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GAmere's avatar

We first discovered your writing in a magazine when we built a vacation home in SRB. We have laughed (your tomato sandwich had me crying!) and we have teared up. We figured out how to “subscribe” and look forward to every essay. You are so gifted, Sean, and we feel so blessed to have discovered you! Thank you for sharing your gift!

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Kathy's avatar

I am blessed to to have found you too!

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Terri's avatar

I agree! I live in Seagrove and I first met him at Simple Faith church, years and years ago. He is a blessing!

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Zelda Nichols's avatar

Seagrove NC? I love it there and have potter friends. If you know Pam and William of Uwharrie Crystalline Pottery please tell them Zelda sends her love.

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Terri's avatar

No, I’m sorry, Seagrove Florida, around where Sean grew up.

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Cindy Gallop's avatar

I LOVE THIS!!! So reflective of your 10 years sharing the world….for me….often your creative thoughts are my daily devotion/fuel in my tank to start the day…..sometimes I laugh out loud/did so on this one, several times! More than not, I learn something….even spend time researching stuff, like gophers, tomatoes, interesting books, places, new words, etc …..Have met so many people here and enjoy their comments and insights…..I miss people on this “Sean of the South” when they don’t respond for a while….even worry about them……like you dear writer, the angel stories connect us to a higher realm….and yes, we are all God’s kids! I’ve not been on your entire 10 year writing journey….but my couple of years, or so, onboard have been better than Duke’s Mayonnaise!!!!! With all my heart ♥️ thank you!

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Anne-Lise's avatar

I so often enjoy your comments, Cindy, and this one was the best yet! Thank you 💕!

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Shelly (from the Burgh)'s avatar

Agreed!

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Jan LeMaster's avatar

Love this and love all your work in addition to learning to love you more every day! Your heart is so beautiful and so big that you take us all in.

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Judy Glazik's avatar

I so agree, Janice

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Kathy's avatar

Love this, love your work love you more everyday love your heart!!

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Dolores's avatar

Journaling. They, whoever they are, say should everyone should do it. Google benefits of journaling for mental health and you’ll find twenty-one reasons listed. The snafu is topics and ideas vanish when you’re staring at a blank page. Enter Sean of the South.

Thank you for giving us all a jumping off point every day. For shedding light on what’s good. For laughter. For encouragement. The responses are just as wonderful.

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Cheryl Chastain's avatar

A trick that I learned from the magnificent Lynda Barry: Before you write for the day, choose a song. As the song plays, draw a quick self portrait. Then you will be ready to write.

It does not matter how you depict yourself, skill or accuracy or any of those tensions. Listen to your song and sketch yourself for the length of the song. Have fun with it.

I use index cards for this exercise, and tape the cards into my journal.

What you write next is completely irrelevant; stream of consciousness is fine.

This is just for yourself at this stage. Don't criticize or over analyze. Some time later, when you read back over your entries, something will pop up and you will want to focus on that idea more. Make it a habit, relax and have fun with it.

I love looking back and seeing myself depicted as a Chicken, or a Frog, or Dead.

Best work to you, now get crackin'.

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Cheryl Chastain's avatar

Today's song sketch was The Sky Is Crying, performed by the Allman Brothers Band, Featuring Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks. 11 minutes.

I then wrote about some people causing me to miss my chance to see Stevie Ray with BB King, and how I will always regret not walking away from them and into the Fox Theater in Atlanta that Summer night in 1988.

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Alice Martin's avatar

Cheryl, you sound like a fellow Georgian. Oh how I remember hearing the Allman Brothers playing to promote Jimmy Carter to the Presidency! (Jimmy is still my favorite, Barack is second.) And the Fabulous Fox…great times, indeed!

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Cheryl Chastain's avatar

I first heard ABB when I was 11, in 1969.

Piedmont Park.

Also, Carter was my first vote. I still live in GA, my feet firmly in our sticky red clay.

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Alice Martin's avatar

My first hearing was in a Macon park where they were playing for free…I was probably the same age! I wasn’t old enough to vote for Jimmy, but I did vote for him in ‘80. I lived in Warner Robins, a few miles south of Macon. Family friends bought the Allman Brothers’ house after they left, and I spent several nights there as a teenager. Oh, so many ABB memories!❤️

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Cindy Gallop's avatar

Indeed…..I always look for your comments….

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Shelly (from the Burgh)'s avatar

I do as well!

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Ann Syfert's avatar

Sean, I don't comment often because I couldn't ever top all of the wonderful comments that your friends and fellow fans leave here. Just want to say to you "congratulations" and thank you for helping me through my day every day. I forward your blog to Facebook every day because I want everyone of my friends to love you like I do. I love you, Sean!!! You are a good man, Charlie Brown!!!!!

