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 23, 2014 - 11:52 a.m.

Got My YaYas Out

Sorry I didn't update yesterday. I had to leave here by 1:30 and yes that's was too early for me. I am very good at wasting time. So will simply pick up from where I left off and write about two days instead of one. I hope I finish before tomorrow.

NOOOOO, it can't really be this late. I have things to do. I should be finishing now. Have I really been up for over two and a half hours? At least I edited my photos.

So what did I do yesterday? What day was yesterday. What year is it? Right I procrastinated so long I didn't make it up to my PO Box to pick up the two books I'm expecting there, What I did do was go see The YaYas at The Our Times Coffeehouse in Garden City. I took the Long Island Railroad there. The subway ride there is only about 10 minutes. I gave myself about 40 so I'd have time to grab something to eat or at least get coffee. There were huge delays. By the time I bought my ticket I had only 2 minutes to spare.

The trip on the LIRR was great. I had to change trains in Jamaica but that must meant crossing the platform to a train that was there. The entire trip was too stops, express to Jamaica then express to Mineola. I just realized it took me long to go the three miles to Atlantic Terminal that the twenty one miles to the Mineola station.

I got to the Our Times before doors, said hi to the band that was sound checking, grabbed my seat, and set up the merch. Did I have to tell you I was doing merch. It's when I don't do it that it's noteworthy.

This was a special performance. Catherine and Jay were joined by Paul, who was with the band for ages but no longer tours with them on keyboard, and Mark Dann on bass.

Fred said he was going to go, then said he didn't think he could make it but maybe. I texted him right before doors opened to ask if he was coming and he walked in the door right then. There was a good crowd especially as there was lots of musical competition on Long Island last night. Marty and Jerry were there. I just learned Jerry's name and I'm proud of that which is why he gets a mention. I'm seeing Marty more and more. He's a WFUV volunteer.

That's as far as I got before I had to leave. Wow I find that I can't listen to "Wait Wait Don't Tell Me" and write this. I am going to have to turn off music even. I never do that.

How did I meet the YaYas? Were they late night the Budgiedome open mic walk-ons? I think they were. I know they played and had to explain that they usually had a keyboard player. Then every time I saw them they still explained that they usually had a keyboard player who wasn't there. I started to refer to Paul as their imaginary bandmate. I was pretty sure that when he was at shows they went to rent-a-Paul to maintain the fiction.

What was that six years ago? Seven? They've been together for a band for 16 years but like many people they went through a growth spurt as they entered adolescence. That is of course artistic growth, they didn't get taller or fatter or add band members. And they did this despite losing Paul who add so much to their sound. It was such a pleasure last night hearing songs they way they are "supposed to sound." And here's the thing, they didn't grow by getting closer to people's perception of musical standards.. They grew by having their shows reflect more of who they are as people. They didn't get more "professional" they got quirkier. Banter between songs became as much fun as talking to them off mic always was. And the songs became less and less songs that other people could have written. It wasn't just that there were more weird funny songs. Which of course is my sweet spot. There is always information loss in all forms of communication. There's energy loss, there is imperfect reproduction. When you take a photograph the camera lens absorbs some light. It creates some distortion, and the film grain or electronic equivalent are imperfect. Songs are communication. Their newer songs have clearer lenses and higher resolution. The emotions are sharper; enough to see that they belong to Catherine and Jay and not anyone else.

I love watching artists evolve. Some like Athena spring fully formed dressed in armor from Zeus's head. Others are like most people ard grow from infants to adults.

I took photos. This one is blurry but it feels more like Jay and Catherine than the rest.


Mark Dann on bass


Paul on cake

I'd embed the slideshow but Google+ has eaten so much of Picasa that they now only work on Chrome. Google+ doesn't give slideshows. Google+ is an abomination. So here's a link to the album.

YaYas Our Times 3-14

I am sure I've forgotten tons of fascinating things I wanted to write about at the show. I think they did a song while being shot out of cannons but I can't remember for sure.

After the show I did merch and Fred and I had a really nice talk with the band which we had to cut short so I could make my train. Fred drove me to the station. I have to remember for next time that it only takes 4 minutes. It's an easy walk but I always want to stay as long as possible after the show and schmooze. That isn't fair, this wasn't schmoozing this was conversation.

This kills me but I'm not going to give you the details of the ride home or eating dinner when I got back home. I have an entire other day to write about. But I've written over a thousand words and I'm hungry. I'm making pancakes today. So I'm going to eat then write a second entry.


I signed the Pro-Truth Pledge:
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 23, 2014
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