Whew! I am sooooo looking forward to getting home tonight to read these posts. I'm in a rush -just came in from spending an hour at the "no time to be silent vigil" open mike that I host every Saturday and another hour on top of that holding my ground (and my sign) outside of the "Spirit of America" military festival and recruitment event in downtown Providence, RI.

I... had a very productive hour without moving from my spot, engaged in a good give and take with a Providence police officer. It wasn't the threat of arrest that made me move, nor the suggestion of being detained 'till Monday - possibly without my medications - it wasn't even that they were going to tow my car from the 15 minute parking spot... it was a promise I made to sing for the folks at St. Michael's (239 Oxford St) in Providence tonight. I'll be there celebrating 150 years of St. Mike's and helping to raise cash for their food pantry.

It's never easy to stand in that zone of possibility, anticipating the feel of cold steel on your wrists. I have to say the officer really was calm and he and I had a very respectful encounter over-all. My heart is still pounding out of my chest. Could be I'm still experiencing the effects of being overdosed on my thyroid medications for over a month. Been on a bit of a crying jag - sooo much out there worthy of weeping over. Some of it's the meds no doubt - the rest of it, I'm afraid, is the price of knowing too much. I always say "If you ain't depressed, you ain't paying attention."

Keep me in your prayers, folks - I'm running on fumes.

She who leaves and drives away lives to sing another day...
Your sister in Hope and Song,
Joyce Katzberg