Yesterday I stayed home and never got out of my pjs. Why? I’m an idiot; I was supposed to go to a latke party at Carol and Jeff’s house. I remembered that one minute before it was supposed to start. They live an hour and a half away so that wasn’t going to happen. I was looking forward to this; I just talked to them about it. The timing was odd yesterday was Chanukah eve; tonight, is the first night of Chanukah. Somehow it never found its way onto my Google Calendar. That’s the only way I remember to do anything. Before I had Google Calendar I depended on pocket calendars. I’m an idiot but well aware that I’m an idiot and takes precautions. Sometimes they are not enough.
I watched some not great films; Shazam and The Last Jedi. I watched the latter to prepare for seeing The Rise of Skywalker. I’m not a big Star Wars fan. I’ve always thought the series stupid, but it’s also entertaining, and it keeps me in the common social heritage loop.
I managed to record a piece on one of my top albums of the year for Folk Music Notebook. I can give myself some more credit as I finally learned out to do some simple editing. My most common fix is eliminating long pauses. I have to learn how to insert something next. That way when I flub a word I can fix just that word, not re-record everything from that point on. I tried something else new, not reading from a script. When I started Gord’s Gold that’s how I figured I’d work but found that I couldn’t do it smoothly enough. Now that I can edit as I go along I can record from notes. I’m much happier doing that. I’ll still have to write them up for the print version I’ll post here. I will try to record at least one more piece today. I’ll probably end up doing it late tonight after caroling. Late night is when the apartment is quietest.
Another positive from yesterday; I made my favorite dish, sweet garlic chicken. It’s not that difficult to make yet I haven’t made it in months, maybe even a year. It should be a staple. It’s good and relatively healthy. The ingredients are chicken filet, sautéed garlic, olive oil, and brown sugar. The most labor-intensive part is peeling and dicing the garlic cloves.
I’m caught in a political debate paradox. Every day I find myself encountering statements and actions by people that make me angry. I have a Trump supporting friend that daily posts things for the purpose of enraging like minded people. My gut wants me to rage back; but I usually don’t. Why? Dividing the world into us and them seeing them as an enemy that must be fought is the centerpiece of his world view. It’s what angers me. If I do the same thing, just reversing the identities of us and them I lose the centerpiece of my world view; that there is no us and them, that there is only us. We are all in this together. Taking arms against a sea of trouble and by opposing does not end but perpetuates them. Yet they need to be fought. The key is that “they” is not people but the philosophy of division. It requires not a sword but a scalpel. It’s difficult, but not impossible. On the days I find it too difficult there are still things I can do to help. I can try to bring people together. Tonight, I’m caroling. This is a tradition that Terre Roche has been leading since the 1970s. I started joining in in the early 90s. I missed some years when I lost touch with Terre but thanks to Facebook I always know when it is. It’s tonight under the arch at Washington Square Par at 6 PM. What does this have to do with politics? I always try and get new people to go. I’m literally bringing people together. By not opposing people I oppose division. It’s hard to be filled with hate after joining with others singing about peace and love. It does as much good as any political tract. It’s hard to argue with Good King Wenceslas;
Therefore, Christian men, be sure
Wealth or rank possessing
Ye who now will bless the poor
Shall yourselves find blessing
Wise Madness 