Just everything about it is derogatory and pejorative and nobody would just say someone with breast cancer was unclean. Everybody wants their family to be perfect. And so we take this kind of suffering as a moral failing and we look at it as a choice, but we know so much more about how the brain works now than ever. Substance abuse fundamentally changes someone’s brain, and I think we’re getting better at taking that into account. What does this crisis look like on a national scale? So one thing I really like to talk about is this exact thing. Just look at these numbers from 2020 — there’s a lag — but these are the latest numbers: •

150,000 people died of COVID

•

38,000 people died in a car accident

•

45,000 people died of suicide

•

42,000 people died of breast cancer

•

45,000 people died of gun violence

•

21,000 people were murdered

•

100,000 people died of a drug overdose

If you look at that list, we throw resources and public service announcements and we’ve got tons of people working on public policy and legislative action. As far as drug overdoses, we are so far behind in that conversation. We haven’t been treating it like the emergency it is. So let’s talk about some solutions. What do you think helps? The statistic I saw the other day is that 21 million Americans have substance use disorder and only one in 10 will ever get any treatment. It is heartbreaking. We have to work on treating this as a chronic condition. If I’d known the capacity for this disease and how it was going to affect Max for the rest of his life, that would’ve helped. We weren’t prepared to understand it and manage it like if he’d had diabetes or another disease. We didn’t have the tools to think he might relapse. Before he died, he had gone to rehab and we thought we had checked that box and he’s great, you know, it’s all good. What about immediate life-saving interventions like Narcan? We recognize that people have heart attacks, right? These days you’ll find in all kinds of public places, defibrillators, because if somebody’s having a heart attack, we want to be able to administer first aid right then, to keep them alive. Narcan is the same thing. Anytime where we can use something like this, we should. When someone is on the floor having a heart at-

May 11 - 25, 2022

tack, we’re not making the determination if they had behaviors like eating poorly that would make them ‘less deserving of care.’ And access and training for it should be way more widespread because of this crisis. I have it in my purse. I carry it with me all the time. But there are many more things that we can be doing and you can look to Oregon as an example. Oregon decriminalized drugs and then bolstered treatment initiatives — it was supported by [around] 58 percent of the voters. But they added this healthcare component, which was making sure the people got into treatment and didn’t have to worry about the potential for being criminalized. And you can look to Portugal that did this in 2000. And, you know, they were all terrified that it was gonna have this huge drug surge. But they saw a 20 percent increase immediately in people who got treatment. There’s a lot of money to be saved by this if we can start to agree that our people are ‘worthy of saving.’ We already spend so much money on this through healthcare costs, criminal justice costs, and loss of productivity. And so many people go down this road in really mundane ways at the beginning, by getting hurt and getting pain medications from a doctor or having surgery. Something that we need to do — us and doctors — is to fundamentally rethink how we treat pain. How we treat anxiety. We’ve seen a big reduction in scripts in Tennessee because we are being more conscious, but many, many people

| The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 11

go down this road this way. Of course, some people need these medications and I’m not saying we don’t want them to have them, but we have to think about the long-term consequences of it too. Max’s journey started with prescription drugs, but it wasn’t an opioid, it was Xanax. It becomes very difficult to ‘just stop’ and we have to begin to reckon with that. What are some of your favorite things about Max? One of the most wonderful things about Max was he was fun and he just had this huge sense of adventure. After he passed, we created at the Oasis Center the Max Barry Travel Fund, where kids who might not have the opportunity to go on trips can do that. They’ve done a mountain biking and camping trip and we’re happy that the funds get to continue his legacy, just a massive legacy of opening your eyes to experiencing new things and that sense of adventure. That’s one of the things that Max loved. He loved the outdoors. We have this bench at his gravesite because one thing Max’s friend told us he liked to do was if he saw a discarded piece of furniture like a couch on the side of the road, he always had to stop and pick it up. Then he’d make his friends just drag it to some beautiful place and just sit. It makes me the saddest that for as much pain as Max must’ve been in, he never let that ruin his ability to sit and gaze at the stars with a friend. He wasn’t perfect, but he was the sweetest boy who would do anything for anyone.

LA NOTICIA “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.

LOCALES - POLÍTICA - INMIGRACIÓN - TRABAJOS - SALUD - ESPECTÁCULOS - DEPORTES Y MÁS...

