Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Hauling Stuff

I began hauling stuff to Columbia yesterday. I took 16 boxes of videos, 3 boxes of records, and some posters. A friend works at a storage facility, so I took them there. I am probably going to make another run on Friday. So, I my first order of business is to get the stuff down there. I am going to need a place to stay and a job. Please help if you can. Scroll down my blog for information. My sister-in-law Martha is havig surgery today to remove her gall bladder. She was pretty ill over Christmas. I went by Providence Hospital to see her and my brother, when I was in Columbia yesterday. She was in good spirits, but she wanted to get it over with. My brother was very tense. I could tell he hadn't slept much, but thankfully he is on vacation this week. John is a very Type A personality. My advice to him--go get something to eat and take a nap. He probably didn't. At least, he is in good health. Speaking of health, I am going to a counselor today. I need some help, too. Hopefully so I can stick around a while longer. There needs to be a brighter day ahead. Somebody just needs to believe in me, and I need to believe in myself.

Monday, December 29, 2008

Moving Day

So today starts the transition from Greenville to Columbia. I have liked my stay here in Greenville. I have enjoyed the mountains and the arts. The people, for the most part, have been very nice. If ever you get to come to Greenville, do. They have some great museums and galleries. There is always something to see and do here. And, I was happy to reconnect with my friend Mary. She has helped me in many ways, and I thank her for taking my autograph collection for her store. Hopefully, Caroline will advertise it. So, now I start another chapter in my life. Back to Columbia. Back to friends, and whatever family I have left. Back to people who seem to care about me and my well-being. Back to people that I can have a conversaton with. Back to people who I have something in common with. Back to people who like to have fun. Back to people who won't ignore me. Back to people who aren't overly paranoid. The list goes on. The moving is not going to happen overnight. I am beginning with some records, posters and videos. At some point, I will need to get a van or truck, which will be costly. Money that I don't have. I still don't have a place to stay nor a job. So, if anybody can help me financially to make the move and get me started again, I would be eternally grateful. My paypal address is durst11@gmail.com. Or, if you want to send it to my current living address, it is Walter Durst, 2530 East North Street 14-L, Greenville SC 29615. I'll probably be here for two more weeks, but I have t0 get out by January 31st. I am not interested in publicizing any gifts, so your anonymity will be preserved. God help us all.

Saturday, December 27, 2008

Help

Last Saturday, I had a very low point. I guess depression is the kind of thing that can be controlled, but if it raises its ugly head, watch out. That is what happened to me last Saturday. All of those lectures that I have gotten from friends went away. I just felt it was time to check out. Thankfully, I found my way over to a friend's place and she helped me get through that low point, and I climbed up to the other side. I found that I couldn't worry about this. Scroll down to the rollercoaster story. When I was in Columbia for Christmas, a friend blessed me out for not calling her, when I got at that point. I realized that people do care about me. They care whether I live or die. They care about the fact I have talents. They care, because they know I care. So, I need to get out of this situation. I understand, in a small way, how it must be with married couples, where a spouse will abuse the other spouse. Not so much physically as emotionally. I need to get out now, and I need help. Right now, I need money to get out. I know I need to move back to Columbia, but I don't have a job or place to stay. One blessing is that I have a little over a month to do this, but the sooner I get out of here, the better. I need a place to store my stuff. I am not going to take my bed or some other furniture. They are too heavy, and I won't have any help to move my things, so I'll let my roommate have them. This has been a good experience for me to be here this year. It has allowed me to realize what is important in life. Sometimes, you get so caught up in your work that you just don't see the big picture. You also see who are the important people. Who really care. And that life is too short. So, if you could help me, please do. I am not interested in publicizing anything. I just need a life away from here. My current address is: Walter Durst, 2530 East North Street 14-L, Greenville SC 29615. And, my paypal acct. is durst11@gmail.com. I need a home. When I get home, I promise you that I will seek professional help to get me back to where I need to be. And, I promise you that I will drive carefully and not hit any bridges along the way.

