Decatur Square, Decatur GA

Laurie writes in…

The GREAT PUMPKIN SALE and Fund-raiser for Renfroe Middle School and Glennwood Elementary has begun!  Pumpkins of all sizes and lots of exotics too! Weekends in October at Renfroe Middle School on College Ave. and Glennwood Elementary School on Ponce De Leon Ave.

Please support your school and buy a gorgeous pumpkin!

According to another note from the Renfroe PTA “Last year the sales raised thousands of dollars that went towards improving our children’s educational experiences.”

After reading this rather sardonic NYTimes’ review of an updated version of “How to Win Friends and Influence People”, I got to thinking about all the great little portable one-liners we try to carry around in our heads to keep ourselves in check or on the “right path”.

For instance, one of the “How to Win” gems mentioned in the article is “Try leaving a friendly trail of little sparks of gratitude on your daily trips”.  As another example, here’s one that has kept crawling up into my consciousness over the last few weeks, “If you aren’t failing, you’re not trying hard enough.”

What one-liners do you live by?…or at least think are good enough for momentary consideration.

• TIA Exec Committee Tackles Proposed Amendments This Morning [AJC]
• Part 2 of the “Decatur Double Murder” Story [Dateline: Decatur]
• Lenox Place Neighborhood has a new logo [Patch]
• Few are using the new I-85 express lane yet [ABC]
• Ryan Gravel applies Beltline lessons to other U.S. Cities [FastCoDesign]
• 14 Words with No English Equivalent   [Mental Floss]

Map courtesy of FastCoDesign

In 1992, Eddie Owen opened Eddie’s Attic along North McDonough Street in downtown Decatur. A year later he got married there.

In 2002, he sold the business to Jennifer Nettles ex-husband, Todd Van Sickle. In 2005, Van Sickle sold it to Bob Ephlin, who brought Owen back to his namesake “attic” to book the talent.

And on Friday, Owen will depart again.

Taking his talents to Duluth, GA as early as next Tuesday, Owen is excited about the possibilities of a “turnkey ready” 250 seat theater with “killer sound and lights”, a green room, catering kitchen, rehearsal space, and office area. Though there’s currently “no contract in place, no launch date, no artists booked”, Owen already as plans for workshops and lessons to be a key part of this new concept. Says Owen, “I’m diving out on a limb, yet I’m more excited about this than I’ve been about anything since my marriage… and then the birth of my 3 children.”

Attic owner Bob Ephlin is supportive of Owen’s move and thankful for his years of service. “He’s been a great mentor to the Attic staff.”, Ephlin recalls.

As for the Attic itself, perched up in Decatur’s lower atmosphere, Ephlin says that he’s still getting a plan in place for the transition, and that he’ll stand in for Owen for the time-being while he assesses the Attic’s options in finding a replacement.

As for the longer term future of the Attic, “We have a great staff in place.” Ephlin points out. He reassures the Decatur community that Eddie’s Attic will continue to be about the listening room experience and the relationship between the artist and the audience. Ephlin says the Attic is already completely booked for the remainder of 2011 and the beginning of 2012, and will continue with its weekly radio show, which is now over 50 markets.

So life goes on for both parties.

But it doesn’t sound like Decatur has seen the last of Eddie Owen. He’ll be back in town next week for the sold-out Eddie & Agnes Civil Wars concerts and all signs point to that partnership continuing into the future.

We at DM wish all the best both to Eddie Owen and Eddie’s Attic as they move into their new phases of life.

h/t: Carl

Disclosure: Eddie’s Attic is a DM sponsor