Your Smiling Face (Jennings & Keller)

I just posted the following to our sf_folk list and, rather than reinvent the wheel, I'm reprising it here:

A Bazillion Thanks to Dave Cambest for being the first to put together a backyard house concert that more than satisfied two of the things I've most missed these last 14 months:  live music and hugs... :-)

Who better to "break the pandemic" (as someone tonight said) than local treasures Jennings & Keller (Laurie and Dana)?  So many tears (of joy) and an equal number of smiles (of ecstasy, familiarity, comfort, serenity, gratitude, grace (as Laurie reminded us many times) and, most especially, love... for the music, for each other, for the idea of being that much closer to whatever "normal" looks like on the other side of COVID.

All of us in the audience had been vaccinated, and the emotion was palpable... friends greeting friends after a too-long absence.  Many of J&K's songs spoke to that, from their opening cover of Richard Thompson's Keep Your Distance to their closing song of Robert Vincent's The Ending... to so many new originals we were treated to (Like No Other, Your Smiling Face, High School Play) to some old favorites (Hold Fast the Wheel, Your Heart Holds the Truth) to The Byrds' Tulsa County and Joni's Little Green.  Laurie's voice was as gorgeous as ever, and Dana's dobro was, to transpose a cliche, a sound for sore ears... 💖

Laurie thanked the audience for being there, and we reciprocated by applauding warmly and enthusiastically, an energy most performers have greatly missed during this strange time.  The evening was a magical and soul-filling watershed, as those who were there can attest.  Here's/cheers to the first of many safe, loving gatherings, musical and otherwise... <3

SONG:  Your Smiling Face by Jennings & Keller [flip side/bonus song:  Wear a Mask, a Beauty and The Beast parody... 😄 ]

BOOK:  Smiling From Ear to Ear: Wearing Masks While Having Fun by Kaitlyn Chu

POEM:  Relic by Russell Brakefield

years from now I dislodge a mask

kneeling in a gas station parking lot

to suck crumbs from the consoles

half in and half out the passenger seat

I dislodge a mask from the floormat

flattened and streaked, folded on itself

like a wounded bird but still

retaining its feather-blue tint

ear straps flung aside like broken wings

its sunken breast smudged

where I once pressed my mouth

the downy screen through which

I filtered my life, where my words were

wrung out and carried off as on a soft wind

a dirty plume that held prayers

and songs and desperate transactions

where I said even I love you

in a muffled tone, where I said even

I’m home! standing in the doorway

forgetting, for a brief moment, which

were the safer parts of the world

[Russell Brakefield: “As we encounter positive news about vaccines and look forward to a new administration’s response to the pandemic, I’ve been turning my mind to a post-Covid world, thinking about how we will live and interact with this time in history in the years to come.”]

Fatigue by Jill Kandel

I’m on the Day with No

Groceries day of the two-week cycle

which means I’m off to buy veggies and

you’d think I’d be used to my long-mandated mask

which makes it hard for me to understand what others

are saying and also sticks to my face as my breath gradually

fogs up my glasses already smeared from putting on and taking off

this, my handsewn slightly crooked mask, all the while trying to retain some semblance

of put-together-ness which went out the window some time ago and belongs

in the land of long forgotten things like hugs and real-life visits

and shared smiles that can actually be seen, dimple

to dimple, but what’s a person supposed to do

except cry, cry for my sweet friend battling

brain cancer and I can’t go visit him, his

systems shrouded in compromise

and Covid

restricting visits even from his

wife—depending on the hospital the clinic

the treatment the day and the hour—from going inside

with him and sitting beside him in his pain and his confusion, his veiled

hope and pallid suffering, and my other friend who just happens to live in the same city,

who placed her mother into a nursing home for people with dementia

the day before the nursing home shut to outside visitors, daughters included,

even daughters of newly admitted mothers who will go on to catch

Covid and die in that brand-new shining facility blanketed

with so much hope just two months earlier,

so even though I want to harangue

and childishly rage

joining in

the chorus of people

on Facebook and Twitter who hate

this politician and that party, smugly promoting

one cover-up or another, the wearing of masks (#MaskUpMN #WearADamnMask)

or not wearing of masks (#IwillNOTComply #NoMaskSelfie) I can’t join

in because it’s not that I’m really angry or mad or feel rant-ish,

it’s that it just keeps going on and on and on and on

into a future that predicts more and longer and still

here tomorrow and into the fall

and even the winter, and

I’m tired,

tired of being heartsore,

tired of listening to my friend

a hospice nurse who can’t hold her dying

patients’ hands and is trying to Zoom into their lives

as if she’s real, as if she’s there when in reality she could be a thousand

miles away, a woman on a screen and some days a screen is just not enough

to wrap around our sorrow and that’s what screams out to me, the grief, the longing,

the loss of what I used to know, the loss of who I used to be, and more

than that, the disappearance of who we used to be, how we

used to walk so carefree, so bold and vibrant

through this our now curtained

and weary world.

[Jill Kandel: “CNN carried a story on September 27 that the US cases have surpassed 7 million, and we can still expect to see an explosion of Covid-19 this fall and winter. I wanted to write beneath the surface of the pandemic, the veneer of daily frustrations, and into the heart of our sorrows.”]