Friday, December 26, 2008

And So It Goes

One of my favorite writers is Kurt Vonnegut. He would write "And so it goes" to describe life. I had a wonderful Christmas. I got to visit with Peggy and Joni, and stay two days with Thom and his family. It was great to be with friends. Friends who love me. Unfortunately, when I got back to Greenville, I got a note from my roommate giving me an ultimatum of being out of here by January 31st. He apparently doesn't like me anymore. He told me I needed to get out, no matter if he has to move or not. He says I don't clean enough. I have, but he said early on he likes to clean, so I thought he would. He didn't. It has not been easy living with him, but I have tried to make the best of it. So, I have to leave. I knew I would, but the tone in his note to me was not pleasant. I don't have a place to move to. I don't have the money to move. I don't have a job. So, I ask anyone who reads this to help me, if they can. My current address is: Walter Durst, 2530 East North Street 14-L, Greenville SC 29615. My Paypal account is durst11@gmail.com. I would be eternally grateful. I am not looking to publicize any gift. And so it goes.

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Best Christmas

With the Christmas season upon us, I have been reflecting on my best Christmas. Some would say that their best Christmas was their best present. Maybe they got a ring from their fiancee. Maybe it was that bike they got as a kid. I have a friend who does not believe in Christmas. So, this blog is for her and all of those other people. When I was in seminary, I worked for a department store called Sanger-Harris. I had never missed a Christmas with my family in South Carolina before, but I had to this time, because of the retail hours. I had to work Christmas Eve and the day after Christmas, so it was impossible to fly home for just one day. So, my parents sent their gifts to me in Fort Worth. I was living in the seminary dorm in a room by myself. I went outside and found a twig with some green pine straw on it and set it up in the corner of my room. At 8:30 Christmas morning, which was about the time my parents would start their Christmas, I put on some Christmas music on the stereo and began opening my presents. For the next 15 minutes, I laughed and cried. I was alone, but I was there in spirit. We were together although apart by 1000 miles. I learned that there will always be Christmas, despite the situation you find yourself. As you spend time with your family and friends this season, think of those who are far away from your family. The soldiers around the world. The people who have to work. And those who don't believe. Merry Christmas.

Monday, December 22, 2008

Rollercoaster Worry

I love rollercoasters. Thanks to my friends Del and Chris, I have gone on some of the best rollercoasters in the world. Most of the time, I don't ride on coasters that go upside down, as I tend to get sick. Here is a little known fact for you. Did you know that when you ride on one of the coasters at Six Flags Over Texas, you can sing the first verse of "Amazing Grace" before you get to the first hill? True story. The thing about rollercoasters with me is that I am deathly afraid of them. I love them, but I am still very scared. I haven't been on one in a while. I don't know if my heart can take it now, but I bet you that I could still do it given the chance. But, there is one ritual that I go through just before riding a coaster. I worry. I worry about the brakes. I worry about the cars. I worry about me falling out. I worry about getting stuck. I worry about getting sick. I just worry. Once I get on the ride, I find that it is fun. At the end of the ride, I want to ride it again. It is like life. I have been very scared over the last few weeks about my future. There are a lot of unknowns. Where will I live? Where will I work? Can I get hired? How will I afford to eat? How will I afford to fix my car? The list is endless. But, I came to a realization yesterday. I am killing myself worrying. If I give it up to God, it will be okay. He will provide. I would have been dead long ago if not for God. I just had to remind myself of this. It will be okay. Whatever your concept of God is, it is okay. I still ask folks to scroll down my blog to read "Life's Lessons". Maybe it is God's way of communicating with you and touching your heart. I can't speak for Him. And while you are at it, say a prayer for a 7 year old boy named Christian. He is in the hospital with a brain tumor and will have surgery tomorrow. A tough time at Christmas, but I have faith he will be okay. We will all be okay. God bless.

