MAY 2011 - Anne Feeney's Fellow Travelers' Advisory - VOLUME SEVEN, #2

IMMEDIATE DESTINATIONS:


New York City
Newmarket, TN
Kerrville Folk Festival
Chicago, IL

You can buy my CDs at http://cdbaby.com/all/unionmaid
You can get the latest health updates on my cancer battle at http://caringbridge.org/visit/annefeeney
You can help me through this prolonged stretch of involuntary unemployment by click on the "Donate" button to the right of this message, or by sending a check to:

Anne Feeney
2240 Milligan Ave
Pittsburgh,  PA  15218

IN THIS ISSUE:
Rock, Paper, Scissors .... 18-Wheeler
Medical Stuff
California Visit
Please Sign this Petition to Support Academic Freedom and Labor Education!
Family News/Birthdays
Fabulous Benefit Concert


 Hi all!

It's not much of a May newsletter if I don't get it out today, so it'll be short and sweet.  Spring is finally here, and my wisteria is in fragrant bloom!  I begin my seventh year of monthly newsletters to you with this issue. Thanks for tuning in, and especially for writing back.

ROCK, PAPER, SCISSORS... 18-WHEELER

 As many of you know, it turns out that I broke my right wrist on April 8th when I totalled my sweet 2009 Chevy Malibu on the PA turnpike...  this is *not* the view you want through your windshield ...

All in all I did about $16,000 damage to my car.  The 18 wheeler I collided with caught something on my right front wheel and just about ripped off the front end of my car.  I bounced off him like a pinball and began spinning all over the turnpike... hitting the truck three or four more times before I was able to control the car and get it to the side of the road.  Needless to say, I had to get a new car.  Now I've got a 2008 Ford Taurus with 32,000 miles on it.  I love it. And I'm looking forward to driving it a lot this year... once my cast comes off.

MEDICAL STUFF

Turns out I was a little premature with the good news on my PET scan.  The brain MRI showed a 7mm tumor in the back of my head.  I have decided it's a weasel turd.  I had it zapped with a gamma gun a week ago, and we almost certainly got rid of it.  We'll repeat the brain MRI at the end of June and see what we see.

In the meantime, a consult with a new infectious disease specialist reveals that I may never have had the awful MAC infection that I've been treating with massive doses of antibiotics for the past nine months!!  A few days ago I had a CT-guided lung biopsy to see just what this is in the upper right lobe of my lung.  The results of the different tests and cultures will come in over the next few weeks.  I'll keep you posted.  But in the meantime, I'm off those awful antibiotics and my stomach is quickly returning to normal!  YES!

VISIT TO CALIFORNIA

The newspaper is gone, but the Tribune's clock lives on as an Oakland landmark....

I got a chance to go out and visit Chris Chandler (http://chrischandler.org) and his fiancee Jen Delyth in Oakland.  I got to see their wonderful new house, with a real bird of paradise blooming in their front yard!  I got to see two of my high school pals, Maureen Carney Barnato and Kay Magill - great fun.  We had dinner with dear pal Shelley Kessler, wonderful Seattle labor chorus singer and tradeswoman Aspen Swartz, and 95 year old folk treasure Faith Petric.  Another night ex-pat Pittsburgher Jimmy Kelly, who lives in Oakland now,  took me on a tour of Jack London Square.  And I got to hang out at the "Women Build California and the Nation" conference.

Another absolute highlight of the trip was getting to Vukani Mawethu's 25th anniversary at the new and greatly improved Freight and Salvage.  Vukani Mawethu is a singing ensemble that specializes in South African freedom songs.  They have raised thousands of dollars for HIV/AIDs relief for African children and many other worthwhile causes.  On their 25th anniversary they presented a lifetime achievement award to my oh-so-talented friend and companero, Jon Fromer.  I've recorded three of his songs, but this video features him singing a Malvina Reynolds song - "I Cannot Sleep" with Aileen Vance during the "Sing Out for Single Payer Roadshow" in 2009. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fQiOEYPutk)



Jon was recently diagnosed with stomach cancer.  He's got an uphill fight ahead of him, and I know he'd love to hear from you on his 65th birthday on May 11th..  Send him a card @

Jon Fromer
28 Morning Sun
Mill Valley, CA  94941

or email him at
mjfromer@gmail.com

He's a real true heart and class conscious warrior... a regular at the School of the Americas, a founder of the Bolshevik Cafe and the Freedom Song Network, an emmy award winning film producer, producer of the acclaimed "We Do the Work" series on KQED, member of AFTRA and the American Federation of Musicians. Send him some love...


PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION!!

My friend Judy Ancel is a labor educator at the University of Missouri in Kansas City.  She is brilliant, tireless, fearless and a *great* teacher.  The scurrilous pseudo-journalist Andrew Breitbart has set his sights on Judy and her colleague Don Giljium. 

Breitbart is the slime who circulated the outrageously deceptive video that led to Congress de-funding ACORN before Breibart's treachery could be fully exposed.  Breitbart then turned his attention to USDA official Shirley Sherrod - nearly ruining her career before the NAACP and the Obama administration viewed his slanderous video and the actual speech from which Breitbart had cut and pasted his misleading and inflammatory garbage.

Now Breitbart thinks he can end the careers of these two dedicated labor educators, and ultimately end labor education itself.  This attack on academic freedom and labor education is unconscionable..

Sign the petition now!
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/defend-labor-education/



Family News/ Birthdays

Being a Mom is one of the best decisions I ever made.  My kids are an endless source of joy to me.  If you're looking for something for your Mom (still) try this site - http://www.organicbouquet.com/

They have beautiful organic fair-trade flowers and you can even donate to your mom's favorite charity while you're buying them.  Here's the wreath that my daughter Amy sent me last year for Mother's Day... It's still gorgeous!

There are lots of cousins and dear friends that I hope are planning to come to my 60th birthday weeklong celebration at Deep Creek Lake in western Maryland.  If you'd like details about the festivities - which run from June 25-July 2nd - please contact my daughter Amy Berlin - amysueberlin@yahoo.com


May Birthdays... Jim Tremmel - May 2nd, Kathleen Feeney - May 3rd, Antonito Blanco - May 3rd, Pete Seeger - May 3rd, Alex Bagwell - May 7th, Paul Eric Grefenstette - May 10th, Bill Deegan - May 10th, Jon Fromer - May 11th, Jeanne Jasperse -     May 11th, Eleanor Walden -     May 11th, Utah Phillips (presente!) -  May 15th, Kevin McCahill - May 15th, Tony Mumphrey - May 15th, Terry Donovan - May 23rd, Charlie King - May 27  

Manny Fried - RIP
My friend Manny Fried died in Buffalo on February 25th.  He and I met at the 1990 Great Labor Arts Exchange, when he came to receive the Joe Hill Award. He was born on March 1, 1913, and died just a few days short of his 98th birthday.  He led a very active life.  He and I stayed in regular touch and I frequently stayed with him when my travels took me through Buffalo.  He was a great actor.  The last time I hung out with him he was joking about the film role he had coming up.  Manny was to play a corpse in a casket in the film.  He said "It's a little too close to my next big role."   Here's a nice article about Manny from the Buffalo arts newspaper.  http://blogs.artvoice.com/avdaily/2011/02/25/manny-fried-finally-retires/ 

The fantastic benefit concert that's being organized for me in NYC is almost sold out! (no wonder, such a lineup!!)  Folks are coming in from Wisconsin, Florida, Seattle, Maryland, DC, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Texas...  It'll be a great reunion.  If you want to try your luck at getting a ticket visit my website - http://annefeeney.com or call Bev Grant 718-788-3741.