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Cheryl Chastain's avatar

Speak up, Ann! This is a Troll-Free zone.

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Blessed Life's avatar

So thankful for your daily articles. I'm old, because I don't say blogs or columns. I have read all your books and heard several interviews. You have such a great way of looking at life. You're also a wonderful example of never giving up and showing your readers to look for the good instead of the bad in our life experiences. You are able to relate to we, the everyday people.

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Carla Walrath's avatar

I guess I’ve been reading your work for about five years. They’ve been blessed by your thoughts, conjectures and conclusions. I remember when you told all of us that you wrote a column because that’s what you intended to do: write a column for a newspaper. Since that did not happen, you write columns for internet users. I, for one, am hugely grateful for all your fantastic talents. My favorite is your ability to guide us to the sunny side of life by sharing gratitude and appreciation. You helped me endure the unexpected loss of my beloved husband and look forward into life again. Thank you, Sean.

You are an immeasurable blessing!

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Shelly (from the Burgh)'s avatar

So sorry about the loss of your husband 💕. Hope you’re doing okay

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Holly Lebed's avatar

And you have changed our lives, Sean. It’s a reciprocal relationship. 😍

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Susie S's avatar

Amen to that, Holly.

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Chera DeHoff's avatar

We wouldn't have you any other way. Your bkof, your books, your music, your heart. Thank you for sharing your life with us.

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Chera DeHoff's avatar

...bkof?? Seriously... where is auto correct when you need it? Ha. Spell it with me slowly. B L O G.

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Ernie in River City's avatar

Haaaaaaaaa

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Susie S's avatar

Lol

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Jan(et) Lord's avatar

Congratulations on keeping your dream alive for 10 years. You do know there are a lot of folks who never have contact with friends & family anymore. This means you are their only lifeline. You bring memories, smiles, laughs, & yes tears to their otherwise long days.

God is definitely walking beside you and using you to share His love with others. He is teaching you the way to use the many talents He gave you in a mighty way.

The best way each of us can show others His love is to share & give of ourselves to one another… so keep passing it on!

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Anne-Lise's avatar

I love your insights, Jan(et) and always look forward to them; thank you!! 🙏🏼😊

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NAS's avatar

Jan, awesome comment. I like it 👌

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Ernie in River City's avatar

Happy 10th Anniversary, Mr. OfTheSouth! I am descended from an ancient Irish clan and have a family castle awaiting me, but I need your help. In exchange for your small investment…

I can’t do it. I just want you to know that you have made a lot of lives better over the past decade. Maybe YOU are the angel?

Blessings. Here’s to many, many more! (Imagine me lifting a cold can on non-iceberg to your health.)

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Anne-Lise's avatar

Outstanding, Mr. Ernie, as always!!

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Susie S's avatar

Ernie, Seaner is most definitely our angel on Earth, especially with his tongue-in-cheek humor.

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Shelly (from the Burgh)'s avatar

😂😂

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Darrin's avatar

Ain’t that a coincidence, I grew up getting called white trash too…..

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Skye Fiedler's avatar

I love your writing and look forward to reading them each day. Thought you might be interested in knowing how I found out about you. I'm from Minnesota and a friend who lives in South Africa sent me a couple of your posts. You're internationally renowned. 😀

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Lisa Yelverton's avatar

I found out about you in the good ole ALFA magazine. My husband and I would always look forward to your monthly stories and we would read them to our kids hoping to instill something into those brains!!! It must have helped because they’re both awesome contributing members of society as I had always hoped and prayed!!! Now I look forward to your stories nightly!!! Thank you for being you!!!

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Bert Lee Porter's avatar

Sean...I love it! You are a roller coaster writer. Like you take us up, down, around and through about every human emotion. We just never know what might be around the next corner!

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Cindy Gallop's avatar

True to life……the good….bad….and ugly….

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Paul McCutchen's avatar

I don't remember when I first read your works or heard you play. I do remember enjoying both of them. You are more dedicated to your work than I am. I have trouble with coming up with 50 words but 500 words a day is a lot plus doing it every day. I am on substack but I haven't figured it all out yet.

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Jan(et) Lord's avatar

You are doing a fine job too Paul.

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Matt Ovaska's avatar

What is substack?

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Paul McCutchen's avatar

It is were people can go and read, write or both on a public forum. Sean is there. That is where his blog is located.

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Cindy Gallop's avatar

Neither have I…..figured everything out…..But you are a regular….look forward to reading your thoughts!

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