@LizandMollie explain why I’m not much of a history buff…
Not even #workingonit…
Today’s vaccination event was right across the street from Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, one of my favorite music venues, and a place I haven’t visited in over a year! I’m looking forward to COVID-19’s demise and being able to experience live music once again.
Vaccine Day in Seattle
Today I went to Seattle for only the second time since the pandemic began in earnest almost a year ago. This visit had a little hope because we visited to get my wife her first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. The day seemed almost normal. After the exceptionally well-organized and efficient vax event, we went to the U-District Farmers Market (getting lost on the way), had lunch at our favorite BBQ joint (arrived early and ate-in all by ourselves), and went shopping at Rainshadow Meats (there be meatballs in my near future!).
Looking forward to more good days like this!
Frank Figliuzzi: Senate asked all the wrong questions about the pro-Trump attack on the Capitol
Frank Figliuzzi joins Lawrence O’Donnell to discuss the questions lawmakers should ask after the first hearing about security failures that led to the Capitol riot failed to address key issues, including how racial bias impacted the police response to the threat: “We seem to collectively have a problem in this country… with seeing people who look like us as threats even when the threat and the intelligence is staring us in the face.”
Political Prognosticating, 2016-style
2/24/2016:
Stepping out on a limb here. HRC will be the Democratic Party’s nominee. The Bern won’t be felt by enough people. It’s over. Sorry about that!
Donald Trump will be the Republican nominee. Natural, almost inevitable, consequence of the last nine years. Sorry about that too!
Happy to explain my reasoning. Discuss if you must. I’m moving on to stuff that’s still in doubt.
#thereIsaidit!
I later provided more context in the comments:
One of the things I loved about my Williams experience was empirical political science. At the time, the Roper Center was located on campus, and I got to use all their polling data to test theories from a statistical point of view. It made it more “real” and less theoretical for me. It also had me using computers which I loved then and now. In this case, I’m just reading the tea leaves, looking at delegates won, upcoming polls, how the delegates get apportioned, etc. and I don’t see how Bernie can win.
In 2008, I closely followed certain reporters, including Chuck Todd and Nate Silver, and came to understand sometime in March that Obama had the nomination locked up. Even though Hillary was contesting, etc. Despite all the talk about the “super delegates,” there was just no way Obama could lose the nomination at a certain point without totally destroying the Democratic Party.
It’s different this year. I just don’t see how either Hillary or Trump can be beaten.
I should also say that in 1992 I drove home from work to vote for Bill Bradley in the Democratic primary even though the polls had already closed in much of the country, and I knew Bill Clinton was going to be the nominee. So definitely don’t mean to suggest we shouldn’t vote for who we think is best. I do wish we had better choices. And I hope the right decision gets made in November, or heaven help us all!
In some other 2016 Facebook post, I wished aloud that Joe Biden was running, proving I was both ahead of – and behind – the curve.
”To have a great idea, have lots of them.“ – Thomas Edison
My #JazzChurch Oeuvre…
I’ve now hosted #JazzChurch 43 Sundays in a row. What started as a silly idea keeps chugging right along. I once mused that I might run out of music to play, but that sure ain’t happening!
This image features just a few of the album covers containing songs I have played. Please join us 1-4 pm PST Sundays.
Deep data visualization!
Every now and then, something grabs my attention, i.e., catches my eye. I have to stop and take it in. Then I have to pull out my camera, do some quick calculations, visualize the final product, and snap a few pictures.
In the old days, I’d be using a bulky SLR. I’d develop the film and head to the darkroom to make prints.
Nowadays, I whip out my iPhone! Everything else is pretty much the same, save the smell of chemicals. I now do my visualizing in color instead of black and white.
This morning I noticed some flowers on the dining room table. Really nice flowers!!
#StillWorkingOnIt!
