When EF Talks

Feel Free to Send Me Your Tea

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2009-04-15T08:16:50-05:00

Right around New Year's, I switched from coffee to tea. So, if anybody is truly looking to send some tea anywhere, please let me know. I'd be happy to take it off your hands and put it to good use.

Please feel free to use my contact page here to get my information so that you can send the tea directly to me. As I said, it you don't want it, I can understand. Tea (as UT grads will tell you) is an acquired taste. But if you're looking to unload some...please....seriously....send it my way. Happy to have it.

All kidding aside, what the heck are the organizers of these things hoping to accomplish?

The Good Friday Walk

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2009-04-09T21:41:03-05:00

The “Good Friday Walk” is an annual event sponsored by the Dallas Area Progressive Christian Alliance. It’s a symbolic walk from Oak Cliff into the heart of downtown Dallas, and involves prayer and scripture meditations. This year’s theme revolves around the parable of the Last Judgment in Matthew. I’ll be playing a song near the end of the walk, and saying a few words.

If you’re free tomorrow, I encourage you to come. It’s a meaningful and tangible way to participate in the remembrance of Good Friday. Details below...

Confronting Atonement Theology

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2009-04-09T13:36:17-05:00

If you've been with us at Northaven the past few weeks, you have heard me take on the idea of "Atonement Theology" a couple of times in sermons. We're now in the midst of the week most closely associated with this belief. I thought I'd expand on my concerns about this theology with a few thoughts about "Holy Week, " Atonement Theology, and its meaning for us.

Boycott the Rangers

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2009-04-06T09:01:08-05:00

It's Opening Day, and it should be one of my favorite days of the year. Up until a few years ago, I had a great tradition of always going to the Opening Day game.

Not anymore. Nor can I share the zeal of those who are gleeful today.

Three years ago, I wrote this blog about the Texas Rangers. The premise was that I could no longer afford to love the Rangers. They'd let me down too many times.

Every year since, I have repeated the basic premise of the blog with the understand that, subsantively, nothing has changed about their situation, or about my opinion.

So, this year, I am stepping it up a notch. I am calling for an all-out boycott of the Texas Rangers, and I invite you to join me.
The reasons are below...

Doobie Brothers/Elton John Show- April 17th

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2009-04-02T08:31:59-05:00

Hey Everybody:

This info is copied from the Connections Blog, but I wanted to be sure everybody got a chance to see it. Big show coming up in Sachse. I get to sing a lot of my favorite Elton songs: “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down On Me,” “Levon,” “Daniel, “ and others.

Would love to see you all there....

Quincy Jones' Prayer

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2009-03-28T16:39:02-05:00

Got this prayer first from Tom Geddie, who perhaps got it from this source in Austin. It’s the oldest version I can find online. It’s worth repeating.

This text comes from music writer, Michael Corcoran, who says this:
“At the end of his two-hour keynote address, Quincy Jones asked those in the packed ballroom to stand and join hands. And everyone did. The Love maestro has that effect on people. Then he asked them to repeat the following words:”

Homestretch on TV

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2009-03-22T22:02:04-05:00

Some months back, I told you all about my friend, Sheri Bylander’s incredible movie about racehorses and prisoners, called “Homestretch.”

Last Fall, Sheri had a showing of the film here in Dallas at the Magnolia, and we got to see this fantastic film first hand.

The really cool news is that PBS has picked up the film, and is now planning to offer it to local affiliates, starting in April.

Below is an email I got from Sheri today about all the times that are already confirmed...

$50,000!!!

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2009-03-11T09:56:41-05:00

Well, another incredible show Saturday night. And a true milestone for Connections Band. We passed the $50,000 threshold for funds raised for our two beneficiaries. This was also the first show for me to attempt to record it straight to my "precious," the new Mac Book Pro, and you can hear some of the results below. First a few thoughts about the show...

Final Show Reminder

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2009-03-06T07:22:55-06:00

Hey Friends: Just a last reminder about the show tomorrow night in Coppell:

Connections Band
Tribute to James Taylor and Carole King
March 7, 7 pm
FUMC Coppell

Maps and more info here.

Auto-Matically Crazy

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2009-02-27T09:16:40-06:00

I had a hard disk crash last week, which means I am now hopelessly behind in Facebook notes. Yes, I want to do the album cover, and my 15 "desert isle" CDs, and my Musical Facts. Those are all cool. But I don't have time to do those today.

However, these questions, given to me by fellow Nashbillian, JP, have been written up and ready to go for a week..since the day the hard disk crashed...so here you go....(ps: I added the question about wrecks, and today's dream car...) EF

Is it true we are what we drive? Compile a list of vehicles that have been in your life.
(i.e., autos, trucks, any internal combustion or electric/hybrid vehicle)
Instructions: Copy this page to the body in “notes”
Delete previous answers and then add your own.
Tag as many people as you wish to receive it.
Then click “publish” in notes section

James Taylor Carole King Tribute Show: March 7th

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2009-02-26T20:57:21-06:00

Hey Everybody:

We've got a great Connections Band show coming up weekend after this....

James Taylor/Carole King Tribute Show
FUMC Coppell
420 South Heartz Road
Coppell, TX 75019
(972) 462-0471

This is Connections Band's second show at Coppell, and we are looking forward toseeing good friends again. The women take centerstage for the Carole King set, and this show features FUMCCoppell member, Lisa Rucker, singing and playing someincredible sax.

We'll do songs like "Jazzman", "It's too Late", "How Sweetit is To be Loved By You", "Fire and Rain", and many more.You'll be singing along with every one.

Our beneficiaryfor this show is "Nothing But Nets."

Go here for complete information and a map to FUMC Coppell.

We hope to see you all at our first show of 2009!!!

Comments

Yeats' Five Book Meme

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2009-02-11T07:40:13-06:00

DIRECTIONS
1. Take five books off your bookshelf.
2. Book #1 -- first sentence
3. Book #2 -- last sentence on page fifty
4. Book #3 -- second sentence on page one hundred
5. Book #4 -- next to the last sentence on page one hundred fifty
6. Book #5 -- final sentence of the book
7. Make the five sentences into a paragraph:

Sermons on iTunes, the Blog, and Everywhere

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2009-02-10T16:48:54-06:00

My amazing new laptop is allowing me to try out all sorts of new things. Among them, podcasting.

We're pleased to announce that Northaven now has podcasts of our sermons at iTunes and up at the Northaven website.

Still working on the actual design so that it looks nice and beautiful on the Northaven site. But the podcast feed will basically replace the old "Sermons" page at the Northaven site. You can find that here.

It's also live on iTunes, at the iTunes store. So, if you've got an iPod and have been itching to get our sermons as iTunes podcast, knock yourself out by going here.

(If you've gone a non-iPod devise, or just listen to rss audio feeds some other way, you can "subscribe" at that first link I gave...)

The cool thing about an podcast feed, of course, is that you can import it to just about anywhere. So, I've put it here on the blog too. Just scroll down the righthand navigational window, till you find the box that says "Sermons."
You should be able to listen in there too, if like, without ever leaving this page.

Hope you enjoy all this. We'll announce this to the greater Northaven community sometime later this week, when we're done making the web-version look pretty.

Comments

Sixteen Random Things About Me

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2009-02-08T20:17:57-06:00

DMN Reporter , Jeffery Weiss wrote this interesting story that ran in this weekend's paper. It's all about the phenomenon of "25 Random Things." It does seem to be spreading like wildfire, as is Facebook itself. I can tell you from my own non-scientific experience that folks are joining Facebook right and left over these past few months...a virtual (pun intended) explosion of old friends and family.

So, in honor of Jeffery's story, I thought I'd repost my list of "things" to my blog. (For those on Facebook, you'll be seeing this for the second time)

I should self-disclose that when this game was forwarded to me, it was only sixteen things. Jeffery's story points out that somewhere along the way it jumped the shark to 25. Who knows how that happened. But I'm sticking with my sixteen....

More on Millard

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2009-02-05T07:35:25-06:00

The entry below is reposted from the Fuller Center website, and has more information about Millard Fuller's death. Pay special attention to the description of how Millard, one of our most influential leaders, was buried: in a simple box, with no grave marker.

Totally consistent with his own spiritual values.

Why Is Apology So Strange?

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2009-02-04T18:09:46-06:00

"I screwed up."

No, I didn't really screw up. At least, not in any way that I believe I owe you all an apology.

It's an expression. It's something many of us say every day.

Learning to apologize is a key value of a mature adult human being. But to hear the screaming headlines in this morning's papers, you would think President Obama saying "I screwed up" was the most horrible admission a President could ever make.

Millard Fuller

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2009-02-03T23:20:39-06:00

I was visiting the hospital around lunchtime today, when I got a Twitter that Habitat for Humanity cofounder, Millard Fuller, had died. This news makes me terribly sad, as I consider Millard a personal hero and inspiration.

Like all of us, Millard had feet of clay. But his dreams and visions, his zest for helping the poor and less fortunate, are virtually unrivaled in our time. He is perhaps the most inspirational figure I have ever known, and I am driven to write about him today.

Connections Band Spring/Summer Schedule

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2009-02-01T21:46:21-06:00

Our Connections Band founding members have been meeting over the past month, and trying to get the Spring/Summer schedule finalized. There are a few more shows to post still, but most of them are now known. All this info. has been posted to the band's website, but I wanted to be sure and respost it here to make sure everybody gets the word.

Warren-less Wiretap

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2009-01-27T23:16:55-06:00

It’s sleeting outside and very cold. We’ve got a fire in the hearth, and are assuming that, at the very least life will be delayed a few hours tomorrow morning. The dogs are grateful for their position under the kitchen table, and we had a nice night of turkey chili and Merlot.

The perfect time for some blogging. So, just a few thoughts about Rick Warren.

A Prayer for Inauguration Day from Bishop Gene Robinson

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2009-01-20T08:12:00-06:00

Thanks to Pastor Dan at Street Prophets for the heads up on this video and text.

Below is the prayer of Bishop Gene Robinson, at the beginning of the "We Are One" concert on the Mall in Washington. (Blogged about yesterday, here) Apparently, the prayer has become somewhat controversial, in that the Inaugural Committee chose to not run it as a part of the HBO special.

Shame.

Because it was a great prayer for that day...and for this one....

Rosa Sat (A Song for This Day)

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2009-01-19T08:01:17-06:00

Are you surprised that on MLK Day, and the day before Obama's inauguration, I would be drawn to folk music?

Hope not.

Because there are a couple of folk songs that seem to frame my feelings on this day.

The first is called "Rosa Sat," and it's written and performed by Chicago singersongwriter, Amy Dixon-Kolar.

(Click here if you can't see the media player...)

I'm glad that some one wrote a song (there may be more than one) based on this great quote, because it's the quote that gave me chills just after the election:

"Rosa sat so Martin could walk.
Martin walked so Barack could run.
Barack ran, that our children could fly"

I love how the song is written the style of an old spiritual, and I love the message of this quote. Amy says on her website that the quote stayed with her and she knew she'd write a song using it. I'm grateful she did.

I've long been a big fan of the King Holiday, and write something about it almost every year. Last year, I mostly quoted a great piece by my friend, Larry James, who questioned the idea of doing works of "service" on this day.

Larry's writing was called "Missing the Mark on the MLK Holiday," and you can read my blog about it here.

I suppose I mostly feel the same way I felt last year. It would be a tragic reduction of King's legacy for his memory to only be given to acts of charity. King was far more interested in acts of justice. Which is, lest we forget, what led him to opposed the Vietnam War and led him to support the rights of the poor.

OTOH, on this MLK Day, our President-Elect himself is strongly pushing that the day be honored as a "day of service," and in this he is joined by other respected members of congress. And, locally, Larry James' own agency is leading the way with a house building project!! So, go figure.

It's especially gratifying to see a President-Elect issue the call, and see a nation respond. And perhaps one could argue that this year, the sense of justice that is such a necessary component of the King Holiday is, in fact, simply and powerfully incarnated in Obama's victory itself.

But there was another song sung during yesterday's concert on the Mall in Washington. (Which was, btw, an amazing event...) The show ended with Bruce Springsteen and none other than Pete Seeger singing "This Land is Your Land."

(Click here if you can't see the media player...)

Note George Lucas singing along in a quick crowd shot! That's certainly a "throwback" song in many ways. But it's also a folk song, deep in our American tradition, written by an iconic writer. Bruce introduced it as the greatest song ever written about our country.

And perhaps this song, and the verses they sang, were more appropriate than many realized at the time. One commentator noted almost immediately that Bruce and Pete included one verse that often gets left out when the song gets sung at schools and in other settings:

"In the squares of the city – In the shadow of the steeple
Near the relief office – I see my people
And some are grumblin’ and some are wonderin’
If this land’s still made for you and me."

Mike Kazan, the guy who first noted this, goes on to say, "I bet Pete was thinking, “This is the way Woody wrote it and so I’m going to make sure the whole country hears it.”

Maybe so.

Certainly gave me a smile. Given all the crap he's had to put up with in his life, I would dearly love to know what Pete Seeger is thinking about all of this.

And so, when taken together, perhaps the verse from Amy's song and the verse from this classic Woody Guthrie standard provide the appropriate sense of both historical optimism and the call to continue the journey of justice?

Yes, on this day we should remember all those who could only sit or walk, in the hopes that one day others could run and fly.

But in these challenging economic times, we must not forget that many are still "wondrin' if this land's still made for you and me."

Optimism and Hope.
A call for continuing justice and change.

Not a bad message on this particular MLK Day.

Leave it to folk music to frame it for us.

Comments

Christmas 2008

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2009-01-16T16:59:35-06:00

I thought I'd posted this to my blog two weeks ago, but I think I just posted to Facebook. (Things get a little jumbled up sometimes...)

Here's a video of Christmas at the lake this year, which I am reminded to post today, because we're back here again for quick visit. It's very cold here today, but we're enjoying the fire and the company.

Listening for God, Interfaith Prayer, Cleaning Up, Connections, and BCS Weirdness

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2009-01-13T23:30:09-06:00

I'm sitting here with the laptop tonight, as a fire slowly dies in the hearth across the room, catching up on Rachel Maddow, finishing off a glass of red, and still feeling the glow of a big moon, hanging low in the sky that was simply gorgeous.

With that, a few synapse clippings for you, on this mid-January night....

Dust and old Power Converters

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2009-01-04T20:18:03-06:00

Can a new laptop lead you to redecorate a house?

Maybe not, but it dang sure caused a lot of mid-winter cleaning around here.

Ishmael and Isaac Video

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2009-01-01T09:17:36-06:00

This is a video for my song "Ishmael and Isaac," which I wrote some years back about the Arab/Israeli conflict. I hope it will be received more as a work of art than as a political statement, although I am quite aware that people will lay their own political views on top of it.

My hope is that the message that war is not the ultimate answer will get through. That is the real message of the song and video, and not the assigning of blame in a situation that is quite complex and nuanced.

Here Comes the Sun 2008

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2009-01-01T02:22:59-06:00

Richie Havens updates his version of the great song.

Happy New Year, everyone...

Merry Christmas from Eric, Dennise and Maria!!!

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-12-25T10:49:12-06:00

We've been doing e-Christmas letters since before they were cool. This year's version is below. Happy holidays, everyone...EF

Summer Vacation 2008

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-12-24T19:57:01-06:00

A movie of our trip to Philly, Boston, New York and Washington. Somehow, we didn't get a single pic of our friends, Sheri and Evan, which seems so wrong.

With that great omission confessed, enjoy the rest:

Christmas Musical

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-12-24T19:54:58-06:00

Clips from Maria in her school musical a week ago. Note her spot-on voicing of a Charlie Brown Christmas character:

Gymnastics Meets in 2008

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-12-24T19:53:27-06:00

Here's a montage of Maria in some of her meets from this year:

Prestonwood Talent Show (You Can't Stop the Beat)

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-12-24T19:51:26-06:00

Maria and Brittany in the Talent Show last Spring:

Like You and Like I (A Christmas Meditation)

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-12-21T22:24:31-06:00

I didn't think I'd get a Christmas devotional done this year. But it looks like I did. You can hear most of this in audio form by clicking here. You can read it by just continuing below. Hope you're having a blessed holiday...

Northaven Staff Advent Liturgical Dance

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-12-12T07:19:19-06:00

Never let it be said that my staff does not have a sense of humor...

You may not realize this, but our hard-working Northaven staff has been busy perfecting our first ever musical dance number.

After weeks of practice, we've polished very move, hired a professional director, and cut our first Northaven Staff Music Video.

So, what follows is the World Premier of the "Northaven Staff Advent Liturgical Dance," sent to you with our sincere love, gratitude, and the hope for more smiles throughout these holidays.

Other Seas

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-12-07T07:34:45-06:00

It's the morning after Kathleen Baskin-Ball's memorial service, and I just wanted to dash of a quick word of gratitude...

As If We're S'posed to Know (A Tribute to Kathleen Baskin-Ball)

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-12-03T16:09:20-06:00

I was at a memorial service for a church member's mother yesterday morning, and had my phone off most of the time. But when I got out of that service, within seconds of turning it on, there was a call from Bill that Kathleen Baskin-Ball had died a short time before. I just happened to be about 10 minutes away, and so yesterday I spent the better part of the afternoon at their home with family and friends. It was a tough day, to say the least.

No blog, no memorial, can ever be eloquent enough to honor the life of such an incredible woman. Others will offer their own thoughts at various times, I am sure. And I sense that her service Saturday will be a marvelous celebration of the various parts of her life and ministry.

All this is to say that, as with much of the writing I do here, this entry is as much as part of my own catharsis and healing as anything else. If others find it meaningful, all the better...EF

A College Football Playoff

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-11-30T18:48:47-06:00

Since it appears that this year my team is the one that gets screwed by the BCS, I am drawn back the grail-like search for a college football playoff.

For the record, I am one of those twisted people who has actually made peace with the BCS. I have actually come to enjoy the regular season, believing that, in a strange way, it functions as a "March Madness" that lasts from September to December. If you look at it that way, you can get a lot of enjoyment of college football, even with the flaws. I can say that, even with the news today that OU jumps over Texas to play Mizzou. (Despite the unbelievable truth that Texas beat Oklahoma AND Mizzou!!!)

Be that as it may, it IS a deeply flawed system. So, since I'm assuming that over the next few months, the whole world's going to throw out all sorts of plans, I figure why not jump in with my HSO?

As I look at it, there's a way to create a college football playoff system and only add ONE game to the current schedule for the eventual winner.

Sound interesting?

It would take a lot of "outside the box" thinking, but if I have your attention keep reading...

A Sadness Beyond Words

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-11-22T15:45:07-06:00

Many of you will have already heard the news posted below from Bill Ball, about Kathleen. But I got two Facebook messages today from folks who were "out of the loop," and so I thought I'd post this to my blog.

Anybody who is a Methodist in North Texas will be heartbroken by this news. For those of us who love Kathleen and Bill like family, it's beyond words. I hope some of the old Pursuits Class friends will also perhaps see this, and I invite you to support Bill and Skyler in this time too.

More to say in a few days. But Bill's email is below the jump...and there's not much more to say now...

Dan Fogelberg Tribute November 15th

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-11-09T16:12:42-06:00

It hit me today that I hadn't posted about this show on my own blog!
Connections has a show coming up this coming weekend:

Connections Band
Tribute to the Music of Dan Fogelberg
November 15th, 7 pm
Northaven UMC
11211 Preston Road
Dallas TX

It should be a good one...

A Prayer for President-Elect Obama

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-11-06T09:31:44-06:00

Ross Wise is a friend of mine. He and wife Sharon live in the beautiful East Texas town of Gilmer. I know Ross because he's a Kerrvert...and even more intimately than that, he's a "Nasbillian" like me.

But, unlike me, Ross is a Baptist and a Republican. That's why this prayer he's written captured my attention. And I liked it so much, I thought that it worthy to pass along to you too.

Yes We Can

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-11-05T07:48:38-06:00

This morning, I am drawn back to a video from early in the campaign, and the words of President-Elect Obama...

What We Need to Hear After the Election

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-11-04T08:27:42-06:00

Just dropped my daughter off at school. And there I took a brief peek at the election underway. The front sidewalk has sprouted dozens of signs for local candidates. There were even a few workers out for the two statehouse candidates from our district.

The school is clearly braced for a huge turnout. They moved voting to the gym this year, and seem to have doubled the number of voting machines and volunteers. The PTA is having a bake sale (we contributed banana bread) and there are even volunteers helping people navigate the parking lots. But, thus far, turnout seems to be fairly LIGHT. At least, that's what my pollworker friend told me just now...and it seemed to be the truth from my observation. Perhaps with the increased number of machines and manpower, it just seems smoother? Time will tell...

This election been the longest and most expensive presidential campaign in history. Today, the voters are speaking. Tonight, barring the reappearance of the "hanging chad" or equivalent spoiler, we should have a result.

Whether your favorite candidate wins or loses, it seems to me there are words we all should expect from the mouths of both candidates.

Below, I take my best shot at presidential speechwriting, and suggest some things we Americans most need to hear.

How Jan Sanders Spent All Saints Sunday

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-11-02T23:01:54-06:00

Jan Sanders the widow of Judge Barefoot Sanders. Barefoot, as many of you will recall, is the legendary Federal Judge from here in Dallas who died about a month ago. Northaven has been Jan and Barefoot's spiritual home for more than three decades, as they have raised their family and served the community, and we were honored to host his memorial service.

I told this story this morning in church, and because everybody at Northaven Church knows Jan, it got applause. Which makes me think that even though it's late on All Saints Sunday, it might be inspiring for others to hear it too.

Universal health coverage should be the federal government’s responsibility

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-10-17T10:33:14-05:00

This blog is about health care. But it could just as easily be about the financial crisis, the war, the environment, education, or any number of social issues before us today. Because, to my mind, there is a great confluence among the issues of our day. You can analyze them through the same lens and come to the same conclusion each time.

And that conclusion is this: we need change.
And my own personal conviction is: I believe we need change because of what I believe about God.

The title of the blog comes from an episode of a great new NPR show called "Intelligence Squared." The show originally comes from England. Participants engage in an "Oxford Style Debate," for and against a particular motion. Three speakers "for," and three speakers "against."

I picked health care because:
1) It's on a LOT of people's minds, and
2) Because Dr. Kellermann's essay is so good.

What follows after the jump is the speech by Dr. Art Kellermann from that program, and a long essay by me written just this morning.

Doobies Brothers and Elton John: October 4th

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-10-02T06:42:40-05:00

Connections Band is proud to announce our new show, and hopes you'll come hear us this Saturday night. The new show is a tribute to Elton John and the Doobie Brothers. We continue to push ourselves musically with this great tribute show.

Connections Band: Tribute to the Doobie Brothers and Elton John
Saturday, October 4th, 7pm
Suncreek UMC
1517 W. McDermott
Allen, TX 75013
(Google map here )

(more after the jump...)

Judge Barefoot Sanders Memorial Service

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-10-01T00:00:29-05:00

Sometimes soon, when time permits, I'll blog more fully on the life of Judge Barefoot Sanders, our friend and church member who died this past week.

His memorial service was at our church a week ago today, and sometime this week we'll be adding a video page to the church's website, so that folks can enjoy the videos there.

But those of you who read my blog (and, by extension, my Facebook) get this advanced look:

Nothing But Nets...on Colbert, and in honor of Russ

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-09-20T06:56:18-05:00

Many of you know that I've become a huge fan of "Nothing But Nets" the past few years. The other night, there was a great confluence of this favorite charity of mine and the Colbert Report.

Below is Rick Riley's appearance with Stephen Colbert, as they talk about the project, and even do a demonstration. I hope you'll watch not only because it's a great charity, but because you'll help me honor my friend, Russ Noland.

A Photo History of Community Organizers

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-09-06T19:15:49-05:00

Wow. The repost of my little blog, expanding on Jim Wallis' original ideas, has been burning up the wires over at DailyKos this afternoon. It spent a better part of the afternoon as the top "recommended" journal, and is on the way to having 400 comments.

Wow. This issue clearly touches a button. I certainly do not agree with every comment, and find some of them offensive in language and tone. But it's interesting to see the passion there. Take a look.

I think this "dissing" of Community Organizers and their "responsibilities" is going to backfire...but that's my hunch.

In the midst of the many comments was one from Beverly, about her own diary, entitled "A Photo History of Community Organizers."

It's worth a quick read. Or, enjoy the video version beyond the jump, which has the benefit of a sweet U2 soundtrack:

Sarah Palin Owes Some Good People an Apology

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-09-06T09:10:54-05:00

I've been bothered by a snippy comment from Sarah Palin's speech the other night, and have wanted to write about it. But Jim Wallis beat me to it. So, this morning, I will simply cite a few of the highlights of his fine blog --whose title I have borrowed as the title of this one-- and direct you to it, in the hopes you'll read it too.

More than anything else, Palin's comments have opened up an opportunity to remind the nation of just how important "Community Organizers" have become, just how connected they are to faith communities, and just how much "responsibility" they really do shoulder for the rest of our society.

Would it be Wrong to Pray for Rain?

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-09-01T17:02:44-05:00

I posted the video that inspired this question to my Facebook page, and it got a couple of nice comments. So I thought I'd expand my thinking on it into a blog entry.

The question for this blog is: Would it be wrong to pray for rain?

The answer is: it depends, I suppose.

If you're a West Texas rancher, and you're in the middle of a long drought, then it's probably an understandable petition to God.

If you're allegedly a Christian minister, and you're clearly wishing for God to, ahem, rain down judgement on your adversaries, then the answer is:

"Yes....it's wrong to pray for rain."

And I know that second example sounds crazy. But it happened just a few weeks back, when a member of "Focus on the Family" actually encouraged people to pray for rain on the night of Obama's acceptance speech.

Like I said, I had heard about this in conversation. But to see the video? It's amazing. And deserves further unpacking.

Heartsick for NOLA and the Gulf Coast

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-08-31T22:11:53-05:00

I'm heartsick tonight.

Watching the ominous sight of Gustav, and knowing what I know about NOLA and all of the Gulf Coast?

It's just heartbreaking.

The past three summers, we've taken our mission trips to the Biloxi/Gulfport area. I know I speak for many in our church when I say that we've fallen in love with the people there. They have such good hearts, and are the kind of solid folks anyone would be proud to get to know.

Tonight, I am thinking about them. I am praying for all of them. And I am asking you to pray too. What I have learned in the last three years along the Gulf Coast is that everyone there has a story about the storm. Everyone. You hear stories form waitresses and hotel clerks. Tonight, I feel like sharing a few of the stories I know best, so perhaps you can put a face with your prayers.

Why Did McCain Pick Palin?

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-08-30T11:44:50-05:00

I mean the above question this way: What does this pick say about his judgement?