L a N ticia 2022

GRATIS

Mayo

Escanee esta imagen para ver La Noticia newspaper edición bilingüe digital

www.hispanicpaper.com

Año 20 - No. 349

“DONDE OCURREN LOS HECHOS QUE IMPORTAN, SIEMPRE PRIMERO... ANTES”

Nashville, Tennessee

“Miles de médicos jóvenes se enteraron recientemente dónde pasarán los próximos años de sus vidas en residencia. Un número significativo de ellos serán ciudadanos estadounidenses que completaron la escuela de medicina en el extranjero. Este cuerpo de médicos con educación internacional se ha vuelto cada vez más importante para el sistema de atención médica de EE. UU. y está abordando una parte desproporcionada de

Foto: St. George's University

Escasez de Médicos en EE.UU podría costar 7,000 vidas al año en el 2034

por

www.juanese.com juanese@usa.com

PAGE 12 | May 11 - 25, 2022 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

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| The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 13

INTERNATIONAL NETWORK OF STREET PAPERS

The disasters that never happened: How to soothe rising climate anxiety BY BEH LIH YI When Typhoon Haiyan smashed into the Philippines in 2013, killing more than 6,000 people, everything was wiped out on the tiny island of Tulang Diyot, with all its 500 houses destroyed. But early warnings and a swift evacuation just before the storm struck saved the island’s entire population of 1,000 people from one of the most powerful tropical cyclones ever, which left a trail of destruction across the Asian country. Now some experts are pushing for more recognition of such efforts to avert disasters, or at least their worst effects — which they say would help the world prepare better for accelerating climate change impacts and ease rising eco-anxiety. “People don’t highlight it when ‘nothing happens’, but even if nothing happens, it is in itself extraordinary,” said David Lallemant, a disaster risk expert at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University (NTU). “These are invisible (successes). We want to change that; we want to bring visibility,” he said. From retrofitting schools to withstand earthquakes to installing irrigation that saves crops from drought, Lallemant said there have been many effective early interventions that should be lauded but have gone largely unnoticed by the public. Recognising these achievements is crucial to encouraging policymakers to invest in similar measures, he added, as leading scientists last week warned in a new UN report that climate change losses are becoming hard to avoid and will likely worsen. Too much bad news? From searing heat to floods and drought, global warming is affecting the world faster than anticipated and on a more intense scale, according to the flagship report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Approved by 195 governments, the report urged policymakers to step up initiatives to adapt to more extreme weather and rising seas, and to limit the vulnerability of their people. Climate change has also “adversely” affected mental health, from the stress of rising heat and trauma from weather disasters to loss of livelihoods and culture, the IPCC said, in its first formal acknowledgement of the growing problem. Despite the bleak outlook, the head of the UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO) warned against creating more “apocalyptic fears”, especially among younger generations. “We have to be careful how we communicate the results of our science, tipping points and when we talk about the collapsing of the biosphere and the disappearance of mankind,”

Photo by Li-An Lim on Unsplash

said WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas. “We have to be careful not to cause too much fear among the young people. The fear should be targeted towards decision-makers,” he told the approval meeting for the IPCC report. The broader negative narrative around climate change could be balanced partly by showcasing more “averted disasters”, especially in news reports that are often dominated by catastrophes, said NTU’s Lallemant. He and a team of researchers have been studying how disasters would have cost far more lives and damage without anticipatory action - and trying to quantify the benefits. They found that when Cyclone Fani struck the state of Odisha on India’s east coast in 2019, more than 10,000 deaths were prevented thanks to a prompt evacuation of coastal communities and some 9,000 shelters built during the previous two decades. In Nepal, a seismic strengthening of schools that started in 1997 is thought to have saved hundreds of lives when a massive earthquake struck in 2015, killing some 9,000 people overall. None of the 300 retrofitted schools under the programme collapsed or needed major repairs, according to the researchers. “We spend all our time thinking about di-

sasters - it’s quite depressing,” said Lallemant, who is also a principal investigator at the Earth Observatory of Singapore, a research centre focused on natural hazards. “But there are a lot of things that we’re already doing all over the world in addressing some of our disaster and climate risks. The problem is we never heard about it,” he added. ‘Multiple truths’ A growing mental health crisis linked to climate change — often dubbed “eco-anxiety”— has come under the spotlight in recent years, from heat-linked suicides in Mexico and the United States to people who fear the future is too uncertain to have children. To help combat this, discussions around climate issues should hold “multiple truths together,” said mental health specialist Emma Lawrance, who studies the phenomenon at Britain’s Imperial College London. This would include showing both better and worse future paths in messages aimed at spurring action and optimism. “If coupled with hopelessness and powerlessness, climate anxiety may worsen our mental health and wellbeing, and hamper our ability to act,” added Lawrance. Other advocates argue that giving more recognition to averted disasters could push

PAGE 14 | May 11 - 25, 2022 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

policymakers — in both developed and developing nations — to increase investment in disaster prevention measures, and to do so sooner rather than later. The IPCC report estimates that 3.3 billion to 3.6 billion people live in places that are highly vulnerable to climate change, including Africa, South Asia and small island states. But many developing countries are struggling financially to adapt to the pressures of a warming world, as wealthier nations responsible for most past carbon emissions have fallen short on commitments to provide finance to help the poor and vulnerable. Maricar Rabonza, a disaster risk researcher also from Singapore’s NTU, said elected politicians are often reluctant to make bold moves as positive results could take years to become evident — by which time most of them are no longer in office. “So how do we incentivize that? The benefits should be quantified as early as possible,” said Rabonza. “If we just shift our perspective a little bit, we can take advantage of the lessons from positive actions and not only... the failures in disasters,” she said. Courtesy of Reuters / Thomson Reuters Foundation / International Network of Street Papers

FUN

HOBOSCOPES TAURUS

trampoline. And a hovercraft. We all have a hard time knowing how much is enough, Leo. What could you give away today and still have what you need?

astrological wisdom outside of this prescribed time frame, please accept the following: the system is not on your side, Sagittarius.