From there, I'm headed to a retreat for members of my union at the legendary Highlander Center in Newmarket, TN.  I'll also spend a week under the Texas stars visiting friends at the Kerrville Folk Festival.  I'll be there from 25th of May until June 1st.  From there I'm going on to the Regina Polk Institute for Union Women.  It's a great gathering of women from all over IL and the midwest.  This year I'll be a registered participant instead of the "minister of culture."  It's my amazing friend Helena Worthen's last year organizing this conference, and I really wanted to be there... AND Judy Ancel is on the faculty!! double bonus!

That's it for May... Happy Springtime to you!

APRIL 2011 - Anne Feeney's Fellow Travelers' Advisory - VOLUME SEVEN, #1

Hi Folks -

Last month was action-packed and it sure was a refreshing change from being housebound except for doctor visits.

March 1st I celebrated my dear friend Shirley Shultz Myers' birthday with her in Washington, DC, joined by my friends Karen Newman and Elise Bryant.  On the 2nd, Elise and I headed down the highway in my car, and we didn't stop until we hit Savannah. The 3rd we headed to Ft. Lauderdale, where the wonderful Bob and Patty Bender had prepared a great dinner for us.  On the 4th Elise flew back to Washington, DC and I flew to the Bahamas to visit Charlotte Andrews and Susan Nicholson at their cozy beach house. All you veterans of the 2009 Ireland adventure will remember them fondly. I spent a great week with them, but ended up feeling pretty puny on my return to Ft Lauderdale on the 10th.  Bob and Patty had arranged a lovely dinner party with lots of my South FL friends visiting.  I had a fever and couldn't quite enjoy everyone as much as I would have liked. And it was super to re-connect with my old friend Oak that night.  I hadn't seen her since 1986. Patty was a super nurse and companion. And Vicki Ryder brought me the cutest little stuffed weasel ever.  He was my trip mascot and rode along on the dashboard for the whole month.

 (If you have no idea why someone would bring me a stuffed weasel, check out http://fellow-travelers-advisory.blogspot.com/2010/09/september-2010-anne-feeneys-fellow.html).

From the 11th-13th I visited my old ex-pat Pittsburgh buddy Michael Deegan at his beautiful place in Key West.  His hospitality was outstanding in every way and it was great to catch up a little.  From there I went for a too-brief visit with the wonderful performer Amy Carol Webb http://amycarolwebb.com  and her partner Brook Bell.  They are dear friends and incomparable hosts.

On the 16th I headed across the state to Naples to visit my high school sweetheart, Bill Deegan, and his wife and my best friend, Rosanna Lane.  I stayed with them for St Patrick's Day.  Then on to visit Ed & Marlene Sadlowski in Estero.  Ed was in Wisconsin (where I would have gladly been, but I keep spiking these fevers every time I get cold), but Marlene and I had a great visit.

On the 20th I stopped in St Pete to visit my pal Phil Keyes.  Phil has some major health issues too.  He looks terrific though, and we talked about everything except our health.  While I was there, he and I went to visit Cleveland-to-Tampa transplant Marilyn Albert who was helping the National Nurses' Organizing Committee.  She had a staffer and a nurse stop over and I helped them to rehearse "Your Nursing Heart," which Kelly and Rebekah delivered with great panache at a rally later that week.  I'm hoping to see them both - and you- at the Great Labor Arts Exchange/Conference on Creative Organizing in Washington, DC June 16-18th ...  http://www.laborheritage.org/?p=1309

Kelly sings superbly!

Rebekah rocks!

On the 21st I had a great visit in Gainesville with Joe Courter and Jenny Brown's mom, Joy (who made biscuits for me!).  On the 22nd I visited Brother Stan the Union Man on his radio show in Jacksonville, and spent the night with Ken and Cee Cee Severn.  Ken and Cee Cee and I posted the 2011 high score in his local trivia bar, too.

On the 23rd I visited the remarkable Stetson Kennedy http://stetsonkennedy.com and his wife Sandra Parks.  Stetson is hoping to have another "Southern Exposure" festival in October, and he invited me to come and receive an award.

Then I had a late lunch with Candice Carter, who just adopted two Peruvian pre-teenagers.  I met her beautiful daughter, but her son was still at school.  These two kids were raised on the streets until their mom dropped them off at an orphanage when her daughter was seven and her son was three.  They had been in the orphanage for years and were soon to be turned loose on the streets to fend for themselves.  What an adventure Candice and her new family are beginning!

On the evening of the 23rd I spent the night at my cousin Ed and Terry's house.  Their son Ryan is in the FL National Guard and about to be deployed to Iraq.  Keep him in your thoughts and prayers.  We all had dinner with my cousins Joe and Rhonda.  Their son Justin will graduate from the University of FL on April 13th.  Their son Jon is in Africa doing development work very similar to what my son's wife Monique does.

And it's definite - Monique and Dan are moving to Zimbabwe - probably in July.  If anyone can help me to get an injunction to keep Sebastian here with me, respond to this email. Seriously, I wish them every success in Zimbabwe and I know they'll be doing important work. I'm sure going to miss them, though.

Then on the 25th I went to the Galapagos Islands for eight days with Monique and Dan and Sebastian.  It was a terrific trip.  We saw blue-footed boobies do a mating dance.  We saw the male frigate birds inflate the large red sac on their chests, attracting a mate.  We saw giant tortoises mating.  I guess spring is in the air.  I hope you are enjoying it.

On the last day of the trip someone ran off with my purse containing $350, my iPhone, all my ID, my passport, my credit cards ... what a drag.  I've replaced everything but the credit cards.  A lackluster end to a spectacular trip.  Dan and Monique were able to get someone to come open the US embassy in Quito to get me an emergency passport last Friday night, or I might still be in Guayaquil.  Thanks, Tristan!

I got to see Eric Schwartz in concert on April 2nd, and enjoy the sumptuous hospitality of Ellen Bukstel and Brian Wolfsohn,  On April 3rd I picked up my Pittsburgh pal, Briget Shields, in Miami and we headed str aight to Tallahassee.  When we got there, my uber-hosts Ward Brodersen and Rebecca Miles had invited Doug Gauss and the Enablers to come serenade me.  Laurel Lemley took some great photos that evening.  If you're on facebook you can see them on my page or Doug Gauss's page.

