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 21, 2015 - 1:12 p.m. I slept late this morning. I went to bad late last night. But now I have to write before I can eat. I have my priorities. I must feed the blogger before my stomach. It's a bad vision day so writing's a bit more difficult than usual. Did you know I have good and bad vision days? My body is not normal. That reminds me of all sorts of things that I want to write about but can't because I actually did things yesterday and must write about it. Of course I'll never remember this stuff on a slow news day. I made two expeditions yesterday. In the first I had my watch repaired. Now sure I could probably find someplace in Brooklyn to have it done but I never know who to trust. When I find a Jeweler who does good work and is honest I stick with him. There is one by my therapist near Union Square. My watch had stopped. It would run for a bit the stop again. I feel naked without a watch on my wrist. When I don’t' have a watch on I still look at my wrist to check the time. All I get is three freckles past the hair. I don't know how to convert that to Eastern Daylight Savings Time. I have not been watchless as I got a locket watch that I use as a pocket watch from Burning Bridget Cleary. I bet you don't buy your timepieces from your favorite bands. You really should. So I hopped on the subway to Union Square and headed to my Jeweler. I wish I remembered the name so I could give him a shout out. I'll go back there after therapy and take a picture of you. He was his usual friendly self. And unlike most of my favorite jewelers he was not a little old man. He's quite a bit younger than me. Good that the tradition is living on. The crystal in my watch has a chip in it. Last time a piece of glass blocked the mechanism. This time a hair had made its way in and slowly wound its way around the hands till it stopped them. It was blonde so hard to see. Pretty sure it was Katherine's. Then I went food shopping at Pathmark and headed home. They didn't have the chicken, steak, or hamburger I wanted on sale. They did have bratwurst so that's what I had for dinner. I'm not complaining. I didn't have to be anywhere again till 9:45 and yet somehow was almost late for that. I started watching an episode of Buffy at 8:45 and then realized I had to leave soon. How did I think I had almost an hour free? I know, I'm an idiot. I realized the time. I watched two minutes and realized that I had to get ready to go. I did the dishes, well OK, I just did the pans, and got dressed for the weather. I had put my winter things away and now they are back. Once again I don't know what I'd do without my overshoes. I was walking through puddle after puddle. I'll give you one guess where I was going. Yes to hear live music but where? You got it, Rockwood Music Hall; Stage 2 to be precise. I went to see Carolann Solebello and Heather Pierson. At first I couldn't believe I didn't have a macro to insert a link to Carolann's website as I write about her all the time. But of course this is the first time I have seen her perform since I got this computer and the Wise Madness style manual says to not use links or last names when seeing musicians socially. When I arrived the crowd for the previous show, the Nields was letting out. I knew that Fred was there and would be back for Carolann and Heather but didn't see him emerge. I was doing merch so I went down before doors opened. I like that people just believe me. The woman at the door didn't even ask my name. She might know me, I'm there enough and usually going down early. As I thought about setting up the merch I remembered that I got stickers from both of them to christen m new computer. I don’t have a car so my stickers go on my computer. Carolann's was one of the first I put on the old one. I think I remember the order of the first three, ilyAIMY, Bobtown, then Carolann. I know for sure ilyAIMY was first, I might have reversed the other two. I saw Fred's coat on his usual seat at our usual table and put my stuff next to it. It took a minute but as Katryna was clearing her stuff from the stage she realized it was Carolann setting up her stuff and they started talking. She said that there was one guy that sat through both their shows and said he was going to the next show too. I knew she meant Fred. He's one of my people. When the doors opened the room filled with people I knew, Bev and Katherine sat at the next table. Karyn and Claude sat behind us. OK there were more people I knew. Right? I hate not having a brain. Carolann is of course one of the musicians I've seen the most often. Yet she can still surprise me. She had some great new songs I haven't heard yet. There was one I particularly wanted to write about. I of course don't remember it now. Just that it was lively. She did the songs I was thinking she'd sing. It just seemed a good day for Brooklyn in the Rain and River. She also did a favorite of mine she rarely does, Chinatown. Wow I remember actual songs she did. How did that happen? Carolann has been prolific, three albums the last five years and she did a good number of new songs. The best part is that she keeps improving, each album is better than the best and the first was very good. Heather is someone who I'm not sure how I know. I asked her and she said somebody told her to introduce herself to me by the Lounge Stage. That makes sense. This is only her second time playing New York which is why I don’t know her music. I have only seen a few songs at Falcon Ridge and NERFA. She scored immediate points with me when she unpacked a melodica. That is actually my first instrument. I had one from earliest childhood. I don’t remember getting it. I might have been a hand me down. I always had it. Not that I could really play it. I thought of it as a toy, not an instrument. But it always has a warm place in my heart. She played it when she accompanied Carolann on one song. Heather did the first half of her set on guitar and the second on piano. The music was so different. The guitar songs were typical folk. The piano were raucous blues. She covers Bessie Smith! She would start doing great vamps in the middle of songs. You can tell that the piano was what hit me where I live. It feels like that's where she lives too. Heather is one of those people that I only know peripherally but for some reason just liked. Now I see what's in there that I liked. After the show Fred had to run and make a train. Bev ran off before I could say bye. I was hoping to take the train home with her. Instead I hung out with Carolann, Heather, and Katherine. They all went to the at Essex Street so I walked with them. I can catch the there except us riders call the stop Delancey Street. I got home at 1:25. My parents would call me a dirty stay-out-late. I guess we all were. I heard great music with great people. That's well worth it. I took pics but it's after 1 PM and I have not eaten. I'll post them on Facebook. You'll see them. Farewell wherever you may fare till your eyries receive you at your journey's end. I signed the Pro-Truth Pledge: please hold me accountable.
Memories: Not that Horrid Song - May 29, 2018
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