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 28, 2016 - 11:24 a.m.

Barack to the Future

I made a Trader Joe's run yesterday. Yeah it's ridiculous to go all the way into the City for Trader Joe's but I'm addicted, like an addict. My actual plan was to go to my PO Box but I left just too late. That was the Chronoklepts fault. I had plenty of time Then when I was waiting for the bus I looked at my watch and it was too late. Only by minutes but it was too late. When I got to 59th Street where I switch trains I could see there was no way I could make it in time. So I made the best of it and went to Trader Joe's. That was always on my agenda, just a different Trader Joe's. I went to the one at Union Square, the one I don't have to change trains for. I usually avoid that one as it's the most crowded. My order of preference is Brooklyn, Chelsea, Upper West Side, Union Square. It's all based on the ease of getting around within the store. Union Square has done something to make it easier. They have someone go up and down the line asking if people need any last minute items. That's to keep people on the line which is wending through the aisles from leaving their cart and picking up more things which blocks up everything. So what did the person two ahead of me do? She left her cart to get more items … four times. Once she left her cart on the left side of the aisle. The line was on the right side. So she made it so nobody could get through. What they need is trap doors in the floor. I'm not saying they should drop the woman down it and execute her. No I'm kinder and gentler now. They should just drop her cart down when she leaves it. When she comes back and sees it gone she has to start her shopping all over again. That is quite a fair punishment.

My other favorite solipsist of the day was the woman that just stopped on the stairs when the train was in the station and I and everyone behind me was racing to make it. She stopped, looked around a bit, then sauntered down the stairs. It wasn't her train in the station of course. I missed it.

Then comes my idiot story. I had to refill my monthly MetroCard. I always try and do that when I arrive at my destination, not when I'm getting on and need to catch the train. I can't wait till I need it as the first thing I take is the bus and you can't by a MetroCard on the bus. I forgot when I got to Union Square, of course. Then when I got back to Pelham Bay I looked at the Bus Times website and saw the bus was coming in just six minutes. I was so excited, no 20-minute wait. I sauntered to the stop, I had six full minutes. Then I remembered the MetroCard. I ran up the stairs. The machines are on the far side of the station. I get to the closest machine and there's a woman at it, talking on the phone, not using it. So I go to the second machine. I put in my card, twice, it didn't read it the first time. I run through the menu, get my card, race down the stairs and back to the stop. The bus was there and the last people were boarding. Yes! I made it by seconds.

When I got home I made one of the Brooklyn Bangers I got from TJ's for dinner. That's a sausage. It was yummy. Oh no I forgot to get ice cream!



Now for some substance. Last night I watched a little of the Met game and a lot of the Democratic Convention. I said I wasn't going to watch but I find myself drawn to it. I saw Biden, Panetta, Bloomberg, Kaine, and of course the main course, Barack Obama. It was pretty wonderful. From what I saw on Facebook most of my friends agree. One of my friends said he didn't usually agree with Bloomberg but did last night. He probably agrees with Bloomberg a lot more than he realizes. I voted against him three times, I disagree with him on some important issues, but he's right on a lot of issues too and is effective in dealing with them.

I loved Kaine's speech one he got into the groove. He is a folksy politician and the VP candidate's tradition role is to be the attack dog. He understood that role and did it well. He just did it in a folksy even goofy manner. I wish he had played his harmonica.

Obama gave one of his greatest speeches. This was the Obama I remembered from the 2004 convention when I said, "that guy should run for president." So often as president he spoke without passion. Nobody could say that last night. Right from the start you could tell he was on. It was the happiest I've seen him in ages. He wanted to be there. He was once again giving his vision of America and how Hillary fits into it. He was not speaking as a party loyalist but as someone that believes that Hillary will make a great president.

The theme of the evening was I versus We. Trump sees himself as the only one that can rebuild a nation in ruins. He doesn't tell us how, or he does and then changes it the next sentence. But that doesn't matter because he can make everything right, "believe me."

The Democrats sees a great nation striving to be greater and that it's going to take all of us to do it. We are the instruments of change, not one person. America is great because it's people are great. It's my vision of America. People have come here from around the world. We have a deep talent pool. The world sends up their best, those with the initiative to pick up stakes and start afresh. Steve Jobs' father was form Syria, Obama's from Kenya, and Sergey Brin was born in Russia. This is our strength not our weakness.

As I said, my Facebook news feed is a testament to how much my friends were moved by the speakers last night. There was a constant outpouring of admiration and affection for President Obama. I was surprised to see that from people who have been relentlessly attacking Hillary. How can you love President Obama and hate Hillary? Who do you think knows her better you or the President? Do you think he'd want the country in the hands of someone corrupt? Do you think he'd have entrusted our diplomacy to someone itching to start wars? Bernie is supporting her and Obama is enthusiastically supporting her. If you trust them, trust them.

Now for breakfast. I already fed the cats! I am not becoming a crazy cat person but I do find myself talking to Billy. Bacon and eggs for breakfast today. I have therapy this afternoon then tonight I'm seeing Honor Finnegan and friends at Rockwood Music Hall tonight. Honor's friends have a lot of overlap with mine. The show is called Stormy Weather. Here's the lineup.

Performed by
Honor Finnegan
Karen Dahlstrom
Addie Brownlee
Scott Wolfson
Karyn Oliver
Sharon Goldman
Villa Palagonia
Bev Grant
Marci Geller

Featuring songs by
Paul Simon*
Patti Griffin*
Bob Dylan*
Joni Mitchell*
Ann Peebles
Allen Toussaint*
Jim Morrison
John Fogerty
T-Bone Walker
Arlen & Koehler

Tickets $10
All proceeds to Nurse-Family Partnership of New York


I know everyone performing but Addie. I have seen the starred songwriters live. I wish I had been to Paris, then I could say I saw Jim Morrison dead. Too soon? As you can see it's for a good cause so come and join me. Damn, it means I'm missing Hillary! Well that's why god invented YouTube.


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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 28, 2016
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