Pleasant greetings. Welcome to my space. Thanks for sharing your time.

Right here and right now, together again, we are companions of creativity. We are passengers of prose and soothsayers of sarcasm.

Although I am alone, seated in the quiet of a basement in Arlington, Va., I know you are here.

I sense you.

I feel you.

I know you read me on this.

This modern day awareness is possible because of my brother’s state-of-the-art, high definition, flat-screened Dell computer featuring IFC or Interactive Font Capability.

No matter where, no matter why, and no matter how you are reading these characters of high resolution, I am with you. Incredible technology, is it not?

So, how has your week been? How will your weekend be? Are you excited?

I love weekends. I love the thrill of weekends. I love the possibilities of weekends.

For 30 years, weekends have been my favorite part of the week.

Why, you ask?

Because for the last 30 years, I have worked on weekends. As a professional conductor of fun, weekends are my playground.

Weekends are my beginning.

Whether I am dodging grapes at a bar-mitzvah or announcing the license plates of cars that may be towed at a county fair, I’ll be there.

Whether I am auctioning fishing trips in Alaska or eating abandoned deviled eggs back stage, I’ll be there.

For example, look at the places where I would be working this weekend if I were not here working.

Today’s Aloha, Derek! begins at 4 p.m. at the historic American Legion located in Bayview. All friends of the Parrott are invited to share in this potluck and jammin’ experience. The Legion bar will be open and all musicians welcome as Derek and his fans celebrate the completion of his 20 years on Whidbey, sending him off as he jumps for Joy in Hawaii.

Across the highway at Bayview Hall, Victory Schouten’s Fun-raiser will be enjoyed Saturday evening, featuring SisterMonk Harem. Bring your dancing shoes!

Notwithstanding the fun I could be having today with Derek and Victory, I will be working three thousand miles away, in the mountains of western Virginia, in the county of Highland, at the Virginia Blues and Jazz Festival.

I will be reading aloud my poem which helped secure my last place finish in a recent contest. May I share it with you?

I wrote a poem

In the shower

It took me

About an hour

The water

It gives me power

I wrote a poem

In the shower

Granted the rhythm is simple, but not quite as simple as I am. I think that is why I was docked points.

Three of us entered the contest.Given that there were two no-shows, I was a bit surprised that I still came in last.

Do not be last to the South Whidbey Lion’s Club Annual Garage Sale which concludes today at the Island County Fairgrounds. Bargains galore! You know how much we can all use more galore.

Yesterday, while looking at my brother and sister-in-law’s three first-floor ceiling fans, I was reminded to circulate more.

The day before yesterday, while driving along the banks of the Potomac River, I noticed enthusiastically that NSF is also an acronym for the National Science Foundation. Wait until I tell the talented-tellers at Coastal Community, Washington Mutual, Wells Fargo and Whidbey Island Banks.

Speaking of banks, last night I attended the marvelous McLean High School Orchestras Senior Salute Spring Concert (remember, it is still spring here, even if it seems 90 in the shade) at the Craighill S. Burks Theater. Over 200 stringed instruments, including violins, violas, basses, harps and cellos, were experiencing simultaneous vibrations while soothing the ears and eyes of a packed auditorium.

Amidst a melodious program of concertos, director Gretta Sandberg flawlessly conducted the McLean Concert Strings with heartwarming arrangements of the Beatles “Yesterday” and Ben E. King’s “Stand By Me.”

I recall in the ‘60s copying the lyrics of both songs of passion on blue-lined, white notebook paper.

Fortunately, our school colors were blue and white. I knew this would look really cool.

However, my emotionally-charged enclosures to last minute love letters were but failed attempts to woo the return of short-term, first semester girlfriends who had left their hearts in someone else’s locker.

Interestingly enough, these two classy mates went on to earn respectively their PhD’s in Psychology and Law.

I went on to a PhD in Recess.

Thus, dear reader of my space, this brings us to the close of another light-hearted, light-headed representation of what I have forgotten.

Awareness notwithstanding, as it says in Proverbs 4:7, in my brother’s desk copy of the good book, “…with all thy getting get understanding.”

Me thinks I better giddy-up and get.

There’s more to learn in these here Virginia mountains.

Jim Freeman’s columns can be found in the online archives at southwhidbeyrecord.com.