I became insane with long intervals of horrible sanity.
The trouble with fighting for human freedom is that one spends most of one's time defending scoundrels. For it is against scoundrels that oppressive laws are first aimed, and oppression must be stopped at the beginning if it is to be stopped at all.
Many people would sooner die than think; In fact, they do so
What I have been telling you, from alpha to omega, what is the one great thing the sigil taught me — that everything in life is miraculous. For the sigil taught me that it rests within the power of each of us to awaken at will from a dragging nightmare of life made up of unimportant tasks and tedious useless little habits, to see life as it really is, and to rejoice in its exquisite wonderfulness. If the sigil were proved to be the top of a tomato-can, it would not alter that big fact, nor my fixed faith. No Harrowby, the common names we call things by do not matter — except to show how very dull we are ...
2001-06-18 - 8:59 p.m.
Let's see if I can finish this before the Simpson's comes on in 20 minutes. I haven't updated the last few days because Carey has been visiting for the first time. Carey got here around 6 O'clock on Friday. I didn't hear her ring so my parents let her in and sent her up to my room. She knocked on my door and there she was. It was so nice seeing anyone. I've been cooped up so long. After the obligatory hugs and small talk we went off to eat at Farrell's, a restaurant that I had never been to but we had to try it out because of the name. It was OK. I wasn't able to finish my dinner but we had a great time. I think that the other patrons thought we were some sort of psychotics. We had very strange conversations. After dinner we went to Hagen-daz for desert. I only had room for a cup of Peanut butter and Chocolate and Carey had an Orange Shake thing. Even when I'm sick and don't have an appetite I love ice cream. When we got home I showed Carey all the pictures of myself when I was younger. We decided that I looked like Peter Brady when I was in High School. She actually thinks I was cute then and resisted saying, "What happened to you?"
Next on the Agenda was watching me on Jeopardy. I hadn't watched that tape in years. I had forgotten a great line by Alex. After no one got an question right where the answer was feet he said that "Gordon's intellectual feet" have earned him $15,000." So we kept pointing to my intellectual feet after that.
On Saturday we got up early and proceeded to waste lots of times talking. We still got out of the house around 9 for the Bridgeton Folk Festival. It took us a lot longer that I thought to get there though. The directions didn't give any distances and it took forever after getting off the Jersey Turnpike. The upshot was that we missed Peter Mulvey. After parking in the Zoo parking lot that we weren't quite certain was legal we started the hike to the festival. It was extra fun, as we had to bring my IV poll, which I wheeled in front of me. When we got there I found out there was no first aid tent so I when I needed to take my medication I just set it up by our blanket and took my antibiotic during Jian's set. The Burns sisters were the first act and were great as I expected of then. Next up was Jian. If I hadn't seen him in Toronto I would have been disappointed. His set was so one note. He really needs to vary the tempo of his songs. He has a tremendous gift for satire that he is squandering. He is not someone I'd go to see by himself. He really needs the other Frülads to bounce his thoughts off of.
Next up were the wonderful Kennedys. I got to repay Carey for her drooling over Mike Clem with my drooling over Maura. Pete and Maura should be big stars and I don't know why they aren't. They are great musicians, play catchy pop melodies and are damn sexy. After the show we bought their new CD and talked with Maura. Pete wasn't around so we need him to autograph it next time we see them.
The Rain came down hard during the Kennedys set and the dressing came off my IV line. This is not good, as it has to be sterile. I was going to wait till we got back to NYC to go to the hospital to get if fixed but got too nervous. We called the ambulance but the paramedics couldn't handle it so Carey and I drove to the hospital. The directions seemed terrible but we somehow made it. The ER was empty and they were able to fix me up in more than enough time so that we could go back and see Richard Thompson, the main reason we were there.
While we were fretting over what to do we heard but didn't see John Gorka. We missed Patty Larkin all together. We got back in time for an artist I had heard of but didn't know. I am now blanking on his name. I'm sure Carey will remember.
It's time for the Simpson's I'll be back.
Malcolm is over and I back to writing.
Finally at 6:30 Richard Thompson came on. RT was our reason for being in Bridgeton as soon as we heard he was going to be there we decided to pass on Clearwater in favor Bridgeton before we knew whom else would be there. He did not disappoint. He did most of my favorites including the all-important 1952 Vincent Black Lighting . There are many musicians that I am a devoted follower of but none are as talented as Richard Thompson. They may be as entertaining but no one can compare when it comes to musicianship. He is a virtuoso on the guitar, as good a songwriter as there is, and a great singer. I noticed today that he writes in three basic voices. His romantic voice as epitomized by 1952 VBL, his scary voice that he shows most strikingly in Psycho Street, and his funny voice which he doesn't record but his Daddy was a Mummy and I Agree with Pat Matheny are hilarious.
It was clear why he was the headliner of the show. During his performance you could see the other artists watching in rapt attention. I will try and see him whenever he is within a reasonable distance from me.
Aside from the music the festival was a chance to catch up with some of my Frühead friends. We saw Shelly and Kat who got there early and were right up front. Robin and Kelsey arrived after we did and found us by looking for my IV poll. I knew it would come in handy. It was great to see them all. Shelly even gave us Pez Dispensers!
After the show came the long ride home. We stopped for dinner at a dinner then made our way back to the Jersey Turnpike. Fortunately I was feeling the best I had in a while and was able to share the driving with Carey who was tired after the long day and doing all the driving in the way down.
When we got home about all we had the strength to do was for Carey to give Neal a quick call and me to set up my last round of IV. It was longest day I had in a long time but I felt better than I had for a while.
We slept late this morning and Carey left around noon. My sister had arrived last night and I introduced them and we got to talk for a bit. After Carey left we waited for my nephew to go out for our father's day dinner. We picked up my nephew in Flushing without a hitch then after a bit of going out of our way I found the restaurant. For the first time in a week I was able to finish my dinner. Then it was back home and I started writing my entry.
Hey it's nice to have actually done things so I have something to write about. Tomorrow I'm going to the specialist at Sloane-Kettering. Wish me luck. I'm hoping he just agrees with my oncologist so I don't have to get a third opinion. I'll keep you posted on what he says.
I signed the Pro-Truth Pledge:
please hold me accountable.
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Wise Madness is Now In Session - May 28, 2018
The NFL and the First Amendment - May 27, 2018
On The Road Again - May 26, 2018
Oliver the Three-Eyed Crow - May 25, 2018
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 License.
Horvendile 2001-06-18
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