Flowers are coming
thanks to these passing showers
that soak up the sun.

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1. age of reason
   Passage of time brings
   us one step closer to death.
   At least we have cake.

2. when needles attack
   Nurse hunts for shy vein.
   Don’t make me watch don’t make me–
   I’m … going … to … faint.

3. on the menu
   Sparkling wine, chatter,
   various dead plants, creatures.
   It’s what’s for dinner.

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Whether it’s a (fictional) neighborhood bar in Boston or a gay bar in rural Mississippi, sometimes you wanna go where everybody knows your name.

That’s the refrain of “Small Town Gay Bar,” a documentary that premiered in January at Sundance. The film looks at such bars past and present, and the colorful characters who frequent these joints. Heart and humor carry the story, as we witness the challenges from indifferent — and often intolerant — Southern communities.

The movie kicked off Birmingham Shout Friday night to a sold-out house at WorkPlay.

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Art all around: Went down to Linn Park earlier today to check out the happenings at the 23rd annual ONB Magic City Art Connection. The weather is great today, but could be rainy late Saturday and all day Sunday. This free festival runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and offers plenty of choices for art, children’s activities, food vendors and musical entertainment, Also, Corks and Chefs takes place from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, offering a sampling of Birmingham’s finest cuisine for $30. Embrace the art, even if you can’t afford it all.
• ONB Magic City Art Connection

Treasures in their attics: Looking for a bargain? How about 100,000 of them? The Junior League of Birmingham is having its annual Bargain Carousel fund-raiser, a self-proclaimed “1,000-family garage sale,” at 3500 Sixth Ave. S. on Southside. It’s $5 to enter from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, and free from then on, till 4 p.m. Saturday and from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, when all items are half-price. Proceeds go to the league’s work on 37 community projects with nonprofit organizations around town. If someone sees a nice set of potholders, grab 'em for us.
• Bargain Carousel

Gentlemen, start your inching: If pretty paintings and second-hand cribs seem, well, rather subdued, head east to Talladega. It’s race weekend, with the Aaron’s 312 on Saturday and the Aaron’s 499 on Sunday. (When it gets to the Aaron’s 672 … sell!) It may be guts and gunning it that win races, but the science of cheating and/or fine-tuning can give a driver enough of an edge to claim victory. That’s why our Chevy Impala has rear spoilers and trick shock absorbers.
• Keeping ’em honest [Birmingham News]

Also:

• Stranded senior citizens hitchhike to bingo hall, tattoo parlor
• New supermarket attracts the hungry, the coupon clippers, the wanderers
• Next thing you know, it’ll be May, then June

• • •

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Just browsing, thank you.
No, simply looking around.
Eek! Salesman!! Retreat!

• • •

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I put my thing down, flip it and reverse it: The state jobless rate is at an all-time low. Officials and experts credit a growing economy and the automotive industry. In Jefferson County and Birmingham-Hoover, rates fell to 3.3 and 3.1 percent, with restaurants leading the way with 800 new jobs. Good news for job seekers, bad news for companies trying to fill positions.
• Alabama jobless rate falls [Montgomery Advertiser]

Putting along: It’s always been known as the Bruno’s Memorial Classic, a senior pro golf tournament and charity event, and it’s always been at Greystone. Next week, the Regions Charity Classic takes over in the 15th year, and it’ll be at Renaissance Ross Bridge Golf Resort and Spa. The tournament has raised millions for area charities and claims a $20 million economic boost to the metro area. Plus, Chi Chi.
• Regions, Ross Bridge lay claim to golf classic [Birmingham Business Journal]

Setting Stages: The lineup is mostly set for City Stages 2006. Hip-hop is out, and reggae is in as Sean Paul headlines the Saturday night bill on the Miller Lite Stage. Also announced: Trapt, Shinedown, Herman’s Hermits and the Grassroots. They join previously announced acts Allman Brothers Band, Cameo, Morris Day and the Time, John Hiatt, Los Lonely Boys, Marty Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives, Hank Williams Jr. and Yellowcard. The festival takes place June 16-18 in downtown Birmingham; advance three-day passes are $35 and $40 starting May 12.

• The Strokes plays a benefit concert May 23 at Sloss Furnaces, the same night a certain Birmingham singer may be competing in the final two for the “American Idol” crown.
• City Stages’ newest competitor? Bonnaroo.

• Reggae star Sean Paul joins City Stages lineup [Birmingham News]

Also:

• Pension fund turns out to be Confederate money, coupons for hugs
• Birthday celebration left to complete chance
• We don’t know what to make of condo fever, either

• • •

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Prison ain’t a picnic. But for those convicts in the gray area of gender identity, hard time becomes harder.

