Day 54: Camden, NJ

A house show at the Camden House. Zach did a few songs and then I played a bit. Zach's songs are great. And the wine was good.

Day 53: Camden, NJ

Holly and I drove around town today, snapping shots of all that was around us. Buildings, superfund and brownfield sites (radioactive landfills), houses, etc...









Someone along the trip told me that he believed Capitalism to be the Great Equalizer. Well, the last several days in Camden would lead me to believe otherwise.

I am no expert, but only an ear to hear some of the stories of Camden. Chris tells the stories way better than I could repeat them. Hope the pics can convey at least a glimpse of some of the stories...

Day 52: Camden, NJ

Crossed the Delaware into Camden, New Jersey yesterday via the Ben Franklin bridge. Spending a few days with our friends Chris and Cassie Haw at the Camden House, a sort of Catholic Worker Hospitality House in old downtown Camden.

Sunday morning, we attended mass with our friends at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. It was refreshing to be a part of a mass service, having been raised Protestant. I've been to mass but a few times and am genereally taken aback at how different the 'services' are from their evangelical counterparts. Like I said...Refreshing.

Spent some time with Chris and Cassie on a sort of 'Reality Tour' of the city. Camden is one of the most polluted, toxic ecosystems in North America it turns out. It's actually an interesting story of industry and it's environmental, social, and economics effects on a particular area.

We're doing a house show tomorrow (Tuesday) evening if you're in the area here at the Camden House. 7pm methinks.

Then we head to Fredricksburg, VA for a show at The Loft on Thursday.

Then a show Saturday in NYC. If you are taking the subway, it's the A to 190th Street.

So, if you read this and are even remotely in the area, please swing by.

The Kingdom in Photographs (4)

Day 50: BUY NOTHING DAY

Some hookah late in the evening of Day 49...




Then drove into downtown Philadelphia to set up shop in front of a large mall and encourage others to buy less and love more.

Lots to reflect on these days, but for now photos must suffice...












I might get back to words in the next few days.

Don't Forget

Today is BUY NOTHING DAY.

Let us curtail our amount of consumption this year. Buy less, love more, laugh out loud.

Create something. Explore your imagination. Dream a better world and create artifacts for that world.

Day 49: Thanksgiving in Philly

...at The Simple Way. A few photos for you...

Dave and Holly prepping the turkey... mmm...


Lunch and cloves in Dave's suite...




The Simple Way guest room that we've been calling home...


Thanksgiving dinner...



Shane cutting the ToFurkey...



And a little Hi-Lo dice game...

This week and next

We're going to be between The Simple Way and Camden House for the next several days. Internet may be spotty, and being that it's a holiday weekend, we might actually try to stay away from the internet for a few days.

Have a great Thanksgiving week. See you soon...

2006

So, I just thought I'd throw it out there, since we're beginning to plan beyond 2005...

We're gonna keep traveling for a bit. There, I said it.

States we plan on being in between Jan and April 2006:

California
Oregon
Washington
Arizona
Western and Central Canada (not the state, but the country)
Minnesota
Colorado
Texas

...and perhaps others, but those are on the map at this point.

We're hoping to continue the trip in a similar fashion. If you'd like us to come your way for a house show, please let us know. We're not looking for pay, just a chance to share stories/songs, meet people, and sell CDs.

Email me if you're interested.

Day 45: Spencerville, MD

Wonderful day. Journeyed from Baltimore to Spencerville to catch Brian speak at Cedar Ridge. Then Brian took us to lunch and invited us tag along to the Sojourners open house. It was a full day of Mexican food, conversations about theology, God, life, music, and what's ahead for all of us.



Journeyed from there back to Falls Church, VA for one last night with the Stavlunds.




Hard to believe that this week is Thanksgiving week...wow. Looks like fall outside. Sounds like summer back in Oceanside. Martin just sent me this pic from in front of our old apartment...



Some work today. Then heading to Philly to see friends at The Simple Way. Hopefully catch up with Jasen and Amanda this week as well.

Day 44: Baltimore, MD

Headed out from DC up to Baltimore to do a Habitat for Humanity benefit show with our friends Tim and Saranell Hartman (see below).


It was a wonderful evening and a great chance to see friends. We head south to see Brian McLaren and Cedar Ridge tomorrow and then back to the Stavlunds for some more Virginia-lovin'...

Day 41-43: Washington, DC

Been with the Stavlunds the last few days. What a wonderful time. We drove through the pouring rain for about 7 hours on toll-roads through Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia (where the Stavlunds live) just to get here...

The last few days have been a beautiful chaotic whirlwind. Mike and Stacy have been some of the most gracious hosts on our pilgrimage from giving us their bed in their efficiency apartment to taking us around the city to setting up a house show to treating us to great food and conversation.

We have spent the last few days in heavy contemplation over the world in which we live. We spent a good couple hours at the Native American History Museum, feeling both indicted and responsible for what has happened to our abroriginal brothers and sisters over these last hundreds of years.

We have watched a documentary on the inequalities of the Wal-Mart corporation, seen a video of Bill Moyers, and talked extensively about our place in this world of brokeness. How do we imagine a different world and attempt to live in it in a non-escapist sort of way? How do we truly bring about goodness at our own expense, not always pointing fingers at others who are fucking it all up... I guess it begins with me.

So some photos from our time in DC thus far... more to come...

Day 40: Akron, OH

Got to see Paula and fam in Ohio. Wonderful. Did a house show with friends, relatives, and acquaintances in a wonderfully old, wooden home. The floor sang!





Tomorrow we leave for DC to stay with Mike and Stacy Stavlund. A fall storm looks like it will be following us there.

Some Photos

For those who think I write too much, some photos from the trip thus far...