It's an important question, because for months McCain's been crowing about how judgment and experience are important. So, given what we know --or rather, what we don't know-- about Sarah Palin, why this person? why this woman? and why right now?

The reason I ask is that the more I learn about her, the less I understand the answers.

"He's The Best I've Ever Seen"

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-08-29T13:49:03-05:00

Last night was historic in many ways. Many of those ways have been duly noted in papers and blogs around the nation today.

But last night was historic in one intensely personal way too. It marked the first, and only, time in my entire life that my favorite candidate for President actually came away with his/her party's nomination.

I've been a political junkie for years. Never before, in all my years, have I backed the right horse right from the starting gate.

Back in 2005, Dennise and I got something perhaps a lot of other folks didn't get: an early, albeit brief, glimpse at the phenomenon that was to become Barack Obama.

I write this blog today not to endorse a candidate, since neither Dennise nor I ever would ever do that. But I'd like to tell you about that brief meeting, why I believe Obama won the nomination, and why --discounting the genuine novelty of actually being *right* for once-- I am not surprised he is the Democratic nominee.

How to Save $13,636 While Driving 100,000 Miles

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-08-23T18:38:58-05:00

Did I get your attention with that headline?

Hope so.

Because I'm not kidding, and I've done the math to prove it. I am about to tell you how Dennise and I saved $13,636 by driving 100,000 miles.

Let me raise the stakes.

Driving that same 100,000 miles, we also reduced dangerous greenhouse gases by 78,875 pounds, roughly the equivalent of a highly polluting car's five-year output.

"Wait," you say, "there must be catch. This is like one of those commercials on late-night TV, right? Nobody gives you money for driving a car. Nobody saves greenhouse gases by driving that much."

Ah, dear reader, but that's where you'd be wrong. Because you see, there's a very simple answer to how it's very, very possible...possible for just about anyone, really.

The answer is this: You can drive 100,000 miles, save $13,636, and eliminate the greenhouse gases equivalent to the average car all by doing one simple thing:

Drive a Toyota Prius.

Where The Wild Things Are

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-08-22T17:47:58-05:00

In our North Dallas suburban neighborhood, apparently....

Why I Hate Email

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-08-22T09:02:43-05:00

Over the past few years, I have come to a growing and inescapable conclusion: I now hate email.

Given the fact that, among my close family and friends, I am still probably the most wired-in person they know, it may sound as if I've gone off some deep end. Maybe you're thinking this makes me a cultural luddite.

I don't care.

But the facts of the matter are that I have grown to hate email for three basic reasons:
1) There's too much of it, and
2) People don't know how to use it, and
3) It can be so easily misunderstood in ways that face-to-face communication almost never is.

For months now, I believed I was alone in this growing distaste. But then, several weeks back, I stumbled on blogger and time management guru Tim Ferriss, author of the book "The Four Hour Workweek." Tim hates email so much that he's all but eliminated it from his life. And he's the most "wired" guy that most of his friends know. Inspired by him, I quickly used some of what I'll write below in a sermon.

Then, yesterday, that hip and happenin' cultural barometer known as the Dallas Morning News (turn on your sarcasm detectors) posted a story, titled "Overloaded in boxes lead to email backlash." And I suddenly knew that email-hate was a true current phenomenon in our cultural zeitgeist.

So, dear readers, if you feel the same growing anger about email that I do, know this:
-- You are not alone.
-- There are things you can do about it.

Goodbye, Stratopastor

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-08-20T08:42:10-05:00

Last Saturday, Rusty King and I were honored to sit in on a little "family time" at First United Methodist Church of Sachse. It was a time of prayer and grieving that the church had shaped, as people began to deal with their shock and grief over the death of Russ Noland two days before.

Those who had gathered had set up a beautiful make-shift altar to Russ at the front of the chancel area. It had all sorts of momentoes of Russ' life. There were religious object, as you might expect. But there were also things like a vinyl copy of the Blue Brother's album, an Elmo puppet, and some Ray Bans. And, of course, Russ' stratocaster.

Brady Waters spoke (btw: he's another in a long line of fine ministry products to come out of fumcr. I'm just sayin') and did a nice job balancing the sense of grief people were feeling with the message that those left in life will continue on in their work. The most amazing thing of all is that Stephanie Noland, Russ' wife, spoke for about 15-20 minutes. She talked about Russ. She joked about Russ. She tenderly and beautifully addressed the Sachse Church, and even some individuals there, telling them how much they meant to Russ and to her. Frankly, I don't know how she did it, but it was beautiful.

Russ was a blogger. Somedays I think, "Isn't everyone?" But Russ had blog-fans scattered out around the country....folks who've been going to his Facebook page to leave their condolences this week. They talk about how, even though they never met him, they felt like they knew him through his blogs. The name of his blog was "Stratopastor."

IMHO, this is one of the best blog names ever. Not only is it catchy, it really describes Russ.

Russ WAS the Stratopastor.

The Reach

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-08-18T08:10:50-05:00

It's been a strange couple of days filled with life and death. My Treo says that today I'm having lunch with Russ Noland. I plan to be there. I'm having a hard time believing he won't.

In the midst of that sadness, a beautiful story of the beginning of new life and hope. August 13 was Dan Fogelberg's birthday, and the story below comes from his wife Jean. Since his death, she's written several moving emails to his fans about Dan's legacy, music, and the honest struggles she's going through coping with his death.

I will note that this email was written on the day Russ died. Which she could not have known, of course. Everyone who loves Connections cannot not help but note it. "The Reach" has become one of our favorite Dan Fogelberg songs in our live tribute to him. It's the next-to-last song before the obligatory "Gambler." It features just about the whole band, and you can hear our version below, as you read this beautiful story from Jean Fogelberg.

Russ Noland

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-08-15T10:00:32-05:00

I've just returned from San Antonio, and several days there, to some shocking news: Russ Noland died of a massive heart attack last night. Russ, as many will remember, was one of our guitarists in Connections.

He was also my colleague, serving as minister of FUMC Sachse for many years now. The unfolding news is that Russ died even before reaching the hospital, after suffering the attack at about 11 pm.

Obama's Plane (An Impressive, Mid-Campaign Smear)

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-08-07T08:31:29-05:00

As some readers know, every so often I get an email smear that is so over-the-top, I feel the need to correct it here. I did it a couple of months ago, with an email that, incredulously, claimed more soldiers had died under Clinton and Carter than under President Bush. Of course, it wasn't true. And if you missed that entry, knock yourself out.

The mid-season smear-de-jour (does that make me sound too French?) is about Obama's airplane, and the ominous and unpatriotic assertion that he painted over an American flag.

But as with every email smear, just because something is literally true doesn't mean you have the whole context. And so, I'd like to give it to you. (Context, that is...)

The New Website is Here! The New Website is Here! We're SOMEBODY!!!!

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-08-06T08:02:18-05:00

Hey Everybody:

I've got fun music news about Connections Band for you:
1) Our website is now official
2) We want your vote for your favorite songs
3) We're calling it $40K
4) Upcoming Shows

Homestretch

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-08-05T14:55:05-05:00

My longtime friend, Sheri Bylander has produced and directed a marvelous documentary that I hope you'll check out. It's called "Homestrech" and it tells the story of two groups --prisoners and outcast horses-- and the hopeful things that happen when they get together.

Here's what the website says about it:

A test post

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-08-04T16:03:45-05:00

OK. I've now tried twice to post a blog, and had something go horribly wrong both times.

So, for my own sanity, I need to see if I can do a normal post. Sorry for the clutter.

I'm All a-Twitter (Yes, That's Horribly Cliche. Sue me.)

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-08-03T16:22:15-05:00

In my shameless efforts to stay hip and current, I thought I'd let you all know I've joined Twitter. I've also joined Facebook. As I said when I joined Myspace, this probably marks the moment when both of these things become officially un-hip. Which, of course, has been an un-hip way to describe un-hip things for about two decades now.

So the truth is, I'm not that hip. But for those of you where are, here's the scoop...

The Demons are Still Legion (The Joseph Dwyer Story)

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-07-30T22:40:56-05:00

Several weeks ago, I blogged about "the girl in the picture" from the Vietnam War, and the improbable story of how she's overcome her hatred with a powerful and deep forgiveness.

Days after I posted the blog, I saw a news item about Joseph Dwyer, and I've been haunted by his story ever since. Like Kim Phuc, Joseph Dywer is the subject of a picture that many simply refer to as "the picture." Like Kim Phuc, it's become a seminal picture for people during a time of war.

But unlike the arc of Kim Phuc's story, Army Medic Joseph Dwyer's story finds him home from the war unable to shake his demons, unable to live with being called a "hero," and ultimately unable to cope with life itself.

Goodbye, Randy Pausch. Thanks for playing all your cards.

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-07-26T09:07:43-05:00

Randy Pausch died yesterday.

It was totally an expected event, as he was suffering from pancreatic cancer. He was 47-years-old, and leaves two small children and a loving wife. And it was his gift to them that ended up inspiring the world.

If you have not heard Randy's gift to us all, you must --you absolutely must-- give yourself the gift of watching. The gift was something college professors often called "The Last Lecture," an old tradition of giving one final speech before retirement. That name took on an entirely new meaning when Randy delivered his on September 19, 2007.

You can watch it right here...

Connections Band this Sunday: Tribute to Carole King and James Taylor

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-07-24T08:42:49-05:00

Hey Everybody:

Hope you're finding ways to stay cool during this "hottest July on record."

One great way would be to come to our Connections Band show this Sunday night.

How about THAT for a segue?

Did you know, btw, that the etymology of "segue" comes the music world? It was originally used to describe smooth transitions from one song or piece to another.

For example, it's a pretty smooth segue that our show this Sunday night is:

A Tribute to James Taylor and Carole King

The Long Road To Forgiveness (The Kim Phuc Story)

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-07-13T16:41:37-05:00

Every so often, I find one of the "The I Believe" podcasts that is so compelling that I just have to pass it along to you. That happened yesterday, as I was driving along listening to an episode of the great NPR series.

What came up on the iPod was the incredible story of Kim Phuc.

You have seen a picture of Kim. It was when she was nine-years-old, and running down the road between Phnom Penh and Saigon. She is naked. Her clothes have been burned off by a napalm bomb. She is crying. She is, to a generation, simply "the girl in the photograph."

She's an adult now, living in Canada with children of her own, and her essay for "This I Believe" has the enticing title of "The Long Road to Forgiveness."

A Conversation with Job (Yes, the guy from the Bible...)

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-07-12T00:00:47-05:00

Job, the guy from the Old Testament, stopped by the house the other day for a visit. He looked good for somebody pushing 2,500-years-old. We had a nice chat. I wish I'd turned on the tape recorder in time, but I didn't think about that quickly enough. However, I'm pretty sure I can recall the gist of the conversation.

So what follows is a pretty close transcription...

The Declaration

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-07-08T17:42:26-05:00

Charles Gaby is one of my best soul friends. He's written a new song called "The Declaration" that's up on YouTube. I'd love for you to give it a listen. He's also written a "pledge" I want you to know about.

Gulf Coast Mission Trip

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-06-26T16:18:56-05:00

Went back to the Gulf Coast again this week, for a third mission trip in as many years. This one was with our youth. And we've took some short cell phone videos that we've posted as vlogs for your enjoyment.

Dennise is 40!!!

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-06-21T17:12:33-05:00

Dennise's 40th birthday is this coming Friday. But we had a party for her today. Thanks to all who came. For those of you who were there, this is the video I was talking about. For everyone else, this a brief, forty-year highlight reel, sans Chris Berman, but with a lot nicer music.

Feel free to watch it early and often:

Stone of Sisyphus

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-06-17T08:45:59-05:00

What if I told you that today you have a chance to buy one of the most anticipated CDs of all-time? What if I told you that some folks have waited fifteen years for its release, and that it's being released this very day? What if I told you that one rock critic called this mysterious CD the greatest unreleased CD of all time?

Well, it's all true.
The CD is "The Stone of Sisyphus," it's by rock legends, Chicago, and it's on your local CD store shelves today. The story of "Stone," in some ways, mirrors the Greek legend it's named for.

New Ways to Look at Fathers

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-06-15T06:01:19-05:00

On Father's Day this year, I remind myself that parenting is hard. And it's getting harder all the time. It's not just the outside forces that are challenging to a parent's influence and effectiveness, it's also internal changes to our family structures themselves that have pushed the envelope.

I have always said that the untold story of women working full time is that fatherhood, of necessity, must also change. Far too often, however, when modern families are written up in the media, it's still the same old model that's assumed: a woman can work outside the home, but she's still in charge of everything at home too.

That's why I'm pleased to see this very long story in the New York Times today that points to a different, and still relatively new, model: When Mom and Dad Share it All

The story starts out by telling the tale of "Marc" and "Amy," two modern parents who made the decision to not live our traditional roles of fatherhood and motherhood, or even by the neo-traditional role where the modern working mom still shoulders most of the familial burden. As the story tells it:

So, Should We Believe Donaghy?

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-06-14T21:43:54-05:00

One more bit of bitterness while I'm at it....

Some may recall that the whole "Bitter P1" thing came from some YouTube vids that I uploaded in the wake of the Mavs loss to the Heat two years ago.

I'm over it. Promise. Really not bitter about it any more. Although, it's a fascinating exercise in human behavior that just about once a month, somebody still stops by YouTube to post a ranting comment.

In the past few days, the hits have increase, both there and here on my blog. And I can't help but wonder if it's related to the Tim Donaghy story.

"Oh this is sure stirring up some ghosts for me..."

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-06-14T12:09:57-05:00

"I been spellbound - falling in trances
I been spellbound - falling in trances
You give me shivers - chills and fever
I been spellbound - somewhere down the crazy river"
-- Robbie Robertson

Far more faithfully than either guns or religion, it seems to me that Americans cling to their sports bitterness. It's what first inspired Bob and Dan to dub me the "Bitter P1." And it's what inspires me to update a blog of almost two years ago today.

The update is inspired by is this story in the DMN: "Texas Rangers' Attendance is Down"

Two days later, Evan Grant offered analysis of the situation, and sets the stage for the debate:

"It is June. The Texas Rangers' overall record is probably slightly better than you thought it would be before the season. It is undoubtedly a lot better than you thought it would be on say April 15. Nolan Ryan is back with the team. Josh Hamilton is a Sports Illustrated cover boy AND the most exciting player in baseball.

And the Rangers are on a pace for less than two million fans.

Why is that?"

Grant offers five reason:

5. It's hot
4. Bad schedule (no great teams)
3. Poor ticket sales
2. History (eight years without a playoff appearance)
1. Lack of wins early in April/May

And all these may be true. And, someday, I'd like to hear a serious discussion about just how much the summer heat has hurt the Rangers over the years. Because my hunch is that the answer is "a lot." My hunch is that, with a retractable roof, some of the teams from our Ranger-past would have gotten much farther than they have.

But I must point out to Grant, and everyone else reading, that his top three reasons are really connected together as one huge "cause and effect."

Democratic Muslims and Football-playing Tongans

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-06-12T09:07:08-05:00

Texas has never been widely known as a hotbed of progressive thought. This, despite the fact that great thinkers like Barbara Jordan and Molly Ivins came from here. Ann Richards too. This, despite the fact that issues near and dear to the progressive-heart were finally nationally adjudicated in cases that originated here (Roe v. Wade....Lawrence v. Texas).

Anyway, the whole point of this "Things to Like About Texas" section is to give you a different perspective of all-things-Texas, and hopefully broaden your mind a little.

Like this item from the Texas Observer about the recent State Democratic Convention. As the Observer reminds us, it's normal for Democrats to be inclusive in their caucuses. Democratic gatherings, even in this state, are usually quite a menagerie of interest groups:

"You’ve got your Gun Owners Caucus and your Progressive Populist Caucus, Texas Stonewall Caucus and Motorcycle Caucus, Native American Caucus and Tejano Democrats Caucus. That’s the Democratic Party in all its messy glory - diverse interests trying to fit under a Big Tent."

But how about a Muslim caucus?

Connections Band at FUMCR Reminder

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-06-09T18:31:29-05:00

A reminder that Connections Band rides again this coming Friday night:

Connections Band
Tribute to the Eagles and Chicago
Friday, June 13 7 pm

FUMC Richardson
503 N Central Expy
Richardson, TX 75080
(972) 235-8385
www.fumcr.com

What a Long, Strange Trip It's Been

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-06-05T20:12:10-05:00

So it's over.

It's finally over.

Barack Obama has claimed the position of presumptive nominee of the Democratic Party, and Hillary Clinton has now confirmed she'll concede, belatedly, on Saturday.

Those of you who read some of my thoughts from back during my blog "vacation" (January-March) will know that I've been absolutely sure of this outcome for months. Hard as it is for Hillary fans to hear, this outcome has been a virtual certainty since before the Texas/Ohio primaries, and all-but-assured in the immediate aftermath of that March 4th vote.

How can I say this? Just remember: In order to re-take the lead, she needed to win both of those states by 58 percent or better. She didn't. So, by the time Pennsylvania rolled around, she need 65 percent, just to retake the lead. She didn't do that either. By the time Indiana/North Carolina rolled around, that number was well into the 70s, and you know how that turned out. And just before voting concluded last week, it was approaching 90 percent.

The only math that ultimately mattered, delegate math, had been very much against her for months. (Thank you, Chuck Todd) Those who were paying attention to the facts of it knew this. Those who were only paying attention to the spin thought there was still a chance.

Instead of writing a ton of my own thoughts, I'd thought I'd share some of the best of things I've been reading around the Netroots world.

Bill McElvaney

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-06-04T00:04:15-05:00

(Note: Today is William K. McElvaney's 80th Birthday. This June also marks his 50th year in ordained ministry in the United Methodist Church. At Northaven this weekend, we celebrate both those milestones. Bill was the pastor of Northaven in the late 1960s, and is one of two emeritus pastors that call the church home, even to this day. He was, later in his career, also my seminary preaching professor; a point I allude to in the blog below...which is taken from the sermon of this past Sunday. You can hear an audio version here. It's a great honor, and a continuing blessing, to call Bill a mentor and friend; and a no brainer to add him to my balcony people...because he's already been there so long. EF)

No Joy in Vindication

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-05-30T09:49:42-05:00

Sometimes there is no joy in vindication.

Sometimes, the stakes are just too high and --even though history proves you right-- there's no joy when you finally get confirmation that you were justified in some strongly held opinion all along.

The Iraq War is like that for me. As someone who, from the very beginning, had grave doubts about its morality, justification, and necessity, it has brought me no joy whatsoever to observer the general public slowly rubbing its eyes, unstopping its ears, and coming to know what I believed from the beginning: that we did had other options available to us beyond the bloody and horrible choice to wage war.

As the years have passed, the fire and vitriol of the beginning of the war --the "Freedom Fries," the Dixie Chicks death threats, the feeling you were a traitor for speaking out-- tends to fade.

It fades in part because, person-by-person, Americans now stand shoulder-to-shoulder with those who had our doubts from the beginning. They still may not like Cindy Sheehan. They still may have burned their Dixie Chick CDs. But, quietly and with little fanfair, they have sidled up to us now, heads bowed, anger hushed, soaking up the sadness we felt years ago.

And all of that feels like a slow, steady, vindication for all of us who felt like aliens in our own country for questioning the rush to war.

But every so often, the vindication is especially poignant --even as it is more painful-- because it comes not from the silent majority, but from actual participants in the events themselves.

Scott McClellan was one of those people. And as you've no doubt heard by now, the nation is devouring quotes from his new insider-account of the White House, "What Happened," as if the book might finally contain a morsel that explains the unexplainable, and justifies what we now know has no justification.

As I have often repeated here, I will never get into personal attacks on this President. (And one day I will tell you why) But there are a couple of quotes, from his book and from his media interviews these past few days, that seem to warrant special note, as we look back at the war.

Connections Fall Schedule

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-05-28T08:26:16-05:00

As promised a few days back, we can now announce Connections Band's Fall Schedule.

I'm as excited about these next shows as I have been any series we've done. Because over the next few months, you'll not only have the chance to see every cover show we've done so far, but you'll also get a chance to see an exciting new one.

Here's the schedule:

Theo is Here!

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-05-27T17:30:18-05:00

This is what my brother-in-law Chris called to tell us yesterday morning. Theo was born yesterday at about 4 am.

Dennise, Maria and me made a quick (and surprise) visit yesterday afternoon, since we had the day off and Denise was feeling better.

Here are pics from my Dad...

$7,100 and a Gratitude Beyond Measure

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-05-26T08:41:13-05:00

Earlier this month, just after our last Connections show, I posted what we believed would be the fundraising total for the night.

Today, I am very pleased to tell you we were very wrong.

The actual grand total from the LLUMC show is....

May Synapse Clippings

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-05-25T20:54:42-05:00

Here's a few quick-hits for you...

"This, Senator, is too much..."

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-05-23T23:12:39-05:00

From Keith Olbermann tonight:

Three Reasons to Love MSNBC

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-05-16T09:29:01-05:00

We watch MSNBC for most of our news these days. We watch it each primary night for hours.

We were drawn to MSNBC because of Keith Olbermann and "Countdown." But I'm not even going to mention him here.

Because what we've come to love about their shows is the smartness of all of their pundits....folks like Rachel Maddow on the left, and Pat Buchanan on the right. (Say what you will about him: he's a smart pundit...)

What I love about this network is that they tend to ask tough questions, or seek actual substance over style..something very rare in television news.

Holy Hail, Batman!

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-05-15T23:20:00-05:00

We got some pretty serious rain through here last night, but nothing like what my sister and her husband, Chris, got down in Austin.

On her picture blog, she sez this:

Art and Soul Update

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-05-15T08:19:40-05:00

Speaking of my favorite podcasts, I haven't mentioned "Art and Soul" lately. This is really a shame, since many of the guests the past year have been close friends.

If you haven't heard of "Art and Soul of North Texas," it's a podcast created by my friend, Shelly Niedbuhr --quite an accomplished artist herself-- that explores the intersections of creativity and spirituality.

And, as I mentioned, many of the recent guests are among my best friends.

Strangers Bring Us Closer to God

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-05-14T07:18:01-05:00

"This I Believe" was a marvelous radio feature created decades ago by legendary radio man, Edward R. Murrow. In the modern era, it's been revived by NPR and independent producer, Jay Allison. I listen to it faithfully, via podcast, and I highly recommend the series to you. Basically, "ordinary people from all walks of life" submit short essays on their "beliefs" and the best of those are chosen for broadcast.

The one below is a recent submission that moved me because it speaks to my own sense of Christian faith, calling, and social understanding. Her own website says this about author Sara Miles:

"Raised as an atheist, Sara Miles lived an enthusiastically secular life as a restaurant cook and writer. Then early one morning, for no earthly reason, she wandered into a church. “I was certainly not interested in becoming a Christian,” she writes. “Or, as I thought of it rather less politely, a religious nut.”

But she ate a piece of bread, took a sip of wine, and found herself radically transformed...."

Below is the text of Sara's essay, titled "Strangers Bring Us Closer to God." As I said, a lot of my own theology is embedded in this beautiful essay. I have added emphasis here and there, just because.
Listen to it on iTunes here. Read it below.

Maria at the 2008 State Gymnastics Meet

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-05-10T23:07:45-05:00

Some video of my favorite gymnast:

All's Well

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-05-07T18:51:53-05:00

Thanks for the many notes and emails about Dennise's surgery.

It's now Wednesday night, and Maria and I have just returned from the hospital and a late afternoon visit. The surgery went perfectly...no complications. There is a pathology being run, but the doc says, from the looks of things, no bad news is expected.

Dennise insisted that Maria and I come home tonight, so that we aren't all three sleeping in a strange place this evening. D's Mom will stay with her at Presby. tonight.

We were well cared for at the hospital by Northaven friends and staff, and have a great home cooked meal tonight from them to come home to.

She'll probably be there until Friday, and then will have as much as two weeks recovery at home.

We appreciate your prayers. We are deeply grateful.

More info as it becomes available.

Your Prayers and Happy Thoughts, Please.

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-05-05T20:36:45-05:00

The Judge will be going into a Presbyterian Hospital on Wednesday, for surgery to remove an ovarian cyst.

She's expected to be there there until at least through Friday, possibly Saturday.

Please pray for Dennise, the surgeons and staff, and Maria and me.

More later, after we're home...and probably no other entries for some days...EF

Non-Violent "action" at General Conference

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-05-03T20:39:52-05:00

As I alluded to briefly, earlier this week the General Conference of the United Methodist Church has been meeting in Fort Worth for the past two weeks. I've been there almost every day of those two weeks, primarily supporting a cause near and dear to the heart of many in our church: full inclusion of GLBT persons in our denomination.

Right on Wright

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-04-30T00:37:25-05:00

Tonight, Dennise and Maria were watching TV, and some clips of Rev. Jeremiah Wright came on from his National Press Club appearance last night. Among other things, these were clips where he was again blaming the government for AIDS, and calling American soldiers terrorists.

The following is a mostly verbatim transcription of the conversation that ensued...

Dan Fogelberg Tribute Show This Friday at LLUMC

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-04-29T08:56:39-05:00

A reminder that Connections Band will be in concert this Friday night at Lovers Lane UMC in Dallas.

Here are the details:

The Cell Phone Debacle and What it Should Tell Us

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-04-28T08:43:49-05:00

Over the weekend, news broke of conservative elements within the United Methodist Church attempting to sway votes at the General Conference by providing cell phones to international delegates from Africa and elsewhere.

Consider the Bluebonnets: An Earth Day Meditation

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-04-26T19:30:23-05:00

(Note: as "Earth Week" draws to a close, I offer this edited sermon text from two weeks ago. You can actually hear the slightly modified spoken version by clicking here.)

What Connections Band Did During My Blog Vacation

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-04-25T18:28:03-05:00

Another loss of not having the blog these past few months is not being able to tell you all the incredible stuff happening with Connections Band. Because it's been an absolutely cool couple of months with four great shows.

David LaMotte Gets Spun

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-04-25T09:39:52-05:00

Wanted to blog about this quickly this morning, because it seems to be breaking on the blogs, and it involves an actual friend of mine...

David LaMotte is a truly fine songwriter friend from the great city of Asheville, North Carolina. I was overhearing some audio from the Huffington Post this morning, and thought "that voice sounds familiar."

It was. It was David's.

Basically, he got a "push poll" call from the Clinton campaign. I'll let him explain it:

What I Did on My Blog Vacation

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-04-25T09:09:40-05:00

As you know, my blog's been down and out for three months. But, as you might imagine, that hasn't stopped me from blogging.

How, you say?