Our last night on the road was after driving through the TN tornado all day April 4th. Mary Bryan and Marty Rosen were most gracious hosts to me and Briget in Louisville.  Briget, besides being the ultimate co-pilot, is a tireless activist on fracking.  If you don't know what fracking is, rent GASLAND on Netflix. http://www.gaslandthemovie.com/about-the-film  The gas industry targeted this Academy Award nominee,  and tried to strip it of its nomination.  Hydraulic fracturing, aka fracking, is a wildly unsafe practice of obtaining natural gas that  threatens aquifers and water quality everywhere.

4614 miles later, I'm home safe and sound.  I've got most of my missing documents replaced, and I've -seen lots of doctors.  My PET scan indicated that I am still cancer-free.  Unfortunately, it also indicated that my lung infection is MUCH worse.  It's still all in the upper right lobe, which is good, but it's twice the size it was three months ago, despite 6 months of intensive antibiotic treatment.

I'm looking forward to the fabulous benefit concert coming up in New York city on Friday, May 13th.

Featuring

Pete Seeger

Peter Yarrow

There are only 199 tickets left, and I'm sure they'll sell very quickly.  If you're thinking about coming, don't hesitate.  Get your tickets online today at http://annefeeney.com



This 'n that ...

I wrote an article for Local 802 AFM's Allegro for Women's History Month... you can read it at http://www.local802afm.org/publication_entry.cfm?xEntry=56946106

My friend Karen Newman wrote a lovely article about me that was published in the ATU International News "In Transit."  You can read it at http://www.atu.org/content/viewer/8219

You can buy my CDs at http://cdbaby.com/all/unionmaid or call 1-800-

You can unsubscribe by clicking on the link at the bottom of this page.

Please follow my health news at http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/annefeeney  -  Please don't call me to discuss my health.  I don't think it's good for me.  Feel free to call, but let's talk about other things, ok?


APRIL & EARLY MAY BIRTHDAYS

Guy Zahller - Apr 9th, David Rovics - Apr 10th, Laura Daniels - Apr 12, Joyce Kornbluh - Apr 16th, Joey Only - Apr 17th Karen Newman and Rosanna Lane - Apr 19th, Jim Tremmel - May 2nd, Kathleen Feeney, Pete Seeger and Antonito Blanco on May 3rd


MANY THANKS

Once again, I don't know how to thank you all for your financial support during this prolonged period of unemployment.    If you are facing hard times yourself, PLEASE don't worry about my finances.  I know that even in this awful economy that I have enough friends doing okay to sustain me during this time without work.  There's a Paypal donate button on the front page of http://annefeeney.com  and your cards, letters and donations to

Anne Feeney
2240 Milligan Avenue
Pittsburgh PA 15218

mean more to me than I can say during this difficult time.

And many thanks to power-driver Elise Bryant and ultimate co-pilot Briget Shields.

That's all the news for this month...  Next stop, MADISON!!



 

MARCH 2011 - Anne Feeney's Fellow Travelers' Advisory - VOLUME SIX #12

6 March 2011
Great Exuma, Bahamas


Hi Folks

After that miserable Pittsburgh winter and being confined to the house for so many months, I am most pleased to report that I'm writing to you from Charlotte and Susan's wonderful winter home in the Bahamas.  Charlotte and Susan and I go way back, and we had a great trip to Ireland together two years ago.  When they invited me to leave frozen Pittsburgh behind to come visit them for a week - I didn't have to mull that invitation over for long!

March has been a great month so far.   I drove down to DC on March 1st to celebrate my friend Shirley's birthday with her.  Elise and Karen were able to join us for dinner, so it was a festive party indeed.  On March 2nd power-driver Elise drove from DC to Savannah, where we spent the night.  The next day, Elise drove straight to Bob and Patty's house in Deerfield Beach, FL.  We had a great night of food and song at Bob and Patty's and the next morning Elise returned to the National Labor College in DC and I landed here.  Woo hoo!

The rest of the month will be pretty exciting, too  ... when I get back to FL I'm planning to visit all my Sunshine State friends and at the end of the month I'll fly from Miami to Guayaquil, Ecuador to meet Dan and Monique and Sebastian.  Quito is out of the question for me while my lungs are so compromsed.  It's 10,000 feet above sea level... not enough oxygen to suit me.  But Guayaquil is on the coast, and from there we are traveling together to the Galapagos for a week.  Dan rented us a cottage.  That is a 'bucket list' destination of mine, and has been ever since I read the LIFE magazine special on the Galapagos when I was about 7 years old.  I'm feeling very lonesome for the world's cutest grandbaby, too! 

There is a very good chance that Dan and Monique will be going next to Zimbabwe next... a destination that I will have to be much stronger than I am now to visit.   So I've got to get these Sebastian visits in while I can!

You can probably tell that I'm feeling much better and stronger. It's a wonderful thing.  I'm hoping to get in better shape now that I'm in good weather where I can walk and swim every day.  My stamina is about 20% of what it was. But I'm optimistic that this month of good weather is going to do me a world of good.

In this issue you'll see some of my favorite news from Wisonsin, some photos from the Oscars dinner, a link to my friend Michael's wonderful guest house in Key West  (he rents it out, too, if  you want to stay there!), two exciting save-the-date
announcements, March birthdays and family news.


On Wisconsin!


My friends here in the Bahamas were stunned to learn that Scott Walker actually had a substantial budget surplus when he took office.  Wisconsin's "economic crisis" is the direct result of a bunch of corporate tax breaks that Walker passed on to his biggest contributors after winning the governorship.

They've banned musical instruments from the Capitol in Madison. There have been some lively cultural moments in Madison.. Here are a few of my favorites:
http://vimeo.com/search/videos/search:lou%20peter%20berryman%20/97fb8bdc
The link above is to Two Traditional Songs tweaked and performed by Lou and Peter Berryman
and sung with thousands of gallant protesters at Madison's Capitol rally, Feb. 18, 2011.  I've added the words below in case you can't make them all out in the video...

BRING BACK WISCONSIN TO ME To My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean (traditional)

Wisconsin whose motto was "Forward"

Was populist as it could be

But now the new motto is "Backward"

Oh bring back Wisconsin to me

CHORUS: Bring back, bring back

Oh bring back Wisconsin to me, to me

Bring back, bring back

Oh bring back Wisconsin to me

Tho we may be"God's frozen people"

We bask in the warmth of our plea

Don't bury my rights in a snowbank

Oh bring back Wisconsin to me (CHORUS)

They're trying to stifle our voices

They're trying to keep us derailed

They'll find it's not easy to do tho

McCarthy once tried and he failed (CHORUS)

-----------------------------------

WE SHALL NOT BE MOVED (traditional), with new verses for today's rally

CHORUS: We shall not, we shall not be moved (x2)

Just like a tree that's planted by the water

We shall not be moved

We'll keep this rally rolling, we shall not be moved

Altho we could be bowling, We shall not be moved.

