Appreciation

I had breakfast with Miss Brazil today.

It continues to astonish me that anyone can live in appreciation and gratitude of the world as continually as she can. It is something that I admire very deeply about her. A spiritual centeredness is something to strive for, certainly, but it is very powerful to see exisiting in someone.

Burn, Baby, Burn

I am on a roll this month. Obviously, I have been spending far too much time reading ridiculous things and not enough time outdoors.

I saw this picture, and the scale of the teeny, tiny cows, which I would like to point out, are NOT small animals, just freaked me out. I hope that this link stays active for you to check it out...

It seems that a 2,000 TON pile of manure has been burning in Nebraska for MONTHS. It is 100 feet in length, 30 feet high and 50 feet wide. The farmer's stock (12,00 cows) produce 54 TONS of manure every 24 hours.

Firefighters are not able to douse the mountain with water because of the problems with run-off, and spreading the pile out only made the fire break out in other areas as the core is so hot it continually re-ignites the pile. Sounds to me like the beginnings of a great model volcano, if they could only get it to erupt, or at least ooze, but I suspect the latter is not a problem currently.

Apparently, manure blazes are somewhat common. In Washington state, a three acre manure lagoon (sounds like a vacation destination!) was burning out of control and the officials finally smothered the flames...by adding another layer of manure.

New Music Tuesday - Matt's Mood featuring Basia

Strange how things happen. One of my co-workers got a haircut, and it turns out now she looks just like Basia. As she is too young to know who Basia is (was?) I brought in a CD for her to make a comparison.

Really, other than when I wrote about her concert in regards to my Ottmar Liebert review awhile back, I can't remember when I last thought of Basia. Then, I see an ad that Basia is performing at Playhouse Square in April.

And now here is a CD! I picked this one up skeptically, thinking it would be mostly Matt Bianco, but much to my surprise and delight, several of the songs are Basian tour-de-forces, most notably the outstanding Brazilian-flavored La Luna. The CD is very jazzy, with a very healthy dose of Brazilian sensibilities thrown in for good measure. It is not very often that I really like 4 songs on a CD on the very first listen (in particular Ordinary Day and Say the Words), so this CD gets very high marks, indeed.

I would highly recommend getting acquainted, or re-acquainted, with this great singer.

News You May Have Missed – Auld Lang Syne for the Oldest Malt in Scotland

The Chep Lap Kok airport in Hong Kong has purchased the last remaining bottle of the world's oldest single malt whisky.

It is a bottle of Glenfiddich Rare Collection 1937, which has been maturing for 64 years before it was bottled. Only 61 bottles were produced from the cask.

The taste is described as “chocolate and treacle”. Being an aficionado of the single malts (particularly Glenrothes and Cardhu if anyone wants to send me a present), I have to say I look mostly for a nice oaky, delicate hint of peat, dusty light smoke, toffeeish malt.

I know I don't get enough treacle on a day-to-day basis. I had to look up treacle just to be sure, and here is the definition:

A medicinal compound formerly used as an antidote for poison ; molasses.

The previous 60 bottles were sold directly by the distillery in the $19,000 range. This remaining bottle is expected to sell for significantly more. But, it might be cheap as far as poison antidotes go. Maybe someone in the Australian outback will buy it as an emergency snakebite remedy. Just a thought.

36

H__ arrived at my house early this evening, and we settled in for a quiet night. Waiting for our dinner to arrive (spaghetti, garlic bread and salad), H__ did some magic with some yarn. In a matter of mere moments, she transformed small bits of thread into a magnificent scarf, to be draped over the sweater she was wearing. It was incredible to watch this process - so effortless and distinctly magical.

In the morning, we had a light breakfast of toast, coffee and my secret homemade smoothies, like civilized people - seated at the table. We then decided, after a few hours of conversation that we must get going. Some shopping, some Starbucks and then... apartment shopping!

We looked at three apartments, one being quite plausible. And while I was enamored of the largest place we looked at, the amenities of that one were less than stellar. But it did have the best light, and the grandest rooms. Now I have much to think about...

