I know that I'm supposed to open this by saying something about "these uncertain times", but the fact of the matter is that all times are uncertain. The only certainty is uncertainty.
Today is what we in the good ol' blockheaded United States call "Independence Day". On this day, we normally celebrate vague ideals like "liberty" and "equality" while conveniently ignoring the fact that even on 4 July, 1776, a good chunk of the population of the thirteen colonies hardly knew the meaning of those words, and that it would be nearly a century before we even began to fix that.
Generally speaking, we observe this day with explosions, the eating of various meats, and the drinking of yeasty beverages. Not me. I hate fireworks and I quit drinking a year and a half ago. I will eat the meats, though.
Each year on this day, I celebrate by listening to The Anthology of American Folk Music. You remember that thing! That's the thing I talked about on this blog for over a year waaaaaaay back when Barack Obama was President and things made sense! In fact, I'm listening to it right now, even as I write this. "The Old Lady and The Devil" is playing. I urge you to join me on this weirdest of Independence Days by enjoying what Greil Marcus famously called "The Old Weird America" (seriously, he won't shut up about it).
Remember,
The Coo-coo is a pretty bird.
She warbles as she flies.
She never hollers coo-coo
Til the fourth day of July.
All lives can't matter until Black Lives Matter.
Peace,
Alexander
