November 19, 2004
New York City
Current mileage on Dan the Tan Van: 223,846

NYC Ghost - I shot this time exposure through the window of a restaurant at night

Hey friends,

Greetings from the tail end of a whirlwind tour. The last ten weeks or so have seen performances in Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, Texas, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas again, North Carolina, New York and Massachusetts. Tonight, New York City again, then New Jersey tomorrow before heading home. Along with a ton of shows, there I've led workshops and retreats, done radio interviews, house concerts and two music conferences, seen lots of friends, taken a bunch of pictures, played lots of music and driven about five thousand miles, as well as flying a couple more. The last bit was a mini-tour with my friend Juliet Wyers, a wonderful songwriter from Oregon. It's been a great run. Of course, I'm also pretty thrilled that I'll be home by late Sunday night and mostly there through January.

Along with getting back to my own kitchen and cooking some good food, playing a bunch of Scrabble with my wonderful wife Deanna (I'm getting home just in time for her birthday!), checking in with the family and trying to get to those darn thank you notes from the wedding, I'm looking forward to taking guitar lessons for the first time in about fifteen years. Al Pettaway is a brilliant guitarist from the DC area who relocated to Western NC last year, and I'm excited about the opportunity to stretch a little and go some places I haven't been with my playing.

It's obviously been a busy time, but I'd hate for you to think it's been all work and no play. Last week I ended up with several days to kill and a free apartment in Manhattan (that's another story...), and I had a great time exploring the city. I had been to New York a few times before, but somehow never had the opportunity to dig in and soak it up for a few days. It's an amazing place, for sure, and you never know what's going to happen next.

I was wandering around Times Square last Sunday night and turned down a random side street looking for a place to eat. The taxis were zooming past, and I was paying close attention to where I was walking, aware of being a country mouse visiting the city. When I looked up again I was approaching the Lyceum theatre, and the marquis just said "Whoopi." I ducked my head into the box office and asked if she was performing there and they responded "in about twenty-five minutes." I bought a ticket and went in. Great. Walking out I wandered past B.B.King's and saw that Acoustic Alchemy were playing, so I went in and caught the end of their show, too. The guys at the door let me in free since there were only five songs left.

The most remarkable thing I saw in the Big Apple, though, was the general kindness. No kidding. I had prepared myself for a dose of classic New York attitude, but the truth is that everyone from the guy selling hot pretzels on the sidewalk to the folks at the parking lot to the subway attendant were exceptionally friendly and helpful. I watched a child's hat blow off as he was crossing the street in a hurried crowd of people and several stopped to pick it up. I could go on with examples, but the thing is - I never saw the other side. Of course it's there somewhere sometimes, but I didn't run into it, and I always find it refreshing to have my stereotypes shattered.

Through another circuitous story that I'll spare you, last Tuesday morning I found myself sitting in the living room of a well-known theater director in Manhattan. To give a little context, on the wall to my right hung an original Warhol sketch - of him! I was telling him stories of what I'd been experiencing in the city and he said "You know what that's called?" I stared blankly, and he answered himself, "Southern hospitality." I guess we don't have a corner on that market. Yes, I'd still rather live in my little town in the mountains, but for the first time I get it - I understand how people fall in love with New York. I may have done so myself. And I can't wait to come back again.

Heather's settling into the job in the office and I'm enjoying getting to know her and work with her. She came up to the Folk Alliance conference in Monticello, NY last weekend and it was great to introduce her to the folk community and vice versa. My friend Neale snapped this picture of us watching Bernice Lewis performing:

Thanksgiving is coming up this week and I have a lot to be thankful for. Sure, I could come up with a long list of disappointments, too. I'm going to be emotionally processing the election and my response to it for some time. Right now, though, in this moment and place, it's not hard to feel grateful. If you're still reading this, you're on that list of blessings in my life. Thanks for that.

Peace,
David