Category: Uncategorized

There’s a Pride Month event in Downtown Memphis tonight, and I wanted to mention it prominently because I’ve been told it got left off some Pride Month schedules. The annual Big Gay Dance Party happens tonight at the New Daisy on Beale from 8 PM to 1 AM. Tickets are

• $15 for those ages 18-20; these tickets do not include alcohol
• $25 for general admission for 21 and up; includes a spirited punch while supplies last
• $130 for the Drag Superstar VIP experience. That gets you access to the New Daisy’s balcony “with all its quirky little rooms,” an open bar, and a wide selection of hors d’oeuvres.

The theme is “Hate Is a Drag!” and the purpose is to support drag performers and the LGBTQ+ community during a time of political turmoil. As you may have heard, the Tennessee legislature passed a ridiculously stupid law severely restricting drag performances in public places. A restraining order has blocked enforcement of the law until a judge can rule further next week, so the dance party is safe to proceed.

The party will provide a safe environment where you need not feel afraid to be yourself. DJ AD will provide the music. There will be drag performances and entertainment by QCG productions.

Do me a favor if you go… look for a blonde named Cinnamon behind the bar and tip her generously! She’s been a great friend to me.

In other Pride Month news:

Dos Hermanos is on the ground floor of the Cossitt Library, northwest corner of Front and Monroe.

I woke up yesterday morning to a post on Facebook saying the kitchen would be closed at one of my favorite Downtown spots all day. “I know they’ve had trouble with the kitchen ceiling there,” I thought. “I guess they’re doing repairs.”

No. That wasn’t the reason.

The kitchen of the business is manned by almost all Mexicans. They were participating in a nationwide one-day strike by Hispanic workers to protest Florida’s new immigration law.

In my ongoing job search, I set up an account on ZipRecruiter and filled out some preferences. Among the jobs it recommended I apply for:

• Sales Specialist – Firearms at Bass Pro Shops (I have never fired a gun in my life)
• Server at Flying Saucer

Methinks I need to refine those preferences a bit.

The reason the “server at the Saucer” job is so funny is that I was a regular there for years and made fun relentlessly on this blog of some of the flyers they put up. To review a couple of their greatest hits:

• “Enjoy a Guiness on St. Patrick’s Day at the Saucer.” You’d think folks who work in a business that positions itself as a beer garden would know how to spell “Guinness.”
• Posted November 1: A picture of a clock along with “Daylight Saving Time begins this week.” DST actually ends the first week of November and Standard Time begins.

Yep, pretty sure Saucer corporate would veto any attempt I made to get a job there.

At least the Saucer never put “since MMXVIII” on a T-shirt. Pat yourself on the back if you got that reference.

Okay, I refined the search criteria and now ZipRecruiter thinks I should be a boat sales specialist at Bass Pro. Scroll down to yesterday’s post to see how I feel about boats.

Drake will bring It’s All a Blur Tour to FedExForum June 29. 21 Savage will open.

The final of the River Series spring concerts in Harbor Town Amphitheater will happen this Saturday starting at 4 PM. Aquarian Blood will perform, as will the Turnstyles and DJ Bizzle Bluebland. Get tickets in advance $10 adults/$5 kids.

Grind City Brewing will host Headspace, an IPA and sour festival, Saturday beginning at noon. Live music, food trucks, games.

Today is National Donut Day and WREG has a list of where to get free donuts. Unfortunately, none of the locations are Downtown. Free donuts? Wonder if the Nuh-Uh Gril will show up.

Today is also National Leave the Office Early Day.

Wow I never would have guessed this… Modelo Especial has overtaken Bud Light as the best-selling beer in the U.S. Bud Light sales are down 25.7% from this time a year ago.

The SEC has voted to play 8 games in the 2024 football season. A 9-game schedule was also under consideration. Once Texas and Oklahoma join, the SEC will be divisionless; no more SEC West and SEC East. In addition to the 8 conference games, each SEC team must play at least one nonconference game per year vs. an opponent from the Big Ten, Big 12, ACC, Pac-12, or a major independent.

UGH… a new poll shows King Willie leading the race for mayor. WHY MEMPHIS WHY??? Paul Young is an exciting, dynamic candidate who would be so much better in that role. People gripe about how old President Biden is… WILLIE IS OLDER THAN BIDEN!

It boggles my mind that in 2023 I’m blogging about Willie Herenton.

The DM has a look back to Hard Rock Cafe’s 1997 Memphis opening, considered at the time to be a major score for Beale Street. The restaurant will close July 30.