It was getting to be time for lunch, so we dropped into Cafe Limbo, a place which I had heard many good things about. And as it seems that H__ knows every person in Cleveland, of course we ran into a friend of hers at the cafe. Quite a lovely person. The lunch was great and the ambiance lived up to its reputation.

Next to the cafe is an art gallery that H__ used to work at, so we stopped in in the hopes that I could purchase a display stand for my glass marble from Sara. It is a fabulous gallery, and the people there are tremendously cool. There were many incredible works for sale, and it seems that my appreciation for textile arts is growing by association.

Then it was time for more shopping as H__ as in need of new shoes. I want the record to show that I demonstrated remarkable restraint as we passed a table full of Fossil watches at Nordstrom. Ah...so unrewarding to be good...but do not fear Faithful Readers, for I did not leave the mall empty handed, oh no. I found a charming little Chanel watch to take home.

We picked up some bourbon chicken to take home, then stopped into the bookstore. I picked up a copy of The Phantom Tollbooth for H__, and she picked up several beading magazines, and a great stuffed rabbit for her mother. While we were silently looking at magazines and drinking coffee in the cafe, H__ looked up and said that the day could only be better if there was time us to go back to her house to do art and then watch a movie. Sadly, we were not successful in generating any extra hours in the day. We had to make do with a quick meal, and then we had to turn in.

The next morning, I took H__ to the ubiquitous Mom's Diner for breakfast, and then it was time for me to return to my house.

It is hardly possible that we had spent 36 hours together. It genuinely seemed as if it was about 4 hours. It is a very rare thing, indeed, to be able to spend so much time with someone and not become bored, or uncomfortable or irritated.

What a great "weekend".

The Main Event : Iceberg vs. Titanic – The Rematch !

Okay, maybe this is just me. Christo and and The Gates. Beautiful. I have no problem there. But when I read about Rita Duffy's artistic plan....I dunno, folks...

Seems Rita has the high-minded goal to “resurrect the peace process and self-confidence of Northern Ireland.” To this end, she wants to:

TOW AN ICEBERG TO BELFAST

Why? “To cool the simmering anger among the Protestants and Catholics.” Hmmmm..okay.

And... the iceberg would be a “symbol of regeneration” for Belfast she says. Well, I suppose given thousands and thousands of years, icebergs do regenerate, but mostly I think they break away and crash into the sea, and float around, and have far more below the surface than meets the eye. This is, I suppose, NOT the subtext she was shooting for.

My big issue with this scheme is that she wants to tow it to Belfast, the birthplace of the Titanic.
Seems to me that is REALLY rubbing salt in a wound.

“Hey Belfast! You know that great “unsinkable” ship all your men folk labored over building? Well, Mother Nature had a thing or two to say about THAT, didn't she? Well, here is a big, fat reminder of a castastrophic loss of human life that you were indirectly responsible for, right outside your door! A great, big, melting symbol of a disaster. Now let's “cool off” and talk about peace!”

Yeah. Alrighty then. You go, girl.

Hey, That Sounds Familiar!

"Naturally, the common people don't want war, but after all, it is the leaders of a country who determine the policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag people along whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. This is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifist for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in every country.”

Click here for the source of the quote.

New Music Tuesday – Patty Larkin : Perishable Fruit

This CD came out in 1997. I got it the day it was released, Patty Larkin being one of my top ten favorite musicians of all time.

I really did not like this CD all that much, except for the track Coming Up For Air.

Well, I mention this, and it is the NMT review today because of the fact that I can't stop listening to this CD. It is always in my car. I love each and every track. In fact, at this moment, it is very close to being my all-time favorite Patty Larkin CD.

On this disc, Larkin, as producer, has limited herself to stringed instruments, which is not to say the songs are without "percussion". She twangs and thumps a lot of stuff, and uses all sorts of guitars and mandolins to manufacture an expansive soundscape.

I guess you really have to be in the right place, or have lived through certain things to “get” some art. And this one is really speaking to me now.

Mark Your Calendars

April 9th, at (I believe) 4:30 pm EST, BBC Radio 2 is presenting a 1 hour documentary – Shooting Star - Laura Nyro Remembered. The show will be repeated for seven days, but I am not sure when.

