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 ...
July 08, 2014 - 1:08 p.m.
Ok I have three days to write about so of course I've wasted all morning. I'm fighting myself all the time. I'm losing. There's an idiot story in here. I won't point out when I do something idiotic but wait till I pay the consequences. See if you can spot it.
On Friday, the Fourth of July, I had no plans and didn't shower till the middle of the afternoon. Then while I was doing absolutely nothing my phone rang. It was Mya. She wanted to know where I was. I was invited to Coco's Fourth of July Party and someone missed it. I raced into my clothes and raced over to a party filled with some of my favorite people and musicians. There are too many to list but lots of Chicks with Dip and spouses and children.. I spent most of my time singing. We did sing alongs and the fact that my friends are not just great but professionals and I suck doesn't stop me. It should never stop anybody. Singing is something you do, not just something you listen to others do. There's a joy to it Coco said how lucky her children are that they grow up thinking it's normal to have a house full of musicians singing. It should be. Does it surprise you that a room full of folkies sang two Monkees' songs? It shouldn't. Coco and I were the only ones that grew up watching the show
I didn't take many pics and most of those are blurry, got two decent ones.
Carolann, Mya, and Bev
Katherine
The second photograph isn't sharp and her face is turned but there's something about the composition that I love. It feels like a painting.
I was lucky that Fred was there and could give me a ride home. I had to get up at 5:15 the next morning. I did not get enough sleep. I still hated to have to leave early
the reason I had to get up early was to catch a 6:22 train from Atlantic Terminal. I was heading out to the New Bedford Folk Festival.. I didn't take the train there, just to Mineola where Mike picked me up. He drove. this is our third time driving up together. The trip was pretty but uneventful. The adventure was that we did not have a hotel reservation. We used hotelcoupons.com to find a place. We chose a Quality Inn in Somerset. I called to see I there were rooms. There were. we got there too early to check in but we reserved the room and headed to the festival. We got there a bit later than we planned but no big deal. It meant we missed part of one set.
Here's what I saw on Saturday.
- Let A Smile Be Your Umbrella Benoit Bourque & Antoine Pigeon Bourque, Zo� Lewis, Vance Gilbert, and Grace Finnie Rundlett
- The Murphy Beds
- So You Think You Know Folk Music Beaucoup Blue, Zo� Lewis, & Jeff Warner
- The Kennedys
- The Story Behind the Music RUNA and The Murphy Beds
- Zo� Lewis
- Wake Up: A Celebration of the Everly Brothers The Kennedys, John Gorka, Cliff Eberhart, Spuyten Duyvil, and Art Tebbits
Usually I discover lots of new artists at New Bedford but this time I knew most of these. I think it has to do with the difficulties Canadians and European musicians are having getting work permits for the States. It's not good. It's to protect the American musicians that I love but art works best when it flows freely. I made no discoveries But I heard great music. The Murphy Beds are great and I love them and Jefferson Hamer, half the band, is a friend, but I never see them. More ironic is that they play in Brooklyn often. So I don't mind seeing them multiple times
I watched the first two sets with Mike. I just grabbed lunch on the run on the way to the third set at the Whaling Museum. There was a stand selling roasted corn on the cob dripping with butter and it smelled so good I couldn't resist.
They had something new, a the museum and Zeiterion Theater, VIP seating down front. You pay extra money for good seats. I didn't know about it and sat down front with Zo�'s friend Sharon.. When I found out I stayed there. I figured Sharon's a VIP from being Zo�'s guest and I was with her. I couldn�t let a friend sit alone could I? it would be unchivalrous. And I wanted to sit with Sharon and I wanted to sit down front and nobody stopped me. There were also seats available so I wasn't putting anyone out.
I went from the front row to the back to sit with Joe and Emily and their clan They needed a lot of seats together and they had small children with them. Read mylast entry for background on them. They were the focus.
This was my first time seeing RUNA with the new lineup. Can you believe that the person that came up with RUNAtics for their fans hadn't seen them or listened to the new album. I STILL don't have it. That's just not right. As always they amazed. The Murphy Beds did several songs which were alternate versions of songs they do. Both bands play a lot of traditional material. The Murphy beds play them more traditionally. Both styles work. They need to be paired again. I'd love for them to figure out all the songs they both do and spend the night playing both versions.
