Family Ties

My Aunt Donna has been doing incredible family history research. She's a true wealth of information, and I'm so very appreciative of all that she's done and learned. She is, after all, the reason I know I had a collateral ancestor in the Alamo!

But how is that related to me now? Well, let's back up: Joseph Bayliss moved to Texas in order to assist Texas in its fight for independence. For that, he was promised land in Texas. Well, Joseph was part of that group that went to the Alamo, and we know that didn't turn out so well. But the land was given to his brother, Harris Bayliss, who moved from Tennessee to claim the land. My grandmother's grandmother was Harris's daughter, Catherine Patience Bayliss. (She married James Mason Buck. They were the paternal grandparents of my paternal grandmother.)

Okay--back to Memphis. Catherine (my great-great-grandmother) had a second cousin named Rowena Bayliss. This makes Rowena my second cousin four times removed. Rowena married James Lee, Jr. (who was, by the way, an attorney). On Saturday, I visited their house! It's "The James Lee House."

It's an amazing structure, but sadly, in bad need of restoration. Indeed, the house is closed to the public. But as I was walking by, I say a lady around back, asked her if I could see the house, and she said to ask the caretaker. She even led me around back to meet him. Alvin lives in an apartment at the back of the house, and his job is to keep an eye on the property and open and close a specific gate on certain days. (And he also apparently gives haircuts in the room right off where he has his kitchen.)

I told him I was distantly related to the Lees--second cousin many times removed--and asked if there was any way I could see inside. (I had driven by on a whim after I voted Saturday afternoon---being in the general area. So I hadn't come armed with all the information I'd learned about exactly how I was related.) Alvin, judging my earnestness, smiled, paused, and said, "You want to see inside?" I said that I did, and he said he'd show me around.

Right about that time, two other ladies walked up, also wanting to see inside (they, however were more interested in seeing ghosts), and so they came along with us. (And yes, when they left, I pointed them in the direction of Ernestine and Hazel's for the pursuit of ghosts.)

Indeed, the house needs a lot of work. Alvin told us that it had been slated for restoration, but whoever had the money ran off with those funds. Sigh. He said there's litigation going on now, so they haven't lost all hope.

Still, the house is grand, and walking through it, you can easily imagine just how grand it once was. Here are shots of the first, second, and third floors.




Of course, then there's the fourth floor. Okay, not a whole floor. It was really just a small room. I and the two other ladies wondered up there, but Alvin said he'd never made it that far. This is looking up from the outside then a view looking down from the fourth-floor window down. You might be able to view my car under the tree--with the top down, of course. (It was a gorgeous day!)




As to the story of Rowena and James, well, according to Aunt Donna, "Rowena Bayliss married James L. Lee, Jr., in 1858, shortly after he was graduated from Princeton law school. His dad James Sr. had been an iron producer on the Cumberland River near Clarksville and then sometime before 1840 decided to cut out the middleman transporter and develop his own steamboats to carry his iron to market. In the census of 1840, he is listed in the category of 'employed in navigation of canals, lakes, and rivers.'

"So James Sr. navigated the Cumberland for a while, expanding his shipping business, and then about 1860 or so he and his son James Jr. (and Rowena) moved their families to Memphis to locate their Lee Line Steamship company offices there on the Mississippi River. This put them in the position to become one of the major inland steamer lines in the U.S., navigating the Mississippi, Cumberland, Ohio, and Tennessee Rivers. During the War, Lee steamboats were used to transport men, artillery, horses, etc., for the CSA..

"Edna Ferber used the Lee steamboat Stacker Lee as a fictional backdrop for her novel Show Boat, which eventually became a Broadway musical first produced by Florenz Zigfield. The Lees often named their steamboats after their children, and this one was named after Rowena's bro-in-law, Samuel Stacker Lee."

Here's a pic of an advertisement for the Lee Line.


Aunt Donna gave me other addresses where the Lees lived or had buildings. I'm going to print those out and make them my destinations next time I'm out driving around enjoying such a gorgeous day---sun on my face, and of course, the wind in my hair.

The Cooper Young Fest

Two weeks ago, I headed out to the annual Cooper Young Festival. I met one of the gals from work there, and we essentially just walked around, looking at the goods, listening to the music, and just enjoying a simply gorgeous Saturday afternoon outside. (It was the first great fall day. Granted, to me, a fall day means mid-80s. People around here seem to want it to be in the 70s before they'll call it fall. I'd be fine with that too, but low/mid-80s is awfully nice too.)