Well, the truth is that I've always cross-posted many of my blog entries to other sites, depending upon the content. So, that's what I've been doing quite a bit of these past 90 days.

I'm not going to repost them all here. But I will provide you some links. Actually, some of these entries got a fair amount of comments at other sites, and just reading the dozens and dozens of comments to some of these posts might be worth your while.

OK...It Seemed to Work...

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-04-22T07:32:38-05:00

Shock of shocks, my blog/website update seems to have worked. Without too much disruption (besides a three-month absence) the site is now back in business.

There are still a couple of unresolved issues:

One issue is that the comments are all screwed up. For reasons beyond my understanding, the comments are not posting to the correct blog entry. In most cases, they seem to be about two entries behind where they should be. This is the one single issue I worked hardest to resolve these past few months, to absolutely no avail. I would have had this site back up two months ago if I could've resolved this issue quickly. But I've given up.

So the truth may be this: any comments for entries prior to this one may be hopelessly screwed up, and there may be no way to ever fix them. Sorry for that.

Also, the picture pages are still messed up. The pic pages are dependent upon iPhoto, and I have yet to repopulate my iPhoto library. The pics are all there, in a folder on the new backup hard drive, but they are totally unsorted and unnamed...and sorting them's gonna take a lot more time. So, please be patient while we work to recreate this section of the website.

Finally, I noticed recently that the blog does not render correctly for people using the Windoze version of Internet Explorer. The margins are all screwed up, and I can't figure out why. If anybody knows the answer to this mystery, please let me know. The pages render just fine using Safari or Firefox...or using any program on a Mac. (Surprised?)

I wouldn't worry about this, but for the sheer number of potential readers out there using IE. So, I am sensitive to this issue and working to resolve it. But if you are inspired, it might be good time to switch to Firefox.

;)

More later...

(Tap, tap....testing, testing...one, two three...) Miss Me?

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-04-22T00:40:20-05:00

If everything goes according to plan (and it seldom does...) you're reading the first new blog entry from my in about three months.

What I Always Believed About Saddam

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-01-29T23:59:44-06:00

In the context of early 2008 --with the "Surge" apparently reducing violence in Iraq, with the US Economy in the tank, and with everybody fixated on the presidential primaries as a way to take our minds off the past seven years --it may well be that nobody wants to hear any additional analysis of the war, its causes, or its justifications.

I understand that. But call me crazy, I still believe in that seemingly trite expression: "those who fail to understand the past are doomed to repeat it." And until we can come to terms with this war in brutal honesty, we risk making the same mistakes somewhere down the line.

One of the "lessons" I fear we are accepting about Sadaam Hussein is this: That he was simply a crazy evil dictator, hell-bent on destroying his country and bringing down the wrath of America.

Missing the Mark on MLK Day

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-01-25T10:23:57-06:00

If you put together a list of the five people in Dallas who do the most to help the poor, Larry James would surely be on that list. Larry's been a friend for over fifteen years now, and I have been and admirer of his for all of that time. He began ministry as a suburban pastor, but years ago made the bold move back to the heart of the city to help those most in need.

Larry is President and CEO of Central Dallas Ministries, and is one of those rare human beings who doesn't just talk about the poor, he lives his life with the poor...serving them...worshipping with them...challenging those of us who are more affluent to get off our rears and do something to change the world. He is something of an "Amos" to Dallas' suburban churches. (He also has a fantastic blog that everyone should read...)

Today's DMN has a commentary by Larry, about the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. The essay is titled:

Missing the mark on MLK Day
Focusing on volunteering diminishes significance of his life

Why You Never Need to Leave Texas

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-01-23T15:46:59-06:00

Haven't done a "Things to Like About Texas" entry in quite a while. My friends/family in Atlanta added that fair burg to this list. And I added several more to the international category. They've got an asterisks by them.
(Did I mention that I always loved geography?)

If you think of you own, email or comment, and I'll post them too.

More on Military Deaths

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-01-22T16:47:04-06:00

A little more on this blog from Sunday...

Kim emailed yesterday to ask a good question:

"What are the leading causes of death for each of these years/eras? Is there any data on this?"

Don't know why I didn't stop to ask that question myself. On Sunday, I was in such a hurry to get the blog posted, so shocked by the blatantly incorrect data, that I didn't delve into this slightly deeper question. But it's a good one.

And, turns out, the same report provides the answers...for those willing to look it up.

Military Losses for 20 Years....I play at being Snopes.com

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-01-20T19:43:57-06:00

I've written about chain/spam emails before. I've written about Snopes.com before.

These days I assume everyone knows about both, and that anybody who really wants to be well informed will check stuff out on their own.

But every now and then, an email comes my way that is so wrong, and so un-refuted, that I feel compelled to respond. That happened today, and this blog my reaction. Consider this entry your own personal Snopes.com for the day.

The "issue" is an email I got this morning titled:

"Military Losses for 20 Years"

It was forwarded to me by a cousin of mine who I respect a great deal. No beef with him, in other words. Just a beef with whoever started this insidious chain message.

So that you can truly be informed, I have included the entire email at the end of this blog entry, so you can see the original context for yourself.

What Happened to the Dallas Cowboys?!!!

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-01-14T08:39:55-06:00

The bitter P1 is back again. Heck, everybody's bitter today. And since I already started last night, why not pile on?

Like I said two days ago, I am sure somebody's going to make the obvious comparison to the Mavericks of last season...chewing through the NBA regular season like they were playing high school teams...then choking against a low seed in the playoffs.

In their case, everybody piles on Dirk and makes the claim he's not a tough-enough leader. And I am sure that people will do that with Romo too...the Jessica Simpson thing...the fumble last year.

Um...one caveat...

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-01-13T20:35:30-06:00

When I talked about the game yesterday, I should have noted that there was one additional caveat to my prediction...

That if Tony Romo throws the ball to his wide recievers, THEY HAVE TO CATCH IT!!!!

( Yes, I know I'm shouting...)

Connections in 08...Whoa, Mexico...The Most Pathetic Story Ever....more on Dan....and more prayer needed.

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-01-12T22:20:41-06:00

Within the week, we should be announcing a whole slew of Connections Band shows for the first half of 2008. Rusty and I have been meeting, our clergy core group has been meeting, we've been polling the whole band, and talking with potential venues. I can tell you that the plans include the Chicago/Eagles show several times, along with the JT/Carole King show. The wildcard has been trying to fit in a Fogelberg Tribute show...but it looks like we've got that worked too...just may be later into the Spring than those of you reading might hope.

Soon, we should also have a new band website, and lots more info Keep a close eye out...

The Holy Family: A Meditation

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2008-01-05T17:16:48-06:00

A quick trip to Starbucks this morning reminded me that --for all most of the world knows-- the Christmas season is over. They've taken down most of their holiday displays. "Christmas Blend" is in the sale rack.

Know what's funny, though? Technically, we're still in the Christmas season. Yes, despite what you've been told, the Christmas season does not begin the day after Thanksgiving and end December 26th. That's the Corporate Christmas. If you're a fan of big corporations and conspicuous consumption, this is the season for you. (I've actually seen decorations in stores on my birthday: September 21st, the Fall Equinox!!!)

The actual Christmas season --at least the way it was originally celebrated-- ran through January 6th; a day known as "Epiphany." That's the day dedicated to celebrating the coming of the Wise Men. The days between Christmas Day and Epiphany are precisely twelve in number.

Yep. That's where the song comes from. (Didn't you always wonder?)

Eric's Top 25 iPod Songs for 2007

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-12-28T13:52:24-06:00

It's the last week of the year, that means that it's "End of the Year List" time.

As per with last year, there's just one I'll offer you. It's the list of songs below which --for whatever it's worth-- ended up as the most played songs on my iPod this year. I know this, because I intentionally reset the song count on my iTunes somewhere during the first week of last January.

It's a fun exercise, actually. I highly recommend giving it a shot. Because it gives you a little musical snapshot of your year...the things that were happening...what you were going through.

In the case of these songs, there are only two or three that ever got any airplay as "hits." (What does that say about me?!) You will also note that although this is advertised as a "Top 25," there are not twenty-five entries. Apparently, this is because iTunes will not include songs that are not also for sale at their store. Which is really just as well...since the most of the excluded ones are demos of my own songs and only got lots of plays just because I was listening for ways to improve them.

So, without further delay:

Christmas Lists: A Meditation

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-12-25T00:06:06-06:00

It's hard to tell just where we are with Santa this year. Maria and her parents are doing something of a "Don't Ask Don't Tell" dance with each other around all the major issues.

But she did go to see him Saturday:

More on Dan...Otis Redding at Stax....Connor's Army....Going Greet at Church...And Miss Maria Mis-hears the News...

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-12-22T11:00:06-06:00

Some quick hits...

Follow Up on Fogelberg

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-12-19T23:18:46-06:00

"Death is there to keep us honest,
and contantly remind us we are free."
--Dan Fogelberg

I'm feeling a mixture of sadness and embarrassment. It all has to do with what I blogged about Sunday night: the death of Dan Fogelberg.

Maria at Gymnastics Meet, Spring 2007

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-12-19T08:20:18-06:00

Maria at her gymnastics meet on April 21, 2007.

This is video of her bar and floor routine:

Columbus Discovery

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-12-18T08:15:32-06:00

Columbus Discovery:

"An artist, musician, writer, cultural figure who Eric stumbles on as if he's the first person to ever know about them.

Like Columbus, he's usually thrilled to have "discovered" this new and creative talent. Like Columbus, he usually later realizes that many of these people have been known for years --thank you very much-- and are only "new" to him.

Given how many times this has happened, Eric no longer assumes anything, and simply generically calls these moments "Columbus Discoveries," confessing ahead of time that, while they are new to him, he might just be the last clueless person to learn about them."

Goodbye to Dan Fogelberg

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-12-16T21:02:46-06:00

I have just heard the news about Dan's death earlier today, and am still very much at a loss for words. I wrote this entry about Dan about two years ago. I probably don't have a lot more to say today about Dan beyond than this tribute to him, and I hope you'll consider giving it a read tonight.

Merry Christmas from Eric, Maria and Dennise

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-12-16T06:37:00-06:00

Our online Christmas card:

Grocery Store- The Extended Dance Mix

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-12-15T16:32:56-06:00

A few days back, I posted this. What follows is a slightly longer version, stitched together....just because I think it's so cute:

The Balance of a Gymnast

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-12-15T16:07:34-06:00

Here is Maria at a recent Y Princess Campout, showing no fear on the challenge course, and showing a balance that comes from her gymnast training:

Our California Road Trip: Spring Break 2007

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-12-15T15:22:23-06:00

For months now, I've been wanting to blog about our Spring Break trip to California. I did manage to write about this part of the trip. But not the whole thing.

Today, I made a video of our pictures, and I've decided it pretty much tells the story better than I could.

Here you go:

Walking With My Feet Ten Feet Off of Beale

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-12-15T11:07:27-06:00

"Put on my blue suede shoes
And I boarded the plane
Touched down in the land of the Delta Blues
In the middle of the pouring rain"

Got the chance to go to Memphis a while back, and I've been wanting to blog about it since. I'd been through Memphis many times, on the way to Kentucky to visit the grandparents. But I don't believe we ever stopped on any of those trips. I knew Memphis was the home of the blues. I knew MLK was shot there. I knew Graceland was there too. But that's about it. What I didn't realize ahead of time is what an incredibly cool, and very historical, town it is. In Memphis, you can learn a lot about the last hundred years of our country's domestic history, and you can learn just about everything you need to know about our musical history in any age.

A Ghost of Christmas Past

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-12-07T21:36:15-06:00

Wasn't I cute?

Maria's Grocerystore Birthday Dance

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-12-07T17:39:01-06:00

We gave Maria one of those cool new iPod Nanos for her birthday in September. I spent a couple of days loading it up with all her favorite Hannah Montana, and High School musical songs.

When you're ten, birthdays are still a big deal. You remember, don't you? Remember thinking it was probably the most special day of the year.

So, on Maria's birthday, we were shopping at Albertson's, and she had on the new iPod. What she didn't know is that I had my Treo, and I was taking movies.

:)

Here's just a small portion of Maria's Birthday Grocerystore Dance:

My Immigration Blog Gets Republished

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-12-07T16:20:02-06:00

Dallas Area Progressive Christian Alliance is a small group of dedicated believers who happen to believe that not only can you be liberal/progressive and be a Christian, but that the Gospel perhaps even indicates a kind of progressivism that many do not typically associate with the faith They seek to stand as a counter to the pervasiveness of the "religious right" and offer people an alternative.

You can check out their website here.

Back in April of 2006, I preached a sermon on the morning of the "MegaMarch." The DAPCA is currently unpacking the issue of immigration, and they have republished this sermon on their website. You can read it here.

Hawks, A Not-Too-Swift Bet, and the Fleeting Nature of Celebrity

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-11-16T21:39:55-06:00

Some quickies.

What I Love About College Football

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-11-14T08:16:13-06:00

What a bizarre season for college football.

Seems like nobody but Kansas has a chance at being undefeated. How strange is that? Two "number ones" have lost, about six or seven "number twos" have lost, and I'm not even sure anybody knows how many "top tens" have gone down. How strange is that?!!

On any given Saturday, it's at least theoretically possible that the best team in the land might lose to somebody nobody's heard of. (Can anybody say "South Florida?")

That's one thing I love about college football.

Greenberg Redux, Iconoclasts, Big O' Hybrids, and 30 Days every week

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-11-12T07:39:38-06:00

Nothing but quickies.

No Show Saturday

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-11-08T07:01:14-06:00

Just a quick reminder....

Although it's been on my schedule for some time, I will not be a part of the "Tredway and Friends" showcase on Saturday. I found out a few weeks back that this is also the same weekend as a campout with my daughter and our Y Princess group...and I'm gonna go camping with her.

So, if you were coming just to see me, don't.

However, there will be a lot of other great songwriters performing that night, and it will be worth you while to go see them anyway.

A JackO-Lantern's Heart

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-10-31T20:52:11-05:00

To the best of my knowledge, Peter Mayer holds the distinction of having written the world's only Halloween folk song. You may not have heard it, but it's really pretty popular in the acoustic music world. And when I Googled it, I even discovered a sculpture inspired by it.

I hope you will not only enjoy these lyrics but also support Peter by buying his stuff here.

Happy Halloween, everyone...

Glory Be Update...

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-10-30T20:15:29-05:00

An update on this.

I am pleased to tell you that my friend, Kathleen Baskin-Ball has received good news from her doctors. The cancer they described as so grave and life-threatening is now in complete remission.

It's one of those recoveries that everyone uses the word "miraculous" to describe. I'm just so pleased to hear the news.

Couldn't happen to a nicer person. And I'm now saying prayers of thanks.

The World Series, MySpace Music, Tex-Mex Food, and Marie Osmond

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-10-26T10:09:16-05:00

Quick thoughts...

The Newest Super Cool Website Thingy...

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-10-22T21:04:16-05:00

I am so far behind on blogging I'll probably never catch up.

Wanted to write about the great JT/Carole King show. Wanted to write about playing with Rick Saturday night. Wanted to write about the clergy retreat show. Wanted to write about Memphis (probably still will...). Wanted to write about the FeastFest show. Wanted to write about getting an email from Robert Lamm (kid you not...).
Wanted to write some other things that completely escaped me now.

It's all too much to think about. So, for the moment I'll just write about the coolest new website gadget I've found this month...

Back to Dunn Bros

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-10-19T10:09:14-05:00

Wanted to let you know about a last minute gig that I picked up this week. I will be playing at Dunn Bros. Coffee in Addison:

James Taylor

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-09-22T22:23:02-05:00

It's probably the epitome of cliche for me to tell you I'm a James Taylor fan. Even more than other musicians I've written about before, just about every guy my age who ever picked up an acoustic guitar has publicly pledged his troth to the music of James Taylor. So, yeah, it's probably not hip to say this. And, yeah, it's probably cliche.

Know what? I could care less.

Do you remember, the 21st night of September?

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-09-21T09:23:09-05:00

"Do you remember the 21st night of september?
Love was changing the minds of pretenders
While chasing the clouds away"

Today is my birthday. And in a deeply personal way, it's always been awesome to have a birthday associated with such a bitchingly cool "Earth, Wind, and Fire" song. Especially one that I remember from my own past, as a great dance track in my high school days. When I DJed dances, back in the day, we'd pretty much play all of EWT's Greatest Hits, and September was among everyone's favorites.

But, for me, late September has always been a magical time for many other birthday reasons. For, you see, next week is my Mom's birthday (September 29th). And so it was always cool to not only have a birthday remembered in an EWT song, but also one close to Mom's too.

That would be cool enough. But, turns out, last Saturday, September 15th, was my daughter's birthday...her tenth.

Carole King/James Taylor Show Reminder

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-09-20T22:31:14-05:00

Hey Everybody:

We had a serious blast at the Northaven Coffeehouse last Friday night. A nice crowd saw a great show with me, my friends Rick O'Connor and Jack Kennedy, and Richard Newton sitting in.

And on the heels of that.... a quick reminder about the show Saturday night:

Perspective

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-09-17T23:29:38-05:00

Perspective...

September Music News (07)

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-09-07T23:20:07-05:00

Several fun things going on musically this month...

Oh, the Places I've Been

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-09-04T07:03:04-05:00

Pretty cool little map...

Watch the World Go By. Literally.

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-09-03T16:28:53-05:00

File this under: "Cool Things You Can Find on the Web"

The clock/counter below comes from this guy.

American People's Poll on Iraq

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-09-01T00:04:05-05:00

Later today, I will be a part of a large peace rally planned for downtown Fort Worth. It's called "The American People's Poll on Iraq," and is set to be an all day festival featuring music and speakers. I just looked on their website, and it seems Cindy Sheehan may be there, along with other Camp Casey alumns.

This Could be the Beginning of a Beautiful Friendship

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-08-19T23:30:56-05:00

A few hours ago, I returned from the first ever Mt. Sequoyah Songwriter's Retreat in Fayetteville. You may remember, I wrote about this event here. And I've written extensively about Sequoyah several times.

It was a great event and, as I said before, it was an honor to be a part of the planning. My love for songwriting and my love for that special place really came together in an incredible way that I can hardly believe. I'm still pinching myself.

Connections Clips and Pics

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-08-03T23:14:34-05:00

None of stuff below is actually new...

In fact, it comes from Connections Band shows from the past year or two. I've finally got around to putting up some soundclips from the shows. There are three from Chicago, two from the Eagles, and one from Fogelberg. All of them end up here because they're songs that feature me singing lead/and/or playing guitar. (I hope to have some additional Fogelberg cuts up eventually....)

The Good Samaritan

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-07-27T17:23:29-05:00

(The following is an edited version of a sermon givin at Northaven Church on July 15th)

Data Errata

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-07-25T08:02:38-05:00

I am proud to say that I made a mistake in this entry from a week ago.

Well, technically, it wasn't really a mistake. It was just information I didn't know yet. What I didn't know when I wrote you was that there was an anonymous donor at the Walnut Hill show. He/she (they're anonymous...) chose to double the total amount we raised that night for the Nothing But Nets campaign.

That means that we actually raised $3,668.00!!!

Digital Download Data

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-07-20T07:48:18-05:00

The other day I compiled some data on online digital downloads of my first CD. (I did this last year too...just updating...) This is data from companies that are actually selling my music online right now. I thought you might be interested to see which songs were most popular.

I was actually a bit surprised how it came out. I would have never guessed the top two were actually the top two. And "Mom Went Bungie Jumping" appears to be the leader by a mile. Take a look for yoursel

"Connecting" to Nothing But Nets (thanks, Walnut Hill!)

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-07-18T17:44:19-05:00

Connections played another show this past Sunday night. We were at Walnut Hill UMC, as a part of their summer Sunday night series. About 150 folks showed up and it turned out to be yet another great show.

The band's played enough together now that we had a certain...uh...connection with each other that night. It was a fun night.

Style vs. Substance

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-07-13T11:38:26-05:00

For years, we Americans have enjoyed a love-hate relationship with our television news anchors. We trust them to frame the issues of the day and present us with a snapshot of the world as it is. (Or, at least, the world as they see it...)

We turn to them again and again in moments of crisis, for information, comfort, and a communal connection with others. In fact, in times of crisis you could argue that TV news anchors draw millions of us together in a way that no other media source --no one else anywhere, really-- can.

Just So We're Clear...

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-07-13T07:58:23-05:00

There is a guy who, in the coming weeks, will break one of baseball's most hallowed records. I wrote about him before in a blog entry you can still find here.

The closer we get to the date he will break that record, the less I am paying attention. I am turning off media reports that mention his name. (Note how I haven't mentioned it here...) Truthfully, I'm really not paying attention to baseball news at all right now, and part of it is precisely because I don't want to hear one word about this guy.

I don't want to know how close he is to the record right now (I am pleased to say that at this moment, I really do not know...) and I hope to not hear about it on the day he "breaks" it.

As I wrote before, he doesn't deserve the honor, the attention, or the accolades. I felt that when I wrote before, and nothing has changed about my feelings since.

Sequoyah Unplugged: A Songwriter Retreat, August 17-19

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-07-10T23:26:14-05:00

This announcement is mainly for my songwriting/ performing friends on this list. Feel free to pass this along to anyone who might be interested....

I'm honored to be a part of what we hope will become an annual event at the Mount Sequoyah Retreat Center in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The event is called "Sequoyah Unplugged: A Singer-Songwriter Retreat." It's scheduled for August 17-18.

High School Heroes

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-06-26T07:16:40-05:00

There is virtually no higher honor for a high school student than meeting the President of the United States. Only a select few kids ever get the chance. And, usually, it's a high school hero of some distinction: National Spelling Bee Winner, High School Football Champions, Boy Scout Troops.

Yesterday afternoon, it was a group of Presidential Scholars. The President had invited them to the White House to congratulate them on their award, and to use the occasion to reauthorize the "No Child Left Behind" act.

Connor's Army

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-06-23T10:28:22-05:00

Gene Conner is another of my great old friends. I met him at SMU, in the residence halls. He was part of my all-star-RA-staff the last year I was in seminary. In college, Gene was a dance major. He was great dancer. I still remember the afternoon Gene was part of a brownbag series over at the Meadows School. Many of us from that tight RA staff went over to watch him dance to the Indigo Girl's "Blood and Fire." That that CD was something of a soundtrack for that last year of our lives in school. (for many of us...)

Brand New, Super Cool, Email Blog Thingy...

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-06-20T18:18:49-05:00

Every so often, as I'm doing routine blog maintenance, I stumble on a cool new feature that would be great to have.

That happened again recently. And so today I am pleased to announce the latest brand-new, super cool, blog feature: Blog entries via email.

That's right.

Let's say you want to keep up with "When EF Talks," but you just can't seem to remember to check back here as often as you'd like. Then, when you finally do, you feel like you've missed something.

Father's Day

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-06-17T17:27:50-05:00

Don't think I can really do much better today than to refer you to what I wrote two-years-ago.

Happy Father's Day, everyone.

The Dixie Chicks

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-06-01T11:35:24-05:00

"I've been a long time gone now
Maybe someday, someday I'm gonna settle down
But I've always found my way somehow
By taking the long way
Taking the long way around"

I realize that not everyone is going to agree with this one. But I also realize that for those whom this blog category was created in the first place, this could be a good choice. So, bear with me...

This blog category, of course, is intended for people who don't like Texas. Or maybe even hate Texas. And especially during these past six years, I keep meeting more and more of these folks.

Well, dear Texas-hating friends, please remember that the Dixie Chicks are from Texas. In fact, better than that, remember that they started out right here in Dallas.

May 29

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-05-29T23:45:33-05:00

Like most dates on the yearly calendar, if you look back through history at May 29 you find a lot of interesting things happened.

Kerrville 2007

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-05-28T21:43:08-05:00

Earlier this weekend, I wrote about how I'm going to miss Kerrville this year, for the first time in many years. I also wrote about how, in other years, I've written an extensive blog about the Kerrville experience.

Well, it hit me that while I can't write my own blog this year, I can share with you the thoughts of others, via emails folks send to the famous "Kerrchat" email list. Brian the Breadman often does this on his great site, "It Can Be This Way Always." And I'm certainly not trying to take anything away from that. But I'm here, I'm feeling disconnected, and feeling the need to do something. And, what I do best is to turn each entry into a linkapolooza...a plethora of links, straight to these artists, in case you need to discover some great new music.

Out of Place

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-05-25T10:46:42-05:00

I feel out of place today, even though I'm at home.

That's because for most of the last ten years --mostly during this same weekend-- I would not be at home.

I would be at the Kerrville Folk Festival.

Glad for Jerry, Sad for Dallas

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-05-27T20:33:14-05:00

As news of the Cowboy's winning bid for the 2011 Super Bowl filtered out this week, I can't help but feel happy for Jerry Jones, and sad for my city. And I find myself having totally flip-flopped in my view of both Jerry Jones and the new stadium.

You gotta give Jerry Jones some credit these days. The man works hard and clearly loves his team. Concerning the stadium deal, Jerry Jones just did what any person in business would do: he made the best deal he could for his team.

I used to hate this guy. I can remember when he bought the team how little respect I --and just about everyone else in this town-- gave him.

But, he's shown --through the way he spends on players, and the funds he's shelling out of this new new facility-- that he really does want to win. You gotta give the guy some props.

The First Mother's Day

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-05-13T14:37:47-05:00

Hope you're having a good Mother's Day today.

Did you know, however, that the very first Mother's Day in America was not a day for flowers or Hallmark Cards? It was not a day of champagne brunches and long distance phone calls.

The very first Mother's Day in America was visioned as a day for Mother's to call for an end to war. The first Mother's Day was an anti-war protest.

What about This General?

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-05-10T07:38:32-05:00

The President listens to the troops...the men and women on the ground?

Yes, it's a question. And the longer the war goes, the more I wonder about it

For example, how about these?

Is that ad too connected with Wesley Clark to be convincing? Still doesn't include someone "on the ground" from Iraq?

OK, then. What about this General?

I'm no Army expert, but reading his title in the ad, I'm pretty sure that this was a guy with his boots on the ground.

Still too partisan?

OK, then. What about the 11 Republican members of congress who visited the President yesterday? Among other things, they apparently said this:

"Participants in Tuesday's White House meeting said frustration about the Iraqi government's efforts dominated the conversation, with one pleading with the president to stop the Iraqi parliament from going on vacation while "our sons and daughters spill their blood." The House members pressed Bush and Gates hard for a "Plan B" if the current troop increase fails to quell the violence and push along political reconciliation."

"...Others warned Bush that his personal credibility on the war is all but gone."

So, if he's not listening to these troops, these generals, or these Republican members of congress, who is he listening to?

