I've never been much to take naps because I'm one of those whose mind races all the time and can't really settle down for a nap. Seems that the older I get, the easier it is to just lay down and say "forget it". Today was such a day...and I'm talking three hours worth AFTER sleeping until nine this morning. Can you say "Poopie is whooped"? I'm telling myself that I have to rest up for Elvis week which begins today, you know. During this week thousands will make the pilgramage from all over the dang WORLD to visit Graceland during the anniversary of his death. I was a recent college graduate when he died, still living in Memphis, and I will never forget what a huge stir the city was in during that time. I heard on the news last night that his father's house is for sale on E-Bay..go figure. Note to self: Don't go to Whitehaven this week.

Memphis is such a cool place downtown with history just oozing from every sidewalk and building. I loved it when I was there, but I sure don't miss it now because I'm so spoiled to getting somewhere in five minutes. I'd have to get up at 3AM to be able to get my lazy self to work if I lived down there! The interstate is a nightmare...a big old circle around the city that has had major construction going on for the past few years ( don't they all?) I remember when I was in college I never EVER used the loop...always the main streets. There are a couple that run all the way from the river to the next town east. Memphis streets are bad about changing names at intersections which can be quite confusing if you don't know that, for instance, North Parkway turns into Summer at the East Parkway intersection and you look up and wonder how the heck you got on a different street when you didn't turn. Heh.

When I was a teenager my sweet mother used to haul me and my hippie friends down to the Coliseum, which was the only concert venue at the time. It was there that I saw legends like Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Elton John, Linda Ronstandt and others. The Auditorium North Hall was downtown and I saw The Allman Brothers there and, later on, Steve Martin when he first started the arrow-through-the-head thing. The coolest place for concerts is on Mud Island, but it's not promoted much anymore. The amphitheater sits right on the river and was the perfect place to enjoy Bruce Hornsby and the Range, James Taylor and others. It is rarely used for big names these days. Instead they are booked into the FedEx Forum which replaced the Pyramid fairly quickly. I've never been to either of them. Sure do miss live music!

It has been twenty nine years since I graduated from college and I've had only ONE place of employment. It has changed ownership twice since I began my career there all those years ago. I remember when a couple of "older ladies" reached their thirty year milestones and I wondered out loud just HOW anybody could last that long...and here I am still kicking. Amazing.

Y'all have a good Elvis week.

^j^