I received the following email from an old pal and thought it was quite lovely.
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Hey Dodd, it is Ashley and I wanted to say hello and let you know I read your blogs everyday and I absolutely love them. I look forward to them..so keep it up. Hope you are having a good day( bet i can guess what u are doing!?) Talk to u later.
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I hit the reply button and started typing and then I got a little carried away and before I knew it, I sent something over a little more than the (thank you) she was probably expecting, so I figured Id my as well pop it up here and call it an ENTRY.

Thanks for your kind words Ashley. Very thoughtful of you.
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Dear Ash,

Well Thank You Very Much.

I knida thought I was doing this to and for myself for a bit there, which is cool too, but apparently, Im not. Good to know someone out there is interested in my little musings. Very cool. Thank you.

Its been tough over here, as Im sure you know better than I. Im sure you can relate to that ever looming questions of, WHERE DO YOU EVEN BEGIN?

I have to admit that its getting harder and harder to wake up in the mornings. My single effort has begun to feel futile. There is just TOO MUCH to be done. I fear getting to a place where I forget why this town IS WORTH SAVING. You know? You deal with sadness and loss and misery everyday and then it gets to a point where you just want to say fuck it, sink the city and let's all move to Atlanta.

But then, when I get to that place, when I find myself stading on the edge of oblivioun, I have been kind enough to myself and give myself a day off of volunteering and instead take a long shower, and then head out with a smile on my face and a hankering for mischief. I look strangers in the eye and 9 times outta 10, I meet someone and we chat and laugh and have a great time, usually end up knowing at least one person in common and then, it all comes back to me. It becomes quite clear WHY this place IS worth saving.

Because this place is special. Really special. It is different. And majestic. And mysterious. And historic. And dirty. And taboo. And decedent. And foul. And nasty. And raunchy. And funny. And wild. And charming. All at the same time.

This place is not new construction off of I-85.

This place is the legacy of a 300 year old cultural gumbo fermenting in a Southern sun and coutched in a wooly swamp.

Its down and dirty, And it is worth saving.

Thank you for reading my Thursday morning ramblings.

Big Love,

D