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

June 09, 2013 - 12:35 p.m.

Go West Young Woman

Lots to do today. I have to write. I love writing but everything is difficult for me now, I have to push myself to start writing but once I do I am so happy I did.

So what wonderful thing did I do yesterday? I know! I'm smart. It was wonderful but bittersweet; I went to see Laura Dunn's farewell show. She is moving back to Portland Oregon. Fortunately I had some help writing this from Charles Dickens. This is from The Old Curiosity Shop.

Why is it that we can better bear to part in spirit than in body, and while we have the fortitude to act farewell have not the nerve to say it. On the eve of long voyages or an absence of many years, friends who are tenderly attached will separate with the usual look, the usual pressure of the hand, planning one final interview for the morrow, while each well knows that it is but a poor feint to save the pain of uttering the one word and the meeting will never be. Should possibilities be worse to hear than certainties? We do not shun our dying friends, the not having distinctly taken leave of time among them, whom we left in all kindness and affection, will often embitter the whole remainder of life.

The show was at The Sidewalk Cafe. I used to go there all the time but now it�s a rarity. It shouldn't be, it's a great place to hear music. My musician friends should play there.

I think everyone in the audience was there to say goodbye to Laura. She and her fianc� Craig seemed to know everyone. Lots of them were fellow teachers from her school. The only ones I knew were musicians; Paul Sachs played before her and Kirk is in her band. The central figure in this is the late great Jack Hardy, they all met at the Songwriter's Exchange. I bet that where she met Anthony too and I know her through Anthony.

It was really touching seeing all the people getting weepy over her leaving. She a magical person. Not in that she has magic powers, that's just silly, the magic is an inherent part of her being. I'm pretty sure she has an Elf in her ancestry.

I said the evening was bittersweet and that's a good word to describe her music, though she calls it "Creepy Folk." There is nothing quite like it.

It is a lot like lyric poetry, poems recited to lyre playing. That makes sense as she's a poet. That's what she teaches. The music is simple but evocative.

Listening to Laura is nothing like talking to her. The music so soft and sad. When you picture Laura in your mind the first thing that you see is big smile with dimples that make the Grand Canyon envious. So now she's taking her smile and everything else and moving to Portland. I don't think I ever met someone from there that I didn't like.

Paul Sachs played first. He did something new, actual lyric poetry, well he played the guitar not the lyre. But it was a spoken word piece with guitar playing behind it. Paul has played with Laura before and I love the contrast. Other are physically total opposites. We don't usually think of voices having an opposite but they do.

No Trouble Here

Paul just won the Grassy Hill Kerrville New Folk contest. He's also playing the Budgiedome again which is of course a greater honor. I�ll have to double check but I think everyone playing the Budgiedome this year that's played before is either Kerrville or FRFF Most Wanted winner.

I would have liked to stay for Tall Tall Trees but just as last week it was too late and I had to head home. I gave Laura multiple hugs. One was from Anthony

I had one of my favorite meals before the show. The Sidewalk is near Crif Dog; in fact I discovered Crif Dog on the way to show there when the East Village was my most frequent haunt. Back in the day I'd go there and the place would not be crowded and I'd hang around and talk to the owner about the Mets. he got to know me because I always came in wearing a Mets cap. He's a fan too, in other words a good person. Now the place is an East Village institution and very busy. Today it was a tight squeeze getting in but that was more for the secret bar. In true speakeasy style there is a bar attached to Crif dog that can only accessed through a secret entrance in a telephone booth. I'm not kidding. I have to go some day so I can feel like Maxwell Smart.

After the show I tried to get comfort ice cream at the Big Gay Ice Cream Shop but the like was a block long. I've never been there. I'll have to try when it isn't Saturday night. Instead I went to the diner over on broadway that's been there forever. It's right by the station. I got a milk shake. It isn't one of the new trendy places. It doesn't specialize in shakes. But for $4.95 you get an amazing old fashioned shake and sit in comfort with a pleasant atmosphere. All their food is good.

Unfortunately when I finished the shake my tummy wasn't happy. It was taut. I was having a Crohn's attack. It hardly upsets me now. I went home took 20 mg of prednisone and the intestinal obstruction opened 15 minutes later. It just works and the earlier you catch it the faster it works. That makes sense since there is less food backed up behind it.

It's a beautiful day but I won't be out much to enjoy it. I'm busy getting a place to live. I'm getting help today from a friend. It's sad but I need that. It would be so nice to be able to function.

Getting back to Laura; Farewell wherever you may fare till your eyries receive you at your journey's end. That's the polite thing to say among eagles.


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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 June 09, 2013
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