Just like a tree that's planted by the water

We shall not be moved.

For the teachers who have taught us,

For the folks who drive the school bus, We shall not be moved...

We are teens and tweens and geezers

Like a deer tick in the tweezers, We shall not be moved...

/ Until things get much better

Like a two ton block of cheddar, We shall not be moved...

and Peter Yarrow sang my song at a rally on February 26th....




Chicago songwriter Kristin Lems penned this fine song


Scott Walker was booed and kicked out of a Madison tavern - what was he thinking??


Egypt, Tunisia, Bahrain, Algeria, Libya

It's very exciting to watch these democratic movements emerging, but like all of you, I'm holding my breath until they resolve into stable democracies.  We need a UN Peacekeeping force in Libya...

The song that keeps playing in my head as I watch these huge demonstrations is Tommy Makems:

The Winds are Singing Freedom

In the [G] battered [D] streets of [G] Belfast


You can hear the [D] people [G] cry

For [C] justice [D] long [G] denied [Em] them

And their [C] cry will [Am] fill the [D] sky

But the [G] winds of [C] change are [G] blowing

Bringing hope from [C] dark [G] despair

A [C] new [D] day is [G] dawn[Em]ing

You can [C] feel it [D] in the [G] air.



[chorus]

The winds are singing freedom

They sing it everywhere

They sing it on the mountainside

And in the city square

They sing of a new day dawning

When our people shall be free

Come and join the song of freedom

Let it ring from sea to sea.



Too long our people suffered

In misery and tears

And foreign rulers used our land

For about eight hundred years

It's a long road has no turning

And I know that soon will be

A day of justice dawning

When our people shall be free.



There's a time laid out for laughing

And there's a time laid aout to weep

There's a time laid out for sowing

And a time laid out to reap

There's a time to love your brother

There's a time for hate to cease

If we sow the seeds of justice

We can reap the fruits of peace.
 
 
Regina Polk Conference - Chicago, June 1-4

This midwest conference for trade union women is a fantastic opportunity for women seeking to be come more active/more effective in their unions.  Contact Helena Worthern hworthen@uiuc.edu for more information.

New York City - May 13th - Save the Date!!

My fabulous New York colleagues are putting together a benefit concert for my unemployment fund.  The concert is Friday, May 13th - and Pete Seeger is performing!!! Also Bev Grant, George Mann and more tba.

Local 1199's Martin Luther King, Jr. Auditorium
310 W. 43rd Street
New York, NY

Oscars Party Photos...

It was a big year for lost hands in the movies.  Here's an eggplant pate for 127 hours.

I'm serving the "Inception" appetizer.  Potato with sour cream and caviar that looks like a cookie.

Laura and Irene brought fabulous "Social Network" fondues!

The McTiernan bloc routed us in the Oscars pool.  Irene won for the second year in a row!!

New-this-year guest Rosemary  conferring with Sarah...

Doug serves the salmon mousse

We couldn't all fit in  the photo... here's our best effort!

Eric came decked out as Woody from Toy Story and serenaded me with a lovely version of "You've Got a Friend in Me," from Toy Story One

Three of my four cherished caregivers - Hilary, Jeanne and Jan!

Daniel decked out from "The Social Network."

Mary - straight out of  "True Grit."  Wish we had a photo of the trifle she made for "The King's Speech,"  not to mention Irene's stunning ballerina cake from "The Black Swan."

Sharing hints for the Oscars pool...

Briget's baked beans doubled for "True Grit" and "Gasland!"

Another hand mold... this time salmon mousse... could have been for 127 hours, or Winter's Bone or True Grit... and that doesn't count all the 2011 nominees where hands were injured!

Bill  is enjoying Jim and L.Louise's organic salad from "The Kids are All Right."

MARCH BIRTHDAYS

Wendyl Jay Mar 10th,Griffin Lane McCahil Mar 13th, Rob Shepherd Mar 14th, Ron Berlin Mar 15th, Tom Weldon and Suzie Edkins Mar 17th, John Cunningham Mar 20th, Bette Jacobson Godfrey Mar 26th, Martha Shunn Mar 27th, Mary Weldon Mar 29th, Kelly Grefenstette Mar 31st



FAMILY NEWS...


Sebastian is Six Months Old!!
http://www.flipshare.com/view.aspx?nRecipient=&nFrame=RjdFQTIyNEQtNzJCMy00OTE4LTg3RDQtNzMxNDNBMkY4QTI3&nMedia=RjU1MEFBNkMtMkFEMS00NzQ0LUIzOUYtMTQxNzk1MUU2RDRE&nT=

Looks like Dan and Monique will be headed for Harare, Zimbabwe this summer.  Oy, I will miss them sooooooo much!  And, to add insult to injury, they're taking my grandbaby with them! 

I'll be catching up with my FL cousins soon...

I'm not going to push my luck on this tempermental computer...
My next destination is Michael's place in Key West
http://vacationhomesofkeywest.com/select_property.php?id=175

You can rent it!

That's it!

Love
Anne

FEBRUARY 2011 - Anne Feeney's Fellow Travelers' Advisory - VOLUME SIX #11

                                                                                                                    5 February 2011

                                                                                                                    Pittsburgh,  PA

Hi Folks

Sometimes I wonder if you read this monthly news, but I got enough emails wanting to know if everything was okay that I guess I should start off with an apology for being 5 days late.  I wasn't in Egypt, as some of you suspected (much as I would love to be.)

Thanks to your generosity, I've been able to complete the most urgent home repairs, and my house - which I always consdered the dumpiest stop on my hectic tour schedule for the last four years - is now genuinely cozy and warm.

This is nonetheless the winter of my discontent. I try to feel constant gratitude that my recovery is progressing as well as it is.  The truth is that I can't help feeling trapped here in this Pittsburgh winter.  I don't adjust well to fatigue and weakness. And I can't stand being unable to work.  I'm glad to be mostly able to take care of the house, prepare my meals, do the food shopping.  And slowly but surely I am organizing my office a little in preparation for research and writing about my grandfather. And slowly but surely, my hair is returning!  It looks to be the same color and it's starting to curl.... woo hoo!

I'm very excited to be planning a trip to Florida in March.  I'm going to drive down, so if you're in between Pittsburgh and Jacksonville and you'd welcome an overnight guest, send me an email.  And, my dear Florida friends - if you're going to be out of town or have a house full of snowbirds in March, let me know when, so I can plan my route to see as many of you as possible.  I won't be able to work on this Florida visit, but I hope to see as many of you as possible.

I really love to hear from you.  Reply to this, or send me a Facebook message, or send me a card or letter:

Anne Feeney

2240 Milligan Avenue

Pittsburgh,  PA  15218

Events in Tunisia and Egypt may make this a pivotal era in the earth's history.  A great opportunity.  I hope the forces for a secular democracy prevail.