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Thanks

For any regular reader of my blog, you would have noticed that I try and have a two-word title. Sometimes, it has gone to three words, but that is rare. It is my little trick. The thing that sets my bog apart from some others. After all, the title of my blog is "My World", which is two words. So, it just makes sense to have these things have a title with two words. That is not the case today. Why? Because I felt like one word. The word is "thanks". It is a simple word. It is a word we use with more familiar people. With friends. If you use "thank you", you usually use those words to people you don't really know, or it is more formal. But thanks is something you tell to friends. It is shorter than thank you. I see "ty" or "thx" online. People know what you mean. So with that information, I wanted to write today about Mary. She is a friend from college who has helped me see some things about myself that I haven't seen in a long time. One of the worst feelings one can have is a feeling of worthlessness. You feel like nobody cares or take you for granted. When Van Johnson died recently, my thought was that I thought he had died some time ago. He was out of the public eye. I wonder if he thought nobody cared, especially after he stopped acting. But, Mary showed me yesterday, through several mental exercises, that I do have worth and need to act on it. It is not an overnight process. It will take time. But, I need to be positive. My friend Gwen says to remember "Head to the Sky". I know what she means. It is being in a constant state of prayer. Don't be so negative. Trust God. Laughter is the best medicine. I still need help. We all know that. Please scroll down to my blog on "Life's Lessons". I have some critical issues that need to be addressed. I know that. I am going to need help, as I cannot do it all myself. Please help me. And thanks, Mary.

Friday, December 19, 2008

Still More Changes

Hello boys and girls. Welcome to another installment of my world that sucks. I feel like I am an embarrassment to my family. The one they don't talk about. The one that they just shake their heads. I did a play in college called "Where Did We Go Wrong?" It was about the fourth wise man, and the commercialization of Christmas, but it could be the title of my autobiography. I tell you where I went wrong. I should have said I would teach at those conservative Christian colleges that wanted me, despite having some beliefs that they didn't share. I could have lived a lie and been successful. Or, I could have said yes to the bank in 1976 that wanted me to head up their fledgling computer operation. But no. I wanted a job that had windows, and this was in a basement. Had I taken it, I would be wealthy today. I know you can't really say "what if", but I think of things like that, because of the news that my roommate will most likely leave his job on Dec. 31st, rather than January 16th. That two weeks that I won't have. I don't know when he will move to Clemson, but it doesn't include me. Again, I plead to anyone reading this. If you know of a job, I can do almost anything, except for lumberjack or driving a stick shift. Please look down the blog page for "Life's Lessons". Maybe you will learn something. Thanks again, Thomas. He knows why. Chris, please sell one of my songs to an artist. And, send me half of the money. I am getting desperate. You know, children's food isn't half bad once you get used to the taste. The Cobbwebs could have been a good band, if we didn't have such opinionated people. The music was commercial. People said it was good. Anybody listening? And if I die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

More Changes

My roommate informed me that he is losing his job on January 16th, and he will probably move to Clemson to manage another apartment complex. That means I will have to move out of here by then. As stated in my blog below on "Life's Lessons", I will need help. Please read that blog. Stay tuned.

Cat Left

Please scroll down to my "Life's Lessons" blog, but for now I just wanted to let y'all know that yesterday was a hap...hap...happy day. The cat woke us up at 3:30am yesterday morning, as usual. My roommate was very upset, as the cat was on his mattress. He yelled at the cat. Around 3pm, he came back from work and said that he found a home for the cat and packed it up. So, the cat is gone. We both slept well last night, except the rain woke me up this morning hitting the awning. I could deal with the rain.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Life's Lessons

