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

March 07, 2014 - 10:41 a.m.

Oh Me Oh Miah

No more procrastinating. I have things to do. I'm a bit sleep deprived so that'd not easy.

Here is the summary of my day: New Yorkers get that. It's all the subway lines I took in order. I traveled a lot. First I went to school, that's . I let my Precalculus Class get away from me. There was one problem that I should not have assigned for homework. It involved way too much algebra that wasn't covered in class. They should know it but I know they won't. So I ended up spending the entire class teaching something I hadn't planned. It is stuff they need for calculus so it was useful.

From there I took the to the home. For the first time since I left Fort Greene I made jerk chicken. I had roasted plantains with it so I fit right in my neighborhood which is largely Jamaican. Do any of you make jerk chicken? It's so good.

Normally that would be the end of my travels. If I'm going out I don't stop home first. But last night my first show was at 10 PM. Yes I said first show. For the second time in three days I went to see Haas Kowert Tice. This time the show was at Barb�s . I took the to the . When I lived in Queens I went to Barb�s quite often. I have not been there since I moved to Brooklyn.. it's a great hole in the wall bar and performance space that gets amazing musicians. It's so dark there that I didn't get any pictures.

When I see Haas Kowart Tice the only friends I see at the shows are musicians in their circle. That does not reflect well on my other friends. If you love music you should love them. So true to form when I got there who did I see? Lily. Yes she's a musician in their circle. I know Critter was there because they talked to him from the stage but I didn't see him myself. I didn't see anyone else I knew.

I got there a bit later than I planned and I was afraid I wouldn't find a seat as the place is small. But I lucked out the first row was empty. It's right next to the performers and many people are shy of sitting there.

The fact that I saw them on Tuesday and was back seeing them again at a late show pretty much tells you all you need to know about how I feel about Haas Kowart Tice. In a world with taste they'd be superstars. What do people have against instrumentals? How come it�s the opposite in the classical world where stations are loathe to play vocal music? I love it all

As I said this was my first show of the night. On Tuesday I told Brittany that they better start on time Thursday as I had another show to go to. They didn't. But I did hear them for well over an hour. I finally ripped myself away at 11:33. Yes I know to the minute. According to google maps I had to leave at 11:36 to get to Rockwood Music Hall at midnight. I had to leave time to get bundled up for the cold. I spent that talking to a woman that worked at Barb�s. Wherever I go I get friendly with somebody.

Now there is not much that can drag me away from a Haas Kowart Tice show. But last night was Jeremiah Birnbaum's birthday show at Rockwood. It started at midnight. I am a music commuting god. I got to Rockwood as the first song started. I maximized the amount of music I heard. Oh I almost forgot the subway. I took the there. That's why it's so fast. only one train and 8 stops away.

As I walked the half block to Rockwood I passed the Sugar Caf�. I looked in and saw Joe who works there. I told you I get friendly with somebody everywhere I go. My day was already made but it would have been made by Joe's reaction when he saw me. He got a big smile on his face and enthusiastically waved to me. Yes I am the same person that laments "nobody loves me/everybody hates me/I'm going to eat a worm." I'm complicated.

I thought I'd know everyone in the audience. I was wrong I only knew Efrat. She was on a stool at the back where there was no room to join her so I sat at a table and she came and joined me. That was nice as I haven't seen her in far too long. We got to catch up.

Jeremiah aka Miah had a rock band, The Ramblers. Then he became a solo folkie. Now he's back as a rocker, Miah and Rriends. One of the friends is my friend Chris Kelly on bass. Miah at Rockwood is very much a home game. People think of me as a folkie. I am a folkie. But I am also a rocker. And you can take my word for it, this is the best incarnation of Miah yet. He's in his natural habitat and he rocks in both sense of the word. I didn't l.ike the new material, I loved it. I was moving to the music. It has fire. I bet if it wasn't a midnight show and I got more than 5 hours of sleep that I could think of a brilliant analysis of why it's great. But I can't so you'll just have to take my word that it's great and that you'll want to hear it.

After the show we hung out for a bit, first in Rockwood then out in the street but I knew I had to head home. I had a moderate wait for the . Then a really short wait for the . But then I made fateful decision. I bought m&ms on the walk from the to the . That took maybe 30 seconds. BUT and this is a big BUT the door to the closed when I was 3 feet away. I had a 20 minute wait for the next one. That is why I got home after 2.

But I made a great decision earlier going to both shows. I never go to midnight shows any more and especially not by a local musician I can see other times. But it was Miah's birthday show and he was debuting new music and it was totally worth it.

So the takeaway from all this is that you have to see Haas Jordan Tice and Miiah and friends if you want to be my friend. You got this? That was extra clever because you got this is the name of the Haas Jordan Tice album.

OK now I have to eat, shower, and get back to grading. I am not going to finish today. I will spare you my grading travails stories.


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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 March 07, 2014
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