And the bullies on the right have put Planned Parenthood in their sights.  Please visit http://site.pfaw.org/site/PageServer?pagename=PlannedParenthood&autologin=true&s_src=fb_share_plannedparenthood and sign the petition and notify your member of Congress that you do NOT want to see Planned Parenthood "ACORNed."

With deepest gratitude to all of you,

Anne

MEDICAL NEWS

I'm going to go ahead and try cardioversion for my irregular heartbeat.  Cardioversion is when they break out the paddles and yell "Clear!" and administer an electrical shock to the heart.  Sometimes it puts the heart back into a regular sinus rhythm on the first try.  Sometimes it takes two or three tries.  Sometimes it doesn't work at all.  I'm hoping it works for me, and that I have more energy when it's over.  That will probably happen in the first week in April, which is also when I get the next PET scan.

My radiation oncologist says that he would put the chances of the cancer returning at 60% now that I've had one clean PET scan.  Sometimes I think they make these numbers up.  But it's always nice to get good news. He's going to do regular brain MRIs  for the next two years.  I declined prophylactic global cranial radiation.  It's known to cause confusion and memory loss - two things I'm more afraid of than cancer.

I'll be really glad when "medical news" is no longer a regular feature of my monthly news.

THANKS TO THE WESTERN WORKERS' LABOR HERITAGE FESTIVAL

My beloved Western Workers' Labor Heritage Festival, where I've spent so many happy Martin Luther King  weekends in the Bay Area, designated me as the "Worker in Need," this year.  It's the first time they've ever picked an individual to be the beneficiary of their generosity.  Chris Chandler wrote and performed a moving new piece at the Sunday night concert that was all about me, him, our friendship and our work.  Janet Stecher, Jon Fromer and Steve Jones performed a medley of my songs.  My friend Karen Newman did the fundraising pitch... and the generous festival-goers ponied up $2000 to help me with expenses while I'm laid up.

OSCARS 2011

This was a pretty bleak movie year, despite offering three terrific movies - "The King's Speech,"  "True Grit" and "The Fighter."  I can only hope the Academy was blushing at trying to pick ten nominees for best picture.

And it was a dreadful year for food in the movies - between that and my health problems I was ready to cancel my annual Oscars dinner.  But my creative friends are coming up with great ideas, and we're going to go ahead with dinner...  And I'm presenting our 2011 menu to perhaps inspire some of you to have an Oscars dinner of your own.

Here's the menu (and some of my mini reviews of the films...)

The Social Network -  (I was very pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this film.  It certainly doesn't deserve a "Best Picture" nomination any more than Zuckerberg deserved to be Time's "Person of the Year" in a field that included Julian Assange..  but the overall cinematic field was pretty weak this year.)

Laura and Irene will be serving a very social cheese fondue in honor of "The Social Network."

Now that we have 10 films, we can have more hors d'ouvres, so...

The Fighter - (This was a fabulous fabulous film. Fantastic performances from everyone.  Christian Bale and Melissa Leo turn in superb performances.  I have NO idea how they could have passed over Barbara Hershey for supporting actress in "The Black Swan."  She was the sole saving grace of this hackneyed self-important film. But back to "The Fighter," my only complaint is that every time Hollywood tries to portray the working class, everyone smokes and eats pizza.  Surely we're more complex than that!)

But it did make the hors d'ouvres selection easier.  Little mini-pizzas.

Inception - (I don't mind working hard to follow a film, but Inception wore me out and it didn't give me much in return.  Oh, the spawn of Memento!  Nothing has come close to catching its cleverness, despite the many progeny.)

This seemed like a good opportunity to break out an appetizer I had quit serving because it doesn't look like what it is.  People always thought this appetizer was some kind of cookie.  They'd pop it into their mouths only to mush-mouth mumble "What is this??"  When I told them it was half a baby redskin potato boiled, topped with sour cream and caviar most of them went ahead to swallow what I consider a delightful appetizer.

127 Hours - (I'll confess I haven't seen this one and probably won't.  What are the odds of having three of the ten Best Picture nominees feature protagonists who lose a hand/arm?  I know James Franco is nominated for Best Actor as well, but if Colin Firth doesn't win Best Actor this year there is no justice.  He was so robbed last year for his amazing performance in "A Single Man."  He's even better this year in "The King's Speech.")

My friend Jeanne has a mold of a human hand, which Barbara will use for a liver pate and a vegetarian pate.

The Kids Are All Right -  (This very intelligent film's fatal flaw is having one of the lesbian protagonists "jump the fence" to have an affair with the father of her children.  Annette Bening is terrific in this film - actually the very talented cast makes the whole preposterous story line pretty credible. And thank goodness - one movie that loves food!)

Organic salad for everyone from Joni and Llouise!

True Grit - (The Coen brothers deliver another terrific film.  A wonderful cast breathes new life into what will be seen as the definitive portrait of Rooster Cogburn.  I still don't get the gratuitous sadistic spanking at the beginning of the film, but this was a very satisfying film.)

Hominy and baked beans from Briget and Joni ...  mmmmmm

Winter's Bone - (Here's an interesting film that will get well-deserved attention by virture of its nomination.  As my pals Jan and Hilary and I speculated after the film... What is 'Winter's Bone'?  If spring's bone is leg of lamb, and summer's bone is spare ribs... "Winter's Bone" must be standing rib...)

Entree: Standing rib roast by Anne and Hilary

The Black Swan - (How many hackneyed dancers' cliches can be squeezed into one film?  If it weren't for Barbara Hershey's performance, this move would be a complete waste of time.)

Still, it's inspired my friend Irene to bake a ballerina cake.

The King's Speech - (a brilliant, perfect film that will move into my all-time top 20 movies.  Flawless performances all around.  Any film that leaves me feeling compassion and sympathy for the plight of royals is pretty remarkable!  It was a good 15 minutes after the film ended before I could say "off with their heads!" with conviction).

My friend Mary is making her very first trifle for "The King's Speech."

Okay, that's only 9 courses.  We're going to have Buzz Lightyear action figures as party favors.  Toy Story 3

makes me very happy to be a grandmother.  I look forward to seeing more films like it in the coming years.

Tomorrow afternoon I'm going to go see "Biutiful."  Pittsburgh is a tough town to catch the foreign films and documentaries.  But if there's anyway at all for you to see "Gasland," you'll know what we in the Marcellus Shale region are up against.  If there's no hydraulic fracturing - aka "fracking" - going on near you, there very likely will be soon.  We couldn't be more thrilled at the Oscar nomination for this important documentary.

So, let me know what you think of my movie reviews and menus.

FEBRUARY BIRTHDAYS/FAMILY NEWS

Belated Happy Birthdays to Lianna Kennedy - Feb 2, and Kevin Weldon - Feb 3.

Happy Birthday to Ryan Grefenstette - Feb 7, Joe McCahill - Feb 15, Benjamin McCahill - Feb 21,

Anabel Blanco - Feb 22, Ross Chapman - Feb 24, Barney McElhone - Feb 26, and,

in case I'm this late next month -  Mary McCahill Madera and Shirley Shultz Myers

March 1st!