#JazzChurch 43 – Sunday, February 21, 2021
Livestream Replay
Playlist
#jazzchurch 43 – Sunday, February 21, 2021 – featured music by Abdullah Ibrahim, Charles Mingus, Bennie Maupin, Miles Davis, Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson, and Michael Brecker, among others shown below:
- Sister Cheryl (Tony Williams)
- Good Morning (Robert Glasper)
- African Market Place (Abdullah Ibrahim)
- Humpty Dumpty (Akio Sasajima feat. Joe Henderson)
- From the Lonely Afternoons (Wayne Shorter)
- All Blues (Herbie Hancock)
- Goodbye Pork Pie Hat (Charles Mingus)
- Rhythm Man (Do Not Disturb) (Bebop & Beyond)
- Little Sunflower (Phil Ranelin)
- Vildgolia (Deaf, Dumb & Blind) (Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson)
- Waltzin’ In (Freddie Redd)
- The Jewel In the Lotus (The Bennie Maupin Quartet)
- Early Reflections (The Bennie Maupin Quartet)
- Inner Sky (The Bennie Maupin Quartet)
- The Glide (Oregon)
- Seven Steps To Heaven (Miles Davis)
- The Nearness of You (Michael Brecker)
- Aisha (Sfjazz Collective)
- Easy Now (Orrin Evans)
- Don’t Let Me Be Lonely Tonight (Michael Brecker)
- So Near, So Far (Miles Davis)
- Tuskeegee #626 (Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson)
- Racetrack in France (Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson)
- Joshua (Miles Davis)
Apple Music Playlist
Here’s an Apple Music Playlist containing songs from this episode of #JazzChurch:
Next week’s #jazzchurch livestream can be found at postbop.com/jazzchurch Streaming live from 1-3ish PM PDT. Past episodes are available here as well.
Where else can I find #JazzChurch?
- Postbop.com: Livestream plus audio archives and information for all past shows
- Twitch Livestream: 1-3pm-ish PST on Sundays plus audio/video of recent shows
- Soundcloud: Listen to past shows and subscribe to receive notifications and listen to future shows
I Write to Learn What I Think
They say the first draft is shit, so just put a whole lot of whatevers out there because you’re going to rewrite it anyway.
Not that I believe what “they” say, right?
I make mistakes. Sometimes they’re doozies! Which contradicts the idea there are no mistakes. I mean, if you learn something, was it a mistake?
Blah. Blah. Blah.
So here’s the deal. I post a lot of links to articles I read. Sometimes I even write a post myself. [I do love to write, you know.] Most of the time, if I post something, it’s because what I read or saw resonated with me in some way.
So what I learned recently was (besides the fact I start way, waay too many sentences with the word, “so.”)
So what I learned recently was some people (on my team? colleagues?) feel I’m hypocritical. They seem to think I post ideas that I don’t do myself. I don’t live up to what I post.
Seriously, people? I mean, “REALLY?”
When this criticism first danced across my brainwaves, I was like…
So I have this rule. Never, under any frakkin’ circumstances, never, ever be defensive. About anything! It just makes things worse. Including making other people defensive too.
So I hear the criticism, and I’m like, ARE YOU SERIOUS??? Apparently, yes, serious!
Here’s the thing. If I post something, it’s because it resonated with me. It made me think. Usually, it made me think about myself and what I don’t do. Or what I need to do more of. How I need to learn how to do exactly THAT thing described in the article or thoughts in sharing! Ya dig?
Man, I can hardly fathom the idea that I can’t share a thought unless I’m a perfect representative of that idea? That’s like, don’t you ever, in your whole life, ever. post. anything!
The good news? You know there’s gotta be some good news, right?
The good news is the feedback came with the suggestion, “I think you should keep posting, keep sharing.” Yeah, right, don’t let this little bit of whatever seep into your tiny pea-brain. Keep posting. Just know that some people think you are a total, complete, 100 percent, YEAH, PHONY!!! That is all.
Which right about now, 393 words into this rough draft, has me feeling like, “maybe I should rewrite before letting an editor look at this?” Because, they’re going to think this is shit and, by all the evidence presented herein, I’m shit and can’t write. Which is not what I want them – not to mention YOU – to think.
Still, I have this goal of writing 500 words a day, and I’m already up to 465. And, just so you know, the number “465” is considered a word. And now I’m all the way up to, well not exactly, but almost up to just about, let’s see, yes, 493 words. [It was 500 words, but, you know, editing!]
