Sanuk D

I don't know what I'm doing here, I should be someplace else.

If I had a 6 car garage, I would likely fill it with Toyotas.  It’s not really a brand affinity thing, it’s that I can see exactly what I would do with the cars they make.  No one car fits every thing I need it to do, but the variety of cars made by the scions of the Toyoda family all fit niches I have.  Ok, some that they make and some that they used to make.

For instance, they used to make a little four cylinder truck.  You can probably get a Tacoma in 4 cylinder, but that would be stupid.  Those little trucks were awesome though.  The ones I see now that aren’t all beat to hell are still awesome.  They are the Platonic Form of truck.  My brother used to have one that he bought right out of college.  He traded it to some guy for landscaping or something.  That was dumb because I would have done his landscaping for a truck.  I did not buy one right out of college because I did not want to seem as if I were imitating my brother.  That was dumb too.  I’d still have that thing because I have a very small yard that does not require much in the way of landscaping.  That’s why I don’t need a big truck.

Arguably, if I had a larger garage that would assume a larger house and the need for a larger truck, but if I could afford the garage and, ergo, the house, I would not have to do my own landscaping would I?  No, I could hire someone to do it and pay them in money not trucks.  While they cut the grass, I would zip around town and do errands or take pictures at festivals in my Yaris.  Which I do know has a silly name, but the two door thing with a stick shift would be like a Platonic Form of car.  Just enough to get me where I need to go.

Unless we were going out of town somewhere, then we would need a bigger car.  At that point I might need a Lexus which is still technically a product of the Toyoda family, as is that zippy looking Scion sports coupe.  The Lexus could be something in the LS line.  Big and heavy so it rides real good on the four lane.  The Scion sports coupe would be ideal for drives on the Parkway in September when the weather is nice but you don’t really want all that wind blowing around the o’fro (which is, in reality, impervious to wind.)  But a roof that is totally a sunroof but not a convertible seems pretty smart.

I am nothing if not smart when it comes to filling up a 6 car garage.  Yes, it’s true what you are thinking.  There are two spots left.  Those are, of course, for my Sweet Lady and Tallulah.  Tallulah does not, as far as I know, drive yet, but one should be prepared.  My Sweet Lady is welcome to drive all the Toyota products at any time, of course, and is likely to own one herself which I might like to drive.  A Prius is very handy for being stealthy when you want to sneak up on bikers or runners or whatever.  I wonder why more people who have six car garages have not gotten on the Toyota bandwagon yet?  Maybe they just have too much yard work to do.

This is the second half of my conversation with Warren Wilson College Professor Mallory McDuff.  Her book, Natural Saints: How People of Faith are Working to Save God’s Earth, is out now and available at Malaprop’s and Accent on Books in Asheville as well as Barnes and Noble and Amazon online.  There will be a book launch at the Cathedral of All Souls in Biltmore Village on Thursday, September 23rd at 6:00.  Mallory grew up on the Gulf Coast of Alabama, so this summer has been poignant for her as she publishes a book about hope for creation at the same time an environmental crisis hits home.  If this podcast whets you appetite, check out the book.

I don’t know how I started to follow Jar-E on twitter, but I did and he is funny. He is also a damn fine musician. If this video is the least bit interesting to you, go to his website Jar-E.com.

And seriously, since this is Asheville, how can you have a festival without electric sitar?

Whatever you call it, here are some pictures from the Lexington Avenue Arts and Fun Festival.  Also known as LEXFest.  Video coming soon.

If you are not from around here, you may not be familiar with our mountain tradition called “Shindig on the Green.”  From July 4 until Labor Day, there is a concert every Saturday night in downtown Asheville that features local musicians, dancers, and so forth.  While I suspect that recent changes to the venue and the growth of the region have affected the authenticity of the event, it is still a special part of this community.  Last night was this year’s last Shindig.  Here’s a few snaps for you to go out on.