When I was a kid, I learned some lessons of life. Don't run with the scissors. Don't stick your fingers in the fan. Don't play with matches. Don't put your finger in the lamp socket. Look both ways before crossing a street. The list goes on. When I went to school, a lesson I learned was that if you look different, your peers will bully you. When I got to college, I learned that if you major in Theatre, some people will assume you are gay. When I went to seminary, I learned that if you are the least bit different, some people will think you are possessed by the devil. When I got my Master's degree, I learned that it does not guarantee that I will get a job in my field, especially when the school doesn't like you. When I got into business and was successful, I learned that there is always going to be that jealous person who is not as good as you, but is in a position of authority, and will make it impossible for you to advance. When I moved to Greenville, I learned another lesson--there are no guarantees that life will be good. Maybe I was just a bit too naive, but what happened? A church leader assumed I was gay, because I have never been married. I loved many girls over my life, but they were all taken away from me. My heart has been broken so many times that it is fragmented. Each time that I take a fragment and try and put it back together, it slips away. That is what my life is about. If you think that is sad, okay. But, it is my reality. By the way, when psychiatrists have emotional problems, do they go to other psychiatrists for help? I don't think so, because it shows weakness. When ministers need help, do they go to other ministers? Sometimes, but mostly not. They don't want to admit they need help. I had friends who were ministers, and they killed themselves to avoid getting help. I have devoted my life to helping others. To make others feel happy or needed. But, when I needed help, many of those people have turned away. I know life isn't fair. I also know that the world does not revolve around me. There are others out there who are worse off than me. There are those who have problems. One of life's lessons is that this world is not a perfect place. If it was, we would all be in peace and harmony. Kind of like that old Coke commercial. But, life is not like that. Another one of life's lessons is that people are very willing to give to charity, as long as they don't have to look at it. And because it is tax-deductable. They don't want to help those that they know, or are even related to. They would rather live in a coccoon and come out at Christmas and give to those they don't know. It makes them feel good. I don't mean for this blog today to be a self-pity blog. I have written way too many of those. But, I know life isn't fair. I have learned a few things while playing Texas Hold'em Poker on Myspace. Thankfully, it is not real money, but I have learned a lot about people there. Some want to bet conservatively, as if it was in fact their money. They wait for the good hand and make the bet. Others are there to bet crazily, without regard for their hand that they are dealt. They just want to bluff you out, or have a death wish. Still others fold, whether they have a good hand or not, because they are scared what the other person has. And, then there are those who try and predict what others have, and then bet accordingly. It is like life. We are all dealt hands, and it is how we play them I betted a lot, when I moved to Greenville, and I am on the verge of losing. Because of the terrible economy, businesses can't or won't hire. Having worked at Macy's, I can tell you that many companies are not hiring to cut costs and try and get every ounce of sweat from those still there. But, that's business. And, thanks to the economy, people are not buying online from people like me as they once did. So, I am quickly running out of money. I may be broke by January 1st. I can't afford to move, although it looks like I will have to. I can't afford to get my car fixed, and I can't afford to get a new one. Life isn't fair. But, I have learned another of life's lessons while here. People, who I took for granted in Columbia, mean the world to me. I miss them so much. I wish we could all do a group hug right now. I was reminded about this, when Konnie sent me an email this morning about people in our lives, who may not be around like they were before, but still are our friends. I began to cry, because I miss Konnie. I haven't seen her in almost a year, although we have the internet. We have the phone. But, it just isn't the same. I need to come home. I need to be with my friends. If I could get a job, great. But, I need to come home. Help me. My paypal account is durst11@gmail.com, and my address is 2530 East North Street 14-L, Greenville SC 29615. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Monday, December 15, 2008

The Cat part two

My roommate got back last night, and I heard no cat. Of course, I was watching the Cowboys win. I went to sleep with quiet. I smiled, because I thought no cat. He had second thoughts. Maybe he found another home for it. I had a nice dream, and everything was good. That was until 3:30am. The cat woke me up with loud meows. OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!! He did bring the cat. I wasn't totally sure, since there is a cat that lives outside of the condo that yells during the night, which I wrote about a few days ago. I tried to think good thoughts. That was until this morning, when I woke up. I went downstairs and saw the water and food bowls in the kitchen, and I figured they weren't for me. Now, let me get one thing straight. I like cats. I get along with cats. They get along with me. In fact, people have commented on the fact on how docile cats are around me. I like cats, because of their personalities mainly. They usually are at peace, and they are great stress relievers. BUT, this is not the place for pets that roam around. Maybe fish, but not cats. I have a lot of things that are rather valuable. I moved some of them up to a room that I can shut the door, but I can't put everything in that room. So, maybe my roommate can find a home for it, but not here.

