I’m writing in the morning. I’m actually doing it. Now if only I had something to write about and I didn’t want to go back to sleep. Having something to write about is greatly overrated. Lord Dunsany once boasted that he could write a story about the mud at the bottom of the Thames. He did, he sold it, and I read it. I’m curious, how many of my Gentle Readers have heard of Edward John Moreton Drax Plunkett, 18th Baron of Dunsany? How many have read anything by him? I discovered him in Lin Carter’s Tolkien: A Look Behind the Lord of the Rings. Carter was my native guide to the world of Fantasy. Through him I discovered not just Dunsany, but James Branch Cabell, H.P. Lovecraft, Arthur Machen, E.R. Eddison, Robert E. Howard, and Clark Ashton Smith. Cabell and Lovecraft in Olympians in my literary pantheon. Carter lived right near me in Hollis, Queens. If we had the internet then I bet I would have not only corresponded with him but also met him. I had a correspondence with Terry Pratchett about Cabell. I wonder if I went back to my AOL email if I could find it. I should do that even though what he wrote was not very consequential. I was impressed that he wrote me back and was familiar with Cabell.
I didn’t talk to a friend yesterday unless you count my therapist. She is someone I would be friends with if we didn’t have a professional relationship. I enjoy our sessions and they help me. We have to keep on top of that. To help, there are times when therapy needs to be unpleasant. Those might be the times that help the most. The easy times make it easier to get to the unpleasantness, but they can’t be allowed replace them. People are complicated so therapy is complicated.
The night before I waited all day to talk to someone then spoke to Katherine. I was going to say for two hours but I don’t really know. I rely o my cellphone to know how long I talk, and my phone is broken. I used to often look at the clock when I started a call but now I don’t have a clock or a watch, I rely on my broken cell phone. I need to buy a watch. I hate having to take my phone out of my pocket and pressing a button to see the time. I much rather just glance at my wrist.
I made one of the bratwursts I bought last night. For a change I wasn’t lazy and bought them uncooked. Thanks to the air fryer it no longer takes more time or effort to eat them and the precooked ones. I found a recipe that said to cook it at 400ºF for 11 minutes. That worked perfectly. I even had a brioche hot dog bun from Trader Joe’s to eat it one with some American cheese. I made green plantain with it. I haven’t done that in ages. I usually get the very ripe yellow plantains with black spots. I was reminded of why; I like them better. It is not a sin to prefer the riper ones because they are sweet and softer. It did make for an interesting change of pace. I fried it. Maybe I should try plantain in the air fryer.
I spent most of the yesterday watching streaming concerts. There were so many I had to switch back and forth between them. I missed many I wanted to see but caught SONiA disappear fear, Deni Bonet, Carla Ulbrich, Kaia Kater, and The Sea the Sea. No two of those are remotely similar. I didn’t notice it at the time, but the common thread is female voices. Chuck Costa is half of The Sea the Sea; the rest are women including his wife and musical partner Mira Costa. I have so many incredibly talented musical friends; that’s why I feel that I should have been friends with Lin Carter. I also think that Rhiannon Giddens should marry me; She and Francesco Turrisi disagree.
I’m afraid to look at today’s musical schedule:
1:00 Amy Kucharik
3:00 Carrie Elkin & Danny Schmidt
3:00 Abbie Gardner
I don’t have the heart to go on, I have a conflict by the third show. I’ll watch what I watch. Maybe I’ll be able to get myself to read, at least read comic books. I have to get my brain back to effortless reading. It will help when my breathing strips arrive. I’ve gone without them the last two nights and my sleep has been far less restful. I find it so easy during the day to drift back to sleep. Instead of doing that I’ll post this and make my breakfast and coffee. Grits ala Horvendile are on the menu.
Wise Madness 