Saturday, November 08, 2008

I am about to head to Nashville for a medical conference. I've never been there before. Maybe I'll visit some Elvis sites?

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Hopefully I can get some of my own writing done in the evenings. I'd love to be able to finish the Expedition series. At least final first drafts for everything.

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Got my "unfortunately, your application was not" letter from the NEA yesterday. I am not too bummed. Try again in two years. Does anyone know any of the 42 who *were* chosen? Just curious . . .

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6 comments:

Collin Kelley said...

I don't know how much Elvis you'll see in Nashville, but I might I recommend a visit to the old Ryman Auditorium, the original home of the Grand Ole Opry. John Irving is giving a reading there tonight...for FREE!!! I wish I could be there to hear him.

Anne Haines said...

I haven't seen much of Nashville, but I was there for about a day in August. I can tell you they have a VERY nice public library! Beyond that... well, it's someplace I'd like to go back to someday. Enjoy!

Pamela Johnson Parker said...

Peter,

Elvis = Memphis = Sun Records/Graceland.

Nashville: Definitely the Grand Ole Opry.

If you like museums, I recommend the Frist downtown--small museum, great curator who organizes really interesting exhibits. (We saw the Gertrude Stein and the Impressionists exhibit when we were last there).

Drive around the older parts of Nashville and appreciate the architecture. Strickland has two major buildings in Nashville--the state capitol and also the Downtown Presbyterian Church (highly recommended!)--see this if you get the chance: It's one of the best examples of Egyptian Revival architecture in the US. (And what other church can boast cornices with lotus blossoms and a cobra on its edifice?)

Peter said...

Hi Pamela:
I am so embarrassed not to know my Southern holy sites more better! ~grin~
Thank you for the tips!

I am staying at the Gaylord Opryland. It is *so* over the top country and southern and GAY! All the Christmas lights are out and it is just too much.

People are all very warm and courteous and welcoming here. It really goes against all my West Coast "prejudices."

Though I have received a few dirty looks just for sitting in the bar reading latest issue of The Economist, with it's Obama-amid-American-flags cover, most people seem to be over that whole silly "election thing" here.

RJGibson said...

Peter: Another side-line in Nashville is Bible publishing...not sure how scintillating that would be...but hey...they might have good barbecue.

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