Sunday, December 14, 2008

A Cat

My roommate has a bad habit of not talking to me. He was supposed to have outpatient surgery tomorrow, and told me a week ago that he needed me to take him to the hospital. No problem. I asked him today what time was his appointment, and he told me he had cancelled the surgery until later. Thanks for telling me. Then, he sent an email to me this afternoon forwarded from a friend of his about a cat. The person was thanking my roommate for taking the cat and giving it a home. I knew nothing about the cat. It is a two year old male cat that was owned by somebody else, who couldn't take care of it and was about to be done away with, when it was rescued by somebody else. The cat is supposedly litter box trained, but I have a lot of valuable books and records here. I cannot afford to have a cat mess this stuff up. Thankfully, there are two rooms, where I can close the doors, but there is stuff in the living room that the cat could get into. Where is the cat going to sleep? Who is going to take care of it? I can answer the second question. That will be me, because I don't have a job, and my roommate is gone most of the days. What is going to happen on weekends, when my roommate sleeps all day and stays up all night? Will the cat howl, and keep me awake? This is quite upsetting. I don't mind pets. I think they can be a stress reliever, but this place is not set up for a cat. Unless, he keeps it in his room, and will mess up his clothes. Then, I guess it would be okay, but that isn't going to happen. Another reason why I need to move. Please, if anybody has a room where I can stay for a while, let me know. I prefer Columbia. Hint Hint.

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Not Sleeping

I have a confession to make. Is it a juicy confession? Is it a confession about an illegal event? No. But, it is a confession nevertheless. Here it is. Ready? Okay, here goes. I dread weekends. Oh, why? Weekends are supposed to be fun. Aren't they? You always hear about people looking forward to weekends. So, why do I dread weekends? Because I know that I won't get any sleep. I roommate tends to stay up all night on Friday and Saturday nights and then sleep all during the day on Saturday and Sunday. Consequently, we don't do anything together. But, why would that affect my sleep? Because he moans and groans, and sometimes yells out during the night. That wakes me up. Then, when I wake up, I hear the sounds of the night, like the cat in the alley, or the sirens, or the train far off. It is kind of interesting to hear the sounds of the night. You kind of wonder why all of these people and things are not sleeping. But, I guess Greenville is a city that doesn't sleep. New York City cannot claim that title by themselves. When I worked at Macy's, there were times when I would have to go to work at 6am, so I would have to get up around 4:30 to get ready for work. I would cut on the TV to see a lot of weird stuff that you just couldn't see during the day. A lot of infomercials and other stuff. The other stuff was more interesting. But, I am not going there. Okay, mind of the gutter now. So, anyway I would drive to work and see bars closing up, and police cars speeding by. There weren't many people up at that time of the morning, but there were a few. Perhaps my roommate wants to add to that small group. They say that musicians who go late at night performing sleep all day. They say that folks who work late shifts sleep all day. My roommate is neither one of those. And what is so strange is that Sunday-Thursday, he sleeps at a normal time and wakes up at a normal time, although the alarm goes off a few times before he gets up. Then, when he gets back here after work, he complains about being tired. I think he is out of whack. But, I need my sleep. My right eye is jumping a bit this morning. Does anyone have any suggestions? I cannot afford headphones, and ear plugs won't drown out the moaning. Maybe a change of venue?

