An Open Invitation

KFC, you are welcome to make a visit to Raleigh and advertise on our streets in such a manner. May I suggest Falls of Neuse Road or Lake Dam Trail? It looks like small bombs exploded along the roadway.

Into Thin Air

Into Thin Air is one of the best non-fiction books I have read. Written by Jon Krakauer about his personal involvement in the ill-fated Everest summit of May 1996, he delves into the history of the mountain, the lineage of those who have attempted and at time succeeded in climbing it, and the inherent dangers associated with such extreme adventure.

Krakauer was invited by Outside magazine as a writer and climber to join Rob Hall's team on a summit to Everest and return to write about the increasing commercialization of Everest climbs and how anyone with a proper guide can make it to the top. What he experienced there went far beyond commercialization and the differences between experienced and inexperienced climbers. Out of a series of small to large errors and misjudgements, five people from his twelve person team died around Everest's peak, including the expedition leader Hall.

This account is riveting because Krakauer does not, will not remove himself from the situation or the emotions he felt at the time, and even now. He confesses how his actions on May 10 indirectly led to the deaths of some on that mountain. He, however, also points out how summit teams and people, including his own, placed getting to the top over potentially saving lives. Walking by people stopped in the snow, resting at camp for their summit push the following day rather than search for the lost climbers, putting their own fame for topping the world over the survival of others and themselves.

My suggestion would be to start this book on a Friday, because you will not want to put it down until you have finished it. It is gripping, devastating, and a harsh tale. It is at times difficult to read because you know what is about to happen. As the tangled web of how people were lost, found, lived and died plays out, the humanity, bravery and brokenness of people is clearly exhibited. Phenomenal, gripping read.

The Innocent Man

My new (temporary?) position in a town about a 30 minute drive south of where I live has resulted in an obviously longer commute. Sadly, Raleigh is lacking any morning radio I would be willing to listen to on a daily basis outside of NPR. So, I needed an alternative listen. I began with a study series my parents gave me for Christmas a couple years back called Rethinking Womanhood, a women's study my former church provided. Great study. I had the 2003-04 audio set, led by the senior pastor's wife and my former pastor/boss's wife. I will have to revisit those CDs regularly - so much great insight on the Bible, Biblical womanhood, and life lessons.

I finished that set off pretty quick and needed a new drive time listen. Enter the audio book. While The Innocent Man was not my first choice - did not even make my list! - I am pleased at my choice. This is John Grisham's first non-fiction novel, and, as he mentions in the author's notes, he could not have ever dreamed this story up for a novel.

The book centers on the murder of a young woman in the small town of Ada, Oklahoma in the early 1980s and the trial of conviction of two men. From the moment the police came on the crime scene, things were botched. The police already had their eyes on two men, Ron Williamson and Dennis Fritz, for the murder, even though no one could testify that they had seen either of them the previous night, with the victim or not. In fact, the only person who did say he (Glen Gore) said these two men the night of the murder was the very man who everyone else had last seen with the victim. Unfortunately, the police did not even take Gore's fingerprints for examination until months after the murder.

It took several years for the arrest of Williamson and Fritz to be made and, in the trial, many of the prosecution's witnesses were jailhouses snitches who told any lie the police wanted to get a reduced sentence. In addition, the police urged forensic specialists to reconsider some of the hair and print evidence in light of Williamson's arrest and the specialists' opinions changed to reflect the accused being at the scene. It seemed with every new sentence read, there was a new travesty to be spoken of. From a blind attorney with no one to explain the visual evidence against his client to a juror who was the former head of police to the mental instability of Williamson never being brought up in court (he was a paranoid schizophrenic who never got consistent or proper medication from the police or mental institutions).

Williamson was convicted of murder and sentenced to death. His time in prison further damaged his sanity and he resided in deplorable conditions. His sisters tried to send as much money as they could so Williamson could buy food, but it was never enough for him, it seemed. Eventually, Williamson's case was reviewed, as is mandatory for all death row cases, and the lawyer in charge of the case was fully convinced of his innocence. After many years, Williamson, along with Fritz, were proven innocent and Gore was later found guilty of the murder.

After his release, Williamson would go on and off his medication, as well as alcohol and drugs. Earlier this decade, he died because of the amount and types of medication he was given as well as alcohol and drug usage. Fritz is living outside of Oklahoma now and has a granddaughter. Other people from the case and trial are still in Ada. The DA who prosecuted Williamson and Fritz, as well as another pair of innocent men, is still in office.

This book exemplifies how disastrously wrong a case can go when there is unchecked abuse of police power, a focus so narrowed that other suspects are not even considered, a lack of resources (money and experts) for the defense, use of questionable evidence and witnesses to amaze the jury, and not recognizing and humanely dealing with Williamson's mental illness.

Farmer's Market Plethora

The Farmer's Market in Raleigh has what I refer to as a bulk produce section. It is equivalent of a Costco or Sam's Club for produce. Would you care for 60 tomatoes? Then Farmer's Market bulk is the place for you. However, 60 tomatoes are not a wise investment for the single person, or most married couples with fewer than 8 kids, I imagine. All that changed, though, when one of the gals from church suggested a few of us go in on the bulk items together and parcel them out. Save a little here and there.

Correction: Save a lot all over the place. We have only had one bulk food adventure and apples, green beans, broccoli and Roma tomatoes were purchased. I only got the broccoli and tomatoes, but all of them looked great. I left the rendezvous point with about 6 bunches (two stalks each) of broccoli and about 12 Roma tomatoes. My rough guess is that had these been bought at the store, I would have paid $10-15 for the amount. I left paying only $6.50! And now I have vegetables I can eat for a whole month.

