You probably haven't met too many people from Kentucky. That's because most of us aren't real big on goin' anywhere... that's partly because it's soooo beautiful there we just don't see the use in wanderin' off all over the place where it just won't smell right, the people won't be as friendly, and the pace won't be as sensible. But there're other reasons why most of us stay pretty close to home. Those other reasons are why I left.

First place I headed for was the bush of Alaska. I had just turned 17. Getting there was an adventure in itself. Once I was there I felt the most at home I had ever felt in my life.

Hunting, trapping, canoeing the Yukon River, dog sledding by the full moon. I slept on beaver skins, made baskets out of birch bark, learned to tell time by the stars. I saw energy shoot out the top of trees, experienced the unforgettable northern lights, heard the voices of people I could feel but I couldn't quite see. My first winter was spent with two men in a cabin they had built of spruce trees with birch poles and sod for a roof, ninety miles from the nearest village. Ahh, its hard to set aside my Alaska memories once they've started flowing...

I was always one to prefer working and living with other people. To me it's more meaningful that way. I know it can be more aggravating and painful, even nightmarish. But I keep believing it's the basic element to my whole existence here. And it's been my nightmares that have woken me up. Then there's the pleasures and fulfillment of relating to others that keeps me going and keeps me opening again and again. My relationships with my children is where this has been the most profound.

This instinct to connect with others led me to California to live in a cooperative community. In 1981 my second child was born, just six weeks after arriving at the small community near the coast in Sonoma County, where we lived for the next five years, often visiting a sister community here in the foothills. It was a 'spiritual community' with monks and nuns, and part of the draw was I figured it would be a safe haven for a young single woman, with two little children, who was needing a break from the woes of romance. Turns out the monks found a pretty young woman mothering her babies just as appealing as men out in the big world. So life didn't become as simple as I had hoped. I'll have to say, those monks were awful sweet.

In '86 we moved to the sister community in the foothills full time. If you could combine Alaska with Kentucky you'd get something like Nevada County. Perfect!

The goin's on of now--I live with my four children in our very simple, yet very cozy home. We share our land with good friends, which includes dogs, cats, horses, neighbors and goats as well as travelers from around this amazing world--all of us sharing music, stories, work, school, play, celebrations, breakups, breakdowns...you know, regular daily life events. All that stuff that creates what I was talking about earlier...connection.

And that's exactly where radio fits in with who I am. When I'm allowed to get on those airwaves I'm reaching for you, I'm seeking connection or seeking to connect you to someone, something, some music that will be just right for you, just what you were needing at that time. I still hold back a lot on radio. I'm scared of what might happen if I don't. But my best moments are when I'm not holding back...and I believe the quality of my presence on radio will improve when I go to a deeper level of being with you...one moment at a time...setting aside past and future. Ya'll will be the first to know when it happens.

Sunday morning 7-9 is such a sweet time to do radio--lots of freedom musically--I don't have to talk much, and alternating with Allison Miller means neither of us has to get up early every Sunday morning. I'm also in the Women's Show rotation, which airs on Monday evenings 8-10. My week is Turn Your Nipples to the Sun. Substituting really rounds out my radio experience, allowing more variety of music and content. I'm a big fan of live music, spoken word and spontaneity on air.

My feeling regarding the direction of KVMR is that for the most part I'm happy. I feel protective of the small community vibe of the station even though our listenership has expanded and includes many urban listeners. I believe those listeners were drawn to KVMR for the rural, slower-paced, real people connection. They're not looking for more of what's all around them and those of us who live locally aren't looking to our radio station to connect us to the urban pace or frequency. Let's continue improving.... but lets not get too slick. O.K?