QUOTE:  “Each one of us has lived through some devastation, some loneliness, some weather superstorm or spiritual superstorm, when we look at each other we must say, I understand. I understand how you feel because I have been there myself. We must support each other and empathize with each other because each of us is more alike than we are unalike.” ~ Maya Angelou

Mr. Biden (Bring My Vaccine) (A Randy Rainbow Song Parody)

Went to Costco yesterday.  Very anxiety-inducing, as it was my first "store" outing (other than the library, which has 4 people compared to 400) since the beginning of the pandemic.  I had been putting off my membership renewal (expired end of last month) because it is required to go *in* to do it, as well as getting Chico his own card (he was on the account, but needed to have his picture taken to be official).  Done, and Done.  Zippity... 😍

Zoom with Nancy and Judi this morning, now getting some things done around the house.  Continued Gratitude because, as of this morning, all three of our adult children have been fully vaccinated.  Huge sigh of relief, especially for the boys, since they are both in the restaurant business and have daily exposure to goodness knows what.  Right now we are all looking forward to our next gathering, when we will feel comfortable hugging, maskless.  Oh, Happy Day... 💞

This blog post has been in the works for *months*, back when Chico and I had our first shots in mid-January, and the circuitous and lengthy process we encountered (filling out forms, writing on our windshield at various points:  driver's license checks to make sure we were 65+, as well as waiting 15 minutes after the vaccination, to make sure we didn't have a reaction).  Start to finish, a three-hour experience.  Second time around was half the time, as they had fine-tuned the process.  That was at a public park, in our car, and now availability has expanded to Publix, drugstores, etc.  We've come a long way in three months.

The news is full of variants and herd immunity and "following the science", oh my!  We just have to figure out how to get more people vaccinated more quickly, and convince those with hesitancy, if not for themselves, to do it for others.

SONG:  Mr. Biden (Bring My Vaccine) - A Randy Rainbow Song Parody

BOOK:  Kelly Gets a Vaccine: How We Beat Coronavirus by Lauren D. Block, Adam E. Block, Debby Rahmalia (Illustrator)

POEM:  the delicate arrangement of unavoidable sorrow by Maya Stein

At the clinic, the path to the nurse with the syringe in her hand was festooned with signs.

It took no time to get through the answers - “No,” “No,” “No,” “No,” “No” - before

the clipboard came down and I was pointed toward table number 6. It was, dare I say,

almost cheerful, the processions of new arrivals, the summer-hued short-sleeve shirts

rolled to the tip of bare shoulders, volunteers on circuitous rounds in the waiting area,

spray bottles clipped to their waists. It was only later, midnight, waking to the cry

of my body as it wrestled with the angel serum inside it, that I peered at the edge of what

and who had been sacrificed, and what remainders the disease would scavenge.

In the morning, I drifted between rooms, sipping from my water glass, nested in a limbo

of relief and sadness, my eyes scanning a horizon that kept slipping in and out of view.

Relic by Russell Brakefield

years from now I dislodge a mask

kneeling in a gas station parking lot

to suck crumbs from the consoles

half in and half out the passenger seat

I dislodge a mask from the floormat

flattened and streaked, folded on itself

like a wounded bird but still

retaining its feather-blue tint

ear straps flung aside like broken wings

its sunken breast smudged

where I once pressed my mouth

the downy screen through which

I filtered my life, where my words were

wrung out and carried off as on a soft wind

a dirty plume that held prayers

and songs and desperate transactions

where I said even I love you

in a muffled tone, where I said even

I’m home! standing in the doorway

forgetting, for a brief moment, which

were the safer parts of the world

[Russell Brakefield: “As we encounter positive news about vaccines and look forward to a new administration’s response to the pandemic, I’ve been turning my mind to a post-Covid world, thinking about how we will live and interact with this time in history in the years to come.”]

QUOTE:  "Imagine the action of a vaccine not just in terms of how it affects a single body, but also in terms of how it affects the collective body of a community." ~ Eula Biss

March Again (Jimmy Fallon and John Legend)

We interrupt this regularly-scheduled Feel Good Friday to talk about an important milestone, which was highlighted on TV last night:  Jimmy Kimmel Live’s One Year Lockdown Coronaversary Spectacular:  We’re marking the one year anniversary of our worldwide nightmare with a special Coronaversary show and looking back on how much things have changed. Los Angeles is reportedly close to issuing guidelines for certain businesses to reopen, Hallmark has put out a new line of greeting cards to commemorate the year that was, stimulus checks will be in the pockets of Americans as early as this weekend, a group of former Presidents teamed up to make a PSA about getting vaccinated, President Biden addressed the nation in his first primetime speech since taking office, a message from the heroic men and women that have been delivering us food through the pandemic, we give out the first-ever Zoomy Award, and a special edition of “This Corona Year in Unnecessary Censorship.”

President Joe Biden did indeed give his first Presidential Address, marking 50 days in office.  He looked very tired (the Highest Office in the Land certainly has a way of aging people, doesn't it?), but I was heartened by his lovely message.  It just felt so good to finally be hearing the truth, and given hope, and offered some light.  Crazy to think it's been a year.  If all goes according to plan, by May 1, everyone in the country will be *eligible* to receive a vaccination.  Here's where Florida stands (as of today, March 12, 2021):

~ Florida residents (including seasonal residents) ages 65 and older — Florida will lower the age to 60+ on March 15

~ Residents and staff at long-term care facilities

~ Frontline healthcare workers who have direct patient contact

~ Sworn law enforcement officers 50 and older

~ Firefighters ages 50 and older

~ Pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade school employees 50 years of age or older.

~ Florida residents (including seasonal) with notes from their doctor specifying their need to vaccinate and who have preregistered.

Looking back to a year ago (I am reminded of people telling stories of where they remember themselves to be when President Kennedy was assassinated, or when the Challenger exploded), I was headed to St. Augustine FL with my friend Reba to see Dar Williams in concert.  There were enough rumblings about coronavirus such that we called the venue (Cafe Eleven) that morning to make sure the show was still on (because we were driving 4+ hours to attend).  It was, and we did (a very special evening) and, when we got back to our motel room, Reba got on her phone and started reading to me all the life-changing updates:  Broadway CLOSED, Major League Sports CLOSED, Disney Parks CLOSED.  WTF?

