Greetings. Hope all is well out there. Well, I've decided to really try to keep the online version of the Chronicles more updated. My plan, which may or may not fall by the wayside, is to do at least 2-3 posts every week. So...that's the plan.
One thing I'm planning on doing is trying to show a bit of love to some of my fellow bloggers. This time I'm featuring my good friend, J. Ellis Millsaps, and his blog - Gaga at the Gogo. A criminal defense attorney by trade, Ellis has worn many other hats as well: Rock'n'Roll band manager, newspaper columnist, stand-up comedian, writer of novels, wiffleball player, and many other things. He's kind of weird, but he's a helluva guy. I think a lot of him and am proud to consider him a friend. And while he hasn't posted at his blog in a while, there's a ton of great write-ups to check out. Here's a sampling of some his greatest hits:
The Lost Boys and the Last Days of Wiffleball - An emotional and heartfelt tale, I got teary-eyed the first time I read it. Wiffleball was a huge deal in Mansfield, GA for several years. I was fortunate to witness some of these games but never played. It was more than just a game, and it meant a lot to a lot of people. But, alas, the world moves on and so do we.
Paper Covers Rock: A Talking, Traveling Testimonial - Some years back, eight to be exact, I started up a band with a few other guys. We're still together, although we haven't played a show (or practiced) in a pretty long time. We were originally called The Cool Swap, but now our handle is Neon Madmen. We've cut a couple of albums and have played a good bit of shows. The early days of the band were a very exciting time and Ellis was our manager. This write-up seems to really encapsulate the energy and dynamics of that time. A great, and very funny, read.
But perhaps the Piece de Resistance of Gaga at the Gogo would have to be the multi-part series of articles that Ellis did about his journey on the Nanchez Trace. From the write-up, "The Trace goes from Nashville Tennessee to Natchez Mississippi. It’s a
wide two-lane road with a 50 mph speed limit. The entire road is a
national park. Originally it was an Indian trail, but in the early
1800’s people on the Ohio River began floating goods on barges down the
Ohio and Mississippi to Natchez, selling their goods there and walking
back on the Trace. No commercial vehicles are allowed. There are no stores or houses
on the Trace. The only towns it goes through are Tupelo and Jackson.
It’s perfect for bicycling." Here are the four articles in order:
The Natchez Trace
Day One: Collinwood
Day Two
Falls Hollow and Day Three
There are several other great posts on this site as well. Check it out.
'Til next time.
