The Welcome Back

On August 13, 2016, we'd been back in Texas for less than two weeks.  It had not been a happy return - my wife hated the house we rented & we were unaccustomed to the heat - the high on August 13, 2016 (which was also a Saturday) was 95 degrees.  We had gotten into the habit of waking early to walk the dogs before the heat became too punishing - & the concrete too hot for their delicate paws.

But one thing I noticed - even more than in Kentucky - was the gun culture.  Not only would I see more people carrying guns - you know, in holsters, on their belts - but there were constant threats of gun violence, like the one above, taken on this day in 2016 - it's trying to be cutesy, but it's actually terrifying.  "We don't call 911."  Not even if someone in the house is having a health emergency?  You just shoot them?

We were both hopeful things would work out in Texas.  I was hoping to help a little with my mother, who was still living alone.  My wife was hoping she'd enjoy her new department.  We both were glad to leave Kentucky, a place which we enjoyed living in but was, you know, Kentucky.  We were willing to try.  & to be fair, we gave it almost three years.  Fort Worth did not deserve three years of my life.

Spring Was Lovely This Year

Over on my personal Facebook page but also on the Self Help Radio Tumblr I've been sharing some of the lovely pictures of spring that I took this year.  It's a bit dry in Portland town these days, it's nice to go back & see some of the pretty things that populated my walks starting in late February.  Enjoy a few of these:

Maybe more soon?

Self Help Radio 080922: Attics

What might happen on a radio show about attics?  I mean, you know, besides all the songs about attics?  Might a phrogger be hiding in the attic above?  Might someone who cleans attics send you some cookies (ginger snaps)?  Might a friend living alone in an attic suddenly seem hopelessly out of reach?  Might a ghost call in?  Might a slam poet slam?  Might these things happen?  Might they?

Or is it "may"?  I can never remember.

Self Help Radio had a show about attics this Tuesday morning.  Sadly, it wasn't programmed from an attic.  But it was as if it had been programmed from an attic.  So.  There's that.

You can listen now at the KBOO website.  You can listen & also download the show at the Self Help Radio website.  Remember the username SHR & the password selfhelp.  Nearly everything that happened on the show is listed below.  Now.  Where's that ladder?  Hey!  Someone took the attic ladder!

Self Help Radio Attics Show

"The Attic" Woo _Whichever Way You Are Going, You Are Going Wrong_

"Attic" Swoon 23 _The Legendary Ether Pony_

"The Attic" Paul Weller _Sonik Kicks_

introduction & definitions - featuring the Definition-O-Tron 3000

"With My Daddy In The Attic" Dory Previn _On My Way To Where_

"Problem Attics" The Gist _Embrace The Herd_

"Attic Room" Casiotone For The Painfully Alone _Twinkle Echo_

"Attic" Furry Things _The Big Saturday Illusion_

"The Attic" In Camera _13 (Lucky For Some)_

interview with attic cleaner Marybeth Campbell

"Attic Of My Mind" Deanna & The Here & Now Singers _Isolation_

"I'm A Dirty Attic" Cate Le Bon _Crab Day_

"Attic" Talking About Flying _Shipwreck Day (A Knw-Yr-Own Compilation)_

"Flowers In The Attic" The Jezabels _Synthia_

"Hero In Attic" R. Stevie Moore _State Of Affairs_

interview with phrogging expert Qourtney

"She Means Everything To Me" Louis Philippe _A Kiss In The Funhouse_

"Rats In The Attic" Juliana Hatfield _Made In China_

"Toys In The Attic" R.E.M. _Dead Letter Office_

"Attics" Soul Merchants _1985-1987_

"In The Attic" Attrition _Demonstro: 1982-85_

interview with attic show promoter Jarvis Giorgio

"The Attic" Van Dyke Parks _Song Cycle_

"Attic Plan" The Pastels _Illumination_

"The Attic Walk" Adventures In Stereo _Adventures In Stereo_

"Devil In The Attic (feat. MC Chris)" MC Frontalot _Question Bedtime_

"In Hope Of Witchless Attics" Alias _Habitat_

interview with my friend Chad

"Toys In The Attic (feat. The Paulette Sisters)" Dennis Regor _Toys In The Attic_

"In The Attic" Wendy Flower _New_

"The Attic" The Marshmallow Ghosts _The Marshmallow Ghosts_

"Pigeons In The Attic Room" Everything But The Girl _Like The Deserts Miss The Rain_

"Expensive Attic" June Panic _Hope You Fail Better_

interview with attic realtor Louis Zahn

"Toys In Her Attic" The King's English _Psychedelic States: Ohio In The 60s Vol. 1_

"Attic" Arcwelder _Xerxes_

"Mrs. Vaughn's Attic" Steve Cook _The Haunting Of Northwest Michigan_

"Into The Attic" Run On _On/Off_

"Parent's Attic" Carnivores _If I'm Ancient_

conclusion & goodbye

"Attic Lights" Atlas Sound _Logos_

"A Light In The Attic" Shel Silverstein _A Light In The Attic_

"Attic Fan" The ACBs _Little Leaves_

"The Attic" Smile Smile _Truth On Tape_

"Attic" Harrys Gym _Harrys Gym_

Whither Attics?

Attics are delightful & creepy. They're mysterious & a bit frightening. I wish I had grown up with an attic to play in. & I wish at some point, like in college, I had lived in an attic that was drafty in the winter & stifling in the summer.  Chatterton died in an attic, you know.

The reason for doing an attic show is because I felt it was time to return to a place - I had enjoyed making the apartment show I did a couple months back - & specifically I wondered - were there lots of songs about attics?  Plus, I had already done a show about basements a couple of years ago.

Are there enough songs about attics to fill a three hour show?  Are there interesting people I can talk to about attics as well?  Is there someone locked in an attic who needs a show about attics right now?  I can't answer the last question, but for the first two, find out tonight from midnight to 3am on 90.7fm in Portland & online everywhere at kboo.fm.  Just watch out for the cobwebs.  & did you hear something squeak?

Preface To Attics: I Once Had An Attic

& it looked like that.

This was when we lived in Huntington, West Virginia, from the summer of 2009 to the summer of 2010.  It was quite a big attic - it was used by the previous owners as a family room - basically it was the third floor of the house - but as you can see, it had a wall unit for air conditioning & as far as I can remember no heating.  Plus, you know, it was the third floor of the house.  I stored my records & CDs up there & it was a fucking pain to climb two flights of stairs to get to them.  & I don't think the wi-fi worked up there either.

Initially, though, it felt kinda cool to have an attic.  I might have liked it more if I had been a kid & it was my room.

One thing, though: I'm glad it was free of bats & spiders & all that.  That might mean it wasn't quite a proper attic, but as probably the only attic I'll ever have in my lifetime, that suits me fine.