An Age Old Trade

I apologize for the extended delay.  There just wasn't much to write about.  I suppose I should give you a run down of the "new" things.  There's a link to my sister's blog, "Fighting Entropy", it's good. Really good.  I will probably reference it on occasion, so you should read it.  Also, there's a link to this blog's Facebook page, if you have one of those.  Since I do not, the page is just kind of there, nothing special happens on it.

I have nothing to say.  I really don't, I've tried again and again to craft something unique or special or even coherent and I have failed.  It's turned into some pathetic mewling about such and such a cliche topic.  Every time.  Odds are that I will erase this post before I finish and never even publish it, though I don't know why I am telling you since you wouldn't read this sentence.  You wouldn't read this one.  Or this.  Still, there must be something within me that is worth bringing to light.

I've never been one for "social protest".  I always admired those who did:  Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger or pretty much any of the old folk singers.  But it wasn't for me.  I didn't even think there were problems here in Small Town, America.  Lately, however, looking around, I've seen and heard a lot of things that are quite disturbing.  Moreover no one is saying anything about it.  All the great protest singers are either dead or have moved on to bigger and better "Tempests".  What we're left with is a bunch of performers that are feeding the problem instead of saying anything about it.  Where is the sharp wit of social satire?  Where is the nasally, twanging voice that is not afraid to illuminate the obvious problem?  And where are people that would listen?

In Woody Guthrie's autobiography, "Bound for Glory", he says that he made up songs telling what I thought was wrong and how to make it right, songs that said what everybody in the country was thinking. And this has held me ever since." Apparently, all the country thinks about now is partying, drinking and living as irresponsibly and foolishly as humanly possible.

-Y.M. Potter