On the way back to South Florida the next day (Friday, March 13, 2020), the litany of news stories, closures, recommendations continued.  I dropped Reba off, and went straight home to Shelter in Place for a few weeks, not having a clue as to how far-reaching this virus was.  Here is a link to revisit my nine blog posts in the month of March.

So many things have changed since then, in the last year, the last 12 months, the last 365 days, most tragically more than 532,000,000 (yes, over a half-million) people dead from COVID.  Most people in the US (dare I say the smart ones) wear masks on a regular basis, maintain a physical distance of six feet, and realize that gathering with others is best done outdoors (and we're very lucky to have that option here in South Florida).

The panic of the first few weeks/months subsided and now there is no problem getting toilet paper and hand sanitizer.  Many of us have had both vaccinations, although we still take the precautions listed in the previous paragraph.  I still have all of our groceries delivered via Instacart (joined a year ago):  Costco, Sprouts, Aldi (boycotting Publix, which I will blog about next week).  Also, Whole Foods via Amazon has been a great delivery resource as well, with many vegan options.

Still reading, walking, cooking like crazy (I could probably find a better word!), trying to stay safe, sane, and well.  Still having family gatherings a few times a month (now that our kids are back to work, it's like herding cats to find a day/time that clicks for everyone).  Still passing around our Family Journal (Rob's idea from way back when).  Still enjoying livestreamed concerts (although it's nowhere near the same as live music), as well as livestreamed author events (Anne Lamott, Ross Gay, Patricia Lockwood, among others).  Still enjoying nature, as well as my heated condo pool (ahhh!).  Zoom (whether book club or "visits" with friends) has become a regular part of the rotation, as well as a few two-hour phone conversations a week.

At this point, we are waiting for the next round of $1,400 per person stimulus checks to arrive (hopefully this weekend); we are grateful to be in a fairly-stable financial situation, and we also know this money will save lives, jobs, and housing for others.  Our personal mantras these days are:  First World Problems, All That Is Not Ladder Falls Away, and there but for the grace of god.  And, to quote Hamilton, "that would be enough"... 💞

How are YOU?

NR:  Walking with Ghosts by Gabriel Byrne

SONG:  March Again (Beauty and The Beast parody) by Jimmy Fallon and John Legend

BOOK:  When the World Went Quiet by Tia Martina, Kelly Ulrich (Illustrator)

POEM:  In the Time of Pandemic by Kitty O'Meara

And the people stayed home.

And they read books, and listened, and rested, and exercised, and made art, and played games, and learned new ways of being, and were still.

And they listened more deeply. Some meditated, some prayed, some danced. 

Some met their shadows. And the people began to think differently.

And the people healed.

And, in the absence of people living in ignorant, dangerous, mindless, and heartless ways, the earth began to heal.

And when the danger passed, and the people joined together again, they grieved their losses, and made new choices, and dreamed new images, and created new ways to live and heal the earth fully, as they had been healed.

QUOTE:  “If we do our part, if we do this together, by July the 4th there’s a good chance you, your families, and friends will be able to get together in your backyard or in your neighborhood and have a cookout and a barbecue and celebrate Independence Day.” ~ President Joe Biden

If Tomorrow Never Comes (Todd Snider)

It has been an insanely long time since I last posted (almost a month?!? - yikes!).  Reasons, but really no good reasons.  I have three blog posts in draft form that I've been working on, and then something (whether meaningful or meaningless) comes along and I allow myself to get sidetracked.  Hey, I can do it tomorrow... or the next day... or the day after that.  I'm still walking, still doing yoga, still reading like a motherf*cker, in the condo pool (heated) a few times a week to stretch, still eating nutritiously, my vision has come back 100% after last month's health scare, my husband is loving, we've had both vaccines (blog post on that coming soon), my kids are well, my grandson is perfect, I do the NYT Mini-Crossword and Spelling Bee every morning to start my day, I switched from Brown Sadness Water to caffeinated coffee, and I am watching the news again because I *trust* this administration to tell the truth.  Considering the circumstances, life is pretty d*mn good... 💗

On the flip side, I am well aware of the extreme weather conditions in Texas, the fact that we will soon be hitting 500,000 (half a million) COVID deaths, children across the nation are still doing online learning, today’s Republican Party is less concerned with national public opinion than it used to be, etc.  However, since January 21, it feels like a kinder, gentler, more equitable nation with swift as well as measured responses to ongoing problems or, as MSNBC correspondent Brian Williams accurately described this evening:  "back to a standard, traditionally-operating White House with rigor and expertise and order and schedules and process."

Our country feels safe(r) again.

I haven't offered up a Feel Good Friday post in a while.  Attempting to resurrect this tradition:  five items below of beauty, interest, and humor to brighten your day/weekend/week.  Enjoy! 

Promotions for Female Generals Were Delayed Over Fears of Trump’s Reaction:  Under a Biden administration, the nominations are expected to go from the Pentagon to the White House within weeks and then to the Senate for approval.

Alex Trebek’s Wardrobe Is Donated to Formerly Incarcerated Men:  The gift, which will also benefit formerly homeless men, was in keeping with an appeal that the host of “Jeopardy!” had made when he asked viewers to “build a gentler, kinder society.”

Why 'A Case Of You' Is The Best Love Song Of All Time:  Sometimes a once-beloved work feels like a relic, like a junior high yearbook autographed with the names of people I no longer remember. Other times, I find myself understanding and appreciating it in new ways.

Feed families, spread kindness, strengthen communities:  When you become a part of Lasagna Love, you’re joining a movement full of people who want to weave kindness back into the fabric of our everyday lives. (thanks to MicheleW for the heads-up!)

Gwyneth Paltrow Is Selling Vibrators:  The Goop founder also talks about sexual wellness and how she contracted Covid-19 a year ago, probably in Paris.

