Good Morning, Cicely!

The sun is peeking through the clouds and the ice on the lake is starting to groan - so for those sitting in their shanties ice fishing, be careful! (1/n) #northernexpsoure

Richard BERRY "Louie Louie" (1957) via @YouTube

Some local news: Maggie is reporting that since Maurice's lecture on "The Joy of Bidets" on Zoom the other evening, orders have ticked up on toilet conversion kits from Anchorage. If everyone wants to place a bulk order, we can get a discount. (2/n)

And in other news, the state pen is going to pipe in Cal Ingraham on Zoom who will be performing Mozart's violin concerto No. 3 for all of us - that's Wednesday night at 8:00 PM - don't miss out! I'll send out the link shortly. (3/n)

And lastly Ed wants us all to know that One-Who-Waits has been dropping in to remind everyone that folks have been decimating indigenous peoples with viruses for a long time - our community will get through this. (4/n)

Speaking of 'community' I've been thinking a lot about what that really means, lately. That word, 'community.'

"No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main."

That's John Donne, folks...16th century scholar and poet. (5/n)

The concept of 'community' meant a lot to Donne as he had to resort to mooching off his rich friends for food & rent when he blew his entire inheritance on womanizing and travel.

But what is 'community' to US, and how is resorting to electronic communication affecting us? (6/n)

I'm reminded of what Vonnegut wrote;

“Electronic communities build nothing. You wind up with nothing."

In normal times, I'd say Kurt was on to something. iPhones, Xbox, Amazon - it seems like you never have to leave your couch to live a life these days...(7/n)

But now, staying in touch via electronics IS literally how we remain a community. Maybe all those social distancing skills we've inadvertently learned through our gadget addictions is coming in handy? Maybe we're better equipped to handle a pandemic now than ever before? (8/n)

But when this is all over, we have to remember the rest of what Vonnegut said on the topic:

"We are dancing animals. How beautiful it is to get up and go out and do something. We are here on Earth to fart around. Don't let anybody tell you any different.” (8/n)

So I'm spinning this one for all of you house-bound 'dancing animals' out there today. Turn it up real loud and get your boogie on for me. (end)

This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody) via @YouTube