You can also listen on your computer.

C is For...

Cancer. I found out my friend does, indeed, have it. Her spirits are good, and her first treatment following her surgery to remove the tumor went well. At this point, she has been a 60% chance of it never recurring.

These are the moments you hate being halfway across the country. It is a most helpless feeling...

Unions

Hey, guess what? I had to be in Cleveland at 11 am today! H__ suggested I stay at her place, but I did not have the foresight to be prepared, shattering my dual image of boyscout and stage manager.

It was actually warm outside, and a lovely morning for a drive. I arrived a bit too early and found a tiny diner called Vickie's, which served up a nice two egg breakfast and coffee for $2.50. Ya just can't beat that.

It was then time to go church where MyFriendJason was about to get formally committed to his partner, Tony. A few of my coworkers were in attendance, dressed up and looking quite elegant, especially "My Adoring Public", Jaimie whom I do not believe I have ever seen in a skirt before.

The boys looked great and were very nervous before the ceremony. The ceremony itself was quite lovely. The best part was when my co-worker and extremely talented opera singing friend Annie played the piano and sang for the boys. Both of them were crying. It was truly moving.

Following the ceremony, we all headed into the Fireside Room, where coffee, cake and champagne awaited us. MyFriendJason had prepared the most exquisite cake - three layers high ringed with his hand-made white chocolate "cigarettes". Divine.

I wish them all of the best. They are off to a promising start.

Back and Forth

Today I got up at 7 am, which was really a luxurious sleeping-in feeling. Ran down to Starbuck's and got to the library at 8. I did a lot of research and had a great time, and as I was getting ready to leave, and burn my data CD of the research I had spent 3 hours compiling, the terminal crashed. Somehow I was in a very Zen place and just accepted my fate. Three hours of fun and learning, but nothing to show for it.

Driving home, H__ called and suggested that if I lived in Cleveland we could go out for dinner after she finished her chores today. I suggested that we could anyway - I mean, what better way to spend your day off than making the same one hour commute you make every other day, right?

We went to Tommy's for broccoli risso, a fancy broccoli cheese soup with rice served with pita, and then we split a coffee milkshake. The best parts of the evening were walking into her living room and hearing Julia Fordham singing. The second best part was the tour she took me on of where she was born, where she grew up and where her grandparents lived...all in the same neighborhood. Having spent so much of my life being transient, it what really cool hanging out with someone with roots.

A Day of Irish and Brazilian Celebrations

Great fun at work today...with folks dressed up as leprechauns, playing Irish music over the sound system and general full-on silliness. Sometimes just wearing a cheap green plastic bowler hat at work will make your day. In addition, it was a co-worker's birthday, and our manager rolled out a cart onto the floor with two birthday cakes and the mandatory re-lighting candles.

While I try to make it a policy to get home as quickly as possible on drinking holidays, this evening was the only time that Heather and I could get together for dinner - at Sergio's, of course.

We both arrived early - so early the joint wasn't even open - and went next door to the lobby of the Glidden House, which is incredible. It would be great fun to spend the weekend there!

Service and dinner, all impeccable as usual. And the mandatory two pots of Brazilian coffee. Lovely.
It was so nice to spend time with a good friend...catching up, relaxing, and fun and comfortable.

Upon reflection, I realized that the last time Heather and I ate at Sergio's, she was leaving the next day for Toronto. This time, she is leaving in the morning for New York City.

Life is full of strange coincidences.

The Lion's Gift - Courage

I would be remiss to not report that on the way home from dining with Heather, I phoned the Phantom of San Diego. It seemed to me that if my pent-up anger of nine months still has not lessened in the slightest, it probably wasn't going to at any time in the near future, either. So I thought that just getting it out in the open might alleviate my frustration.

Amazingly, the Phantom answered the phone, and spoke with me - for a fairly long time. It was a good conversation, no yelling or defensiveness or any of that foolishness.

At the conclusion of the conversation, the Phantom thanked me for having the courage to call. And I am glad I did as well. The power of talking seems to have dissipated the anger - the cause of the anger is still quite clear in my mind, and I think that it is a good thing to always remember. It will prevent any potential backsliding. But my heart and head fell better not harboring such strong, bad feelings.

