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 ...
September 23, 2017 - 11:10 a.m.
Yesterday I promised you I'd write about music today. On Facebook, I promised you a major idiot story. Unlike Trump and the Republicans in congress I deliver on my promises. I should mention that I'm delighted that Trump and the GOP did not deliver on their promise to repeal Obamacare. When your promise involves stripping people of their healthcare that will lead to bankruptcy, suffering, and death, you should not feel obligated to fulfill it. Everyone loves music and idiot stories so this is different.
This weekend is the Brooklyn Americana Music Festival. Much, or is it all of it, is free. Many musicians I love play in it, so even though it's not exactly convenient I like to go. The band I wanted to see last night was Session Americana. They had to sets, the first, the one that was doable was in the strangest venue at the fest, In the Arch under the Manhattan Bridge. That was converted into a public space, it had been a vehicular tunnel on Water Street. It's not an ideal place for music, you hear the traffic on the bridge above you and it's even worse when a subway train passes overhead but it's just so cool; it's the epitome of hipster Brooklyn.
The festival started at 5 and Session Americana went on at 7. I arranged to meet Dan there. I was coming straight from therapy. When I'm very lucky the bus to the MetroNorth comes on time or early and the train leaves a little late and I can make the 3:51. When I miss it I have to wait till 4:24. Yesterday was one of those lucky days. I then had good timing with the 4, 6, and F trains. The Archway is just a short walk from the F and I got there at 5:15. I was shocked at my good fortune. I grabbed a seat by the sound guy and listened to the music. One thing they need, signs saying who is playing. There's no schedule up anyplace so if you miss the intro you don't know who you are seeing. The first performer was not my cup of tea but seemed appropriate for the heart of hipsterdom.
I texted Dan to tell him where I was sitting and to ask when he's going to get there. He told me in about an hour. Then I noticed I had an alert on my phone. Nothing important, a sports update; Noah Syndergaard is getting his first start back from the DL on Saturday. That reminded me to check when the Met game Alan gave me a ticket to was. I suspected I forgot to put it on my calendar. The ticket was in my wallet. I looked. You see where this is going, don't you? It was for yesterday. I'm an IDIOT!
It was now 5:45, I was in Brooklyn; the game was at 7:10 in Queens. I had to go through Manhattan. I might be able to just make it. I texted Dan my apologies and an explanation. He knows I'm an idiot. I texted Alan that I might be late. I went back to the Subway, took the F, to the 6, to the 4, to the 7. I got to Citi Field in an hour. I had plenty of time; enough to get a hot dog and the free soda I always get with the designated driver program. I went to our seats. These are not the seats that are printed on the ticket. These are much better seats that have been empty every gave I've been to this year. Alan arrived right before the first pitch. He likes doing that. I hate it. I would have loved to have gotten there early and watched batting practice. If I had remembered about the game I could have easily done so. There is a cost to not having a brain.
This was meaningless September baseball, the Nats have clinched and the Mets have been eliminated. The Nats rested most of their starters. The Mets' starters look like most teams September callups; all their best players are injured. Asdrubal Cabrera batted third and Brandon Nimmo cleanup, do I need say more? It was not a stellar pitching matchup, Edwin Jackson for the Nats and Robert "this is not a typo" Gsellman for the Mets. The Mets fell behind 6–1 in the fifth. Alan said he would leave after the eighth. So, what happened? The Mets tied it up in the bottom of the 5th! Travis d'Arnaud hit his second home run of the game. The took the lead in the 6th to make it 7–6. That was the final score. The Mets won!! Huzzah!
I even had good luck with the buses coming home. I was back by 11:35, not bad when the game ended at 10:12. All I had had to eat was that hot dog so I fried a plantain and had a peanut butter sandwich when I got back; ice cream for dessert.
Today I'm going back to the American Fest to see Bobtown. I might stay for some more music, I might not. I have to make the Facebook event for John Platt's On Your Radar and I'd like to cook dinner at home. But things might persuade me to stay. I'll keep my options open.
Alan gave me a ticket to the last Met game of the year and a Knick game. I put them both in my calendar. I will not forget again. I'm an idiot but one that's smart enough to know he's an idiot and take precautions.
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 September 23, 2017
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