Same Kids, Different Trees

If ever there were a blog post that didn't need any explanation, this would be it. Except, perhaps, to say, in order, Jim, Mike and Andrew. Merry Christmas from Shoulblog! ***** Previous Shoulblog Christmas messages: A Christmas Card (2010) "You Are Welcome Here" (2011)

Pausing To Remember

I pause this week to remember two somber anniversaries. Twenty-five years ago today, my brother Jim passed away from complications of AIDS. And one year ago this coming Sunday, my mom died after a long fight with Alzheimer's. As Dave Matthews sang, "I don't mean to dwell on this dying thing..."  Really, I much prefer …

List: Top Five Story Songs — No. 1

This week, it's been all about Story Songs, those songs that adopt their own meanings, sometimes far from what the original artists meant. Previous editions are here and here and here and here. And finally, we come to: 1. Stay Free, by The Clash. Way back then, in the early early 1980s, we wrote letters. …

A Day Of Remembering

There was a surprise for me on Facebook this morning: a message from  Sinan in Provincetown, asking if I had any digital pictures of my brother Jim. I met Sinan through Jim, before Jim died of AIDS in 1987. Today was World AIDS Day, and Sinan wanted to post a remembrance of him in honor …

(Avoiding) The Road To Provincetown

To drive to Provincetown, you take Highway 6 out to near the end of Cape Cod, and then cut over to a beachside road for the final approach. The road takes you over a rise, and then suddenly the town appears laid out in front of you, curving off to the left. It's a beautiful, …

July 1980

Several key events from July of 1980, continuing my 30-years-ago reminiscenses: • Sometime around the middle of the month, I saw the Doobie Brothers in concert, with my old Mizzou roommate Bob. This was at the Checkerdome, like the earlier Who concert was, and again we had floor seats. From what I remember, it was …