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the gar spot fiction and musings from a gay black dude with delusions above his station

The Last Sunset

Posted on March 10, 2021March 10, 2021 by gar

Photo taken by the author at the Oakland Marina, March 10, 2020.

The last sunset before the world changed saw me at the Oakland Marina, hanging out, waiting for the start of a show at Yoshi’s. Such gorgeous colors filled the sky, reflected off the still water. A gift or a warning? Did I know then what this sunset would portend? Did any of us?

I had a ticket to see Mary Lou’s Apartment at Yoshi’s. Bought it months earlier. So looked forward to it. The group is named for the famous salons jazz legend Mary Lou Williams hosted in her Harlem apartment in the 1940s. Jazz giants visited: Tadd Dameron, Hank Jones, Jack Teagarden, Dizzy Gillespie, so many others. They all hung out at Mary Lou’s, woodshedding, trading ideas, playing cards, drinking, smoking, living. Mary Lou was den mother to the next generation of jazz musicians, feeding, nurturing, caring, teaching. An all women jazz ensemble, Mary Lou’s Apartment is the rightful heir to a great legacy: Mary Lou Williams, Melba Liston, The International Sweethearts of Rhythm. And wow! Can they swing. Their music brings life.

It became one of their last live gigs for the year. They didn’t know. None of us did. We heard reports of the spreading novel coronavirus, COVID-19. Wash your hands. Use hand sanitizers. Avoid touching door knobs and elevator buttons. At work, I had grown adept at pushing elevator buttons with my knee, turning door handles with my elbow. I already had a habit of washing my hands regularly, thoroughly, to ward off catching colds. A ready-made life skill about to receive the ultimate test.

Meetings at worked moved into large rooms, to afford us distance from one another. No hand shakes. Sanitizing wipe containers on the desks. Zoom options appeared for those who wanted to stay in their offices. And then, the following Monday, March 16, the order came. Stay home. After the order dropped, I sat at my desk, shuddered. What does it all mean? Just last week, I heard Mary Lou’s Apartment in a crowded Yoshi’s. I walked along the estuary at the Oakland Marina, saw the red and pink sunset, the still waters reflecting all.

Life shutdown, then began to fade away, by the tens, then hundreds, then thousands. 527,000+ gone now in the US, over 2 million worldwide, all of them alive and going about their lives the day I took the photo of the sunset. The day I saw Mary Lou’s Apartment perform at Yoshi’s.

A year later, we try to put life back together again. Vaccines. Curbing the spread. Reopening. Renewal. Bring the bands back to the bandstand, where they belong. Bring life back to our lives. I can’t wait to see them again, to see all the musicians I love doing their thing. Bringing life through music.

In the meanwhile, wear your mask. Wash your hands. Keep your distance. Get vaccinated when you can. Watch the sunsets to remember why we’re doing this, why it matters. Remember those who didn’t make it. For them, we must keep on living.

© 2021, gar. All rights reserved.

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Waiting for a friend. #alameda #ferry #eastbayeve Waiting for a friend. 
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"You must not leave. You have opened a door that m "You must not leave. You have opened a door that must not be allowed to close. I'm sure you have taken a lot of grief, or probably will for what you're doing. But you changed the face of television forever. You have created a character of dignity and grace and beauty and intelligence. Don't you see that you're not just a role model for little Black children? You're more important for people who DON'T look like us. For the first time, the world sees us as we should be seen, as equals, and intelligent people--as we SHOULD be. There will always be role models for Black children: you are a role model for everyone. Remember, you are not important there in spite of your color. You are important there BECAUSE of your color. This is what Gene Roddenberry has given us."
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Repost from @juliettesjoy Posted @withregram • Repost from @juliettesjoy 

Posted @withregram • @juliettesjoy Reposted from @queernation3000 CLARIFICATION: “condoms do not fully protect against Monkeypox transmission”

Source: NBC News (Chicago) 🔗 in bio

At the beginning of the HIV/AIDs epidemic, a group of gay men came together to release a set of rated risky behaviors that would guide the community on how to continue to live their lives without fear, empowered by scientifically-backed knowledge. This morning, experts warned that that we have a limited window to close the spread of Monkeypox. Cases are doubling week over week, and infections are being reported in over 74 countries. Misinformation about the spread of this virus could significantly increase the spread and will most certainly increase the stigma and shame surrounding it. 

We’re thankful for various journalists (including those at NBC-Chicago) and medical professionals who have begun the process of rating certain activities on a scale of “whether you're at-risk of contracting the [monkeypox] virus”. We’ve put it into this graphic for easy sharing. The source for all of this information is linked in my bio.

There is still much more to do.  Individual health precautions without significant government action to increase vaccine production & deployment will not work. So please, stay safe, stay informed, and get vaccinated. More to come. 

If you want to help us add additional activities or replace ones based on new information, DM @queernation3000. You can also reach us at queernationfund@gmail.com. 

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A sunny Saturday in 1990 found my sister Tania (@m A sunny Saturday in 1990 found my sister Tania (@makeuptogoblog) and I outside of the Julia Morgan Center waiting. I had seen the great Maestro Pt. Shivkumar Sharma in LA—he even autographed an album for me. And I was studying tabla with his accompanist Ud. Zakir Hussain at the time. We couldn’t wait. But wait we did, because the maestros weren’t there. As my sister and I stood at the front of the line, they came. Ud. Zakirji was laughing and joking. Pt. Shivji looked as if he floated in as he passed and entered the theater. After we got settled in our seats, it was on. A beautiful concert with the two maestros playing rapturously, holding us spellbound. Pt. Shivji floated in like a deity and played to the heavens, taking us all with him. By far one of my favorite concerts. 

Words cannot describe how devastated I am at the great master’s passing. His gifts to music and the world are incalculable. My condolences to Panditji’s family, to @zakirhq9 , and to all who loved his beautiful music. #ptshivkumarsharma #indianclassicalmusic #santoor #rip
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