With or without religion, you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion.
The good life, as I conceive it, is a happy life. I do not mean that if you are good you will be happy - I mean that if you are happy you will be good.
Too much sanity may be madness and the maddest of all, to see life as it is and not as it should be.
I enjoy paying taxes. With them I buy civilization.
2002-05-12 - 11:15 p.m.
I've been a good boy. I actually made my mother her mother's day card last night, made her dinner tonight, programmed the numbers into her new phone and finished making up my final. Considering how difficult I often find it to get things done on time I'm surprised I got all that done.
Last night I saw Deni Bonet at Continental . I actually got the time and place right for a change. I have never been to Continental before which is surprising as it's been around for 11 years and lots of good acts, like Patti Smith, have played there. It is a typical grungy East Village bar with a stage at one end. As if often the case there is no way to access the stage accept from the audience area which makes for lots of fun when one band is breaking down their set and the next is putting theirs up. The one thing that really struck me was that the wind chill factor was about 40°. I couldn't believe how hard the air conditioner was blowing. I had my jacket on and zipped the entire show.
The first act was a woman on guitar whose name I didn't catch and who wasn't listed on the bill. She looked great and her voice and singing style reminded me of Ruth Gerson. Unfortunately that isn't enough. Her songwriting was uninspired to put it mildly. She was really Ruth minus the talent.
Next up was William Brooks. He was a pleasant surprise. His band was your basic 2 guitars, a bass, and drums and played first-rate rock. I'd see him again.
Deni was next. I didn't know what my social situation was with her. I've seen her three times and have talked to her each time. This time I really didn't have anything to say to her and it felt like she was someone I'd say hi to if she walked by but not someone I'd go over to talk to. As it worked out when she passed me she did say hi but hat was the extant of our conversation. I'm seeing her again next Saturday in Montclair at a free festival. At that point she'll probably be deciding if I'm a stalker or a fan. Speaking of the Montclair gig, I tried to write to Robin Engle to tell her about it and the mail got bounced back to me. Does anyone have her new email address?
Deni's set didn't contain any surprises but I'm still at the point that I don't need that with her. She is one of those performers that I just have to be happy when I'm seeing. Some people are energy vampires, she is an energy source.
While walking around the East Village I passed a place selling used CDs 3 for a dollar. I bought three, a copy of Leak CD Magazine featuring The Finn Bros, Patty Griffin, Martin Sexton, Gillian Welch, Jim's Big Ego, Taj Mahal, and the Push Stars, among others. Not bad for 33¢. I also go an Atlantic Records CMJ survival kit with songs by Jill, Sobule, Junior Brown, and Tori Amos. The third CD was by a band Ruth Ruth that I have never seen but I always see them listed. I figured for 33¢ I should check them out.
Today I went to the Met game. The game was delayed an hour by rain and went into extra innings. It was a strange game featuring two errors by each team and some brilliant defense plays. I wanted to be home by 6 to make my mother dinner so I left in the top of the 11th inning to make my train. I'd have had to wait another hour if I missed it. The Mets lost right after I got home, not a nice mother's day present for my mother.
I'm adding a new feature to the Sunday edition of Wise Madness , a recommended TV viewing list for the week. I used to go through the TV sheet for the week every Saturday or Sunday and circle the shows I wanted to watch for the week. I've gotten away from that but I decided to start again. I'm going to list here movies and specials that are on national networks. Most of them will be on cable of course. I'm not going to list weekly shows, the ones that I watch are Buffy, Angel, the Simpsons, Malcolm and the Lord and Order shows.
Tuesday, May 14:
3:00 PM Oxygen - Welcome to the Dollhouse : This is a brilliant black comedy about a 13-year-old girl who makes Malcolm look like he fits in with the crowd. My guess is that most of you are familiar with it; if you aren't don't miss it.
Wednesday, May 15:
5:30 PM AMC - Start the Revolution Without Me: A hysterically funny takeoff on the story of the Corsican Brothers set in the French Revolution. It was made by the people that brought you All In The Family and stars Gene Wilder and Donald Sutherland. Talent shows.
Thursday, May 16:
9:30 AM AMC - Start the Revolution Without Me. (see Wednesday)11:00 PM TCM - Double Indemnity : Classic Film Noir directed by Billy Wilder. Barbara Stanwyck is pure evil and Fred MacMurray proved he could act in the days before My Three Sons.
Friday, May 17:
12:00 noon Sundance - Absolute Beginners: This is the movie that made me decide to write these recommendations. It is on my list of movies for my never started book project You Probably Haven't Seen. The book will push movies that never reached their proper audience. They can range from totally obscure movies that should have found a cult following to movies that should have been hits. Start the Revolution Without Me is also on the list. Absolute Beginners. is about the birth of the separate teenage culture in Britain in the early 60s. It's a Rock Musical featuring David Bowie, Ray Davies, and Sade, singing and acting. The movie has a distinctive look and sound and works as a musical and as a drama. It has the energy level of a rebellious teen and takes as much joy in puncturing pretension. I will have to miss it this time around as I don't get Sundance.9:00 PM Ovation - Nanci Griffith: Other Voices, Too. A live performance of singer/songwriter Nanci Griffith performing the songs to her follow-up album to Other Voices Other Rooms. Nanci is on my list of performers I try to see whenever possible.
Saturday, May 18
8:00 PM TCM- Woody Allen Marathon featuring The Purple Rose of Cairo, Broadway Danny Rose, Zelig, and Alice. It's Woody at his strangest. Forget linear story telling here. Brilliant.
The International Jewish Banking Conspiracy - October 07, 2008
On the Road to Westchester County - October 06, 2008
Inside the Madison Square Studio - October 05, 2008
I'm a Bosniac and I'm debating like I've never debated before - October 03, 2008
Islands in the Stream of Consciousness - October 02, 2008
Email me: GordonLew at gmail
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 License. Horvendile 2002-05-12