Sheron Patterson

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-05-08T22:52:28-05:00

Incredibly, another clergy friend has cancer. This time, it's my old friend, Sheron Patterson. Sheron is probably known to some of you. She occasionally writes op-eds for the Morning News, and appears in other media settings. So, if you think you recognize her, you probably do.
Sometime after my friend Kathleen Baskin announced her cancer, Sheron also went public with her breast cancer diagnosis too. I was watching the news just night to discover that she had surgery just today. I knew she had cancer. What I didn't know until I watched the news just a couple of minutes ago was that her surgery was today.

Not Robbed This Time

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-05-04T15:34:30-05:00

A year ago on this blog, I started something of a mini-internet sensation with my allegation that the Dallas Mavericks were robbed of the NBA Championship by sorry officiating and the Oscar-worthy acting skills of Dwyane Wayde. You can read the original post here.

An amazing number of people still stumble on that blog post each month, even a year later now. That amazes me. An occasional visitor will still even leave an angry comment. That amazes me even more. And concerns me a little. Because I moved on a long time ago. I left my anger and "bitterness" behind. I embraced the possibility of a bright future.

Dan Fogelberg Tribute Show at Custer Road

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-04-18T07:28:55-05:00

Connections Band has another show coming up and I wanted to be sure you knew about it. We're going to do our great Tribute to Dan Fogelberg Show again. Here are the details:

When There Are No Answers

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-04-17T08:07:11-05:00

Sometimes, when a horrible tragedy happens, there are simply no good answers. Or, if there are, it takes weeks --if not months-- for them to emerge.

This morning, I am thinking, of course, of the shocking events at Virginia Tech yesterday. And it strikes me that the one thing we know is that we don't know very much.

But despite all we don't know, as usual, there has been an immediate rush-to-judgment; especially by the media.

When things like this happen, there is a natural human reaction to want to regain control, and to regain it immediately. Each one of us has our own natural responses that help us feel as if we have regained control again. Each of us has a natural desire to do something to be helpful

Current Favorite iPod Songs

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-04-13T08:30:38-05:00

File this under, "Why didn't I think of this years ago?!"

I have created an "iMix" of my current favorite iPod songs. These are the songs that are getting the most ear-play on my own iPod.

You can find it here.

I've also added this link to the navigational window to your right, so that you can find it in the future too. Because I will update the songs list every-so-often, as the mood strikes.

Enjoy

Kathleen Baskin-Ball

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-04-12T07:17:54-05:00

Kathleen Baskin-Ball has cancer. She's been fighting cancer for several months, and I have a good idea she's going to beat it.

There is a benefit concert for her coming up on April 22, and I wanted you all to know about it.

A Conversation About Art and Soul

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-04-02T07:34:50-05:00

A while back, I wrote you about a great new podcast here in our area, called Art and Soul of North Texas. I'm writing you about it again today because I was the featured artist for March. Because of our vacation, we didn't get the interview done until late in the month, and I wanted to have this notice displayed on the April page of this blog, so it would get more visibility for a longer time. So, I waited until today to mention it to you...

Annie Benjamin

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-03-28T07:39:20-05:00

Annie Benjamin is probably my oldest musician friend.* I met Annie years ago, when she had just moved back to Dallas from New York, and when I had just begun having the courage to play songs in front of anyone.

My New Baby: A Santa Cruz Guitar, OMPW

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-03-23T20:09:53-05:00

I was born in California. In the LA area. But I don't remember much about it, since my folks moved back to Texas (where they were really from anyway) just a few months later. A few years after that, they moved back to LA for several additional months, and I have vague recollections of Disneyland and apartment buildings from that stay. But it's all very misty in the mind's haze.

I mention this because the one thing that's certain is that when I was just months old, my parents brought the baby-me back to Texas by car. I know this because I have heard the stories of the cross-country sojourn. They drove me back all those 1400 miles to Dallas, where I've lived out the vast majority of my life since.

Last week, our family went on our first vacation in two-and-a-half years. (Specifically, it was back in May of 2004 when Dennise, Maria and me last went anywhere together). Two elections, a new church building, a short-staff last summer, and a host of other really "important" things kept us from going anywhere whenever the chance would come.

But last week, we sensed we had the first real opening for a holiday with all of us together in those two-and-a-half years. And so we took it. We took a Spring Break trip to California.

I should warn you that I do intend to write a long, detailed, and potentially monotonous, travelogue-blog about the whole journey. (It was a wonderful trip) But there's one minor plot twist I just have to share now.

The twist is that while on vacation I got a new guitar.

Sweet Sixteen

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-03-08T07:21:55-06:00

There's lots of time left in the season, but it's still nice to pause and consider what these Dallas Mavericks have accomplished so far. Charles and Mary invited us to the game Tuesday night, which we knew going in could be history-making in one respect. But we didn't know at the time just how history making the night would end up being.

Bragging on Dennise (Again)

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-03-01T07:27:08-06:00

As I mentioned two weeks ago, I have yet another reason to brag about Dennise.

Tonight at SMU, Dennise will receive the SMU Women’s Symposium "Profiles in Leadership Award." The Profiles in Leadership Award "recognizes Dallas women who exemplify the purpose of the Women’s Symposium, which is to educate women for social and political leadership."

$4,000

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-02-28T18:03:02-06:00

Thanks to all who came out to Friday's show, sponsored by HPUMC's Cornerstone Community. Once again, Connections Band had a great night. Our tribute to the Eagles and Chicago was another marvelous success. About 200 folks came out on a windy and rainy night to hear the great music.

Each band member got numerous kind and generous comments about the show, and that's always gratifying. The only bad news? HPUMC's video system seems to have crashed, and the "tape" of the show is probably lost. However, they are supposed to have some audio recordings that they'll try and get to us in a week or so. Stay tuned.

Eagles/Chicago Show Reminder: This Friday

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-02-22T01:56:08-06:00

One final reminder about this show.

It should be a good one. The full horn section has been practicing this past week, and I hear they're sound great.

As you know, we've done this show twice before, and we've gotten great response both times.
And so, I am not surprised to see this.

Key differences between us and them?

Valentines Day in the 303rd

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-02-16T00:23:15-06:00

Now and then, I get the great honor of bragging about my wife. (I'll do it again in about two weeks...)

This time, it's a DMN story set to run in this morning's edition (Feb 15) . A reporter and photog followed Dennise and her staff around for the day, working the angle of what Valentine's Day is like in the "divorce court." It's a nice idea, and nicely written. And you can read it here.

Eagles/Chicago Tribute Show. Feb. 23 7 pm

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-02-12T08:00:01-06:00

Your favorite tribute band is back again.

The band formerly known as "Living Legacy Band" is now known as "Connections." (It's a long story...) And we'll be playing our Eagles/Chicago Tribute Show at the end of the February. Here are the details:

The WOW Starts with Apple

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-02-02T16:56:36-06:00

Early on, I drank deeply from the Apple Koolaid. I've been a Mac guy ever since.
Unabashedly.
Unapologeticly.
Unrepentantly.
Unwaveringly.

When I was younger, I used to get into long debates, and enjoyed the tit for tat fight of "Mac vs. PC." But as I got older, I tired of that. I no longer debate with PC-lovers, because I am absolutely certain there's nothing they can do to change my mind, and equally sure there's nothing I can do to change theirs.
In fact, I have come to believe that your choice of computer is a bit like your choice of religion, and that debating someone about it is usually just as pointless. I happen to believe my religion is the best one, at least for me. I also happen to believe my computer is the best one too. I am sure your situation is similar. That doesn't prevent me from waxing eloquently about both, though. I've just come to realize that getting defensive about either is a little pointless.

Two seminal events happen back in January in the separate universes of Mac and PC:
About two weeks ago, Apple announced the long awaited, and much coveted, "iPhone."
Last week, Microsoft unveiled "Vista," its new operating system.

Both are touchtone events in the lives of both companies. But, I believe that long after Vista is forgotten we'll recall the iPhone announcement as something that truly changed an industry.

Snow!

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-02-01T20:53:36-06:00

It wasn't a lot of snow.
It didn't even cover the ground because of all the rain that preceded it and the mild temperatures of the days before.

But it snowed here today. It snowed for an hour and a half where we were. Big, wet flakes that vanished when they hit the ground, but that calmed and silenced the air in that way only falling snow can.

After school, Maria decided to catch some snowflakes on her tounge, and I was quick enough to remember the camera on my new Treo 700p:

Lisa Markley CD Release

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-01-25T07:58:54-06:00

This is last minute notice, but a very old friend of mine is having her CD Release party this evening. List Markley's new CD "The Sky is Blue and Sometimes Cries" will be featured at a great show tonight at Sons of Hermann Hall:

MLK Day 07

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-01-15T11:33:27-06:00

This morning, I am remembering this entry from two years ago today.

I hope you are honoring the holiday. In case you need a reminder of why we celebrate this day, here's one of Dr. King's more famous speeches:

Art and Soul of North Texas

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-01-12T08:22:54-06:00

Pasted Graphic 2

For those of us interested in the connection between art and spirituality (and, actually, I hope that is most of us...) there's a new local podcast out there that you need to check out.

It's called "Art and Soul of North Texas," and it's created by my friend Shelly Niebuhr. Shelly is a wonderful artist herself --a musician and painter-- and you may know her as half of the duo "ClarySage."

The website says that "Art and Soul of North Texas" is: "Inspiring conversations with ordinary people creating extraordinary art."
Each podcast is an extended interview with a local musician/artist about their art, and about the way that spirit and art collide. Here's some of what Sherry says about the podcast on her site:

Humiliation Theory and Terrorism

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2007-01-04T07:21:00-06:00

While surfing the Morning News Views blog this week, I stumbled on a fascinating link, posted by Keven Ann Willey. The article is from a publication called "Democracy: A Journal of Ideas," and the title is "A Matter of Pride: Why We Can't Buy Off the Next Osama bin Laden.

It seems to me that the insights of this essay are quite good. So, I wanted to blog about it here because my sincere hope is that ideas like this might be more seriously discussed in the mainstream. The more blogs that pick it up, the more it might actually get out there and get discussed in the real world.

A Brighter Day: Hopes for 2007

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2006-12-31T22:23:45-06:00

Thanks to Kevin So.

Time's Person of the Year: Congrats to YOU (And Me)

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2006-12-23T22:16:49-06:00

Seriously. We won.

Top iPod/iTunes Songs: 2006

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2006-12-21T19:41:00-06:00

As if you're interested...

Disclaimer

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2006-07-29T20:11:00-05:00

It goes without saying (of course, if it really did, I would not be writing this) but....

The thoughts, opinions, ideas, stories, rants, meditations, information written anywhere on this this blog are totally and completely my own, and do not reflect the views of any church, denomination, political party, elected official, close friend, relative, musical group, sports team, city, state, county, nation, artist or musician friend, other blogger, or anybody else you can think of.

They're my thoughts, written as the human being that --first and foremost, and before anything else-- I am.

Two Christmas Songs for You

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2006-12-09T18:39:48-06:00

Since the holidays are upon us, I thought I'd break out a couple of holiday songs. The links below lead to mp3s of two demos I recorded a couple years back. Each you about this time, I remember that I always intend to do a holiday CD, but that it's too late again this year. (Truthfully, before that, it would be nice just to finish the second regular CD, huh?)

Anyway, since they're laying around, mostly finished as demos, and waiting to be shared, consider these little Christmas gifts to you. Just click on the song titles below and it should pop up a new window and the mp3:

The first song, "Come Home," was written by my very good friend, Bill Nash. Bill, as I have said many times, is one of the finest human beings on the planet. And it is always a pleasure to get to play with him anytime and anywhere, although it doesn't happen nearly enough these days.
Bill wrote this Christmas song while visiting his folks in Colorado. The way he tells it, the whole song took just a couple of hours, and simply poured out of him. Those of us who know Bill love his own very fine version of the song, and we love to sing along the background vocals with him. It's always a highlight of his shows, and there's no question it's one of his best --and best loved-- songs.
So, with gratitude to Bill for allowing me to mess with what was already a fine work, I've added my own touches. It's a great song that evokes the best feelings of the holiday season.

The second song, "Not So Silent Night Hometown," is one of mine. I wrote it some years ago when we were living in a rent house in East Dallas. It was partially inspired by the roughness of that neighborhood, and partially by the story of a young boy named Travis Butler that was in the news that year. Just before the holidays, Travis' mother died. She died right on the floor of their apartment. She had been sick for some time, and everyone knew she would die soon. But when she did, Travis didn't tell a soul.
It seems he was so afraid of being shuffled off into foster care that he made a decision to just keep going to school as if nothing had happened. He fed himself cereal and pizza. When he ran out of food, we went to the store for more. He even cut his own hair. He got himself ready for school each day. And he and tried his best to keep the news away from everyone. He kept his secret for an entire month, until just weeks before Christmas, when family friends finally figured it out.
Something about this story really touched me...something about a little boy who was afraid of getting "lost" in some big system, some big, cold town. That combined with my thinking about how in East Dallas, the homeless shuffle down the streets, the sirens wail long into the evenings, and it's still a rough place to be, even during the holidays.
So, the juxtaposition of that real-world, and the promise of the Christmas story, seemed profound.

If "incarnation" --God coming to earth as a person, the true meaning of Christmas-- means anything, then it's got to mean something on the mean streets too. If God is born into the world, then it's got to be something that happens in the parts of the world that seem "lost" to an outsider's eyes. And it's got to happen in the lives of people that seem lost too.

After all, Jesus was born in a stable, not the Ritz Carleton. So, maybe, despite what we often assume, it happens in those places most of all.

Hope you enjoy the songs, and hope you're having a blessed holiday.

Comments

Greenberg Turkeys

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2006-12-08T09:35:41-06:00

You gotta learn about these....

The Tumped Over Tree: A Christmas Meditation

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2006-12-06T20:59:00-06:00

Here is a Christmas meditation for this year....

Romomentum

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2006-12-05T17:40:43-06:00

Stuff you might not know about Romo...

Blog Trends: November 06

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2006-12-01T07:16:53-06:00

The craziness of the election caused me to neglect my usual summary of the "most-read blogs" these past few month. But as life returns to normal, so does this regular blog feature.

It's gratifying to know that my little blog is being more widely read all the time. Statistics show that, on average, 120-140 people stop by my website each and every day. And a fair number of those visitors head straight to the blog. (To those blog-only readers, I'd remind you: the rest of the website is pretty interesting too. :) )

I was hit by an epiphany the other day. I don't have to just rotely list the blog entries that get the most hits during a month. (Heck, it's my blog, I can do anything I want...) I can instead talk list noticeable trends on the blog. So, that's what I've done here, and that's why I've renamed this entry. What follows, then, are some observations about the blog trends for the month, not just a recitation of the most-visited stories.

Fruit Pies and Pencil Lead: A Thanksgiving Meditation

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2006-11-26T20:15:32-06:00

left">(Adapted from a sermon at Northaven Church, delivered this morning...EF)
Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. We had an incredibly restful one around here. We decided to stay here at home, just the three of us. We still did up the whole turkey/dressing/meal thing. It was wonderfully peaceful. Not that we don't love our families, and not that we didn't have chances to be with them. But a couple of months ago, Maria actually asked us if we could spend Thanksgiving by ourselves this year. This was deep in the middle of the campaign season when --between that, Maria's activities, and regular church stuff-- we were basically meeting each other coming and going. So, we took her small request as a barometer of sorts. After some original plans fell through, we thought, maybe we do just need the time by ourselves. As it turns out, we did. Hope you had a good weekend too.

And since it is still, technically, Thanksgiving Weekend, let me tell you a little story about family worries and fruit pie. For many of us, "family worry and fruit pie" about sums up our Thanksgiving experience.:)

Election Night 2006

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2006-11-22T19:44:01-06:00

On the day after early voting ended, I decided to do a little analysis of the vote, based on a quick and dirty formula I personally devised. You should know that I am not the best "detail" person in the world. I don't do trees very well. But I do forests exquisitely.

So, I took the 20-some early voting locations, and I assigned a specific percentage of the vote to each one of them...a percentage, based on my opinion of how the vote in that early voting location would break down, Republican vs. Democratic. It was a "SWAG." Obviously, for more traditionally Republican areas, the percentages favored the Republicans more. Vice versa for more traditionally Democratic parts of town. For those areas where it's not so clear, I made some additional assumptions. (I'm not going to tell you my exact formula. Would Colonel Sanders tell you the "Original Recipe?")

When I took the early vote count total for all these voting locations, ran it through my little quick-and-dirty formula, then figured the percentage of votes, I determined that the early vote, party-wise, was breaking out something like this:

Why Democrats Won in Dallas County

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2006-11-22T19:42:21-06:00

Many people have already written about the Democrat's win in Dallas County. Here is a very good essay by Ken Molberg that covers much of the same ground that I will here. I think Ken is quite right in almost everything he says.

(UPDATE (12.16.06): The Lone Star Project has now released their own report on these elections in Dallas County. And they have analyzed the actual voting data to an extent that others, including me, have not. They reach many of the same conclusions that I do in this essay, only they've crunched actual numbers from the election. Here's a pdf of their report.)

First off, this: Anyone who says they know definitively why the Democrats won Dallas County, but does not give you multiple reasons for the electoral wins, doesn't know what they're talking about. The roots of this electoral victory are deep and the shifts in Dallas County are complex. In my opinion, many of the old ways of analyzing the vote --where voters come from, who they vote for, and what their politics are-- will not hold in the future. And if you want to understand what did happen November 7th, and what will happen in Dallas County in future elections, you must look to at least three major factors:

Free Speech and Our Elections

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2006-11-22T16:38:40-06:00

The following stories are ones I have waited to share for two years. Each of them happened during the campaign of 2004, when my wife originally ran for judge in Dallas County. I did not share them until now, because in no way did I want to affect (positively or negatively) her election campaign this year. But I now feel somewhat freer to share the following true stories.

Political signs get stolen. It happens. They get taken down. You have to put them back up. It happens a lot. You can't attribute every time a sign goes missing to some malicious intent. But sometimes you can. Each of these stories come from the 2004 campaign:

Why We Should Elect Judges

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2006-11-22T16:36:39-06:00

In the days after the election, everyone from Republican partisans to Steve Blow raised up a clarion call we've heard before:

Why do we elect judges? Isn't there a better way?

Well, in short, there may be a better way to elect judges, but there is not a better way to get judges than through elections. As Churchill once said of democracy: It's not perfect, but it's better than all the other options.

The truth is, there really are only two good options:
1) Elections of some sort.
2) Appointments of some sort.

And while there are flaws to the first method, there are grave problems with the second.

Judge Dennise Garcia Video

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2006-10-23T01:22:25-05:00

Wanted to give you a heads up about the new campaign video from my wife, Judge Dennise Garcia. It's a website video, intended for you to:
1) watch for yourself, and then
2) send off to your friends with a note about Dennise and why they should vote for her.

Click here to watch the video.

Judge Merrill Hartman

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2006-10-20T09:40:24-05:00

In the midst of this election season, it's seems a good time to remember a judge who is retiring, and whose legacy will stay with the Dallas Community for years to come.

The judge is Merrill Hartman, and he is retiring from the bench after being a State District Judge in Dallas County since 1984. Judge Hartman's story intersects with passions of mine (And Dennise's) in many different ways

Rest in Peace, Buck...

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2006-10-19T08:06:00-05:00

For all of those who are regular readers of my blog, you may be worried that I've fallen off the planet or something. Nothing of the sort. But, with the election looming, now eighteen-days-away, things are little hectic around our household.

Every spare moment I have these past few weeks has been devoted to working Dennise's campaign. As such, I've been unable to post on a whole host of delicious news stories:

The death of Ann Richards...
T.O. Owens' "accidental" overdose...
The Mark Foley scandal...
The continuing war in Iraq...
The upcoming World Series...

And probably many other things that I'm forgetting off the top of my head right now.

But the thing I've been most eager to write about, believe it or not, is the death of Buck O'Neil.

New Gigs: Another Tribute Show, and Songwriters in the Round

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2006-09-26T23:43:00-05:00

During the past week, two new gigs have fallen in my lap.

First, I'm pleased to announce that the Living Legacy Band is going on the road. We'll do the "Eagles/Chicago" tribute show again, this time in Coppell at FUMC Coppell.

Here's the scoop on the show:

Yard Signs: We've Got 'Em, and You Need One.

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2006-09-27T23:34:44-05:00

The Re-Elect Judge Dennise Garcia campaign continues to roll along through September. The big push this month for the Judge is to attend a lot of campaign events. The big push for her many volunteers and friends has been to get out the yard signs.

Several of you have told me that you have seen Judge Garcia's large 4x4 signs around town. And, in fact, there are a lot of them around town. In fact, we've sorta lost count, because so many folks are taking them and putting them up themselves. We estimate that there are probably 70-80 throughout Dallas County.

The campaign website is getting requests for regular sized yardsigns almost every single day. In fact, even with all our volunteers, it's getting hard to keep up with the demand.

And so, we've arranged for friends around the city to help out by keeping some on their porch. In fact, you can now pick up a yard sign at one of fifteen convenient locations scattered throughout Dallas County. To find a location near you, click here.

Judge Garcia Gets the Dallas Morning News Endorsement

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2006-09-18T08:38:54-05:00

The buttons are popping off my shirt today, and not because I haven't been exercising.

This morning, the Dallas Morning News has come out with it's editorial endorsements for the Family District Courts in Dallas County. My favorite Judge, Dennise Garcia, gets the nod for her court, the 303rd State District Court.

Every now and then, I brag about her on this blog. But, being married to her, you'd expect that, right?

So, why not take the word of Dallas' leading newspaper instead?

Here's what they said about her:

Eagles/Chicago Tribute Show Update

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2006-09-14T22:55:56-05:00

Well, I broke my promise to you. I promised that I'd keep you updated on the Eagles/Chicago Tribute Show. The show is just two days away, and so I obviously have done a poor job.

Here's the scoop on the show:

Labor Day 2006

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2006-09-04T00:12:00-05:00

One of my friends, Joerg Rieger, who is a professor at Perkins School of Theology, has written this essay about Labor Day 2006. It's a good one, and I hope you'll read it below.

Labor Day, like Memorial Day, doesn't really seem to mean what it used to in our country, and I think that's a shame. So, I hope you'll think about the challenging thoughts Joerg puts before us all.

Five Years Later: Remembering the hole in my heart, and the question on my mind

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2006-09-11T23:34:22-05:00

Last night, Dennise and I watched a 911 documentary on CBS. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it. It's from two French film-makers who, in the summer of 2001 shadowed a FDNY unit in an attempt to tell the story of a "rookie's coming of age." But late that summer, on the morning of September 11th, they just happened to be out filming a routine call --a report of a gas leak-- when a plane flew overhead, slammed into the World Trade Center, and they found themselves as ground-zero videographers for the worst day in our nation's history.

Oh Yezz....Oh Yezz....Oh Yezzz...Time for some College Football!!

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2006-09-09T10:54:07-05:00

I LOVE college football. Next to pro-baseball, it's probably my favorite sport. And, given my disdain for the Rangers these days, I could easily argue that I even love it more than baseball these days.

There is just something about the pageantry, the emotion, the excess of it. Pro football feels too, well, professional for me. It's like the difference between a passionate street performer, juggling knives down in the West End, and clown with the Ringling Brothers Circus....the performers of the latter are all really talented people, but it always feels a little too...dare I say....scripted?

I mean, be honest, in most years the day the pro season starts, you can name the five to ten teams that will compete at the end of the year. And, sure enough, you'll be right on three to seven of your picks by years end. But in college ball? Most years anything can happen. Most years, anything does. Most years there's a big game way before the playoffs start.

Blogs of the Month: August 06

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2006-08-31T17:05:52-05:00

It's been a full month since the blog-software meltdown. It's been two months since the Mavs playoffs. That means we now have a full month of blog entries not affected by either my inability to post, or the hits from Gordon Keith's site.

So, it's back to a relatively calm month for the blog. Lots of you are obviously still stopping by to read.
That's gratifying.

Thanks.

And now, for the August Blogs of the Month:

Connecting the Dots on the Cost of Immigrants

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2006-08-25T10:13:51-05:00

I'm back to writing on immigration issues again. And I'm not here tell you that migrant workers don't cost the American economy. I'm sure they do. Every adult in this country costs the economy something. But if we are going to have a proper debate about the costs of migrant workers to our economy, then we also need to look at what they contribute to our economy too.

This is an issue I've discussed before, but it came back to me this week because of two stories in the Dallas Morning News. The first story appeared on Tuesday, and while it was supposed to have been a story on how Parkland Hospital is petitioning the Federal Government for reimbursement of medical costs to migrant workers, the headline screamed something different:

"Migrant care costing millions: Parkland says price for nonemergency services tops $22M for year"
(online edition, registration required for all links in this blog)

The second story that caught my eye ran the very next day. The story was, ostensibly, about the burgeoning black market for identity papers, such as Social Security numbers. But buried in this story about a swell in black market papers, was a fact that should have caught everyone's attention: Migrant workers have paid billions of dollars in taxes to the federal government.

My point in juxtaposing these two stories --from the same newspaper on back-to-back days-- is that to have an honest debate about immigration, we must first be honest about what immigrants contribute to our economy. We've got to connect the dots between what migrant workers cost our economy/government, and what they contribute to our economy/government. And the truth is: they pay more in taxes than we give them credit for.

Too Young for Test Anxiety

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2006-08-18T16:41:14-05:00

School started this past Monday. Our daughter, Maria, is now in the third grade. On her way in the school doors Monday, I snapped a couple of pics with the camera phone.

It's still hard for me to fathom that she's old enough for the third grade. It seems like only yesterday that we were walking her into kindergarten class, holding her hand, afraid that she might get pushed around by bigger kids. Now, she is a bigger kid.

But, she's still a kid. And there are some things that a kid shouldn't have to worry about in the third grade.

But Maria is worried, and she told me so the other day. On Sunday afternoon --the day before school started, and as we were coming home from lunch-- Maria told me that her stomach hurt, and she felt like she was going to be sick. I try to take these kind things seriously, and so I asked her some questions. I felt her forehead. Nothing seemed to be amiss.

So then, I asked her, "Are you worried about something?"

It was, after all, the day before school. Maybe she was worried about meeting new friends, or finding the right clothes to wear on the first day.

"Yes," she said meekly.

" What are you worried about, sweetie?

There was a long pause. And then, she quietly asked, "What if don't pass the TAKS test?"

If Everybody Claims Victory, Does Everybody Win? (Israel and Hezbollah)

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2006-08-16T19:28:13-05:00

It's the craziest part of the new cease fire between Israel and Hezbollah-- the part where both sides are claiming victory. Both sides seem ready to accept this --at least temporary-- cease fire. Both sides are publicly saying now is a great time to stop dropping bombs on the other. Because --they each claim-- they have met most of their major "goals."

