I’ve written about fighting depression of late. I wasn’t losing the fight, but the fight itself takes something out of me. It’s depressing to have to fight depression. Good thing the fascinating behavior of nonlinear systems is also a distraction. That being said I snapped out of it, and it took somebody else to draw my attention to the fact. John Platt’s On Your Radar was Tuesday night so I went to get a rapid COVID-19 test earlier in the day to make sure it was safe for the crowd to be exposed to me. I now have a regular place to be tested; there are either short or no lines and they get the PCR results to you the next day. I’m registered with them, so I avoid all the paperwork. It’s about a half mile walk, which is far less than I usually walk and it’s pleasant. In a way it takes the place of my Donut Walk™. Hell, maybe I should go to get tested just to motivate a walk. Nobody was waiting to be tested when I arrived, so I was taken immediately. I had my usual chat with the person doing the registration. He said to me, “You’re in a good mood today!” That’s what alerted me to the depression being over. I wasn’t just presenting as not depressed, I can do that, I wasn’t depressed. I walked with a spring in my step. I was happy! Perhaps it was because I had plans for the evening for the first time in ages. That was certainly part of it. I’ve been feeling isolated, and I was going to not just hear live music but see friends. Deni Bonet was playing On Your Radar and I haven’t seen her since the plague started. We’ve talked on the phone but that’s it. I wasn’t just seeing friends, but one was a friend I haven’t seen since B.C. Fred was able to make it. I saw Fred often in the summer but then he got busy with work and omicron hit so it’s been months since I’ve seen him. I didn’t know beforehand, but Laura and Jamie showed up. We’re getting the band back together. But that was still to be. One of the things that hit me strongly after the test was how much I love the register reacting to my good mood. I love being around happy people, they radiate happiness and improve the mood of those around them. I hope I did the same for him. People have volunteered how they appreciate my elan. Once again things were nonlinear. Being happy made me happy. Let’s see how long this can last.
After I get tested, I usually walk a few more blocks to Dunkin’ Donuts. Did you know that’s no longer the name of the company? They dropped the Donuts from there name, they are simply Dunkin’. That’s because the drinks make up such a large part of their sales. This time I did get a donut, a specialty, chocolate brownie batter donut. It’s delicious, one of their best. They are selling it now for Valentine’s Day; they are shaped like hearts. I may not have a Valentine, but I had a donut with brownie batter filling When you can’t have love, chocolate is the best substitute; more reason to be happy. When you can’t get medication chocolate is the best substitute for that too. I do have meds and they work together.
I wanted to get to Rockwood Music Hall early enough to hang out with Deni before the show. I got there a little later than I wanted but it was still 15 minutes before doors, so we got to hang, I got hugs, hugs are important, and I got to talk to Deni’s sideman Chris too. Turns out his band used to play gigs with Ken Rockwood’s band, The Professor and Maryann. I loved P&M, I might have been their biggest fan, so I almost certainly saw Chris back in the day. Ken is the eponymous co-owner of Rockwood Music hall. I love the tight music community.
The first act up was Brett (I have a mental block with his name) Altman. To remember it I have to think of Sean Altman. To continue with the small world theme, I know Deni through Sean. She did a song they cowrote. Brett played the New Artist segment of the Hudson West Fest. I was a judge for that, but I missed the Festival because it was the same day my friends got married. I love Hudson West, but a wedding comes first. I missed a number of single days of Clearwater over the years because of weddings and B’nai Mitzvah. Did you know that’s the plural of Bar or Bat Mitzvah? I didn’t until my friend announced on Facebook that she was giving B’nai Mitzvah lessons. My mind is darting and making associations, that’s not me being ADHD, that’s my mind clicking on all cylinders. Did I send Brett a Facebook friend request? I did! He accepted. That happened last year after Hudson West. He’s a mensch.
Deni had a great set, and my heckling was on. All On Your Radar are home games which lowers my inhibitions. I’m always uninhibited when Deni plays. That carried over to when Brett was performing to and continued through the last artist Eleanor (I have a mental block with her name) Buckland. I was talking about the mental block last night on the phone with a friend and I think I finally got over the hump. I have to think of my friends’ daughter Ellie, short for Eleanor. I remember her name by thinking of Eleanor of Aquitaine. Once I have the Eleanor the Buckland comes for free just as Brett gets a ride from Altman. Eleanor is in Lula (I always want to say Lulu) Wiles. I have seen them a number of times and loved them. The only time I saw her solo was at the Brooklyn Americana Festival, the same time as John first saw her. While I knew I liked her music I discovered yesterday that I like her as a person too. She’s a lot of fun. The small world thing continued. I knew she moved to New York but be with her romantic partner, but I forgot who it was. I just knew it was someone in my extended, not inner circle. It’s Sean Trischka, Tony’s son. I’ve seen him perform a number of times including a house concert in Brooklyn that I loved. His band that night included Kaia Kater which is how I knew about the show. I had been to other concerts at the house too. Just to make the world smaller, Eleanor and Sean live in the garden apartment of that house. When they start the house concerts up again, I imagine I’ll be seeing them. The world is microscopic.
For the first On Your Radar in the plague years I didn’t run out after the show but talked to Brett, Eleanor, Sean, and of course Deni. Am I getting too cocky about COVID-19? I don’t think so. I was wearing my KN95 the entire time and the infection rate is way down. I tested negative so I wasn’t worried about infecting others, always my greatest fear.
Yesterday I went for my infusion. I couldn’t go to the usual place, right by where I get my testing, but had to go to the place I went in the early days of the pandemic. That’s a two bus trip. My upbeat attitude continued I was actually looking forward to it. Why? Because there’s a good bagel store across the street. There is nowhere near me to get decent bagels and this place is one third cheaper than the ones a few miles away. I bought six and ate one of them for an afternoon breakfast when I got home. I still love sausageeggandcheese on a bagel. They are OK on English muffins, but nothing like on a bagel. That’s another reason for me to be happy. It’s a beautiful day today but I’m staying home until my Amazon deliver comes. I get breathing strips delivered every six weeks. I sleep much better if I have them. The last package came on Tuesday shortly after I left to get tested. It was gone from my welcome mat when I got home. I saw the picture of the delivery; it came to the right apartment. Somebody stole it. I ordered a replacement that’s coming today and I’m not going to leave the house until it is delivered. I hope it comes in time for me to take a walk.
After missing a day, I wrote a lot today. That’s another good sign of mental health. I didn’t even have to dip into my political/philosophical/sports topic I have lined up. It’s Thursday so make sure to listen to Gord’s Gold tonight on Folk Music Notebook. I’m going to be doing sets for Black History Month each week and that’s leading me to discover great new music.
One last good thing I had a long phone conversation with a friend early last evening. It had one of my favorite features, the person telling me that they don’t have time to talk long, then talking long. I like to be that friend you can’t say goodbye to. I love the friends I can’t say goodbye to. Now I have to say goodbye to you My Gentle Listeners. I’m having trouble. I’m giving a Jewish Goodbye. This time I mean it.
Wise Madness 