SXSW: The Passion of the Slides…Rock Slides.

HA!

I can’t even tell you how cool this is. Tonight, I did this thing with SIMS as a volunteer at The Hole In The Wall and I have to tell you…It was probably one of the coolest things I have done since moving here in August of 2002.

Here I was amongst a star-studded group of some of Austin’s finest.

“Paul Minor called and that’s all I needed. I was here.” – Basically anyone who got on stage tonight. Seriously.

Here’s the official release from SIMS. I still don’t know who each of them were. I needed to get a copy of the list. Paul! I gotta get that from you! But I will say that I was able to catch some killer music with some great slides that together made for some good art and a lot of fun.

Darrin Murphey’s performance during the Talking Heads classic songs they covered was one of the night’s biggest highlights indeed. I wish I had filmed it. It was good stuff. He went all out with the glasses and the stick figure movements, down to the shaking. Good showman, for sure. I also made a couple of new friends that I was quite thankful for. Loretta is a volunteer for SIMS as well and she was working the table set up in the back. God bless her heart she really is one of the absolute sweetest people you would meet. Someone that you would wanna introduce your Grandmother too. She’s older, but full of wisdom and assurance. I was thankful I met her. I also met a really cool cab driver from here in Austin. It’s not often you actually have a conversation with a taxi driver (I think) so I was pretty intrigued by what he had to say about his experiences during SXSW and what he was seeing as opposed to me.

I also met all of the musicians player. Some I spoke with more than others, but I definitely made a connection with them and that’s what is important. Connecting to people, interacting, becoming parts of other peoples lives and speaking with them on a human level. Austin is really all about that sort of thing. Or at least MY Austin experience had been that way. SIMS has provided me with some amazing help by getting my therapy at a low cost and pointing me in the right direction for other outlets of help. And their newfound spirit of renewal and strength coming at such a point in my treatment that I feel already to start the beginning of the best part of my life. The happiest part. The part where I play music and sing and touch people’s lives the way they touch mine.

Volunteering for SIMS has made such a difference already. I am glad I waited until my time with the program ran out to start. It means a lot to know that I can offer something back to them. For all they have done for me, my life, and the lives of my family and friends.

After the show, which ran until about 1am, I headed home courtesy of the Beetle Express and made it into bed in time for a few dreams.

~Kia

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