For Hezbollah, I suppose they have managed to assert themselves as a powerful political/social force in the region. For Israel, I suppose at some level, they have avenged the kidnapping of two soldiers.

But how is this victory? Isn't it just a pitiful continuation of the same conflict that has raged for....how long? Decades? Centuries? Millennia?

And here's the truth: no matter what each side claims, this is not a war that can be won. Ever. Not now. Not a hundred years from now. Winning/losing is the completely wrong conceptual axis. The only real realistic axis moves back and forth between coexistence and constant war.

Anytime anybody thinks they have "won" in the Middle East, get ready for more bloodshed down the road.

A few years back, during the Palestinian Intifada, I wrote a song called "Ishmael and Isaac." And, in honor (honor?) of current conflict, I've put it up on my myspace page, and you can listen to it there. (And use the "Standalone Player" as you read the rest of this blog...)

A Tribute to the Eagles and Chicago (An Upcoming Show)

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2006-08-15T21:38:40-05:00

We're back at it again, and we just don't know when to quit. There is another "tribute show" in the works, and it's going to be as good, maybe even better, than the Dan Fogelberg Tribute Show.

It's a tribute to the music of the Eagles and Chicago. Yes, it's not exactly a perfect blend of styles. But they're bands that we who are in charge of thinking up this show love, and so that's how it worked out.

Here are the details:

A Tribute to the Eagles and Chicago
To Benefit UMCOR
7 pm September 16, 2006
Spring Valley United Methodist Church

We have started rehearsals, and based on what I hear so far I am very excited...

30 Days (A TV Show You Should See)

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2006-08-12T21:13:13-05:00

It's a rare moment when I encourage anyone to watch television. But this is one of those moments. There is a show in the FX network that I truly can recommend to you without reservations, and that I hope many people watch.

It's called 30 Days.

The show aired last season, but has been on haitus until quite recently. Now, it's back with a whole batch of new episodes.

Yes, it's a reality show. And, yes, there are too many of those already. But this a reality show that actually takes social issues head on. It's a reality show with a "point."

The premise is captivating: how will people change if they walk in someone else's shoes for 30 days?

Questions that Keep My Up at Night (After a Foiled Terrorist Plot)

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2006-08-11T22:35:48-05:00

This week, the world has been gripped by a foiled terrorist plot in England. Score of media outlets are reporting an evil plan that might have involved at least a dozen planes headed for the United States from Europe. By all accounts, if hatched, this plot would have been horrendous.

This week, this story screams at us through headlines and breaking news alerts. And as we inch close to the fifth-year anniversary of 911-- certain "what if" questions creep back into our heads. We begin to think:

"What if" this attack had actually happened?
"What if" there are more of their cohorts still out there plotting right now?

Like they did after 911, our minds begin to race with these "what ifs." And the media is all-too eager to help us feed these racing and paranoid thoughts with the constant barrage of the 24-hour news channels; reminding us of just how bad it might have been.

Well, I guess I'm weird. Because this morning I am not preoccupied with "what if" questions. I know that such attacks are still being planned, and that doesn't surprise me. Nor would it surprise me to learn that those captured have friends still out there busily plotting away. I am not asking "what if?" questions.

I find that I'm still asking still unanswered "why?" questions.

Like these:
Why is our "Homeland Security" Department wasting so much money?
Why have we not caught Osama Bin Laden?
And why are we still fighting a War in Iraq that has nothing to do with stopping terrorist attacks like this one?

These are my major questions, and I hope you will consider them with me...

Ed Upton

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2006-08-10T22:53:38-05:00

I meant to post this in early July. But, due to the blog problems I detailed for you late in the month, I am just getting around to it now. Ed Upton was, most assuredly, one of my Balcony People. And I miss him a lot. But I'm always grateful for the high and tender honor of eulogizing a friend.

And so, that is what follows...

Bluebell Ice Cream

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2006-08-08T20:36:33-05:00

It was nearly 100 here today. It's been over 100 about 20 days so far this summer. I am sure that it will be nearly a hundred tomorrow too.

So, what better time to write about ice cream?
:)

And what better ice cream to write about than Bluebell Ice Cream?

Keep yer Ben and Jerry's...
Keep yer Hagan Daz...
Keep yer Dreyers and Breyers (is it an accident that these two sound the same?) or any other brand you want to throw out there.

If you want some really good ice cream, it's gotta be Bluebell.

Friday at Crawford: Camp Casey without Cindy Sheehan

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2005-08-20T19:27:00-05:00

Spent yesterday out at Camp Casey. I had been asked to provide music for an interfaith prayer vigil to take place at noon-time.

Here's a great photo collage from Jeff Paterson and "Not in Our Name" of the prayer vigil.

Jeff has also produced an incredible video, with my song as the soundtrack.

(I heard that Channel 8 and Nightline both mentioned the vigil last night, but I didn't get to see either one...)

Spent several days this week, fretting over what music to play, and finally decided on some very simple songs. (I''ll talk about those in a minute...) The over-riding news of the day, of course, was the departure from Camp Casey of Cindy Sheehan herself. The news was so fresh that no one really knew what we'd find there at camp when we arrived...would the movement be continuing? Would it fall apart?

Far from it. Actually, when I compare my trip Monday and my trip Friday, there were probably DOUBLE the number of folks out at the Camp and in at the Crawford Peace House on Friday, after Cindy had left. (And, as I was leaving yesterday, more and more were still pouring in...) So, clearly, the movement is not waning, even with Cindy not there.

The clergy gathered at the Peace House about ten thirty, and went over our brief order of service. Then, we loaded in vans and went out to the site. It was great to meet Barbara R, from Austin, who was our van driver and an incredibly wonderful person. She and another guy (whose name escapes me...) seemed to mostly be putting things together.

The Gold Star Families, Iraq Veterans Groups, Military Families Speak Out, were holding a ten-thirty press conference, and as soon as it was over, our vigil was to start. You can hear some of that press conference here. (Quicktime)

The clergy gathered at the end of the row of crosses, and processed down toward Camp Casey. The family members, who were finishing their press conference, met us halfway, and we embraced and headed back to the camp. I must say, this was the most moving, but also the most annoying, part of the prayer vigil. It was moving, because we got to meet these family members of those who had died in Iraq, and the Iraq War Veterans who are joining them in support. It was annoying, because the media was crowding in, snapping pictures, and almost leering at us. I've been around the media now and then, but I've never found them to be THAT intrusive before. Even the Sheriff started speaking to them, challenging them to get off the road.

When we got the site, I opened the service with two songs: "The Gift of Love" (caution: cheezy midi sound at this link...) and a song I'd written for the occasion, called "God is Here With Us." After this, there was a time of prayer from several clergy of many different denominations, a time for the "prayers of the people," and finally a time when the families and Vets gathered in the midst of us, and we prayed for them by laying hands on them in prayer.

At the very end, I played my new song, "Prairie Chapel Road."

After we were finished, it was incredibly gratifying to have several of the family members come up to me and tell me how much they appreciated the song.

Several of them kept saying, "That's OUR song!"
And I said, 'Yes, of course it is...that's why I wrote it."

People kept telling me over and over that they hoped everyone could hear the song, and that it captured the feeling of Camp Casey really well. It's not often, as a songwriter, that you encounter people THAT grateful for what you've written, so it was humbling and gratifying all at the same time.

Among the wonderful military families I met who were grateful for the song, were Mimi Evans, and Becky Lourey (sp?) who is a Minnesota State Senator. They did a marvelous job at their press conference, making it clear that they are keeping the questions Cindy originally asked open.

I spent a lot of time with Charlie Anderson, an Iraq War Vet who served around Basra and "south of Bagdad." Won't go into all of what we talked about, but it was a powerful and moving conversation. (Quicktime of Charlie reading a letter).

After this, we escorted the families members and vets to the doorstep of Bush's ranch, as they attempted to deliver a letter to him. However, a Secret Service agent was there at the gate and said that no one was there who could officially accept the letter. So, the families left the letter in the middle of the road, along with one of the flowers we'd given them.

Afterwards, we went back to the Peace House for lunch and more visiting with the families/vets. I am very grateful for this chance to listen to the stories of these mothers and veterans, and to support them and their right to speak out for peace. I'm amazed at their courage and their ability to stay focused, in the midst of all sorts of craziness. They don't ALL agree...they don't all see the "solution" eye-to-eye. But they are united in their desire for a swift and lasting peace.

To date, my song, Prairie Chapel Road, has been downloaded over 850 time during the past week (update: 3100 times as of 01.31.06). I DO hope that folks continue to use Prairie Chapel Road as a way of talking about their experience of Camp Casey, and I'm grateful for every person who finds it healing.

Jesse Dyen Plays Prairie Chapel Road

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2006-01-09T07:57:00-06:00

A few Christmases ago, I covered my favorite Bill Nash song, "Come Home." After I sent him a copy of it, he wrote back saying that there was nothing quite so cool as hearing somebody else do your own song. I now know what that's like....

Jesse Dyen is a great songwriter and social activist from California. During Camp Casey, he fell into the job of head sound engineer and emcee of the Camp Casey II stage. (Most folks fell into their jobs there...it was that organic an experience) Jesse wrote the other great song to actually come out of Camp Casey. (There may be more than two, but that's all I know of...) It's called "Sons and Daughters." It's been called "a catchy and moving song that has the potential to be an anthem for the peace movement." And that it is. You can hear it here.

Some of the original Camp Casey folks gathered back down there over Thanksgiving. I considered going but: a) I had no voice (something that's happened again this weekend...) and b) I really needed time with my family.

While back down there, Jesse became one of the Prairie Chapel Twelve, folks arrested for their non-violent protest of a new law that restricts camping on the public access to Bush's ranch...along Prairie Chapel Road.

Anyway, sometime in the midst of all that, Jesse was sitting around Camp Casey II, one night around midnight. Zac Barton pulled out a stereo mic and mini-recorder, and Jesse pulled out his cover of my song "Prairie Chapel Road." I have to say, I like it quite a bit. I really love it.

And, like Bill says, it is quite an honor to have somebody cover your song.

Listen to it here:
Stream
Download

Getting Real: Billy Jonas in Concert This Wednesday

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2005-10-18T07:54:00-05:00

Getting Real: Billy Jonas in Concert This Wednesday

My good friend, Billy Jonas, is here in Dallas this week. He's staying with us while he does a couple of shows in Plano schools early this week.

But, He'll be playing a house concert Wednesday night at my friend's Paul and Terrie's house. If you never seen Billy, you won't want to miss this show. If you have seen him, you know you'll want to be there.

Billy is an amazing live performer, and an incredible spirit.

Here's the email Paul Brown sent out about this show:

Date and Time stuff goes here -- $12 donation at the door
3402 Summer Solstice, Rowlett, Texas (214-923-9551 -- Paul)
(Magnolia Springs Housing Development)
Just east of Rowlett Road off of Miller Food and drink contributions welcome
Billy Jonas is a multi-layered, percussion-driven, tribal-rhythm, urban-harmony, and folk music maestro. Or as Billy describes it himself, "industrial re-percussion...junkadelic folk music". Confused? You won’t be for long! He is also one of the cleverest writers we know, and a damned fine guitarist as well, besides just being an all-around nice guy! His songs will get under your skin, into your head, and straight to your heart, till you can’t help but sing (and bang) along…. Not to be missed!

Check out Billy's website too.
Hope to see you all there,
Eric

Nodding Dog Gig Friday

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2005-09-23T07:53:00-05:00

Nodding Dog Gig Friday

I'll be playing at the Nodding Dog Friday night. It's a great coffeehouse, in the Bishop Arts section of Oak Cliff. From what we can tell, this may be the last dry night for a week, so come out to have coffee, eat great snacks, and hear great music.

The details:

Eric Folkerth at Nodding Dog Coffee Co.
Friday, September 23
7:30- 9:30

Nodding Dog Coffee Company
500 North Bishop Ave.
Dallas, TX 75208

Phone: 214-941-1166

Hope to see you all there!

Eric Folkerth

The Brits Go Mad for "Prairie Chapel Road" (Well not really. But it was used in a BBC radio clip...)

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2005-08-25T07:44:00-05:00

Thanks to Madaleine, from the Kerrchat list, for the catch of this one...

Apparently, my new song, "Prairie Chapel Road," written in honor of Cindy Sheehan and Camp Casey, made it into a BBC Radio clip the other night...or, at least a clip of the song made it into the clip of the story.

Listen here.
Stream here.

This seems to be a clip from the live performance during last Friday's prayer vigil with the military famlies and vets. You can learn more about that trip to Crawford here.

As of this writing, Prairie Chapel Road has been downloaded/streamed almost 1800 times this past week. Someone told me that there was a video clip of me playing that aired on both Nightline and CNN...but I didn't see either one.

Pretty wild stuff.

Hoping to get back down there for either Friday or Saturday, and play the song for more folks...I'll keep all yall posted....

Gloria Dei's Obituary: I'm Interviewed by the DMN and offer my opinions

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2005-08-04T07:40:00-05:00

Last week, you may remember how I lamented the passing of Gloria Dei Nights Coffeehouse. Well, today the Dallas Morning News has run a story about it, and I get quoted throughout. (Along with my good friend, Annie Benjamin). You can find it here. (subscription required...) It's not often that the Morning News covers this kind of story, and covers it well, but I think they did a good job here.

But the great thing about blogs is that if you're in a news story like this, you can actually add to or correct what you intended to say! Actually, in this case, Christy Robinson did quite a good job on the story. And, she seemed genuinely interested in giving some column inches to other folk music stories in the future. So that's encouraging. But I thought I'd comment a little more on things I said that didn't make it into the story. (for sheer lack of space, I'm sure...)

At one point, she asked my why I think coffeehouses have such a hard time "making it." As you can see in the story, I mentioned the difficulty in getting the word out among competing entertainment options in Dallas. But I want to expand on that point here....

To me, it's awfully hard to get the word out about coffeehouse venues, when they are usually volunteer groups that rarely have significant advertising budgets. Additionally, they're also competing against summer musicals, baseball, football, basketball, racing, soccer, Six Flags, the rodeo, museums, movies, and so on, and so on, and so on. I mean, you could make the argument, given the size and breadth of our metropolitan area, that we're among the most "entertained" folks in the nation. If coffeehouses DO get mentioned at all in the papers, it's usually because they've booked some HUGE act.

She DID use what I then said after that....namely, that coffeehouses, it seems to me, also have to achieve a breakpoint balance of both committed volunteers and committed fans.

Take Uncle Calvin's, for example. It has both. It has a hugely committed and passionately faithful core of volunteers. It also has an audience that knows where they are, how to find them, and how to find out what show they're putting on. It takes a long time to achieve this level.

All of this got reduced down in the story to a line or two, but she basically got the gist of it, I suppose.

But there were two more points that didn't make it. One was subtle, and I didn't really push it much. It was that the local media itself could do more to encourage and publicize shows at coffeehouses. Like I said, I didn't push this point much since, paradoxically, she was interviewing me for a story ABOUT a local coffeehouse. (Albeit, an extinct one...)

The final point I made that didn't make it into the story was a point about how paradoxical it was for Gloria Dei to be closing now, when the Morning News itself had recently criticized music venues for being too loud and too obnoxious. Just a week ago, Thor Christiansen wrote a scathing review of a show at the Gypsy Tea Room. But his critique wasn't about the act. It was about the FANS. It was also really about the venue itself, and how it doesn't lend itself to an audience who actually LISTENS to a singer-songwriter. And singer-songwriters are the kind of folks that the GTR is booking a lot of the time.

In response to Thor's review, my good friend Michael Terry, one of the driving forces behind the great Uncle Calvin's, wrote in to the letters to the editor about the whole issue. (scroll down until you find "For louts, sounds of silence") In case, you can't find his comments, his basic point was that when this happens, much of the blame can be laid on how the evening is set up. If a venue is mainly in business to sell alcohol, then the crowd's gonna get progressively louder. And, I would add, if they don't have any place to SIT (as is the case at GTR) then they'll just mill around like it's a sorority mixer and not a show.

Michael ended his letter by reminding the readers that music fans have other options. He mentioned coffehouses, he mentioned Poor David's. And, of course, he also mentioned Uncle Calvin's.

Anyway, so I referred to all this in my interview for this story. But it didn't make it in. Such is the editing process, I suppose.

So I guess the final point to make is this:

It's very sad that Gloria Dei is shutting down, but it's equally sad that music fans don't realize that they don't HAVE to support loud, obnoxious venues, where you can't hear the acts.

Like the airlines tell you when you fly, "You have a choice of venues when you listen to music."

It's just a matter of getting informed enough so that you realize that.

Music, Politics, Religion, Life (Sort of like this blog, except it's audio from my appearance on radio)

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2005-07-29T07:30:00-05:00

Music, Politics, Religion, Life (Sort of like this blog, except it's audio from my appearance on radio)

You may remember that two Friday's ago, I was on a radio show called "A Lawyer and a Cop." It's hosted by --you guessed it-- a lawyer and a cop. It airs every Friday morning on KNON radio here in Dallas. I've got some audio of my appearance on the show and thought I'd post it for your listening enjoyment...

The main reason I was on the show was to play my song, "The Don't Shop," for one of the cohosts, Arnaldo Rivera (the cop). The lawyer, Charles Geilich, thought it'd be funny. ('cause of the line about cops at the shop, I suppose...)

Anyway, once they had me there, the discussion turned to more serious things like terrorism and Islam.

So, here you go:

Part One: Stream/Download.
I get introduced, play "The Don't Shop," and banter with the hosts.

Part Two: Stream/Download.
Back from a break, we talk about Islam, terrorism, religion, and anything else that floats into our heads at the moment.

It was a fun radio appearance. Really the first time I've connected my clergy role with my folk music role on the radio. Kind of a mind-bender at 7 am on a Friday. But overall, I thought it was GREAT interview.

Thanks, Charles, Arnaldo, and all the great KNON folks.

BTW, Charles is the "Charles" who got me and Dennise great Maverick's tickets earlier this year. And the main reason I mention this now is so you'll read this cool blog entry from a while back.
;)

Death of a Coffee House: Sad News About Gloria Dei Nights

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2005-07-28T07:25:00-05:00

Got some incredibly sad news this am about Gloria Dei Nights Coffeehouse. Looks like they're folding up shop for good. I had several really great shows there over the past few years....they always had appreciative crowds and crowds that LISTENED...which is something often lacking at coffee houses...

You can hear what it was like here. You can see what it was like here and here. Dang, I'm gonna miss those guys. Possible one of the best shows that Rick, Bruce and I played was there (check out the sound clips)

Here's the note they (Jimmy) sent out to their fans and patrons:

"Due to circumstances beyond our control, Gloria Dei Nights Coffee Haus Concert Series is officially closed. We wish to thank all of the great performers who have graced our stage and shared their talents and passion for music. Over our five year run, we have given away thousands of dollars to various charities such as Good Samaritan Food Pantry of Garland, New Beginnings and Casitas del Rey. We have helped nurture new talent in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, helped extended the voice of established
singer/songwriters from around the country and made a lot of great friends along the way.

To all of the people who came out in support of this labor of love and it's mission as an outreach to the community and surrounding area, we extend our gracious love and thanks. Last but not least, we wish to thank the humble,dedicated, long lasting, cheerful, hard working volunteers that without their help, the show would not have gone on. Brad Wright, sound engineer extraordinaire; Mark Moore, culinary chef and master coffee brewer; Terry Reininger, princess of tax collections and hostess supreme; Dave Welker, stage and sound reinforcement; Ray Dodd, promotions, master of recordings, stage and sound; Mrs. Becci, greeter, collector and bottle washer; Melody Dodd, mailings, promotions and dessert coordinator; Jenell Wright, the coffee lady and promoter of Fair Trade. And to the many un-named volunteers that were unsuspectingly recruited to fill in at the last minute, we thank you.

Extreme thanks to the many area coffee house venues and house concerts that helped us along the way. Please visit Uncle Calvins Coffee House Concert Series, Acoustic Tours, Bonedoc's House Concerts, Jefferson Freedom Café, Open Door Coffee House, Dallas Folk Music Society and Radio Wayne @ www.radiowayne.com. Bill Nash, thank you.

We sincerely hope that everyone that experienced Gloria Dei Nights, came away a better person for it. We know we did. And that's da' truth, Sha.

Foot note:
Where are they now:

Brad Wright, teaches wind surfing on the North Sea coast of Norway.
Mark Moore, joined a band of gypsies living in Austin, while studying to become a nun.
Terry Reininger, is a clarinet soloist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
Dave Welker, plays accordion with the Chinese blues band The Honey Dues.
Ray Dodd, is serving 10 to 20 hot dogs an hour at the Ball Park in Arlington.
Mrs. Becci, went on to become head curator at the Ball of Warn knitting museum.
Melody Dodd, was elected Governor of Texas in a run off election against Willy Nelson.
Jenell Wright, founded the highly successful Fair Trade coffee house chain, FairBucks, that eventually ran that other coffee house chain out of business.
As for myself, Jimmy d.; history would suggest that I became a famous play write on Broadway. The truth is, I went back to alligator hunting down in Cocodrie, Louisiana after the legendary alligator man of Point-au-Chene, Dovie Naquin, died in the Spring of 2005."

One More Day

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2005-07-25T07:24:00-05:00

One More Day

So, I've really appreciated all the incredible support I had back during my minor skin cancer scare. As I told you later, all is well. (or at least that's what I assume the doctor will well me at my check up in two weeks...)

The whole event got my songwriting juices going....

I sat down a couple of weeks ago, and wrote down some lyrics. Got some music for it now too. And wanted to share the demo with you. As always, keep in mind this is a DEMO. There's lots of mistakes....so many that I'll probably re-record it in a few days.

I wrote these lyrics in those "in between days." You know, those days between a medical test and the results. Given my Dad's melanoma a couple years back, the mind starts to race and you worry about what the tests might show. But I asked myself a question:

What song would I write no matter what the the results show?

The result is a new song called "One More Day...

You can download it here.
You can stream it here.

Either way, thanks for the support....

And, thanks to all those who came out to the Dunn Bros show last Friday! We had fun. Several of you who read this blog and keep up with my email reminders showed up...some of you who hadn't been to a show in several years. it was a nice reminder that you're really still out there and really still listening in.

Thanks for the reminder, and thanks for being there.

Dunn Bross Coffee Show: I'm play Friday, come on by

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2005-07-22T07:22:00-05:00

Here's a reminder about Friday's gig:

Where: Dunn Bros Coffee, Addison
When: July 22, 8 until late.

3725 Belt Line Road
Addison, Texas 75001
Phone: (972)406-9711

You can get a map here.

This will be my second time at Dunn Bros in Addison. It's a nice little coffeehouse tucked away near the end of restaurant row...the perfect place to hang out after your big meal somewhere else. I'll play from 8 pm until they kick me out.

Of special note, I'm gonna try out a new song I've been writing, that was inspired by my recent cancer scare. (That actually sounds kind of morbid to me, as I read it. Trust me, the song's not...)

Hope to see some of you out and about Friday!

A Lawyer and a Cop (Sounds like a bad joke, but it's really a great radio show)

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2005-07-13T07:20:00-05:00

I'll be joining hosts Charles Geilich and Arnaldo Rivera for their radio show, A Lawyer and a Cop," this coming Friday morning on KNON here in Dallas. I'll be performing "The Don't Shop" live and joining them for in studio banter.

Tune in while you're getting ready for, or on the way, to work.

When: Friday, July 15, 7-8 am
Where: KNON, 89.3 in Dallas

Check it out.

Posted: Wed - July 13, 2005 at 10:55 AM

Picalalooza: Richard Ruane's Kerrville pics are cool

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2005-06-21T07:18:00-05:00

New Folk Finalist Richard Ruane has posted a lot of shots from the Kerrville Folk Festival. As you're reading my summary , it might be nice to also check out these pics .

Of note are perhaps the only 360 panorama pictures ever taken at Kerrville. Here's the second one.

In my entry, I spoke about the river of water that flowed down the road one day, and Richard has the photographic evidence. In this picture , you can see Lana and Anthony from Camp Dallas, and the outskirts of greater Camp Nashbilll.

Check them out.

This is Crabcake, calling Frito Pie (Melanie's reflections on Camp Nashbill and Kerrville 05)

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2005-06-09T07:16:00-05:00

(With apologies to Rachel Garlin for the lyric adaptation...)

Greetings fellow campers!

(And this includes you whose "tents" come with indoor plumbing and room keys...)

It's almost exactly a week since my flight touched down at Reagan National, bringing me home from Kerrville. It already feels like worlds away (sigh). It seems to get harder to leave every year... as if you couldn't tell by all my machinations to buy a couple extra days this year.

I'm still thanking my fine friends at Midwest Airlines for allowing me to re-book and stay on the ranch through Friday. I love those lazy weekdays and sundowns at Threadgill, not to mention being able to spend several hours campfiring and still be asleep by 1. ;-) It also bought me a few more exciting weather events (woohoo)... Judi, we did get that powerful storm early Wednesday, but we had enough advance warning to batten down the hatches, and Camp Nashbill survived pretty well. I managed to sleep through most of it, despite Eric's early morning call to my cell to make sure the ranch was still in one piece, as he watched the hail flying past his hotel room window at a 45 degree angle. I think Kerrville (the town) got hit worse than the campground. (And I apparently have some SERIOUS ear plugs.)