Incoming Memphis Tigers basketball player Mikey Williams has lost one of his endorsement deals. Williams is facing six felony gun charges. Williams might want to ask Ja Morant how waving a gun around can affect your earning potential.

Speaking of Ja: NBA commish Adam Silver says the league is purposely waiting until after the NBA Finals to announce its findings on the latest incident of Morant allegedly waving a gun on an Instagram video. Silver said he does not want the announcement to distract from the Finals.

Kingpin Skinny Pimp plays Carolina Watershed tonight.

We Are Here, an exhibit celebrating contemporary LGBTQ+ metal artists, will open at the Metal Museum on Sunday.

Apple will unveil its first virtual reality headset on Monday.

Air-conditioned football helmets are now a thing.

Arrow Creative’s Marketplace in Motion returns to Loflin Yard this Saturday from 11 AM to 5 PM.

The Good Groceries Mobile Diner food truck will be in Health Sciences Park today from 11:30 AM to 1 PM.

That’s it for today’s post. Back tomorrow probably.

Yesterday I finished scrolling through 187 pages of biographies in the Memphis Public Libraries’ e-collection. Trivia question: What one person has far more biographies (and autobiographies) in the collection than any other? I’ll put the answer at the end of this post.

I checked out one more book, about Clarence Saunders, the invention of the self-service grocery store concept, and the founding of Piggly Wiggly.

Memphis Jookin’ happens at Cossitt Library today. Local Memphis Jookin’ legends will lead a public class from 5 to 6 PM. From 6 to 7 PM there will be demos and a dance session. Participants are asked to wear closed-toe shoes and comfortable clothing.

Not familiar with Memphis Jookin’? Want to get the basics down before tonight’s class? Here’s a tutorial:

From 24/7 Sports: The Big 12 may have its eyes on Memphis and Colorado for expansion

Momma’s, the trucker bar at Crump and Kentucky that is part of the Aldo family of restaurants, is getting ready to reopen. They’re hiring for all positions. Apply in person on weekdays between 10 AM and 3 PM at 855 Kentucky. If you want to shoot them a resume, work@mommasbar.com is the address.

Benefits of working at Momma’s include health insurance, competitive pay, paid training, and shift meals.

The Daily Memphian conducted a poll on its social media accounts, asking if people liked Memphis in May’s return to the river after being held at Liberty Park/Tiger Lane 5 miles away in 2022:

• 74% liked Music Fest’s return to the river
• 70% liked BBQ Fest’s return to the river

Only 8% of Music Fest fans and 9% of BBQ Fest fans said they disliked the return.

Memphis Pride Fest happens this weekend at Robert Church Park. More than 150 vendors, food trucks, a kids’ area, free HIV testing. There will be more than 60 drag performers, including two from RuPaul’s Drag Race.

In other Pride news, there will be a Puppy Pride Parade in Court Square Saturday, June 17 from 10 AM to 2 PM. There will be vendors and live music by DJ Strooly and Night Hawk. Across Main there will be drinks at the Moxy hotel bar.

Yesterday I was sitting at Cinnamon’s bar at the Blind Bear and she had a country music channel on. I thought I heard “On the Road Again” and thought, “Ahhh… ol’ Willie,” the last musician I saw in concert. But then I realized the voice wasn’t as scratchy as Willie Nelson’s, and the lyrics were different.

I was listening to “On the Boat Again.”

It reminded me of Butt Slut #1 because I text her “boat” whenever one appears in a Price Is Right showcase. One of my worst fears is getting on the show expecting to win a Toyota Camry or Volkswagen Taos or Ford Bronco, and instead coming away with a stupid boat.

Today is National Moonshine Day. Blind Bear is the place to celebrate that holiday, with many varieties of Ole Smoky flavored moonshine. You can also mix moonshines. My fav is the strawnana, a shot of half strawberry cream, half banana cream moonshine. Butt Slut #1 prefers bleach shots, which are half blackberry, half peach moonshine.

Today is also Oscar the Grouch Day.

And, if you remember Corporal Klinger from the TV show M*A*S*H, today is his favorite holiday: Wear a Dress Day.

The groundbreaking for the new Brooks Museum at Front and Monroe is today. $135 million has been raised to fund the museum.

Registration has begun for the St. Jude Marathon in Memphis on December 2.

The Hard Rock Cafe on Beale will close July 30. That will put 52 people out of work.

