I became insane with long intervals of horrible sanity.
Edgar Allen Poe

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.
- H. L. Mencken

Many people would sooner die than think; In fact, they do so
-Bertrand Russell

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 ...
-James Branch Cabell

February 13, 2012 - 11:18 a.m.

I Cherish Cherish the Ladies

I've gotten on a much later schedule. I'm staying up late, waking up in the night and now I'm starting to sleep later. I'd like to move back to going to bed a little after midnight and waking up around eight. I'm writing this an hour later than I should.

Owww, my elbow just cracked and it hurt.

What's the story from yesterday? Did I do anything worth writing about during the day? What did I have for breakfast? Oh right an omelet, that wasn't exciting. Nope, nothing of interest during the day so I'll move right on to the evening; I went to see Cherish the Ladies at City Winery. Susan had an extra ticket and asked if anyone wanted to with her and I of course said yes. I always need to add more Irish to my concert mix. I decided to try an experiment on the way there. Google Maps gives you exactly timed mass transit directions to make your trains. I usually ignore the times but this time decided to see how well it worked. I just needed to figure out how much time it takes me to get from my apartment to the street. I'm on the sixth floor. I gave myself three minutes and arrived at the platform just when it said I would. The train was three minutes late and I arrived at the venue three minutes late. You can't really expect better than that. I have to do this more often. Why should I waste time waiting for a train? There was one problem. With all the exact timing I forgot to leave myself time for dinner. I should have simply eaten before I left but I thought I'd pick up pizza. The pizza place I thought was there was either never there, closed for the evening, or out of business. I had no time to eat there in any event. The food at City Winery is pricy so I didn't want to eat there. That meant a late after show dinner.

I got there before Susan but they let me sit at our table when I said I was with her. They were off on the side at the cocktail tables by the bar. Not the ideal location, we couldn't see the entire stage, but as they were comps well worth the price. I am pretty sure that I never paid for a show at City Winery. They are expensive. I'm breaking that streak later this week when I go to see Jill Sobule.

Susan got there a few minutes after me. We shared the table with two women from Connecticut. They were fun before the show but were a bit sloshed and didn't keep quiet after the music started. Neither did the guy at the bar flirting with them. Neither did the group sitting at the bar. I had to do a lot of shushing. There was one song by Tommy Sands that the singer told us to pay particular attention to the lyrics. I couldn't make them out since nobody would be quiet. They talked through the loud songs and through the soft ones. Why pay good money and make the effort to go out to see a show by a top notch band when all you are going to do is drink and talk. They should have just gone to their local bar and played the juke box or some cover band if they just wanted background music.

I enjoyed talking to Susan before the show and even the women at our table ... before the music started. Once the music started I was annoyed by the noise but still captivated. I love Cherish the Ladies. It's the music of my people. No I'm not Irish. Klezmer and Blues are also the music of my people. My people are the people that make music that connects with me.

I love how Irish bands will often bring out step dancers on some of the songs. I wouldn't want to watch a show of all step dancing, at least not on a regular basis but having them come out five or six times dancing to amazing music is wonderful. I wanted to talk to two of the dancers. One was from my hometown, Bayside. The other was a young man half Irish and half Indian. About ten years ago I went to an Irish Festival at Belmont Racetrack and the winner of the step dancing contest was a half Irish half Indian kid. I bet it was him. That was also the first time I saw Cherish the Ladies.

I guess I might have to explain who Cherish the Ladies are to some of you. They are an all-woman Irish band that formed 25 years ago. At the time almost all Irish music was played by men. The tradition was passed down from father to son. With times changing some passed it down to their daughters. Some of those daughters founded Cherish the Ladies. It's leader is the irrepressible Joanie Madden. I know Joanie well. She went to high school with Kathleen Biggins from WFUV and often comes down to the station for the pledge drives. She comes in, gets on the air, and the phones light up. She's a force of nature. She's also a delightful, warm, funny, and friendly person. I know I'm going to get a bear hug. Oh yes, she's a virtuoso on the pennywhistle and flute and a hell of a composer. Can I call her a songwriter if she's writing instrumentals? She's always worth the price of admission. She's natural showman.

During the intermission I raced to the bathroom as I know it's small and I was right by the stairs so I could get there first. I did! Then I went to see who I knew in the audience. It's a rare show that I don't know anyone at. I didn't see anyone till I made my way to the far corner when I ran into Suze. I had met her at Coco and Bruce's New Year's Day party. While I was talking to her Bruce came over and said hi. What a coincidence! None of us knew the others were there. I hadn't seen Coco and when I asked Bruce where he was sitting he pointed to someplace that I looked. She had been up. We went back there and talked while we waited for her to get back. Susan joined us and I actually remembered to introduce her to everyone and to Coco when she came back. Out of nowhere I now see Coco very often. That's a good thing.

The second set was a bit shorter but just as good as the first. The show was long, two and a half hours. That's about twice as long as one at Joe's Pub. There aren't a lot of places in New York you can hear a show like that. When it was over I wanted to say "hi" to Joanie. I waited for her to come out but she didn't show up so we decided to leave. Then when we got to the door we saw Joanie. She must have snuck past us. Joanie isn't very stealthy so I suspect there was another route she could take.

I said hi, got my bear hug, and then we headed out. Susan lives in the neighborhood and I got on the subway. I got home at 11:30 and had dinner then. I had a bacon peanut butter sandwich. I know you all wanted to know that. Why else would you read Wise Madness if you didn't care about what I ate?

Speaking of food I'm hungry so I'll save the other things I wanted to write about for another time. I've already written 1309 words as it is. When I give a word count that includes giving the number. Not only is it important that I'm accurate I have to make sure you understand the methodology. Have I mentioned that I'm a bit nerdy.

Wasn't I supposed to end this so I could eat my poached eggs? Yes I was. There's a lot more music coming up this week. I hope you're up for it.


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please hold me accountable.





Memories: Not that Horrid Song - May 29, 2018
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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Horvendile February 13, 2012
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