NR:  Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy (exquisite... 💞)

SONG:  If Tomorrow Never Comes by Todd Snider ("if worms had daggers,

birds wouldn't f*ck with them"... 😄 )

BOOK:  The Authenticity Project by Clare Pooley

POEM:  Wild Thing by Judith Viorst

I went for a walk in the sun without wearing my sunscreen.

I went out of town without making a reservation.

I placed my mouth directly upon a public drinking fountain, and took a sip.

I didn't bother flossing my teeth before bedtime.

I pumped my own gasoline at a self-service station.

I ate the deviled egg instead of the cauliflower with low-fat yogurt dip.

I bought, without reading Consumer Reports, a new dryer.

I left my checking account unreconciled.

I know that the consequences could be dire,

But sometimes a woman simply has to run wild.

QUOTE:  “There’s a particular feeling in your body when something goes right after a long time of things going wrong.  It feels warm and sweet and loose… For a moment all my bees have turned to honey.” ~ Lily King, Writers & Lovers

Christmas Everyday (The Frights)

As per my post a few weeks ago... I seem to have lost my concentration a lot lately (ha ha ha ha ha!).

A dear friend recently said:  "Sometimes this COVID life feels like Groundhog Day, one pretty much identical day after the other", which I think is a spot-on description.  It's been described as Corona Fatigue, and we're all just so d*mn tired, both physically and emotionally, that it's easy to let go of our safety standards of masks and social distancing... but, this is why the numbers of illnesses are creeping up again, and why 300,000 people are needlessly dead.  Stay the course, people!

This has definitely been a weird holiday season, and I personally have felt no desire to decorate.  What's the point, when the only person who's been inside our condo since mid-March is the Total A/C guy?  I did at least visit our storage unit down the hall and dragged out the Jingle Bell wreath and the Joy doormat for our front door/entrance.  From the outside, we appear festive... :-)

The Santas will not be making an appearance this year, but I have vowed to head back to the storage unit, rummage through the Rubbermaid containers, and find:  the Santa hat for my Buddha; a few holiday candles; holiday gift bags (I did buy presents that need wrapping, you know!); and the ceramic light-up tree that always reminds me of my mom's.  Okay, maybe a few holiday mugs, the better to drink my hot cocoa with vegan marshmallows and a splash of Kahlua in.  Maybe a holiday dishtowel or two.  Okay, that's it!  No more!  Just trying to walk that fine line between Ho Ho Ho and Bah, Humbug.

And, of course, typing all this, I am reminded of the passage from How the Grinch Stole Christmas:

“And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow,

stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? 

It came without ribbons. It came without tags. 

It came without packages, boxes or bags. 

And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. 

Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. 

What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. 

What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.”

I think many hearts will grow three sizes this holiday season and, as much as we will miss certain traditions and regret the opportunity to gather in larger numbers, we will cherish who and what we have to be grateful for, and count our blessings that we are not among the 300,000... and we will continue to strive for non-fear-based precautions, knowing we are making smart decisions to find our way to the other side of this, however and whenever that is defined.

For now, let's just find whatever coping mechanisms work for us, and enjoy this special time of year the best we can... 💖 

NR:  Conjure Women by Afia Atakora

SONG:  Christmas Everyday by The Frights

BOOK:  Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine May

POEM: Next by Jeffrey Harrison

It wasn't until we got the Christmas tree

into the house and up on the stand

that our daughter discovered a small bird's nest

tucked among its needled branches.

Amazing, that the nest had made it

all the way from Nova Scotia on a truck

mashed together with hundreds of other trees

without being dislodged or crushed.

And now it made the tree feel wilder,

a balsam fir growing in our living room,

as though at any moment a bird might flutter

through the house and return to the nest.

And yet, because we'd brought the tree indoors,

we'd turned the nest into the first ornament.

So we wound the tree with strings of lights,

draped it with strands of red beads,

and added the other ornaments, then dropped

two small brass bells into the nest, like eggs

containing music, and hung a painted goldfinch

from the branch above, as if to keep them warm.

QUOTE:  "The thing about Christmas is that it almost doesn't matter what mood you're in or what kind of a year you've had - it's a fresh start." ~ Kelly Clarkson

That Was the Worst Christmas Ever! (Sufjan Stevens)

I just sent out the following e-mail to select family and friends.  Feel free to count yourself in that Circle, although I may not have had your e-address.  Enjoy (or, to quote The Princess Bride:  I do not think that word means what you think it means"... :-)

Happy Holidays!

Many/Most/All (?) of you have received a tape-segued-to-CD mix from me over the years.  I consider it a SuperPower and love finding, compiling, and sharing songs of joy, inspiration, relevance, all of the above.  I've been making *holiday* mixes since the late-90s, and kept up the tradition through 2016.  Then Life with a Capital L seemed to get in the way and I allowed myself to get off track (a hard drive crash, a grandbaby, retirement, now the pandemic, insert excuse-of-choice here).  This is the time of year I drag them all out and listen, chronologically, to the message my Ghost of Christmas Past was trying to impart along the way.

I can't even remember why 2012 was so sh*tty, but I re-discovered this playlist I made just for myself that year, never sharing it with anyone! Being that 2020's pandemic has turned all holidays and traditions upside-down, it seemed a good time to finally get this out into the world. I invite you to feel all the feelings, look in the rearview mirror, and then... Let. It. Go.  But, two songs with mournful banjos?  Be still, my melancholy heart!

On the flip side, I realize we all have *so* much to be grateful for:  loving family (immediate and extended), dear friends (locally and across state lines), health, happiness, peace... and don't even get me started on what happens January 20, 2021... :-)

Wishing everyone a satisfying wrap-up to 2020, and a New Year filled with continued coping mechanisms, growth opportunities, and the ability to differentiate between the things we can control and the things we can't.  Oh, and love, Love, and MORE LOVE... <3

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/22VpETOxXclALhwENUkmVZ?si=4aQKyzGBS-i_tZJ9T5CRuw

[I joined Spotify years ago, but this is my first time making a Playlist via their service.  I signed up for a three-month Premium trial (meaning ad-free) but not sure if that will translate for your listening pleasure through my link.  If there are commercials, I apologize.  Hoping you have this service already; if not, the tracklist is below so you can find the songs on YouTube or elsewhere.]

