The Uppity Blues Women - Hungry Woman's Blues

Chorus:

I'm a hungry woman

Feed me like I want to be fed

You can feed my body

But you really got to feed my head

Verse:

I'm hungry like a dog

And like a New York city rat

A school of piranas

Or a venus fly trap

Takes a lot to satisfy me

I'll eat your whole menu

But don't you dare forget

You gotta feed my head too

Chorus

I'm a hungry woman

Feed me like I want to be fed

You can feed my body

But you really got to feed my head

Verse

Feed me chocolate buns

Feed me goose pate

Feed me nuts and honey

And your seafood buffet

Feed me fresh ambrosia

With a whipped cream spread

Make me smack my lips

But don't forget my head

Chorus

Not just flavor in my food

I want some flavor in my life

Your tears for my garlic

Your sugar for my spice

Simmer, bake and boil it

Feed me for my health

Don't want a fast food cook

I need a gourmet chef

These lyrics come from Gaye Todd Adegbalola of "Saffire: The Uppity Blues Women" and a song called "A Hungry Woman's Blues". As I drove home from my writing critique group/class last-night I heard them sing on the blues show . The DJ was doing an hour of all "food songs". You know I loved the theme.

In this song I like the play between mental nourishment and physical satiation. It's one of the things I notice lacking in my relationship with my coworkers. Although there are some bright people there - they're really not - "thinkers". We have a "ranter" or two, but I discount most of what they say because they're only repeating the talking TV heads.

Maybe it's not that my coworkers aren't thinkers - maybe it's more they're not "examiners". We never have conversations (nor would they be interested in conversations) about what drives people or events. What propels human actions. Nor do we have too many philisophical discussions about our industry. In truth, I know they don't love it like I do. It sounds kind of weird - but I'm pretty passionate about the cotton industry. About our history and our future. I love knowing WHY our industry it works the way it does.

For me, it starts with understanding why someone chooses to plant cotton - the source of their operational finances (what type of lender and scope of financing), the methods used to grow the crop (conventional or experimental) - how it's harvested - what equipment they use (ohhh! there's new technology in the harvesting equipment this year!), to processing the cotton, storing it, and selling it. Plus I'm fascinated by the legislation that surrounds our industry. What are the government rules and regulations? Why were they established - what's the goal? Finally, I spend a lot of time trying to understand how the data we collect can assist the farmer and the ginner. Can it make them better business people? Help them make better decisions?

And I've got to be honest. It's not just my coworkers who aren't interested in these ruminations. I work with lots of customers who just see data gathering and analysis as "more stuff to do". Stuff their clients don't really want to know. Some days I just want to go around shaking people, "How can you NOT care?" But they think I'm crazy enough as it is so I try and keep these thoughts to myself. Perhaps that's why I like this writing process. It allows me to dig into all these areas in any story I'm working on and make those links and connections.

Now I'm off to my private "Writer's Retreat Day". No internet surfing, no eMailing, or blog commenting. Today is a day of writing work. I started at 8 this morning - and I'll go to lunch - just as if I were at work. After lunch I'll pick back up 'till late this afternoon. I've got work to do and I'm not going to squander my time today.

Yep, I'm a hungry woman. Feed me how I want to be fed. You can feed my body, but you really got to feed my head.