40-Year-Old Virgin? Hardly.

I'm calling it a severe case of mistaken identity.

Otherwise, I may never leave the house again.

On Saturday evening, my wife and I made dinner plans at the new Ruby T restaurant in downtown Maryville, Tenn., with some good friends of ours.

(If you haven't heard of Ruby T, it's operated by the folks who own the Ruby Tuesday chain, and it's located down the street from the company's headquarters. Great atmosphere and food!)
I go inside, and the hostess promptly seats me at a table for four. We're a bit early, so my wife stays outside, sending birthday greetings to her dad via cell phone. Our friends are on their way.

I read through the menu two or three times to pass the time, then I notice a pretty blonde teen-aged girl giving me the once-over as she pulls out a tube of lip gloss for an after-dinner touch-up.

She's at a booth about 10 feet away with two women (probably my age) and what looks to be two younger brothers.

"That guy's been sitting at a table all by himself for at least 10 minutes," she says, not thinking I can hear.

Her comment prompts the two women to turn around and look directly at me. I glance away.

Then came the kicker.

"He looks like that '40-year-old virgin' guy from the movie!" she adds.

I fell asleep when my wife rented the movie, but I stayed awake long enough to know that I don't look like the main character. Or at least I thought 'til now.

My ego sufficiently wounded, I got up and walked past the teen's table in search of my wife and our friends. After all, there's safety in numbers.

40-year-old virgin?

At least she's half right.

I am 40.

Dolly Does It Again

Last week I attended a media event at Dollywood where Dolly Parton launched the popular theme park's new National Music and Harvest Celebration.

The special event continues through Oct. 29 with daily concerts (free with regular park admission) and other activities recognizing mountain heritage. Performers include Pam Tillis, Richochet and John Anderson as well as Dollywood alumnae Julie Roberts and Jessi Alexander.

It's always a treat to see Dolly in person. She shared the stage with bluegrass great Rhonda Vincent and Vincent's band, The Rage, and the Fairfield Four, an African-American gospel group from Nashville.

At one point, Dolly urged Vincent to sing her version of "Jolene." "I don't know, Dolly," Vincent said. "That's a lot of pressure."

"I've been singin' it for 100 years, so everybody already knows my version of it," Dolly quickly replied.

Dolly then sang backup for Vincent on the song before a capacity crowd in Dollywood's largest theater.

Dolly averages two meet-and-greet events with the media at the park each season.

This time, she talked about her upcoming album (to be released Oct. 11), new things planned for Dollywood in 2006, and a recent 100,000-book donation from her Imagination Library to children affected by Hurricane Katrina.

Dolly also answered several questions from reporters in attendance. Here's a few highlights:

+ On her favorite duet partner: "I've enjoyed all of my duet singing partners. I will say that (Sylvester) Stallone was the worst singer but he had the prettiest body!"

+ On a recent tabloid rumor that she's about to divorce her husband, Carl: "It's not true. We've been together for 42 years, and Lord I'd hate to have to break in a new one."

+ On her Imagination Library, which started in her native Sevier County, Tenn., and has now awarded more than 2 million books to children: "I've become known as the book lady."

+ On her career longevity and success: "I'm really proud of everything I've been able to accomplish. I feel very fortunate, and I thank God every day for what I have."

Fundraiser in Tracy City, Tenn.

Marilyn Nixon, editor of The Cumberland View newspaper, kindly passed along the following information about a fundraiser benefitting the Appalachian Women's Guild Family Center in Tracy City, Tenn.

WHAT: 8th annual Barefoot Boy Auction & Fundraiser

WHEN: Saturday, August 6, 2005

TIME: From 10 a.m. until the last item is sold

It will be a day filled with karaoke, arts & crafts, fun, food, gospel, country and bluegrass music. The highlight of the event is the auction, which is held for a great reason -- underprivileged children.

Funds raised at this annual event are used to provide unprivileged children with new school supplies, shoes and clothing they would not be able to purchase otherwise and partial-sponsorships to activities such as summer camps, art camps and sport camps.

Come join the fun!  Call (931) 592-8558 or e-mail womensguild@blomand.net for more information about the festival & auction.

Death and Marriage Records

Readers of See-Tennessee.com often write us with questions regarding original birth, death and marriage certificates.

Here is the information we found at the State of Tennessee's official Web site. Hopefully it will be helpful to those who are in need of such vital records. There is a contact phone number and mailing address at the end of this post.

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The Tennessee Office of Vital Records registers and maintains the original certificates of births, deaths, marriages and divorces that occur in Tennessee.

Certified copies of the original records are available to the person named on the record and to certain family members or legal representatives.

Vital Records requires identification for all requests for birth and death records. A photocopy of a government issued form of identification, which includes the requestor's signature, must accompany all requests.

Fees include a search of the records for the year before and the year after the event date you provide. If, after searching three years of records, the requested certificate cannot be located, you will be sent a letter certifying that no record was found. The fee will not be refunded because it is charged for the search of the records.

Records are available beginning with January 1914 births. Records of some births that occurred in the major cities from 1881-1913 are also available. A certified photocopy of the original record may be obtained at a fee of $12 for the first copy and $4 for each additional copy of the same record requested at the same time.