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

John's Birthday

Today is my brother's birthday. He is 7 1/2 years older than me, so he has always been the elderly one. Just kidding, John. I thought though that he was somewhat cursed having a December birthday, because it was so close to Christmas. After all, I was born in June, so I got separate presents, but John was born in December, so some of his presents were combined with Christmas. But, our Mother would do one thing for John and that was to bake a cake for him. Every year, she would ask him what kind of cake he would want, and he would put in his order, and she would provide. It went well, except for one year. He decided he wanted a coconut cake. Mother worked on it, and she put coconut shavings on top of the cake. It looked very nice. Then, she put the candles on the cake and lit them. We were sitting around the breakfast room table and sang "Happy Birthday". I was sitting across from John. It was time for him to blow out the candles. He made his wish; closed his eyes; and blew. The coconut shavings went all over me, the table and the floor. He thought it was funny. I wasn't laughing. Neither was Mother, because she didn't want to clean up the floor. She made John help. It was his most memorable birthday for me. John also had an accident another time with a can of whipped cream. We were having strawberry shortcake, and he insisted to spray the whipped cream on the dessert. Despite Mother's better thoughts, she said okay. The can got away from John, and he sprayed whipped cream all over the walls and ceiling of the kitchen. We never had strawberry shortcake again. Thanks, John. Happy Birthday.

Monday, December 8, 2008

Johnny's Gone

Today is another awful anniversary. One that I really don't like to remember, but I have no choice. In 1980 on this day, John Lennon left this Earth. He is still with us in the music and films, but it was another day in music history that the music died. I didn't find out until the next morning. My Mother woke me about 6am and said, "You had better cut on the radio". I had it tuned to WNBC in New York just by accident, and I heard the tragic news. I couldn't believe it. My Mother had introduced me to The Beatles' music in 1964. I had to go to work at JB White's, but I was in a trance. Nothing made sense anymore. I wanted to get rid of all handguns. I honored John by doing a dramatic reading of two of his songs at an Arts tournament. I also wrote and performed a one-man one-act play on that tragic night. I don't want to write much about this day, because it makes me sad, but John was a man of peace. He fought for peace. I have befriended Yoko because of this event. She is a woman of peace. Can't we have peace? Johnny's gone but not forgotten. Peace be to you.

Sunday, December 7, 2008

Pearl Harbor

Today is December 7th. It is Sunday. And, it is Pearl Harbor Day. On a Sunday morning in Hawaii, a force from Japan attacked the US Navy at Pearl Harbor. The country was shocked. We were attacked by another country. The next day, we declared war on Japan and then Germany, and thus began World War II for us. Everything about our country was dedicated to the war. There was nothing we could do other than fight for our country. It was a Day that will live in Infamy. That is what President Roosevelt said. We were all in agreement. There were some things we probably shouldn't have done, such as the Japanese camps, where we inprisoned Americans, but at the time we did it because we were at war. It is easier to look back on the war and see what was right and what was wrong, but not so much at the present time. I suppose that we can make parallels with the events after 9/11. Until that date, every school child learned about December 7th as the date that changed our country. Today, the children are learning about 9/11. After that date, we looked at Arabs differently. But, there is one stark difference between the two dates. We were all gung ho about going after those people responsible for killing our people. After all, we were attacked. We gave blood for the wounded. We wanted revenge. More than seven years later, we are still looking for those responsible. We have gotten some of them, but not all. Not the big prize. Our country is not all consumed with getting the big prize. We are not interested in winning. We just want to survive another day. Make no mistake. We are at war. We have been at war for a long time. Even before 9/11. That date was a wake-up call, much like December 7th was for our parents and grandparents. But, I fear we have gone back to sleep. I don't want another wake-up call, but maybe we need to wake up on our own and finish the job. They say history is a cycle. What goes around, comes around. Let's end it now.

