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 17, 2017 - 12:15 p.m.

NJ for PR

I was not a wimp yesterday, I traveled to Paramus NJ to go to a concert. It was a benefit to supply Puerto Rico clean water in the wake of the hurricanes. Perry was one of the organizers and asked me to help book it as it had to be done fast. I provided two of the acts; it's not obvious which ones as Perry and I fish in the same waters. Here is the list of performers

unBrothers/Tommy Walker
Bobtown
Carolann Solebello
Jann Klose
Josette Diaz
The Levins
The Lords of Liechtenstein
Devon Perez
Carol Crittenden
My peeps are right near the top, Bobtown and Carolann Solebello. the L bands, The Levins and The Lords of Liechtenstein were Perry's doing. I must admit to being selfish. I have not seen Bobtown in ages, they are on a mini-hiatus, and I asked them, so I could see them. I did well by doing good. It was not the full band, just the estrogen 60%, Katherine, Jen, and Karen. They threw me by standing in that order instead of the usual Karen, Katherine, Jen. Good thing I was still able to figure out it was them. On the other hand, it's been almost a month since I saw The Lords. It's been a while since I saw Carolann. Anything more than a month is a while for her. I also did the merch, what a shock; There was no way I'm missing this concert.

Paramus is not the easiest place for me to get to. Anyplace off City Island is not easy for me to get to. It took about two hours. That was not my issue. My issue is that I hate New Jersey; my commute gave me another reason. The MTA did fine by me; I took two buses and a subway, and my first choice of subway wasn't working but I knew I couldn't take the A train and the MTA got me to the Port Authority ahead of schedule. On the way I used my NJ Transit App to buy my ticket as the bus I needed runs continuously and I might not have time to buy one. I got there, and the board said it left from gate 21. I got there and asked the driver if the bus stopped at my stop and he said yes. I showed him my ticket and boarded.

Once on my way I used Google Maps to see where I was and when I had to get off. There was no place to signal that you wanted to get off, so I told the driver, "I'm getting off at Forest Ave." He said something I couldn't understand. He said it repeatedly. Finally, another passenger translated his strong accent; he was saying, "Have you paid?" I told him that I showed him my ticket when I boarded. He said in his best "No Coke, Pepsi" voice. "No ticket, cash only." He knew from when I boarded that I had bought a ticket but didn't say anything till it was too late. To make it worse it cost more money than the ticket I bought. I was just lucky I had the cash on me. I often don't. I hate New Jersey.

When I got off I had to walk 0.7 miles. That's not far but there were no sidewalks much of the way and no real crosswalks. Have I mentioned that I hate New Jersey?

Things got better once I was at the UU where the concert was held. I got hugs from my friends, checked the lay of the merch table land, and ate. There was delicious Cuban pork and plantains. I ate with the musicians and harassed Dan and Brian. Brian was the official photographer. People enjoy Brian and my sophomoric repartee; two idiots are funnier than one. When is WFUV going to realize they should give us a show?

Perry asked me if I needed help doing the merch. I told him I would let him know if I did. I had help, nobody had told Perry or me. They were members of the UU's youth group. I took the four bands that I know well and could answer questions about and they took the others. It helps having somebody that's familiar with the albums. I always make honest recommendations.

Usually there is not heavy sales at this sort of show. Bobtown knew that and didn't bring their full merch kit. So of course, they sold out. They contributed their sales to the charity.

My ride back to the Bronx fell through so I told, not asked, Brian that he was driving me to the GW bridge where I could catch the shuttle bus. I tease Brian but he's as nice as it's possible to be. We had a discussion earlier that I'm good but not nice.

For once I was lucky. I should have missed the BX12 bus by about 2 minutes, but so many people were getting on that it was still there when I got to the stop. They run about every 12 minutes except between 11:46 and 12:15. I got there at 11:50 and expected the long wait. Even worse, On Sunday nights, the last bus to City Island, leaves at 12:50 and I was afraid missing it if missed the 11:45 BX12. If I did I'd have to pay for a cab home. Did you catch the flaw in my thinking? It wasn't Sunday night, it was Saturday. The bus runs an hour later. There was no chance I'd miss the last bus. What confused me? This is easy. I'm an idiot.

Perry called me when I was on the BX12. When my ride fell through he was going to drive me all the way home. He doesn't live anywhere near me. He is also incredibly nice. I was happy with the ride I got to the Bridge. I was not as lucky with the BX29 and missed it by two minutes which meant waiting a half an hour for the next one. I rewarded myself with a Cup of Orgasm™, No Chewing Allowed hot chocolate with a chocolate truffle in it.

Tonight, I'm off to see Robinson & Rohe's Longest Winter Christmas show at the House of Love in Red Hook. I can't schmooze after the show if I want to make the last bus home as it really is Sunday night. I should be fine. Google will warn me when I have to leave.



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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 December 17, 2017
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