News You Might Have Missed : Put Your Nickel In The Nickelodeon

Seems that there is a new nickel on the way. The buffalo nickel is making a comeback.

The Mint powers that be unveiled their new masterpiece on Capitol Hill accompanied by Indian dancing, drum-beating and chanting and a bison named Cody.

Whoever threw this party had a weak grasp on history.

The first point is the original “buffalo” nickel featured a composite face of a Native American, and the back featured the “buffalo”. It was a stately showcase of the native beauty and lost past of the American West. It emphasized the symbiotic relationship the Native Americans had with the bison.

The new coin features a sharp-eyed profile of Thomas Jefferson, apparently whispering the word “Liberty”. Jefferson was responsible for the reconnaissance mission of Lewis and Clark. Following their explorations, the American West rapidly became settled, tamed, the Native Americans decimated and corralled onto reservations and the bison slaughtered almost to extinction.

So, whose Liberty do we celebrate?

And why do we have Indian dancing and drum beating? And a bison named Cody? Let's recall that Buffalo Bill Cody, great showman certainly, earned his moniker for his championship ability to kill buffalo, and as a guide, to lead foreign dignitaries on no-limits buffalo hunting trips.

The last time a bison was on currency was the nickel between 1913 and 1938, the same time as the last major stock crash. We'll see what Nostradamus has to say about this version...

One of the first folks to get the new nickel was quoted on MSNBC with this insightful comment,

“It's a nice looking nickel.”

That's America for you.

New Music Tuesday – Divas Abounding

Three discs again. March must be the month of the triumvirate.

First up, is my big prize of the month: Sarah Vaughan and Her Trio : Live at Mr. Kelly's (which happens to have been located in Chicago – it's a theme!) That's right, a live recording! And a simple trio to boot. Yippee! This one is a set from 1957, and man, does Sassy swing it! What to say about the disc? Here is the opening from the liner notes by Lee Jeske:

“No matter what I, or any past or future jazz critic, has ever said or ever will say about Sarah Vaughan, none of us can do her justice.”

Good advice. I will just say, this one is awesome. Her personality is captured in the banter before the songs. My favorite example is the introduction to Willow Weep For Me (a gorgeous version) when she says,” The next number is Willow Weep For Me. In just a moment we're gonna find a key...” Classic.

Number Two: Another Classic: Billie Holiday : Songs For Distingue Lovers.
This Verve reissue is beautifully done. And now I must come clean in that up until today, I have never really appreciated Billie Holiday. I think it is like my great jazz teacher, Chas Baker, told me and that is that one day I would hip up enough to really understand Duke Ellington. I guess I've hipped up enough to get Billie now. This disc is absolutely wonderful. Just listen to the first track (Day in and Day Out) if nothing else, the musicians are incredible and her singing is marvelous. They claim this project was Billie's best studio work of the 50's. I believe it.

Number Three: Luciana Souza : North and South
Furthering my exploration of Souza, I picked this disc up. I love her version of All of Me, and her original I Shall Wait is lovely as well. She truly is a gifted musician and I am really starting to appreciate her. She does a very palatable blend of American jazz trios with Brazilian rhythms and sensibilities. Good stuff.

To Be Or Not To Be

I spent my morning laying in supplies to make dinner for H__, who was coming down to spend the evening.

Just as I was entering the grocery store, she called to tell me that perhaps I had forgotten that our mutual friend's school project, which was putting on a fashion show, was tonight. I had, indeed, forgotten about that.

Since our friend wanted to really shake things up in her class, she hired drag queens as her runway models. This promised to be a show to remember. H__ and decided we really should just get dinner in Cleveland and go to the show. And while all of this sounded like a great plan, it was not to be, as H__ was much too tired after work to go out and party.

In consolation, I belatedly picked up Absolutely Fabulous Complete Series 5, as I adore Jennifer Saunders, and I decided to watch the whole thing. I mean, what is better than being at a drag queen fashion show? Patsy and Eddie – which are, really, pretty much the same thing...

Shopping!