The Cooper Young area is an area of town--in Midtown--where Cooper and Young streets intersect. It reminds me a lot of the lower Greenville area in Dallas: cool bars, eclectic restaurants, and an accepting atmosphere such that everyone's at home here.

Once a year the area hosts a festival, and it's a huge one for Memphis. The main parts are on Cooper Street, which is, of course, closed down for blocks.

Here's a view down Cooper---first looking north, then south.



Over a hundred vendors are set up, selling art and other wares. I bought a hand-made keychain, made from glass in the lampwork style. It is, naturally, maroon, and pieces of white glass are incorporated into it. It's become the keychain for my work keys. (The one I bought last summer in Hawaii broke when I dropped it one too many times.)

Live music was going on all day of all different sorts. I must say, though, my favorite band wasn't one that was advertised. Instead, it was a band that had simply set up in someone's front yard! I guess they didn't score a paying gig with the actual festival, but they played anyway! Anyway, here's the band Karol and I listened to while we got a bite to eat at Celtic Crossing.



(Yes, it's an area of great businesses, but it's also very residential with lots of fabulous old homes. and thus, i suspect that's why the festival winds down by 7pm. It's enough the people in the neighborhood have to have their streets so full all day, they surely don't need loud bands at every turn late into the night.)



Memphis, of course, is very much about music. And these guys were having a blast on these drums in front of the Memphis Drum Shop, I'd love to learn how to play a drum--the kind you can hold between your knee or under your arm. That'd be cool.




And so, I got to experience Cooper Young Festival. It wasn't hard to figure out why this one is so well known and liked.

And Then There are Days Like Today

I spend a lot of days these days feeling loads of stress.

But then there are days like today.

Before class, a student dropped by to clarify some points, and in the conversation, she said (genuinely) that I was an excellent teacher. How great that felt! (Students complain that they want feedback, but gosh, professors like it too.) She also mentioned how much she appreciated that she could tell I really wanted the students to learn.

During class, another student was struggling a little, and I rephrased things and explained the topic again. After class, he came up to me and thanked me. He essentially said he felt bad sometimes when he didn't get things, but he really appreciated my patience in helping him understand.

After class, another student dropped by. He said he just wanted to tell me "thank you." He said up until my class that afternoon, he'd been having a really bad few days, and that most of today earlier he'd done a lot of questioning about whether he should be in law school. He then said that after my class, he felt lots better and was happy again. He knew he was doing the right thing by being here. (He's a second career guy; I know how that feels.)

And after work, several of us went out to celebrate some colleagues' birthdays. Of course, for me, it's half social but half interview. I know that. But it went well I think. More than half of the committee members were there, and it all seemed quite positive. Of course, you cannot please everyone. I mentioned an innovative teaching technique I had used today in class, and everyone loved it---but one guy. (let's just say my students now know the tune of the Yellow Rose of Texas.) Anyway, so he looked at me like I was a little nuts. But hey, if it helps my students learn this very complex contract doctrine, I'm okay with that. After all, I am trying to teach, right?

Breathe . . . .


And now, I'll go enjoy Survivor and ---- TaDaaaa! the season premiere of Grey's! :-)

Thirty Days

thirty days in the hole

sing it with me: Thirty days in the hole....

No---of course not the same sort of "thirty days" and not at all the same "hole" as Humble Pie spoke of in the classic song. But it still feels like what I'm facing is thirty days in a deep dark hole.

My thirty days---it's thirty days until the big dance in DC. And my dance card is way too empty. Yikes. I'm nauseated. A lot.

I keep telling myself that no matter what, it's okay. After all, I'm licensed to practice in TX, my job here ends by mid-May, and I'm paid through then end of August. And the savings from selling my house could pay for my move back to TX to practice and not teach. In a lot of ways, I have a cushion.

But---dare I actually reveal my true desire to someone other than my dog and cat? Okay. Here goes: I want to teach. I love teaching. First, yes, I love teaching. But I also really want to write more. Granted, for me, my priority has to be to my students. But next in line---I want to write. Why? In writing, I learn. And I love to learn. I hope that I can also contribute to others in my writing. But for now, I feel so new in that process . . . . But I really do want to teach. And right now, I don't have the odds on my side to get that job for next year. Breathe.....

Breathe . . . . . .


