And let's hope I'm not. This has got to be the longest pollen-and-mold season I can remember since I first came to Chicago 31 years ago. My sore throat has a sore throat. I sleep as long as I can and then I fall asleep in front of my computer (not onstage, thank heaven). I breathe, and then when I exhale I exhale down a perfect Ionian major scale. (Put a keyboard on my arm and you could play "Lady of Spain" on my lungs). And I'm one of the lucky ones--I DON'T have the swine flu, just hay fever or maybe a cold. There's such a shortage of the H1N1 vaccine that when Truman College opened a clinic yesterday, half the people in line at 7:30 am when it opened were turned away (including pregnant moms). At least I got my regular flu shot for when that bug rears its ugly head. Meantime, forgive me if I just give you a "namaste" instead of a hug or a handshake. (I'm not Buddhist, but I thank the ancients for coming up with such a practical, gracious and hygienic gesture of greeting).
FARM 2009 exceeded all my expectations (except culinarily, and we're working on that). We went one night longer, had the largest crowd ever, did better fiscally, provided more amenities (and a wiser choice of amenities), offered more and more diverse panels and workshops, had the most amazing showcasers (and open stagers), the earliest-starting jams than ever before, and an incomparable keynote speech by Claudia Schmidt, who reminded me why I wanted to pick up a dulcimer in the first place. We're going over the survey responses, our newly formed Site Selection Committee is working hard to evaluate the excellent Holiday Inn of Bolingbrook as well as other facilities in other metro areas, and we will come up with dates and a location for 2010 very soon. But first, it's off to NERFA (my first time, so northeastern folkies, please be gentile).
In between, an Andina & Rich Spooktacular at the Alton, IL Public Library this Tues. the 27th, a trip to NYC to celebrate my Uncle Henry's 90th and my son Gordy's 25th birthdays; some more recording (mostly instrumental punch-ins and mixing); and--can you believe it's that time ALREADY?--the first rehearsal tomorrow for this year's Chicago Bar Assn. "Christmas Spirits" revue (aka The Bar Show), titled "I'm a Lawyer--Get Me Out of Here!"
And a pie in the sky, and several heartfelt choruses of "Pachalafaka," to Soupy Sales, who left us this past week. (Never mind the lyrics about finding out "what Pachalafaka means:" somebody send me the chords!)