Huzzah, I’m starting to write in the morning, late morning, but just before 11 AM. I’ll consider that a victory. If I can think of something to write about it will be another.
Here’s a real victory, I made my plans with Mike to go to the New Bedford Folk Festival. We have missed the last two years. We are staying with Gary. As we have a place to crash this becomes the cheapest festival, it’s just $30 for the weekend. They always have a great lineup and with 7 stages there is always someone you want to hear playing. You usually have to choose between at least two. To make things even better they are all under cover so if it rains you can still enjoy the music. Two of the stages are air conditioned. It’s in town so there are flush toilets. There are restaurants. This makes it a very relaxed. Here’s a link to the website; New Bedford Folk Festival.
The performers I know:
- Amy Speace
- Beppe Gambetta
- Cheryl Wheeler
- Cliff Eberhardt
- Emerald Rae
- John Gorka
- Kristin Andreassen
- Peter Mulvey
- The Mammals
- The Kennedys
- Mike Laureanno
More importantly I always discover acts there, often Celtic. Last time I went it was Calan from Wales. This year I’m looking forward to Connla from Northern Ireland. I had to overcome a lot of anxiety to make this happen. It’s worth it.
Yesterday I went to the Dollar store for a few things. I mainly went to get out of the house. Now I have a pitcher for iced coffee. I also bought plantains at a fruit and vegetable store. We don’t have that on City Island. I don’t see them on this side of Mosholu Parkway but on the other side and in the park, I see South Asians. The Muslim men were wearing wonderful linen outfits, just what I want. I am working up the nerve to ask where they buy them. I’m hoping that they aren’t expensive. I know some people will cry, “cultural appropriation!” I look at it as imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. They look so comfortable that I can’t resist. Great civilizations happen at the world’s crossroads as they develop through appropriation. We don’t have to keep reinventing the wheel. Hey, that’s why we all have wheels.
I do the same thing on a personal level. I have stayed with many friends and see how differently people live. People do without things that others consider absolute necessities. People organize their things in all sorts of different ways. For most there is no right or wrong, but some ideas make life easier and I have appropriated them. One small thing I learned was to keep a coffee can or open cardboard milk carton on the kitchen counter to put egg shells, garlic peels, and the like in while you are preparing meals. It’s much easier than walking over to the garbage can each time or putting them on the counter which you then have to clean.
I have some thoughts I’ve been ruminating on but I’m going to let chew that cud a bit more. It’s not because I need to digest the ideas more, it’s that I’m hungry and want to eat.
Wise Madness 