Ramblings of an EdMan

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It’s a great time and an incredible festival although I am tired right now.

Right now the crowd is way, way more into cover band Jimmy and the Parrots than I am. Good musicians but wicked loud, and songs I have heard so, so many songs.

The jazz quartet I heard at the very small Hotel Bethlehem Platz (stage) Dallas Vietty’s Musette Project was very solid. I love double bass.

There were several bands I weren’t into on Main Street tonight but very easy to move on.

The WESLI band I saw with great horns and dancing from Haiti was lots of fun today.

The harmonies of The Brother Brothers were simply beautiful.

Last night, The Hillbenders played great bluegrass. I especially loved the dobro guitar player.

Easily the best hand I saw so far was last night, the absolutely fabulous and fun The Skatalites. Ska with it’s horns, solos and fun can be amazing. I would travel to check them out.

I think this is my third Musikfest and I plan to make it an annual tradition. My mom lives around the corner from the shuttle and it’s a fantastic 9 day event. One feature a night that is expensive (including Chicago and Santana) this year. And twelve total free stages. It really is an amazing event. The biggest free music festival in the country.

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I got to see one of the all time legendary ska bands free at Musikfest in Bethlehem, PA, The Skalites. I guess they were even Bob Marley’s back up band at one point. This was the 2017 version. It seems like the keyboard player has been around for a while, wasn’t clear about the excellent drummer and bassist. Sounds like the guitarist and three excellent horn players (trumpet, saxophone and trombone) were pretty new.

I have to say I don’t really know ska that well. I know my favorite live band of 2017, Fishbone is ska influenced and also uses horns, guitar, bass and drums.

The Skatalites tonight were just fabulous I had to dance until I could dance no more. So much awesome solo work across the board, including bass. So happy they played Musikfest this year. I think I need to check out more ska bands.

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It’s one of the biggest civil rights struggles of our time in so many ways.

Donald Trump even brought it to attention with his touched transgender military ban through Twitter without talking to generals.

The many transgendered people I have met especially from the poetry community are extremely awesome. And I am incredibly happy to know them.

Brave, distinctive and helping us realize that gender is not black and white but a variety of things. And that being trans can be many things from simply identifying as the opposite gender, to top surgery removing the breasts, to hormone treatments. And very rarely full gender reassignment surgery which has lots of perils.

Trans people are just people. They deserve respect. The right to pee in peace and basic rights.

We have so far to go and I hope things keep better due to activism and incredibly strong and unique people.

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I talked to a friend from business school I probably haven’t talked to in years today.

And it was great to hear that his life work balance had drastically improved.

I have the tendency over time to lose friendships. It’s easy to do. I think it’s remarkable that some people keep them so well.

I do connect with social media a lot but the phone call is actually talking to someone and hearing more of the story.

I’m looking forward to seeing a couple people next week in Bethlehem, one from the pagan community and one from high school I haven’t seen in years and years.

I think we need people. And we have these magical devices connecting us with the world. The smartphone can do so much and that includes calling people.

I know that’s totally crazy.

Whoa.

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I rarely swim in the ocean anymore. I sometimes walk by the sea but don’t tend to swim. I wonder if that is because Maine waters are so cold. 

I considered going to the beach in Milford tonight while Lanna was in a writer’s group but it ended up being a crash night after work. 

I do need some good ocean time though. It’s only like thirty minutes away to the sound in a few locations. 

And I miss Sandy Hook (NJ) Gunnison Beach but that is a whole other thing. 

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Wonderful documentary, touching, sweet, awkward and hilarious. 

It’s about four friends with Asperger’s Syndrome who have a sketch comedy group together. 

It’s really touching and very sweet. Well done, this is the reason I love documentaries. 

And if you’ve met one person with Asperger’s Syndrome, you’ve met one person with Asperger’s Syndrome. Everyone is totally different. 

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More than halfway through season 2 now. Compelling television. I especially like the academic counselor. I bet there are similar incredibly helpful people all across the NCAA. 

But, you do have to wonder how entitled a lot of these players are. It seems insane to me that people would go to class without a pen and a notebook. 

And I can’t even imagine how got a football practice in pass is during a Mississippi summer.