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

October 24, 2014 - 10:57 a.m.

Folk Scandal! Jean Caught in Bed With Jefferson and Eamon!

OK I want to get out of here by 1. It is 9:32 so that shouldn't be an issue but it is. I will get to work. I'm listening to Flood as I write. Will that affect my writing?

I have a secret to tell from my electrical well.

OK let's try again. Yesterday I made matzoh brei for the first time in a while. So here's the thing I forgot to put the butter or oil in the pan and just made it on a thin layer of cooking spray and it tasted fine. I usually make it in bacon fat. Yes I'm not a good Jew. But is frying unnecessary? Can you just pan grill it? It seems like you can. Oh I did put diced Taylor ham in it so your bubbe will cry if you make it.

I made French fries with blue potatoes. It looked cool. I'm surprised I've never seen in offered in a restaurant � part of the blue plate special. It tasted like French fries.

Even Old New York was once Amsterdam

Last night I went to one of my favorite haunts, Jalopy. Jefferson post that he was playing there as The Murphy Beds his duo with Eomon O'Leary. Then when I looked at the Jalopy Website I saw that they were followed by Jean Rohe. I was going to go anyway but when I saw that she was on the bill it became mandatory. There was a third act on before them at 8:00 and as I pay the same no matter when I get there I came in time for him. I have discovered so many favorites that way.

Size of the entire universe man.

I love Jalopy but it's not the easiest place to get to. I take the to Borough Hall then take the 61 bus. It isn't that bad when the timing is right as it was last night. I hardly waited for the train or bus. Even though I got there late I arrived at 8:01. I can usually get the seat I want down front even if I get there late and I didn't particularly care where I sat for the act I didn't know. The reason they were late was sound check was late. That's why the door was locked. Sound check ended just as the music was supposed to start.

Imagine my surprise when the door was locked. I thought it was just an accident and knocked and Ferall let me in. I love a place where I know the names of the people working there. He's a musician too, Feral Foster. I paid, hung up my jacket and sweatshirt, yes they have actual hangers for your stuff, and ordered a mocha. I know what I like at Jalopy, just about everything.

The first act's parents came in and asked if they could bring in his dog. The answer was yes! I love that. it was a tiny dachshund.

I didn't know anybody else there till The Murphy Beds and Jean came in. I didn't know they knew each other, I think of them as coming from different worlds and both different that my usual crowd. I listen to their music all the time but it's a different social set. Well two different social sets.

The show ended up starting a half hour late at 8:30. I can live with that but I don't like what happened next. as the acts were scheduled every hour a set should have been 45 minutes or so. He played for 65 minutes and then did an encore that took ten minutes. Yes it was a CD release and there was a big crowd there for him but that isn't fair to everybody else, the audience or the other performers.

I'd rather be whistling in the dark.

The Beds ended up going on more than an hour late. Of course the first guy's crowd didn't stay. Now I love Jalopy and I can see how they are freewheeling and not regimented but when I band starts a half hour late don't give them 30 extra minutes to play when people are waiting for the next band. Maybe it's just me and all I should say is that I don't like it.

Notice I didn't talk about his music or name at all. That's because I knew I'd be prejudiced. But clearly he was the least special performer on the bill.

While the first band's cleared out I played on my phone. I felt a tap on my shoulder .It was Amy from House of Love concerts. Jefferson is playing there in a few weeks. She's part of that social set. I'm promiscuous and go from set to set.

Speaking of sets the Beds did a great one.. They always do. They combine Appalachian and Irish music. As they are related that works well. It isn't all trad songs by any means. They are both top notch songwriters. But I think if you didn't know better you might not know which are trad and which are their own. Now they play NERFA but have any of my other friends seen them outside of it? Well I know Kathleen knows them she plays them on "A Thousand Welcomes" her Irish music show and she commented when I posted their pic on Facebook. I like when world's collide.

Jean joined them for their last song. Too bad their set was half the length of the first act. I would love to hear more. They are on my list of bands I don't see often enough.

I can't say the same for Jean. I see her every time she performs. But perhaps that isn't enough. When we talked after the show she said how it's been z while since she saw me. It was like a month ago.

So you know how parents aren't supposed to have a favorite child but do. I am of course friends and fans of a million musicians but when people ask me to recommend one artist I don't hesitate, I saw Jean. I can just hear all my friends' egos crashing. I have told a few and their reaction is, "well duh," And that says a lot because I see many not just good, not just great, but amazing musicians. I rant about how most artists are not special, but there are so many artists that there are plenty of special ones in absolute terms. They are just easily lost in the vast sea of mediocrity.

This was a solo show. I like her best with the big End of the World Show band but I'd never want to see her only that way. You can't see the whole picture if you don't see her more intimate performances. It's not all complex arrangements and harmonic odysseys. When you see her solo you hear the underlying simplicity. Jean is essentially classical, not in the sense of classical music but in the sense of aesthetic as opposed to romantic. She has the classical virtues of balance and harmony. She's much more Mozart than Wagner or even Beethoven.

Jean is really too easy to write about. I can always come up with something for her. There are a few other artists like that while others just as good, well almost, I can't come up with insight on. I feel that I've slighted the Murphy Beds and I love them. They are not standard issue at all. They have original ideas. I just can't pinpoint why I love them.

They joined Jean for a few songs at the end. They performed as one band. So now I can say that I saw Jean in Bed with Jefferson and Eamon and you know I will. I'm shameless.

So you know how I said Jalopy isn't that hard to get to when the timing is right? After the show the timing is wrong. I was hoping to share a cab with Jean who doesn't live that far from me but she wasn't heading home. the show ended after midnight. It was supposed to end at 11:00. That makes a big difference in terms of busses. I walked ot the bus stop and went to the MTA website to see when the next bus was coming. Yes they have that. And what it said was "No bus on route, try again later." Ugh. I decided to take a cab even if it wasn't shared. I was going to walk back to Jalopy and call Uber from there so I could wait inside with friends. But then a cab dropped someone off across the street and I grabbed him. He was lucky. No way he expected to pick up a fare in Carroll Gardens after midnight on a weekend. So I got home in 20 minutes but of course it cost money. Another reason to be unhappy that the show was an hour late.

OK. I finished this before 11:00 huzzah to me. I'll keep it simple, bacon and eggs for breakfast today. I'm going to some sort of party with Heather tonight. I hope the food is good.


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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 October 24, 2014
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