Still. When my belly dance instructor told me last night that one thing we do in belly dancing is to always engage our upper back muscles--was she kidding??!!?? Each upper back and neck muscle I have has been tensed for the last four weeks! As if I need to work to hold those muscles tight. (granted, I did have to learn the correct hand hold---it's called "always show the ring." Love it.)

Anyway, so here I sit, thirty days from the dance without enough dances planned. I spent all day Sunday targeting places with CVs, so hopefully I'll start to hear from more folks next week.

In the meantime, I don't expect a lot of great nights of sleep. And I expect those upper back and neck muscles will continue to tense.

Ah----thirty days in the hole.

My TV Tidbits

Ahhh----mid September. New fall TV. We've waited long enough, after all, to find out about Meredith's sister joining the as a new intern! It's about time! :-)

But what about new shows? Well, this year, I''m trying to curtail my TV watching, so I've selected very few new shows to tune into. In fact, I had selected only one---Private Practice, but of course. (the spin-off from Grey's Anatomy) But then I tuned in to All Things Considered this afternoon on NPR and caught an interview with some of the folks from Reaper. So I checked it out tonight.

Ya gotta watch it! And no---it's not too late! The pilot will be rebroadcast on the CW this Thursday at 8pm central.

Why watch? What is it? Well...... First of all, it's directed by the guy who directed Dogma--a great flick. And the devil in the TV show is played by the guy from Twin Peaks (and who also played last season's VP for 24.)

Anyway, it's delightfully refreshing, and it's funny! Sure, it's a little silly, but more so, it's clever. Seriously. But it also has giggle-worthy slapstick that isn't too cheesy. And yes, even a "good" side to the story. It is so not the redone things like almost every other show seems to be this fall. And so I'll set my DVR to record this one regularly.

As for other shows, I ate up every bit of the season-one recap that aired Sunday night for Brothers and Sisters. Truly, that is my favorite show on TV right now. Can hardly wait for the premiere this coming Sunday!

As for my fall reality fix----naturally, I'm tickled with the new Dancing with the Stars and Survivor. Yes, those are my fall reality TV guilty pleasures. What fun to watch!

Oh, and as long as I'm checking in on the tube, if you didn't catch Damages or Saving Grace this summer---you should sooooo watch them when you can. Damages is a delightfully dark and twisted drama. It's still running new shows, though. Best to catch it on FX when it starts over or catch it on DVD. It's one you need to watch from the start.

My other summer fave was Saving Grace. what can I say? This is it: wow. Holly Hunter, I must say, is phenomenal in this role. And the depth and issues of her character are amazing. A-Ma-Zing. Her issues will turn a lot of viewers off; I realize that. But to me, they are portrayed so fabulously and earnestly and bitterly to the core . . . . Earl, the angel (hmmmm---just realized I'm plugging one show with an angel and one with a devil. Interesting.)---anyway, Earl the angel is a hoot. I must say, if an angel ever revealed himself to me, I'd want it to be someone like Earl. He cares. He's honest. He likes good food and spices. And he has a great sense of humor.

Ahhh. Fall TV. What else is on my list to watch? I adore the sitcom How I Met Your Mother on Mondays on CBS. And of course, I still keep up with Desperate Housewives on Sundays, Grey's (of course), and last year I reconnected with ER. I'll wait for 24 and Lost, naturally, but I gave up on Heroes. I just got bored with it. Sigh. I've set my DVR to record Criminal Minds--cause it's just so ickishly great and psychological. But beyond that, I think that's it. (other than a nightly dose of Jon Stewart and Steven Colbert.)

Like I said, I am trying to curtail the viewing, and with limiting myself to only two new shows, giving up the CSIs (unless it's an episode about the miniature killer), and deciding not to watch those things that really don't hold my interest---maybe I'll eventually make it through the backed-up stack of magazines on my desk. :-)

Inside Out and On Over to the Middle East

Whew! So indeed, yes, I do love my new gym. And with things planned in the afternoons, I've even started attending the 6am spinning class twice a week! what??

Back up---First of all, yes, I did the spinning orientation, and I knew: this was a workout I needed! It was the most challenging thing I've tried in a long time, and I also knew it'd be great to build up some leg strength. And so I started attending classes.

