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 ...
April 25, 2014 - 10:51 a.m.
OK I was just reminded that I have work to do setting up the Facebook even for John Platt's On Your Radar. I am actually squeezed for time as I have to write this, eat, shower, and make the event in three hours. Wish me luck.
Well I showered. I was told that the water was being turned off in half an hour so I had to run in. I bet it isn't turned off. I've been told this at least 5 times and the plumber never got to work. When that saga is over I'll tell the tale.
I think I'm going to write this old style, that means shorter than has been my want. I used to write 600 words per entry now it's closer to 1200. I'm not going to think I'm not done because I have less than 1000.
Yesterday after school I actually had a student come to my office and I worked with her for a long time. She actually learned something.
In class I had a weird experience. I was doing base conversion with logs. The first time I did it I could see I totally lost them even though every step was simple. I couldn't see what they couldn't see it was the equivalent of saying,
a=b
b=c
So a=c.
I didn't know how to explain it any other way so I just started over on a different blackboard and the lights went off on everyone's head. I did nothing different but this time they understood it.
I finished with the student at around 6:00 and my plan for the evening was to see Jill Sobule at Joe's Pub at 8 PM. I started to plan where to eat around there. I didn't have to get there early as I reserved a seat. Then I decided to double check that I had the time right. Good thing, I then saw she wasn't playing at Joe's Pub. The show was at City Winery. I'm an idiot. There's no good place I know to eat near City Winery but Nathan's on 32nd street is right on the way and I haven't eaten there in a while so that's what I did. Sorry but that's been a favorite meal of mine since I was a little kid and that taste hasn't changed. There are few things as tasty as a Nathan's hot dog and fries. As they used to say "The Glory That is Grease."
Then I headed down to City Winery. Food and drink is expensive there but there's no minimum so I didn't order anything. I got my ticket late but I got the one good seat left in the front section center. I was actually just at the end of the stage. But there's a lot of room off on the wings so that's better than most. I can't do the stools in the back, my back doesn't like that. VIP seats are good but some have obstructed views! I sat there once.
not getting there early meant 45 minutes before the start of the show. I expected to know two people at the show. One I wanted to avoid and one I wanted to talk to. I saw the one I wanted to avoid but he didn't see me. I didn't see George, the one I wanted to talk to.
I sat with Tom and Ilene. Yes I remember their names. I am getting much better at that. Tom saw my WfUV hoodie so we became old friends fast. Joe at the next table heard us and joined in. He's on the WfUV advisory board. Tom has been listening since Liz Opoka days! That's old school, early 90s when I fell in love with the station. Liz you are still remembered fondly.
The show was the release of Jill's new album Dottie's Charms. I'll let Jill describe the concept herself.
I have a new record coming out! And it's a concept@ndash;record. All the kids, I hear, love the "concept record" - I have always felt like I could have been a trendsetter in, say ... 1966. "Dottie's Charms" is based on an old charm bracelet that was given to me as a birthday gift almost a decade [...]
There was an article about it in the Times, Sometimes a Bad Birthday Gift Has Its Uses.
Jill sent individual charms to different writers, not primarily songwriters, and had them write lyrics about the piece which she put to music. They were told nothing about the other charms or what other people were writing. So here's the thing, If you asked mw what Jill's greatest asset is I'd say her lyric writing and she wasn't doing that on this album. So I had some trepidations. But I trust Jill's judgment and went in with an open mind.
She started with some old songs to warm up the audience and put herself at ease then launched into the new material. The first songs were good but I didn't think up to her lyric writing. then things built up. She knew what was best, started slow and built. I was laughing out loud to some of them. Not that they are all funny. Totally unplanned Dottie was dumped wherever she went in the songs.
Perhaps lyrics aren't Jill's greatest asset, it might be, simply being Jill. She's such a strange combinations of traits. She comes across as insecure as self-effacing but then come out with such conviction and power. She a lion with the manner of a lamb. So many of he songs follow the pattern of, "I might be a social outcast but I rock!" And she does rock.
It was such a special event that her mother was there and came onstage to sing her rebuttal lyrics to "Big Shoes." It's a song about Jill being a social. outcast as a kid as she had to wear corrective shoes. But of course she rocks. Her mother's lyrics are about how much better off she is because she wore the shoes. Jill's mom rocks too.
Funny thing, remember how blogging turned my mood around and got me out of my funk? Well writing the blog where I told you about that turned it around again and the darkness returned. But Jill has a song that's the ultimate antidote for that "Underdog Victorious." It's a sing along and I sang along loudly cause I rock too. The crowd was good with the sing alongs. Oft times they don't and I am disappointed.
Good thing I decided to cut today's entry short and don't feel compelled to write 1000 words. Because now I've only written, um, 1128. Brevity is the soul of wit. I guess I'm witless.
OK I showered and now I've blogged. I have an 1:50 to eat and set up the Facebook event. If I don't finish I'll do it from school.
Tonight I'm seeing Robin Aigner, Bobtown, and Alex Mallett at Jalopy. I am marching for the last two, I haven't heard back from Robin. I am meeting Dan for dinner before then. I might be meeting Saburah who is in from Toronto.
So I just ran to the bathroom and the water is still running. It's a hour and 15 minutes after I was told it was going to be turned off in half an hour. I told you I didn't believe it.
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 April 25, 2014
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