VIRGO

CAPRICORN

Measuring in at a whopping two millimeters, the stentor is one of the largest single-celled organisms. They’re shaped sort of like a horn, with a conical bell at one end coming to a tiny point at the other. And they swim around in pond water, eating smaller organisms. Being eaten by larger ones. Splitting apart to make more stentors. And I doubt that stentors think much of themselves. I doubt they think of themselves at all. They just move and eat and react and reproduce. And for some reason it reminds me, Taurus, that you are important. Not just in general, but in specific. You matter to this pond. We need you here.

Everybody knows that dogs shouldn’t eat chocolate. But dogs don’t know that dogs shouldn’t eat chocolate. If they see chocolate, they go right for it. Despite decades of veterinary warnings. So you shouldn’t be surprised, Virgo, when you see yourself gravitate toward the thing you know will hurt you. But remember, too, that you’re allowed to stop and think it through. Dogs can’t count to 10, but you can. Maybe give that a try before you peel the foil off another bar.

I just love the outdoors, Capricorn. Sometimes, I spend hours in bed just scrolling through live feeds of hikes, videos of trail biking, photos of fjords. I pull the blackout curtains closed, open a box of Cheez-Its, turn up the A/C and just imagine I’m out there living off the land. Someday maybe I’ll go. How about I meet you out there? I’ve heard it’s pretty nice today and a walk sounds good. Go ahead and get started down the trail and I’ll catch up.

GEMINI

LIBRA

AQUARIUS

What part of you is the part that is you, Gemini? When you clip your fingernails, are you losing a part of yourself? Sure, they’ll grow back, but are you less whole than you were? You exist in a body, but even if you lost a finger or a toe, your body would diminish but your self would not. So are you the brain? Are you the soul? Are you the sum of all these equalling something bigger? You could spend a lifetime thinking it over. But I think you are most yourself when you are moving and deciding and participating in the world, Gemini. Don’t overthink it. Clip your fingernails.

CANCER

“This place isn’t what it used to be.” That’s what they told me when I first moved here. Now I tell the newcomers the same thing. And it’s true, Cancer. It isn’t what it used to be. Maybe it never was. Our memories pick out the best and the worst and make an imaginary home there. It’s hard to look at the present and see anything as thrilling as a pretend past. There’s nothing you can do to get back there. But this place isn’t what it’s going to be either. The things you do now can shape that. You can build something better than your pretend past and send it into the future, but you should probably start today.

LEO

If you were the richest person in the world, what would you buy? I’d probably buy a hot tub and an air fryer and then just give the rest away. Well, maybe I’d get a new car, too. Something sensible with four doors that gets good mileage. But then I’d donate the rest. I mean, I might also want a house on the beach. Just someplace to park my sedan and use my air fryer. And maybe a small investment banking firm for security. But that’s it. I’d give all the rest away. But I have always wanted a

I can’t get started without my morning cup of coffee, Libra. Sometimes I have two. And, honestly, I can’t keep going without another one in the afternoon. I need another one with dinner, just to make sure I don’t fall asleep in my soup. And it’s good to do one before bed, so I can dream a little faster. Is there anything you’re relying on for success lately, Libra? Anything you think you might be better off without? See what happens if you take a day off. Maybe a week. See who you are without it.

SCORPIO

The thunder woke me up last night. And I almost got back to sleep before I noticed the white-noise machine was off and there were no lights coming from my charging cables. Lightning must have knocked out the power. It’s strange how quiet things can seem before they get truly quiet. It was so silent I couldn’t get back to sleep. It took about 10 minutes but the power kicked back on. The familiar quiet noises and dim lights. There might be things happening in the background that you don’t notice anymore, Scorpio. Sometimes it takes a disruption to understand how much noise you’re already living with.

SAGITTARIUS

Sagittarius, please submit the appropriate form to receive the most accurate astrological information in a timely manner. If you need help locating the appropriate form, you can submit a “Form Explanation Request” (FER88) to our Processes and Fees Department during normal business hours (Tuesday-Wednesday 4:30-4:45). If you are unable to complete your request before end-of-day on Friday, you may begin your application process again at the Application Reset Office on Mondays at 11:15 or use our online portal through the app that you were given password access to when you arrived. If you need

A coral reef is a beautiful thing. All those fish and plants and rocks and… hey what exactly is coral, anyway? Well it turns out that each of those brightly colored mineral formations is created by thousands of tiny coral polyps. These are animals that live together and pull calcium carbonate out of the water to build a sort of shared skeleton. They live together and create a home for all sorts of other creatures. You can go it alone, Aquarius. But if you want to, you could build something with the people around you. It might make a home for more than you expect.

