After I had this written, a terrible flood disaster hit the area just west of me. As I write, 32 are dead — 14 children - and there are 20 missing children. Here’s some places to help:
World Central Kitchen is going out there to feed people. Here’s an aggregator organization that will filter money to community organizations. And a news story, that will probably update with more places to help. Austin Pets Alive has a fundraising link on their Instagram. And I know we mock “thoughts & prayers”; but if you have no money to spare, please do send whatever thoughts/good energy you can to people who sent their kids off to summer camp and are now planning a funeral.
Welcome to another Saturday night of music, memories, and conversations.
I think true patriotism is calling us out on our flaws and mistakes. To really love a country, you need to point out where we could do better.
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band - The Promised Land
John Mellencamp - Our Country
The dream is still alive
Some day it will come true
And this country it belongs
To folks like me and you
So let the voice of freedom
Sing out through this land
This is our country
Beyoncé - AMERIICAN REQUIEM
And you know I can’t do a diary without U2. They talk to us a lot, love us and want us to do better.
There’s a promise at the heart of every good dream
It’s a call to action not to fantasy
The end of the dream
The start of what’s real
Let it be unity
Let it be community
For refugees like you and me
A country to receive us
Will you be my sanctuary
Refujesus
U2 - American Soul
And for lovers of classical music, there’s this awesome diary from Thursday: Aaron Copland A Great American Progressive Composer
Gentle reminder: Those on phones really appreciate it if you put the name of your selection in your comment along with your song; and people using screen readers need this in order to identify the video as well. You know how this works — Put your quarter in the slot and your song in the comments. This is your Saturday night jukebox and the party starts NOW~!
Upcoming diarists:
7/12: F U RWNJ
7/19: Al Dorado
7/26: F U RWNJ
8/2: theghostofjohndewey
8/9: ???
8/16
8/23
8/30
and you! Yes, YOU! You like music enough to read this, you could host one. How about Labor Day? There’s a built-in theme. Do you have a favorite artist no one knows about? What’s your favorite sport? (I was gonna write about the Tour de France, because it’s July, then I realized the date) If you start far enough ahead — and August is a long way off — it just takes a few sessions of an hour or less. Once you start thinking of songs, they all show up in your head, trust me. So volunteer to write one of these, it’s fun!
