Sunshine and blue skies. I’m a believer in climate change. I’m pretty much a believer in the fact that humanity’s presence on the earth is if not driving said change than at least exacerbating it. But I’m not necessarily a) worried about it b) a believer that we can do much about it, especially not in an immediate sense or c) a believer that we can do much about it in a political sense.
On our way up to our most recent northern wandering, we stopped at a hotel in Allentown, PA. It was cheap, it was charming – and it was comfortable – and strangely enough it had a painting by a relative of Kristen’s family – Ralph Cahoon. What an odd coincidence…. but he’s pretty distinct. Topless mermaids, hot air balloons and velocopedes. Go fig.
The climate will shift and oceans will rise, and I do think the “extreme” weather we’ve been getting, with increased unpredictability, harsher tornado and hurricane seasons, crazier thunderstorms, etc aren’t JUST a product of headline excitability and drama-creep. We’re seeing change in the world, and the idea that towns in the Carolinas are burying scientific reports that will kill their property values to keep people from planning accordingly is potentially a crime against humanity…. But none of that drowns out the fact that we’ve had a marvelously mild summer and I’m grateful for it.
Russ Mineau opening for us at Hank’s Dairy Bar in Plainfield, CT. Hank’s Dairy Bar is not only a home for music and seafood, but also a lot of classic cars. Here’s a Cobra that my Dad would’ve been pretty impressed by. Gorgeous night here in Plainfield, CT. Kala Farnham came out to see us! Heather. Nuff said Band selfie… I want to take BAND SELFIES. Based on this band selfie I’m not quite sure why this is a goal, but it REMAINS one. Here we are on stage at Hank’s Dairy Bar in Plainfield, CT.
I’m sad that THIS was the summer that ilyAIMY didn’t get any festival bookings. I’m glad we’ve still had a lot of outdoor shows. It’s just Lovely.
My scifi brain puts lots of little things together and figures that me having the worst allergy season of my Life is probably related. But I’ll adapt. The human race is beyond an environmental extinction event I think. Climate change isn’t going to kill us, though poorer nations and poorer people in richer nations are probably going to have a hard time of it. The idea that some cities are planning (or have planned, or even built) walls and dykes against rising waters is fascinating to me, even if I simply don’t see how it would be sustainable. Battling an ocean is an ongoing and eternal battle that will require constant maintenance and attention – something we’re not really that good at, as Americans. But despite that, I sort of have faith – we’re problem solvers.
Many thanks to Russ Mineau for photos of us playing at Hank’s Dairy Bar in Plainfield, CT.
But the obfuscators and deniers, who waste so much time and effort and money, like I said – crime against humanity. Someday we’ll be able to look back at this all from a distance and be able to say something like “every dollar spent by anti-science Luddites cost $15 to undo and raised ocean levels by a tenth of an inch 37 seconds earlier…” or something like that. We like our useless numerical statistics, Saturday quarterbacking, I-told-you-sos and finger-pointing far more than we like problem solving.
In other news : No permitted loads allowed. Depressed storm drains. Nyack SO Nyack. Road signs ftw.
We’re moseying our way back down the Merritt Parkway in Connecticut. Last night’s show at Hank’s Dairy Bar was beautiful and well-populated, though I feel like I didn’t really hit my stride until the third set – and as always I’m spectacularly flattered by how many musicians are in our audience. Jacob Haller, Sonny Roelle, Kala Farnham with her whole band – and of course Russ Mineau – but he books it – so either he DOESN’T count OR he counts DOUBLE. We ate our lobster rolls and clam poofs and rolled around on a giant ball and played some music when we had to. They’ve added a tent and some Christmas lights and the weather was stunning.
Btw – this has made my decision clear – accuweather.com was quite adamant that we were going to get rain. The Weather Channel’s website was pretty sure we wouldn’t. I’m switching apps.
