If you've made it this far, you've probably asked yourself the question noted in the title. I will get to that... shortly. 

First, let me introduce myself and thank you for taking time to read my very first blog. My name is Tom Duggin. I hail from a very small town in Middle Tennessee called Dowelltown, population 300-ish, unless you count all the folks on the Dowelltown route within DeKalb County, but that's another story for another time. 

To put it in perspective, Dowelltown is regularly listed as one of the ten smallest incorporated communities in the State of Tennessee. Sadly, that may soon change, in terms of being incorporated, as finding people to serve on the town council is becoming increasingly difficult, and it seems our post office is hanging on by a thread. Yes, we have a post office. And a realty/auction company. And that's pretty much it. I know, squirrel moment. If you have those like I do, you'll get that. I'll be talking plenty about Dowelltown in future blogs. I just wanted to give those who are unfamiliar with me and this little part of the world some perspective. 

So, back to Slackerbilly. Where in the world did I find that unusually absurd name? Good question! I don't have a great answer. I am one of those individuals who wakes up in the middle of the night with an epiphany. A song idea. A book idea. A story idea. A person I haven't thought about in 20 years. The most random bits of nonsense one can imagine. That's how my brain works. And it goes into overdrive in the middle of the night for whatever reason. I blame it on my sleep meds. 

For many years, I wanted to have some kind of online presence, that was completely my idea and represented my passions in life. Sure, I've written for many websites, shot videos, marketed, promoted, produced, you name it, I've probably dabbled in it, but nothing I worked on was ever truly my own creation. 

I've long loved music, sports, broadcasting, and journalism. Beyond my love for the Lord and my family, those four realms have probably driven my existence more than anything else in my adult life and to some degree, even before that. For years, I would come up with an idea, only for it to die somewhere on the vine. When the internet was really starting to take off, I wanted to have a sports website. Again, I created content for other outlets, but nothing that was truly mine. I once wanted to start some type of music-related promotion site, for singers, songwriters, bands, etc. to promote themselves and their music, schedule bookings or even sell their music. While I procrastinated, thousands of those like-minded sites popped up. Strike two.

Fast forward to 2022, a difficult year for myself and my family with the loss of my dad and the beginning of some health issues for my mom. I had already found myself dealing with severe depression and using coping mechanisms that were unhealthy in about every way imaginable. Again, another topic for another time. I harbor many emotions within; I don't often like to show hurt, sadness, or anger. So, in my case, it was building up to the point where I knew if I didn't find an alternate outlet, I was going to be facing some serious issues. 

Ok, I'm not trying to make a long story longer, but the gist of it all is I circled back to what I loved in life and began planning. The plan has taken longer than I anticipated or wanted, but along the way, I had to surrender my life back to the Lord (which has been the best thing I have done, by far!) and wait for His plan to be revealed. The Lord knows I am not patient, but in all reality, this website, this blog, my podcast, everything you will see on this site, has taken more than 20 years to put into reality. God knows what he's doing and I find it hilariously ironic that the most impatient person I know (me) has waited this many years to fulfill a dream without even realizing it. 

Oh yeah, Slackerbilly!! Well, that was one of those "2 a.m., the bladder says you better go or else," epiphanies of mine. If you've read the About Us section, you already have an idea of what I'm about to say. I have been blessed to have had many jobs I deeply loved, from radio to TV to sportscasting to being a sportswriter, a newspaper editor, a stage emcee, a singer... the list goes on. The Lord opened many doors for a guy that had nothing but a high school diploma, a dream, and a big mouth!  

The definition of a "slacker," according to the Oxford Dictionary is, "a person who avoids work or effort." Ok, I've never been afraid to work. I once shoveled asphalt in 100-degree heat. But let's be honest, the work I've done over the years is extremely mild compared to many hard-working men and women who have my deepest respect. So, I've always referred to myself as a "slacker" of sorts, but believe me, I'm beyond thankful for the opportunities I've had.

Now, some of the Northern and big city folk - note I said some, not all - tend to look down on us small town Southerners and like to use the term "hillbilly" in reference to us. Frankly, I love my hillbilly heritage and wouldn't want it any other way! So, back to that 2 a.m. epiphany, when the word "slacker" married the word "hillbilly" and Slackerbilly was born! It may very well be the most idiotic word (and I know, it's not really a word, but it is according to the Duggin Dictionary, not available in stores) you have ever heard, but I'm rather proud of it! And I'm proud to anoint my first-ever web project with that moniker. 

With all that said, what is the purpose of this website and Slackerbilly Productions? Come back for my next blog to find out!