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
December 30, 2015 - 1:11 p.m. I’m starting this super late, almost noon, even though I didn’t sleep that late, I was up before 9:00. Three hours just disappeared yet again. Part of the reason is I can’t remember the brilliant thing I wanted to write about. It might have not been brilliant. It might have been emotionally important to me. I just know that last night I was worried about if I’d be able to write about it today along with what I did. Now I only remember what I did. I have to get back in the habit of writing down my idea. I have a memo app on my phone, I should use it. I did not get to Trader Joe’s yesterday, I managed to waste the entire day. I did edit and post a lot more pictures. I might show you some of them here. My set of the November On Your Radar with the Bumper Jacksons, Underhill Rose, and Heather Pierson proved particularly popular even though the pictures did not come out that well. I had to check the spelling of Heather’s last name and she’s the one I know by far the best. It is really hard not having a brain. I can also never remember the name of her base player Shawn. That is the very first time I got it without looking it up the same day. I think I might have finally gotten over the curse that prevented me from learning his name. I thought I was out of meat except for some chicken thighs but I found a burger buried at the back of the freezer and had it for dinner. I have not made one in a while and took extra care. I had garlic salt roasted potatoes with it. That means putting the cut up potatoes in a container, adding olive oil and garlic salt and shaking it up. There’s always some garlic salt laced oil left in the container. I put the hamburger patty in that before I cooked it. I made it in my cast iron skillet. I added steak seasoning and cheese and no ketchup. It came out amazing. Very few restaurants can make a burger as well as I do. I did get myself out of the house last night, I went to see Michael Daves. He’s had a Tuesday night residency at Rockwood Music Hall since 2007. Despite playing every week he still packs the place. I'd see him more often if it wasn't so often a sardine can. I have almost no music on my calendar so I decided to go. I also figured as this was the no man's land between Christmas and New Year's It might be less crowded. I figured I'd get their early, 9:40 for a 10:00 show and maybe be able to snag a chair if the act before him was not a big draw. The act was a big draw, there were lots of people standing. It was crowded enough for me to feel uncomfortable. I always worry about what to do with my jacket at shows like that. It's too hot to wear it but I hate to carry it the whole time. There are some coat hooks and I noticed there weren't many coats hung so I slowly wended my way through the crowd. When I got there I found not just empty coat hooks but an empty chair! I grabbed it. A couple of minutes before the previous act ended two of the people at my table left. When the set ended two other people took the seats and couldn't believe their luck. Turns out they are tourists from Toronto. Of course the conversation turned to Moxy Fruvous and Jian. They didn't know Jory Nash or Shawna Caspi the two other Torontonians that came up in conversation. Michael was his usual great self. He's the king of the New York Bluegrass scene. He plays guitar like he met the devil at the crossroads. He sings like he was born to it. He even yodels; that got a big ovation. Oh and the place was crowded but you could move. He is usually joined by guests, often ones I know. I have seen him with Sarah Jarosz, Kristin Andreassen, Aoife O'Donovan, and Stephanie Coleman. Last night he was joined by mandolinist Josh Pinkham. Josh's band was on next and Michael asked him to join him. He said it was one of Josh's favorite Hank Williams songs. Then he told Josh that he probably didn't know the song; Michael was confident that Josh would pick it up. He was right. I had a bonding moment with Michael. He couldn't remember the title of the song and had to sing it through to himself till he got to the part with the title. Michael doesn't know that we bonded. Michael doesn't even know that we should be friends. Oh and Michael doesn’t know who I am. Michael and Josh did this fiddle tune together that brought down the house. What musicianship. I am going to have to check out Josh. I was too tired to stay last night. I almost forgot my idiot story. There’s a one drink minimum at Rockwood though they’ll often let me forego it if I plead poverty. I decided to get something last night and had my usual diet coke. I didn’t have cash on me so had to pay with my card. I handed it to the waitress. A few minutes later she came back without a receipt and started with ‘I’m sorry but …’ I was afraid the card was rejected. But she finished with “… you gave me this card.” It was my laundromat card. Yes I’m an idiot. Then I couldn’t find my debit card. I found it hidden behind my spare metrocard. No idea how that happened. But when I found that I also found my driver’s license that I thought I had left at the security guard’s booth at Fordham from when I volunteered at WFUV. I noticed it was missing this weekend and called about it on Monday. They told me they didn’t have it. Of course they didn’t have it it was hiding in my wallet. I was hoping to run into someone I knew. I haven’t talked to anyone since Saturday. I didn’t know anyone at the show but I have some socializing with Mel who works the doors. I said hi when I got there and we wished each other happy holidays. When I left he was talking to someone so I just waved but he called me over to wish me a happy New Year. I didn’t head straight home even though it was 11:00 because I needed to go food shopping so I went to Pathmark. I was able to get chicken breasts on sale. I have to cut them up and put them in the freezer today. It ends up costing me a dollar a serving if I cut each breast in two. I might even cut them into thirds. A third of a pound should be enough food but I find that I want more when I do that. Oh I remember what I wanted to write about, well maybe. At least it’s something I’ve been contemplating writing about. I’ll save it for another time but right now I’ll going to write it down so I remember it. Did it Now it’s time to make an omelet. It looks like my omelet pan is on its last legs. I’ll see how it does. If I need a new one I will get a ceramic one so it lasts longer. I signed the Pro-Truth Pledge: please hold me accountable.
Memories: Not that Horrid Song - May 29, 2018
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