CANCELLED: Mad Ripple Hootenanny, MN State Capitol Rotunda, 8/19/13

CANCELLED: Mad Ripple Hootenanny, MN State Capitol Rotunda, 8/19/13

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August 18, 2013

Friends: 

I'm cancelling the Hoot at the MN State Capitol Rotunda on Monday, 8/19/13.

When I first heard they were arresting singers in Wisconsin, I was stunned and felt like I wanted to support singers and songs.

Turns out music is not what this is about, but about protesters not obtaining a permit to sing in the Wisconsin State Capitol Rotunda. Everyone is free to sing and protest in Wisconsin, but if they want to do it in the rotunda, they have to schedule it. Seems reasonable.

Anyway, the whole thing leaves a bad taste in my mouth, and as much as I believe Scott Walker to be the spawn of Satan and that the Tea Party has hijacked Wisconsin, I can't really muster the necessary hippie outrage or make it into a cause at a time when Egypt and so much of the world is in flames.

The Hoot is about songs and singers and all this talk about politics, permits, and police give me and it the willies.

Pardon my jerking knees. On Wisconsin. As you were.

Thanks,

Jim Walsh

madripple@earthlink.net 

jimwalshmpls.com. 

MEDIA ADVISORY: Mad Ripple Hootenanny at MN State Capitol, 8/19/13...will perform in solidarity with Wisconsin State Capitol protesters

MEDIA ADVISORY

Mad Ripple Hootenanny

Minnesota State Capitol Rotunda

Monday, August 19, 2013 – Noon to 2:00 p.m.

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WHAT:

In recent months, more than 150 people have been arrested for singing in the Wisconsin State Capitol rotunda. There, citizen-protests against state Gov. Scott Walker’s “war on workers,” which includes a sing-a-long every weekday at noon, have gone on since 2011.

In a show of solidarity with the citizen-activists in Wisconsin, the Mad Ripple Hootenanny (Hoot), a Minneapolis-based singer-songwriter collective, will perform in the Minnesota State Capitol rotunda on Monday, August 19, from noon to 2:00 p.m., to demonstrate Minnesota's commitment to First Amendment rights to peaceably assemble and the power of song to call out injustice, unite, bring peace, heal, and affect social change.

"In February 2011, I spent a day in the Wisconsin State Capitol for a story for Minnpost.com, two weeks after the Walker protests started… it was unforgettable. The commitment and passion the protesters had for workers' rights was intense and inspiring. I sang a couple of tunes in the rotunda that day,” said Jim Walsh, Minneapolis-based musician, author, journalist, and Hoot founder.

                             

“When I heard that police were handcuffing and arresting those same brave people for, of all things, singing, and remembering what I witnessed and felt that day in Wisconsin, I had to do something. The Hoot will be a symbolic gesture of solidarity between two sister states, singing for two hours in the spirit of peace, love, understanding, and, yes, real outrage.”

WHEN & WHERE:

Monday, August 19, 2013 – Noon to 2:00 p.m.

Minnesota State Capitol Rotunda

WHO:

The Mad Ripple Hootenanny (Hoot) is a Minneapolis-based, rotating singer/songwriter collective launched in 2007. Founded by musician, author and journalist, Jim Walsh, the Hoot has been fueled by the songs of hundreds of national and local singer-songwriters, including Billy Bragg, Ike Reilly, Tom Morello, Dan Wilson, Elvis Perkins, Tim O'Reagan, Slim Dunlap, Molly Maher, Dan Israel, Dana Thompson, Larry Long, Erik Koskinen,
Jesse Greene, Gary Louris, Marc Perlman, Janey Winterbauer, Terry Walsh, Stook!,
Frankie Lee, Brianna Lane, John Swardson, Martin Devaney, Katy Vernon,
Luke Zimmerman, and many others. The Hoot has performed regularly in Minnesota and across the country. This will be the Hoot's first performance at the Minnesota State Capitol.

CONTACT:

Jim Walsh at madripple@earthlink.net and 612.701.3895. More at jimwalshmpls.com.

Six a.m.

For those of you wondering when the city awakens and adorns its hustle-n-bustle persona, I can confirm that, at least on the streets of south Minneapolis, it's still asleep at 6:00 a.m.

Nope, not many folks up and about. But we were.

Up and down our street, dark houses. And while last night I dreaded the full hour earlier we'd both have to rise this morning, it actually wasn't bad. (Go figure.) No doubt the jumbo coffee I'm slurping helped.

On the way to South, we didn't pass even one car. We saw no people on the street. It was way cool, like we owned the city. Like we were responsible for flipping the switch and setting the day in motion.

Soon, I drop my boy off, saying the things I say to him every morning at this point, that I love him and to have a great day. (Because he's sleepy and a teenager, I have reason to believe this irritates the crap out of him, but I'm hoping he'll look back on it warmly when he's an adult.)

I watch his zombie-like shuffle, first to Door 1 (locked), then to Door 3 to the band room. When he's in, I drive off, singing along to Jazz 88 in my jazziest voice. (The coffee's really kicked in.)

At this point in the story, it's 6:20 a.m. and the streets are alive with cars and people are waiting at bus stops, many smoking (yuk, gross), some huddled in groups. I decide it best to heed what the orange indicator light is telling me, so I pull into the the new Holiday station on Cedar. It's lit up like Vegas. I consider putting on my shades (I don't).

About $30 later, I have a full tank. On the way, I see...

to be continued...

A Well-Balanced Life

For some time now, I have been undernourished. It has been a crazy five months. The first thing to go, always, is self-care. And suddenly, kaboom, I'm not getting my minimum daily requirements for a well-balanced life. It's beginning to show.

This begs the question: What nourishes me?

Love. Every day. Huge doses, given and received.

To be cherished. Every day. By the person you cherish in return. Provided there is one.

Friendship. Good ones. Solid ones. You are always and only who you are with them.

Community. Strong, surrounding you in love and safety, joy and fun.

Vocation. One that fulfills you and makes a positive mark on the world.

Avocation. Doing something for the pure passion and joy it stirs in your heart. For me, music.

Sleep. Rejuvenating, blissful, warm, snuggled up behind that person you cherish. Six to eight hours... which I will now put into practice.

Sweet dreamzzzzzzzzzzz...

Deadbeat

Oh, crap. I've become just another deadbeat wannabe blogger....

In absentia

I've been absent from this blog for 10 days now. Too busy to string together two thoughts, let alone words. (Not too busy to eat nearly an entire bag of medium-sized M&Ms, though.)

Once I am beyond the birth of our research at work and statewide tour, I will be back, right here, to write, write, write. In July, maybe sooner.

Maybe I'll write from the road. Document what I see and hear. Hmmm...

Road stories. Yes. Stay tuned.

In the meantime...

Peace to you all. xoxo

what greed has done

http://bit.ly/9Xg4MA

Heartbroken.