Now, being new, it kicked my hiney. The first class, I thought my heart was going to burst from my chest after eight minutes. But I remembered the advice I got in orientation about taking it at my pace, and I remembered how much I loved the challenge of interval training on the treadmill and really pushing myself on inclines with intervals, and I stuck through the class. Granted, I did only twenty-second spurts of "jogs" and "climbs" and "jumps," while the rest of the class could do those things for an entire three, four, even five minutes. But I was on my way.

And today, I finally made it through an entire class in which I did everything everyone else did! WooHoo!! :-) It is all a matter of trying a little at a time, pushing yourself just a little more each time, and keeping moving forward.

I've also found a great rowing class on Sunday mornings. Granted, I miss part of George (heavens no---not "W." George Stephanloaoiaoeriaoefalekjrlke. okay---you try to spell his name. ;-) ) But the guy who regularly teaches the Sunday morning rowing class actually uses the beat of the music. I love that in a class. My Thursday 6am spinning instructor does the same. Sadly, though, most of the other instructors just use the tempo of a song as a general guideline. But seriously, as a former drum major, it's all about staying on beat!

But Monday nights I get to find the beat of the music---just very different music. See, I'm finally taking a dance class I've wanted to take for so long---Middle Eastern Dance! Okay, okay, yes, most people call it Belly Dancing. :-) It's a blast! And yes, all those hip movements are horrendous on my back. Indeed---my discs that are sticking out of the spinal column do not like the hip shimmies. But so far the pain isn't debilitating, so I'll stick it out for now. I also plan to check into some spinal decompression. For now, I'm just gathering information.

Otherwise, I still love my yoga instructor and that Tuesday night class. She even has researched my back and hip issues to help me learn when I need to use props and make modifications, Of course, pain usually tells me that. :-) I've learned I cannot do the preparatory pose for side plank on one side, but fortunately, I already know how to do side plank in the full pose, so I can skip preparatory and move on into plank. And with forward bends, I know now (thanks to my instructor) to not dive too quickly down, but with my insane stretch in my hamstrings, I can still get all the way into the pose. Will I achieve a head- or handstand? We'll see. We keep working on preparatory poses in my Tuesday night class. And both of those are things I'd like to be able to do one day. But for now, I'm loving what I get from the strengthening and stretching and focus of each pose and each class.

Hakuna Matata!

I finally saw The Lion King! And I must say, it's now one of my top three favorite Broadway shows.



I used some birthday money (thanks, Mom!) to splurge on an orchestra level ticket. And it was grand! The music, of course, was incredible. But the creativity and engineering of the characters' costumes, which also worked for some characters as a sort of puppet, was truly amazing. Just seeing how realistically the characters moved---the giraffes especially---makes me yearn to return to Africa.

The show was at The Orpheum. It's much older than Bass Hall, of course, but it's still grand. It has the same sort of circular area on the ceiling, and it's quite ornate--a lot of gold trim throughout.

And Memphis knew this show would be big. While other shows in their Broadway season are here for only a weekend, The Lion King has had a three-week run.

(And interestingly enough, the woman sitting next to me grew up in Fort Worth, attended A&M, and is now a professor here in Memphis. It's a small world, after all!)

Anyway, if you get the chance, I cannot recommend The Lion King enough. It was truly spectacular and fabulous for the whole family.

Butterflies . . . and Birds!

Last Sunday, before catching my flight back home, I visited Butterfly World in Florida--near Fort Lauderdale. What an amazing place! And after seeing a few exhibits about the life cycle of the butterfly, you walk through a couple of doors to an amazing sight: hundreds of butterflies fluttering around an oasis of tropical flowers, small ponds and fountains, and lush greenery. I was overwhelmed and amazed by the sight, but perhaps what was especially enjoyable was watching the small children come through those doors, their eyes widening in wonder, small squeals of delight as they took in the sight of the hundreds of butterflies. I'll put a slide show in below, but first, check out this video for just a glimpse into the place:

And yes, if you stay still for very long, you might just have a visitor! (When you leave the butterfly area, you walk through a double set of doors, with an air current, and with mirrors so you can check all sides to make sure you're not leaving with and hitchhikers!)

Here are lots of pictures from the butterfly rooms. Several shots are just flowers, and there's one shot of a butterfly just emerging.

In addition to the butterflies, the place had many many birds. This is the first blue hummingbird I've ever seen! (He's hovering, wings flapping, just over this dish of sliced bananas (an owl butterfly is enjoying a banana.)

