Hello, Folks!
I hope the Thanksgiving went as well as it could. Hell, I hope it went well. I know, I know. Let’s not go crazy. Mine was pleasant. I went where there were many Buddhists. Very level. Plant-based ice cream.
In the spirit of the season, or in spirit of being a decent human, a friend of ours needs a little help. Barry Crimmins is a great comic and someone we've enjoyed having on this show. I did an episode with him back in 2013 and then he was back on with Bobcat Goldthwait in 2015. And if you saw the documentary that Bob made about him, Call Me Lucky, you know that Barry's been a tireless advocate on behalf of victims of sexual abuse. We found out that Barry's wife Helen - who is an artist in her own right, a great photographer - is in the middle of a cancer fight and the cost of treatment has become overwhelming. The co-pays alone are just staggering. It's really heavy what they're both going through, and with all the help Barry has given to people in his life as an advocate and human rights activist, we figured we can help lift Barry and Helen up right now.
If you go to Barry's twitter page, you'll see the pinned tweet has a link to Helen's GoFundMe account. Or it's right here if you just click.
Someday we can hope to live in a country where they actually fix healthcare so that no one can ever be driven into financial peril because they got sick. But until that time, we're going to have to help each other. So, let's help Barry and Helen out.
Moving has been hectic primarily because I am moving fairly close by so I’m doing the multiple car trips with random shit thrown in the car style of moving. It’s a scattered and impulsive way to do it. I don’t have a huge house so my thinking was, "There isn’t that much stuff how hard could it be?" Well, it’s as if all my little shit and things and stuff and knick knacks are multiplying. There seems to be no end to it and I haven’t even begun the garage yet. I do think this way of doing it is a reasonable way to make a transition from someplace that has a lot of emotions and baggage to be left behind. My house is like an emotional sarcophagus housing the pain of years of failure. It turned out okay but there is a lot to grieve and reflect on so it's nice to have the time.
I’m having a hard time throwing stuff away. Little knick knacks everywhere. There are these old, tiny plastic Chinatown Buddhas I’ve has for 20 years. They are all faded and weird looking. I can’t throw them away because I don’t know if I’m allowed to throw Buddhas away. I’m not a Buddhist but still I don’t need to provoke and negative Karma by making a garbage Buddha. I bet if you found a Buddha in the trash it would make all the other trash seem pleasant. Level. As it is supposed to be. There is trash and there is not trash but it all ends up kind of trash.
I moved the cats and that was kind of heartbreaking. That was like the moment it became very real. I’ve been in that house with Monkey and LaFonda for 13 years. When I took them out I felt myself projecting my sadness onto them and it really hit me. They are doing fine adjusting. I don't know about me. It was astounding I got them all pretty quickly.
Today I talk to Rob Huebel. Funny fella. I had a good time. On Thursday I talk to Sam Beam who is ‘Iron and Wine.’ Fun talk. Laid back Southern fella. I like his music. Also, my buddy Bob Saget stops by.
Enjoy!
Boomer lives!
Love,
Maron