Comrades

So I'm still pinching myself (and encouraging young ladies to do the same) about this ASCAP stuff. Reading the official letter and press release, potentially Martin Scorcese, Bob Dylan and Richard Taruskin are also award winners and may be at the presentation in December. I'm sure you're familiar with the first two, but perhaps not Richard, who is a major talent. I've known his writings for quite a while and know how much my mentors have revered him as well. I always read him in the NY Times.

So far at my table will be friends Dan Welcher (who has won the Deems Taylor in 1999) and Daron Hagen - and appropriately they have both been featured on 20/20 Hearing. Not sure yet about my date, my South African ex-fiancee dancer turned real estate agent can't make it since her mom has picked that time to visit the US.


I'm not star struck, really. I got over that after interviewing Penderecki, and after becoming friends with Teller. Yes, the smaller, quieter half of Penn and Teller. He is a sweetheart. I recently wore a suit that happened to be the same one I wore when catching P&T one of my last nights in Las Vegas with Margaretha (the aforementioned SA dancer, pictured above) and found our ticket stubs in the breast pocket. It was great afterwards to hang with P&T - Emily was there, Penn's wife (who LOVED Margaretha, well, flipped over her?) as did everyone - but back to the story, they gave us their daughter Moxie Crimefighter Jillette's birth announcement - a koozie! Really! It was awesome to see this Hirshfeld cartoon of Penn & Teller as well as an Andy Warhol of them on the walls. We drank the MOST WONDERFUL ginger ale - non alcoholic, P&T don't drink - that was not only tasty, but spicy. I still remember that taste - it's almost like a great melody you can hum - need to ask Teller where they get it (seems to me he said something about getting it from Germany.)
I mention this also since this week I got the cd set of Bartok Quartets the Colorado Quartet played for the LVCMS and Teller. It sounds lovely and looks great.


For honesty sake, I do have to say, last week, I was a bit *star struck* when Rachael Ray added me to "friends" on Friendster. WOW. Holy Cow. We spend alot of time together in the living room and in the kitchen - of course, she is always on TV or in the cookbook. :) But what an inspiration - her energy and optimism is like a great symphony to me.