There was also this room set aside for Australian lorikeets. There were truly amazing. Here's a video of a couple of the colorful birds in the bath (I recommend you have sound for this one):

You could purchase a small container of nectar to feed the lorikeets who would land on your hand and arm, drinking in the sweet juice. But be careful! As the pics below show, they'd also land anywhere else---even on one woman's head! I had one try to crawl in my bag too. Silly birds. Other than the lorikeets, there were many other incredibly colorful birds--several types of hummingbirds, several pairs of huge macaws, finches, and many others.



Truly a fabulous place---beautiful, peaceful, and an amazing break from the hectic pace of life.

FUN in the Sun

After the conference was over last weekend, I took advantage of being in a different city to have a little FUN too! After talking with the hotel staff where I was, I decided the most economical thing for me to do (because I wanted to visit several areas of town, all over ten miles from the hotel) was to rent a car. Okay, good idea. But it was late. All the rental companies had closed and could not deliver a car to my hotel until around 9 the next morning. That wouldn't help at all in my mission to see the Sun rise over the ocean. Hmmmm.

Whack! (Palm of my hand hitting my forehead) But of course! Where can you almost always rent a car? Of course1 The airport! After all, because I had taken a cab from the airport, the cost of one back to the airport would be covered too! And because the airport was on the way to the beach, I decided to get up extra early and start the day.

So I was up around 5:30, had my rental car from the airport by 6:40, picked up my Starbucks latte shortly thereafter, and arrived at the beach right as the sun began to peek over the water. It was that wonderful quiet where the only sound was that of the waves. Ahhhhhh.... Good stuff.


I soaked it all in, dipping my toes in the Atlantic, and truly reveled in the sights, sounds, and that wonderful ocean smell.




After the sun was up and my coffee cup was empty, I headed up the coast, loving the drive with the ocean to my right, and landed at a spot with a pier---Lauderdale by the Sea. (That might sound familiar to you if you watched the Today show yesterday; they did a story on a shark attack (by a nurse shark---usually docile) right there at Lauderdale by the Sea! Yikes!)

Great breakfast at this little cafe here, with a nice little patio.


But the best part about it was the view from my table:


I took one last look at the Atlantic, getting a look at the pier and at the beach here, then back to the hotel to pack and check out.


On my way back, I was stopped by a boat. Huh? Ah, come on---going under the bridge! Yes, I realize they're common to a lot of people, and if you have to drive with them in your life all the time, these could be an inconvenience. After all, at least when you live near train tracks, you typically know when the trains run. But I did get a kick out of the drawbridges.



After I packed and checked out, I had one more incredible place to visit before heading to the airport. Here's a teaser pic (yes, those are my toes):

More to come about that soon! For now, I need to tend to the yard (and the gazillion pecan pieces all over my patio) before heading out to the Cooper-Young Festival.

Business in the Sun

Ah.... Sunny Florida. Yes, it's tough, having to go to Fort Lauderdale for the weekend for work. ;-) Here are a couple of views from my hotel, looking out over the waterscape here. In one shot you can see downtown Fort Lauderdale in the distance, looking east. (We're not very near the ocean at this hotel.)



Actually, though, it has been a lot of work. My presentation was, of course, the reason I came. And I'm glad to say it went very well, and I received several compliments. My presentation and attending others' presentations has also helped me refocus my topic, which is good seeing as I've decided to stick with this one for potential job talks.

The job talks---that's the part of second interviews (that I hope to get after getting first interviews---not that I'm stressed. Yeah right. I lie.) where you get up in front of all the faculty members at the school that is interviewing you, and you talk about your scholarship. You talk for about twenty minutes, presenting your theories and research, then they ask you questions for about twenty minutes. Whew. Sticking with the topic I have now, which is more pedagogically focused and less traditionally scholarly is a risky move. But discussing my piece that's being published this fall would be even riskier; it tends to create divides among people who don't listen to the true focus of the piece. (Sometimes that gives me doubt, but then I realize that five respected profs at SMU read and approved of it (and said it was good), and then I just move on.) I have two working ideas right now, but it's way too late in the game to switch focus for job talks.

