I don't know if it's my age or the fact that we're both from Philly or what, but I loooooove Billy Paul -- and now it turns out there's just one more reason to love him: He's in recovery! (Also, and not incidentally, his website features a photo of him with his dog, Bijou. Anyone who loves his dog that much is okay in my book.) If you don't know -- Simon? As you're from the other side of the world? But isn't music the universal language? -- Billy Paul is a soul singer whose biggest hit, I suppose, was "Me and Mrs. Jones," a fabulous song brilliantly and recently referenced, BTW, by Amy Winehouse, another troubled musician -- but that's another story.

Anyhoo, September is National Recovery Month, and so the Grammy Award-winner and his wife, Blanche, will present their personal story at the Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and Mental Retardation Services' First Friday Series. The timing is awkward for those of you with jobs. But if you can sneak away, it'll probably be quite interesting.

Date: Friday, September 7, 2007
Location: Community College Of Philadelphia
Bonnell Auditorium, 1700 Spring Garden Street
Time: 10:00am-2:00pm

But registration is required! So email wendy.williams-blackson@phila.gov for a registration form.