Paul Gosar was censured on the floor of the US House of Representatives yesterday. He was also stripped of his committee assignments as part of the procedure. My local rep, Huizenga, apparently voted against this censure. Gosar was joined by a group of his Republican congressman and women supporters who stood with him in the House well as the censure was read.

Immediately after the censure, Gosar retweeted the video which had kicked the whole thing off according to Heather Cox Richardson’s newsletter.

It seems like we are witnessing the gradual demise of the U.S. I wonder if part of the problem is that people who are going into public service as politicians are not of the highest caliber. Since the 80s I have witnessed the failure of nerve in people who would make good leaders due to the extreme conditions leaders must subject them and their families to.

When you stir in the crazy shit online, things are not looking good for my country. I figure we will continue to limp through this period of our history in much the same way we are now for decades. And that’s the hopeful scenario! Just my 2 cents.

I neglected to mention that one of the books I picked up from the library yesterday is entitled Music Ho! A Study of Music in Decline by Constant Lambert. Originally published in 1934, this is a second edition published in 1937 with an introduction by Arthur Hutchings from 1966. I had the title in my Amazon cart which I recently cleared. In my notes, I say I’m not sure where I found the title.

Anyway, yesterday as part of my daily morning reading, I had read the quote from Antony and Cleopatra Lambert used both as the title and an inscription.

All: The Music ho!

[Enter Mardian the Eunuch

Cleopatra: Let it alone; let’s to billiards.

Another case of serendipity in my life.

I found out that a high school friend of mine died back in October. I am connected to him on Facebook and his widow recently mentioned it or I just saw it (fuck Facebook and its stupid stupid algorithms). Anyway, I played with Dave when we were both in high school. He was couple of grades ahead of me and sat first chair trumpet in the band and stage band. After he graduated I ended up in those two positions. But we had a great time playing together with his brother, Doug and some other people. I learned a lot by making arrangements for us. This was when I first began playing marimba. I bought the marimba I still have in order to play with Dave and the others. We mostly did original arrangements and, of course, Tijuana Brass and Baja Marimba Band pieces.

I see that someone did announce his death on Facebook in October. I just missed it.

The temperatures have been in the 50s today, but this seems warm for November in Michigan. It’s also drizzling rain. Of course I love rain.

I jumped in the car and went to the library to pick up some interlibrary loans, then I was off on search for turkey both real and faux. My daughter Elizabeth; her husband, Jeremy; and the illustrious Alexandra, their progeny, my own grand daughter will be coming to our house for Thanksgiving next week end. They are all vegetarians like me. I say “like me,” but we do it a little differently. They tend to eat more processed food than I allow myself. But I have to credit Elizabeth with teaching me how to be a vegetarian without being insufferable.

Last time I was at Meijer they had neither a small frozen turkey breast for Eileen nor tofurkey for the rest of us. Today i decided to check a couple of other stores and was successful. I found the turkey for Eileen at Family Fare and the faux stuff at Nature’s Market. I put gas in the car and my mission was complete.

I recently discovered that RISM – Répertoire International des Sources Musicale is online and free. This was an important tool for my graduate study. I’m not sure how much I used it only I knew of it and it was referred to in my reading and learning.

C.P.E. Bach: The Complete Works is an incredible source for C.P.E. info and sheet music I found recently. I’m still plowing through his letters and biography. He was quite the composer. I am also playing his pieces at the piano. Very enjoyable.

That’s enough for today. I’m in the mood for reading and playing piano. Today I’m thinking Fanny Mendelssohn and Bartok, but we will see.