What my Facebook Friends Bring to the Table

I’m a pretty lucky guy in so many ways, but none more important than in the riches my Facebook friends—many of whom I’ve never met face-to-face, and many others who are old friends who share memories that go back a half a century or more—bring to my life.

How lucky am I? Well, let’s look at the span of your gifts, talents, and skills: 

There is a copywriter who is also a wonderful artist; there are actors and actresses and network television personalities (why they agreed to friend me I’ll never know, but I’m not knocking it); singers (I’m blessed with three of Country and Bluegrass’s best); world-class, Pulitzer-Prize-winning photographers whose work you’ve seen in Life, Time, Newsweek, National Geographic, the Post and many, many more pubs (I only aspire to reach their feet on their pedestals). There are writers and editors; mentors; models; executives; nurses; doctors; surgeons (yes, I know they are doctors, but they love to be called surgeons); and humanitarians. 

There are country folk who charm me with their beautiful mountaintop photography, and city-dwellers who actually understand how the NY subway system works. There are guitarists; community volunteers; audiobook narrators with incredible voices; great moms, super dads, nieces, and nephews; former government leaders; federal employees (who deserve every penny they get, and more recognition, too); dog lovers, cat lovers and bird lovers; one sheriff (but he’s a great one) and several federal law enforcement officers; retirees living the Parrot Head life; politicians (there are friend-worthy species of those, really); lobbyists (c’mon, it’s Washington for goodness sake). 

There are newspaper reporters and columnists (many of whom I’ve had the chance to voice when I record the Post for the Metropolitan Washington Ear); a Nashville record producer; audiobook producers and engineers who helped me launch the Dungeon studio; grade school and high school teachers; an Olympic long-distance runner; a biostatistician (still haven’t figured out exactly what he does, but he’s my son-in-law so I’d best get with the program); Cold War, Vietnam, and First Gulf War veterans, and veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan (can never have enough of any of those, for sure). 

There are also many military brats with whom I grew up and still share that unique bond. There are wounded warriors who I had the honor to photograph as they competed in the first Invictus Games in London, and whose courage in competition and in uniform sets a very high bar for the rest of us. There are Harley riders, serious-weapons collectors, artists, jewelry makers, a medium (but she knew I was going to put her in the list), a family of Aussies, including one notable U.S. transplant who, along with the beautiful Aleesha, helped increase Oz’s population by one amazing Arlo. 

There are passionate anti-nuke activists and advocates for our planet’s health; there are activists for veterans, animals, and freedom of speech. There are lawyers, a former spy (I can’t tell you who he/she is, but he/she is waaaay cool), a couple of college professors, a world-class economist, a woman who ran the best damn restaurant in Washington (and whose life story would make an amazing book), a Motion Picture Academy archivist, friends and classmates from the 60s who continue to do wonderful things with their lives and families, a Chihuahua breeder, a beautiful wife, three amazing children…whew, that is not a complete list, but you get the picture. 

My FB friends represent a broad span of religions (or not, as they choose), political viewpoints (a wide range in this category), a rainbow of races and sexual orientations, ages, educations, locations, economic standing. There are friends who have been married for 50+ years and others who are just getting started or who are about to walk down the aisle. There are cancer survivors, and those whose lives have been deeply touched by loss, and those who work hard to find cures. There are friends who believe that public service is a public trust (we need more of them). There are friends who seem to live just to brighten up the world around them (and you do).

But most of all, you are friends who decided to join me in Facebook, no coercion needed. By simply agreeing to be a part of my life in this oft-times wacky medium, you have enriched me more than you know—all of you have. 

We may have disagreed on many things, but we always returned to our core friendship.

I leave you with something I posted yesterday as a caption to the picture of a lone beach jogger looking out at a stormy Atlantic Ocean:

“Once in a while, give yourself over to the power of something much bigger than yourself. That doesn't mean you can't enjoy it, or wonder at it, or even be a bit fearful of it. It just means there are things in this world over which we simply have no control, but which may reveal themselves to have meaning in, or to, our lives. So open your mind to the experience, and let it carry you along for the ride.”

You’re a good bunch, and I wish you a Merry Christmas, (or the holiday of your choice), and a joyous and successful New Year.

Your very lucky friend, Jim.

Give the Gift Of Your Voice: It's A Gift That Will Keep On Giving

As Christmas and all the related holidays approach, and we sort through lists of needs and wants for ourselves and our friends, family, colleagues and others, I offer up a particular need that many of my DC-area friends may be able to fulfill with little more than a drive across town, or a few hours from your home. It is also a gift that can be made possible from any place in the country.

Learning Ally, https://www.learningally.org/, provides an audiobook service to students with dyslexia and other learning disabilities, through the services of volunteer audiobook readers around the country. I've been a reader for Learning Ally for several years, and, as someone who lost his vision for nearly a year when I was a boy, I appreciate the wonderful sound of someone reading a book aloud to make the unseen, or difficult-to-see world of words come alive.

Dyslexia robs a person of the pure pleasure of reading by imposing restraining bonds of frustration and feelings of failure. I've seen that in my own family, and it is a terrible burden on the dyslexic who is desperate to break what seems to be an unbreakable code. It not only affects the dyslexic, it influences their families, their teachers, their employers.

Through Learning Ally, books of all kinds--textbooks, children's books, historic novels, biographies, adventures, technical books, foreign language books, books, books, books--are read by volunteers whose work benefits dyslexics and other persons strapped with a learning disability, by providing them the ability to finally understanding and comprehend a vast library of written material previously locked away.

You, my blog friends, and particularly those of you who already have a home recording studio or similarly quiet space suitable for narration tasks (listen up, Listen 2 a Book readers), can be a part of Learning Ally's "Virtual Studio" and give a wonderful gift to students of all ages, and to anyone with dyslexia or a learning/reading disability. If you would like more information, or if you want to sign up, please send me a note at jim@audiobymoore.com,  and I will give you the email address of the Learning Ally producer here in Washington. He would love to talk to you.