I was really looking forward to spending the day spending money. This was the first month I didn't have to spend a substantial amount of money on my sexy car, and I was determined to be a good capitalist pig. And, my burning compulsion for three new Fossil watches was getting out of hand. So off I went in search of new timepieces.

Apparently, I am not supposed to have any more, because our local stores do not carry the models I desire. Shot down.

So I ended up buying myself one real present, something I have been dreaming of for a long time, a very large framed print of Picasso's Le Tauro. It will look beautiful in my entry hall.

Then I behaved like a mature adult and treated my sexy car to 4 new tires, new wiper blades and an oil change.

I guess I don't know what to do if I don't spend at least one day a month with my mechanics...

Chicago

My colleague and I had to go to Chicago for a few days for a work seminar. Well, to say we were in Chicago is a broad overstatement. We were in O'Hare airport and The Hyatt Regency, 9 miles west of the airport. Granted it was a lovely hotel and they took good care of us, but as with my Boston trip, it could have been anywhere.

The training this session seemed to be more beneficial to me; it was a lot more theorizing and less dissemination of information and small group practicing.

The highlight of the trip was yesterday's lunch when the regional manger invited everyone to join her at the hotel's buffet and I was lucky enough to get to sit across from her. She is a remarkable person and great role model, especially since my first impression of the company was that is solely a boy's club, as far as management went. When Sue arrived at our store opening, it was deeply significant to me to see a woman in a position of power, and gave me more hope for my future career. So, it was very nice to see her again, especially after coming up in the ranks twice.

I did not get to find out WHY Chicago is a toddlin town, in fact, I did not discover what toddlin' town even means.

So, this afternoon, we get out of the seminar an hour early, which is grand, as we had to run off to the airport to catch our flight home, and oh yeah, it's snowing.

So, after a 2 hour delay, we finally get on the plane, and the only good news was that there were so few folks on the final flight out that I got to sit in the single seat on one side of the plane. That was great for me, because you can put your legs out into the aisle and no one bugs you.

What I have really learned from my training seminars so far this year is this: no matter if you fly east or west, you are going to get screwed trying to get back to Cleveland.

Oh, and driving home from the airport at midnight was fun, too, because it was one of those horizontal snowstorms, that look like you are traveling at warp speed through a starfield, making it next to impossible to see the road. I found that turning off the headlights and using the light of the moon to see the road and my familiarity with the route was much, much easier. And happily, no other idiots were out but me, so I didn't have to worry about freaking them out by turning my headlights back on when I crept up on them....

New Music Tuesday – Pink Piano

Three discs today. Thinking about my grandpa lead to my realization that I own no Erroll Garner music, so now I have The Essence of Erroll Garner.

Erroll (yet another Pittsburgher!) never studied music, and never learned to read it. The opening track is my favorite at this time, Poor Butterfly. Probably because the percussiveness of his playing is so similar to what I recall hearing every night of my young childhood as my grandfather was at the keys until the wee hours of the morning. What perplexes me on this disc is the version of Misty. I have to do more research, but this simply cannot be the version that he made his name with. This version is overrun with schlocky strings, and the disconnect between the strings and what is going on with the keys sounds exactly as if someone recorded Erroll practicing while in the next room a radio was tuned to some Muzak station. It is a very, very strange recording, but sadly, not in the "so bad it's good category". It's just bad.

#2 is Marcus Roberts: Alone With Three Giants, which is a tribute to the works of Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk and Jelly Roll Morton. I have been a Roberts fan for a long time, and I have really enjoyed this solo piano recording. The standouts at this point are Morton's Jungle Blues and Ellington's I Got It Bad.

And finally we have the original soundtrack recording to The Pink Panther by Cleveland native Henry Mancini. This is one of the first albums I remember having, although I know I did not purchase it. I am pretty sure that I appropriated it from my mother's collection. There are some great jazzy tracks on this CD, and really, if you listen to the Pink Panther theme, it is not as cheesy as you may think. I remember listening to the cartoon-y Shades of Sennett in my childhood bedroom, which remains outrageously wonderful. There are some bonus tracks on this CD from the later Panther films, and the “remix” theme is pretty great, too.

