Email From a Parent

Ok, great.  {Student} made up a little song, though he said he doesn’t want to show it to you.  See you tomorrow.

Thanksgiving 2016: Best Dish

Honorable Mention:  Alicia's Bacon Wrapped Dates

I had to retract my joke that perhaps Cousin Alicia was too cheap to buy scallops because these bacon wrapped dates were one of the best dishes all weekend.

Honorable Mention: Mom's Homemade Ravioli

Ravioli from scratch.  Enough said.

Honorable Mention: Jackie's Sweet Potato Mash

The brown sugar and almond topping was heavenly.  Recipe requested.

Winner: Cris' Ginger Sweet Potato

I didn't know Aunt Cris could cook.  Cris' thanksgiving tradition is trying to convince people she made my mom's ravioli.  She texted me the recipe for her ginger sweet potato yesterday.

"Slice potato 1/8 thin.  Stand up next to each other in an oiled pan.  Do not lay flat.  Melt stick of butter (Editor's Note: uf!  maybe my next post will be about butter) and brush between each slice. Bake 400 degrees covered tightly 40 min.  Mix 1/2 cup brown sugar, grate 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper and spread across the top of the potatoes.  Return to 400 for another 30 uncovered. (Editor's Note: Classic aunt ending next) Broil top if you want to make it crunchy at the end!  Keep a good eye on it burns quickly"

Wisdom, for a toke?

The night before Thanksgiving the band was playing at Katrina's bar.  Rather, it was before the gig, and we were in the back alley getting properly stoned.  He came around the corner with flowing white hair and a long white beard.  My people call him Evil Santa.  I didn't know his name but I know he wanted to smoke our weed.  He asked us, "Can I trade you a bit of wisdom for a toke?"

I actually thought that was a fair trade.  He took a hit off my little glass pipe and then he coughed one of those coughs that you have to earn after a lifetime of smoking.  A cough that makes the listener want to never smoke anything ever again.  And then he spoke to us,

"I was twenty years old and I was with a hooker.  She told me that you should never get too comfortable.  When things get too good, cut and run."

And we all had a good laugh.  And he started repeating the last sentence in fragments the way satisfied drunks do.  Cut and run.  Cut and run.  Cut and run.  Things too good?  Cut and run.

Jeffrey said, "Moses, that bit of wisdom was certainly NOT inspirational" and I was glad to know his name is Moses and I asked him if he followed the hooker's advice throughout his life.

"No if I had followed her advice I wouldn't have four fuckin kids and ex-wives and a car and a job and house in Lynn man I had it all and what have I got now man fuckin nothing that's what."

I asked him how do you know when to cut and run and he said, "Oh you know" and Jeffrey said, "I agree with Moses.  You know."

Personal Resolutions for Trumpamerica

I am still trying to wrap my head around President-Elect Donald Trump.

What part can I play in preventing his message of hate from taking hold of our country?

For now, I deactivated my social media pages. (See no evil). I hope to eat less processed foods (Eat no evil) and read more literature. I plan to write, record and release music. (Speaking evil is ok) To be a better music teacher.

Practice real hard on the bass and the guitar and the piano and the fiddle and the little uke also
Play just for fun the bass and the guitar and the piano and the fiddle and the little uke.

To spend Time with family.  Long lost mothers neglected brothers and cousins and nieces.

To smile at and say Hello to strangers.

I am not sure what to do.  At all.

I am going to start by putting on a record and changing the lightbulbs up the top of the stairs that have been out for two or three days now.