Not Downtown but worth a Lyft or Uber: Memphis Italian Fest kicks off today and runs through Saturday. It’s at Marquette Park at the corner of Park Ave. and Mt. Moriah Rd. in East Memphis. Italian food vendors, live music, kids’ area, arts & crafts, raffle for a Chevy Trax. If you know someone on a team (it’s a competition, like BBQ Fest) maybe they’ll invite you inside their booth to sample their cooking.

Collage Dance presents The Four Seasons at the Orpheum this Sunday at 3 PM. This organization has more than 300 students enrolled and its purpose is to make outstanding dance training accessible to all youth in Memphis. Tickets are $15-$30.

The Denver Nuggets’ mascot makes $625,000 a year.

Trivia answer: Barack Obama

That’s it for this post. Back tomorrow with more news.

Oh yeah… I promised you fine folks the answer to a riddle today.

I posted it on Sunday. Here it is again:

There exists a system, and you may have such a system in your home, in which

• 1, 2, and 3 are undervalued
• 4, 5, and 6 are perfectly valued
• 7 is overvalued
• 8 and 9 never had a chance to be perfectly valued
• 0 is only perfectly valued when the system stops working

I mentioned that I thought of the riddle while lying in bed. That was a clue.

It’s a digital clock. I was looking at one when I came up with the riddle.

A digital clock has 7 “legs” it uses to build each digit – 4 vertical, 3 horizontal.

• The digit 1 uses 2 legs to be built; 2 uses 5 legs; and 3 uses 5 legs. So those digits are undervalued.
• The digit 4 uses 4 legs to be built; 5 uses 5 legs, and 6 uses 6 legs. So those digits are perfectly valued.
• The digit 7 uses 3 legs to be built. So 7 is overvalued.
• Since there are only 7 legs, 8 and 9 never had a chance to be perfectly valued.
• Unplug the clock and 0 legs are displayed – the only time 0 is perfectly valued.

Keep scrolling down for today’s news.

Last week I posted that there would be a UK (meaning the United Kingdom, not the University of Kentucky) Trivia Night at the Brass Door tonight from 6 to 9. I commented that it was rather interesting that the ad for the trivia night had the logo of the British Consulate-General (Atlanta) in the lower left corner.

The CA has the info… Rachel Galloway, the UK Consulate-General in Atlanta, is indeed visiting Memphis this week. She was the honorary duckmaster at the Peabody yesterday morning. The CA says she’ll meet with local leaders and attend roundtables and tours before departing Saturday.

Heh heh… I use Grammarly to check my posts for grammar and spelling. It put a little red line under “duckmaster.” It doesn’t think that’s a word.

For my South Main readers: Want a fun opportunity to hang out with your neighbors and get to know them better? There will be a block party called Huling Hoedown this Saturday. Live music, games, food trucks, and beverages.

From 92.9 FM ESPN radio: Could DeAndre Williams return for another year of Memphis Tigers basketball?

The greatest drummer ever to pick up the sticks, John Bonham, would’ve turned 75 today. Bonham died in September 1980, effectively ending Led Zeppelin’s 12-year run as the remaining members decided they could not continue without him. In addition to being a rock drummer, Bonham was a gentleman farmer who raised prize-winning cattle.

The DM has a look at the Party at the Pyramid outdoor party series Bass Pro is putting on the last Friday of every month.

More organ pipes that were stolen from Calvary Episcopal Church have been found.

Rock the Boat is the featured entertainment at the Peabody rooftop party this Thursday, June 1. $15 for general admission, and $30 to get into the VIP Lounge. 6-10 PM.

The latest Ask Vance column in Memphis magazine talks about Bry’s, an early-1900s department store at Main and Jefferson. In 1927, Bry’s opened an Airplane Department in the store.

From the DM: MATA will continue to fund the Groove on Demand program

A man attempted to sneak two guns past security onto Beale Street this past weekend. He was caught and charged with two misdemeanors.

The NBA Finals tip off Thursday: Miami Heat at Denver Nuggets, 7:30 PM, ABC.

I finished Ham on Rye by Charles Bukowski yesterday and checked it back in early to the library’s e-collection. Then I started browsing the Biographies section of their ebooks and checked out two.

The first was a biography of General James Mattis. Say what you will about the rest of Trump’s original cabinet, but former Secretary of Defense “Mad Dog” Mattis was a soldier’s soldier and a solid dude, smart and pragmatic.

Always carry a knife with you. Just in case there’s cheesecake, or you need to stab someone in the throat.
– Jim Mattis

The second book was a biography of Billy Joel. My friend Randy is a huge Billy Joel fan, and I figure that’ll give us plenty to talk about on Saturdays.

I have a lot to do this morning, so I’m going to sign off for now. Back tomorrow.

