Well, it’s Friday. Blog Day, and I’m in the studio with Josh. Singing a new vocal for a faster version of Anybody Out There, a song I wrote when I was in Specx that we recorded (and that Rich Kaminsky played on his best of 2016 Show, Dec. 31st, 2016). We never officially released it in a print version, so it’s ok to re-do.
The vocal is ok, but I’m at the point where I want to work my voice a bit more. Like getting in shape, it could use a bit of a workout, beyond the exercises I currently do (with irregularity.)
Josh and I have already talked about The Phantom Thread, coffee-Major Dickason’s Blend being the current pinnacle of coffee to my husband, which gives Josh a challenge to find a better one, my idea for a history of sexual harassment in the music industry book, Fiona Apple, health, and seems like so many other things.
Every week lately seems like a year. So many things going on in the news I had to quit a few people on twitter because my feed was overwhelmingly about politics. There are layers of outrage, like the 7 layers of hell and luckily I think I’ve ascended one in that I seem to be able to take more, except outrage in the music industry compelled me to finish a couple of paintings this week. I had started a series of 4 maybe last year but had been stuck with how to proceed.
Luckily (again, luckily) a 90-year old former professor of art, Dick Brauer was at my house and in my studio two weeks ago and he told me to just paint and the painting would tell me what to do, and he was of course right. He’s the father of Elizabeth Brauer Allen, who is the cello half of our Vale of Paradise duo. So, getting back to that series was/is so great, because what I really want to do is paint some huge gigantic canvasses, but I had told myself I needed to finish these first.
I’m super excited to paint a large canvas. I have some ideas, but don’t have a set vision. Well, maybe I do. Then I’d like to do a large series of many smaller canvasses, like maybe a group of 16, or even 25. So, my work there is sort of cut out for me.
Funkhouser on Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee was very funny. He basically plays a non-comedian version of himself on Curb Your Enthusiasm, so I didn’t know he’d be so so funny – his jokes were so good.
My daughter and I are reading the Harry Potter series in tandem. She’s a few chapters ahead of me, but I thought maybe I could be the pacer horse to get her to read faster. Then, as a reward, I had told her we could watch the 1st one again, but she was trying to outsmart me by telling me she wanted to jump to the 3rd movie, so I said, ok, after we read the 3rd book. What a struggle. Those kids that love to read-how amazing. She seems determined to not like reading. And, I get it, in that TV/Videos are such an immediate consumption. But here we are.
She and I made homemade pasta last Friday night and used the pasta machine-y thing, which I have to admit is a lot easier than hand rolling (though I love it). She also made a confession that she loves the salads I make, even though she pretends not to. Awwwww!! I make the kind where I just throw in whatever I think it needs/whatever we have. Lettuce/spinish/cole slaw (any or all) and it might have: corn, apples, cut grapes, sunflower seeds, pistachios, carrots, cucumber, olives, pickles, maybe tomatoes, though I don’t love them in a salad, chicken (or not) edamame, seaweed, avocado. YUM. I like light ranch dressing with a little Chinese hot sauce (my favorite) but Ruby’s off light ranch and likes Italian. I grew up using Wishbone Italian, so I get it/don’t want it—have had enough to last a lifetime.
Took her to ceramics on Saturday and it was great. She had a fun time and loved the ladies and the attention and the making. She made a unicorn pig. I worked on my bowls, trimming them on the wheel. I confess that I don’t love the wheel, and last night tried it again and am moving on to hand building for the time being. She noticed that Amy only plays Beatles music in the studio and remarked, “Wow, you really have to be a Beatles fan to be here.” So cute. She scored points with Amy because she knew the song, “Here Comes the Sun.” (a fantastically great song, by the way)
I feel like I’m sitting on the bench for a few plays until Josh throws me back in the game and I sing the choruses.
My husband is very excited about my painting. Doing music is so hard, that who knows what will happen after these tracks are all done both Chicago and West Coast. TBH I don’t know how much touring I will be able to do. Play shows-sure. But if it’s: unless I play a large number of shows criss crossing the country for next to nothing no one will hear my music, then…..??? I will probably do a lot more painting!
Better go. Until next week! xo