out of town

Not sure when the f@#$ this became the disaster blog, but since most everyone I know reads this it's just easiest to post this news here.

My mother has been hospitalized with possible liver failure. Amber and I will be out of touch for the next few days. Mary has been kind enough to agree to watch our cats and fish. If you need to find us in an emergency, she'll have contact info.

Infinite degrees of separation

Neighbors house (lost everything)
Originally uploaded by skippytpe.

This house down the street from us burned down Sunday night. Amber and I were headed back home from the video store and were cut off by a fire marshal turning toward our home. It kind of made my stomach churn.

We parked and walked up to where we could see the fire was engulfing someone else’s home. As we stopped in the front yard of some people I’d met once before, a woman approached from a side street and let out the most soul wrenching wail I’ve ever heard come from another human being. Panic doesn’t begin to describe the sound. She couldn’t find her husband or her children; you don’t make that sound over lost things. I still don’t know if she ever found them.

When I was growing up, my little town of Vicksburg, Mississippi maybe had 15,000 people in it. As odd as it may sound, even in a town that size you at least tangentially know everyone. You may not know them by name, or by face, but six degrees of separation easily collapses into one or two.

But here in Memphis, I didn’t know these people. I wish I did. They lived less than a quarter of a mile from me for the past year and I don’t even know their names. At the time, I was pretty sure I’d talked to the ladies husband once while out on a walk, but now I’m not even so sure of that. I wish I could be sure. I wish I could offer them some bit of solace or support, but I can’t.

Then again, I’m not sure anyone can.

Rebuilding the New Orleans Public Library

The New Orleans Public Library is taking book donations to rebuild their collections which were destroyed in hurricane Katrina. If you have any books you'd like to donate, or know people who do, the address to send the donation to is:

Rica A. Trigs, Public Relations
New Orleans Public Library
219 Loyola Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70112

(via boingboing)

Snow in Memphis (Redux)

Whatever you may think of the strip itself, the map in this comic pretty much sums up the reaction of most of Memphis...

I never paid attention to the lyrics of that song

Tim and Elizabeth exchanging vows
Originally uploaded by skippytpe.

I'll write more about it later, but I need to go run some errands. Amber and I just got back in town and I have to go to work tomorrow. In the meantime, enjoy pictures of Tim and Elizabeth's wedding.

Snow in Memphis

Snow in Memphis
Originally uploaded by skippytpe.

Even money says that if I went to Kroger right now there would be lines to the back of the isles of people carrying bread, water, and beer. Not sure what they always need extra beer for, but it's a certainty in Memphis that there will be a massive beer run whenever anyone on the news mentions snow. mmmmm... beer...

My office actually closed up early today and there is talk of canceling all Saturday classes as well. The drive home was blessedly uneventful. There was apparently a wreck on Summer back towards Kirby, but we didn't have to wait too long for the traffic to clear (maybe 20 minutes). This should make the drive to Tim and Elizabeth's wedding tomorrow extra fun though :-)

[edit] Here's a link to my mini-set of snow pictures... I'll hopefully add to it tomorrow.

Friday night artness

Amber and I went art show hopping last night. Amongst the Memphis regulars (including an truly excellent piece by Jeff Mickey down at the P&H) was a little gem of a show on South Main put on by the MCA illustration department.

The show in question (which is still open this week, including 10-4 tomorrow) is centered around the art of the mini-comic. I've been noticing a trend towards more book art shows in Memphis and I don't consider this a bad thing. With out spoiling it for you, I did want to link to a couple of highlights from the show:

• Tom Gauld
• bb and ppinc
• Ahn Woojung

If are from Memphis (or are prone to road trips) it's something you should definately make time for.