(I have no idea why the 99¢ store across the street has a second sign reading 69¢)

Today marks the anniversary of this blog, begun six years ago. I had conceived it as a modest but public means of expressing my dismay with the incredible folly of this country's response to the events of September 11. It was to be a more structured form for the series of emails with which I had been plaguing my friends since that date. It would also be broadcast more widely - but also less intrusively, probably a good thing for my friendships.

As I sit here today I confess that six years ago, even in the extreme distress produced by the mindless, seemingly universal jingoism of the moment, I could not have imagined the horrors we have brought upon ourselves and the world in the years which were to follow.

Due at least to lack of interest, except among those entrenched in power, I don't expect much will change after this November (I believe our republic is beyond restoration). So, for my own mental health and for the day-to-day survival of this blog, I'm grateful that I'm still crazy about a few other things that can be written about in public: The concerns of "the jimlog" will always include the arts, queerdom, history, New York and the world.

I observe another anniversary on April 27, one infinitely more important than the launch of this modest little outlet: I met Barry, my perfect partner and Wunderkind webmaster, seventeen years ago today.

As Barry reported here on Sunday during a quick foray out of the affected area with his laptop, our larger neighborhood was without any internet connection all weekend. Our contact with the outside world was restored late on Monday, but circumstances conspired to prevent my return to blogging until today.

I found the experience fairly excruciating even though I don't have a livelihood dependent upon the net. I didn't have my little silver friend for three whole days; I had no little speakers podium or picture outlet, and no way to reach those published by anyone else; no incoming or outgoing mail; maybe most important for someone as curious and information-hungry as me, no instant reference sources; and of course no news. The news blackout in particular made it feel like the arrival of a new dark age, especially since neither radio nor television is a part of my own or Barry's life. I will say however that living with only a blank screen this past weekend was not without a silver lining: We were spared the obscenity of the all-pope/all-the-time broadcast media coverage (Barry peeked every so often and it seems Ratzinger had bought NY1) with which entertainment news smothered the city, and apparently much of the nation as well.

Before starting anything new I'm going to be dutiful and finish up my series of short posts on art spotted at the New York fairs late last month; I'll be looking back at Pulse, Volta, Bridge and Disarmory.

No blogging from James until at least Monday. Road Runner knocked us off the internet Friday night, and they hope to give us a connection again by end of day Monday.

Yeah, this site's been mighty quiet for over a week, and to me the pause button seems like it's been pressed for twice that long.

Right after the art fairs I was first feeling pretty burned out, but I had begun to post entries describing some of the work I had liked most when I found myself distracted by things totally unrelated to the visual arts, including preparing a special dinner for friends early this week. The next day I came down with some general malady which developed into a full ague. It may suffice to say that my head swam, my skin ached, and I found it painful even to think of touching the keyboard with my fingertips.

I'm feeling much better today, even after seeing Caryl Churchill's not-so-upbeat "Drunk Enough To Say I Love You" just two hours ago. Starting tonight or tomorrow I'll resume where I left off on March 29th, with some more quick notes drawn from my camera. These will probably continue until I become bored doing the same series, or until I'm distracted by some new baubles.

[image from tiresias.org]