10/22
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| This darkness has got to give |
A busy day going back and forth between finishing my ep and preparing for my virtual concert “VOTE.” The work of finishing a recording takes listening over and over again, listening to small details, making decisions and deciding when enough is enough. By late afternoon, we are done.
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| Duck and two turtles |
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| Butterfly in Morningside |
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| Morningside |
MorningMorningsideI take a break in Morningside Park. When I see a duck with two turtles on the same rock, I always wonder how consciously aware of each other they are. How much we are aware of what, and who, is around us. I take a photo of flowers, and later, like the photographer in Blow Up, see something I didn't when I took the picture: a butterfly.
I only have time to stop briefly in the Center at West Park meeting as we review the success of the previous night’s virtual gala. All done in under an hour.
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| word on the street |
I open the ZOOM room. Do sound checks for all my performers. Set up the Facebook Live stream and get it going. It’s a great group of 10 musicians and 1 spoken word artist. One friend join us live from Switzerland. Another from Pittsburgh. That’s the good part of our coronavirusworld. My friend Ric premiers both a new song and video. At the end,I feel happy about a job well done. We feel like we are doing our part to get the people out to vote. (Though I am not sure in the end we'll get anyone out who was not ready to go anyways) We share out reflections on the world have been living in. I share an angry song, a hopeful song, a determined song and a preview master track from my new EP. (you can watch the show here…https://www.facebook.com/robert.l.brashear/videos/10158505005848361)
If VOTE is our theme, the sub theme is THIS DARKNESS HAS GOT TO GIVE.
10/23
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| Roosevelt park |
Most of the day is given over to trying to advocate for my mother in an understaffed rehab facility. Phone calls to me every half hour regarding pain. Calls to the desk. Promises to rend “right now” that never happen. Repeated calls until they do. Irritation at the nurses desk until I remind them they promised to respond an hour and a half ago, an hour ago, half hour ago…My mother says “if this going to be my life..” I tell her it is not. IF she chooses. She will get through quarantine. She will get visitor again. She will get through rehab. Return to her assisted care facility. IF she chooses. And she will vote. We need every one. That one seems toggle her s reason to keep going.
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| fall in Roosevelt... |
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| Harlem |
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| Upper West Side |
I need to go the Gate for a break. See signs of fall in the Roosevelt Park flora. Growing signs of Halloween in Harlem and the Upper West Side. We still have that.
The Open Mic gang gathers again, I am tired, but this is a commitment. I do a variety of songs. It is my 100th performance of the year.
This darkness has got to give…
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