Anyway, that's the wonderful secondary benefit (I hope) of being here. I've been networking my heinie off! I've met a lot of people whose schools are hiring---seriously from all over the country. It's almost dizzying to talk to someone about a spot in Florida then to someone in Georgia and turn around and discuss North Dakota. (UmmHmmm North Dakota. At least it's very sunny there! (300 days of sunshine per year) (even if bitterly cold))

Of course, it's been a delicate dance of asking about a doctrinal spot when I'm here at a legal writing (which is skills, not doctrinal) conference. A few folks are insulted and view me as "jumping ship." Some also, and I cannot blame them, are looking for qualified legal writing profs, and don't like seeing people leave this concentration because of the inequality issues they cannot change. But some know that having former legal writing profs on faculties should only help champion their cause. Further, we're often the people who really focus on and think about our teaching. It can only be good for legal education in genearl to have more of that. So all of those folks, and others, have still been very supportive. We'll see!

As for the conference, we had a nice key note speaker Friday afternoon who talked about all the new things with legal education and where "they" say we should be focusing. (sure, that might happen---in sixty years.) Then we headed down to the intercoastal waterways and had a dinner cruise. It was great! Wonderfully relaxing, nice, and yes, we saw some gorgeous homes. Here are several of us at dinner on the boat.

Today was busy, busy with presentations all day. I learned a lot, loved interacting with these folks who love to teach, and had a good presentation of my own material. I ended the day by joining a friend I'd made several conferences ago (new law teachers' conference) and his wife and several other local folks for dinner next to the sea. Ahhhh..... now that was great.


As for back home, I heard from my neighbor last night, and all is fine with the critters. Howard got a great walk and got to run around their backyard for a while; that yard is bigger and no doubt has all other sorts of great smells.

And so tomorrow, with a late-afternoon flight out, I'm getting up early to head to the airport to rent a car for the day. I just confirmed a late check-out, so I plan to head out early enough to catch some nice views of the beach and Atlantic. For now, I better find the Starbucks that's on the way to the beach!

Gray Skies Are Gonna Clear Up

No, this isn't about the rain that Memphis is finally getting. I'm quite happy with those gray skies! This is about a little piece of wisdom I came across this evening.

The question was whether negative emotions were embedded within the fabric of human minds--or if, instead, those sorts of counterproductive emotions were merely peripheral and we could somehow find a resolution to---or within---them. The Dalai Lama said, "[T]he mind is fundamentally pure, much like the blue sky that exists behind dark clouds."

I really like that.

It's one thing to have someone say that when you're feeling stressed to take a deep calming breath. Well, what makes the breath calming? Sure, there's the moment you take to STOP and not just react to what's happening. But now, for me, that calming breath is more.

Now, that calming breath is me visualizing clouds parting and a beautiful clear blue sky being revealed. And in that visualization, I can remember that the negative emotions---anger, fear, stress, irritation, impatience---are just on the outside. And deeper down is the pure (blue sky) mind that doesn't have to embrace those feelings. Recognize them, okay. Embrace them and make them a part of me, no.

Labor Day Weekend--the Rest of the Story

And now, for the rest of the story . . . of the weekend.

The holiday weekend was great. I'm trying hard to get better about working hard on days I work, and leaving work alone on days I shouldn't. And I did a decent job for two days of the three-day weekend!

On Saturday, I slept in, enjoyed the morning, then I finally went to see Death at a Funeral.

It was funny and certainly entertaining. --a good way to spend an afternoon.

After the movie, I headed downtown and checked out the Memphis Music and Heritage festival. it was small, for festivals I'm used to. But the music was great. There weren't a lot of booths, but there were enough to show me that Memphis certainly has some good artists. I'm now really looking forward to the Cooper-Young festival set for next weekend.

Here are a few pics:





After all of that, I headed home, but first--to check out the place I'd been directed to for great Greek food. Okay, I'll admit that I was more than skeptical. After all, here's the name of the place:
But after trying out their hummus and the lamb schawarma---Wow! Indeed, the "Juice Bar and Discount Cigarette" place has great Greek food. Who'd of thunk it?

And thus, how lucky am I to easily meet people and learn about my new town! :-)

Sunday morning found me and Howard finally checking out the long trail at Overton Park. I'd been nervous about venturing back in the wooded trail before, but I met some locals who assured me that it was safe---in the daytime. (What single woman walks in a park after dark?) And it was great!

We walked about three miles (or just under), and naturally, Howard loved it! We also met a dog named Dallas and her owner, and I've been invited to Dallas's owners' house to visit and get introduced to more folks around the neighborhood. They live about two blocks away, and he and she are non-practicing attorneys who lived in Dallas for several years before moving here nine years ago.

