to my LJ peeps : Some of this is recycle from like……… 5 years ago. my most abject apologies.

Once upon a time there was a Young FolkSinger. He was a skinny kid with a funny name. His first “hit” was an 18 minute long song detailing his arrest for littering and subsequent fiasco at the local NYC draft office. He sang about a church and his friends who lived in the bell tower. He sang about motorcycles and pickles. And he sang his father’s songs. He played at Woodstock. His story-telling talent is beyond compare. Even being arrested is an Adventure with the Folksinger.

His musical lineage is beyond compare. His father was the Original Folksinger. His home and life were filled with music from the moment he was born. He’s brought that music to the world. And to me.

I first heard the Folksinger when my mom decided I needed more musical education than the Top40 crap spewing from the airwaves. So I grew up listening to things like Crosby,Stills, Nash and (somtimes) Young, Alice Cooper, The Beatles, and…….. The Folksinger. I have the Folksinger on vinyl. I also have quite a Folksinger collection on mp3. I’m sitting here trying to figure out exactly how to tell people what the Folksinger means to me. And it’s not easy.

He’s not just a story about the draft. He’s a Folk Hero too. He devotes his time to worthy causes, including spreading his music through the world. His music is what touches me the most. His voice is ……… unique. He kindles a love for old American folk songs that is undeniable. His new American Folksongs are works of art that touch you regardless of age, socio-ecomonic status, race, color or creed. I have a dog named after the Folksinger. Mom says that why the dog won’t stay out of the trash. In my house, we have a saying…… “That’s just Arlo.” And sometimes……. that’s all you can say.

1. If you are choking on an ice cube, don’t panic.
Simply pour a cup of boiling water down your throat and presto!
The blockage will be almost instantly removed.

2. Clumsy? Avoid cutting yourself while slicing vegetables by
getting someone else to hold them while you chop away.

3. Avoid arguments with the Mrs. about lifting the toilet seat by
simply using the sink.

4. High blood pressure sufferers: simply cut yourself and bleed
for a while, thus reducing the pressure in your veins.

5. A mouse trap, placed on top of your alarm clock, will prevent
you from rolling over and going back to sleep when you hit the
snooze button.

6. If you have a bad cough, take a large dose of laxatives, then
you will be afraid to cough.

7. Have a bad tooth ache? Hit your thumb with a hammer, then you
will forget about the tooth ache.

8. AND….. Sometimes we just need to remember what The Rules of
Life really are: You need only two tools: WD-40 and duct tape. If
it doesn’t move and it should, use WD-40. If it moves and shouldn’t,
use the duct tape.

9. Everyone seems normal until you get to know them.

10. If you woke up breathing, congratulations! You have another
chance!

11. And finally… Be really good to your family and friends. You
never know when you are going to need them to empty your bedpan.

“Thought for the Day: Our days are happier when we give people a
bit of our heart rather than a piece of our mind”.

Not responsible for use and/or misuse of the above statements and/or advice.

I’ll try to get Part 2 of Govt.  101 up tomorrow. I got colder than I thought at practice and it’s hard to compose when you can’t feel your toes.