PISCES

It could be worse, Pisces. You’ve been telling yourself that for a long time. And of course it could. It could be just like this, but raining. It could be just like this, but sugar-free. It could be just like this, but itchier. But just because it could be worse, Pisces, doesn’t mean you have to accept it. It can be better. What’s one small thing that would feel like a relief to change? What’s another one?

ARIES

I think about humans 10,000 years in the future. After the corporations monetize every molecule on earth and then go bankrupt. After the nations eradicate one another and then reform under new flags and eradicate one another again. After technology saves us and destroys us and then sets us free a hundred more times. I imagine a small group of humans sitting around a fire in 3022. They look up at the stars and in the silence their shaman begins to tell the ancient story…“Who lives in a pineapple under the sea?” The others respond in unison and wonder. Our stories tell us who we are, Aries. What story are you telling about yourself today?

Mr. Mysterio is not a licensed astrologer, a registered time machine technician, or an extant crocodilian. Mr. Mysterio is, however, a budding intermediate podcaster! Check out The Mr. Mysterio Podcast. Season 2 is now playing at mrmysterio.com. Got a question, just give Mr. M a call at 707-VHS-TAN1

May 11 - 25, 2022

| The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 15

The New Christian Year 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

4th Wednesday after Easter THE nobler things are, the commoner they are. Love is noble, because it is universal. Tauler: Sermons. I KNOW the power obedience has of making things easy which seem impossible. St Teresa: The Interior Castle.

4th Thursday after Easter GOD must act and the soul must suffer; for him to know and love himself in her, for her to know with his knowledge, love with his love; and since she is far happier in his than hers it follows that her happiness depends upon his work more than on her own. Eckhart: Sermons and Collations. NOTHING is due to any one, except on account of something already given him gratuitously by God. Aquinas: Summa Theologica.

4th Friday after Easter TOO little doth he love thee who loves anything with thee which he loves not for thee. St Augustine: Confessions. IT was not by the dialectic that it pleased God to save his people; "for the kingdom of God consisteth in simplicity of faith, not in worldly contention." St Ambrose: Of the Faith.

4th Saturday after Easter GOD Almighty, Eternal, Righteous, and Merciful, give to us poor sinners to do for thy sake all that we know of thy will, and to will always what pleases thee, so that inwardly purified, enlightened, and kindled by the fire of the Holy Spirit, we may follow in the footprints of thy well-beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. St Francis of Assisi. WHAT then is God? That without which nothing is. A thing can no more be without him than he can be without himself. St Bernard: On Consideration. LOVE is the divine substance; for John says God is Love . . . Thus substantial love gives accidental love. St Bernard: On the Song of Songs.

Fourth Sunday after Easter I WAS still under great temptations sometimes, and my inward sufferings were heavy; but I could find none to open my condition to but the Lord alone, unto whom I cried night and day. I went back into Nottinghamshire, and there the Lord shewed me that the natures of those things which were hurtful without, were within, in the hearts and minds of wicked men. I cried to the Lord, saying, "Why should I be thus, seeing I was never addicted to commit those evils?" and the lord

answered that it was needful I should have a sense of all conditions, and in this I was the infinite love of God. I saw also that there was an ocean of darkness and death, but an infinite ocean of light and love which flowed over the ocean of darkness. In that also I saw the infinite love of God; and I had great openings. George Fox: Journal.

5th Monday after Easter GOD impeacheth not Caesar, nor God's due Caesar's right . . . In the high and heavenly work of the preservation of all our lives, persons, estates, and goods, in safety, peace, and quietness, in this his so great and divine benefit, he hath associated Caesar to himself. Lancelot Andrewes: Sermons.

5th Tuesday after Easter HE does much who loves much. He does much who does what he has to do well. He does well who serves the common good rather than his own will. Thomas à Kempis: Imitation. UNLESS Moses had been gathering together sheep into the fold he would never have seen Him that was in the bush. The Paradise of the Fathers.

5th Wednesday after Easter JESUS is at all times assailed by false witnesses, and while wickedness remains in the world is ever exposed to accusation. And yet even now he continues silent before these things, and makes no audible answer, but places his defense in the lives of his genuine disciples. Origen: Against Celsus.

5th Thursday after Easter THE hatred of evil things is for a man to hate his own sins, and to justify those of his neighbour. The Paradise of the Fathers. A MAN’S life or death cometh from his neighbour; if we benefit our brother we benefit ourselves, and if we offend him we sin against God. The Paradise of the Fathers.

