....which stands for "FARM, family, flu, phlegm, and Folk Alliance." The past six and a half months have been a roller-coaster of joys, concerns, friendships, networking, and the challenges of illness--my own and of those near and dear to me.

Best to take all this in chronological order.

FARM:
Amazing! We had nearly a third more registrants (and even more audience members) than I can remember in the seven years I've been attending. Techny turned out to be a dream location--everyone marveled at its proximity to O'Hare, Amtrak, buses, expressways, alternative lodging and dining (which turned out not to have been very necessary, as the rooms on site were comfy and the food marvelous), and Chicago--without having to go into or past the Loop from either direction. The volunteers mentioned earlier--plus Chris Gaylord, the Morskis, Joan Hellmann, and the incredible sound and recording work of Mo Smeets, Chris Kuhn and Ian Gorman--made everything run smoothly. The showcasers and practically all of the open mikers were extremely talented and varied, and we got several bookings as a result. The workshops were instructive and entertaining as well. (Parking was much tighter than we expected, but we're working on that for next year). Same location in 2008, but this time Columbus Day weekend, Oct. 10-12.

Family:
Happy is growing by leaps and bounds--he is eight months old and nearly ten pounds. He has a prodigious appetite and boundless energy. I have never seen a cat as friendly (he loves everyone, including our other two kitties), affectionate, curious, and playful. He loves to come to sleep on me by stretching out across my neck and plopping his little head down on my face, purring like an outboard motor. Everything in the house is his cat toy--including my earplugs, which I must buy by the jarful; and every human endeavor requires his supervision and assistance!
Gordy made Dean's List again and will be graduating from Columbia College this May with a BFA--cum laude--in Theater. He is in his second term at Second City and doing quite well; and just returned from performing with his troupe Droppin' Science at the collegiate improv festival at UNC in Chapel Hill.
Had Bob's and my Moms' monument unveilings in Oct. and Nov. respectively--Bob's Mom's in Queens and my Mom's out in Suffolk County. Bob's Mom's was informal--just the four of us, since Catholicism does not have a ritual prescribed for it. My Mom's was more formal--my sister and niece, cousins, uncle, Bob's Dad and me--Bob and Gordy both had to work that weekend.
Bob's Dad just suffered a setback--he passed out in church on Sunday and is hospitalized for testing, observation, and physical therapy. He will be transferred back to the Parker Pavilion--hopefully, we will not need to come in sooner than Easter weekend, which was our original plan (albeit a plan that had included brunch, theater and excursions with him). It is becoming apparent that the danger of future falls is too great for him to continue living alone--he needs a companion, assisted living or to move in with us not for cognitive assistance (he is by no means senile, even at 87) but for his physical safety, It'll be a challenge bringing him out here--he's never flown nor even left New York State.
And my Mom's estate is officially closed--i now own the Kings Point condo (subject to a mortgage, alas). I had to replace the A/C-heating unit, and am trying to sell the place for my costs and the remainder of the mortgage. If you're over 55, don't mind no-pets and noise restrictions and want a fully furnished (right down to the TV, dishes and utensils) pied-a-terre in sunny South Florida, let's talk!

Flu 'n' phlegm...mmm' boy!
Yom Kippur was the official opening of a nasty viral season that is still going strong and has hit nearly everyone I know (not just in Chicago) more than once. Immediately after (within half an hour of) our successful Blackhawk Folk Society gig near Stevens Point in mid-October, Susan abruptly lost her voice. Kate and I had to sing her parts and recite her liturgy and sermon the next day at a UU service in Stevens Point. My turn came a couple of days before our Halloween weekend concerts in Pontiac, MI and Rockford. I lost my voice too, but my ENT scoped my cords and decided I didn't have true laryngitis but a massive mucus buildup from sinusitis. Massive quantities of water and saline spray, as well as Mucinex and a Medrol scrip, got me through the Pontiac concert (which had a great PA system); but we had to do Rockford unamplified, and my weakened pipes were no match for my bandmate's strong voice, drum and new 12-string guitar or my own 6-string baritone dulcimer. Had to transpose stuff drastically just to make it through. Took 2 weeks to recover, and missed a Bar Show choral rehearsal as a result. Got a larger part in the show ths year (including a vocal solo feature) than before--and everything was fine until the last two nights. Woke up the penultimate day with the scratchies'n'snot--the ENT this time decided it was true infectious laryngitis and refused to prescribe oral or nasal steroids--this time he ordered me to steam and flush my sinuses. I got through that performance by asking the mic tech to boost my levels when I began to sing, and he relayed the word to the soundman. That night, Bob, Gordy and my friends came to the cast party, and I did way more talking in the noisy suite than I should have. Awoke on closing day almost totally mute. Got permission to revise my speaking lines to refer to my laryngitis (some castmates hadn't realized I was sick and thought it was a great impression of laryngitis); when I asked the mic tech to boost my mic even more for the solo, it tutned out there was a new front-of-house soundman who misunderstood the tech and turned my mic OFF as soon as I began to sing! Managed to falsetto my way through the special chorus numbers (I was reassigned right on top of the floor mic) and lip-synced the large choral production numbers (as a result, I'd never danced as well as I did that night). Oh--and on the second night I finally got to do "Junior Partners!" After the show's run ended, it took me two weeks to get any semblance of my voice back sufficient to talk, much less sing. For the first time, I wrote a song without being able to sing a note of it: "It Sucks Being Sick at Christmas." I eventually began to be able to perform it, graphic sound effects and all! Unfortunately, had two more short relapses.....including at Folk Alliance!

Folk Alliance '08, Memphis:
A week and a half later, the afterglow is still warming me through and through (no, I don't have a fever). Though my voice was rather fragile (and I had to rejigger instrumental arrangements in order to make it through the SASS! Trio showcases), I got my second wind each time with the Andina & Rich sets, in which my leads and harmonies sat lower in my range and I had to contend with only Steve's and my vocals and 6-string guitars (and occasionally, dulcimer). For each A&R set, my voice actually got stronger as I went along. Had a blast emceeing Chad & Jeremy (yes, THAT Chad & Jeremy, whom I'd seen headline the S. FL Folk Fest in Jan. when I visited my friend Dennis and my cousins down in Miami and Hollywood, respectively; I knew they were looking for private showcases and my cooperative, Great Lakes Eclecti-Coustic Artists, had a showcase room). They are delightful performers and gentlemen to boot--it was my honor to meet and hear them. Our Exhibit Hall booth was a smashing success--we got many inquiries from venues and house concerts, as well as DJs delighted to take our demos and CDs for airplay. Well worth the expense and the driving. The FARM regional breakfast meeting confirmed that FARM '07 had been a massive success--I garnered tons of compliments on how well it was run and how enjoyable it was; and DJs and presenters found it extremely productive, Had entirely too much wonderful BBQ of course, and even caught some great blues on Beale St. Steve was an affable driving companion, and being able to take two days to drive to and from made all the difference. Oh, and I bought a new 6-string banjo (top of the line) and 6-string mandolin from Gold Tone's booth. Paradoxically, playing 6-string banjo has brought me back to frailing 5-string again. Who knew? (And in Jan., I picked up a 6-string--not guitar-tuned but 3 courses of doubled strings--std. dulcimer).

Nearly 3 am--haven't typed this much since my senior law school thesis. G'night!