Chit chat
The AATH Humor Conference was amazing. Wonderful speeches, laughter exercises and improv games, and basking in the Florida sun. Among other wonderful presenters was the man who invented laughter yoga.
In High Point, NC, I played for 300 hospital volunteers - the people who put care back into health care.
Next, a swing through my hometown of Clemson, where I bought some Clemson stickers for my car to help me compensate for having put New Jersey plates on it. Mom made me gluten-free biscuits (!), brownies, and cornbread. Can you believe that they are now making gluten-free bisquik?
Had a real nice time at the fabulous Booksmith in Seneca, swung by the Waffle House afterwards (for an omelet and hash browns), then did the 800-mile drive back to Jersey. Stopped at Golden Corral for dinner the next day, because we have neither Waffle House nor Golden Corral up here.
Appeared on WSNW, WSBF, WJFF and also taped a couple other radio shows (Your Day and Sirius XM Radio)- still waiting to hear when they will air. When I know, you'll know.
My book was reviewed in the Anderson Independent by one of my former babysitters:
http://www.independentmail.com/news/2011/apr/09/singing-patient-sign-books-seneca/
At Riverfolk, not only were there 3 dogs in attendance, there is an antique bowling alley (as in manual pin setup and ball retrieval). And the dogs run after the ball after you throw it. My host, Jill (of Jill's Kitchen) fed me a gourmet meal and gave me a bottle of her extra special Sesame Sauce- it's so good, it'll make you overeat anything you use it on, even broccoli.
In my spare time (ha!) I went to a taping of the Dr. Oz TV show in NY City. This is a really good show. He really does think outside the prescription bottle.
A packed house in Fredericksburg, VA for our in-the-round show, a gig which I got to share with Joe. Some of you may recall that it was really Joe who showed me the ropes in the folk world back in the mid-90s. So it was like old times, sharing a gig. And our hosts, Bob and Lou Gramann, let us play a bunch of Bob's guitars (he's a luthier) and fed us all kinds of delicious gluten-free treats.
All this talk of gluten-free, it's rather fitting that I'm about to play for the Gluten Intolerance group in Connecticut (why does that sound politically incorrect?). It's a public event, with a gluten-free buffet and opening act Dan Hart (really great humorous songwriter).
Just for the record, I don't think everyone needs to eat gluten-free. It is only those of us with gluten sensitivities or celiac disease who need to eat this way in order to maintain our health. For us, gluten compromises our digestive system, which in turn causes all other systems to break down. I don't think the whole world needs to be gluten-free, but for the 20% or so of the population who benefit from a GF diet, eating gluten-free is life-changing and massively improves our health. If that's not you, then hey, enjoy your puffy pretzel and have another one for me!