Driving home from work this evening through a wicked thunderstorm, I was thinking about this year's festival (funny, that) and all the things for which I am so grateful... for my lovely and accommodating "landlady" Teresa, who gave me and my teeny tent such a comfortable home on the outskirts of Greater Camp Nashbill, and who is so much fun to share kerr-linary adventures with (I think Kerrsadillas need to become a regular feature at Nashbill) ... for
Judi's excellent guiding skills getting me to the top of Enchanted Rock, and the great conversation there that was as inspiring as the view ... for my private performance of my favorite Eric Folkerth song, and for Eric's strong shoulder when Schwartz brought us all into the White Light at the end of the Rachel Bissex tribute ... for hours and hours (and hours and hours) of amazing conversation with Weird, who never laughed at me even when I started to sound like some unfortunate offspring of Donald Duck and a guinea pig, and for the once-in-a-lifetime experience of riding in the Weirdmobile (sorry to hear it's not feeling well), and for the AWESOME hot showers I was able to take courtesy of his generosity and the Motel 6 ... for our brave Kerrvirgins Tina and Daniel, it was fun to see
the experience through their eyes and remember my "first time" ... for Paul and Terrie and Brian being so smart to take my suggestion of lunch at Mamacita's, and then generously inviting me along (yum!), and Brian especially for giving me hope for future generations of Kerrverts ... for Kellie's always fun company and excellent tip about Kenny White (he's got about six new fans in Baltimore and I'm still passing the disc around) ... for Linda bringing the spirit of Dave Carter to the Nashbill song circle nightly (I'm still singing about Tiffany slippers going click-clack), and bringing the stars closer for us through Tom's fabulous 'scope ... for Joseph's good humor despite our sometimes relentless teasing, and his impromptu songwriting skills (I really think we had something going with "Lonesome, Hungry, and Blue"), and
for stopping by on his way to school every morning even when we made him late ... for Paul P.'s ever-so-droll contributions to the breakfast club, and his tasty flapjacks ... for Ross and Sharon bringing new life to our camp at the beginning of weekend two, and for Ross' fantastic "put the man together" song (I'm singing that one when I'm not singing "Phantom Doll") ... for all the gifted writers and players who dropped by to share their music around our candle campfire (JP, Sofia of the beautiful voice, Juliet, John and DJ, Joe J., Bruce, Jenni Mansfield, Michael and Siobhan, Tracie, Noah from Kansas, my homegirl SONiA, so many others) ... and of course, what can I say about our host, with his big heart, gentle spirit, way cool $129 guitar, and Mainstage guitar solo that made me cry? Bill, I am just so grateful you are you, and that I am blessed to count you my friend.

And then there were all those talented New Folk performers (did anyone else notice that if you bought Disc 2 of the New Folk set you got 4 of the 6 winning performances? Handy – and economical), another great line-up at Mainstage (Sherpas, Lowen & Navarro, Kenny White. Photoglo and Freebo, Adam & Kris, Modern Man, and Schwarz among my favorites this year), the incredibly moving Rachel Bissex tribute, and some great weeknights up at Threadgill. The South Florida and New Song showcases were both chock full of wonderful
writers, especially new (to me) faces like Joe Jencks, DevonSproule, and Tret Fure. My overall favorite performance was one I would have missed had I gone home as scheduled – Carla Ulbrich and the Malvinas. What a lively, funny, moving evening of music!
Let's hear it for the women!

I'm doing all I can to keep the Kerrville energy going as long as possible... I ran into SONiA and Terry at the San Antonio airport on Friday and they invited me to a gig in Baltimore the next night, so I got on the phone first thing Saturday morning to round up some friends for that one. It ended up being quite a party! This Sunday I'm taking a friend to see Ellis Paul (her first time) at my favorite coffeehouse in Virginia. I spent the last two nights working on a very fun project, creating a Kerrville Kompilation CD for my friend Cathy, who was *thisclose* to coming along this year but couldn't make it happen (and is already regretting it). I'm hoping the artists will forgive me the somewhat unauthorized copying of no more than one song each, given that the end goal is that Cathwill spend lots of money going to see them and buying their discs either here or at KFF next year. :-) It was quite a project pulling out all the CD's I've collected over four years of festivals, choosing the songs, and (most fun of all) writing "liner notes" telling her a bit about each performer. Lots of reminiscing along the way...

And do I even need to say that the wristband is still firmly in place? ;-)

Wishing I was still under Texas skies, and missing all of you,

Melanie

NDSM Beneft (Turned out to be a great night)

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2005-05-21T07:15:00-05:00

Jeez, it's hot. This is very bad sign for the rest of the summer, and a VERY bad sign for what it will be like, down at The Ranch next week. Oh well, it is what it is....is will be what it will be...

Maria and I went out to the Wildflower Festival today to see the songwriter competition. It was great. Got to see a lot of friends, and sit inside the airconditioned auditorium for a while.

I wanted to write about the North Dallas Shared Ministry Benefit, because it was really a great night. It was the same line-up as last year's show. But, thankfully, I didn't have to follow the amazing Rhett Butler. That guy is absolutely incredible on the guitar. He's sort of in the Michael Hedges universe of players, and has a fantastic sound....

So, this year Jack and the Catdaddies played first. I was second, and Rhett closed the show. I offered to put 30 percent of all my CD sales that night back to NDSM. That came to $80 bucks!

All in all, we raised over $2,000 for NDSM that night! Very cool. And it couldn't have been for a more worthy cause. NDSM is one of the finest non-profits in Dallas that serve the poor. Some folks are thrown off by the name "North Dallas," because North Dallas has such a reputation as a wealthy part of town....and it most certainly is. But within that area are thousands and thousands of poor folks who are underserved by social service agencies. NDSM fills a much needed hole.

Also had a great time at the Northaven Church "Feast of Friendship" last weekend. Over 250 folks showed up...a HUGE crowd. Big picnic on the lawn...burgers, hot dogs, etc... The main event of the evening was tours of Northaven's new building, but Jack and the Catdaddies came through with some great music, and I closed the show. Great to play for the hometown crowd. :)

--30--

MarchGigs05

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2005-03-08T07:12:00-06:00

March Gigs

Thanks to all those who came out to my show last Friday night at Dunn Bros. Coffee, in Addison. Thanks especially to the friends (you know who you are, who were there early....and those who stayed late!)

Looks like I've picked up another coffee house gig next weekend. I'll be playing at the Nodding Dog Coffee Co in Oak Cliff. You can get all the details here.

Nodding Dog is a great coffee house in the burgeoning "Bishop Arts District" of Oak Cliff, a nicely revitalized area of shops and restaurants. My friend Lisa Markely plays at Nodding Dog a lot, and it was recently named one of Dallas' best coffee houses. I hope you'll make plans now, and come by. All the details (maps, address, phone, weblink, etc...) can be found here.

--30--

Dunn Bros Gig: March 4

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2005-02-28T07:10:00-06:00

In other news, I've also picked up a last-minute weekend gig....
I'll be playing at Dunn Bros. Coffee in Addison on Friday. More details here. This is kind of a last minute gig...I'm filling in for a cancellation. But if you have time Friday and are in the area, stop on by!

--30--

Bruce Rouse Dies

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2005-02-25T07:08:00-06:00

Bruce Rouse Dies

Unbelievable. Another folk music friend has died. The email came in yesterday that Bruce Rouse died over the weekend. I talked with his family some in the past few hours, and they have asked me to help lead the funeral on Wednesday. It's an honor, but one I'd rather not have. What a shock. Apparently, he had a heart attack while driving around the Austin area on Sunday. From what I can tell, he never had a heart problem before...

Bruce and his wife Liz are two of the kindest people I know in the folk music world. They hosted a very successful and celebrated house concert series in Austin for 15 years. And they hosted a breakfast at a Kerrville during the weekends. That's the place I remember Bruce the best...always hovering around, making sure everyone had fresh coffee and a new bagel.
Hosting all sorts of songwriters, to play an early morning song, and share a story. In many ways, Bruce and Liz were like surrogate parents to a whole lot of folks.

I'll be heading down there tomorrow (Tuesday) afternoon, and help with the service on Wednesday.

That night, there'll be a song gathering at Live Oak UU Church (home of the Live Oak Coffeehouse) where folks will be invited to play and share stories.

Still, quite an unbelievable shock. I can't say that I've ever had a several-week period where so many people I know have died. (see below). It's been very strange and surreal, and this is yet another piece of the strangeness of it.

Bruce will be sorely missed by many. I'll write more once I'm back.

--30--

Aw Vince...what's your hurry? Couldn't you give us a week to gloat?

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2006-01-08T12:05:00-06:00

So, the news comes out this afternoon that Vince Young will go pro.
I'm already here sick at home with no voice, and so this does not help my mood.

So now, all the Aggies, Sooners, Red Raiders, etc are leaping for joy believing that they'll have a shot next year. Couldn't we have had a whole week to gloat about it?

Yes, Texas will be a different team without Vince Young. But, two little things to remind you of:
a) you'll be surprised at how good the quarterbacks are that we'll put out there, and
b) just two more little words: Jamaal Charles.
(Remember those words...)

I have to say, for a few hours today I thought Vince Young might come back to Texas. Because the word came out today that Houston really wants Reggie Bush. Personally, I still think that's a mistake for them. I'd ditch David Carr in a moment to have the chance to get a hometown guy who'll probably put tens of thousands of butts more in my stands. Any loss they take on Carr they would more than make up, over the long haul, on Vince Young. But then, maybe that's why I'm not an owner.

So, New Orleans has the second pick, and up to now we've been told they were leaning toward Matt Leinart. The thing is, though, I am sure they assumed there was no Vince Young out there. I'd pick Young over Leinart, if I was them. And if that happens I will be really depressed. I say this in all love and respect for the truly beleaguered Saints --and there is no team more so-- but the Saints are a black hole for famous UT players.
Two words: Ricky Williams.

Jeez, what a horrible situation that was for him and for them. I really don't want to see that happen again. And something tells me that's exactly where we'd end up.

The third pick is Tennessee, and that's a real interesting one. Their current quarterback, Steve McNair, has been a mentor to Young since he was in high school. McNair probably only has a few years left in the NFL, realistically. How cool would it be for Young to go and play for a man he already knows and respects as a mentor? BUT! The Titan's new offensive coordinator is the old coordinator for none other than USC!!
So, the plot there thickens.

I know this will sound horrible for a lot of reason, but it mostly has nothing to do with what's going on in NOLA right now, and everything about who the Saints are and what they've done to former UT greats:

I really hope he doesn't end up there.

Houston or Tennessee...I'd be happy to see either one of those, and even a little glad for Vince's sake.

Told ya: Time to Gloat a Little Orange

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2006-01-05T12:04:00-06:00

Told ya: Time to Gloat a Little Orange

Every now and then, a sporting event actually lives up to its hype. Every now and then, you can actually tell that you're watching something historic. Every now and then, there are games that folks will talk about for YEARS. That happened last night.
And if you missed it, I pity you.

I have no voice this morning. Yelled at the TV until about 1:30 am. Listened to sports radio this morning, and everyone is talking about this being...
... the greatest national championship game in history
... the greatest single performance by any player, in Vince Young.

My Longhorns are National Champions. And, like most of us Texas fans, we've been a little cautious about getting too excited until now. But, this morning, it's time for a little gloating....

First personal-gloat of the day: The final score

I will refer you first to yesterday's completely unedited post.

I will remind you that my prediction was:
Texas: 42
USC: 35

I will remind you that, if not for a missed Texas extra-point and an extra USC field goal, I would have nailed the score to the number. As it is, I came just about as close as you could possible come.

Second gloat of the day: Vince Young
Now, they (the national media) are all saying Vince Young should have won the Heisman. Now they are complaining that that voting comes before the bowl games. (I actually agree with this....) But, from a Texas perspective, the media is always an incredible bunch of second-guessers. I mean heck, yesterday on ESPN they were trying to compare the USC offense to great PRO teams of all-time. That's when you know the hype's gotten out of hand. (That's when you know that USC is ready for a fall...)

Third gloat of the day: My three game keys
My three keys of the game were:
-- The depth of both teams: I gave the edge to Texas
-- The fact that both offenses were about even
-- The fact that the Texas defense was better.

When you look at the game as whole, you have to say that all these things bore out. Texas had a deeper team. USC had Leinart and little else. Sure, LenDale White and that one receiver did OK.
But where was Reggie Bush?
Seriously. Where was he? Mr. Heisman? Hello..... 82 yards?
Puleeease...

The offenses WERE about even. And the Texas defense was clearly better than USC's. "Better" means exactly what I told you yesterday it would mean: they would bend, but not break. When it counted, they held USC on that crucial fourth down play.

I actually did expect that we'd see more offense from the rest of the Longhorn team than we actually saw. Jamaal Charles showed a little brilliance, but fumbled twice. But the bottom line is that it really was the Vince Young show. A Rose Bowl record for a single game performance 467 total yards. And now, all the experts are calling him the best player in college football. Maybe the best ever.

Excuse me, but where were all yall when it was time to cast Heisman ballots a few weeks back? Reggie Bush has one amazing 500-yard game against a no-name team, and suddenly you give the trophy to him?!
Puleease...

All apologies, Mr. Young...
So, world, you all owe Vince Young a huge apology. Because Vince Young is capable of the kind of performance he turned in last night in EVERY game. You can't even really write or speak about how he plays, which is part of why I think he lost the Heisman race. The statistics never quite tell you what you need to know about him. You have to actually SEE him do it to believe it. I believe that's one of the huge reasons Vince didn't win the HT...because not enough folks actually saw him play.

And everyone forgets this important factor: in almost half the games this year, Young was sitting on the sideline by the middle of the third quarter. His numbers aren't nearly as impressive as the other finalists, because he didn't get to work as much. USC was falling behind all season, and coming back in the second half. That meant that Leinart, Bush and Co. were bringing them back...they played almost every down of every game.

Vince Young effectively sat out almost a game and a half this year.

But this, and the fact that people just weren't paying enough attention, meant that Young didn't nearly get the press and acolades he richly deserves.

So, I'm telling you the truth here. For any non-Texas fans out there who just saw the guy for the first time yesterday: the dude does that every game. All of it. The running. The passing. The plays. The coming-from-behind. Welcome to Vince Young football.

World: Vince
Vince: World

You're gonna like each other...

By the way, what was Pete Carroll thinking, going for it on fourth down with two minutes left?!!! At least make it a little challenging for Young. Make him drive eighty yards. I mean, Texas had already stopped them on 4th down once in this game. Everyone is defending his call this morning, but I think he lost USC the game in that moment because, again, he underestimated Vince Young. Everyone does.

Please come back, Vince!!! (I know you probably won't...)
And now, the buzz this am is that he won't come back for his senior year. That would be heartbreaking. But given last night's performance, could his pro-stock ever be any higher? So, can you blame him for leaving? Can he afford to take the chance of playing next year? Or, can he skip out on the chance to repeat, and be an absolute football god/legend in the State of Texas?

Well, one consolation thought (and it's a crazy one). If I were the Houston Texans, I seriously consider drafting him. Sound crazy? You kidding me? Hometown boy? State hero? He'd draw 20-30,000 fans each week just from that. That might make you feel a little better. Please, God, just don't let him end up with the Saints, like Ricky....ugh...

"Eric, quit thinking ahead....just enjoy this...."

You're right. I do need to enjoy it. I am enjoying it.

Good Lord, what a game.
What an incredible game.

2005: A Look Back at the Year Behind

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2006-01-02T11:57:00-06:00

2005: A Look Back at the Year Behind

Yesterday was a work day, and so today is the day that feels like New Year's to me personally. It's always funny when New Year's falls on a Sunday. A lot of the Sunday stuff gets pushed to Monday. So, I'm half-watching the Cotton Bowl right now, dong this writing, and looking forward even more to Wednesday night.

This extra holi-day has given me time to look back at the year a little. You can, of course, read a lot about the year Dennise and I had by going here. Last year, I wrote a blog at the end of the year which was pretty negative, in retrospect. And this year doesn't feel like it's ended much more positively for the world.
Nevertheless, I thought I'd look back at the year that was...

But before I do my personal reflection, here's the year in review, from the funny folks at JibJab.

Seems to me the first big story of 2005 actually happened in 2004: the Tsunami. I read recently that 179,000 people are confirmed dead, tens of thousdans still missing, and tens of thousands more still living in tents and other temporary housing. Hard to imagine still now terribly devastating this event was. But, it was gratifying to see the response of the world community, wasn't it? And it made Bill Clinton and GHW Bush good friends...so miracles do happen, don't they?

In March, we were obsessed with the case of a woman in Florida. Everyone in America, including me, seemed to have an opinion about whether or not she should live or die. Even Congress had an opinion. She finally was allowed the die the good death that she and her husband had agreed on years earlier.

During the late Spring, there seemed to be a lot of silly celebrity news that obsessed folks....Martha Stewart got released from prison. Michael Jackson avoided going. Prince Charles got remarried.

In the late Spring, the Pope died and a new, more conservative one, was elected in his place. I happened to be in El Salvador at the time. And it was fascinating to see a mostly-Catholic country respond to the news. We were actually there to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of the assassination of Archbishop Oscar Romero. We took part in a huge march through San Salvador that featured probably in excess of 40,000 people from all over the world. The atmosphere was so peaceful and optimistic. It was so amazing to see so many people from so many parts of the world coming together in peace and solidarity.

Summer brought more terrorism...this time in the London "Tube." What it showed more than anything, of course, is that the "first world" is by no means immune to terrorism, and that the question for our country is not "if" by "when" it will happen again.

Sometime in August, my personal year got incredibly busy and never slowed down again. (This can been seen in the dramatic drop off in blog entries around the time...)

What happened first was the Camp Casey movement just down the road in Crawford, Texas. It was truly an amazing thing, and I was grateful for the chance to play a small part in that movement. Although lots of folks say they don't agree with Cindy Sheehan, more than half the country clearly agrees with her, and her main question remains unanswered to this day. ("What is the noble cause of this war?")

I happen to believe that a just war needs a noble cause. And so I did support her asking that question. Lots of folks criticized her and the groups around her, and I certainly don't find myself in total agreement with everything every person or group stands for within the peace movement. I never have, frankly. There are always groups with side-causes and agendas that distract from the main message.

But, to this day, I still cannot see the "just" nature of this war, according to what I understand "just war" theory to be. And Cindy was right in asking the questions about the "noble cause."

Speaking of the war, sometime during the Fall, America passed the 2,000 mark in casualties for the year. At the end of the year, we find ourselves having lost over 2100 service men and women, with tens of thousands more injured and wounded.

Quite literally on the heels of the the three-weeks of Camp Casey ending, Hurricane Katrina hit along the Gulf Coast. As of this writing, much of the Gulf Coast is still in shambles. Questions are still being asked about the government's response at every level. And more than a hundred thousand people have permanently moved to Texas...in what is probably the largest single migration to this state ever.

Still weary from Camp Casey, I jumped right into Katrina....through our church, I had the chance to work downtown at Dallas' main emergency center. I heard first-hand heart-wrentching stories of how people literally walked out through the water. I saw folks with looks of shock on their face...folks who'd been staying for days in the Superdome, Baton-Rouge, and finally the Convention Center in Dallas. What was most heart-breaking to me was to know that no matter what aid we could give these folks, we still could not give them back what they had lost.

Along the way, our church got involved with a particular family called the Lees. We helped set them up in a rent house, over on Abrams, furnished the house, and paid for some supplies for them. It was certainly not enough, but again I was really moved by the stories they told us of their escape from New Orleans. I had promised myself all Fall that I would blog about them, but simply haven't had the time. But I carry all their stories in my heart, and hopefully one day I will share them with their permission.

As September flew by, dominated by Katrina, October brought preparations for our church's move into our new building. This is what totally dominated my October and November. I don't think I can ever remember being quite so busy in the church as I was those two months. Again, the absence of my blog entries tells you all you need to know about how busy I was.

The new building move is another of the great personal highlights of my year. We've been dreaming/planning this move ever since I came to Northaven in 2001. And to actually finally be in the new building is a great joy. Architecturally, it's truly a stunning place. Attendance is way up. The attitude of everyone is good and filled with excitement. There have already been plenty of new challenges, and plenty more on the way, I am sure....but it's been a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Then, came the Christmas season. As you might imagine, it's also always an incredibly busy time of year too. Piled on top of the joy of the holiday were two back-to-back funerals, in the days just before Christmas Eve. Once again, a busy, busy time.

So, that's pretty much my year in review. Makes me tired to think about it. Although I've been sleeping a lot the past few days, to just try and clear my mind a little and get ready to get at 2006. It's been really, really good to get a little break here these past few days.
---------------------------
Another interesting thing to review for this year is the growth of my website. According to my year-end statistics, I had almost 20,000 visitors to my site, and more than 10,000 "unique" visitors this year.

To put that in some perspective, I've this website for more than five years, and in that time I'd only ever accumulated about 20,000 visitors. In one month alone (August) I had over 2,000 visitors, as folks downloaded "Prairie Chapel Road." (More than 6 gigs of downloads that month alone....for a song that's only 3.5 megs...you do the math...) The song was played on radio stations around the country, and has been used in two documentary films, and in a story on BBC radio.

So, that's been terribly gratifying. But the growth in website visits has continued. Ever since August I've averaged almost 900 visitors a month!! I am sure that some of you are stopping by to see if there's anything new posted to the blog, or any new music news. So, I will promise to be a better correspondent from now on.

I probably will not surprise you that the most popular blog entry is the "Prairie Chapel Road" entry. What might surprise you is to know that the second-most popular blog entry is the one I wrote on Father's Day last year.
---------------------
Well, with a little rest these last days, I feel like I'm recovering a sense of "normal" again. And this morning, I spend about thirty minutes going through old emails. I had over 600 messages in my "read" mail folder that needed to be filed. Did that.

Then, I cleaned out my "file attachments" folder too. It's the place where I send all the file attachments folk send my via email. And it's interesting to look back at the stuff that accumulates in that folder. Most junk, really.
...Tons of embedded jpgs.
...Lots of pdf folks thought I'd like to see.
...Assorted "vcf" cards.
...A movie someone sent me about a dog running around with a lit Roman candle in his mouth.
...A bunch of doc files from work.
...A ton of useless html spam files.

When I got done clearing it out, and deleting it from the trash, it turned out to be about 2/3rds of a GIG of information. That's right, 2/3rds of ONE GIG. And that appeared to only be six month's worth....

The average file attachment folder, and the average human life, accumulates a lot of junk in the span of a year. One of the blessings of a New Year is the chance to start again. As the grown-up children we are, we adults get to call "do over" every January 1st. Perhaps that's why folks jump and yell and scream in Time Square....it's thrilling to imagine wiping the slate clean, and starting over.

Of course, we never forget the experiences of joy, pain, sorrow, love, that we were touched by in any one year. Like jpegs in an html spam file, those experiences stay embedded in us for a long time. But life moves on. I will be forever grateful this year for the move to the new church....for the chance to be involved in the epic history of Camp Casey...for the chance to do a little for Katrina victims...for the chance to march in El Salvador. But mostly, I am grateful for every day with my family. And I mean that sincerely.

Some years, I have made huge lists of resolutions. I have only one general one for this year. That's to get back to music with a vengeance. I really want to get the CD done and out for public consumption. I really want to play more live shows than I've been playing. Many of you are kind to write me and ask me when I'll be playing and when the CD will be done, and I appreciate your gentle prodding.

I need music for balance in my life and I find that life is not nearly as full when I get busy with so many other demands on my time. So, somehow, I'm resolving to work music back in much more directly and powerfully than it's been these past few months.

In the meantime, I'm praying for peace, working for peace, and hoping that whatever comes in this next year will be full of new adventure and excitement.

Hope the New Year brings you adventure and excitement too.

Carcinoma Update (The doctor says it's gone...)

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2005-07-13T11:53:00-05:00

An update on this.
Had my appointment Monday with my dermatologist, who also happens to have graduated high school with my mother in Atlanta, Texas. He removed what was left of my small "bcc." He said there wasn't much left, actually, and that he thinks he got it all. Wants to see me in a month to check in about it. But, the bottom line is, as many of you told me it would be, that everything looks to be OK.

Sooo... thanks for all the many prayers, happy thoughts, and other feelings you've been sending my way. I 'preciate it all a great deal.

Thanks again.

Basal Cell Carcinoma (Yes, it's a big word. Yes, it's caner.And yes, I've got it...)

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2005-07-05T11:50:00-05:00

Basal Cell Carcinoma (Yes, it's a big word. Yes, it's cancer. And yes, I've got it...)

Got a call from my dermatologist today. It was good news and bad news, I suppose.

The bad news is that I have a skin cancer. It's a basal cell carcinoma. From everything I read, this is mostly good news, if you consider anything about cancer to be good news. Although I won't really jump for joy until the thing is removed, the tests are done, and it's shown that it's really nothing more than one small spot...

I've been more cautious about being in the sun these past few years, since my father had a melanoma removed. That's the skin cancer word you DON'T want to hear. Basically, if they catch that one early enough, you're perfectly fine. If they don't you'll probably die. Nothing like clear choices in life.
They caught my father's early, and he's absolutely fine. But it was a terrifying thing to read about melanoma online, and so I've been cautious since then.

Several months back, I noticed a spot on my cheek, just about a half inch from my ear. Frankly, I thought it was a zit, and didn't think about it much more. Sure enough, it seemed to heal up and go away for a time. Just a zit, right?!

Then, about two weeks ago, two things happened. First, it came back and I cut it shaving. Second, my good friend Rick's father had a pretty serious skin cancer surgery, involving grafts to his face. (Rick, some of you will remember, is a part of my band) Both these things drove me to make an appointment with the dermatologist.

So now, in retrospect, I'm glad I made the appointment, but now I' a little nervous that perhaps I waited longer than I should have to make the appointment. My doctor did call it a "little" spot when he looked at it...so maybe it really is.

Like I said, I won't be really relieved until the surgery's over (next Tuesday) and the tests come back and show that there's nothing more. Don't want to make too much of a big deal about this. I would be really freaked out if it'd been a melanoma. And they still may find it more than I hope it is.

So, between now and pathological certainty (pun intended) I'll covet your prayers and happy thoughts, and I'll keep you posted....

"That same small town in each of us"

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2005-06-20T11:45:00-05:00

"That same small town in each of us"

I write about a trip back to Atlanta, Texas for the wedding of a cousin...

"Who knows how long this will last
Now we’ve come so far, so fast
But, somewhere back there in the dust
That same small town in each of us
I need to remember this
So baby give me just one kiss
And let me take a long last look
Before we say good bye"
-- Don Henley

Brooke and Lanny got married this weekend. Brooke is a cousin of mine from Atlanta, Texas. (Her Dad and my Mom are first cousins...) Had the great honor of officiating for them. It's always fun to do those kinds of weddings, and especially fun for me to do one in Atlanta where my Mom is from. Actually, I have some direct roots to the church where the service was held. I was baptized there, back in 1963. Interestingly, Lanny and Brooke were also both baptized there. That's probably a pretty rare thing, if you think about it.

All my Mom's family, both sides, hail from this town. So, we're related to a lot of folks, although as the years go by more and more of the folks we used to visit are no longer with us. Kind of sad, really. A trip to Atlanta used to mean days of visits to have a dozen different houses where great aunts and uncles lived. Now, there are only a few of my grandparent's generation left.

I still have some wonderful cousins there, and it's always good to go back.

During the wedding, I quoted a David Wilcox song to Lanny and Brooke. It's the song "All My Life," from the Underneath CD. To me, the song reminded me of them, because they've known each other their whole lives...all the way back to being in preschool together at the church.

All My Life
by David Wilcox
"Do you believe in signs that whisper inside your mind 'till you have to follow through,
leading you home again to someplace you've never been? Well I feel that way for you.
For how can it be true, the first time I see you,
I look into your eyes,
and suddenly I knew you all my life.