Sage (Serving a Great Experience), the soul food bistro on Main between Gayoso and Peabody Place, is temporarily closed for remodeling. They plan to be back open and once again serving a great experience soon.  If you’ve never seen the line for Sunday brunch right when Sage opens at 11, let me tell you, it can get as many as 60 deep. It’s the place to be.

Did you know you can get Miami-style brioche donuts at the Memphis Farmers Market? Look for the Artesanal de Tela booth.

Today is National Mint Julep Day. I often have restaurant or bar recommendations when I post these lesser-known holidays, but this one has me stumped. I can’t recall anyone ever ordering a mint julep at any of my favorite Downtown spots. Maybe the Peabody lobby bar or Corner Bar?

Higher humidity is on the way with the heat index hitting the mid-90s in Memphis by midweek. Ugh. It’s that time of year. Better make sure your A/C is in good working order.

Giant panda Ya Ya, a Memphis Zoo resident for 20 years, has made it to her new home in the Beijing Zoo.

The CA’s Jennifer Chandler has a list of June food events in Memphis. Of interest to Downtowners:

• The Loving Local festival in The Edge on June 15
• The Memphis Vegan Festival in Fourth Bluff Park on June 18
• Craft Food and Wine Festival benefiting Church Health at The Columns on June 25
• There’s also a Memphis Coffee Shop Hop lasting from June 1 to September 30. The hop includes Downtown coffee shops Boycott Coffee, Comeback Coffee, Crazy Gander, Dr. Bean’s Coffee and Tea Emporium, and Vice & Virtue. If you visit all 12 stops on the hop (including several that are far from Downtown) and get your card stamped, you get a free coffee from your favorite stop on the hop.

If you’ve been playing around with ChatGPT, as I have, here’s a list of golden prompts to get the most out of the AI tool.

YogaSix in Downtown Memphis seeks a yoga/fitness sales associate, a position they refer to as a Wellness Advisor. Part-time (20-35 hours a week) with some evenings and weekends. Perks include a complimentary YogaSix membership and 30% off all retail items.

The Church of the River (Unitarian) seeks a director of religious education.

Richard Wilson plays The Central BBQ Sessions at Central BBQ Downtown tonight from 6 to 9.

Graber Gryass plays Live at the Tracks at Central Station Hotel Thursday evening from 6:30 to 9:30.

There’s a beginner bachata class at Cat’s Ballroom tonight at 6.

901 Live! will showcase local musical talent at the Halloran Centre this Saturday at 7 PM. Tickets are $45.

There will be an all-levels yoga class in the Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel exhibit in the Renasant Convention Center at 9 AM. $20 cost includes the class and entry to the exhibit. Bring a yoga mat.

Grind City Brewing holds Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader trivia this Wednesday at 6:30 PM.

Congrats to my former trivia teammate the Nuh-Uh Sister, who got married last weekend.

Got a menu tip about the Blind Bear last night: Get a side order of Nate’s Tater Tots and a cup of tomato bisque. Dip the tots in the bisque.

My buddy Chico was bartending Blind Bear for happy hour yesterday. He shared with me a snack pack he got from the Asian market on Cleveland:

Clockwise from top right: Black sesame bar, “soft” peanut butter bar, peanut butter bat, white sesame bar.

About that so-called soft peanut butter bar: Asians must have a different concept of the word than we do, because the bar was so hard that I had to attempt several bites before I finally got a piece of it.

Chico said the other peanut butter bar was like peanut brittle. Given that I have crowns on my front upper teeth, I decided to pass on that one.

I believe the market Chico is talking about is Viet Hoa Market at 48 N. Cleveland, near the intersection of Court Avenue. Cleveland is on the eastern boundary of the Groove on Demand shuttle service if you don’t feel like driving there.

That’ll wrap it up for now. Back tomorrow with more news.

I checked out and read my first e-books from the Memphis Public Libraries’ online collection yesterday: A Brief History of Memphis by G. Wayne Dowdy. A good read, and it was indeed brief: I finished it in a few hours. I could keep the book checked out for 21 days but returned it early in case someone else (maybe one of you?) wanted to read it.

On this day in Memphis history: Bluesman Furry Lewis collapsed while performing at a gig at the Cotton Pickin’ Music and Crafts Jubilee. Furry was 84 at the time and would live another four years. This tidbit came from another Dowdy book I checked out, On This Day in Memphis History.

I also checked out a book on digital marketing so I could brush up in case a company where I applied for a job calls me for an interview this week.