In My Dreams

I rarely, if ever, remember my dreams. My head hits the pillow, and I pass out until the alarm awakens me - no tossing and turning, no getting up for water or bathroom breaks. Just a deep, black, unconsciousness.

This morning I got to sleep in rather late (8 am) and lo and behold, I distinctly remembered what I was dreaming...

I was in a national park/zoo sort of thing on the Oregon-California border, or maybe Washington state. I was standing on an asphalt ledge in front of soaring glass windows that looked out into a deep, heavily forested gorge. An eagle soared by. Rocky ravine walls were on the right, and there was a old, gnarled tree jutting out from the rock, with a large animal, whose habitat this obviously was, sitting in the crook of the tree. Down below, another one of the animals was walking by the river's edge. I stood there watching them for awhile, thinking how beautiful it was there, and fascinated by the animals. Then I started thinking that it was sad that their habitat had been encroached upon for our benefit and I was turning to go back to my car when my alarm went off. It was a very naturalistic, realistic dream. Nothing weird struck me about it at all.

A few minutes later, in the bathroom, brushing my teeth, I thought...

"Hey, Sasquatch aren't real!"

I was dreaming about the Sasquatch National Zoo.

This would be the reason I don't remember my dreams. My conscious mind gets a hold of this stuff and just says "Oh, no...we gotta erase this foolishness..."

Rivers & Tides

I decided to give documentaries another chance, and picked up Rivers and Tides: Working With Time which is about one of my favorite artists, Andy Goldsworthy (who is also Scottish, which earns yet another plus).

The film is advertised as having received 10 four star reviews including reviews from the New York Times, The LA Times, the ubiquitous Roger Ebert and Film Threat. Having the Russian Ark debacle so clearly in my mind made me a bit hesitant to commit, but I went for it.

Caveats not withstanding, I had high hopes for this film, because the prospect of watching Goldsworthy create his amazing, ephemeral works would be fascinating. And this time I was not disappointed. There are several instances where you are with him as he is working, delicately, in very cold temperatures, or simply so near completion, and gravity or wind demolishes everything in a moment. His reactions are a study in Zen understanding and very inspirational. After watching this, I just wished I lived in his little village and could run into him a pub sometime...

However, the DVD also advertises that if features 7 never-before seen short films which is an incredibly overblown and overstated way of saying "deleted scenes", which is all they are. Not that they aren't worth watching as well, but they are in no way "short films".

A Cosmopolitan Evening

I met H__ at Sergio's (yes, Sergio's again – I should get a frequent diner's card) for a late afternoon lunch. Immediately upon her arrival, she validated my haircut, so I was feeling pretty good. We had a marvelous meal, and TWO pots of the Brazilian coffee. It is divine. What was even more pleasant than the food and the lovely atmosphere, was our conversation. What a lovely gift people can be...

After lunch I had to get downtown to attend the opening of the 14th Street Gallery. The works of Michael Castellana were featured. He is a great painter to be sure – in fact, one of his works I even contemplated purchasing...it was ripped metal and painting and photography and pasted in ransom note letters forming a TS Eliot quote all wrapped up into one visually mesmerizing package. Great work. But his real specialty, at least at this show, were his lead street signs. They are made to the DoT's specifications, but done up in very heavy lead. They are totally cool. I think everyone could use a big STOP sign for their office, for those moments of complete compulsion...

Besides the great gallery and art, Heather and I seized a moment to sneak away to the bar next door (really so she could smoke) and we could visit for a few moments. She also approved of my haircut (which I have to admit taking much much longer than I have ever done on “styling” ) calling it “sexy”.

That'll work.

Time For A Change

I got to out for breakfast with my manager again today, which is always very fun, then I volunteered to spend the rest of the morning shoveling out our back alley.

I actually enjoy shoveling...it is peaceful and you get a great sense of accomplishment. It is also fun to start off being freezing cold and then to build up steam so you can't stand having your coat on anymore. Knowing that there is homemade hot chocolate with real whipping cream waiting for you in the store's kitchen doesn't hurt, either.