Dan and Monique are vacationing in Colombia.  They've invited me to come to the Galapagos Islands with them in April.  I sure hope I can do that.  I get so lonesome for little Sebastian I can hardly stand it.  He's rolling over now, and he had his first bowl of cereal last weekend.  By May, they'll have left Ecuador for a new destination.  They could end up in Morocco, or Zimbabwe or Kazakhstan

Amy's pipes are frozen in San Marcos, TX.  I guess we exported our Pittsburgh weather to Texas for the Super Bowl.  I'll be glad when it's over.  I've gotten used to being the only person in the room - the store, the theater, the restaurant, the mall - who isn't wearing black and gold.

Julie is back in Sweden.  His back went out just before he left.  When I asked him what the doctor said, he told me "She has prescribed sick gymnastics.  Do you say so?"  I said, "I think we say 'physical therapy,' but I like 'sick gymnastics' a lot."  He's feeling better now, and I hope he continues to improve.

My cousin Karen McCahill is coming to Pittsburgh at the end of the month to help me with the Oscars dinner

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You can buy or download my CDs or single songs at http://cdbaby.com/all/unionmaid

You can donate to my paid sick leave fund through Paypal to getwellanne@annefeeney.com

You can write me at:  Anne Feeney, 2240 Milligan Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA  15218

You can get the latest medical news at http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/annefeeney

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You've made it through another episode of the Fellow Travelers' Advisory.  Thanks!

JANUARY 2011 - Anne Feeney's Fellow Travelers' Advisory - VOLUME SIX #10

Hi Folks -

If you'd like to buy my CDs (and I hope you'd like to!)  please visit http://cdbaby.com/all/unionmaid

If you'd like to stay updated on my health news, visit http://caringbridge.org/visit/annefeeney

If you'd like to have my once-a-month news delivered to your inbox, subscribe here, or go to http://annefeeney.com/newsletter.html

If you want to talk to me, call 412-241-7664. If I feel up to it, I'll answer the phone.

Happy New Year!!

I'm so looking forward to 2011.  That noise in the background is my *huge* sigh of relief to get the most recent  PET scan results.  The docs had predicted from the beginning that this tumor (aka "the weasel") would be very chemo-reactive, and it was.  During my radiation treatments I actually got to watch the tumor shrink daily.

However, the dehydration and kidney failure that I suffered as a reaction to the antibiotic therapy for my lung infection made it impossible for the oncologists to give me my last three chemo treatments.  So, of course, it was easy for me to imagine that those final three treatments were essential and that this PET scan, administered 3 months after my last chemo treatment, was going to reveal that we had missed something.

Whew! No.  Cancer lights up the PET scan, and mine was dark as a dungeon - no sign of cancer anywhere.

Woo hoo!  Huzzah!  

They'll repeat the PET scan every three months for the next two years (my next one is April 7th).  This is the scary part:  80% of small cell lung cancer patients who have made it as far as I have and as well as I have will still get a recurrence of the cancer within two years -- and the new tumors will not respond to treatment.  So, it'll really be October of 2012 before I can say I've taken a big step out of the woods.  Most oncology folks will say that you're not cured until you've gone 5 years with clear PET scans.

Also complicating my recovery is the nasty MAC infection in my lungs.  MAC is rare.  It's a close cousin of TB.  Only 1 in 100,000 people in the US get MAC.  The MAC bacteria is everywhere.... in soil, in water, in the air.  The only folks who seem to contract an infection from it are those with sharply compromised immune systems - folks with AIDS or cancer and/or undergoing chemotherapy ... and even then, very few of them will contract MAC.  Just my bad luck, I guess.  MAC "cavitates" (i.e. puts holes in) your lungs.  The only treatment is 18 months of daily big doses of really strong antibiotics generally reserved for the treatment of leprosy and TB.  My body is FINALLY adjusting some to this intensive antibiotic regimen.   The probiotic and homeopathic supplements that Pat Humphries and others have recommended are doing me some good, too.  The MAC and/or the antibiotics leave me with a bad stomach, extreme fatigue, and shortness of breath.  It looks like the MAC may have also invaded my heart lining and caused mild pericarditis (water in the sac surrounding the heart). We're doing more tests on that in the coming weeks.

Sooooooo, I wish I were out of the woods and ready to start booking work, but it looks like I'm going to be pretty limited in what I can do for the indefinite future.  Thanks to your overwhelming generosity, money is not one of my worries right now.  Truth be told, I've got more money in the bank now than I have at any point in the last ten years.  But since I don't have any income, I'll be running through this nest egg at a brisk clip until I'm able to return to work.

This is a hell of a time to be riding the pine, stuck on the sidelines ....  Watching this crazy corporate Congress, the inexorable progression of the war in Afghanistan, the rising unemployment and the widening gap between the rich and the poor, not to mention passing the 50 million mark in the uninsured non-elderly population - it certainly has me wishing I could be out there on the frontlines.

These next several months will instead be a time for me to go through my papers and organize them.  I hope it's a time for me to continue the research and writing about my grandfather's life, too.  And I hope to emerge from this enforced down-time with a new CD of  new songs.  We'll see.  I get tired just looking at that list.

I am very much hoping to get around to personally acknowledging all of your generosity and thoughtfulness.  

Another thing I've been doing is participating in a project that local historian Pat Ulbrich is doing on the history of the women's movement in Pittsburgh.  So far we've done 4 hours of video interviews with more to come. And my friend Maria Skoczylas is doing a similar project for her sociology thesis.  We spent two hours today doing an interview on feminism in Pittsburgh.

It's been fun to do some of this introspective stuff since I've spent the last 10 or 15 years running from one event to the next without much time to process or reflect.

Many of my labor friends will get a kick out of this news:  On January 22nd, Pennsylvania Progressives will present me with the Anna Burger Lifetime Achievement Award.  Jesse Jackson will be the keynote speaker at the banquet, to be held at the Sheraton at Station Square.  More info at: http://www.paprogressivesummit.org/

My hair has finally started growing.  I'm very excited about that.

Please keep your cards & letters & emails coming my way.  I miss you all so much, and I love hearing from you.  I don't know what I would have done over the last five months without you.  And what sweet sacrifices, thoughtful gestures and tender loving care my husband, my kids, my sister, my family and friends here in Pittsburgh have lavished on me ...  Despite the cancer and the MAC, I can honestly say that I am a very very very fortunate person.

Love and solidarity,

Anne

To send a donation to help underwrite my paid sick days' fund, click on the Paypal "Donate" button on the right, or send a check to:

Anne Feeney

2240 Milligan Avenue

Pittsburgh,  PA  15218

DECEMBER 2010 - Anne Feeney's Fellow Travelers' Advisory - VOLUME SIX #9

Hi All

You can buy my CDs at http://cdbaby.com/all/unionmaid or by calling 1-800-BUY-MY-CD.  They make great grab-bag gifts!


