Me and ZZTop

This weekend I'm in Austin, Texas for the first time attending the South by Southwest Conference and Festival (SXSW).

On this blog I think I've already covered how I feel about Molly Ivins, and this is her old stomping grounds. So I'm walking in her footsteps while here. We're also lucky enough to be in the company of Susan O'Connor and Peter Grant . Two of the funniest, smartest people on the planet, they made it into my world through Bob, who worked with Susan at Atari. They are giving us a generous serving of Austin hospitality and hooplah.

Oh, by the way, Bob is here too. A rare collision of our professional/personal worlds has allowed us to be here at the same time - thanks to Dorothy who is holding down the home front in Boston. Last time we called home, it sounds like she's welcomed in a whole house of teen and 'tween friends of our boys - pizzas, sleepovers...the works. So I'm not sure Dylan and Drew will want us back. They're being spoiled by Auntie Ducie and even Mombo admits it...she has competition.

But for now, let me share the highlight of my day.

There I was standing in line at Kinkos. Making copies...

And next to me in line? Billy Gibbons, lead singer of ZZ Top.

I have to go right now because Bob and I have a date at the famous Broken Spoke where we plan to see Dale Watson tonight. So stay tuned for more detail on how I learned all about Billy Gibbons' 80 year old mother and how I got his autograph.

For now here's Billy at work...

Conservatives from Texas

This year we lost Molly Ivins to cancer. I've told you before how I feel about Molly, the great never-to-be-forgotten columnist from Texas.

Molly once said, referring to George W.:

"Next time I tell you someone from Texas should not be president of the United States, please pay attention."

Molly isn't around to write to us about the dangers of current Texans, but others are. Dorothy sends this link from blogger Sara Robinson. It's worth a read. Here's a clip:

Molly, with her usual insight, laid out the essential struggle we're having with Paul. As a libertarian leftist, I understand viscerally the charm of Paul's message. Who wouldn't be charmed? He's anti-war, anti-torture, anti-drug war, and anti-corporation -- a real progressive dream date. Until you reflect on the fact that he's also anti-choice, anti-gay, anti-environment, anti-sane immigration policy, and apparently, anti-separation of church and state as well. >More

Ron Paul himself says he's more conservative than any current Republican. Is that really what we want?

Word is that Ron Paul will appear on The Colbert Report June 13th. I'll be tuning in.

For now, it seems Ron Paul is gaining momentum because he's actually speaking plain truth about Iraq, instead of being political. Unlike the Democrats, as Bill Maher points out...

Molly

I was named Maura at birth but right from the start everyone called me Molly.

I was nicknamed after my Aunt Molly. She's funny, she's strong and she has a heart of gold. I was always proud to be named after her.

When I moved from childhood to young adulthood, I got to know another Molly. She shared my Aunt Molly's qualities. But...truth be told, I didn't ever really know this Molly. But I felt like I did, because I always read everything she wrote.

Molly Ivins died on January 31st after a seven year struggle with breast cancer.

From her New York Times obituary:

"Molly Ivins, the liberal newspaper columnist who delighted in skewering politicians and interpreting, and mocking, her Texas culture, died yesterday in Austin."

After a stint at The New York Times Molly went to The Dallas Times Herald as a columnist...

When she declared of a congressman, “If his I.Q. slips any lower, we’ll have to water him twice a day,” many readers were appalled, and several advertisers boycotted the paper. In her defense, her editors rented billboards that read: “Molly Ivins Can’t Say That, Can She?” The slogan became the title of the first of her six books.

My friends Kate and Liz at Houghton Mifflin (my first job in media/publishing) gave me another one of her books Nothin' but Good Times Ahead. Here's the inscription:

From one Molly to another - This is one of those enlightened self-interest presents: Can I borrow it when you're done? Merry, merry etc. from big fans of both Mols -"

Naturally, I loved her book Shrub : The Short but Happy Political Life of George W. Bush and Bushwhacked: Life in George W. Bush's America. You see, Molly knew 'Dubya' in high school. She had him pegged early on.

I heard about Molly's death when I was in London. Bob sent me an email with a link to her obituary in the Times. I was sitting in the office surrounded by people I had only recently met. They didn't even know my name was Molly. They didn't know any of my Mollys. Tears streamed down my face. How could I explain?

When I got home, there was a letter from my Dad's wife, Hide, written in her impeccable, gorgeous Victorian script. She wrote, on the day after Molly's death:

"How very saddened your father would have been to learn of Molly Ivins' death. He so enjoyed her column; and because he sometimes failed to notice its seemingly random appearances [in the San Francisco Chronicle] I always made it a practice to scrutinize that section of our paper to make sure he never missed a word she'd written."

I remember mentioning Molly Ivins in passing to Dad once and he knew who she was, which didn't surprise me. Dad and I were cut from the same cloth. Hell, I am the cloth he cut. But it wasn't until Hide's letter that I knew he watched for her wonderful, insightful, witty and laugh out loud columns just like I did. How just like Hide to write me such a beautiful, insightful account of her thoughts when I most needed to hear them.
Later in her letter she expounded on my father...

"I know you, I and everyone who who knew and admired him can ever forget all he personified. That, in itself, is another of his legacies to us - simply because, in remembering him, we provide ourselves with a joy that can never fade or grow dim."

I couldn't possibly say it better. About Dad. About Molly Ivins. About all of us. We all have our signature selves...our views, personalities, souls, all of those elements that make us uniquely who we are in our lives...and that essence imbues the lives of those we love, and those who know us.

We are only passing through this world, but we leave our mark in the hearts and souls of everyone we touch.

Here are just a few things Molly Ivins wrote. She leaves all of it behind for us, forever...

"I believe that ignorance is the root of all evil. And that no one knows the truth."

"I have been attacked by Rush Limbaugh on the air, an experience somewhat akin to being gummed by a newt. It doesn't actually hurt, but it leaves you with slimy stuff on your ankle."

"If he gets even more sedate, we will have to water him twice a week. [Molly Ivins about then-President Ronald Reagan]"

"Next time I tell you someone from Texas should not be president of the United States, please pay attention."

[On George W. Bush (and George H. W. Bush)] "If you think his daddy had trouble with "the vision thing," wait till you meet this one."

from her last column, January 11, 2007: "We are the people who run this country. We are the deciders. And every single day, every single one of us needs to step outside and take some action to help stop this war. Raise hell. Think of something to make the ridiculous look ridiculous. Make our troops know we're for them and trying to get them out of there."

Thanks Molly. I'll never forget you. I promise to keep raising hell.