The coolest thing I can think of is being in a band and playing, in unison, with others…regularly. I especially like seeing how people that are part of a band look at each other. Sometimes it’s annoying and self important which… is still fine because if you’re going to be self important about anything, it might as well be about something as cool as actually being able to produce sound [besides smacking your lips together loudly, whistling, snapping my fingers, or blowing raspberries, which is the best I can do]. I can’t argue with that. It took me a year to learn how to play “Happy Birthday” on the guitar. One year.

But most of the time, it’s not self importance. Most of the time, people that are playing together look at one another like they’re sharing an inside joke. Except no one else can understand it because it’s not in words. It’s magical and I am envious of this type of intimacy.

Anyway, I was able to witness the spectacle at a new(ish) bar in Jamaica Plain called The Haven. They had a scottishey-folkey band play. What I mean by this is: There was a harp. And other string-like instruments. Like the lute! I don’t really know, but there were five people there all playing something. Also, I got cheese on toast with leeks and gala apples.

This bar food was better than any bar food I have ever had. It shouldn’t even be called “bar food”, but, incidentally, it is a bar and they do serve very good food… so there just isn’t anything else to call it. It’s a shame that bar food has gotten such a bad rep. Rap? I was thinking maybe they should have gone with “Scottish Bistro” but I really don’t like the word “Bistro” very much.

Anyway go to The Haven. I have been told the owner is charming.