By JESSE KORNBLUTH
PERSONAL HISTORY: IN DEFENSE OF E.J. CARROLL
Trump’s lawyer has claimed there’s no way Trump could have raped E. Jean Carroll in a Bergdorf’s dressing room — the store is crowded with people, even Trump wouldn’t have risked a woman screaming when she was attacked. But I recall the afternoon we shot part of the video for my novel, Married Sex, in the store. Look at the video. You’ll see a sequence involving a Bergdorf’s dressing room. Did we have permission to shoot there? No. It took us a while to set up that short sequence because we were using a real video camera, not our phones. Why did we get away with it? For the same reason Trump allegedly did — that floor was nearly deserted, and the few sales people were at the other end, tending to the few customers.
PERSONAL HISTORY: JOSH RITTER
Long ago, we liked to have dinner downtown in warm weather and drive home on deserted Madison Avenue with the radio on and the sunroof open.. One night WFUV played a 9-minute song, “Thin Blue Flame,” by Josh Ritter, a singer-songwriter we didn’t know. Long before it ended, I knew I needed to meet Josh.
Josh and I had some mail. We decided to meet for coffee. I brought him a CD I was sure he hadn’t heard. It was “Dimanche a Bamako,” by Amadou and Mariam. Josh laughed. “When I was in Paris, in cab after cab, this was the music they were listening to.”
That was the beginning of our friendship. Over the years, I’ve reviewed every CD . Start with the cheat sheet and its excellent videos, go right on to the videos on Animal Years and Sermon on the Rocks. Josh has a new CD, “Spectral Lines.” I agree with the Paste Magazine review: “Josh Ritter is like a more open-hearted version of Leonard Cohen. His lyrics draw on the divine but he seems to see a little heaven in all the people around him.” Watch him on NPR’s World Café. To buy the CD on Amazon and get a free MP3 download, click here.
It is accurate to say that no one has a better time at a Josh Ritter concert than Josh Ritter. He’s on tour, with the full band, for the first time in years. If you have the good sense that got you to Butler, go to the tour schedule and grab tickets.
TAYLOR SWIFT: PREPARE TO BE SURPRISED
Yes, she commissioned the video of this conversation, so you have to suspect self-interest plays a supporting role. But I buy her sincerity. And even her naivete. And her father is completely convincing in his role as a jerk. Watch.
THICH NHAT HANH: “HAPPINESS IS NOT A DESTINATION. THERE IS NO WAY TO HAPPINESS. HAPPINESS IS THE WAY.”
from the Harvard Gazette: The Thich Nhat Hanh Center for Mindfulness in Public Health — created by a $25 million anonymous gift— will explore the growing body of research and approaches to improve health and well-being through mindfulness — a meditative practice of being fully present. “As Thay [Thich Nhat Hanh] often told us, ‘Happiness is not an individual matter,’” said Brother Pháp Lữu. “He also said that happiness is not a destination. There is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way.”
WEEKEND MUSIC: LIKE NOTHING YOU’VE EVER HEARD
Trio Mandili (it means “woman’s headscarf”) is a Georgian musical group.They perform polyphonic singing accompanied by a panduri, a traditional Georgian string instrument. Listen/watch.
THE WEEKEND POEM
“Scaffolding,” by Seamus Heaney
Masons, when they start upon a building,
Are careful to test out the scaffolding;
Make sure that planks won’t slip at busy points,
Secure all ladders, tighten bolted joints.
And yet all this comes down when the job’s done
Showing off walls of sure and solid stone.
So if, my dear, there sometimes seem to be
Old bridges breaking between you and me
Never fear. We may let the scaffolds fall
Confident that we have built our wall.
THE WEEKEND RECIPE
Ginger-Scallion Steamed Fish
This household grills salmon often. This is a nice change.
1½ pounds firm fish, such as salmon, halibut or haddock, cut into 1-inch cubes and patted dry
1tablespoon Diamond Crystal Kosher salt or 1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt
4 scallions
1(1-inch) piece fresh ginger
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon granulated sugar, plus more as needed
In a medium bowl, stir together 1 cup water with the fish and salt. Set aside for 10 minutes. (This quick brine will help the fish stay tender.)
Meanwhile, slice the scallion whites and light green parts into 1-inch-thick segments, then thinly slice the greens for garnish. Peel the ginger and cut into thin matchsticks.
In a large pot or skillet with a lid, combine ½ cup water with the scallion segments, ginger, soy sauce and sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium-high and cook until reduced by about half, 5 to 7 minutes.
Taste the sauce in the pot and if it’s too salty, stir in a pinch of sugar. Divide the fish among bowls, including the sauce, ginger and scallions, and top with the thinly sliced scallion greens. It’s good warm, at room temperature (you can leave out up to 2 hours), or cold from the fridge (store it for up to 1 day).
Taste the sauce in the pot and if it’s too salty, stir in a pinch of sugar. Divide the fish among bowls, including the sauce, ginger and scallions, and top with the thinly sliced scallion greens. It’s good warm, at room temperature (you can leave out up to 2 hours), or cold from the fridge (store it for up to 1 day).
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This post was previously published on headbutler.com.
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Photo credit: iStockPhoto.com
The post Weekend Butler: Personal Histories: E. Jean Carroll and Josh Ritter. The Surprisingly Political Taylor Swift. Music You’ve Never Heard. A New Way To Cook Salmon. And More…. appeared first on The Good Men Project.