And, one more: I checked out Ham on Rye by Charles Bukowski. Normally I’m not big into fiction, but people have told me I’d like Bukowski’s work.

Happy Memorial Day! Today is also the day that is considered the anniversary of the end of the Middle Ages. On May 29, 1453, the Ottoman Empire captured the city of Constantinople, the capital and last stronghold of the Byzantines. The city is known in modern times as Istanbul, Turkey.

Three Memphis restaurants made AllTrails’ list of the 14 best BBQ restaurants in the U.S.: The Bar-B-Q Shop, Central BBQ, and the Rendezvous.

The DM has an article about Discover Memphis Naturally, an organization that links folks up to local outdoor fitness classes and activities. I just gave them a follow on Facebook and Insta.

The American Contract Bridge League, the nonprofit that sanctions the card game duplicate contract bridge, has a new executive director. I don’t play bridge myself, but that Horn Lake-based organization is near and dear to my heart because I worked in the marketing and IT departments there from 2009 to 2018. The COVID pandemic caused their membership to decline because no one could safely play face-to-face bridge at a club or tournament for about a year. I hope they claw their way back with flying colors.

All MATA rides are discounted to 25 cents today due to poor air quality. I believe that includes trolleys.

There’s a chance Penny will land Carmelo Anthony’s son Kiyan in the  U of M men’s basketball incoming class of ’25.

That’s it for now. Slow news day, short post, kind of what I expected.

I’m going to star off my post today with something I’ve never done before: a riddle. I thought of this one lying in bed this morning.

There exists a system, and you may have such a system in your home, in which

• 1, 2, and 3 are undervalued
• 4, 5, and 6 are perfectly valued
• 7 is overvalued
• 8 and 9 never had a chance to be perfectly valued
• 0 is only perfectly valued when the system stops working

What am I talking about?

I’ll post the answer on Wednesday. Why Wednesday? Because some of my readers only check my blog at work, and because of Memorial Day, Tuesday will be the first day they’re back.

I had a productive morning yesterday. I figured, as much as I’ve been going to the newly-reopened Cossitt Library lately, I might as well get a library card! It’s super easy and you don’t have to go to a library branch to do it. All you have to do is go to the Memphis Public Libraries website and fill out a form to apply for a library card. All you have to do is fill in your name, address, and a few other details.

MPL’s system then tries to verify that your name is connected to an address within the city of Memphis. If it can verify you, it emails you a library card number and a PIN, which can be used from that moment forward. I’m note sure exactly how the system works, but about a minute after I submitted the form, I got an email saying I’d been verified and containing my new card number and PIN.

Once you have a fully verified card, you can check out books from any MPL branch. Also, you can show your card number at any branch and they can print a physical card for you.

In addition to borrowing books from one of MPL’s 18 physical locations, you can also borrow from a library of more than 50,000 e-books and e-audiobooks. You do this using an app or website called Libby by Overdrive. You can read your e-books in the Libby app, or if you have a Kindle, you can ask Libby to send your books there.

You can also use your library card to reserve a public-access computer at any MPL branch.

What if MPL’s system can’t verify that your name is connected to your address? Then you can apply for an Online Only card to gain immediate access to e-books and e-audiobooks. The next time you visit a. physical MPL branch, bring proof of address (current utility bill, voter registration card, etc.) to upgrade to a full library card.

I did another thing yesterday morning, one that will improve your reading experience. As many of you know, I use WordPress to publish this blog. Several years ago they “upgraded” WordPress from its classic editor (which I love) to a block editor (which I hate). Reasons why I hate the block editor:

1. Embeds of external elements like tweets and YouTube videos often don’t work
2. Sometimes the block editor would “eat” large parts of a post; for example, I’d have 20 news items in the editor but only 9 would appear on the blog when I published (and the other 11 would disappear from the editor). This was particularly a problem when I started a post at night, went to bed, then got up to finish it in the morning.
3. When I would do Ctrl-A Ctrl-C (select all and copy) in the block editor, it would select one block (one paragraph, or one bulleted or numbered list, or one image) when I wanted it to select the entire post.

Yesterday I found that there’s a WordPress plugin called Classic Editor. I installed it and BOOM… things were back to the way they used to be.