5th Friday after Easter GOD’S own work must be done by God's own ways. Otherwise we can take not comfort in obtaining the end, if we cannot justify the means used thereunto. Thomas Fuller: Good Thoughts in Bad Times. FOR twenty years I continued to fight against one thought—that I might see all men of one mind. The Paradise of the Fathers.

5th Saturday after Easter EITHER let us fear the wrath to come, or let us love the grace that is present—either this or that; only be it ours to be found in Christ Jesus unto live, which is life indeed. St Ignatius: Epistle to the Ephesians. MAN has a natural dread of walking in the gloom— what wonder then that he naturally has a dread of the unconditional, of having to do with the unconditional, of which it holds good that no night and "no deepest gloom half so dark" as this gloom and this night, where all relative ends (the common milestones and signposts), where all relative considerations (the lanterns which else are a help to us), where even the tenderest and sincerest feelings of devotion—are quenched . . . for otherwise it is not unconditionally the unconditional. Kierkegaard: Journals.

Fifth Sunday after Easter NOTHING is so easy to men of goodwill as goodwill itself, and this is all that God requires. Every act of goodwill permanently and sensibly increases goodwill. Trifling acts of goodwill are often more efficacious in this way than great ones. A flower given in kindness and at the right time profits more, both to the giver and receiver, than some vast material benefit in which the goodwill is hidden by the magnitude of the act. Some little, sensible individual touch from the hand of our Lord may convert the heart more than the contemplation of His death for us. Patmore: The Rod, The Root, and the Flower.

6th Monday after Easter REMEMBER: he who despises and mocks a mental gift in another, calling it pride and selfishness and sin, mocks Jesus, the giver of every mental gift, which always appear to the ignorance loving hypocrite as sins: but that which is a sin in the sight of cruel man, is not so in the sight of our kind God. Let every Christian, as much as in him lies, engage himself openly and publicly, before all the world, in some mental pursuit for the building up of Jerusalem. ` Blake: Jerusalem.

6th Tuesday after Easter IT may fortune thou wilt say, "I am content to do the best for my neighbour that I can, saving myself harmless." I promise thee, Christ will not hear this excuse; for he himself suffered harm for our sakes, and for our salvation was put to extreme death. I wis, if it had pleased him, he might have saved us and never felt pain; but in suffering pains and death he did give us example, and teach us how we should do one for another, as he did for us all; for, as he saith himself, "he that will be mine, let him deny himself, and follow me, in bearing my cross and suffering my pains." Wherefore we must needs suffer pain with Christ to do our neighbour good, as well with the body and all his members, as with heart and mind. Latimer: Sermons.

Sponsored by Matthew Carver, publisher

PAGE 16 | May 11 - 25, 2022 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

VENDOR SUBMISSIONS

“I’m still kicking”

Hold On

BY WILLIAM B., FORMERLY HOMELESS VENDOR

BY JOHN H., FORMERLY HOMELESS VENDOR

I want to let people know that I’m coming up on 15 years sober on May 18, 2022. I would not have done it if I hadn’t had admitted that I had that problem and confessed to my Lord Jesus Christ and needed help. I made him lock me up. I took a 10year sentence and did 6.5 on it and the only thing I regretted about that is I lost my mom and I lost a brother the same month. I consider myself pretty lucky to be off drugs and feel blessed that the Lord gave me that opportunity to change my life. I’m a reborn Christian. In fact, this coming Sunday my church family at Ethos is gonna get a treat. I get to do a testimony and sing a Carrie Underwood song, “Softly and Tenderly.” I’ve been at the Room In The Inn since 2013, and I consider them family. I consider my church my family No. 1, RITI No. 2, Contributor No. 3. My original family is No. 4 because I’ve moved up, you know. I think I’m doing great. I don’t make a lot of money where I work at selling my papers, because for me I’m not like everyone else out there. I invest my money in more papers, and buy a little medicine and buy my food for the month with what I make. So, I’m blessed with what I do get and do have a lot of people out there where I’m at that love my playing. See, my music pulls people in. I feel blessed that the Lord gave me that gift to play the spoons, sing, be a joker, not a

smoker anymore! I quit smoking cigarettes three years ago and I feel good about that. I also need to get this in here: People out driving on the streets are getting into too big a hurry. I’ve been hit by four cars this year alone, and we’re still barely into the year. People just need to know that there’s people like me who are disabled, and we need to be showed a little more kindness. I had a customer ask me for my number, and I said, “Yes… why?” And she said, “My grandfather passed away and we have a chair, do you want it?” and they brought it to me the next few days later. I think I’ve been with The Contributor for four years now. I feel very blessed to be a Contributor vendor. The paper has given me something to live for and to do with my life instead of being a couch potato. I’ve got laryngitis because I need my esophagus stretched, but I won’t quit singing. I will struggle and find just the right tune for my voice and work with that because I know how to do that because I was singing at 3 years old and playing the spoons at 8. So, I’ve had a pretty, pretty interesting life. I will soon be 74 in November. I am pretty lucky to live as long as I have. I’m a cancer survivor. I’ve had pancreatitis. I was so sick I almost died. I was in the hospital for three days. That was scary.