The end!
Note: I originally shared this three years ago (2/21/2018). It still feels right. I’ve since decided the title is where I’m at. I write as part of the process of figuring out what I think about things or what makes sense to me. That’s always been true. It goes without saying, but I’ll say it anyway: your mileage may vary!
I invite you to disagree with me. Hell, I may not even agree with me and I just wrote it! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Thanks!
Black History Month via the Oregon Shakespeare Festival
The Origins of Black History Month
”We’re halfway into Black History Month, but any day is a great day to begin or continue your antiracist journey to support justice and joy! Here is a great reflection by Joy Reid about the origins of Black History Month, ‘Progress Isn’t Always Linear.’ And please explore the links to events and resources below.“
#workingonit!!!
#IWantMyTubmans!!!
Harriet Tubman $20 Bill Redesign to be Accelerated by Biden Administration - The New York Times
I purchased a calendar and coffee table book based on my old posts, demonstrating there just might could be a benefit to posting on Facebook almost every day for 10+ years! :-)
@kbuddyartist: “A squirrel and a cardinal in a standoff over the last sunflower seed” -@briancarterKC
The legendary cellist Pablo Casals was asked why he continued to practice at age 90. “Because I think I’m making progress,” he replied.
We must move beyond learning the tune to playing the song and then on to making music together.
I am testing!
𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐨 𝐂𝐫𝐮𝐞𝐥 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝
b͟l͟a͟h͟.͟ ͟b͟l͟a͟h͟.͟ ͟b͟l͟a͟h͟.͟
blah. blah. blah.
#JazzChurch 42 – Music of Chick Corea – Sunday, February 14, 2021
Note: See RIP Chick Corea for a little of my story about experiencing Chick’s music.
Livestream Replay
Playlist
#jazzchurch 42 – Sunday, February 14, 2021 – featured some of my favorite music by Chick Corea:
- Vulcan Worlds (Chick Corea)
- Spain (Chick Corea)
- Children’s Song (Chick Corea)
- 500 Miles High (Chick Corea)
- Return To Forever (Chick Corea)
- Crystal Silence (Chick Corea)
- Sorceress (Return To Forever)
- The Romantic Warrior (Return To Forever feat. Chick Corea)
- Waltse For Dave (Chick Corea)
- No Mystery (Return To Forever feat. Chick Corea)
- Interplay (eturn To Forever feat. Chick Corea)
- Celebration Suite Part II (Return To Forever feat. Chick Corea)
- Song To John, Part 1 (Stanley Clarke feat. Chick Corea)
- Song To John, Part 2 (Stanley Clarke feat. Chick Corea)
- Quartet No.1 (Chick Corea)
- Quartet No.3/Quartet No.2 (Chick Corea)
- Part 2 (Chick Corea)
- Windows (Chick Corea)
- Humpty Dumpty (Chick Corea)
- Terrain (Chick Corea Quartet)
- If I Should Lose You (Harvey Mason, Chick Corea & Dave Carpenter)
- Waltse For Dave (Chick Corea, Harvey Mason)
- Tones for Joan’s Bones (Chick Corea)
- On Green Dolphin Street (Chick Corea)
- Inner Urge (Joe Henderson feat. Chick Corea)
- Alice In Wonderland (Chick Corea Trio)
- Do You Ever (Return To Forever feat. Chick Corea)
- The Endless Night (Return To Forever feat. Chick Corea)
Apple Music Playlist
Here’s an Apple Music Playlist containing songs from this episode of #JazzChurch:
Give us some feedback on #jazzchurch.
Next week’s #jazzchurch livestream can be found at postbop.com/jazzchurch Streaming live from 1-3ish PM PDT. Past episodes are available here as well.
Where else can I find #JazzChurch?
- Postbop.com: Livestream plus audio archives and information for all past shows
- Twitch Livestream: 1-3pm-ish PST on Sundays plus audio/video of recent shows
Soundcloud: Listen to past shows and subscribe to receive notifications and listen to future shows
RIP Chick Corea
I first encountered Chick Corea in 1975. I had moved to Albany, NY, for a job in the State Assembly. I’m not sure how I first heard it, but “Vulcan Worlds” from the “Where Have I Known You Before” album by Return To Forever featuring Chick Corea became my song. Written by the band’s bassist, Stanley Clarke, it makes sense I would love it!