Don't we have all that time: treasure that's yours and mine, and a place that we call home
Don't we have photographs taken a long time back
of the seasons we have known?

I know it's strange to say, when we just met this way, but I look into your eyes,
and suddenly I knew you all my life."
-----------------------------

But being back there for the wedding also just got me thinking about Atlanta in general. The Don Henley quote at the top of this blog started to mean a lot more to me a couple of years back, when I realized that Henley and I share two things in common.* The first is that Don Henley is from Linden. (A fact I somehow didn't learn until my early 30's).

Linden is just a few miles down the road from Atlanta , and Henley still has a lot of connections to the area. (In fact, here's a trivia question: name Henley's music publishing company for many of his Eagle's and solo records.... a hint can be found in the name of this site.)

So, when I hear the line about "the same small town in each of us," it's got extra meaning to me. Because in his case and mine, it's just about as close to literally true as you can get.

Dennise, Maria and I tried to go to Miles Drugstore for lunch. But apparently, it closes at noon on Saturday's now. We drove around town, showed Maria my grandfather, Sam Mays', old house. It's now a home healthcare company, and we knocked on the door, hoping to be able to take quick tour through. But the woman who answered the door looked perturbed by the idea, and blamed her inability to allow us in on the new HIPAA law. Sounded like an excuse to me, but we still left anyway. A little sadder for it, actually. We drove past the storefront that used to be the family grocery store, where my grandfather was a co-owner.

Really, just about every-other street contains the house of someone we used to know, or some business that was once a friend to the family. I'm glad to be able to take Maria back, so that she can see those roots, and maybe even understand them a little. It's not the same as staying for weeks during the summer, as I used to do...
....going fishing all afternoon with my grandmother, who taught me not to be afraid of dragonflies.
.... shelling pecans with my grandfather...and cleaning fish with him...something I thought at the time was the grossest act known to humankind.
....playing down by the railroad tracks and watching the trains go by.
....walking around downtown with my relatives, and being amazed that they knew everyone, and everyone knew them too.
....rummaging through old closets that held Daddy Sam's trinkets from World War II.
....driving miles out of the way, just to find a good place to eat catfish.

And a million other memories that are inside my mind. I wish Maria could understand all those memories, and I can only hope that she'll always have some inkling that there's a small town, deep inside her too.

* The second is that his wife and I graduated from the same high school class .

--30--

There Goes My Life" (Thoughts on Fatherhood)

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2005-06-19T11:42:00-05:00

"There goes my life" (Thoughts on Fatherhood)

It seems to me that one of the things fathers do for their kids is to teach them how to risk. If the stereotypical role for Mothers is "nuturing" (and note that I'm calling this "stereotypical") then the stereotypical role for Fathers is to push their kids to risk and face their fears.

Take our last Y-Princess Campouts, for example, back in April. On Saturday, we all went on a long hike, back into the woods, where we came to a rock face that, from my lay-perspective, looked like it went straight up the hill. I have to confess, I wasn't too sure I could climb it, much less that Maria could. And she was pretty scared...pulling on my hand....telling me she didn't want to...asking if we could just walk back the way we came.

But we both went up the hill together. And at the top, you could see her face beaming with pride . There is something about that dynamic, about facing a fear and moving through it, that I feel very grateful to be able to teach my daughter.

Not that I'm very good at actually facing my OWN fears....

My own fears about fatherhood didn't have to do with worries about being a bad one. Strange as it may sound, I was pretty sure I would be a good, and pretty involved, Father. I had (have) a great Dad, and I was pretty sure I could be a good one too. Hope that doesn't sound too cocky. But it really is the way I felt about it.

The thing I worried about, and the thing I worry about still I suppose, is the lifelong nature of the commitment. The fact that you are a Father for the rest of your life. I was reminded of that this weekend, as I went to Atlanta, Texas to participate in the wedding of a cousin of mine . There was my cousin, Mark , walking his daughter Brooke, down the aisle. Even in her mid-twenties, he's still her Dad.

My worry before Maria was born (and I know this may sound selfish to some) was whether fatherhood would kill all my dreams. Would there, could there, still be time for any dreams of my own? Or would I put my own dreams on the shelf for the sake of my daughter?

You put some dreams up on the shelf intentionally and with little hesitation. Take bungie jumping, for example. Sure, I've written a song about it, but I've actually never really done it myself. Dennise now tells me I am now forbidden from doing it until Maria is out of college. And, believe it or not, I don't really have a problem with that. This is a good idea. There are many other things that, like today's "Zit's" cartoon shows, you put on the shelf without too much angst.

The thing I worried about MOST was whether or not my life would still have time for music. Just about the time Dennise got pregnant, I was really starting to "play out" at open mics and a few gigs. I had dreamed of putting out a CD, but hadn't yet done it.

Ironically, there was something about knowing I was going to have a kid that made me more, not less, passionate about putting out the CD. In fact, it's not a stretch to say that our having Maria was one of the main motivators for my doing my CD .

What I said to myself then, and what I still say to myself now, is that I think it's important to show kids not just how to be responsible but also how to follow dreams too. If I can't follow my own dreams, if I sit on my own hands, in the long run what does THAT teach her?

On the way back from my mission trip to El Salvador earlier this year, I was listening to the in-flight country music station. A Kenny Chesney song came on, called "There Goes My Life." (if you have iTunes, you can listen to a soundclip here.) Yes, it's a little cornball, but I found myself crying a big river of tears.

Here's the lyrics:

There Goes My Life
by Kenny Chesney

"All he could think about was 'I'm too young for this
Got my whole life ahead, hell, I'm just a kid
myself....
How I'm gonna raise one?'

All he could see were his dreams goin' up in smoke.
So much for ditchin' this town and hangin' out on the coast.
Oh well, those plans are long gone.

[Chorus:]
And he said,
There goes my life.
There goes my future, my everything.
Might as well kiss it all good-bye.
There goes my life.......

A couple years of up all night and a few thousand diapers later.
That mistake he thought he made covers up the refrigerator.
Oh yeah..........he loves that little girl.

Momma's waiting to tuck her in,
As she fumbles up those stairs.
She smiles back at him dragging that teddy bear.
Sleep tight, blue eyes and bouncin' curls.

[Chorus:]
He smiles.....
There goes my life.
There goes my future, my everything.
I love you, daddy good-night.
There goes my life.

She had that Honda loaded down.
With Abercrombie clothes and 15 pairs of shoes and his American Express.
He checked the oil and slammed the hood, said you're good to go.
She hugged them both and headed off to the West Coast.

[Chorus:]
And he cried,
There goes my life.
There goes my future, my everything.
I love you.
Baby good-bye.

There goes my life.
There goes my life.
Baby good-bye.

I supposed there's big part of me that assumed, like the song suggests, that my life would be over once Maria was born. How naive was that!? In some ways, although I didn't know it, it was just getting started.

Happy Father's Day to everyone....

--30--

Sunday in the Park (How quickly the time passes...)

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2006-01-09T11:40:00-06:00

Sunday afternoon, Maria and I went down to the park at the end of our block. It's a small city
park, with a nice little playground. She rode her new "Razor" scooter down there. She wanted to go so she could do the monkey bars. I can remember when I had to help her with the monkey bars...when she didn't have the strength to do them alone. Now, she zips through them, effortlessly, like she's skipping across on her hands.

She's also FAST on that scooter. She got well ahead of me at several points in our trip, and I had to yell at her to get her to slow down and wait for me. I read a book on fatherhood when she was first born that said that toddlers run away from their parents, and then always come back... enjoying the game itself, and gaining trust by the ever-longer distances they travel.

It's stunning how quickly it passes and how much she's changed. I know people have told me this my whole life. But like much of the other good advice I've gotten in life, I just asssumed it would be different for me...

As she scooted down the hill, so fast that it took my breath away, I thought about the incredible Sally Fingerett song, "The Return":

"Promise me, promise me, you will outlive me,
It's the natural order, the way it should be.
Break from me, take from me, all you can carry,
It's nature, it's nuture, and then it's your turn.
The things that I teach you I learn.
Tossed in the air, your baby goes flying,
Into the sun, under wide open skies,
Bright blue and shining
She's earthbound and she's running,
There in her eyes, it's your love that will
Always return."

While we were there, I sat wordlessly next to a couple from somewhere in South Asia. Vietnaam, perhaps? It was clear they spoke almost no English, because they didn't respond to my severalattempts to engage them. They grinned kindly, and smiled at Maria.

They were probably in their early sixties, and were there with a small baby in a stroller that I can only assume is a grandchild.

Was this their first visit? Had they come all the way from somehwhere like Vietnaam to see her? What did they think of North Dallas, or of Maria and I? What incredible things had they seen inlife? Did they know anyone caught up in the Tsunami?

So many unanswered questions. And instead, they just grinned and smiled and me, and I at them. And as they shuffled back up the street, I thought about what an amazing and small world we live in.

--30--

The Lack of Leadership on Fuel Economy

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2006-05-06T11:13:00-05:00

The Dallas Morning News is featuring a really good investigative story today about the kinds of cars our elected members of Congress from North Texas drive. You will remember that last week I posted a long rant about the importance of Hybrid Cars. I that rant, I wondered aloud why our elected leaders are not jumping on the bandwagon for great fuel efficiency and Hybrid Cars.

As this story shows, part of the reason is that the bandwagons they drive personally mostly get less than 20 MPG.

Here's a comparison chart of the mileage our congressional delegation get from their cars:

Three Years Ago Today

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2006-05-01T11:11:00-05:00

"Shock and Awe"
by Neil Young

Back in the days of "mission accomplished"
Our chief was landing on the deck
The sun was setting on a golden photo op
Back in the days of "mission accomplished"

Thousands of bodies in the ground
Brought home in boxes to a trumpet's sound
No one sees them coming home that way
Thousands buried in the ground

Thousands of children scarred for life
Millions of tears for a soldier's wife
Both sides are losing now
Heaven takes them in
Thousands of children scarred for life

We had a chance to change our mind
But somehow wisdom was hard to find
We went with what we knew and now we can't go back
But we had a chance to change our mind.
Shock and Awe, Copyright Neil Young.

Immigration Misinformation

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2006-04-25T11:09:00-05:00

A follow up to my writing on the MegaMarch...

A lot of email friends forward me "chain" emails. Often, they are harmless (and sometimes very funny) jokes.Sometimes, they are heart-wrenching stories of little children in need of kidney dialysis. And, now and then, they are political treatises, begging me to understand an issue more and pass the email along to others.

Experience has taught me that, except for the jokes, many of these email-chain messages are complete fabrications. They are faux-heartrending-stories about fictional children. They take sometimes real quotes from sometimes real people, and either embellish them or take them out of context.

The reason I am writing about this today is that last week I got an email that was allegedly about the recent immigration rallies across the country. It purported to be a series of quotes from Latino/a leaders that, taken at face valued seemed very incendiary. The implication of the email was that these quote were given in the context of the recent nation-wide rallies, and that they signified the sentiments of those who attended. Because I what I will say below, I will not reprint the quotes here.

But, as I said, the collection of quotes was quite inflammatory. Even I, as a friend to many a Latino/a person, was concerned as I read the email. There's just one problem: every single quote appears to be taken out of context and misconstrued to stir up fear among white people. Some of the quotes cannot be verified by any independent source, and those that do appear to be accurate are from a completely different historical time and place...

These days, when I get these emails, unless they are the harmless jokes type I always turn to the website, Snopes.com. This is, in my opinion, one of the best online repositories for understanding "urban legends." An "urban legend" is a tale that takes on almost mythic proportions sometimes, but is almost always untrue.

For example, perhaps you have gotten the email that says that Bill Gates/and or/AOL is giving away money to folks who forward an email. The Snopes.com folks have shown that this claim is false.

Once upon a time, I also got an email that said Target stores "do not support veterans." The email also said that Target was owned by the French, and cuts off benefits to reservists who are called to active duty. Once again, Snopes.com was able to show that all these allegations are false.

A lot of these internet rumors get spread during political campaigns. For example, during the last presidential campaign, there was picture floating around that purported to show John Kerry and Jane Fonda on stage at an anti-war rally in the 1960s. But, as you can see from this Snopes investigation, the picture was a complete fabrication.

Such ugly rumors have also made the rounds on the internet concerning George Bush too. For example, there was a rumor circulating by email some years back that George Bush's house in Dallas (in Preston Hollow, literally about ten streets south of where I lived as a kid...) had a "deed restriction" on it that would not allow him to sell it to a black family...and that he supported this restriction.

The truth was far differrent:

Yes, Bush's house did have such a restriction on it in the 1930s when such racist restrictions were considered legal. (Fifty other houses in that 300 house subdivision also had them...).

But, no, such a restriction was not valid today, nor did Bush support it (or even know about it) until somebody mentioned it to him. Read about it here.

Well, the point of all this is to strongly encourage you (as strongly as I can) to always check out email rumors before passing them along....and especially before believing them. Like I said, a short trip to Snopes.com can often settle the question for you, and you won't be guilty of passing on erroneous, or even intentionally false information, to others.

So, as I said, last week I got a forwarded email about the recent immigration rallies. Because, as I will state below, I believe the email to be a dangerous gloss of the real facts, I will not reprint it here. Sufficed to say that it was a collection of quotes from various Hispanic leaders. The implication was clearly left that these quotes were recent, and that they were given in the context of the large rallies that have taken place all over the country.

It took Snopes.com about a week do so some research on these quotes. And what they have found is that in fact...
1) some of them are true...
2) some of them cannot be verified as true
3) ALL of them are taken out of context.

Virtually all of these quotes come from the 1990s, not 2006, and were a part of the debate in California over Proposition 187. You may recall that this was an incredibly controversial ballot initiative in California. It was passed, but it was later overturned by the courts. Some of the other things that are alleged in the email also happened; but are, again, taken out of context.

The facts are that the recent immigration protests were incredibly peaceful...in both word and deed. If you have not done so, please read my own summary of my experience at the Dallas rally. Half a million people converged on downtown, and there was not ONE arrest. That should tell you something.

Hopefully, it tells you that the event was peaceful. Hopefully, it tells you that the kind of harsh rhetoric cited in this email is of another time and place.

And even it if WAS of this time and place, hopefully you the reader are smart enough to know that the thoughts of a few radical leaders cannot possibly sum up all the beliefs of 500,000 marchers!!!

You can read Snopes' research on this topic here.

So, you have to ask yourself the question: why was this email created, why is being circulated, and why is it all happening NOW?

The answer: to try to make white people afraid.

Whoever created this email knows that many Anglos are justifiably shocked by the sheer size of these immigration protests. (most people of all colors are..) Perhaps they are even a little fearful about whether such crowds might get out of control, or cause mass social chaos. Whoever created this email knows all of this. And so, they have taken some truths, some falsehoods, and a lot of things out of context, and created a potent dose of FEAR.

Please, do not buy it. Please, do not forward it to others.

Please remember: 500,000 protesters. Not ONE arrest.

Please remember: A sea of white shirts, intended to symbolize peace.

Please remember: More American flags than I have ever seen in my life.

Please remember: Chants of "USA, USA!!!"

The immigration issue is being raised NOW to try and incite white people to be afraid.

This damaging email was created for the exact same reason.

Don't buy it.

One Oh One (That was the temperature yesterday. On April 17th)

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2006-04-18T11:07:00-05:00

Yesterday, the entire DFW Metroplex became a believer in global warming.

Yesterday --April 17, 2006-- the recorded high temperature was 101 degrees.

April Seventeenth.

Today, I believe the high was one hundred...or ninety-nine...or some other ridiculously high number. It doesn't really matter one degree or another...it was insanely hot.

Mind you, we're used to this kind of thing later in the year. A couple of months from now a string of, say, fourteen straight 100-plus days won't cause us to blink around here. And, for those us who've been here our whole lives, we kinda like our summers that way.

But April Seventeenth?!!!...

You know the really strange thing? The local news --tv, newspaper, take your pick-- they reported the high temps of the past few days, but none of them gave any context for them. Not ONE media source, that I saw, stopped to ask the question, "Gee, could this be related to global warming?"

Those same stations will probably do a story on global warming sometime in the next week or so (Earth Day's coming, so it will be obligatory)

Will they bother to remind us how high the temps have been when they run that story?
Will they connect the dots enough to show the facts: that we've already had eight record high temperature days this calendar year?
Or, will they just run a story about how to put your recycling in the blue plastic bag by the curb?

My bet's on the blue plastic bags. And that'll be a shame. Because I promise you: yesterday everyone in Dallas became a believer in global warming.

Now, we just need the media and our politicians to name it, and help to us find ways to do something about it.

Katrina Aftermath

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2005-09-03T11:06:00-05:00

Hey everyone:

Lot's happening in our city right now, with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. I know there are a lot of suggestions for what folks can do to be helpful, but I thought you might be interested to read what our church is doing.

Follow this link, and you'll find some specific suggestions for helping out all the folks who are coming here to Dallas.

Thanks.

--30--

Last Trip to Camp Casey: The Last Weekend

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2005-08-29T11:02:00-05:00

Camp Casey is now winding down, and in a few days it will all be packed up for good.

The last weekend was certainly a big one. I actually ended up going down twice: Friday and Saturday. On Friday, I went down with Bill McElvaney, one of the emeritus pastors of our church. He'd been down the very first weekend, and wanted to get back down again one last time. (I'll probably post some of Bill's pictures later...)

The first thing we noticed, of course, was the vastness of Camp Casey II. Good Lord, it was a big tent! Wireless internet...huge food line..tons of tables for folks to site around at. How amazing to see how much it had changed from the first trips we'd both made...when there were, maybe 50-70 folks out at Camp Casey I...

Friday was clearly a day of preparation down there. There was not much scheduled. There was "peacemaker training" in the afternoon, to prepare for the following day. Johnny Wolfe, from the Crawford Peace House/Dallas Peace Center, led the training. We sat in on a little of it, and it seemed like the main goal was to have folks who would be looking out for trouble the following day, but who would be trained to respond in love and non-violence to anything that did happen.

There was a palpable sense of concern out there Friday. Everyone knew the weekend would be big, but nobody knew whether it would be smooth. Everyone knew of the counter-protest groups coming from California and all over, and really no one knew what that would mean...would things go smoothly? With that many new folks, many of whom are angry (on both sides...) would tensions escalate into violence?

Anyway, Ann Wright, the brains of Camp Casey, gave a impassioned plea for restraint and non-violent, peaceful action the next few days.

Bumped into Tom Geddie down there. Tom is a great music critic and lover all all things Texas. He moved from Dallas to East Texas a few years back, and now actually lives just a few miles from my family's lakehouse out there. Bill, Tom and me had some good conversations.

I also got the chance to meet many of the new family members who had come in during the past week since I'd been there. Some of them had only arrive that day, or the night before. They all looked a little wide-eyed, and wondering about what their experience would be like. Person after person said that they simply felt compelled to come...compelled to to come and tell their stories and to be with other family members and vets.

Saturday was the BIG day. I had to be in Waco for a funeral that morning, and so I actually had to drive by myself. Since I'd been before, I knew the backroads and, unbelievably, got an incredible parking space. (I drove the Hybrid...) Saw lots of folks I knew out there. There were probably ten or twelve folks from our church. Saw all my friends from the Dallas Air America listener group. Saw some musician friends from Austin. Caught up with some of the vets and family members who I'd met the Friday before.

Since I came in the back way, I didn't even see the majority of the counter-protesters. I heard they had a big demonstration --perhaps even with as many or more than were at Camp Casey II-- but I never saw it. By the time I drove back through town in the late afternoon, most of them had left.

The crowd at Camp Casey was HUGE. I mean HUGE. It was wall-to-wall people.

(photo: Jeff Paterson)

Here's Jeff Paterson's pictures of the day.

The main rally from 12-2 was very well planned. Each of the four main groups that eventually became sponsors of Camp Casey spoke. I was especially impressed with the young vets from Iraq, and their group "Iraq Vets Against the War." (Quicktime Video here) One of the things that perhaps most folks don't realize is just how MANY vets --and how many Iraq Vets-- were there and present at Camp Casey. I don't know what the exact count finally was, but it had to have been at least 20 to 30 of them on Saturday alone. (With others who had to leave earlier...)

The family members, as I've mentioned several times, were deeply touching to me. Specifically, I got the chance to meet Steve DeFord. Steve DeFord is a Gold Star Father, whose son was killed in Iraq. On Friday, when I saw him, he seemed a little shell-shocked still by the whole experience of being at Camp Casey. His wife had been there my previous trip (and was present at the Friday Prayer Vigil), but had gone home and handed the baton off to Steve. It was clear that he still wasn't sure about how much he would speak out, or what he would say.

Joan Baez played all throughout the main event, leading the group in many classic protest songs. Cindy Sheehan gave quite a good speech, commenting a lot on the obvious growth of the Camp Casey movement.

I have to say, that's the thing that really astounds me too...just how much this movement grew in just a few short weeks. How amazing it was --almost like a paradigm shift-- from that first trip I made when there were probably 60-70 folks out by the side of the road, and when I just happened to run for cover into Cindy's tent shelter and get caught in the storm with Ann Wright. How amazing it was to now see the thousands there in Crawford.

As I surveyed the huge crowd that day, I thought back, and it seemed to me that the Friday we were there for the Prayer Vigil was really a crucial turning point. Two things were going on simultaneously that day:
1) Cindy Sheehan was gone...the first full day she was gone, and
2) Camp Casey II was being constructed.

Cindy Sheehan's being gone really probably gave the movement a depth it wouldn't have had otherwise. That day we were there, as we finished the prayer vigil, we marched with the family member to the Bush Ranch (Quicktime video here). It seems that this moment was when these other family members and vets who had been somewhat in the shadows up til then (Quicktime video here) came into their own. Everyone realized that their stories need telling too. Everyone realized that, as Cindy Sheehan has said, the movement is bigger than Crawford Texas and Cindy Sheehan.

If Cindy's being gone gave the movement a paradoxical new depth, it was Camp Casey II that gave it new breadth. And how amazingly organic that it was being constructed at just the same time these other families were stepping out of the shadows.

Sooo....I thought about all this, and what a turning point that Friday has been in retrospect, as I looked out over that HUGE crowd on Saturday.

It was really, really something...

Teri Hendrix played after the main rally ended. She always plays, of course, with Lloyd Maines, whose daughter's comment, several years ago, created a whole new verb. After her, James McMurtry did a set. I've been a big fan of his for years, and it was great to see him live for the first time. Sumer Erickson, Roky's younger brother, followed him.

And then, just before they took a thirty-minute break, I got the chance to get on stage and play "Prairie Chapel Road."

(Photo: Nancy Cunningham)

It was really an awesome moment. Perhaps half the crowd had left by that point. But that still meant there were a lot of folks out there. Everyone was clapping along too. There were a ton of musicians, really good ones, waiting patiently in line to play, and so it was really very kind for Richard Bowden (formerly of the Austin Lounge Lizards, and organizer of the entertainment that afternoon...) to fit me in for the one song. I had worked up a longer set. But I really wanted to play earlier rather than later....and, when I thought of all those others still waiting to play, I really wanted to just play that one song one more time. So, was a tradeoff....earlier appearance, shorter set.

I probably gave out 40 copies of Prairie Chapel Road to the veterans and family members, including one to Cindy Sheehan. The rest were left to be sold, all proceeds to the Crawford Peace House.

(Photo: Nancy Cunningham)

It really was great to get to play the song again down there. It feels like it will probably run the course of its life soon....although it's still being downloaded about 50 times a day right now. I'm just so honored to have had the chance to be even a small part of what I truly believe will be an historic movement.

Bumped into Carter Thompson in the late afternoon, and offered him a ride back to Dallas. We drove back into town, and then back out to Camp Casey I one more time. Carter had never seen it. It seemed like whatever had happened earlier in the day was long over by then. Same thing for downtown....perhaps a hundred or so "counter-demonstrators" still there. (At that same moment, there were still probably 400-500 folks out at Camp Casey II...)

I really still don't know what the counter demonstrations were like. I have heard folks say that some of them were pretty angry and vitriolic in their comments. And, if this account is any indication (the part about the "Protest Warriors" halfway down the story...), it's probably a good idea both sides stayed away from each other, for the most part. We stopped by the Peace House on the way out of town, because Carter had never seen that either. Laura Flanders was doing a live broadcast of her radio show, and we stopped to listen for a while.

The most amazing thing is that I bumped into the Burns Sisters! What's really funny about this is that I'd bumped into Jeannie Burns as we were getting back off the shuttle to go home from that first Monday visit. She'd come down from Ithaca for a few days, and I thought it an amazing coincidence to actually bump into her there. I mean, what are the odds that you just bump into someone like that, right?

Soo...now it's several weeks later, I'm back at the Peace House, walking into the side yard, and low and behold, all three Burns Sisters are there. They were just getting ready to go out to the camp and, once again, I was just getting ready to go home...how cosmic is that? We chatted for a while, and I got the chance to tell Annie how much I LOVE her newest CD. (I really do, and it's really in my car CD player right now...) She also took a picture of me with all of them. (Which I hope to post here eventually....)

I told them that they needed to get their considerable talent up on the stage, and they said they thought they'd probably end up doing some acapela stuff. Sure enough, Sunday night, I was listening to the live internet stream from Camp Casey II, and I could hear the Burns Sisters in the background, doing "No More Silence." It was very cool...

I'm pretty sure I heard Susan Werner get introduced later too. Some pretty fantastic musicians came down to Crawford.

I hear that Sunday was a pretty amazing day, with even more big name celebs coming by. I'm glad Martin Sheen came, and I admire him a great deal. I really like his quote where he said, "You know what I do for a living, but this is what I do to keep me alive."

I know that I have lots of friends, perhaps even some of you reading this, who probably have grave doubts about the whole "Camp Casey" movement. I can certainly understand that. The one thing I can say with certainty is this: the reality of Camp Casey felt very different to me from what I saw on television. Had I not gone myself, I too might have had "concerns."

But what I saw was as genuine, heart-felt movement, from folks who felt almost a pilgrimmage-like compulsion to come.

Remember the Spielberg film "Close Encounters?" Remember how the characters simply have this compulsion to get themselves to that specific Utah mountain? That's what I read in the face and stories of the vets, moms, dads, and other family members who came to Crawford. The just came because they had to come. They didn't even know what they'd find when they got there.

Sure, there were a lot of other distractions down there. But, at the heart, there were these folks, who feel they cannot be silent any more. In fact, some of them feel like they've been silent far too long. They are not professional politicians, so sometimes they don't speak very eloquently. But, then, sometimes that very lack of "polish" gives them a genuineness that is often missing in our political discourse today.