After the walk, my neighbor helped me finally get my new flag (thanks, sister, for the gift!) for my house.
And after that, I finally went to my first group rowing class. It was great! Sure, I've used the rowing machine already, but the neat thing with a group class is that you're pushed a little harder and for a little longer. I see it as the gang theory with a positive twist.

Of course, after the class was the Jerry Springer Opera, then I drove around, finally venturing out to Mud Island. Here are a couple of snapshots I took on the "island" (it's really a peninsula, but oh well):

I then enjoyed a bite to eat out and a few beers at Boscos, and got to visit more with my friend Pete. I met Pet at HH on Friday while chatting with my friend Worth--a wonderfully interesting man--a JD/MD. Can we say over-achiever? ;-) But seriously, both are great. It's nice to have folks to chat with about so much that's going on---and about nothing at all.

No, I didn't take Monday off. Instead, I worked hard on my presentation for the upcoming Fort Lauderdale conference. It's coming along just fine.

And so, yes indeed: what a great weekend!

Jerry! Jerry! Jerry!

I've seen it all now. :-)

On Sunday, at the recommendation of some folks I met while getting sushi last week, I went to see Jerry Springer--the Opera. That's right---the Opera. And it was a hoot! I am so glad I went!


Indeed, the program warned that the audience was about to hear more cussing on stage than it ever had---or ever would. And that was no lie. But what entertainment! (And yes, it has it all---sexual "deviants"; hillbillies; transsexuals; the ever-involved audience (that sings "Jerry! Jerry! Jerry! in full opera fashion); and yes, even the Ku Klux Klan (wearing tap shoes).)

I can say, I'll never see tap dancing the same way again. First, it was a tap-dancing Ku Klux Klan, and at the end of the show, the ensemble, all dressed as Jerry, tapped out the line from "Peaches"---the fiance'-to-be who's surprised with her beloved revealing a secret. The line? Well, this first male guest on Jerry's show, who has the secret he wants to reveal to his fiance'-to-be, bellows,

"I've been seeing someone else.

I've been seeing someone else.

I've been seeing someone else."

And the fiance-to-be sings, with a faster pace, "What the F---? What the F---? What the F---ing F---ing F---?"

(Of course, she sang the actual words. But I just can't put those in the blog.)

Yep. Oh my goodness.

Another song has this catchy chorus:

"This is my Jerry Spring moment.
I don't want this moment to die.
So dip me in chocolate,
And throw me to the Lesbians.
I don't want this moment to die."

Perhaps you'll recognize the set in this pic I was able to take after the show. (The set is modified for the second act; otherwise, it'd really look oddly very much like the TV set.)

You can hear some of the um, musical, selections yourself here. (Click "Skip" for the intro, then choose "Music" from the menu across the bottom.) (Warning: the website had graphic words and images) (For real fun, click on "Disc Two" and listen to the selection from "Grilled and Roasted." (The set-up for that song: Essentially, Satan is singing to Jerry, explaining what will happen to Jerry should he stay in Hell versus doing satan a favor.) (NOTE: do NOT listen to this at work unless you wear headphones!)) (and for a local preview of the show, playing here in Memphis, click here.)

The show originates from England, and it has played in England for a couple of years. When it finally came to the US, Memphis was chosen as the first city with a nonexclusive license. (The show actually debuted in Chicago.) When it comes to your city and you see it, you'll understand why. :-) (I cannot give away everything.) Here's a promotional shot of Jerry and Satan.

I have a friend Susan who sings opera and has a phenomenal voice. (She blogs at The Foxhole.) I read it the local preview that some people who'd gotten roles in the show here had to resign---for fear of what their church choirs would think---once they realized what they'd actually have to sing. So Susan, when the show comes to Dallas, you now know. But I will say that if you are in this show, I'll do all I can to get back to town to see you in it. :-)

The show was playing at the Playhouse on the Square---the local theater at Overton Square, barely a mile or two from my house. And I was sold! The Playhouse has just started this season, and it had incredible deals for package tickets. The great thing was I was able to buy eight tickets and can use them essentially as vouchers for any shows. For example, I can take seven friends to one show or take a date to four shows or go see eight different shows alone---or any such combination. (I'm giving two vouchers to my neighbors who will tend to my critters next weekend.) I think I'm most excited about seeing the play Doubt later this fall---looks good.

Oh yes, I've seen it all now. ;-)