A HAMBURGER WITH A TRUMPET

I took the day off from therapy so that I would have a long stretch of relatively free time. But, like so many other things in life, it is never enough, never satisfying. 'Twas pleasant to sleep in a bit, but the earlier morning training has taken and it is not easy for me to sleep past 8:00 or half-past these days. Also, Cooder and Emmylou are pretty sure I need to be up. I suppose I should discount their votes, as they will soon be asleep again, but pawing makes sleeping difficult.

I had a good and productive work day with Louise yesterday and felt good and positive. Maybe it was a series of telephone calls with friends who are having tough times, different than mine, but sad, tragic, challenging, and other modes of difficulty and struggle, might have clouded my nascent good will for the day.

A sunny morning has given way to a gray day. The lure of napping is high. I am going to the city tonight as one of the B's has comp tickets to Wynton Marsalis' Stan Kenton Centennial at Jazz at Lincoln Center. I'm sure I will be delighted by it all, but right now, Ms. Let's-Hide-and-Be-Grumpy just wants to nap and not to be bothered by anything remotely resembling a commitment.

Well, I am going to try to ignore that personality, and see if I can make some progress on something besides being in a slightly depressed and despairing state.

I did take a nap, and woke up feeling better, started a work-related email I have been fuming on for a couple of weeks now, so that was a good call.

A perpetual state of slight bummerness or a state of perpetual slight bummerness?

It's 12:01a.m. and stupid cold in here again.

So, House of Swing was fun. Lee Konitz played and it was wonderful to get to hear someone who played with Charlie Parker, et al. He was terrific. He and Wynton, plus the rhythm section did a jam on Stella By Starlight. Afterwards, Konitz left the stage. A jazzed, if you will, Marsalis said that after a musical conversation like that, it was hard to use simple words. The instruments, the music said it so much better. It was, however, "hard to order a hamburger with a trumpet. You might just starve."

Here's a Stella By Starlight with Pat Methany and Jaco Pastorius. Absolutely nothing like Lee and Wynton.