1.   Just Because It’s Christmas ~ Skiffle and the Piffles
2.   Christmas Eve Can Kill You ~ Everly Brothers
3.   Christmas in a Chinese Restaurant ~ Diamond Rugs
4.   Christmas Day (Time to Let You Go) ~ Russell
5.   It Doesn’t Feel Like Christmas ~ Sam Phillips
6.   Merry Christmas Anyway ~ Scotland Barr and the Slow Drags
7.   Christmas Morning ~ Lyle Lovett
8.   Like the Snow ~ Kristin Andreassen
9.   Listening to Otis Redding at Home During Christmas ~ Okkervil River
10.  Angel Hair ~ Sam Baker
11.  A Holiday Song ~ Lisa Loeb
12.  So Much Wine ~ The Handsome Family
13.  Still Drunk, Still Crazy, Still Silent Night ~ Scott H. Biram
14.  Merry Xmas (Thanks for the Roses) ~ Winterbloom (featuring Antje Duvekot)
15.  Christmas Eve, Driving Home ~ Frontier Ruckus
16.  Carry Me Home ~ Hey Rosetta!
17.  All I Ever Get for Christmas is Blue ~ Over the Rhine
18.  Let Me Sleep (Christmas Time) ~ Pearl Jam
19.  That Was the Worst Christmas Ever! ~ Sufjan Stevens

NR:  Anxious People by Fredrik Backman (sooooo good!)

SONG:  That Was the Worst Christmas Ever! by Sufjan Stevens (worth the 5-minute story/introduction!).

BOOK:  Grumpy Cat's First Worst Christmas by Golden Books, Steph Laberis (Illustrator)

POEM:  Down in the Valley by Joshua Mehigan

It was her first time coming home from college.

She headed downtown for a drink or two.

Her girlfriend went home early. That was Christmas.

Now, under sapling pine trees in the clearing,

snowdrops are coming back to their old places.

They had been gone a lifetime. Now they stand,

poised like a choir on the verge of singing:

Nature is just. There’s nothing left to fear.

The worst thing that can happen happened here.

QUOTE:  "My worst Christmas ever was in 1987 when Santa brought me and my sister a dose of chicken-pox. And my worst present ever was a Dirt Devil vacuum cleaner! I don't like to sound ungrateful, but I do find vacuuming difficult to get excited about." ~ Sophia Di Martino

Slouching Towards Bethlehem (Joni Mitchell)

[thanks to Judi for this amazing graphic!]

We interrupt this previously-scheduled post (as if you didn't know already, unless you live under a rock!) to share that President Donald Trump and his wife Melania have tested positive for the coronavirus.  All I care to say at this point is that, tempting as it is, I am not wishing him death; I do, however, hope he feels a serious impact from the virus:  physically, emotionally, politically.  Can you say Karma?

Also, thanks to Sarah for this a few hours ago:

@johnmlester

Replying to 

@AngrierWHStaff

Looks like RBG successfully argued her first hearing with the lord

1:33 AM · Oct 2, 2020·Twitter for Android

I watched the first of the Presidential debates Tuesday night, and I'm still, a few days later, more than a bit shaken.  

MSNBC had a wonderful hour prior during which, before a segment with Hillary Clinton (as the only person who had debated Trump previously, four years ago), Rachel Maddow talked about Hillary having a crystal ball four years ago, and showed clips from the various encounters.  Frightening.  Validating.

I love the trifecta of Maddow, Joy Reid, and Niccole Wallace, both pre- and post-political events.  They warned that Biden needed to stick to his message and *not take the bait* from Trump but, unfortunately, that is exactly what happened.  The debate was described by CNN anchor Jake Tapper as "a hot mess inside a dumpster fire inside a train wreck" and by CNN correspondent Dana Bash more succinctly as "a shitshow."  I was very disappointed, which segued to pissed, that Biden allowed himself to succumb to Trump's tactics, admittedly difficult amidst the constant interruptions, falsehoods, and attacks.  Biden could have done without his own comments of racist, liar, clown, worst president ever, and shut up (even though we know they're all true).  He lowered his standards, when he could/should have risen above (yes, even when his own sons' reputations were impugned).  The best thing he did, toward the end, is that he began to talk to the camera (the constituency) in a calm collected manner about what he will do to get our country back on track.

The evening left me traumatized and anxious and, after listening to more Rachel and company, I had the proverbial epiphany.  They compared him to an abuser and, having grown up in a household where my father later became exactly that (physically as well as emotionally with my mother and brother; emotionally to myself and my sister), I recognized the signs.  Yelling is a trigger for me; I don't hear words, only volume, and I shut down.  Because Trump is all about power and control (and money), I realized he was abusing Biden, Chris Wallace (the moderator), and the American people by subjecting us to his irrational tirade.

Also, Rachel won the Internet with logorrhea... 😲

To be continued...

P.S. Did you know that today is World Smile Day (celebrated the first Friday in October)? Why do we have a world smile day? The story begins with the creation of the smiley face by Harvey Ball in 1963. As the commercialization of the smiley face was running rampant, Harvey believed the true meaning of the smiley face was being lost. Therefore, he started World Smile Day to have one special day to remind us to smile and give acts of kindness. 

P.P.S  I am so saddened by something I read in my UUCFL (former church) newsletter.  He was a wonderful person as well as sound guy, and my altar is ablaze for his smooth transition:  Tripp Page, a long time member of UUCFL, has entered hospice care in his new home in Hilo, Hawa'ii. Tripp was a big part of the Labyrinth Cafe at UUCFL. He was a dear friend to many... 💔

NR:  The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland by Jim DeFede  (excellent, so far!)