I know a lot of folks have a hard time with the idea of bringing home the troops right now. I certainly understand that reservation. I feel like I need to blog on some of my own views on this war....as if to blog about Camp Casey this much pre-assumes that I agree with everyone and everybody at Camp Casey...I'm sure I don't. So, I'll probably step back and do that blogging in a few days.

But for right now, my heart has been touched by these family members who have poured their heart and soul out to our country. I mentioned Steve DeFord, one of the fathers I met down there. As I mentioned, Steve is a Gold Star Father, meaning his son was killed in combat in the Iraq War. On Saturday, in the midst of the big rally, in the tent filled with 2,000-plus people, I looked off to one side. Steve was just standing there by himself, looking very sad.

So, I went over to talk to him. "What do you think of all this?" I asked.
He broke into tears.

"It's all so wonderful. It's all so amazing. But it's just too late."

He took a long look around the room, "It's just all too late."

We both fell into tears and into a hug. Because I knew that for Steve, no matter what anyone does to try to end the war now, that would also always be true.

Prairie Chapel Road: A Song Inspired by Camp Casey and Cindy Sheehan

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2005-08-16T23:31:00-05:00

In August of 2005, I had the great good fortune to be a part of "Camp Casey," the organic and grassroots peace movement inspired by Cindy Sheehan. During some of my trips there, I was inspired to write a song called "Prairie Chapel Road," which has now become one of two great songs to come out of that movement. It's been downloaded almost 3,000 times since then.

I've revised this original blog entry several times, and now it's sort of a "one stop" place to find all the other writing I've done about Camp Casey. The entry below tells the story of how "Prairie Chapel Road" first got written, and will give you the links so you can download/stream it yourself.

But I thought you might also be interested in some of the OTHER writing I've done about Camp Casey and what's happened since I wrote the song....

So, you can learn about my second visit to Camp Casey 1 here, where I played PCR for family members the very first time, at a Friday prayer vigil.

You can see an incredible video that uses PCR as the soundtrack at this second link.

This third blog entry tells about how BBC Radio used a clip of the song in a that aired on Public Radio in the states.

Fourthly (is this a word?), you can learn about my final visit to Camp Casey last August, on the last incredible Saturday, when 2,000 people were gathered there and I got to play the song on the big main stage at Camp Casey II, here .

Last but not least, you can read here how my musician friend, Jesse Dyen, has covered "Prairie Chapel Road."

But, before you read any this, you might want to start with what's below. It's the very first "Prairie Chapel Road" blog entry that tells the story of the song, and of how all this got started. Perhaps give it a read, and then explore some of these other links I've just mentioned....EF
---------------------------------------------
I went down to Camp Casey yesterday. It's only an hour and a half from home, and I'd been moved by what I'd been reading of the powerful questions she hopes to ask the President. So, me and two others from our church went down for the day.

We got off the shuttle at Camp Casey about 2 minutes before a HUGE gully-washer rainstorm blew through. (Reminded me of Kerrville, actually...) I ran to the nearest shelter which, as it turns out, was the Veterans for Peace shelter where Cindy's original tent had been. (According to woman named Ann, who was nice enough to let me keep out of the rain with her...)

After the rain, Ron, Kim, and me went down the entire row of 800-plus crosses. The storm had toppled over some of the American flags that were next to them, and some of the names had blown off. So, as we walked down, just soaking in all the crosses in the soaked ground --a little less than half of the actual US casualties-- we did our best to put them back in order.

Imagine my shock, then, when I awoke this morning to find that the crosses had been mowed down by some Crawford local the night before. Apparently, he'd tied a metal pole to the back of his truck, and just plowed through them, like he was plowing up corn. Beside the violence of his act, it seems to me that despite his claim to be a "good Christian," the whole crucifixion thing must be lost on him. I mean, thinking theologically here, how completely metaphorical IS it for him to RUN OVER a bunch of CROSSES?!!!*

There are just whole levels of powerful metaphor to this senseless act. Even some of the pro-war (or pro-Bush) folks had been moved by the display of crosses. I heard stories that some of them "crossed the road" to walk up and down the line. Some of them left American flags. Some of them left flowers.

I heard the story that there was a local guy who drove by, who was very much pro-war (or pro-Bush). He had lost his son in the war, and he came up, angry and wanting to talk to someone. After a while, he noticed the crosses, and decided to check and see if his son was among the names. Turns out, he was. And the man melted into tears, in the hands of a peace advocate whose name he barely even knew.

Such were the stories of power that I heard while at Camp Casey. These don't seem to be making into the mainstream press.

There was so much more that I wanted to blog today about the trip to Crawford. But somehow this thing with the crosses stayed in the front of my brain, and wouldn't leave me alone.

So, although I had bloggers block, I didn't seem to have songwriters block. And I've got a new song called "Prairie Chapel Road"

On the way home today, these words of hope just came tumbling out.

It's been said that there's no good protest songs being written these days. Well, maybe it's because there are very few good protests. I don't know if this is a good song, but I DO know this is a powerful protest that deserves good songs.

And so, this song goes out to Cindy Sheehan, and to all the others who camp there in non-violence, and who believe that their witness CAN make a difference in people's lives. They've inspired me, and they've inspired countless others.

And, as this witness goes on, and the tensions mount, we all need to believe in the hope that was ignited by their original willingness to speak up and speak out.

Prairie Chapel Road
Download it here
Stream it here

Lyrics

Prairie Chapel Road
The grieving mother pitched her tent,
On Prairie Chapel Road...

With questions for the President
On Prairie Chapel Road...

A host of pilgrims came along
To Prairie Chapel Road...

Raised their voices, sang their songs
On Prairie Chapel Road...

You can mow down the crosses,
but you can’t mow down our hope,
‘Cause the truth will always greet
The light of day.
And we know what the cost is,
In this darkness, where we grope,
But we know that peace
Will be the better way...
On Prairie Chapel Road...

Around the nation, all eyes turned
To Prairie Chapel Road...

To mark the lessons we had learned
On Prairie Chapel Road...

People who had found their voice
On Prairie Chapel Road...

Millions more who joined their choice
On Prairie Chapel Road...
---------------------
In every city, and small town,
There’s a Prairie Chapel Road

Where two sides of the road are found,
On Prairie Chapel Road...

And we may always disagree
On Prairie Chapel Road...

But the right to do keeps us free
On Prairie Chapel Road...
----------
The grieving mother pitched her tent,
On Prairie Chapel Road...

With questions for the President
On Prairie Chapel Road...

Copyright, Eric Folkerth © 2005
All Rights Reserved.

* I should note that there were also several Stars of David, and at least one Crescent Moon too...

--30--

What Does it meant to have INTENT? (My questions about the Karl Rove thing)

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2005-07-14T23:29:00-05:00

I've got a question about the whole Karl Rove thing that I don't hear anybody asking. It has to do with answering the charge that Rove was simply trying to "correct" the Time Magazine reporter, and steer him away from INCORRECT information.

For those of you under a rock this week, Rove has been fingered as a source for the Valerie Plame leak. But it's already clear what his defense will be:

1) I never used her name, and
2) I was actually trying to steer the reporter AWAY from the story.

OK, there's just one HUGE thing wrong with this alibi to me. And to answer that, you have to ask yourself the question "Who IS Karl Rove?"

Answer: Karl Rove is a political operative. Karl Rove is a master manipulator of the media and the public. Karl Rove is KNOWN to spread lies and half-truths to the media and the public to help his political allies. (Remember this: "would it change your opinion about John McCain to know that he's the father of a black baby?") Karl Rove is the MASTER of this...

As such, it's is entirely plausible that he DID intend to "out" Valerie Plame, and knew two things:
1) he wouldn't have to actually use her name, and
2) if he told a reporter "Oh, don't look here...there's no story here!!!" that would actually drive the reporter TOWARD the story. (Like telling a child, "Whatever you do, don't touch that cookie jar!")

So, several things follow from this for me:
1) Knowing that Karl Rove knows how to work the media in this way
2) Knowing that that Bush Administration WAS involved in a campaign to smear Joseph Wilson at that very moment

...can't it be argued that, even Karl Rove's supposed cover story points to how he actually INTENDED to blow a CIA agent's cover.

I have heard very few folks talking about this angle, and it seems to me an important one. Rove's own words would not be enough to implicate him if he was an average guy like me. But he's not. The thing you know about him is that he often INTENDS to manipulate the media and the story that's being told by the media.

It's quite plausible that his own words DO show his own personal intent to do so, given who we know him to be.

UPDATE:
I just found this Mark Shield's column that is the first anywhere (that I have read...) that tries to make the same connection that I tried to make in this blog...basically, that it defies credulity to image that Karl Rove was seriously talking to reporters in an attempt to steer them away from "bad" information. I say that it defies, credulity. Shield's puts it more directly and asks "How Dumb Do They Think We Are?"

--30--

When Flies Swat Back: London, Terrorism, and the Continuing Insanity of it All

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2005-07-08T23:27:00-05:00

Ever since the attacks on London yesterday morning, I've been curiously monitoring my own emotional reaction. I have a memory of how I reacted to both 911 and Madrid, and I've been wondering if my reaction here would be much the same. Strangely, it has not been the same, and I'm puzzling as to why that's the case.

I find that I'm unable to cry. That's what a did after 911. Just days and days of crying, every time the images of that horrific event came on TV. But that didn't happen this time.

I find that I'm not shocked either. That's what happened to me after Madrid. I just went into a state of shock that such an horrific attack could happen in a European country. But that's not happening this time either.

Yesterday and today, I find that I cannot cry. I cannot seem to be shocked. I find that I'm just NUMB...

I'm numb to the whole thing....numb to the senselessness of it....numb to the point where --and I hate to admit this-- I really don't want to know much more about this London attack. It feels callous and uncaring to say this. But I have no desire to watch the 24-hour news cycle spin out their stories over the next weeks and months. I'm pretty sure I know what they're going to say already. I'm pretty sure I know what our president is going to say too.

Now, I know that another portion of my numbness is different from this. It's emotionally defensive. This is a terrorist attack. Everyone knows the terrorists WANT there to be pain, suffering, shock, etc, etc.... So, there is some part of my psyche that says "don't react to this...don't give them what they want."

To that end, it strikes me that London is a strangely ironic place for this to happen, in that the British are incredibly resilient people. If the terrorists think the British will shrivel up and fall apart over this, they didn't study World War II very well. And they've forgotten that Britain has been dealing with terrorist attacks for thirty-years, at the hands of the IRA. I think they (the terrorists) will be sorely disappointed in how the British react. And that is good.

But, beyond all my numbness, there is something else more surprising.

There is a seething anger and a growing hopelessness. The anger is that, once again, this terrorism is so damn predictable given the ongoing war in Iraq. The hopelessness is that I fear it will once again strengthen the "resolve" of our President to fight the wrong enemy in the wrong way; and to, once again, take all the wrong lessons from this attack.

Let me tell you where the majority of my anger comes from this morning....

It's from remembering how President Bush himself once described the fight against Al Qaeda. In fact, the title of this blog entry is taken from a quote from President Bush himself. Perhaps you will remember that President Bush told some of his closest advisors that, when it came to fighting terrorism, he was "tired of swatting at flies."

Well, Mr. President, how does it feel today to know that those flies can still swat back? How does it feel to know that after spending billions in Iraq, a small group of unknown Al Qaeda affiliated terrorists can still act with impunity, and behind the backs even the most capable terrorism experts?

From the beginning, one of my chief concerns about the Iraq War is that it took valuable resources away from the real War on Terror. Before it began, I believed that the Iraq War would make us LESS safe, not more so. And I believed this because I felt it would divert our attention and resources away from Al Qaeda. I also believed it would make us less safe because it would help to create the next generation of Al Qaeda operatives. Both these fears have come true, in wholly predictable and pitiful fashion.

The Administration continues to deny that either of these has happened. But the facts are irrefutable. No less a pro-military organization than the Army War College released a report saying that resources HAVE been diverted away from the fight against terrorism.

Dick Cheney may claim that the insurgency is on its last legs. (The army doesn't seem to buy this...) But Al Qaeda --which the 911 Commission clearly showed had NO operational connection to Iraq-- now operates freely in that country. Security experts say that a new generation of terrorist is learning the trade in Iraq itself in numbers that shock everyone who studies it.

Were those some of the "flies" we all heard from yesterday, Mr. President?

Because resources have been diverted, not everything that COULD be done to protect our country HAS been done. For example, ABC News has done several undercover reports on our nation's security in the past few years. In one such report, they successfully shipped depleted uranium into our country, without it being detected. They also showed how several unclaimed backpacks were allowed to stay on American commuter trains, one of them making it all the way to Penn Station in New York...again, without detection. (see "the holes we know" section of this link...)

Now, in naming these concerns, I certainly do not mean to criticize the hard work of local homeland security officials. They ARE working hard, and these kinds of security breaches trouble them greatly. But the fact is that we are not spending enough on security in these areas, and we are spending too much on this war in Iraq. As I heard Richard Clarke say last night on PrimeTimeLive, what if we spent just ONE TENTH of what we're spending in Iraq on improving our domestic security on trains and in our sea ports? The fact is, we're not and we need to.

We've dangerously taken our eye off the ball. Actually, the better metaphor is that we've chosen to ignore the "flies" in favor of fighting the war in Iraq. And in doing so, we've created a rotting stench of death that attracts more and more flies every day.

It's exactly where I feared we'd be after the Iraq War. And there seems to be no clear plan on the part of our president to stop it.

It's all so pathetically predictable.

So, I find myself angry and with a growing hopelessness. I don't want to watch the news stories or what President Bush has to say about it, because I'm pretty sure I know what they're going to say and I'm tired of hearing the same old thing.

They say insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. Well, that's what we've been doing in both Iraq and the War on Terror for the past four years.
----------------------------

Since it's so close and so tender to so many this morning, I hate to reduce London down to one small "meaning." But what it feels me to me is that London is just one more hopeless example of the insanity of our current policies.

Will we ever find the will to stop the insanity?

(I am pleased to tell you that this blog entry has been published by Common Dreams...EF)

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What it's like to be interview by Republicans: About my Radio Interview

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2004-12-04T23:25:00-06:00

(If you have no idea what I'm talking about, read this ....)

It really wasn't bad. My friend, Lydia Bishop, set the whole thing up and she sent me the script for the questions ahead of time. So, I knew what was coming.

What happened that day was that the time for the interview coincided with the time of my daughter's soccer game. Sooo...I had to do it by cell phone. And at the appointed time, I had to excuse myself to the car, so I could actually talk to them. Strange feeling, watching your daughter's soccer game in front of you, and knowing that at that same moment, your voice is being heard live on the radio, way across the country...

The strangest thing that happened was that about ten minutes into the soccer game, I got stung by a bee. You heard right, a BEE! In late November!!! Got stung right on the neck.

Hadn't been stung by a bee in years....twenty? I can't even remember. I've never had a bad reaction before to a bee sting, but it'd been so long that what could I actually expect? Heck, my Mom tends to swell up like a balloon, and so I was a little concerned...

Sooo, I rushed home and swigged a ton of Benadryl, just to be safe. And the point of this is that by the time the interview came along, the Benadryl was kicking in, and I was loopy, loopy, loopy...

You can tell it at one point, because I totally lose my ability to speak...I just stumble over the words for a second there. It seemed like an eternity.

So, it wasn't the best interview ever given.

But, neither was it an ambush, as some of you, my liberal friends, suggested. I pretty much knew it wouldn't be. I got the sense that the the host of the show might have wanted to turn it that direction. But my friend, Lydia, was good at shooting down the middle.

The interview is up at the Republican Radio site, and you can hear it here .

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Eric on Republican Radio

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2004-11-18T23:24:00-06:00

This Saturday, November 20th, I am set to appear live on a radio that show originates in the Pacific Northwest called Republican Radio. They are apparently interested in the whole phenomenon of "color theory" and the Purple Land concept.

The interview will be sometime between 1-2 pm, Central time.

You can apparently listen live here .

Purple Thoughts from Paula

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2004-11-11T23:23:00-06:00

Purple Thoughts, from my friend, Paula

Following on the discussion of Purple I started last week , my good friend Paula has sent me these thoughts on the Color Purple:

Purple combines the stability of blue and the energy of red. A mysterious
color, purple is associated with nobility and spirituality. The opposites
of hot red and cool blue combine to create this intriguing color.

It symbolizes power, luxury, and most of all, ambition. Purple is
associated with wisdom, dignity, independence, creativity, mystery, and
magic.

Purple has a special, almost sacred place in nature: lavender, orchid,
lilac, and violet flowers are often delicate and considered precious.
Because purple is derived from the mixing of a strong warm and strong cool
color it has both warm and cool properties.

Culture of Purple: The color of mourning for widows in Thailand, purple
was the favorite color of Egypt's Cleopatra. Purple robes were worn by
royalty and people of authority or high rank. The Purple Heart is a U.S.
Military decoration given to soldiers wounded in battle.

Language of Purple: The use of purple in familiar phrases can help us see
how the color might be perceived by others, both the positive and negative
aspects.

Purple cow - something remarkable, eye-catching, unusual
Purple prose - exaggeration, highly imaginative writing (also has negative
connotations) Bad purple
Purple speech - profanity, raunchy language
Purple prose - exaggeration, colorful lies
Purple haze - state of confusion or euphoria, possibly drug-induced, type
of marijuana

Purple Words: These words are synonymous with the color purple: Violet,
plum, lavender, lilac, puce, thistle, orchid, mauve, magenta, royal,
amethyst, wine, pomegranate, eggplant, mulberry.

Red + Blue = Purple

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2004-11-04T23:21:00-06:00

Enough already, about "red states" and "blue" states. I'm tired of hearing everybody talk about it, frankly. I think Republicans are taking far too much comfort in it, and Democrats are bashing themselves far too much too.

I've been emailing with friends in New York who seem to feel that they're surrounded by nothing but backwoods, redneck, red-state folks. First off, not all Republicans are backwoods, rednecks. And second off, what am I, chopped liver? I live in a so-called "red state." Heck, I live in a so-called red county. But, I can tell you from first hand experience, Democrats even in here sometime. ;)

Point is, it seems to me the whole "red/blue" dichotomy" is overblow and oversold to us. There are no TRULY red states, and there are no truly blue states. The bluest of blue states has a solid minority of Republicans, and vice-versa...

I knew this intuitively, because I have lived it my whole life here in Texas. But, low and behold, just after the election, somebody actually did research. You know, a real academic type with spreadsheets, charts, graphs and stuff like that.

The first thing I found, was this blog and this really cool purple map created by Jeff Culver. As you can clearly see, there is not one truly red state (even Utah....). Nor are there any solidly blue states (not even Mass...) Almost every state falls somewhere along the spectrum, and most states trend more toward purple than either red or blue.

A real academic, Robert Vanderbei , created this map here that shows the same theory, only done on a county-by-county basis. He's also got a lot of useful and interesting info on voting and populations densities, and things like that.

I've seen some other maps that twist and contort the US based on population and voting. But I just like the good old red/blue/purple distinctions....because it makes it so utterly clear that we are not one or the other...we are BOTH.

To my mind, that means Democrats ought not to be so depressed, and Republicans not too proud.

All this caused me to get into songwriter mode, and I've written my own post-election song, called "Purple Land." You can learn more about it here. You can hear a demo (that I'm already dissatisfied with...) by going here .

Here's to our Purple Land!

Rising Like the Phoenix: The Rebirth of My Website and Blog

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2006-07-31T19:54:06-05:00

(Lyrics in italics from Dan Fogelberg's great song, "Phoenix")

"I have cried too...I have cried too long
I have cried too...I have cried too long
No more sorrow. Got to carry on."

So, it's been more than three weeks since you heard anything from me on my blog. Sometimes, there's nothing behind that silence, except that life gets really busy and I don't have time to check in here. Sometimes the silence is that, believe it or not, I can't find anything to write.

Neither are the case here.
Behind the silence of these past three weeks have been long days of cyber-frustration that I aim to vent in this blog entry now...

What's been happening these last three weeks is that my blog software had a meltdown. I mean a complete meltdown. The day after my last post about the Rangers, I tried to create a new category and all hell broke loose amongst the bytes and bits.

First, the blog was gone completely.
(Lot's of wailing and knashing of teeth)
Then, it came back, but without the comments and the categories.
(More wailing. More knashing)
Finally, I found that I couldn't even post to the blog. Which, of course, defeats the purpose of having one.
(Waaay beyond wailing and knashing...)

And, as some of you know, this broke loose during a period where I had more visitors to my blog than ever in any month in history. The first six days of July seemed to indicate that it would also be a banner month. And then, the radio silence of sorry-software, and very likely hundreds of readers are wondering where I went and maybe are now gone forever....
Sigh...
I go from sad, to pissed, to resigned... to "what can you do?"

Add to it this last fact: there's no way for me to even add an apology, or a "we're-experiencing-technical-difficulties" warning to my old blog. It's just hanging out there in cyberspace, with all the entries ending on July 6th, and potentially hundreds of readers scratching their heads. (If you've found me again, bless you...)

"Does anybody know what Christmas is all about" (A Christmas Day Message)

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2005-12-25T18:39:00-06:00

"Does anybody know what Christmas is all about?" (A Christmas Day Message)

Have you ever wondered why, in modern time, many of our myths about aliens from outerspace feature creatures that look somewhat human? I mean, think about it: a space creature could look like anything. It could be a blob creeping along the ground. But instead, many of the aliens of our modern mythologies have elongated faces, and big eyes, and strangely formed hand. But! They usually have two eyes...and a mouth....they often walk upright like we do.

Perhaps even in modern guise --even in the realm of science fiction, in our myths and messages from “beyond”-- we’re still really looking for a form we can understand and relate to; a form that looks almost human.

Whether it’s some modern mythology, or the Christmas story of 2,000 years ago, what we humans seem to yearn for is a word we can understand. A word that gets put in our language. A word that speaks to us on our level...

So, here’s a question for you: when was the first time that you clearly remember understanding the meaning of the Christmas message? Can you remember the moment it happened?

Because I can. And I have to tell you that even though I went to church religiously with my family as a child, it was not at church that first I learned the Word of the Christmas story. It was not at Sunday School. It was not in a sermon (something that humbles me constantly...).
No, it was not through any religious institution at all.

Schiavo

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2005-03-22T18:37:00-06:00

I've avoided commenting on the Terri Schiavo situation for as long as I could. But even as much as I'd like to avoid it, it seems to be the story that just won't go away. So, here goes, whether you asked for it or not...

First off, the ironies of this whole situation are numerous, gaping, and might even be funny if the facts of the case weren't so sobering. I should say that I've had the high honor of being with families as they have had to make these kinds of life and death decisions for loved ones.
Trust me, it's never easy. EVEN IF you have a signed "directive" from the patient, instructing their loved ones and doctors as to their wishes, it's never easy....no matter what that directive
instructs.

What the Bleep....do we know?

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2005-01-11T18:36:00-06:00

I saw "What the Bleep Do we Know" the other day....last Friday afternoon, actually. I'd been wanting to see it for some time, because of my natural interest in spiritual things. Many of you have recommended that I see it.

I came away really having enjoyed it, but also with having been troubled by some of the directions the movie went. For example, I have been intrigued by the connection between my favorite kind of theology, Process Theology, and Quantum Physics.

For years, I have been searching for more of a connection between the two, and have been a little disspointed that there's not more out there on the connections. My favorite process thinker is Charles Hartshorne, and outside of a small group of egghead theologians and philosophers, not many people know about him.

I was interested in the ideas of Masaru Emoto, and the "Message from Water." Before I leap off the edge and accept everything about it whole hogg, I'd love to hear than another scientist or two have replicated his thoughts. But, it IS really, really interesting...

I found myself having a visercally negative reaction to the woman "expert" in the field, and at the end of the movie, discovered that she is, in fact, "Ramtha," a New Age-y healer of some reknown.

Somehow, it explained my reaction to her. The one thing she said that REALLY stuck with me was when, in criticizing the "organized religions,"she said that there was great hubris and sin in assuming that God could take human form, or be anthropomorphic. (my word, not her's...)

This was strange critique, it seemed to me, coming from a woman who purports to channel the spirit of a 3500-year-old man. But I guess others didn't see the irony in that.

I'll probably say more on this later...

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Go Mavs (My head makes it's national TV debut...)

WhenEFTalks (Eric Folkerth) — 2005-05-20T18:33:00-05:00

Go Mavs

Eric's head makes it's national TV debut...

Wow. How can it be two months since I've blogged anything? As America once said,
"I've been one poor correspondent." And this is even with some of you writing me to tell me how much you like them....ah well, life gets in the way. For the past several years, I've made the vow to put real-life ahead of digital life. That means I just don't find myself in front of the keyboard that much....
So, lot's to catch up on. And I will not try to do it in one post. I still hope to blog about my trip to El Salvador in April. I think that was really the time my blogging fell off...just never got back in the habit afterwards.

I also want to tell yall about the great NDSM Benefit Show from back in April, and the great time I had at Northaven's "Feast of Friendship."

Of course, it's also time to get pumped about Kerrville again. And, hopefully, sometime during the next week, I'll post a little about that too. (For now, let me give you the url for what I wrote last year. At least two of you have written to ask if it's still available somewhere. And it is. Just click here.

I also want to talk about the new Star Wars movie, which Dennise and I went to see yesterday afternoon. Yes, we're geeks. I've seen every movie since the second one on the day it opened.
So has Dennise. Geeks attract, I suppose.... :)

The movie was GREAT. Dennise and I both agree that it's one of our favorites of all six....
certainly MUCH better than either Episode One, or Episode Two. But, as I said, more on this later.

What I REALLY wanted to blog about today is the Dallas Mavericks. Somehow, this season, we got reintroduced to basketball in a big way. Our friend from church, Joy Nelson, invited us to sit with her for one game about mid-season. As you might imagine, she can get GREAT seats, and we found ourselves right behind the Mavs bench. I kid you not. I wish I had video to prove it.

Then, Dennise found that our friends, Charles and Mary, ALSO have killer tickets...on the other side of the floor, on the fourth row. So, they invited us to the Mavs/Heat game about midseason.

Again, a KILLER game. Shaq called out Damp...Damp made Shaq look foolish. Shaq's been mad ever since. Again, they were awesome seats. And, had I been thinking, I would have TIVOed the game so I'd have the video evidence for you...at least you would have been able to see the bald spot on the back of my head.

BUT, low and behold, the Mavs make the playoffs. And so, Charles and Mary invite us out once again for game three, last Friday at the AAC. Dennise and I were 2-0 in Mavs games to that point. But, alas, the Suns ran away with it. HOWEVER, I am happy to say that there IS one thing different about this third set of incredible seats that we had: I have the video evidence .

Thanks again to Joy, Mary, and Charles, for the incredible invitations this year.

And GO MAVS!!!

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