Love That Lorna

Fabulous article [on Lorna Bracewell] (Curiouser, "Full-Time Musician," by Dawn Morgan, Feb. 14-20) — well-written and enjoyable to read. Brilliant concept for a series. I am a new reader of Creative Loafing and you've hooked me with this!!

Carole Diaz, Via website

One day as I was walking through St. Augustine and making a beeline for breakfast downtown, I heard the most amazing acoustic guitar music and young female voice coming from the veranda at Flagler College. I followed the sound and finally met up with Lorna Bracewell as she was exiting the stage at the college's local student music fest. Since then, I have followed Lorna's music and career success. Very sad when she left St. Augustine after her graduation from the school. However, so happy to hear about her success in Tampa Bay, and beyond. Northeast Florida's loss; Tampa Bay's gain. Much best wishes, Lorna. Hope to see you again soon!

Bonnie Hayflick, Via website

Que Sera Sera

I nominate Megan Voeller (Going Postal, Feb. 14-20) for the Doris Day Medal of all that is in Good Taste! John Waters is a genius who has a play on Broadway right now that deals with the bigotry against being different (black, gay, fat) set in Baltimore presented with humor and color. For you Ms. Voeller to call it tacky and vulgar, along with [calling] John Waters the king of all things tacky and vulgar, "escapes" me.

Scott (proud to be an Olan art collector), Via website

After the Census

[Editor's Note: The following is a response to Alex Pickett's story on the Hillsborough homeless census ("Sleeping Among Us," Jan. 31-Feb. 6). To read the comment in its entirety, link to the story online at tampa.creativeloafing.com.]

It is 1 a.m. and although my body is tired and my bones cold I have got to put this down in writing.

Project Downtown had been asked to join the Hillsborough Coalition with their bi-annual count. This morning when I awoke the temperature had dropped and it was frigid rain that greeted us all…

What amazed me most throughout the night was the time these people had been living in the streets. Only one had been homeless for less than a week and he was from Detroit. Most of the folks had been out there up to a year and a half.

After dinnertime, it got harder to find our friends. We had to use flashlights and hunt them down railroad tracks, boarded-up buildings and alleyways. We found a couple sleeping in the woods who came out for the interview and the promise of a free toiletries. … Creative Loafing stuck around us all night. They had been covering the homeless situation from St. Petersburg as well, so they were most knowledgeable of the sleepless.

Every corner we went to via Fowler and Fletcher had homeless people roaming the streets. Many did not want to be interviewed as the night grew colder and they tightened the plastic sheeting around their bodies for warmth. We would hold out the blanket in exchange for a "count." A valuable count that could be used as a statistic to offer them services, e.g. housing, mental health care and employment training.

Just past 11 we found a group of six men bundled up against a warehouse so cold they would not accept our invitation to an interview. One finally blinked at me and I sent my teammates to speak to him as I approached a suspicious round bundle leaning against a doorway. This man was so cold that he had wrapped his blanket while he was sitting and seemed frozen in time. I made dua (prayer) he would not die like that, abandoned by mankind and lost within himself.

Thank God for the seven hours I experienced their isolation, embarrassment, destitution and hunger. My solitary words will not mean much to you, but this bitter taste of reality made me so grateful to be a Muslim. I have purpose and wealth in Islam, it is my pillar of strength and bestows me with untold treasures of life. My heart is full of love for ALLAH and he in turn grants me compassion for others. Inshallah.

Khadijah Rivera, Via website

This article appears in Feb 21-27, 2007.