UPCOMING BENEFIT SHOWS - FT. LAUDERDALE  and PITTSBURGH

Tomorrow afternoon (well, today if you're reading this on Sunday...) some of the finest of Florida's musicians as well as some superb touring musicians will join forces in Ft. Lauderdale at the legendary Labyrinth Cafe in a benefit for my "paid sick days" fund.  It's so overwhelming and very touching to see musicians coming together for me.



Sunday, December 5, 2010

2:00 p.m.
Anne Feeney Benefit Concert
Labyrinth Café
UU Church of Ft. Lauderdale, 3970 NW 21st Avenue, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33309

http://www.labyrinthcafe.com/Cosponsored.html
Anne Feeney has been a force to be reckoned with for many years. She has sung out and stood up for political and social injustice in every area of her life. She has helped many people in need. Now she is fighting cancer, and we want to help her in her struggle.

Performers include: Ellen Bukstel, Coalition of Immokalee Workers, Ray Del Papa, Jennings & Keller, Rod MacDonald, Marie Nofsinger, The Raging Grannies, Joan Rose, Vicki Ryder, The Solidarity Singers, Amy Speace, Amy Carol Webb, Doug & Telisha Williams, Valerie C. Wisecracker...

For more info about Anne, you can check out her website (http://www.annefeeney.com/) or go to http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/annefeeney  , where you can read the journal updates and/or write in her guest book - Ms. Feeney's Wild Ride indeed!

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There is also a raffle planned. You could win a $2000.00 handmade guitar. This guitar, handmade by S. L. Smith, with a hard case is being raffled off for Anne's benefit. There will be only 250 total tickets sold at $10.00 each. For more info about who made the guitar: http://guitars.slsmith.info/


We expect to hold the drawing during the concert on December 5. If all 250 tickets are not sold by that time, an equitable time for the drawing will be determined and the winner will be posted. Michael Stock, of WLRN's Folk and Acoustic Music Show, on Sundays from 2 - 5 PM, has kindly agreed to assist with the drawing and announcement of the winner if it does not take place at the fundraiser.

(Let me know if you're interrested in a raffle ticket.  If they don't sell all the tickets by tomorrow, I'm sure they'll be happy to sell one to you!  email me @ anne@annefeeney.com)


PITTSBURGH, PA -  SUNDAY, DECEMBER 12th - MR. SMALL'S - 7PM

You'd have to be a student of Pittsburgh musical legends to understand how completely amazing the lineup is for the December 12th show at Mr. Small's.  RUSTED ROOT will be turning in a short set.  Blues giant BILLY PRICE will sing.  THE GRANATI BROTHERS will rock out.  Justin Sane from ANTI-FLAG will add some hard edged punk to the show.  Fresh from his night of performing with Bruce Springsteen, JOE GRUSHECKY AND THE HOUSE ROCKERS will dazzle us.  My dear friends THE NEWLANDERS will perform, as will JACK ERDIE, BRAD YODER, TRES LADS, JOE MUNROE, SUE POWERS AND JEFF BERMAN.  This concert was the brainchild of MIKE STOUT and the HUMAN UNION who will perform songs from their fabulous new CD.   Many of Pittsburgh's finest side musicians (ROBBIE KLEIN, NELSON HARRISON and so many more!) will be filling out the lineup, and (I hope) joining me on stage if I feel up to it.  Many many thanks to Senator Jim Ferlo for his generosity, support and guidance in the planning of this event.

There's going to be an incredible silent auction during the show with some impossible-to-find-anywhere-else items donated by local musicians and artists.  All the musicians will have CDs on sale, so please come to buy some recordings too - support all our fabulous live local musicians!

Advance tickets available at http://ticketweb.com/mrsmalls or charge by phone @ 866-468-3401 and various locations around Pittsburgh.

I hope to have some photos from this for the January Fellow Travelers' Advisory.

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Many many thanks to the Mother Jones Committee in Springfield, IL who dedicated their 2010 annual banquet to me.  They had a silent auction before dinner and a hat pass afterward, and folks were exceedingly generous.

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STRANGELY ABSENT FROM THE ELECTORAL DEBATE

You would have never guess we're still in the middle of two wars.  All during the recent election campaigns there was hardly any mention of the high cost of the 2 invasions and occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan. Besides the deaths often estimated over 1 million people, over $1.1 trillion or more has already been spent with no end in sight. It is estimated that it has cost the U.S. $50 million to kill each Taliban. The proposed U.S. embassy to be built in Kabul will cost $500 million. A new audit shows that the U.S. cannot account for nearly $18 billion earmarked for the Afghan occupation. (Democracy Now, 10/29/10). U.S. soldiers sent to Iraq and injured will need $600 billion for their healthcare. However, there is hardly a peep from the Tea Party, which usually vehemently complains about the overspending of tax payer money. Over 55% of federal taxes are spent by military bureaucrats and lobbyists at the Pentagon. If we cut military spending by only 1% we could completely eliminate poverty in the U.S. (Online Journal Sentinel, 11/19/10). If we used the tax money for basic human needs instead of invading and occupying countries for economic reasons we could guarantee all our citizens, not just some, education and healthcare. In other words, we could have what most Europeans already have. All we have to do is follow their example and drastically cut military spending. It would be a step in the right direction towards a more peaceful and just world. We get what we pay for. -------Don Timmerman

This piece appeared in "The Sparrow Sings" - the wonderful monthly newsletter from my friends Don Timmerman and Roberta Thurstin.  If you'd like to subscribe, send an email to: don2roberta@yahoo.com and tell them so.

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SOAW UPDATE

This just in from Don and Roberta:  Some of the 29 people taken into custody outside Ft. Benning during the rally at the annual School of the Americas Watch Vigil on Nov. 20 in Columbus GA were undercover agents, one of whom was arrested with the others. Fr. Bill Brennan, S.J., a former Casa Maria community member, at 90 years old, was one of those arrested and later released. Good going, Bill! Fr. Louis Vilale and Davvid Omondi, both Catholic Workers, were arrested for civil disobedience or divine obedience and sentenced to 6 months in prison. -----SOA Watch Enjoying your freedom? Thank a protester!


I was so sorry to miss the gathering at the gates of SOA this year.  The musical collective was in grand form, with the lovely new addition of our pal Roy Zimmerman.  It's hard to say how long it will take to close this evil place, but I believe that we will.  I was very pleased to hear that the musical collective sang "Have You Been to Jail for Justice?" on Saturday, and dedicated it to me.

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I LOVE HEARING FROM YOU!

Please keep the cards and letters coming.  I get so stir-crazy sitting at home day after day after week after month (although it sure beats being in the hospital...).  I wish I felt up to more phone calls, but my energy level is VERY low.  That's why I love reading your comments at http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/annefeeney and getting mail from you.  As soon as I feel up to it, I'm hitting the road to come and thank you all in person.  That could be a while though.  In the meantime, know how very much I cherish our connection and look forward to our next meeting.

