Normal?

It's Monday, and it's cold and wet, but at least its not snowy or icy.  Most of the forecasts indicated a chance of 1-3" of snow overnight, so I had to set the 4:00 AM alarm and give things an early-morning look-see.  I'm blaming that early AM up-then-back-to-bed for causing me to oversleep and run about 20 minutes late this morning.  Late is a relative word here, but I do have my preferred schedule and, as Bob Cratchit says, "I am running behind my time."

This morning also marks the first time in what feels like a long time I've been back in the Miata. It felt good, like a well broken-in shoe. The Japanese concept of Jinba Ittai (horse and rider as one) was central to the design approach Mazda took with the Miata, and I can tell you it works.  While there are certainly faster, more powerful, fancier, and more aggressively styled (and priced!) sports cars on the road, the Miata is almost unique in being a car that feels more worn than driven. Over twenty years of record-breaking sales and still going strong, the formula is clearly the right one. It was nice to be back in my usual ride for my little commute.

In addition to being back in my usual saddle, the week feels back on track as well.  No holiday this week, no weather-related weirdness (so far, at least), just a normal-ish work week.  I'm never sure what normal means, but it always sounds enviable.  Bruce Cockburn observes that, "The trouble with normal is it always gets worse," while Eileen Myles' incredibly powerful poem, An American Poem, about her hiding from being a member of the Kennedy family and history, about American social values and justice, and so much more, asks us:

Are you

normal tonight? Everyone

here, are we all normal.

[If you're not already familiar with this poem, my I suggest taking a few minutes to read it through.  You can find a copy here.]

 

A short playlist this morning, dominated by the 9:00 minute title track from Nick Russo's Ro album.  The album is described as, "...an eclectic mix of straight-ahead swing, Indian Raga, modern jazz and free playing."  This track features Miles Griffith on vocals doing a melodic, and at times very primal, form of scat. If you're interested, you can sample the album here: http://www.nickrussotrio.com/Ro/

All three tunes this morning played nicely together and made for a compelling playlist of very different musical styles: traditional swing, modern jazz, and jazz-influenced folk.  The full playlist:

 - Claude Bolling/Stephan Grapelli: Lady Be Good

 - Nick Russo + 11: Ro

 - Bruce Cockburn: Dweller by a Dark Stream