Here’s an embedded tweet:

Pleasant conditions are expected for the remainder of your Memorial Day weekend, now that rain chances are gone. For today, mostly sunny with more dry air arriving on a northeast breeze. Temps near 60 to start the day and reach 82 for the high. Monday looks nearly the same! pic.twitter.com/xAtyeFJeJZ

— MemphisWeather.net (@memphisweather1) May 28, 2023

And here’s an embedded YouTube video:

Let’s get on to the news…

From We Are Memphis: 5 Memphis music stores to build your collection. Three of the five are Downtown:

• River City Records (101 S. Main)
• Memphis Music (149 Beale)
• A. Schwab (163 Beale; records are on the second floor)

All three stores are within about a three-block walk of each other, so you could hit them all in one afternoon.

From Forbes: A travel writer’s guide to the best bars in Memphis. Hey Max, your Malort Challenge made Forbes!

Memphis Public Libraries is holding an A. Schwab Collection digital scavenger hunt. Explore the contents of the basement of this dry goods store that has been around since 1876, all without leaving your computer.

From the DM: Calvary Place Childcare Center, located inside Calvary Episcopal Church, is closing at the end of this month.

Today is International Hamburger Day.

The Downtown Memphis Commission is now accepting applications for its summer 2023 Hip-Hop Architecture Camp. The camp will happen July 10-14 at a Downtown location and is for 7th-12th graders. Cost to attend this camp is FREE.

That’s it for now. Holidays are typically slow news days, but if there’s anything to report, I’ll be back tomorrow.

The Brass Door will host a UK in Memphis Trivia Night next Wednesday, May 31 from 6 to PM. RSVP to Simone.Brown@fcdo.gov.uk if you plan to come and play. Interesting… the logo of the British Consulate-General in Atlanta appears on the ad for this trivia night.

WREG reported on their noon news broadcast that the law allowing Tennesse restaurants to sell to-go drinks expires July 1. The law was passed in 2020 to help restaurants stay afloat during the COVID pandemic.

Today is National Italian Beef Day.

Author Cassie Brooks will appear at The Broom Closet from 2 to 4 PM today to read from and sign copies of her children’s book Sticks and Stones.

Potliquor will happen at the Slave Haven Underground Railroad Museum on N. Second Street Sunday at 2 PM. This is a cultural storytelling event There will be live demonstrations, education, and potliquor and candied yam cornbread. Charolette & Pickens will have food offerings as well, and there will be African cultural exhibits and music. This event is free but donations are accepted.

I always get one of three things when I eat at the Blind Bear: Hibernation Tots, Crawfish Mac & Cheese, or the Jager BBQ Burger with sides of mac & cheese and baked beans. So yesterday as I walked up there, I told myself, “Today I’m gonna try something different.”

I looked at the menu. Now, my favorite Captain of all time is Captain Kangaroo…

Bob “Captain Kangaroo” Keeshan. Public domain image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

… but my second-favorite of all time is Captain Morgan. And that Captain has an entree on the Blind Bear’s menu, Captain Morgan’s Chicken. I decided to give it a try.

Oh my goodness yummmmm. This is a roasted chicken breast sitting atop a bed of mashed potatoes, topped with sauteed spinach and a Captain Morgan’s rum sauce. Bartender Cinnamon thought I’d really enjoy the interaction of flavors between the rum sauce and the mashed potatoes, and she was not wrong. I cleaned my plate. I recommend this dish highly and will get it again.

From YouTube: A WNBA legend wants a WNBA team in Memphis. I see there’s a Change.org petition to make that happen.

Live entertainment team auditions are coming up for the Memphis Grizzlies. Here’s a list of teams that will be holding auditions and how to prepare for them:

• Grizz Girls dance team: Girl Play classes – Learn the style of the dances in a non-competitive environment
• Grizz Girls dance team: Pre-audition classes – Learn the choreography for the audition
• Grannies & Grandpas dance team (age 50 and up)
• Blue Bunch dance team (age 7-17)
• Grizzline drum/percussion team
• Claw Crew marketing team

The DM interviewed former Memphis men’s basketball head coach Josh Pastner. Pastner was recently fired as Georgia Tech’s head coach and won’t be on the sidelines for the upcoming season. He says he may do some TV before attempting to break back into head coaching.

This week’s DM’s Behind the Headlines podcast is a roundtable of reporters discussing the Greenlaw Community Center. MPD recently abandoned plans to use the center as a holding area for juveniles violating curfew.

In his weekly update, Mayor Jimbo from Mempho provided a list of activities available to Memphis kids while they’re out on summer break.

Interesting: How an algorithm solves Wodrle. The algorithm was developed by an MIT professor and Ph.D. student. It uses SALET as its starting word. The article also has links to the Wordle strategies of Bill Gates and Kamala Harris.

