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 ...
November 21, 2010 - 11:17 a.m.
I think things are back to normal here. I'm going to write about my day, not about what happened at NERFA.
I took it very easy during the day since I'm still recovering from NERFA. Hey I didn't say I wasn't going to mention it. I listened to Wait Wait Don't Tell Me and two episodes of Car Talk. I hadn't listened to last week's yet; the one I had to miss because of NERFA.
Oh I haven't caught up on my literary life. I finished The Insidious Dr. Fu-Manchu on Monday. I have rarely had my feelings towards a book change back forth as much as I read a book I had all these positive feelings when I started dating back to my childhood. Then for a while I was too distracted by the racism to enjoy it. The book constantly talked about the menace of the Yellow Race and how Nayland Smith was working for the White Race. Then I switched back to loving the book. In the end Fu-Manchu showed the nobility that I remembered him having from my childhood. It's what makes the books. The villain has virtues. My guess is that if I read later books in the series those aspects will be more consistently shown.
Now I'm reading The Third Man by Graham Greene. Till I read the introduction I didn't realize that the movie came first. Greene wrote a treatment which is novel like that he converted into the screenplay. After the movie the treatment was published. There are some marked changes from the film and Greene says that film's version is superior. That still doesn't make the book bad. It's great. You discover much more of the past relationship between the Harry Lime and the narrator (in the film Holly Martin in the book Rollo Martin).
Last night I finally left the house to see Meg Braun, Carolann Solebello and Elisa Peimer at Caffe Vivaldi. The Caffe is a fine Italian restaurant so I of course got dinner beforehand at another fine restaurant, whichever the papaya place is on Fourth Street and Sixth Avenue. For five bucks I had two hot dogs, fries, and an orange drink. I had desert at the Caffe. Miracle of miracles they had the triple chocolate mousse! It had white chocolate, milk chocolate, and dark chocolate. It is on the menu but the other times I was there they didn't have it. I was not optimistic. I was almost afraid to order it. I thought the waitress would say, "How many times do I have to tell you, we don't have it." But instead she said they did! It was magnificent. I got there early and had my dessert while Carolann and Meg were having their dinner. I told them that the mousse was so good the pressure was off them the mousse made the trip into the City worthwhile. Meg asked, "So we can suck?" and I told her yes. Did they suck? You'll have to read on to find out.
See this is a real Wise Madness entry. I talked about food. Oh wait, I didn't talk about my commute. I'll do that when discussing the ride home.
The reason I got there early was because Allison Scola and Janie Barnett were performing. I had never seen them but I knew that Allison was one of the Chicks with Dip. That's a songwriting group that many of my friends are in, Meg, Carolann, Allison Tartalia, and Sharon Goldman are in. So is Elisa. The first one I ate with at NERFA with was Anna Dagmar who is also a Chick with Dip. The rule seems to be that if you are Chick with Dip I like you and more surprisingly you like me. I am going to start the men's auxiliary for nerds like me. It's going to be called Dips with Chicks.
The Chicks and their entourage were my security blanket at NERFA. When I first got there and was getting adjusted I hung out with Meg, Carolann, and Sharon. That boosted my confidence enough to be gregarious.
Elisa and her husband Jon got there shortly after I do. I went through the same thing with both of them. "Don't we know each other?" We travel in the same circles and we know we've met at gigs. Elisa is a Chick with Dip so of course I immediately became friendly with her and John.
I had seen Allison Scola backing up Sharon at NERFA and was curious to see her perform. She didn't disappoint. The one thought that struck me was that she has to do Cast Party. Her songs are very much not ballads. She isn't just another sensitive woman with a guitar.
Mark and Felix (Carolann's husband and son) came in near the end of Allison and Janie's set. They ended up sitting where Carolann sat when Carolann performed. Allison Tartalia sat right behind me. I was almost literally surrounded by friends.
Caffe Vivaldi is a place where I wish I had a better camera. The light at Googie's lounge makes everyone look like a zombie, an unattractive zombie. The light at Vivaldi makes everyone look great but it's not bright. It's at the edge of my camera's ability to take photos. I still love shooting there.
Allison Scola
Meg and Carolann
Carolann
Meg, Carolann, Elisa
Meg
It was a great show and just what I needed. I could hear great music in a totally relaxed setting. They performed in the round. That's a format that I'm only fond of if they performers play with each other. Otherwise what's the point? These three knew each other well so they joined in.
Felix is the world's best behaved child. Mark and Carolann should give parenting lessons. At one point Felix kicked or pushed the table. I was on the other side and of course I don't mind but Mark stopped him and gave him a little talk. That was great. How many times have you been annoyed by a stranger's kid while the parents just sit their ignoring it?
Felix Watching Intently
Felix was not only good but he put on his own show. He played air guitar and the rare air piano.
Felix and Mark on air guitars
After the show I did my Sherpa thing and help Carolann to the car with her equipment, Mark was busy with Felix. Then I headed home nice and early.
Right by the subway I saw a woman in boots I needed to photograph. By the time I got the camera out she was past me so I only got them from behind but take a look.
No matter what you are wearing compared to that you are wearing sensible shoes.
So much for taking it easy. Today I'm going to see Richard Shindell with Leah. Why is that not taking it easy? He's playing at the Tin Angel in Philadelphia. I'm psyched to be driving through Jersey, cheap gas and Taylor Ham, here I come.
I had never brought it my cooler from the car from my last unsuccessful attempt at getting Taylor Ham. I needed to get it so I could put the ice pack in the freezer. Last night after midnight I went out to my car and couldn't find it. I thought it was right by the front door but I went out and looked down the block and couldn't see it. I walked over to Main Street where I usually park and walked down a block and couldn't find it. I got afraid it was stolen. Then I played back the film from the last time I used it and I knew I parked by the front entrance a short way the opposite direction as Main Street. I went back and walked up and found it. It was hidden behind a van. It really isn't easy not having a brain.
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 November 21, 2010
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