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Saturday, May 16, 2020

This is dinner tonight.

And probably Sunday night.

And Monday as you can't fully see the rack of ribs wrapped in foil on the left.

All of this courtesy of Mark Richardson, a friend I didn't have in April but who has not only brought this feast but also helped me move my goods out of storage at the newspaper. During a break in the move, we talked about barbecue -- 'cue for my Tar Heel friends -- and he formed the idea of getting his favorite place in Clay City: Joe's Garage BBQ.

I'll offer a food review later on.

On Monday, I move to a guest cottage-- on Lake Lemon of all places -- owned by someone who befriended me on Facebook and I have yet to meet. (Don't worry, friends, as I had Laura Lane check him out -- he's stand-up, she reported.)

I move there after two free weeks at the Motel 6, one week on behalf of the local family that owns the place and one by manager Don and his wife.

An IU education professor -- whom I've met exactly once -- sent me restaurant gift cards.

My Herald-Times colleague Carol Kugler slipped me a gift card on behalf the staff for a local sandwich shop.

I likely will vie for the title "Fattest Homeless Editor" if I don't get a job soon.

It's not about the food, though. This blog entry is about the incredible giving and selflessness of others. The only reason these folks get some recognition is because of this blog. Imagine the thousands of Random Acts of Kindness taking place in our communities daily. There's this great entry in Thomas Aquinas's "Summa Contra," where he describes all the reasons not to take a good action -- 90 percent of which is stolen almost directly from Aristotle's "Nichomachean Ethics." Basically, you don't make kind actions for the purposes of wealth or notoriety of friends or other facile reasons. The two disagreed on the final reason, for Aristotle it was logic. For Aquinas it was for God. I marry the two and suggest you make what Buddhists call "right action" only for this reason: It's the right thing to do.

Funny, because during my unpaid furlough the week before being informed of my layoff, I spent the week contemplating my own personal actions and what's next.

After nine days of thought, this is what I realized: Give more.

Love all of you.

4 comments:

  1. Your meal looks remarkable! And you have one of my favorite beers. I'm jealous!

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  2. “From each according to their ability, to each according to their need.”

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  3. Rich, Your humor has not changed since we were little shits (well ,me) on the old west hill. I wish you nothing but the best my friend. Good times will be coming soon to you!! Your to good of a writer and editor to be passed up.

    Your daily blogs are awesome. Gives a reason to read again!!!

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    1. Congrats on the cottage! Some of us from various parts of the country are now banding together to buy land and make our own homestead in the West Tennessee area. We are still looking for others to join us, so, if you get to that place where you want to always have a fall back home to go to, give us a shout at homestead13579@gmail.com (Or maybe just write about this crazy story someday. lol)

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