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

October 26, 2012 - 6:17 p.m.

Pony Up

I missed a day updating and I had time write. Why? I didn't want it coming too quickly on the heels of the last entry. I especially like that one so if you missed it read it now. I got so much pleasure out of writing that. Let's see if I enjoy today's as much. Because I waited an extra day I now have things to write about. That means I don't have to use the notes I made on possible topics.

I didn't do much yesterday, I once again had trouble getting myself out of the house. I finally did make it though and I had my prescription filled. It cost me twice as much as it did in Brooklyn. I'm going to have to do something about that. If I had a prescription filled in one pharmacy can I have it refilled at another?

I went to get a bathrobe at TJ Max and was told they won't come in to the holidays. Since when are bathrobes seasonal? I wasn�t a stupid cheap terrycloth bathrobe; preferably with pictures of Perry the Platypus on it not exactly gift material.

On Wednesday night I realize that I had forgotten to go to the pharmacy to get nasal strips. I checked online and couldn't find one that was open all night but that doesn't mean they weren't open, just that the hours weren't listed. Near midnight I asked mini-Hagrid if any were open and she told me that he CVS was. I wasn't going to go out at that point but she talked me into it. I'm glad she did. Once I put it on I realized how much better they make me feel even when I'm not getting the smothered sensation. I pretty much always have discomfort in my nasal passages when I don't have a strip on.

Yesterday I went to the Christopher Street Coffeehouse Hosted by Carolann Solebello. I never go to open mics. I'm not an open mic person, so why did I go? Because Annie Donahue and Erik Balkey aka the Copper Ponies came up from Philly for it. They are really good friends at FRFF that I hardly see the rest of the year. How could I miss them when they were going to be in walking distance from my house? I wasn't sure what time they'd get there. I texted them when I was out shopping and Erik said they were there. I picked up my prescription and headed south.

This was my first time at Christopher street since June. Thanks to my anxiety issues I've fallen out of the loop there. That is killing me. It's one of the best things in my life. I had some anxiety about going there as I've been MIA but went. I'm so glad I did. Of course nobody was mad at me and everyone was nice and happy to see me. I haven't seen Carolann in a bit, not since I landed at Hogwarts. She immediately figured out who mini-Hagrid is. What's funny is that I knew she got it right even though neither of us mentioned her name.

I sat with Erik and Annie of course and caught up with them. I also sat through the open mic. I said I'm not an open mic person, that is an understatement. They always give me flashbacks to the auto-harp lady at the Baltimore folk open mic. Christopher Street is different though. They have a much higher quality of performer. Some are total pros like the Copper Ponies. Some might not be great singers but are really clever songwriters. There was only one that reminded me of the autoharp lady.

As for the Copper Ponies they are one of my favorite bands. Is a duo a band? I've known Erik for ever but the CP is relatively new. I first saw them at the magical song circle at Budgiedome at Falcon Ridge 2011. It's also where I first saw another favorite duo, The Sea Sea aka Chuck E. Costa, and Mira Stanley. I will always associate them with each other. That not only make great music with amazing harmonies; it's just fun watching each pair interact on stage. I like watching them off-stage too. They have a Kennedys kind of vibe.

I took some of my favorite photos I've ever taken of them

When I was watching the Copper Ponies I was trying to figure out what makes them work. On the surface they would appear to be in danger of sounding too mellow, but they don�t. They don't even come close. Something about them creates tension. Whatever it is isn't obvious. They don't do the strange harmonies I love. They don't have separations of when they start a note that commands my attention. What they do is subtle. They do simple things but exactly the right simple things. I can listen to them all day. I wish I could have heard them do more than 2 songs. I could see them tonight but that's up in Peekskill so expense and difficult to get to and I'm tired. I want to stay home tonight and cook dinner.

I knew a great many of the performers last night. It's the Christopher Street crowd. At least two have opened shows at the Village Roots series that I work on. Carolann not only hosted but sang a song. It is band new and a great one. My discovery were teenage boys whose name as an act I don't know. Their names were Noah, Jeremy (or something like that, and well OK sorry third one. Noah played a banjolele that is half the size of Ruthy Unger's. I want one. It looked a lot like this:


I was going to give them a Budgiedome Card but I left them home so I just told them they are invited.

After the show I wanted to make a quick getaway as I hadn't had dinner. Erik and Annie had to drive back to Philly. So of course we hung out and talked. I ended up grabbing hot dogs and fries at papaya king. Then I took the subway home which was a mistake as the 8th avenue line was closed and I had to go up 6th avenue. That meant I had to walk to avenue blocks and two street blocks home. That's about half the distance I had to walk from the church.

Once again I filled an entry with things that happened and not idea. I'll probably use the ideas I wrote down in my phone tomorrow. Unless of course something exciting happens today.

Oh one funny thing happened in school I want to mention before I go. One of the students that tries really hard had a cold. She sneezed and I said gesundheit. I turned to write on the board and she had a coughing fit. I turned around and she was nowhere to be seen. I said, did you die? That cracked everyone up including her. She had dropped her pencil and had to crawl under her desk to get it. I love that she pointed out that if she had died she couldn't have answered me. Sometimes the students are good. I usually just give you the complaints.


I signed the Pro-Truth Pledge:
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 October 26, 2012
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