www.markholder.org

Gram Parsons  was a musical pioneer, multi instrumentalist, and fellow Georgian. The creator of Cosmic American Music left a strong impression in his short career, and the music he made continues to inspire. I visited his grave in New Orleans some years ago (getting directions to his grave site from a lady assisting at a funeral, who saw him perform with the Flying Burrito Brothers - opening for the Grateful Dead at the Avalon Ballroom in San Francisco, no less - was an experience I'll never forget). It was decorated with shells and small keepsakes from fans, and this time I brought my own: a pale blue guitar pick I'd had since the late 80's when I was bassist in a garage band. Not sure where to place it, I went for the most natural choice, between the thumb and index finger on the marker. It fit perfectly.

I usually solve problems by letting them devour me.  - Franz Kafka

Winter leaves the deep South a stark, barren place, yet there is beauty all around. Light and texture make the area a photographer's hunting ground in cold weather.

New Orleans is famous for its  cemeteries , and rightfully so. They are cities within a city, gathering places for the living in honor of the dead. Monuments abound, and the piece above was striking on an overcast June day.

Before you react, think. Before you spend, earn. Before you criticize, wait. Before you quit, try. - Ernest Hemingway

On a mountain road in northeast Georgia, not far from the town of  Dahlonega , stands the chimney of a house long fallen. One wonders what became of the home and those who dwelt in it. This was gold country, home to the first gold rush, twenty years before John Sutter discovered gold in a creek in California. What fortune led to the building of this chimney, and what misfortune led to it being all that remains of a settler's dream?

Twenty-eight percent of Americans have nothing in their savings accounts and another twenty-one percent don't even have a savings account, according to a recent survey. Another survey revealed that a majority of Americans can't cover an unexpected $400 expense without going into debt. It wasn't always this way, nor should it be now. Saving money isn't hard, but it does require discipline. It doesn't even require a savings account, if cash is your thing (if so, I fervently suggest keeping your stash in a safe or other lockable box, preferably one so heavy as to deter stealing the whole box). The amount of how much to save is a shifting target; I've been told to save amounts ranging from "all you can" to certain percentages to whatever change is in pocket. A figure that works for me is ten percent. Ten percent is the amount prescribed by many religions. Also known as tithing, the practice predates currency, when one was expected to sacrifice