For persons born from 1949 to the present, a certified copy produced by computer is also available at a fee of $7 for the first copy and $4 for each additional copy of the same record requested at the same time.

Both types of copies (photocopy and computer produced) are certified and include a raised, embossed seal.

Marriage and divorce records are available for the past 50 years (beginning with January 1, 1953), at a fee of $12 for the first copy and $4 for each additional copy of the same record requested at the same time.

Death records are available for the past 50 years (beginning with January 1, 1953, deaths). The fee is $7 per certified copy. The cause of death is not normally included on a certified copy unless specifically requested and then is available only to certain family members or legal representatives.

Some earlier birth and death records are available at the Tennessee State Library and Archives. Early Tennessee county records including marriages can also be obtained from the state library.

Most information from Tennessee births, deaths, marriages, and divorces is public information. Requests for the public information should be made in writing to the Vital Records office.

You must provide enough information so that our staff can locate the record for which you want the public information.

The fee is $12 per record per year searched.

This fee is charged for the search for the record and is not refunded even if no record is found. The Vital Records Office keeps birth records for 100 years and keeps death, marriage, and divorce records for 50 years; after that time, the records are sent to the Tennessee State Library and Archives for public access and family research.

Cause of death is not public information and is not released except to immediate family members or their legal representatives for certain reasons as specified by state law.

You may simply make your request by providing the Office of Vital Records with:

+ the type of certificate (birth, death, marriage or divorce) being requested

+ the name(s) on the record

+ the date of the event

+ the city or county where the event occurred

+ for births, the mother's maiden name and the father's name

+ the number of copies you want

+ a check or money order made payable to Tennessee Vital Records

+ your signature and relationship to the person named on the record

+ a photocopy of a government issued form of identification which includes the signature of the
requestor (for birth and death requests)

+ the address to which the copy should be mailed

+ a daytime telephone number

Tennessee Vital Records
Central Services Building
1st Floor
421 5th Avenue North
Nashville, Tennessee 37247

Phone: (615) 741-1763
Fax: (615) 741-9860

Fall Colors

Now that it's fall (at least that's what the calendar tells me), I thought I'd share portions of an article that appeared in USA Today on Sept. 3.

The article was titled, "Map a course for alternative autumn color," and it suggested five brilliant alternatives for foliage viewing.

Here's what USA Today writer Jayne Clark said about Tennessee's often overlooked Upper Cumberland region:


WHERE AND WHEN

From Cookeville (an hour east of Nashville), take Highway 135 south toward Burgess Falls State Natural Area, then head south on Route 136 to Walling.

Highway 287 leads toward Rock Island State Park, then go north on Route 56 through Smithville and back to Cookeville via I-40. Peak color is expected the second to third week of October.


WHY

Spectacular scenery marked by sheer bluffs, narrow ridges and waterfalls, and thick woodlands that present what locals call "a patchwork quilt of color."


OTHER DIVERSIONS

The grounds and galleries at the Appalachian Center for Crafts in Smithville; hiking, fishing and kayaking in Rock Island State Park; one-of-a-kind shops in Sparta.


STAY AT

The idyllically set Inn at Evins Mill in Smithville, $190-235 includes breakfast and dinner. (evinsmill.com)


EAT AT
The riverside Foglight Foodhouse in Walling (dinner only).


INFORMATION

Upper Cumberland: http://www.uppercumberland.org

State color forecast line runs Sept. 27 - Nov. 30. Call (800) 697-4200.


Do any of you have another area of Tennessee to recommend for fall color viewing? If so, please share with See-Tennessee.com.

Hope to see you along the roadways this fall!

Rock 'n' Roll Turns 50

Thanks for stumbling across my inaugural posting on the new See-Tennessee.com Blog.

Today was one of those sizzlin' hot days that Memphis is known for. It was also sizzlin' hot at Sun Studio where noted Memphis musicians Justin Timberlake, Isaac Hayes, Sam "the Sham" Samudio, Elvis bandmates Scotty Moore and DJ Fontana and others celebrated the 50th Anniversary of Rock 'n Roll.

The all-day celebration kicked off at 11 a.m. when Moore hit a button inside Sun to start a simultaneous global playing of "That's All Right," the song Elvis recorded 50 years ago today. It supposedly set a world-record for the largest playing of a song at the same moment.

Hundreds of music fans turned out for the event and for a chance to see Moore (one of Rolling Stone's 50 top guitarists in history) and Fontana (drummer) on stage again. Elvis sing-alike Ronnie McDowell sang "That's All Right" and several other of the King's songs with this reunion band.

Sam the Sham took the stage next and entertained the crowd with his over-the-top chatter and '60s hit, "Wooly Bully."

The 90-degree heat soon sent me back indoors for AC, but it was great to experience this "global moment in time" with these music legends.

Others I noticed at the celebration were Billy "I Can Help" Swan, Stan Perkins (Carl's son), Jerry Phillips (Sam's son), Bill Black's family and NASCAR driver Bill Elliott, who will drive the No. 9 Elvis Presley "He Dared to Rock" Dodge at the Sam's Town "He Dared to Rock" 250 benefitting St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Oct. 23 at Memphis Motorsports Park.

Did any of you attend the celebration? If so, I'd love to get your thoughts on the event.