What Happened Willie

Each night before I go to sleep, I take my iPhone and run through the videos on YouTube and make some selections of songs that please me--, happy, sad, thoughtful or funny.  Last night, it was Willie Nelson. I've always loved Willie. He is so very much his own man and that's rare.  But as I was scrolling, his bio popped up and I realized he is almost 80 years old. What happened Willie?.How can that be? When did you get old? But better old than dead, anyone would agree.

You have all seen me write of "one of those nights when I have the heebie jeebies." It's because I know death will come for me when I am sleeping. When I explained that to Ray Charles one day he said, "So if you stay awake all night, what's that gonna get you? You gonna argue with whoever it is who comes to collect your soul?" I said, "Oh, yes. I can talk my way out of most things so I want to be awake to give it a try." Silly, I know, but I like to think I might have a chance of talking myself into having a few more years.

Not so for some of my friends. This past week, that Phantom has been collecting souls of people I know,five of them. I keep running up to anyone I know who is in their 70s or 80s because this age bracket seems to be riding the top of the list. Suddenly solitary me wants to be with the people I like and love. When thinking about that I started to clearly realize what a giant list that is. When I was little, nobody much lived past 70, I don't think. But this week, three of the guys who left us were in their 70s, two were younger, a little.   So if I run into Willie anywhere, I will be sure to hug him and hope he stays "On the Road Again." filling the need for music for Ruth Adkins Robinson.

Judge, I couldn't Help Myself

I had to drive an hour from my house to the Malibu Courthouse for an arraignment after receiving a notice that I owed 900.00 to the city of Los Angeles. Horrified, I decided I had to go fight this since I am innocent, well sort of. I'd been pulled over by the Highway Patrol last October who told me I had no license tags.  I pulled out my registration and said "I do so"  According to her, someone had stolen my tags and I had to replace them. I was outraged. I had to pay more money for what I had already paid? Sucks. Anyway, I drove to Malibu rehearsing what I was going to say to the Judge, once there.  I got there on time, but had to sit through a dozen cases, since my name begins with "R". When the bailiff called one person and the judge asked how did he plead, he said guilty. The Judge said you are charged with going 91mph in a 65 mph zone. :What Happened?" The guy said "Judge I couldn't help myself. " explaining that he had been wanting this certain car since he was 16 and now that he had it, he just had to drive it fast."  What kind of car?  A Corvette. Everybody in the courtroom laughed and the judge sort of smiled to himself.  I understand.The Corvette is a magic car, built in my homestate of Kentucky. I have a childhood friend named Phil Hibbs who collects and shows Corvettes.  He has so many trophies, he could build another house just for them.  Then the Judge dismissed the charges against the driver with instructions on where to go to drive fast in it. So, the moment was past and I was still terrified and what was going to happen when my name was called. It came and the judge smiled at me and dismissed the ticket charges against Ruth Adkins Robinson.

Normal Normal, Who's Got the Normal

Looking on the top part of the page here, I see a box marked Normal. Not for the first time, the question crossed my mind "Who determines normal?"  Me, I have never, ever thought being normal was a good thing --just a boring thing.  Somewhere in the range of safe and hiding from the excitement the world has to offer.  Probably I thought that since nobody has ever accused me of being 'normal'  I am way extreme in everything I've ever done. It's not normal for a teenager to race halfway across the world with no resources except her brain.  Believe me --from Kentucky to California is more than halfway across the world both in geographical  and sociological dimensions. Nothing after that was ever what you would call 'normal,' and so somehow I became Ruth Adkins Robinson.

A Triumphant Life

After a nightmarish childhood, My adult life has been glorious and a triumphant gift.  I have been to a hundred countries visited every continent at least once or twice, danced with kings, dined with presidents been recognized and rewarded for my work, earned a shameful amount of money for writing 22 minutes of television and written over 200 hours of TV.   I have filmed under the Arc d’ Triomph, been in dozens of museums around the world including Napoleon’s Museum in Paris, shopped in Cairo’s Souk and along Tokyo’s Ginza,  rode camels and elephants, stood in the shadow of the great Pyramids of Giza, felt at home riding the Bulllet Train all over Japan and slow-poke trains all over Europe and the US. I’ve lived on two Caribbean Islands. Was loved by the Genius for 28 years and my other musician soul mate for 35, been thrilled with the exploits of my children who constantly amaze me with their gifts, beauty and generosity. I treasure my Buddhism, shakabuku’d  me by Herbie Hancock.  There are many miles, many sites and many sights left to go before my loved ones take my ashes on the road between Nice and Cannes and let go free the remains of Ruth Adkins Robinson.

my family at my museum

Money, Coin, Ducats, Dollars?

Life is Funny, so they say

Well, it's true. But reality is very different that such platitudes. Life for everybody was  difficult in 2012. The people I know WITH money are hurting. People like me -- ugh. I like to say that I wish I had the money I had in 2011 when I said I was broke. But hanging onto my beliefs that this year we are in right now is the Magic Year for me, the phone keeps ringing with offers. Yesterday alone, I spoke to Tokyo, South Africa, Miami, New York and the Valley. Today I got another call from New York that is job related. So it looks like I will be flying all over the globe as in the golden, olden days, writing at warp speed (thank goodness for my Hollywood Reporter training that required a front page story every day by 3 o'clock, drunk or not). I have been to all these places before, except South Africa and I can't wait to go again and for the first time. The last time I was scheduled to go to South Africa, I was in an automobile accident by LAX. So happy to get another chance...is Ruth Adkins Robinson

Very Kind Words

Beautiful Rick

Writers like me, often think since we generally labor alone that attention is seldom paid to what we do.  Today an Executive in Charge of Production that I've worked with several times posted this recommendation.  I can only say thanks to Rick for this inspiring recommendation that came to me on a day when I was feeling a bit down. You brought a lump to my throat.

"Ruth's command of the written word paired with her ability to tell a story (or help others tell stories) with poetic grace make her one of the most elegant and sophisticated Writers I have worked with. She is a creative genius with a humble and understated presence that has tremendous respect for humanity as a whole."

Beautiful words from Beautiful Ricky for Ruth Adkins Robinson

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Weighing in on the Gun Thing

I was stunned at the fool who suggested that the heroic principal should have been able to pull out her own assault weapon and kill the crazy before he killed her and all the babies and staff.  What are these people thinking??  Of course an inanimate object can't kill anyone unless some person pulls the trigger, but isn't that the point. Who is listening to parents, teachers, any authority figure?  I am from Kentucky, there were guns in every closet. As bad tempered and crazy as I am, it never crossed my mind to take one of the guns out and shoot anybody.  And damn it, I knew a lot of people who could have used a good shot to the head at blood spattering range. Yet I don't ever remember being told not to touch the rifles and shotguns, it was just in the air.  Guess the air is different now.  Children seem to think its ok to take anything of their parents they want, or put poison in the milkshakes if the parent was too strict (like wanting the little nut job to stay off her computer when she wasn't supposed to be on a computer). Gun Violence is a part of daily life that didn't exist when I was a kid and the only thing I can think to do is to get better in touch with members of your family, reach out to your communities and try to give as much care, comfort and love you can to everyone you meet.  Difficult? but not as difficult as looking at the very small, heartbreaking caskets of the babies who died. Ok, so it's rant time from Ruth Adkins Robinson