Hey, I haven’t played yet today. Let’s see how I do:

Wordle 707 3/6

🟩🟩⬜⬜🟨
🟩🟩⬜🟩⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

“Impressive!” Wordle commented. No, I did not start with SALET.

That’s it for today. Meeting my friends Randy & Theresa at Bardog for Saturday brunch. Back tomorrow with more news.

It’s the last Friday of the month and that means it’s time for South Main Trolley Night. Many of the shops and galleries in South Main will stay open until 9 or later. Some will offer appetizers, beer, or wine. Others will offer discounts. Great chance to get out and meet your neighbors.

The Bugaloos will play Slider Inn Downtown tonight from 6 to 9.

From the DM: How to run your best race at the Great American River Run

Blvck Hippie will perform at the Moxy Memphis Hotel, 40 N. Front, tonight from 7 to 9.

The Champions Tour Concert comes to the Cannon Center tonight.

The Downtown Memphis Commission is sponsoring a Mighty Lights Intern Challenge. Up to 12 teams of interns will compete. They will be trained on lighting equipment for 2 hours then will take turns running the light show on the I-40 bridge.

Today is World Redhead Day. Cheers to my friend Misty!

Cossitt Library tip: If you have trouble getting Facebook to load on the library’s Wi-Fi, try switching to another browser. I switched from Chrome to Safari and Facebook loaded right up. Chrome used to be the gold standard but it has become a fat, bloated pig.

Yesterday there was a group of adults at the Cossitt making dresses for dolls. That’s what I love about the library – no one judges anybody. You’re free to be yourself there.

New Wing Order has introduced a new menu item, Crispy Green Goddess Brussels. “This vegetarian dish features flash fried brussel sprouts drizzled with an herbaceous green goddess dressing, topped with crumbled goat cheese, dried cranberries, and crushed pistachios,” they wrote. Get them at the Ghost River taproom on Beale or on the nWo food truck.

Did you know that Dyer’s, the burger joint on Beale, caters? Email tessa@cateringforu.com to plan catering. If you want to thank me for the information, order Double-Doubles and invite me to your event!

Stix, the fast-casual Asian spot in Peabody Place, will be closed Monday.

Gonna have to take my external phone charger to Bardog tomorrow so I have enough juice to watch TV on my phone. WWE’s Night of Champions premium live event will broadcast live from Saudi Arabia beginning at noon. The big question is, will the Usos finally turn on their leader, Roman Reigns? And whose side will the Usos’ brother Solo Sikoa be on if they do?

Silky O’Sullivan’s has announced its musical lineup for the holiday weekend:

• Buddy Nemenz 1-5 PM Friday and Sunday
• Even Odds Band Friday 8 PM to close
• Dueling pianos 7 PM-1 AM Saturday and Sunday
• New Era Band Saturday 8 PM-close
• David Ingle 6-8 PM Sunday

Note for my day drinkers: There is a large, weekend-long “Chicago vs. Memphis” party this weekend. They have events at night but large groups have been known to fill the Downtown bars during brunch hours. My advice is to get there early if you want a seat, especially at the bar.

Controversy over Ja Morant waving guns around on Instagram has not prevented his new Ja 1 sneakers from selling out quickly.

Andrea Jay will lead a yoga class at the Cossitt Library today from 4 to 6 PM. It’ll be in the upstairs performance space.

There’s a $5000 reward for anyone who can help police solve the theft of a truckload of organ pipes from Calvary Episcopal Church.

Charlotte Taylor plays The Central BBQ Sessions at Central BBQ Downtown Saturday from 6 to 9.

Every Friday is EDU Day/Night at Grind City Brewing Co. All day long, students, faculty, and staff of educational institutions can get draft beers for only $5. Must show valid school ID.

Reid Haughton headlines Nashville Hits the Tin Roof on Beale tonight at 8. This is a free concert series featuring up-and-coming names in country music.

Yubu, Kennard, and Amber will provide the music at Memphis Farmers Market tomorrow. The Market runs every Saturday from 8 AM to 1 PM under the pavilion at Front and G.E. Patterson, behind the Malco Powerhouse theater.

Mr. & Mrs. Smith’s food truck will be in Health Sciences Park for lunch today 11:30 to 1:00.

Police departments are advising car owners to stash Apple AirTags in their vehicles to help solve thefts.

That’s it for now. I’m going to enjoy air conditioning and high-speed Internet at home until the Blind Bear opens at 3, then head over there for a while. Back tomorrow.

First of all, CONGRATULATIONS to my friends Jack and Lana who got married yesterday! Two of the nicest and most genuine people I know.