The question soon arises - what do I do with all this produce? A lot of the green bean getters had so many beans they soon were making impromptu friends with neighbors and anyone willing to take a handful or two. I have been enjoying tomatoes on my sandwiches, especially BSTs (I use spinach instead of lettuce, hence BST). I stuffed some of my broccoli in scraped out tomatoes and cooked them in the over for a bit with some Parmesan and buttered bread crumbs - tasty! I may make some tomato sauce to pour over my pasta with broccoli florets. And broccoli is one of my post-work, pre-dinner munchies now.

Only two or three weeks until another Farmer's Market bulk day. Yay!

The Move, One Year Later

One year. That is how long I have been in Raleigh. Strange to think what has changed since I left Austin. It has been a great year. I have had lots of fun exploring a new city (which I need to do tons more of - museums, downtown, little events in parks, etc), overcome my fear of tall swaying trees, seen two different snow events that closed the local world down, basked in the glory of the Farmer's Market, and found a new family at my church.

However, not all things are created equal, and so for those of you unfamiliar with Raleigh or Austin, here are some comparisons to help you out:

Hardee's, as I see it, is the NC version of Dairy Queen. Not necessarily in food offerings (namely desserts - because how many people eat at DQ for the burgers, really?) but in the sheer abundance of them. Hardee's - the North Carolina stop sign.

As I have mentioned before, there is no replacement or substitution for H-E-B. Not Harris Teeter, Krogers (which are not the dingy places many Texans know them as), or Food Lion. The great prices, wonderful selections, and fabulous store brand products of HEB cannot be beat.

Downtown Raleigh does not equal downtown Austin. I think the Raleigh downtown area is growing, but it is a good 5-10 years behind Austin. Or, both have grown in opposite ways. Raleigh is building a lot of downtown condos I imagine in hopes of luring businesses downtown, whereas Austin has businesses downtown and is now building up its residential footprint. Raleigh downtown is small, but I think that could play to its advantage as everything is within five to ten blocks of one another. This means great foot traffic for retail stores and restaurants.

Nothing equals Chuy's or Kerbey Lane. I was reminded of this over Christmas where Jill and I dined at both - great food, even greater friend (Hi Jill!), and that uniquely Austin atmosphere. Can't be duplicated.

Ole Time Barbeque is not Rudy's or Salt Lick...but it is great Carolina 'que. Yes, it is possible for Texas BBQ and Carolina BBQ to peaceable coexist - one is beef and sausage, the other pork, pork and more pork. Two different meats means I can have two different favorites. Ha!

I am still looking for my regional replacement to Blue Bell, which is nonexistent outside of Outback Steakhouses here. I saw Blue Bell here once, but never since. I have heard rumor of an out-of-the-way farm that makes its own ice cream, but nothing confirmed yet.

Farmer's Market in Raleigh beats Farmer's Market in Austin...but that may only be because I never went to the Austin market. I will have a hopeful near future post about the ever increasing awesomeness of the Raleigh Farmer's Market. I am still loving my honey and preserves I procured the last time I visited. Perfect compliments to peanut butter.

Outside Austin and outside Raleigh? Both gorgeous and equally fun, but a slight edge goes to Raleigh. The great outdoors seem a little closer here - within walking distance in many cases. However, Texas has the bluebonnets and I don't think anything can beat that as far as roadside magnificence goes.

I am sure there are more comparisons I could make, but there is more to my move than just comparisons and contrasts. There are you guys!

To my friends in Austin: Thank you for all the support you have given me in the many months leading up to my decision to move. I greatly appreciate your patience as I played out my own reinterpretation of The Boy who Cried Wolf, entitled "The Girl who Cried Move." I learned so much about friendship, being silly and growing up from y'all. You have blessed my life tremendously and miss you lots. My place is always open to visitors (after I clean/hide the mess), and if you would like to move here instead of just visit, that would be okay too. I have tons of Raleigh apartment research to share, I know of some people that are great movers (I'd say semi-pro at this point) and a nice little church just down the road a bit.

To my new friends in Raleigh: This past year would have been torture without you. You welcomed and embraced me as part of the family from day one and have been a constant source of encouragement to me as I adjusted to the Raleigh life. Serving alongside you and bonding together as a community has shown me the significance of fellowship and being active in a local church. I look forward to another year of Fletcher Park Sundays, Friday game nights, Sunday morning strength training, and Wednesday discussions.

To my family (mom, dad, Em, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandmothers, 1st cousins once removed, etc.) I miss seeing y'all, especially now that the Japan Greens are back and we have Ben, Wes and Anya around. Thanks for your support, encouragement love, and wise counsel as I ventured off to lands unknown. I am sure ya'll were just as nervous about it as I was. I made it through and now, one year later, my apartment is almost presentable enough for y'all to use as a landing pad for whatever East Coast jaunts Ginny persuades you into - Amish furniture pick-up, Southern Belle mansions tour, or antique shopping in towns with populations of 5,000 or less. Love you all!

And Aaron: Well, we made it through (almost) one whole year of living in the same town as one another - no one died or was maimed in any lasting way (except for your fingernail, which you will not have when you are 40 - sorry). Thank you for dinner and a movie, exploring off beaten trails, fixing things and solving problems, letting me know you are close even when school takes your time, and sharing in my adventures, small and large, in Raleigh. More adventures this year, mkay?