I’ve got to put up with the pain. But I’m not one of these people who take a lot of pain medicine, because I don’t want to be triggered with drugs. I think that every day. But if it hadn’t been for Ethos, The Contributor and RITI I’d be dead. Because I caused a lot of trouble over the years. With the Lord strongly in my heart, I want to go on as long as I can. Here are the three ways I want to go: Either I want to either pass away in church, or pass away playing music and selling my Contributor paper, or in my room. I don’t want to be in no hospital. I don’t want to be revived a bunch of time or stay around if my brain is gone, because I don’t want to put that on my family. I don’t drink, I don’t smoke, and I think with that going for me I may live longer, because I’ve torn my body down. But I thank y’all. And I want people to know that Room In the Inn is a good place and Ethos is one of the best places. The church family is so sweet and kind. One of my friends at the church gave me a $100 bill at Christmas. I didn’t ask for that and I tried to give it back, and they said, “no, no we’re your family and this is yours.” For an old man I’m still kicking. With everything I’ve been through I’m still kicking and I wouldn’t be able to do that without the Lord Jesus Christ in my heart.

I’ve come to the conclusion that God loves what I’m doing. God loves it when I talk about the love we should have for our neighbor and Him. For over twenty years I’ve driven big trucks and operated heavy equipment all over the United States until I started working for a paving company out of South Carolina and my license got screwed. I suffered the consequences, but the company I worked for should have been held more responsible. They should have been penalized much worse. That is how unfair America is. I would love to have my life back, but I love sharing God’s word even more. Not that I would start back on the road if I got my license back, but I can’t even do what I’m good at locally, driving heavy equipment. Without a driver’s license the Insurance wont cover the company in case something goes wrong, even if it’s not your fault. Ya see, it’s one reason why I’ve been with The Contributor almost twelve years. I started sharing God’s word from day one and I found the only way I could keep from turning back into the old John Henry was I had to draw myself very close to God. I didn’t consider myself as being a very bad person in my early years, but don’t cross me the wrong way. I thought of doing many many bad things since my career was taken, but God gave my heart rest. I guess things could have been worse, considering all the people locked up in prisons all over the U.S. for no reason at all. All because they couldn’t prove themselves innocent. The law says innocent until proven guilty but it is practiced the other way around. Depending on how much money you got. Yet and still, I love America and all my neighbors that exist in America. I just have to hold on, God’s always right on time in his timing.

Celebrating 132 years of loving our Nashville neighbors. To learn more about how we serve visit SalvationArmyNashville.org

May 11 - 25, 2022

| The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 17

VENDOR WRITING

Playlist for a Successful Sales Day, Part 2 BY NORMA B. [Editor’s Note: this is Part 2 of Norma’s Playlist series, covery Day 3 and Day 4 of playlists. From Part 1, Norma says, “I honestly think there’s something for everyone but if not, feel free to stop by and share what you’re into, I’d love to know! I’m sure we can find some common ground musically.”] Day 3: 1. “What’s Goin’ On?” by Marvin Gaye. A couple stopped as I was getting set up to sell the paper and said, “Hey, what’s Goin’ On? You OK?” I love it when the song fits the moment! 2. “Elvira” by The Oak Ridge Boys. (My first sale of the day.) I smile as I think back to a time when Susan and I put on a show for our moms. Of course our voices weren’t deep enough, so we played the record on 78 speed which gave it a much higher pitch. The other two members of our group were Susan’s hamsters. Fun times! (My mom was a character. I guess I inherited that from her.) 3. “Take Me Home, Country Road” by John Denver. Thoughts of my mom fill my head yet again. She was a big fan of his music, along with SO many memories of the country roads I’ve travelled on in my life, to my grandparents house on the Cheatham/ Dickson County line where I spent SO much time growing up, to Bugg Hollow in Cottontown/Gallatin area where I spent much of my married life. It’s funny how a song can just transport you back in time in an instant, isn’t it? 4. “Bring On The Rain” by Jo Dee Messina. After several days of rain, there’s NOT a cloud in the sky! Beautiful song though. 5. “You Are My Sunshine” by Norman Blake from the O Brother, Where Art Thou? Soundtrack. I used to sing this song to Avani when she was little, changing a few words here and there, but I honestly never realized how sad it is! 6. “This I Promise You” by NSYNC. 7. “Courtesy Of The Red, White, and Blue” by Toby Keith. A veteran was blasting this song, but turned it down to share his views on the situation in Ukraine. Interesting. 8. “Just The Way You Are” by Bruno Mars. 9. “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor. 10. “Bad, Bad, Leroy Brown” by Jim Croce. Two young men stopped and asked if I saw them on the side of the road if I’d give them money. I said, “If you were giving me something for my money, then yes, absolutely! If not, I may ask what you need the money for and make my decision based on