The big event of the day occurred following work. I was in great need of a haircut. At first, H__ thought I didn't need to get my haircut, then she suggested that a style she once tried to pull off but her hair would not cooperate, might look good on me. So for the first time in ten years, I changed my hair style. Not that it is a big deal, in fact it is a pretty minor change, but now I have a more “spiky” look, which is pretty fun. The true test of the styling will come tomorrow...

Its Own Reward

This morning, after the store was opened, I was taken out for breakfast by the store managers for my review. I am happy to say that it was very positive and that I was given a very pleasant financial reward.

I got to leave today at 1 in the afternoon, and H__ came over to return my wallet. We went to the bookstore and had some coffee and talked .... for several hours. Then H__ had the most magnificent idea of all...she suggested that we go to the Sharper Image and sit in their $1000 massage chairs.

After just a 10 minute visit (during which I must admit to coming dangerously close to falling into a deep, deep sleep), I really was feeling much better, and was able to make it all of the way home refreshed and rejuvenated.

New Music Tuesday – The Great Peggy Lee Duel

Today's disc is yet ANOTHER Maria Muldaur release – A Woman Alone with the Blues...Remembering Peggy Lee from Telarc Blues 2003. Again, an instant winner. But listening to this made me want to get out Jeanie Bryson's Some Cats Know: Jeanie Bryson Sings the Songs of Peggy Lee from Telarc Jazz 1996.

Both Jeanie and Maria chose to record Some Cats Know and Fever, and both of the versions are fabulous, which leads me to the conclusion that the songs themselves simply rock. I doubt if anyone could record a bad version.

The other stand-out track on Maria's disc is Black Coffee, and for Jeanie it is the magnificent I Don't Know Enough About You.

Contemplating these similarities made me then dig out my Best of Miss Peggy Lee disc from Capitol 1998. Fever is on it, of course, but not Some Cats, Black Coffee, and I Don't Enough About You. I found that incredibly odd that other vocalists would pick tunes that are clearly associated with her, yet they aren't on her “Best Of” collection. Granted, you get Big Spender and Alright, Okay , You Win...but still.

The best track on Peggy's disc for me is I'm A Woman, because as a child, before the invention of the video recorder, I used to sit my tape recorder in front of the TV speaker and record the Cher show. One night, Cher and Raquel Welch did “I'm A Woman”...I listened to that song until the tape ultimately disintigrated.

I am almost ready to declare 2005 the year of Maria Muldaur, but it is still a bit early, not even spring...

Big Nasty Snowstorm

The afternoon turned very ugly very quickly and as we all know I have a long drive home. And, of course, I had to be at work at 3 in the morning. So when H__ suggested that I just spend the night at her place, it seemed like a grand idea. She had warned me that she was very much interested in taking a nap, and that she was not going to be too talkative, which was fine because I was really just interested in a horizontal surface to pass out on before getting up in the middle of the night.

The moment we entered the apartment, we started into long, detailed conversations about H__ 's artwork. It was incredibly interesting as I know nothing about textile art, or beading, but I can and do appreciate her master level of artistry and talent. Her sanctuary cum gallery (as the term apartment does not do the place justice) gives off waves of tranquility and creativity. It is marvelous. Out of the numerous wonderful pieces of art abounding on all available surfaces, my favorite so far is a photograph her son took of a tree, which immediately echoed Georgia O'Keeffe's Lawrence Tree painting for me.

We decided to see if some pizza delivery guys were up to braving the weather, as I refused to let her cook after being so kind to offer me a place to stay for the evening. Pizza guys are much more reliable than the post office – rain nor sleet nor snow will stop them from delivering your Caesar salad and pizza.

So, after eating and talking, and more talking, it was almost 11 o'clock, and definitely past our bedtimes. It was one of those exceedingly rare and precious moments when souls meet. One of the moments that not only makes a life worth living, it makes a life.

So much for not being too talkative.

After a three hour nap, I snuck out of the house. There really isn't much much traffic at 2:30 am on a Wednesday morning following a blizzard, in case you were wondering.

Halfway to work, I realized that in my attempt to get out as quickly and quietly as possible, I had left my wallet on the bedside table...