This weekend...

Yeah, I think we're gonna have a weekend of good weather for getting together in the park and sharing some music. Maybe a few little popcorn thunderstorms later today... so, check back here to make sure we'll be down on the Pier at 7:00. Then, tomorrow morning... check in and I'll let you know for sure about Central Park. (Don't worry, though. Whenever it rains on a Saturday, we'll head out there on Sunday instead.)

Well... in keeping with my abiding admiration for the American television "news" media these days, I'm happy to report that the LEAD story on CBS this morning was not Rep. Conyer's hearing on the Downing Street Memo, or the new fighting in western Iraq, or the 48 more Americans who've lost their lives in the War in Iraq this month alone.

Nope.

The lead story this morning was Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes.

Those two crazy kids got themselves engaged. (Whew! Thank goodness! I thought it would never happen! I've been losing sleep!)

But, y'know what? It absolutely convinced me that I've gotta get my striped towel out and start wearing it in the park this year like I said I would. Y'know? That Jennifer-Wilbanks-Runaway-Bride towel... the one that I predicted everyone would be wearing this season.

Yep...

Saw it this morning...

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Gotta get me that towel!

Hey, y'know? I also mentioned a while back that I thought it would be kinda cool this year if all you guys with your digital cameras sent your pictures into this website... y'know, if you catch something really cool happening out at "The Hill". Well last night, a nice guy named Sean sent a few in. Thanks man!

Last Saturday, my good friend and partner Dodger (Roger Bartlett) came out to "The Hill" with his guitar and mandolin and sat in for a while. That's always cool. And, David Marcus also got up and sang a few with us.

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So, y'know... if you feel like it, send your photos in, too. (But, what I'd really like is pictures of all of you. Maybe we can set up a special "People on the Hill" page where we can post your smiling faces... and, pictures of whatever else goes on out there.)

Anyway... I hope I'll see you somewhere this weekend, either in Central Park tomorrow, or down in the Village on the Pier tonight. (7:00)

Right now, I wanna thank all of you who have sent me emails expressing how much you want to help with the project I'm working on with some of my good friends and colleagues. (Actually, at this stage, they are doing most of the work. Organizing something like this entails proposals, and not-for-profit-status, and all kinds of stuff... stuff I'm not well-equipped for. I write songs.)

We're in the early stages, but we were asked to head down to Washington DC in a couple of weeks to meet with the good people of CIVIC. (The organization that Marla Ruzicka started before she was killed in Iraq.)

If you're new here... I simply talking about doing a benefit concert to raise as much money as we can to get direct help and medical aid to the innocent civilians who are being hurt so badly every day in Iraq.

Here... click on this link to kinda catch up.

Then, do me a huge favor. Start passing the word on to everyone you know!

If your experience is at all like mine so far, you might be really moved by the look you'll see in their eyes when you explain who it is you want to help and why.

There seems to be a feeling among so mnay good people in my life that this is something that must be done. I see it in the shining eyes of the "People on the Hill" in Central Park when I tell them about this project. It feels good to see that many people gently nodding their heads. So, pass the word.

(You also might get a vacant stare or invective comments, depending on the kind of person you are talking to. But, don't let that throw you. These innocent people in Iraq need our help... period.)

Yeah, yeah... I've heard a little of it already... "But, what about our soldiers!? What about the people of Dafur!?"

There are tragedies all over the world. There is heartbreak everywhere. There are others helping them right now, and we'll try to support them as well. Y'know? Everybody's gotta pick a place to do some Good. This just happens to be where my friends and I feel we need to put our energy right now. As Americans, we accept responsibility for the nightmare these people are living.

So, just keep checking baack and I'll let you know more about it as it progresses.

Anyway, see you soon. Maybe I'll stop in the "Forum" later. It's open to everyone.

Thanks again.