what you said.” I suppose that was a sufficient answer. They each gave me some change, took a paper, and away they went. 11. “Le Freak” by Chic. Emily stopped for me once before on a bitterly cold day and bought me some House Special Soup and egg rolls from No. 1 Chinese. She stopped again and said after seeing how good the soup looked she went back and got her own. She now has a new favorite! Oh, and of course she bought a paper! 12. “Every Day” by Buddy Holly. 13. “That’s My Job” by Conway Twitty. You couldn’t be my age, from Sumner County and involved in any music program without coming to appreciate this man and his music. He was a really kind and generous man! Thanks for the memories! 14. “Stormy Weather” by Etta James. Again, not a cloud in the sky... for a change. Yay! 15. “Separate Ways” by Journey. 16. “When You’re Gone” by Avril Lavigne. The words of this song sum up nicely how I felt missing my customers during the pandemic. Consider this verse, “When you’re gone the pieces of my heart are missin’ you, when you’re gone the face I came to know is missin’ too, when you’re gone the words I need to hear to always get me through the day and make it ok, I miss you.” See what I mean? It just fits. 17. “Hello” by Lionel Ritchie. A FedEx guy stopped and there’s a line in the song that says, “Hello, is it me you’re looking for?” Funny, right? I thought so. 18. “Must Be Doin’ Something Right” by Billy Currington. 19. “Choices” by George Jones. I sold my two last papers to Justin who works at an eatery downtown and was very interested in my article on tipping. What a nice way to finish up. 20. I shall end on this note, “I’ll Be Seeing You” by Billie Holliday.Where? “Down On The Corner” by Creedence Clearwater Revival. With that another sales day comes to a close though I still have daylight, I have no papers, just hand sanitizers, and a few bumper stickers, and that just doesn’t seem right so until next time... As it turns out, I had over an hour before my ride was due to arrive. I was feeling hungry, starving actually, so I called Larry who used to visit regularly on Sunday often with food and drink. I took him up on his offer to deliver a double Whataburger meal from the new restaurant in town. It was good, and the spicy ketchup, you gotta

try it! I’m not sure it’s worth waiting over an hour for though. What a wonderful way to end the day! It is worth noting that not all papers went for money some went for food, drinks, clothing etc-still, they are ALL things of value that I’m NOT spending money on. Day 4: The first song I hear as I’m sitting in my chair trying to get motivated to sell the paper today was from a car siting along side me just waiting for the light to change. The song? 1. “Every Light In The House Is On” by Trace Adkins. As it played I had one thought: I wonder if that’s why my light bill has been so high lately? I giggle as the traffic now begins to move. Time to get to work. 2. “Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out” by Eric Clapton. Well now, ain’t that the truth! JT stopped and got out of his car and said, “Young lady, how you doin’ today? I don’t have much to give, but you know I gotta stop for a visit every time I see you out here!” That’s absolutely fine with me, but I told him he shouldn’t feel bad about the fact that he only had a little to give. Then I reminded him of some very important facts: 1) He didn’t have to stop at all, and 2) Every little bit helps! With that, he smiled and away he went. 3. “Tutti Frutti” by Little Richard. 4. “Here Comes The Sun” by The Beatles. After days of rain, the sun did shine ever so brightly today! In addition to that though, hearing this song ALWAYS revives my appreciation for The Beatles and reminds me of the relaunch of The Contributor newspaper. Thanks John and Cathy and everyone who made that happen! 5. “You Don’t Mess Around With Jim” by Jim Croce. This song in particular reminds me of my dad. After leaving Tennessee, he moved to the suburbs of Chicago, Franklin Park, Schiller Park, and finally Des Plaines, Ill. to name a few. (My mom and I went with him initially, but it didn’t work out.) Since his dad (my Pop), ran the pool room in Ashland City, Tenn. For years, my dad was what you might call a “pool shark,” and like the song says, he did in fact have a two piece pool cue complete with mother-of-pearl accents (though I’m not sure it was custom made). 6. “Already Gone” by Kelly Clarkson 7. “Strawberry Wine” by Deana Carter. 8. “Piano Man” by Billy Joel. 9. “You Can’t Hurry Love” by The Supremes. John and Faye Turner from Lebanon, Tenn. (my second hometown) stopped by after her doctors

