After cautiously living the COVID life for the last year and a half, my wife and I ventured out for a road trip to experience a real, live, in-person, honest-to-goodness music festival. It was held in Kingston, N.M., a spent 1880’s mining town just outside the Gila National Forest.
The closest “big” city would be Silver City. The event is called Pickamania. This year the outdoor event was limited to 150 people, which was nice for those who took the risk to plan ahead and score a ticket. No masks (unless you so desired, which few did), but plenty of social distancing.
We stayed at the Black Range Lodge, the grounds of which were the site of the festival. Regional musicians took the stage for three days and treated us not only to some fine music, but also to a reminder of what life can be like after the pandemic. The stage sits amid apple trees, which were weighted down with fruit. You could partake of festival food, which included cheese burgers, veggie burgers and slices of homemade apple pie.
On a side trip, we ventured down the road a bit to the farmer’s market in Hillsboro. It was nothing like the farmer’s markets in Marin, of course, but across the street we came upon an antique store, with a bunch of records for sale. Amid pack-mule saddles and other mining gear, we found this treasure, once again demonstrating the Marin sixth-degree-of-separation rule for those who love Janis Joplin and iconic local band Big Brother & The Holding Company.
All I’m sayin’ is that COVID livin’ ain’t really livin’. It’s time to get back to the way it used to be. The best way to do that is to get vaccinated. Let’s do it.
(Postscript: Google Pickamania and check it out. Maybe next year we’ll see you there!)
SPEAKING OF VACCINATIONS
I like what Marin’s public health expert, Dr. Lisa Santora, told a virtual meeting last week with Marin teachers and parents.
She said that if we all get vaccinated, there is a good possibility that COVID will not be a “forever” problem like the flu. This gives me the opportunity — again — to push back on the very bad idea of government forcing people to get the shot, under threat of restricted travel, education or the ability to hold a job. That’s one step away from jailing anti-vaccine folk. It’s a bad idea all the way around.
ADAM MCGILL ‘OUT’ FOR SHERIFF
Under the file of “No One Asked Me, But …” comes the story about Novato City Manager Adam McGill running for Marin County Sheriff. I didn’t think much of the idea when it was first announced. That’s a race filled with sharp-elbowed Marin politics. McGill seemed too new to make that leap.
Now, McGill says he has “unforeseen health issues” that prevent him from devoting full energy into the campaign. Not sure what those health issues are, but he says they won’t prevent him from doing his job as city manager. Here’s hoping for a quick recovery. I think he’s done a nice job as Novato’s city manager.
WHAT’S THE MATTER WITH PEOPLE?
This won’t get a lot of play now that the recall election is over. But it’s important to know that a political protester was attacked last week by a knife-wielding assailant at the Coleman Street pedestrian overpass in San Rafael. Chris Carpiniello, 59, was taken to Marin General. The assailant tried to cut the “Recall Newsom” sign at the overpass before attacking Carpiniello, witnesses said. The whacko fled the scene.
What the hell is the matter with people? Doing violence to someone you disagree with is a growing symptom of something dreadfully wrong in our country.
ONE MORE THING
— To relax, I turn off the TV news and put on a serial killer documentary.
— I accidentally drank a bottle of disappearing ink. I’m in the ER waiting to be seen.
— I bought flashlight batteries from a girl at the beach because she sells c-cells by the seashore.
— Etiquette question: Is this placement of the cat (in lieu of the salad plate) correct? Or should the cat be placed above the plate, alongside the dessert spoon and cake fork?
Time to stock up on candy corn because — dare I be the bearer of this news — there are only 28 shopping days remaining until Halloween. Thanks for reading your hometown newspaper. If you subscribe to one newspaper, make it this one. See page 3A for instructions. Until next week, be kind, laugh a little and always question authority.
(Sherman Frederick is an award-winning journalist and publisher of Marin’s community newspapers. You can reach him by email at shermfrederick@gmail.com, or by phone at 415-408-1073.)
Sharon (mooney) Tilley says
Rural Nevada shafted by Carson City—again. President Trump is not on the primary election list. Translated, rural Republicans are not allowed to vote our preference. What can we do?