And it truly is a good Friday! That’s because a good Friday was preceded by a good Wednesday… the type of Wednesday when the boss came by and said, “Paul, in case no one’s told you, we’re closed Friday and Monday.”
Now, don’t get me wrong, I love my job. However, I also love Bardog! My first opportunity to be there on a weekday morning since MLK Day… I don’t see how I can pass that up. I plan on being there at 8 sharp, hungry for an egg and cheese slider, add ham, and of course a cold PBR.
You know, every morning I do a gratitude practice, in which I see myself expanding my energy out into the universe, inviting my best future version in. The influence of that best future version caused me to not only kick ass at work this week, but also to have my most lucrative professional writing month ever in the month of March. However, that best future self likes to have fun as well, and I plan to have that experience, today in the Downtown core and tomorrow in South Main.
Talk about a system that will be working overtime: MPD has implemented its first gunshot detection system. It was installed in Orange Mound around noon on Wednesday, March 31. By 4 PM it had already detected a dozen gunshots. Analysts who receive the data determine whether the noise really was a gunshot – so yes, there are people who literally get paid to play “gunshots or fireworks.” A federal grant will pay for the system for 3 years. After that, if MPD finds it effective at fighting crime, it could be written into the city budget.
Developer Tom Intrator plans a new five-story structure at 386 S. Main. There will be commercial space, always in high demand in South Main, on the ground floor, and 30 apartments on the floors above. Some of the apartments will have balconies, which you don’t see much on that part of Main.
It’s The Daily Memphian’s turn to write an article about Memphis Farmers Market’s opening day tomorrow. 61 vendors will be on hand including 12 new ones. I was asked yesterday if they have fresh flowers… YES they absolutely do! Don’t forget your masks because they’re still required, and volunteers may remind people of the need to social distance.
The virus isn’t done with us yet… we got notified Wednesday night that there’s a COVID case in our building. So grateful that I found an opportunity to get vaccinated. If any of my readers are undecided about getting the vaccine, feel free to reach out to me at paul@paulryburn.com or on social media. I won’t preach at you or guilt-trip you… I will just respectfully lay out the reasons I decided that getting vaccinated was worth it.
If you won’t take my word on why you should get the vaccine, just ask Rev. Al Green, who got his second dose this week. From Action News 5: “He said the shot was painless, so much so that he didn’t even realize the nurse had given him the shot when it was over.” Yep, that’s exactly how mine was.
Ironic that today is National Walk to Work Day and it’s a day when I don’t get to do that. I suppose I could walk through my work building on the way to Bardog.
The Grizzlies host the Minnesota Timberwolves tonight at 7. The Grizzlies currently sit in 9th place in the Western Conference. This year the 7 through 10 seeds play play-in games, although you’re in much better position with a higher seed. The way I understand it, the winner of the 7-8 game advances to the playoff, and the winner of (the loser of the 7-8 game) vs. (the winner of the 9-10 game) game advances. In other words, it’s double elimination if you’re a 7 or 8 seed and single elimination if you’re a 9 or 10 seed.
MATA routes 2 and 32 will provide rides to the Pipkin Building for vaccines next week. Action News 5 story Note that route 2 is the Madison line and is accessible from Downtown.
Bailey Bigger plays Momma’s tonight at 7. Prior to that she’ll play South Main Sounds 5:30-6:30.
Josh Waddell plays Carolina Watershed tonight at 7.
An interesting item I found in Morning Brew’s Sidekick newsletter: 100+ challenges to make you more focused, confident, happy, calm, or resilient.
Do I have any readers out there who are big-time into Reddit? I’m convinced it would be a great source of article ideas for me to write about professionally on Medium. I just never have been able to fit my mind around how to use Reddit effectively.
Former Speaker of the House John Boehner’s book will be out later this month. Bet that’ll be an interesting read. Excerpt in POLITICO Magazine
That’ll do it. Back tomorrow with more news.