Dis and Dat, as Dey Say in Da Region

Dear Ed,

Slept three hours this afternoon, so up late for an old man. Friday night (actually Saturday morning) now. Piano concerto on WUOL (Prokoviev?). I like it. Rudy is scratching himself. Rosie has gone to bed. God's in his heaven, all's right with the world. Posted a comment on Dr. Nat Sue's latest blog entry. Poor girl is starting her overnights in her internship. She was on call and busy for thirty hours! She is made of sterner stuff than I am.

Rosie and I went downtown tonight, noticed there was a concert in the Broadway Fountain Park, and stopped by too late. We sat a while on a park bench. It wasn't too warm and humid. I feel great physically and emotionally. Walking every morning for an hour after oatmeal and have got off the NaCl and FaT in my daily diet. Quit half of my blood pressure medicine and three readings since doing so are 100/60, 125/80, and 100/70. The two lower ones are after walking.

Trying to bridge to the religious right, or thinking about trying again. I know a pastor, a man I like very much and enjoy hearing preach his sermons of comfort and empowerment, who I want to engage in dialogue, and whose flock I want also to engage, who has avoided my incursions so far, and I'm thinking of sending him a Sojourners message from one who has tried to engage those to his right and has been frustrated by his attempt. I wonder if he'll read it or even acknowledge it. He seemed quite fearful that I might tell him something he doesn't want to hear. He finally trusted me enough to tell me he doesn't trust me. Progress!

Am nearly finished with a script for a radio show on film music. The work I've put into it has been its own reward. I'm finding out more about the topic and am continually delighted by the endeavor. I hope it will make some folks happy for the hour it's on the air. (I hope, before that, that the program director will want to air it when he hears the finished product.) Rather than trust myself to ad-lib in comments between selections, I've written a script. The last time I spoke to a group of people about my own recovery from addictions, I wrote out what I wanted to say and read it rather than speak impromptu. It worked much the better, I think.

Good grief! It's one in the morning!

Dat's all for now, Ed.

JT