Welcome to an early morning edition of Wise Madness. The WFUV member drive starts tomorrow and I’ll have to wake up at 5 AM. I’m getting there in steps, today I set my alarm for 7 instead of the usual 8:30. There were some alarm mishaps along the way. I want my full eight hours of sleep so I went to be shortly after 11 and amazingly fell right asleep. My alarm woke me up and I couldn’t believe how tired I was. Then I realized it was dark. Then I looked at my phone; it was 12:15. I forgot that I have an alarm set for midnight to remind me to go to start getting ready for bed at 12:30. It’s a very gentle alarm and I slept through the first two snooze cycles. I went back to sleep without too much trouble. When next I heard Jean Rohe singing, “Arise Arise” I was still tired. I soon realized it was still dark. I had set my alarm for 5 AM starting on Friday to wake me up for the member drive. I had it repeat during the week. Even though I said to start it on Friday when I said to repeat it on Thursday it did so the previous Thursday too. This time I had to go to the bathroom so it ended up taking more than 20 minutes to get back to sleep. Next time I heard Jean it was for real, 7 AM. Beruthiel’s son spent the night so I couldn’t go to my usual spot in the living room. I did my morning computer things from bed. I should check. Jean told me it was my usual wake-up time, 8:30. I bet he’s gone and I can write from my easy chair. That’s a lot easier on my back, which is bothering me. Let me check.
I’m sitting in my easy chair and my back is much happier. There’s a heating pad on it. I keep it in the chair, I need it often.
About a month ago my monthly MetroCard stopped working. I went to the clerk at the station and he told me that it was broken and to mail it into the MTA along with the form he gave me. I mailed it first thing in the morning. The MTA finally wrote back to me. I expected a new card with the remainder of the month on it. Instead I got a check, the prorated value of what was left on the card. My long-time readers know that I have issues with depositing checks but I was good and deposited it using my phone app. That makes things much easier for me. I work around my anxiety issues.
I’ve been lamenting that I’m not going out enough so I have nothing to write about. Yesterday it dawned on me to ask if there were any Irish sessions going on. I asked on FB and tagged some friends that would know. Isaac got back to me and suggested the one at Grace’s on W 14th street. This was only my second session and the first I went to on my own. The other time I went Amy was leading it.
You can’t beat the location of Grace’s it’s less than 100 feet from the subway. I had no trouble finding the session, I just followed the music. I should explain what a session is. It’s not a concert. It’s an open jam There are regulars that all know each other. When regulars walk in everyone warmly greets them.
I sat at a table across the aisles from the musicians. I was a bit disappointed I didn’t know anyone there. It was so dark, perhaps I did and didn’t realize it. The instruments are a hodgepodge. Lots of fiddles, a guitar, cello, concertina, and bodhrán. When I was about to leave a woman with a harp walked in so I had to stay longer.
I loved the atmosphere at Grace’s. It was friendly, the waitress was fine with me ordering just a coke. The prices were great, that coke cost me half what it would at most bars. I tipped 100%. The music was great, instrumentals for he most part. There was one problem, it was hot and humid. I guess they weren’t prepared for temperatures in the high 70s in October. I’m sure it will be more comfortable next time. Maybe somebody would like to join me. They have this every Wednesday. There are plenty of sessions at other places too. If you are an aficionado let me know what your favorites are. Tell me next time you are going.
The subways being what they are of late getting home was not as easy. It’s just two trains, the A to the D. The trip down took just 52 minutes. On the way home I waited 20 minutes for a D train and when it came it was packed so I decided to wait for the next one. It was 8 minutes but worth it as I even got to sit down.
Today I’m heading over to Jane’s to help her with some things and pick up some of Bernie’s things for myself. I have to try and plan it to avoid the rain. The WFUV member drive starts tomorrow and I need to be up at 5 I would like to be asleep by 9. That won’t happen but I’ll see how close I can get.
Wise Madness 