Anne Feeney
2240 Milligan Avenue
Pittsburgh,  PA  15218

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SEBASTIAN

I don't know if  you all will be able to see this 54 second video of my grandson, Sebastian, at home in Ecuador. (If not, trust me, he's cute.  Very cute.)  I'm so looking forward to having him and the rest of my family here from December 18-26th.  It will be wonderful!  http://sharing.theflip.com/session/b65c0d92ccb4955b65d476a038bf2729/video/31896261

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WHATEVER YOU'RE CELEBRATING

I  hope the coming weeks bring you plenty of days off, the light and love of family and friends, good health and that 2011 will be a wonderful healthy year for us all.

NOVEMBER 2010 - Anne Feeney's Fellow Travelers' Advisory - VOLUME SIX #8

NOVEMBER 2010 - Anne Feeney's Fellow Travelers' Advisory - VOLUME SIX #8




That election.  Yuck.  Stop banging your head against the wall.  Leave the punching  bag alone.

I can think of no possible better way to cope with the last election than for you to join me next Saturday - November 13th - at Allegheny Unitarian Church when my fabulous friends, Lou and Peter Berryman will put on a concert you'll be chuckling about for the rest of the month.  If you've seen them before, I know you're marking your calendars now.  If you haven't seen them before - TRUST ME.  They are national treasures making a rare Pittsburgh appearance.  And I couldn't talk them into taking all the concert proceeds.  They are insisting on contributing to my "paid sick days" fund.     I've been out of work now since August 5th with no relief in sight. Just getting to hear Lou and Peter will probably be a great boost to my immune system, though!  I'm so looking forward to an evening out on the town.  (My immune system is still waaay compromised, so I hope you'll refrain from hugs/handshakes etc unless you've been boiled recently.)

Here's the release that Lou and Peter sent out for the show....  Hope to see you there!!!


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


An evening of intelligent musical comedy with Wisconsin singers and songwriters Lou & Peter Berryman. A benefit, in part, for Anne Feeney

Nov 13, 2010 8:00 PM

Allegheny Unitarian Universalist Church
416 W. North Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA  15212

Tickets: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/135648 $15 adv. (+$1.99 surchage for internet orders) or $20 at the door

Information: 412-877-6480 or 608-257-7750



Take the elegant wit of Cole Porter, the topical satire of Tom Lehrer and the absurdity of Flanders and Swann; blend with down-home Wisconsin cheese, wacky harmonies, accordion and 12-string guitar, and -- voila! the wickedly funny, uniquely entertaining team of Lou & Peter Berryman. From cleaning the fridge ("When Did We Have Sauerkraut") to impending environmental catastrophe ("Why Am I Painting the Livingroom?") to the eternal folly of youth ("A Chat with Your Mother" aka "The F-Word"), no subject escapes their keen and quirky observation.



In almost 30 years together, Lou & Peter have recorded 16 albums of their original songs, and produced 2 songbooks. Such venerable and prestigious venues as Berkeley's Freight & Salvage, The Old Town School of Music in Chicago, The Ark in Ann Arbor, New York's Caffe Lena and Passim in Cambridge have hosted them regularly. They have performed frequently on national public radio including Minnesota's A Prairie Home Companion, and they have played at most major folk festivals across North America. They tour throughout the year, and make their homes in Madison, Wisconsin.



"Rhymes that rhyme! I love your stuff, and if I were still performing, I'd steal it!" Tom Lehrer



"When it comes to being funny, I think I've spent the first thirty years trying to be as funny as Tom Lehrer and the last part will be trying to be as funny as the Berrymans. They don't come any funnier than that." Tom Paxton



"Lou & Peter Berryman! Long may they wave! Their song, "A Chat with your Mother" is one of the great American folksongs of the 20th century." Pete Seeger



More about Lou & Peter Berryman at LOUANDPETER.COM



Lou & Peter are dedicating this concert to their dear friend Anne Feeney. Anne is a beloved Pittburgh singer and songwriter who has been travelling the world for decades. Her music has inspired and comforted working people everywhere, but her work has been interrupted by a bout with cancer. A portion of the evening's proceeds will go to Anne, for her recovery fund. More about Anne and her music at www.annefeeney.com

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IF YOU'RE IN CLEVELAND -  LOU and PETER WILL DO A SHOW FOR ME THERE THE NIGHT BEFORE!!

Friday, November 12th, 2010 8:00 PM

Peter and Lou Berryman in Concert with special guest Deborah Van Kleef

UU Society of Cleveland
2728 Lancashire Road
Cleveland Heights, OH

http://uusocietyofcleveland.tripod.com/index.html
Price: $15 suggested

This concert is, in part, a benefit for Anne Feeney's "paid sick days fund."

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THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

Thanks to Kristin Lems for organizing a star-studded fundraiser for me in Chicago!  Thanks to Mark Ross for organizing a wonderful fundraiser for me in Eugene.   Thanks to Gene and Natasha for sending me one night's proceeeds from their Lexington, KY production of "Marx in Soho."  I understand there are still some upcoming shows in Florida and a huge one here in Pittsburgh on December 12th.  Your generosity has been overwhelming... and taken all the financial anxiety out of this devastating illness.  Your cards and letters lift me.  I cannot imagine that this story does not have a happy ending.  Your love and support is such a constant presence in my life.

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HAPPY NOVEMBER 6th 40th BIRTHDAY to MY NIECE, KIMBERLY ANNE SEVER!

Happy Nov 11th birthday to Mary Lane McCahill, Nov 12th birthday to Julie Leonardsson, Nov 18th birthday to John Morber, and Nov 25th birthday to Kathleen Mumphrey Chapman (who just celebrated her 10th wedding anniversary to Ross Chapman..... mazel tov, you two!)

The highlight of last month was the visit from my grandson Sebastian all the way from Ecuador.  He brought his parents along, too, which was wonderful.  And Amy arrived the same day.  It's such an incredible joy to have my kids under one roof - and Sebastian added a most wonderful dimension!  I think I'm going to like this grandma gig a LOT.  Amy is still here, and Dan and Monique and Sebastian will be back here on December 18th.  YAY!

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You can buy my cds at http://cdbaby.com/all/unionmaid
You can stay on top of my health news at http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/annefeeney
You can donate to my recovery by clicking on the "Donate" button about 4 inches down the page on the right, or send a check (or a letter, or a card... to anne feeney, 2240 Milligan Ave, pittsburgh, pa  15218

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Saturday, November 13th, 2010 8:00 PM
Peter and Lou Berryman in Concert
Allegheny Unitarian Universalist Church
416 W North Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15212
412.877-6480
Price: $15 advance, $20 at the door
Tickets: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/135648 $15 adv. (+$1.99 surchage for internet orders) or $20 at the door

This concert is, in part, a benefit for my "recovery fund."