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 ...
June 22, 2013 - 12:21 p.m.
Odd night for me, I'm a bit disoriented this morning. Let's see if I can get my thoughts in order.
I of course had my regular attack of the Chronoklepts. I can also call that an anxiety attack. They are not quite the same things, sometimes I procrastinate because of anxiety, other times because it's so easy to procrastinate. Yesterday there was a clear anxiety element. I could write about that now but I always like to start with the fun stuff. Fun it is.
Yesterday was Make Music New York a citywide event. There were thousands of free shows. Too bad the website is almost impossible to use and the phone app even worse. The only way I knew about shows was because my friends posted on their own about them. If you ever do a Make Music show make your own Facebook Event for it and send out an email. Nobody is going to find it any other way except by chance.
A bunch of my friends were playing. One group played along with Jeremiah Birnbaum in Riverside Park. This was a home game, the people that I'm good friends with. Who was there? Expect me to know? I can't look it up on the website as if I search for Jeremiah it says he did a five hour gig. Yeah, right. Honor, Carolann, Scott, and the rest of my usual social/musical crowd were there. I procrastinated right through it. I procrastinated through Alex Mallett's set downtown, I think the financial district. I made it just time to see Toys and Tiny Instruments in Prospect Heights. This was not a home game but it was checking out a new home. I LOVE these guys. I saw them on a bill with Anthony da Costa few weeks ago and they instantly became a favorite band. They have a melodica (that is a word spell check), a kazoo, a churango, and a stylophone. Do I really need to say more? These are my people. Their music reminds me of the harder rock oeuvre of They Might Be Giants. I find it very hard to sit or stand still when they are playing.
Wait I'm getting ahead of myself. I have not even arrived at the show yet.
I'm up in Spanish Harlem and the show in Prospect Heights in Brooklyn. That's far. Fortunately it's all one train line. I just took the 
to the 
. The train was slow but I still made it on time. Once I got to Brooklyn I had to find the place. It was on the street in front of some business or other. I walk down Franklin and I see someone playing. It wasn't them. This was another musician on the same block. This was in front of Cool Pony. I know that Lauraly lives nearby and is involved with booking music there. Now I know where it is. I walked further down the street and found the place. They were just setting up. I was worried about the sound bleeding from the woman playing at Cool Pony. I had no need to worry about that as you'll find out.
The band was set up on the sidewalk and there were a few chairs and a bench by the curb. I took a seat. One of the guys in the band, I'm terrible with names and don't know his said, "You're the guy with the blog, right?" That's me. Have blog will travel.
The crowd was small as you might expect for this kind of thing,. I am pretty sure I was more than the sum of the ages of any two of the other listeners. That's OK I'm much less mature.
So remember how I said they didn't have to worry about the woman in front of Cool Pony. That's because there was another, much louder band, right across the street starting at exactly the same time. The organizers of the festival do very little organizing. There were a few things that TaTI could have done, like play at the same time and make it a "battle of the bands." But they didn't. These are civilized people. I don't know if one of them went over and talked to the other band but they started alternating songs. They took turns. Everyone acted like a mensch, including the lovely woman, Bree something or other, in the other band. Sharing a limited resource does not have to lead to fighting. Good thing that not only is Bree a mensch but also a good musician. I liked her stuff.
So when you see a band and get blown away you are always afraid that next time you see them you'll be disappointed. Maybe it was just the circumstances the first time. It was just the novelty of the instrumentation. It was just the way things him me then. Nope, it was none of those things. TaTI just rock. It wasn't a great sound system and we were outside and I couldn't always make out all the lyrics but never mind. They both directly engaged the pleasure centers of my brain, the way music can, and stimulated my mind, the way good music can. They aren't just fun, they have content. The songs go someplace. There's development. AND they keep you moving. I'd love to see them at a neuro dance.
Despite the fact that they have neuro instruments they don't play neuromusic. They play rock. But when making a bill in my head I paired them with archetype neuroband Pi�ataland. You hear that Doug? I'm playing matchmaker. I want to present those two bands and Supercute. You hear that Rachel? All the best bands are in Brooklyn.
The music was not just fun or amusing, it was exciting. I like getting excited.
After their set I talked a bit and then dragged myself away to perhaps catch Alex Mallett's second gig of the day a few blocks away. I started walking in the wrong direction. I turned back and heard incredible music. I was torn, do I discover who made the incredible music or see Alex who also make great music and is a friend. I said a friend will understand and then realized the incredible music was TaTI. They were asked to do an encore. I ran back to my seat to the amusement of the lovely young woman sitting next to me. Oh speaking of lovely young woman. During their set I was focused on them when a woman crossed my line of site. the way things were set up anyone walking down the street crossed my line of sight. Here was my rapidfire thoughts as she crossed into my peripheral vision. Remember I'm focused passed her on the band. First thought, "Beautiful Woman Alert!" Second thought; "I know her!" Third Thought: "That's Lauraly!" Unfortunately she was walking very quickly and purposefully and was already passed me when I made the identification. I'm still not 100% sure as she only entered my consciousness after she was passed me and I only got a good look at her back. She did seem to be walking like someone with someplace she needed to be and I was sitting listening to music so I didn't get up and run after her. That might have just upset everybody. So I'll say it now. "Hi Lauraly!"
When this set was over I was sure I wouldn't have time to catch Alex's set so I talked. I told Alessandro, the kazoo player (yes I learned his name!) that he needs a Kazooka. He said he did! He knew what I was talking about! I told you I love these guys. I don't even expect all of My Gentle Readers to know what a Kazooka is.
Kazooka
We then had a kazoo conversation. That is pretty much the epitome of me being me.
I then went in search of Alex. I knew it was too late but I figured I'd still say hello. It was too late but I did catch him. We talked for a while then I said that I'm going to drown my disappointment in ice cream. We were near my favorite ice cream in Brooklyn, Blue Marble, but I wanted to find the place nearby that other people think of when I tell them "Best Ice Cream in Brooklyn." I can ever remember the name. Alex knew it, Ample Hills Creamery. I came up with a way of remembering it, The Grand Tetons.
I went over there and got on line. A few minutes later Alex joined me. once the thought was in his head he couldn't resist. Have I mentioned that Alex is very much my people? I had to decide what flavor to get. It was being PB Chunk, peanut butter with chocolate, and dark chocolate. I decided to go with a sundae and have PM Chunk on a fudge brownie, with hot fudge, and chocolate sprinkles. I figured that was enough chocolate even for me. Then they didn't have enough PB Chunk so I had to mix it with a second flavor; yes I chose the dark chocolate. This IS the best ice cream in Brooklyn. The fudge brownie was worth the trip all by itself It was hot! I had multiple chocgasms.
Alex and I sat outside in perfect weather, ate our ice cream and talked. I don't think I ever got a chance to talk to hm like that before. A day that I hadn't planned on being social, became social.
I was going to go to Williamsburg when we were done to see Avi Wisnia at a barbecue party! But I wasn't that hungry and I couldn't get there before 9:30 and it ended at ten so I just headed home. For dinner I had pizza at the local place, a block away. It very good and the people extra nice.
Wow I didn't expect this to be of epic length but it is. I'm not going to shorten it. It is what it is but I'm not going to add things I was thinking of. I'll have something to write tomorrow.
I signed the Pro-Truth Pledge:
please hold me accountable.
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Horvendile June 22, 2013
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