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visit at Summit Medical Center and gave me my best tip of the day! Yay! 10. “Against All Odds” by Phil Collins. 11. “Easy On Me” by Adele. 12. “The One That You Love” by Air Supply. 13. “I Love The Way That You Love Me” by John Michael Montgomery. 14. “There’s Nothing Holding Me Back” by Shawn Mendes. Doug from Jackin-the-Box stopped by after work for a visit and brought me an Arnold Palmer with no ice. (Exactly how I like it.) He was also nice enough to hand out a paper to a lady in a car when I was unable to get to her before the light changed. Thanks Doug! 15. “Wide Open Spaces” by The Chicks. 16. “Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd. I can’t help but think about my Alabama relatives as this song plays, and the two new Alabama sweatshirts I recently got while I was out selling the paper. Thanks Paul! I’ve already worn one of them and it was a big hit! There are LOTS of Alabama fans around here. Roll Tide! 17. “Friends In Low Places” by Garth Brooks. As this song plays I had a couple of people stop and buy a paper. They must’ve read my previous articles about Garth because they each commented on them. The first one said, “Maybe you’ll get lucky and get a ticket to his Nashville show, on April 16. They go on sale March 4.” Believe me, I know! The next one asked, “Have you had enough of Garth yet?” What? Are you kidding? No, never! Absolutely not! You can NEVER get enough Garth! (Clearly this guy has NEVER been to one of his live shows!) After seeing my reaction, he said, “Maybe Garth will see all the stories you wrote, and give you a ticket. I hear he does things like that.” I WISH! That would be a dream come true! I know it’s highly unlikely, but hey, a girl can hope. Right? Well, here’s to hope! 18. “Marry Me” by Bruno Mars. 19. “Cowboy Take Me Away” by The Chicks. 20. “40 Hour Week” by Alabama. This was the last song of the day, and it’s very appropriate. I don’t work a 40 hour week — no where near it —but for ALL my customers who do, no matter your profession if you’re feeling overworked, underpaid, and under appreciated, “let me thank you for your time!” With that, my ride is here so until tomorrow when the new issue of the paper comes out with my latest article, I’m officially done for the day. See ya soon!

MOVING PICTURES

Teenage Heros STAY AWAKE FOR ‘A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET’ AT THE BELCOURT THEATRE BY JOE NOLAN, FILM CRITIC When Wes Craven’s A Nightmare on Elm Street first hit theaters back in 1984 it established itself as the horror film most closely associated with the slack and sarcasm of Generation X. Like other contemporaneous films it depicts its teenage heroes in a world of their own making, one step removed from the world of adult parents and teachers. It’s also one of the best examples of a horror movie that’s genuinely scary, but also full of dark and gory punchlines. It’s a showcase of practical special effects and murderous set pieces, but — like all of Craven’s best works — it’s also a terrifying and terribly funny satire of suburban American values. Tina Gray wakes up before school with a horrifying nightmare. When she gets to class she finds out that her friends have been having the same dreams about a ghoul in a red and green sweater with knives for fingers. When Tina is killed for real the police arrest her boyfriend, but her best friend, Nancy and the rest of her classmates know better. The teens fight to stay awake while trying to convince the hapless adults in their lives of the real danger they’re facing. Little by little they learn about the fine line dividing the real world from the dream world before they set a trap to finish Krueger once and for all. Spoiler alert – this is the first of nine movies in the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise. Craven cut his teeth as an editor of pornographic films, and his bare bones directing is

a no-frills affair that manages to push ‘Nightmare’’s plot forward with unstoppable intensity. This unadorned approach is especially effective where the transitions between dream sequences and waking life are nearly imperceptible to viewers until it’s too late to turn away. What’s more stylized here are Craven’s characterizations of his heroic teens and their seemingly autonomous world away from parents and teachers who are always inept, drunk, untrustworthy or plain dumb. The same kids vs. adults theme can be found in other 1980s films like The Breakfast Club and Pump Up the Volume, but those movies didn’t have a Freddy Krueger or a body count. Of course, Krueger — as portrayed by Robert Englund — is one of the greatest horror monsters of all time with his iconic sweater and hat, the gleaming blades on his knife-knuckled glove and, of course, all those unforgettable one-liners. A Nightmare on Elm Street’s teenage heroes don’t discover Freddy Krueger’s origin story until they start dying in their sleep, but in the film’s opening scene a bunch of kids jump rope while singing “One, two, Freddy’s coming for you. Three, four, better lock your door,” implying that the phantom janitor had already morphed into an urban legend before the teen dream warriors squared-off with him behind their closed-eyes. And for the teens who first encountered Freddy at the theater or on VHS or on cable television in the 1980s, it’s hard to remem-

May 11 - 25, 2022

ber a time when there wasn’t a Freddy Krueger lurking around in the cultural imagination. John Carpenter’s Halloween established the slasher genre as a new category of horror film in 1978. Craven borrows lots of familiar slasher tropes here including a virgin “final girl,” a seemingly indestructible evil force and even a synthed-out soundtrack that echoes Carpenter’s classic keyboard compositions. But A Nightmare on Elm Street’s dream sequences make this a more surreal — and

more original — affair than most Halloween wannabes. And it’s worth staying-up for this week at the Belcourt. A Nightmare on Elm Street is the Midnight Movie this Saturday, May 14 at the Belcourt Joe Nolan is a critic, columnist and performing singer/songwriter based in East Nashville. Find out more about his projects at www.joenolan.com.

| The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 19

The Contributor: May 11, 2022

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