inDECATUR

Leon's adds patio seating

Just in time for great weather:

Eddie's provides reality test for performers

Jimnazium @ Hot Indie News explores to reality test a little place like Eddie's gives a big name group partially manufactured in an expensive sound studio:

"Maybe it was the review I had read prior to the show that set the bar too high, describing a recent NAME DELETED concert as an amazing experience.  For me the whole thing left a really bad taste in my mouth and I wondered if, in the name of bringing music to the people, venues such as Eddie’s Attic were actually stripping musicians of their power by putting them into such an intimate setting.  It really is sink or swim when your audience is 10 feet in front of you.  And in today’s world of autotune technology and choreographed pyrotechnic dance routines, it really proves a musician’s worth to sit 10 feet away from him or her and hope they can hit the same notes you hear on your ipod."

Restore your yard to a natural ecosystem

From Atlanta Daybook

The Georgia Urban Forest Council, Inc. a nonprofit organization with the mission of sustaining Georgia’s green legacy by helping communities grow healthy trees, will present a workshop, “Restoring Your Backyard Ecosystem” on Saturday, April 18, 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the DeKalb Extension Service Office, 4380 Memorial Drive, Decatur, Georgia 30032. The registration fee for the workshop is $25, and those new to the Georgia Urban Forest Council will receive a one-year complimentary individual membership. Group rates are available.

Decatur needs to change its restrictions on front yards to encourage natural ecosystems and urban farming.

USAS met in Decatur

From AFL-CIO blog:

Over the past week, USAS has held regional conferences for students concerned with workers’ rights. As part of the USAS Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference, students from around Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Maryland and the District of Columbia on March 27 attended a rally at Penn State University to demand passage of the Employee Free Choice Act. This past weekend, hundreds of students attended the Southeast Regional Conference in Decatur, Ga.

The enthusiasm of thousands of students around the country is yet another critical element in passing the Employee Free Choice Act.

inDECATUR suggests you read about the EFCA, and see if you agree with it

Poltico provides a realistic assessment:

“The workplace has changed dramatically since the 1930s,” said Peter Morici, a University of Maryland labor and business law expert. “In some sectors, like the auto industry, unions today can be perceived as imposing risks on workers rather than security.”

Patty Digh read and signed "Life is a Verb" at Decatur Library

There were few empty chairs at the Decatur Library Monday night as Patty Digh read from and signed her book, in addition to telling stories, cracking jokes, and answering questions.

inDECATUR linked to an AJC article about her yesterday.

She began thinking differently about life after her stepfather died just 37 days after being diagnosed with lung cancer.

Her website has become very popular. Her book is beautifully done, with color illustrations.

She believes our lives are defined by the stories we tell about experiences and feelings we have had. The stories are not necessarily about the  the most significant things we have done. She tells the story of a young girl who, wen asked what she remembered most about her deceased mother, mentioned her mother making cookies and their eating them.

She also stressed that everyone has stories to tell, and we might be surprised how interesting they are if we just take the time to listen.

She mentioned a lady with alzheimers who desperately tried to retain her memories, and pasted calendars everywhere so she'd always be aware of what day it was

She makes a good point. We're all carrying many stories. If we don't write them down, they will eventually be lost.

In more ancient times, stories were passed down from generation to generation.

J.D. Salinger and other recluse authors at Decatur Library

The April 2009 Calendar of Events for the Decatur Library has this entry:

Enter "Salinger" in the search block at the Decatur Library special events page to read more about it.

The Decatur Library is on Church Street, less than a block east of the Decatur MARTA station. If you're coming from out of town, you'lll probably need to book a room elsewhere in ATL and take MARTA to the events, as hotels in/near Decatur are probably already booked up. Seating is limited, so get there EARLY.

The inDECATUR photographer will be there to take photos of anyone who shows up, for publishing the next day.

Eddie's

Matt Amato @ Champion Newspapers give's Eddie's Attic a great review

Now in its 16th year, “Eddie’s,” as it’s better known, is considered by many the best open-mike night and one of the metro area’s finest music venues. Only the courthouse has been on the Decatur Square longer.

Notes and open discussion for Tuesday, 3/31/2009

Notes may be added until noon. Comment anytime.

inDECATUR is 601 days (almost 20 months) old, with 3866 posts (averaging 6.43 posts/day -- no other Decatur blog even comes close), all searchable in the sidebar.

DECATURadar (looking out at the universe from the Decatur square)

DECATUR

Kelly R at Tastings has a special April deal for members of the Tastings group at Facebook.

Jamie Gumbrechet @ AJC ponders how much of its image ASC has to sacrifice to get money from low-class movies.

Catherine @ The Decatur Minute recommends the $11 lunch at Eurasia (also recommended by Nancy Elrod).

New features are available at Decatur eLife.

Dennis @ Next Stop ... Decatur notes you can get your kids photographed with a life bunny at Hoopla following the Easter Eg hunt on the square.

DEKALB

Seen on Craigslist (no endorsement): Flat rate taxi service available to the airport,amtrack,marta rail. Nice clean yellow cab. Call 678-613-9809 to arrange a pick up.

ATL

A cloudy day with 30% chance of showers in the afternoon and a high only in the mid sixties. Not quite as nice as yesterday.

Chipper Jones will be with the Braves at least 3 more years, per WSB radio.

US

Neal Boortz, who once suggested sending a hub cap to O'Reilly, has no appreciation for mailing tea bags to congressmen.

Neal announced a test finds he has coronary heart disease, with an increased chance of a coronary "event" in the next 3 years.

11 of the 22 profitable GM models are pickups and SUVs. These are the models the Obama administration seeks to phase out.

WORLD

Hummer sales are all but dead in the US, but are HOT in Iraq [NYT] But, they don't fit into the image of Obama Motors.

Boxed water is better.

PERSONAL

This blogger's wieight this AM was 179.2, 15 pounds over goal.

Lake Hartwell level at 8A on 3/31/09 = 651.46. Release schedule 3/31-4/3/09 = 0. Projected level on 4/3/09 = 653.92 [just 6 ft down]

HORN TOOTIN'

Leon's gets good reviews

Besha Rodell @ Creative Loafing says (among other things)

"The space is brazenly appealing, evoking a slightly nautical feel with its white wooden booths, blue walls and red accents. Just enough of the building’s vintage character has been left in place to communicate its aesthetic, and just enough has been done to modernize the space to make it feel clean and vibrant. It’s Decatur all over. Don’t you just hate Decatur sometimes for being so … awesome?"

A commenter at Decatur Metro suggested we adopt that as Decatur's new slogan.

Some living outside Deccatur think it's citizens are a bit cocky. Some objecting to annexation made it clear they don't want to awesome.

This blogger still owes inDECATUR readers a review of Leon's burger, and hopes to add it here later this AM.

Decatur loses a restaurant, but will gain one

As reported in Decatur Metro, Sage is closing.

This blogger was told more details, but asked to keep them "off the record."

But a new place called McGowan's Pub is on the horizon in Oakhurst, next to the Palate.

more on this later