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

July 17, 2017 - 11:26 a.m.

Kat's Kradle

I didn't have any disasters yesterday! The bar on my excitement has been lowered by recent events. Don't worry, I there are idiot stories to make up for my lack of misfortune.

I got something accomplished yesterday; I called Brianne and we discussed the The Budgiedome schedule with Brianne. That got me to find some emails that I had missed and was too anxious to hunt for on my own. Sometimes I just need somebody nearby, not even to hold my hand, just to give me more incentive.

I made an expedition to Brooklyn to see Kat Quinn at The Knitting Factory. I looked around online to find a place to eat. My first choice was a burger place but that was 16 minutes away. I checked the time. I had just missed a bus, so that was out. I decided to go with Crif Dogs or Radegast. I used the bustimes website to time when I left. As I was walking to the bus stop I pulled out my phone. It was off. My phone is never off; more precisely the phone I use is never off. I have two identical phones. I use the one not activated as a battery charger. The only difference between the two phones is the back cover, there is a slight crack in the one I use and there's a sticker inside the one I don't. I looked, there was no slight crack, there was a sticker. I had the wrong phone. I'm an idiot. I went back but that meant missing the bus. I went upstairs and switched phones. The other phone was off. That shouldn't be. That means both phones had been off. I turned it on. It was the extra phone. I could tell immediately as I customized all the backgrounds in the one I use. I had the right phone from the start and and somehow switched back covers. I'm not just an idiot, I'm a megaidiot, maybe a teraidiot. I now had 12 minutes till the next bus. I had ice cream to make myself better for being an idiot. Plus, I was hungry.

I made the next bus but now I didn't have time to stop and have dinner or to even go out of my way. So instead of having a treat I decided on KFC on 14th street. That's where I switch trains so it is on the way. It's also very cheap and I can eat it on the train. I got there, place my order and waited, and waited, and waited. I asked if something were wrong. I was told that they had no chicken fillets ready so they had to start from scratch. I could have gone to Crif dogs. If he had told me when I ordered I would have ordered something else and I let him know that. He gave me an extra chicken tender when it came out.

I was a little rushed and I got there a bit late but I was there before doors opened because they were late too. I was doing the merch so I wanted to be there before doors. I was too late to set up the merch, Kat had done that herself. The best part of doing merch there is that it gives me someplace to put my bag.

I brought my real camera, this is the first time I got to photograph Kat with something other than my phone. I adjusted the camera settings and took a test picture before she started. I stood right be the stage. Everyone else was against the back wall. No problem, it gave me plenty of room. I went to take the first picture and the flash popped open. I tried again, it popped open again. I pressed the button to change the flash, nothing happened. Arrgghh. I held down the flash manually but the pictures came out too dark. I kept fiddling with the camera. Sorry Kat, I was listening but I didn't want to lose the opportunity to take good pictures of you. I finally figured it out; in the dark I had been pressing the wrong button. But, there's always a but, it now had a photo-effect chosen. It was Kodachrome. I didn't want an effect. I got to the photo effects menu and could choose between effects but not turn them off all together. Arrgghh. I hate being an idiot. I made the best of it and I hope the pictures come out OK. I also took a video.

Kat was joined by Jo Kroger and another friend who I don't know though I've seen her before. I'm pretty sure she has a name. Sorry friend of Kat whose name I don't know. I'm glad Kat has backup, she's in one of the best arrangers of harmony, something special. Kat's been writing new songs, one saw its debut.

Why was no one I know there? I know that Fred and Dan appreciate her and couldn't make it. Where were you? Once again, I had my internal, "How can people that aren't half as talented as ______ get so much more attention than _______." Kat can fill in those blanks but so can other great musicians. Kat can do more than arrange harmonies, she writes meaningful lyrics that scan, she writes beautiful melodies, her banter is charming. There ain't no justice.

I sold two whole CDs and one person signed the mailing list. That's selling merch in New York. I sat at the merch table till the next act came on. There were three more acts but I didn't stay for three reasons.

  1. It's a long trip home.
  2. The second act was very loud and it hurt my ears.
  3. Game of Thrones had its season debut!
The greatest tribute to Kat is that I delayed my GoT gratification to see her. I resisted its siren call for four seasons but I finally gave in. It took a full season for it to reel me in but now I'm firmly hooked. As I said on Facebook; It's July 16 but winter has come. Don't worry I won't give any spoilers.

The show started with a great cold opening. I watched for every detail of the credit sequence as that gives the geography of the episode. It's one of the best credit sequences ever. What are some others? Get Smart comes to mind. I quickly left City Island and entered Westeros. I got to see all my old friends … and enemies again. I had to wait so long for this and then in an hour it was over. What? No binge watch? I have to wait another week to watch again? Cruelty, thy name is waiting.

Tonight, I'm going to the Met game with Alan. He'll arrive in time for first pitch. I might go for batting practice. I probably won't as Alan is treating me to dinner and I'd usually spend most of my pre-game time hunting for food.

You might have noticed that the visit counter is gone from the bottom of the page. That's not my doing; sitemeter just disappeared. Their page won't load. I wonder if they were attacked by a virus. I can't get any news on it. I had over 130K visits. I might have to find another counter service and start again from zero.

I forgot to buy cheese again. It is so hard not having a brain. I'll have to have my sausageeggandcheese with mozzarella, cheese whiz, or shredded pepper jack. None of which is as good on a sandwich as American cheese.


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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 July 17, 2017
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