What's Up This Weekend?

Despite my moniker, I am a domestic relations attorney and I handle issues involving children all the time. Quite often, when someone is trying to explain something about a case to me, they feel like they have to ask me "Do you have any kids?" to determine whether or not I'm able to understand whatever wisdom it is that they are about to impart to me. People don't realize that question can be as dangerous as asking a woman with a large belly if she's pregnant. That question has been difficult for me to answer the past seven years; not emotionally, I'm cool about it, but intellectually. I could say "What difference does it make?" but I doubt that would dissuade them from arguing the point. I could say "No" but I don't feel like denying that I used to be a parent and they might say something stupid like "Well, then, you'll never understand.". My response is always, "I used to be." It's short, it's true and I can only hope that it will clue them into the thought that maybe they shouldn't go any farther but it rarely works. They usually take it as too mysterious a response to let lie. I usually satisfy their curiosity but I resent being required to do so and I always have to listen to how they find it so unimaginable. Well, guess what, it happens to a lot of people and they live through it. And guess what else, you don't need to be a parent to understand that children, just like any human being, need to be loved, need to be supported and need to be safe.

The last half hour I've been writing this, I've been listening to an excruciatingly amazing recording of John Lennon and Yoko Ono from Cambridge,1969, Unfinished Music No. 2, "Life with the Lions" on WFMU which I find preferable to listening to the pledge drive on CBE. I encourage you to join me in sending them in some money so that we will continue to have some choice when we need it.

A lot of great stuff this weekend for a change.

Thursday, tonight, The Spikedrivers do the happy hour at Rumba followed by Pokey LaFarge and The Razers. Za's Pawnshop Special is at Treehouse and Cowboy Hillbilly Hippy Folk Festival at Victorian's features, among others, bluegrass kids, Dottie & Clyde and my funny buds from down Athens-way, The Paranormals.

Friday, Superdesserts are at Carabar, the fest continues at Vic's with the hosts, CHHF performing with a host of others. Earwig and Bush League All-Stars are at Ravari. The Pick of the Weekend, however, is at Rumba with The Mendelsonics doing the happy hour followed by Roger Klug & Band from Cincy, then Happy Chichester solo around 11 joined by Derek DiCenzo and Sam Brown at midnight.

Saturday, the Clintonville Co-op street party/benefit/festival has Erika Carey & the Calamities at 1 followed by everybody's favorite local guru, Frank Tennyson, then Miss Molly and Jesse Henry, Eric Nassau, Rosco and Za's Pawnshop Special. Kudos to all the performers and volunteers for supporting this great little community resource. Later, Jesse Henry returns with his Royal Tycoons to Dick's, Guinea Worms and TV Ghost are at Cafe Bourbon Street, Mary Adam 12 is at Ruby's, Number 1 Cat and Wet Darlings are at Rumba, The George Elliot Underground and The Lost Revival are at Skully's, Whoa Nellie is at The Thirsty Ear and The Floorwalkers are at Victorian's. Whew!

Sunday, real early, I will strap on the accordion and jam with friends at the corner of Waltham and Andover as the marathoners race by.

Monday, The Cowtown Round is at Rumba with Jason Quicksall, Jesse Henry, if he still has a voice, and Joey Hebdo. mark

Them thats got shall get
Them thats not shall lose
So the Bible said and it still is news
Mama may have, papa may have
But God bless the child thats got his own
Thats got his own

Billie Holiday and Arthur Herozg, Jr.