My wife and I went to see RTF at Russell Sage College in Troy. We arrived a bit early and walked to a store to get some soda (obviously Coke in my case). The concert started just as we were walking toward the auditorium through fog and mist. I loved hearing the first notes of Vulcan Worlds as we approached and settled into our seats! It was magic, and the concert did not disappoint!
We went to see Chick Corea perform duets with Herbie Hancock at Saratoga Performing Arts Center (or SPAC). Herbie introduced a song by saying they were going to make their pianos talk to each other. It was thrilling. We couldn’t hear the precise words, but it was a conversation in every way.
The next morning, I took a flight to NYC, and guess who was on the plane? Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea!! I got to tell them how much I enjoyed the concert the night before, especially the conversation between the pianos. I’ll always carry the smile on Chick’s face with me!
There was also a duet concert at SPAC featuring Chick and Gary Burton. When they came back out after a standing ovation following the set, Chick said something like, “Encore? What should we play?” My friend Reggie and I, without prompting or coordination, both stood up in our second-row seats, cupped our hands over our mouths, and shouted, “SPAIN“ at the top of our lungs! Maybe we weren’t the only ones (we were first!!), and perhaps that was the obvious choice, but our very loud wishes came true.
We saw different RTF incarnations when we lived in NYC and saw Chick in San Francisco and twice here in Seattle. I subscribed to his online instruction channel for awhile.
Even though I saw Chick Corea perform live on many occasions, it’s his recorded music that reverberates through my being after years of incessant listening. I loved and will continue to love his many recordings, including new music I’m just discovering.
It has been wonderful to read all the thoughtful reflections on his life as a musician, friend, and person. There are a lot of lessons there. He lived a great life, one that can inspire all of us to live our lives to the fullest and to help others along the way. I love that idea.
Thanks for the music and your life of inspiration, Armando Anthony “Chick” Corea. RIP as you return to forever.
Note: #JazzChurch 42 episode (2/14/2021) featured some of Chick Corea’s music and performances that have resonated with me over the years.
Summer is coming! 🌨🏂🏔☃️
Coronavirus Mutations In Boston Patient May Hold Clues To Variant Origins : NPR
Okay, this is frightening!!! Occasionally there are reports of a mutation where the infected person has not traveled or been in contact with a recent traveler.
In other words, perhaps the coronavirus uses long-term infections as a mutational testing ground. While inside one person, the virus can try out all these different combinations of mutations and figure out, through trial and error, which ones are best at evading the immune system or helping the virus become more infectious.
Most of these viral versions probably don’t spread beyond the chronically infected patient. But every once in a while, as the theory goes, a variant gets lucky, infects a large number of people and launches a new whole stage of the pandemic.
And this process is likely happening again right now, worldwide, in other immunocompromised patients. Eventually, these new variants could mutate again and create even more dangerous forms of the coronavirus.
COVID-19 is improvising! Death is improvising!!
some thoughts on accountability
(a work in progress)
i hate the phrase “hold people accountable”
because it almost always means
hold other people accountable
when we should focus on
being accountable ourselves.
also
when employees ask/talk about accountability
they’re mostly reflecting on the
poor managers
poor supervisors
poor individual contributors
and
poor “leaders”
who stay in place
doing a poor job
year
after
year
after
year
and
who clearly aren’t being held
accountable.
when we don’t hold
people accountable,
we’re not being
accountable
ourselves.
and if we’re not accountable
we give others permission
we invite them
we encourage them
to not be accountable.
saying accountability starts with us
is actually wrong.
accountability starts with the person
in the mirror.
accountability starts with me.
if i have to hold people accountable,
that means
i don’t have accountable people
and should.
develop accountable people
starting with the person
in
the
mirror
etc., etc., etc., yadda yadda yadda, blah. blah. blah.
While testing microphone and music levels for Sunday’s edition of #JazzChurch, I found myself sauntering down memory lane…
Here are a few things you should know…