Goodbye, Mary Lee Settle

It's a sad day for fans of Appalachian writers. Mary Lee Settle died Tuesday at the age of 87. (also in NY Times, Charlottesville Daily Progress, etc.)

I love her quote that's mentioned in the Daily Progress:

“Let’s get this straight. I’ve never liked to write. The work’s too hard.

“The idea or image just gets you by the scruff of the neck and won’t let you go until you’re finished. But writing is the hardest work in the world.”

Her memoir, Addie, especially touched me, and Charley Bland is one of a very few novels that I've read multiple times.

Git, dog, git!

Given my lovely experience earlier this year, I was shocked that I actually was sad to hear that Greyhound is ending its service to both Morgantown and Clarksburg effective at the end of October. As bad as it was, at least it was something (Greyhound, feel free to steal that for a marketing slogan).

Almost XXX Heaven

Perhaps the Brooklyn Hillbilly will move back to the state just for this reason: we lead the nation with the highest concentration of strip clubs. (see page 3 of Phil Kabler's column in the Gazette)

So, we're among the most obese and we have the most strip clubs -- I'll let you conjure up your own mental images.

Oh yeah...

I have been so absolutely giddy with excitement that I've forgotten to mention that the 1% reduction in the grocery tax passed the legislature well over a week ago. Let me tell you, when this goes into effect Jan. 1, 2006, I'm just going to be rolling in the extra dough. Yes sir, I'll have so much extra cash, I might just have to go gambling at my neighborhood "cafe."

Ummmmm...

"George? Rummy here. Bad news, George. The South Charleston City Council says we have to get out of Iraq-- No, no, Charleston, West Virginia, not South Carolina."

The South Charleston City Council spent two hours debating -- and ultimately passing -- a resolution calling for an end to the war in Iraq. The debate apparently was over whether to include a specific deadline for withdrawing troops.

Sigh.

Certainly, everyone's entitled to his/her views on the Iraq situation, but it strikes me as a little odd that the South Charleston City Council is spending so much time passing a resolution on the matter.

But, as the Brooklyn Hillbilly likes to say, maybe I'm just a b*tch.

Hank Williams Highway?

Now, here in WV most of the recent headlines about the special legislative session have been about the food tax, and whether it's going to be decreased. I hadn't heard about this until I saw it on Yahoo News.

Catching up

I'm soooooo far behind...

Things are very hectic at the moment, but I hope the mayhem (work-related) will pass soon and I'll get back to more normal hours.

In case you've not heard, some of the hurricane survivors are now in Preston County at Camp Dawson (1, 2). As the TV station I listened to tonight was very quick to report, the newcomers say they are very grateful for the hospitality and they really love their new, temporary home. Sometimes it seems like we here in the Mountain State are almost obsessed about what people think of us, always eager to say, "SEE, they don't think we're a bunch of toothless hillbillies! THEY like us!"

But anyway, I'm glad the people of the area are able to get more directly involved, and from what I've read, that's what's been happening.

Of course, the arrival of the evacuees in WV was not without confusion -- yeah, that whole Charleston, SC vs. Charleston, WV thing. Sigh. Surprising the plane didn't end up in Richmond.

$3.29 and rising...

At the two gas stations I pass on the way to work, the price of unleaded regular raised 20 cents overnight. At least there is gasoline. I haven't yet witnessed any real panic, but apparently, according to the local TV news reports, there have been some isolated incidents of people rushing to the pumps after rumors circulated about a statewide gas station closure at midnight last night. Of course, that rumor was false.