Should transgender felons be put in men’s prison or women’s prison? Should they be matched by their genitals or their gender identities?

Those are a couple of the thorny questions raised in “Cruel and Unusual,” the riveting, sometimes shocking, documentary that examines where transgender individuals fit in, both in and out of prison.

The film is part of the Birmingham Shout lineup for Saturday.

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Festival season is upon us. The newest of the spring crop is Birmingham Shout, a two-day showcase of films with gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender themes. So far, so good: Friday’s opening night film/party is already sold out, and Saturday’s lineup looks intriguing.

What can you expect? Dramas, documentaries and dancing. And likely, a few surprises.

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You would be amazed
at the world out there if you
just open your (blank).

• • •

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The flavors of hip-hop continue to multiply. Old school, Dirty South, gangsta rap, crunk, East Coast, West Coast, hardcore, trip-hop.

And now, homo-hop.

The 2005 documentary “Pick Up the Mic” attempts to put down queer stereotypes (gays can be rappers, too!) while introducing various pioneers of the form. While steady in its all-inclusive approach, the film feels almost quaint in presenting another look at Artists Who Happen to Be Gay and Who May or May Not Want Their Orientation to Color Their Message.

It’s part of Saturday’s lineup at the inaugural Birmingham Shout film festival.

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Grumbling tummy calls
for food. Now. But it’s hours
until I can gorge.

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Springtime, and a young Idol finalist’s fancy turns to love songs. Gushy singer Andrea Bocelli and gushy songwriter David Foster were there to help put the six finalists in the mood. Did Birmingham’s Taylor Hicks feel the love?

Recap after the jump …

Updated with video, elimination.

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You done me wrong, yet
it’s up to me to forgive.
My struggle, my life.

• • •

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Red state mutiny: When the Blue States are mad, who cares? But when the reddest of the Red States is unhappy, look out. A majority of Alabamians surveyed said the war in Iraq isn’t worth it, according to the latest survey by the Alabama Education Association’s Capital Survey Research Center. The results: 51 percent said no, while nearly 40 percent said yes, with a margin of error of 3.5 percentage points. Previous surveys showed declining support for the war, but this survey is the first with a majority against the current military action. But then, it’s never been about public opinion, has it?
• Statewide poll finds disfavor with Iraq war [Birmingham News]

Bang for your bucks: What’s the price of an eye? Or for 21 operations? If you’re Emily Lyons, the nurse who was nearly killed in the 1998 bombing of the New Woman All Woman clinic on Birmingham’s Southside, it’s 57 bucks and change. Although convicted bomber Eric Rudolph was ordered to pay $2.3 million in restitution among all of his bombing victims, the reality is serial murder just doesn’t pay like it used to. Mrs. Lyons, may we suggest running for county commission?
• Bombing victims get pittance from Eric Rudolph year after plea [Associated Press]

Matthew! 22! 15! Hut hut hike!: WWJD? He’d call for a wide right for a short gain to make the first down. Or, he’d simply market himself on “pro” football jerseys. A North Carolina newspaper columnist has taken issue with the Birmingham Steeldogs upcoming Faith Night, or more specifically, jerseys with Scripture references from Birmingham-based Christian Throwbacks. Rob Daniels writes: “We have suspected it all along, and now it has been confirmed: The Birmingham Steeldogs are God’s Team.” Pretty funny, until you realize Daniels will burn in hell for all eternity. All for mocking our deep abiding faith in football God.
• Rob Daniels: Religious jerseys fit poorly in pro games [Greensboro (N.C.) News & Record.com]

Freedom from speech: An Alabama self-described peace activist has been receiving death threats for her online movies (more like slideshows) with anti-Bush or anti-war-in-Iraq themes. Ava Lowery has made more than 70 movies for her site, Peace Takes Courage, including one movie called “WWJD?” that she submitted for the Huffington Post Contagious Festival film contest. Among the e-mailed accolades she received: “It’s people like you who need to fucking die and get raped while your corpse rots in the sun.” Did we mention she’s 15? Nice.
• Animation Producer Gets Ugly Slurs [The Progressive]

Also:

• Developer eyes bunny sanctuary for garden homes, strip club
• Gardendale movie theater expected to show only family-friendly fare, fold by year’s end
• In case of auditor, seek tax shelter in basement in Bahamas

• • •

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Please, please tell the tale
(one we’ve heard a million times)
while we drift to sleep.

• • •

Read more haiku.