Saturday, December 6, 2008

Christmas Parade

Today is the Christmas parade in Columbia. It has changed a lot since I was a kid. When I was growing up, we had movie and TV stars to be in the parade. At my first parade, my father's office was about two blocks away from Main Street. He brought a ladder, so I could see over the crowd. One year, we had those contraptions with mirrors to see over the crowd. Then, his office moved to Richland Street, which was near the start of the parade, so I could see the stuff first, before the crowds on Main St. I saw James Drury from "The Virginian" on a horse. I saw Dean Jones from Disney movies. I saw Leif Erickson from "High Chapparal". But, the big star was William Shatner from "Star Trek". He was dressed in his Captain Kirk uniform and sitting on the back of a convertible. His pants were pulled down a bit, so that I could see his Fruit of the Loom underwear. I was quite surprised, because I thought Captain Kirk had come from the future, so what was he doing wearing present day underwear? It was a big letdown. The year of Leif Erickson, I went to the parade luncheon and sat next to him. He was very drunk. I asked Daddy why he smelled so bad. I had never smelled liquor before. He actually fell out of his chair. There was the year that Donna Douglas was scheduled to appear. She was on "The Beverly Hillbillies", but she got as far as Charlotte and developed the flu. The word was that she didn't want to come to a small town like Columbia, so they got Billy Mumy from "Lost in Space" instead. I was sick, so I couldn't go. But, my father got an autographed picture of him for me. That was cool. As I got older, the stars became less and less. Now, it is a parade for politicians, school bands, and minor beauty queens. I guess the young kids like it. I have never officially been in a parade, but I did by accident in the Prosperity SC Christmas Parade. I swerved to avoid a truck on the highway and found my car behind Santa Claus. People waved at me, so I waved back for about a block, and then they turned, and I went straight. It was rather bizarre.

Friday, December 5, 2008

In Trouble

Hi everyone. I haven't written in a while. Sorry about that. So, what has been going on? Just trying to survive another day. Last night, or early this morning, the neighbors were laughing and partying at 3:30am. That kept me up. I banged on the wall, and they quieted down. I don't do well if I lose sleep. FYI. Maybe by telling you that little tidbit causes me to delay the subject of the day. So, let's get to it. I still don't have a job. No one wants to hire me. I am quickly running out of money. It looks like I am going to have to sell my Mother's ring just for food and gas. Sorry to have to tell you that. This is the season for giving. I think it is great to give to charity, but charity begins at home. Unfortunately, giving to me is not a tax write-off. I hate begging from friends. Until I came here to Greenville, that was the only way I could pay my rent, since Macy's wouldn't give me a raise. If I had a reason, like I was doing drugs, then it would have been more understandable, but I don't do drugs. I don't drink. I don't smoke. But, I am in trouble. Tough love. Depression is awful. Not happy. There was a story on TV this morning that you are happier, if you have a relative within a mile of where you live. I guess there is no hope for me. I can't afford to move now. I am here. I am screaming inside. Help.

Monday, December 1, 2008

WOW

When I was in college, I developed something called The Walter Durst Radio Hour on a fictitious radio station called WOW, which stood for Walter Oh Walter. Originally, it was a weekly taped series that was like a glorified letter to a friend named Sonny Smith. He lived in Columbia, and I was away in school. Instead of writing letters, and long before email, we sent the cassette tapes back and forth. Many were 90 minutes, but most were 60 minutes. Even a few were 30 minutes. They contained music and news. His "station" was SOS, which stood for Sonny Oh Sonny. He turned me on to music by Crosby, Stills & Nash, Carole King, Todd Rundgren, Sonny Boy Williamson, and much more. I would play Chicago, The Beatles, and a lot more. We talked about loves and life. I would type out scripts and time them out, because I tried to make my tapes as professional as possible. The show actually aired on a real radio station briefly, or can we say one time? A radio station behind Anderson College allowed me to do a WDRH on it, but it was determined that it was too controversial and was taken off. I got a little too political about Vietnam. So, I went back to the tapes. I also traded taped letters with my friends Mary Ellen and Karen in Clemson, as well as a few others, but the ones to Sonny were classics. I have a few of them, mostly from the mid-1970's. I was reminded about all of this, because of a dream I had last night, where somebody let me be on the radio and have my own show of talk and music. Thanks to Jonathon Rush. I wish it wasn't a dream. "And now, from studio 235 of the New Dorm of Anderson College at Anderson SC, it's the Walter Durst Radio Hour on station WOW, which stands for Walter Oh Walter. The Walter Durst Radio Hour is brought to you by Irby's Pies and the Post Office. It is also heard in Poland, Chad, Libya, Albania, Lesotho, Madigascar, and it is the official radio station of Outer Mongolia. And now, here's Walter..."