SONG:  Slouching Towards Bethlehem by Joni Mitchell (based on the text of Second Coming, a poem by William Butler Yeats)

BOOK:  An Illustrated Book of Bad Arguments by Ali Almossawi, Alejandro Giraldo (Illustrator)

POEM:  Momentum 2016 by Eileen Myles

for Hillary Clinton

How perfect the American sky out there
Innocent perhaps of our goings on
Let everyone turn around once one day
Let them pull the lever, write your name
Awesome the keenness of your focus, Hill
Regarding debating, regarding knowing
You inspire me to stay still, to act
You probably had breakfast this morning
Oregon was one of your stops
Understanding the northwest is part of your job
Remembering everyday a woman chooses to keep running
Every day you learn more
Meet more people
You daily become our president
May every inch of this journey
And every moment of your female campaign unabashedly
Nail it like the girl I met at breakfast at Marfa Burrito. Her name? Victory!

[My note:  More Americans voted for Hillary Clinton than any other losing presidential candidate in US history.  The Democrat outpaced President-elect Donald Trump by almost 2.9 million votes, with 65,844,954 (48.2%) to his 62,979,879 (46.1%), according to revised and certified final election results from all 50 states and the District of Columbia.]

QUOTE:  “Watching that debate was like hot-boxing a port-a-potty with crystal meth. In Phoenix. In July. It was like being hit on the head with a lead pipe in a room filled with nitrous oxide. It was like watching a two-person performance of ‘12 Angry Men’ where one actor played one part and one was mad enough for the other 11.” ~ Seth Meyers

2020 (Ben Folds)

[thanks to my daughter Sarah for this most perfect meme!]


It's the last day of July, significant in that normally (ha, I don't think that word means what you think it means, Susan!), I would be attending the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival in The Berkshires.  Except that we talked about going to the New Bedford Folk Festival instead... and now both plans are moot... null... kaput.  Anne and Bub, the powers-that-be at FRFF have actually managed to present it online this year, starting at 1:30 p.m. today.  As someone said in the chat of Dar's livestreaming concert last night, "I won't miss the porta-potties and/or the mud", but it will be fun to pop in over the course of the weekend to enjoy the music and community, virtual though it is.  Also, my friend Sheila (who I've known and loved forever, and watched her girls grow into beautiful and kind young women), whose husband Bob volunteers for the parking crew, sent this brilliant and hilarious video... 😄

Had a lovely walk with my friend Dave Wednesday evening, and he gave me some chives from his garden, the better to vegan-cream-cheese-and-bagel with, my dear!  Great phone chat with my sister on the way home, which continued another hour sitting in my car in my condo parking lot.

Yesterday was another perfect beach day with Nancy and SusanP.  Not to jinx it, but we always manage to have perfect weather.  Ack, speaking of... there is some sort of crazy hurricane watch in effect for this weekend, a name whose pronunciation is difficult and counter-intuitive.  What?!?  Anyway, sounds like it won't make it past a Category 1, and we do have a stockpile of supplies, but hoping for the best... and I will update on Monday.

Wonderful livestreaming concert with Dar Williams last night, Histories and Mysteries.  It's archived, if you missed it! 

Taking dinner to my former UUCFL minister and her husband this afternoon.  They were in a tragic car accident earlier this month (Rev. Susan's mom was killed), and I wanted to do something.  For Italians, food is our love language... 💓

NR:  The Second Home by Christina Clancy.  Not very far in, but already enjoying... :-)

So, it is indeed Feel Good Friday.  As is tradition, five items below of beauty, interest, and humor to brighten your day/weekend/week.  Enjoy!

~  ‘The Moms Are Here’: ‘Wall of Moms’ Groups Mobilize Nationwide:  The movement that started with a few dozen moms in Portland now has offshoots in cities across the country. (I loved the idea and the intention but now, two days after this article was published/updated, there seems to be controversy.  Such a shame!)


~ From Bob Dylan to The Beatles: 8 songs horror hero Stephen King couldn’t live without:  There are few more imposing names in the world of horror, both on-screen and off, than the extraordinary writer Stephen King. A huge figure in the world of film, King’s works have always been underpinned by the expert use of music. But what were King’s most cherished songs?


~  GEE, ANTHONY FAUCI!:  A Randy Rainbow Song Parody (thanks to SusanP for the heads-up!).


~  Without Music, Tanglewood Is Empty, Eerie and Beautiful:  The usually tourist-packed Berkshires confronts a season without the music festival that anchors its summers.


~ Danny Schmidt and Carrie Elkin, Online Together, Saturday (tomorrow!), August 1, 2020 - 2pm CDT, Facebook Live:  Once a month, Carrie and I have been trying to do a full show of our own, swapping songs back and forth, and singing harmonies with one another. The shows are totally free to watch (though donations are much appreciated) and usually last about an hour and a half. We try and mix up the sets so they're very different shows each time. We hope you'll come join in the festivities!


SONG:  2020 by Ben Folds

BOOK:  What Time Is It? by John Berger, Selçuk Demirel (Illustrator), Maria Nadotti (Introduction)

POEM:  a homeopathic remedy for longing** by Maya Stein

Return to the edge of the ravaged garden, vines stripped while you slept.
Stand mute at the piles you keep adding onto, the leftovers you keep forgetting, 
the trash can that keeps filling and filling and filling. Pause in the brute light 
of unmet plans, the rusty edge of old wounds, the plaintive vacancy of what you 
didn’t say and didn’t do when you had the chance. Roll these losses in your hands. 
Steep in the tea of the stain that follows you everywhere. Gather regret’s knotty fibers 
to your body and enrobe your bones in the steely wool of dread. And now,
now that you’re nearly buried by your own blight, pitch your heart to the sea. Watch it
bobble and weave in an unseen current, tip and tumble as the wind rakes through.
Remember, there is no right answer to where you are going, except forward.

