August 18, 2002
Portland, Maine, USATonight, I have a show at St. Lawrence Arts and Community Center-- an old castle-like church that closed due to a dwindling congregation. I discovered it two months ago when I first arrived in Portland. I stopped on the sidewalk to take a photo, then Bob the caretaker, a friendly man, who reminds me of the Hunchback of Notre Dame, invited me in for a tour of the inside. Deirdre Nice, the woman who's dream it was to make the arts center and is the backbone of the operation, is allowing me to use the space for free. I'm not charging admission. We will split donations 50/50.
Bumper sticker quotes:
Find what you love
Love what you find
No love, No peace.
Know Love, know Peace.
1:30pm I'm doing dishes in Courtney’s kitchen, listening to David Rovics on the computer. He shared his tunes of solidarity and dissatisfaction with American militarism/world domination at the Burdock bonfire. He is a great inspiration; a fearless creative genius. His music is freely shared on his site and easily heard with just a click. www.davidrovics.com
4:43pm Gabby is sitting on the living room floor reading from a book report she wrote on "The Greening of the Revolution", about Cuba, where she has visited, and how they are feeding themselves. In 1991, Fidel Castro told the first congress of the national system of agriculture and forestry technicians, "We must convert farming into one of the most honored, promoted, and appreciated professions."
9pm The theater was 3/4 full with about 50 people. The show went smooth. Lots of friends came. It was a great way to end my stay here. I received $65 in donations. The only bummer is that my digital camera disappear afterward. It must have been taken by someone, cuz we searched everywhere. I took a photo of the crowd, then set it down on the stage. I hope it miraculously shows up somehow. There's a hundred photos in the camera, shot at Burdock and over the past week, which can never be replaced, so that is the biggest loss.