RIP Tina Turner. Did you know there’s a Tina Turner Museum in Brownsville, about 45 minutes northeast of Memphis?

I spent some time job-hunting yesterday (I’ll say more about that at the end of this post). I came across plenty of jobs that are not a fit for me, but they’re in or near Downtown and may be a good fit for my readers:

• Director of Development at BRIDGES USA at A.W. Willis and N. Fifth
• Director of Development at the Rock & Soul Museum
• Program Manager at the Rock & Soul Museum
• Coordinator, Production at Memphis Grizzlies
• Employee Relations Counselor – Human Resources at UT Health Sciences
• Communications & Marketing Coordinator – College of Health Professions at UT Health Sciences
• Dishwasher at the Downtown Holiday Inn

Today is National Wine Day.

Deputies conducted a wellness check on Ja Morant yesterday after he made some social media posts (e.g. “Bye”) that had some of his fans worried about his well-being.

Pretty Taco, the new taco restaurant at 265 S. Front, is now open for lunch Wednesdays through Fridays. Their hours are 11 AM to 11 PM those days.

Big Game Boomer (@biggameboomer on Instagram) posted a list of the best bar in every college town. His pick for Memphis? Blind Bear.

Speaking of the Bear, DJ Tree will spin there Friday and Sunday nights this week. 10 PM start time.

One more piece of Bear news – they’re looking to hire a barback.

Meet Lovie the Memphis Public Libraries therapy dog at the Cossitt Library today at 11 AM. She’ll be there for a program called Do Dogs Talk? Find out what dogs mean when they display particular behaviors. Learn how to avoid being bitten by a dog.

In other Cossitt news, my sweet friend Desiree told me she’s going to start teaching yoga classes there next month. Details should be on the library website within the next week, and I will post them as I get them.

From Action News 5: Great American River Run to take place Memorial Day weekend

Also from Action News 5: Discover the Greenway events kick off June 3. Many of the events happen on the Germantown section of the Wolf River Greenway, but on June 5 there’s Sunset Yoga at the Mud Island Trailhead.

So, why am I job hunting, and what am I looking for?

Independent freelance writing is not producing a reliable, stable income. It would have been better if I had come to this conclusion around September of last year, but I was stubborn. That has led to financial difficulties the past 2 months or so.

The financial difficulties led to health difficulties. I’d go 3-4 days without eating. I lost 40 pounds since January. Friends would tell me “you’ve lost a lot of weight” and they didn’t mean it as a compliment – they meant it in an “I’m scared for you” kind of way.

The financial and health issues led me into a deep depression. That’s why I went 30+ days without blogging. I just couldn’t find the energy.

Worse, I kept my troubles all bottled up inside. It wasn’t until May 1 that I confessed to a few of my closest friends what was going on with me. I should have done it weeks sooner.

Things have improved a little. The financial issues are still present (hence the job hunt) but, as you can tell from my long blog posts the past 2 weeks, the depression has lifted somewhat. Friends are making sure I have good meals to eat every day and I’ve regained 15 of the lost pounds. Friends have told me I look much better than I did a month ago.

So, what kind of job am I looking for?

I’m open to almost ANYTHING provided I’m physically capable. It does not necessarily have to be a job related to my college degrees (in computer science) or similar to past jobs I have held.

I’m looking for something that checks one or more of the following boxes:

1. Interesting
2. Fun
3. Allows me to spread my passion and love for Memphis
4. Allows me to utilize my outstanding writing skills
5. Gives me the chance to teach or inspire others
6. Is Downtown, or work from home, because I no longer have a car. Reachable by the Groove on Demand shuttle might work too.

If you know of anything that might be a fit, please email me at paul.ryburn@gmail.com, or text me if you have my number, or private-message me on Facebook if we’re friends on there.

Thanks and I love you all. I enjoy writing for you on this blog so much.

It’s just after midnight on Thursday, and that’s a lot earlier than I normally do a “daily update” post. Some of my main news sources – the local TV stations, the Daily Memphian, the Commercial Appeal – haven’t updated with overnight news yet. E-newsletters I subscribe to won’t hit my inbox for another 5-7 hours.

But I have a highly time-sensitive news item: Lovie the dog at the library at 11. So I need to go ahead and publish.

Tell ya what… I’m going to the library myself in the morning, and I’m taking the laptop with me. I want to get a cover letter and resume together for one position I did find that checks several of the boxes above. Once I get done with that, I’ll check my news sources, and if there’s anything that can’t wait until Friday, I’ll do a “Thursday update #2” post sometime between noon and 3 PM.

Thanks, friends, for sticking with me.