I saw Zo� with Joe and Emily et al and we ate pizza in the plaza next to the stage. Hanging out with them was as good as the music. I love that the kids remember and were comfortable with me. The girls asking me to read to them the next day was a Festival highlight. I'm a rank sentimentalist. We ran into Barbara and Amy while we were having dinner. I told Joe how Barbara had gotten me a blanket this winter when my room was so cold. Joe noted how people just want to take care of me. It's true. Don�t' get it but I'm not complaining.
I watched the last set with them too. I spent more time listening to music with them that I do at Falcon Ridge where we mainly see each other in camp.
I did not take that many pics. I tried to limit myself to when I had good shots.. Here's Saturday's pics..
Maggie from RUNA
The Murphy Beds, Jefferson and Eamon.
Cheryl from RUNA
Shannong from RUNA
Joe & Emily and their kids with , Pete & Maura
When we left the theater fireworks had just started over the water. Everyone stopped to watch. The kids who were tired got their second wind. The guy next to me ooing and ahiing was John Gorka. On my other side was Cliff Eberhart. Mark, Beth, Jim, and John from Spuyten Duyvil were there. I got fireworks and hugs and we sang! A bunch of folkies were singing God Bless America and The Star Spangled Banner!. I didn't voice my objections to the former. One pic came out.
">It was awesome. Mike was not there he went to dinner with friends. After the fireworks I talked to a friend on the phone. I wanted a bit looking for a quiet spot. I got lost. I had paid no attention to where I was walking. The GPS on my phone couldn't get a satellite fix. I finally found my way back to the garage.
When we got back to the hotel there were problems. They had our room, the furthest one in the hotel. It was in a different ring and the desk clerk suggested we drive around to it. We did. Our keys did not work in the outside lock. I walked back to the desk. I tried an entrance in the main building and the key worked. The clerk thought that meant that it was the lock that was broken. So I walked back inside and let Mike in. They key didn't work in the room. I walked back again, this is a long walk, remember she thought it best we drive. She reprogrammed the key. I walked back. This time it worked We walked in and the room reeked of smoke. We had asked for a non-smoking room. There was no sign outside the door but the clerk said that's because it had been converted. Well obviously the person before us smoked like a chimney. We were also given only one bath towel.. The Quality Inn was not high quality.
The motel had a complimentary breakfast which was good then we drove to the festival. The GPS took us a new way and we made a few mistakes so we arrived too late for me to do Sacred Harp singing.
One more little problem. When I finished breakfast I realized I was having a Crohn's attack. The stupid thing I did was risking eating corn I loved it but it was not worth it. I took 20 mg of prednisone and hoped for the best. I tried to not let it slow me down.
Here's what I saw on Sunday.
- Music Fills the Air The Bourques, Grace Morrison, and the Murphy Beds
- RUNA
- I'll Come To Thee by Moonlight Murphy Beds, Beaucoup Blue, Joe Crookston, The Ronny Cox Band
- Mike Laureanno
- Chris Smither
- Tribute to Pete Seeger
- Celtic ExtravaganzaThe Bourques, RUNA, Barbo, and Matt & Shannon Heaton
On Sunday I finally ran into Kathy, Jake, and Alan. The gathering of the tribe is a big part of the fun at these things.
My musical discoveries of the festival were Ronny Cox, Barbo, and especially Grace Morrison. She reminds me a bit of Shannon from RUNA which is high praise indeed. She also has a great sense of fun She too does trad Irish music
I was feeling good enough to try some dinner and had lingui�a with Emily, Joe, their kids, and Mike. I wrote about that yesterday too. What I didn�t' mention is that my tummy did not appreciate having more food in it. I was still obstructed
The Celtic Extravaganza is always great and they played a stroll as we exited Here are the second day's pics.
The view from our motel. Didn't bother me a bit
Grace Morrison
Maggie and Shannon
Ronny Cox, David & Adrian Mowry aka Beacoup Blue, the Murphy Beds, Joe Crookston
Mike and Kathy
Ronny Cox
Beaucoup Blue
Mike Laureanno waiting for his set
Mike on Stage
Joe and the girls dancing on stage during the Celtic Extravaganza..I was not feeling great on the ride home but survived. The obstruction finally passed as I was falling asleep. OK now on to new things. I'll have a peanut butter omelet for breakfast.
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 July 08, 2014
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