**I borrowed this title from an Instagram post by photographer and writer Lisa Field.

QUOTE:  "What lies behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters compared to what lives within us." ~ Henry David Thoreau

[Don't] Stand By Me (a parody by The Rock Bottom Remainders)

[Leave it to Melanie to send me the perfect meme for today's post.  Thanks and love, MH!]


From the New York Times article, A Viral Epidemic Splintering into Deadly Pieces by Donald McNeil:  "Overall, the scientists conveyed a pervasive sense of sadness and exhaustion. Where once there was defiance, and then a growing sense of dread, now there seems to be sorrow and frustration, a feeling that so many funerals never had to happen and that nothing is going well. The United States is a wounded giant, while much of Europe, which was hit first, is recovering and reopening — although not to us."

I can certainly relate, as do other friends I've spoken to recently.  Some are upping their mood-stabilizing medication, some are arguing with strangers on the Internet, some are numbing their emotions with alcohol and sleep.  Netflix and Hulu are a double-edged sword.  Retail therapy, whether Amazon Prime or Instacart groceries at the click of a few buttons, is entirely too easy. The first month or two was a challenge, but fun:  Stay upbeat, healthy, and moving... and we all mostly did.  Now it's just same-old same-old, with massive amounts of worry thrown in, as we mainline (or ignore) the news, watch the numbers climb, and try to avoid situations that bring us closer to a premature death.  The routine I had crafted for myself has gone by the proverbial wayside.  Having lost my structure, the days pendulum between interminable and warp speed.  I am reading like a motherf*ker.  Radical self-care and walking, not so much.  My sciatica is still a problem, and I don't seem to care, treating only the symptoms and not the cause.  I need to channel my inner Cher in Moonstruck:  "Snap out of it!".

The song/video below came along at the perfect time!  You would have to be living under a rock to not know who the Rock Bottom Remainders are.  If you didn't already, welcome to the sunshine!  I've been lucky enough to see them twice, both times at the Miami Book Fair.  They are known for self-admitted minimal talent, a love for rock and roll, and maximum hilarity.  You can always count on Wild Thing, G-L-O-R-I-A, and Amy Tan's dominatrix persona in These Boots are Made for Walkin'.   To quote the B-52s, Dance This Mess Around... :-)

NR (Now Reading, a new feature):  Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson (finished it last night.  5 stars!!!)



SONG:  [Don't] Stand By Me by The Rock Bottom Remainders (a parody) (thanks to MaryL for the heads-up!)

BOOK:  Mid-life Confidential: The Rock Bottom Remainders Tour America with Three Chords and an Attitude by Stephen King, Amy Tan, Roy Blount, Ridley Pearson, Dave Barry, Barbara Kingsolver, Al Kooper, Robert Fulghum, Kathi Goldmark, Dave Marsh  (I actually own this book.  Is it really selling for $920.99?!?)

POEM:  Resume Redone (with apologies to Dorothy Parker) by Ellen Meister

TV bores you;
The web is a fright;
Your spouse ignores you;
And hobbies are trite.
Films are offensive;
Gardens weed;
Shopping's expensive;
You might as well read.

QUOTE:  "Scientists have found that one dog year does not equal seven human years.  In fact, the only thing that equals seven human years is 2020." ~ Magnolia Animal Clinic

Uncle John's Band (The Grateful Dead)

I posted the following to our sf_folk discussion list on Saturday:

Robby Greenberg called me yesterday to share some sorrowful news.  Ford passed away from complications of COVID-19. 

Most of you remember him as the wheelchair-bound young man who transcended his disabilities in pursuit of his passion for music.  At the Labyrinth Cafe, he was always front and center, sometimes shouting out a comment, and fighting his instinct to sing along unless the audience was given permission to do so.  Thank you to Amy Carol Webb for always allowing, and encouraging, him.  I even unexpectedly ran into him at an Avett Brothers concert a few years ago at a Boca outdoor amphitheatre!

At our last Labyrinth Cafe concert in May 2019, I had a long list of acknowledgements, one of which was to Ford for having attended the most concerts in my 14-year run as coordinator, and probably even before that under Robby's tutelage.  I know he used to be one of Robby's clients, and was a regular at River of Grass shows too.
RobbyG, is there something we as the sf_folk community can do to let his parents (Reid and Barbara) know just how special Ford was to us?  A collection, a plaque, something named in his honor?  Please ponder and let us know how we can put into tangible terms our deeply emotional connection with this dear man who had an unbridled love for the songs.

Amy Carol Webb shared this on her Facebook page:

My dear friends and family, if you attended any concert of mine in Broward County over the last decade (at least!) you will remember my friend, Ford. With great sadness, I am sorry to tell you he died last week from COVID-19. Ford always sat in the front row, and sang with full-hearted gusto -- especially, "When the Horses Go Down to the Water." Every time I came to the closing of that song -- "Mama calls us up around the kitchen table, lifts her hands and offers ...... thanks" -- I waited to hear Ford's voice finish the phrase with me with his hands raised high in the air. It was a precious moment we shared every show. Thank you, Ford. I will miss you, and forever hear you singing when I lift my hands, and offer thanks.

RobbyG posted to our River of Grass UU Congregation Joys and Concerns yesterday morning, and I wish I had copied-and-pasted so I could quote her accurately.  Ford had Cerebral Palsy, and was one of her clients (she is an advocate for developmentally disabled adults) as far back as 20 years ago.  When she found out he was a Deadhead, she promptly introduced him to the folk community (and him to us), thus beginning his joyful dedication to our music.

There were many lovely comments on the sf_folk list, in response to my initial post.  He was *always* there and, even though live concerts are on hiatus right now, it is hard to imagine a world without Ford when we are able to resume... 💔

SONG:  Uncle John's Band by The Grateful Dead

BOOK:  Tiny the God by Becky Brooks (thanks to River of Grass UU Congregation for using this lovely story as the cornerstone of yesterday's lovestreaming (TM Amy Carol Webb) service)

POEM:  Like You by Roque Dalton (translated by Jack Hirschman)

Like you I
love love, life, the sweet smell
of things, the sky-blue
landscape of January days.
And my blood boils up
and I laugh through eyes
that have known the buds of tears.
I believe the world is beautiful
and that poetry, like bread, is for everyone.
And that my veins don’t end in me
but in the unanimous blood
of those who struggle for life,
love,
little things,
landscape and bread,
the poetry of everyone.

QUOTE:  "I hereby appoint you a dissident Bodhisattva in charge of overthrowing the sour and crippled mass hallucination that is mistakenly called "reality," and replacing it with an authentic reality built on the principles of insurrectionary beauty, ingenious love, voracious curiosity, ecstatic gratitude, and reverent justice." ~ Rob Brezsny

Dr. Anthony Fauci (Scott Hoying of Pentatonix)

Busy day, first to the UPS Store to return an item to Amazon... then to the library to pick up some books on reserve... then to the Alterations place to leave some items for repair... then to scoop up Nancy to head to Parlour Vegan for items ordered earlier this morning (Sarah and I are splitting a few sandwiches, plus I scored a delish assortment of cookies on the day-old shelf!).

Home to a phone conversation with my brother, and then to cobble together today's blog post while eating a vegan spinach empanada.  Yum!  About to curl up for a few hours with my current book, Rodham, a novel about what would have happened if Hillary hadn't married Bill.  Loving it so far.  Thinking dinner is leftover pizza.  This cooking-every-night deal is getting old... 😃

So, it is indeed Feel Good Friday.  As is tradition, five items below of beauty, interest, and humor to brighten your day/weekend/week.  Enjoy!  


~ We Are Freestyle Love Supreme documentary on Hulu:  Well before the world knew of the Tony Award-winning Broadway musicals Hamilton and In The Heights, Lin-Manuel Miranda was in an improvisational hip-hop group called Freestyle Love Supreme along with director Thomas Kail and performers Christopher Jackson and Anthony Veneziale. Filmmaker Andrew Fried began chronicling the group in the summer of 2005, documenting the early days of Freestyle Love Supreme beatboxing and rapping on the sidewalks—unaware of how their story would unfold. Fourteen years later, Fried captures them reuniting for a series of shows in New York City that led to a triumphant run on Broadway. Both poignant and inspired, We Are Freestyle Love Supreme calls the creative dreams of youth and why this show still means so much to these accomplished performers.


~ Tackle Reopening Choices as a Couple:  The world is reopening, and differing levels of anxiety can strain already tense relationships. Here are some strategies for getting through it together.


~ Make Beads From Your Newspaper:  All it takes is your trusty Times, a little glue and these templates.


~ 2020 First Novel Prize: The Long List:  We are so pleased to announce the long list for the 2020 Center for Fiction First Novel Prize. The twenty-seven titles were selected from 119 submissions with U.S. publication dates between January 1, 2020, and December 31, 2020. The shortlisted titles will be announced this fall.  The First Novel Prize, first awarded in 2006, was created to honor the best debut fiction of the year. The winner receives a $15,000 prize with each shortlisted author receiving $1,000. In these particularly challenging times, we are enormously grateful to a generous donor who has made it possible to increase this year’s prize from the previous amount of $10,000 in order to be more supportive of talented emerging writers. The winner is announced in December at our Annual Benefit and Awards Dinner. (thanks to MaryL for the heads-up on this, via the Miami Readers with Attitude Facebook group... :-) )


~ Beet Bourguignon:  If you google the french dish Bœf B-o-u-r-g-u-i-g-n-o-n (phew) you will see Julia Child’s classic recipe everywhere. Talk about making an impression and leaving a footprint. We were looking it up since we have been experiencing a couple cold winter weeks here in Sweden and couldn’t imagine a dish more suitable for this climate than a warm and hearty stew. The Beef Bourguignon is made on beef and bacon, so not the most appropriate dish for vegetarians. But we reckoned that there must be a way to transform that rich, wine oozing hot pot into something more in our taste. After a few experiments it turns out that we were only one letter away. We turned beef into beet. We also added large chunks of mushrooms to give the stew the right texture and flavor.


SONG:  Dr. Anthony Fauci by Scott Hoying of Pentatonix

BOOK:  A Little SPOT Stays Home: A Story About Viruses And Safe Distancing by Diane Alber

POEM:  [as freedom is a breakfastfood] by e. e. cummings

as freedom is a breakfastfood
or truth can live with right and wrong
or molehills are from mountains made
—long enough and just so long
will being pay the rent of seem
and genius please the talentgang
and water most encourage flame

as hatracks into peachtrees grow
or hopes dance best on bald men’s hair
and every finger is a toe
and any courage is a fear
—long enough and just so long
will the impure think all things pure
and hornets wail by children stung

or as the seeing are the blind
and robins never welcome spring
nor flatfolk prove their world is round
nor dingsters die at break of dong
and common’s rare and millstones float
—long enough and just so long
tomorrow will not be too late

worms are the words but joy’s the voice
down shall go which and up come who
breasts will be breasts thighs will be thighs
deeds cannot dream what dreams can do
—time is a tree(this life one leaf)
but love is the sky and i am for you
just so long and long enough

QUOTE:  “True belonging is the spiritual practice of believing in and belonging to yourself so deeply that you can share your most authentic self with the world and find sacredness in both being a part of something and standing alone in the wilderness. True belonging doesn’t require you to change who you are; it requires you to be who you are.” ~ Brené Brown