hazy

Super-spaced-out this morning. Songs totally reflected my mood. I didn't think I knew what I was doing, but looking at it now, it kind of still makes sense even though if I was to do it over, I wouldn't've played a few of these.

playlist 9/30/08

mexican institute of sound - a girl like you
funkadelic - i wanna know if it's good to you
pavement - cream of gold
digable planets - art of easing
jane's addiction - summertime rolls
nick cave - mercy seat (request)
interpol - untitled
the roots - what they do
U2 - dirty day
brightblack morning light - oppressions each
t-bone burnett - every time i feel the shift
twilight singers - love/annie mae
soulsavers - kingdom of rain
dead meadow - green sky green lake
curve - already dead
love spit love - god's children
femi kuti - sorry sorry
brightblack morninglight - another reclamation
gotan project - chunga's revenge
calexico - dub latina/guero canelo
joe strummer and the mescaleros - midnight jam
mark lanegan - blues for d

wade in the water

My weekend was pretty low-key, sleeping and hanging out with the extended family. My cousins are all getting older and going off to college so there's fewer of us, but those of us who are there have a good time together. Working on an Ethiopian song with our friend Exodus for Sunday morning, learning lyrics in Amharic, trying not to butcher the pronounciation. Beautiful stuff, realizing how locked into Western music my playing is as I find myself discovering new chord voicings and rhythms.

But this weekend finished out beautifully with two of my favorite people at Edgewater Park. I never knew about the trail down to the beach from the top part until yesterday. Even though it's September, it still felt like summer, and we hung out there until almost sunset, leaving our shoes on the shore, rolling up our jeans, and walking along where the waves meet the sand, digging our feet in, letting the water wash over, writing words in the sand.



It was one of those moments that just felt like perfection, with the light golden over the skyline and the sun setting behind us.

creator

Finally got around to getting some art-making done last night. Using recycled display boards, collaging with spray adhesive. When I'm done getting the first layer down, I'll doodle all over it with sharpie markers, shade it with colored pencils, and add a layer of acrylic gel to the results for further alteration with more layers of paint and paper, glitter, oil pastel. I wish I could paint as good as the old masters, but I don't have the training or ability so modern art is a cop-out and an outlet for me. I'm an amateur and okay with it.

I'm glad I never stayed an art major. I always knew I wasn't as good as the other people in my classes, that it was more of a recreational thing than a vocational thing. I was intimidated by arrogant professors and brutal critiques and equally frustrated when those who were encouraging mistook hardworking mediocrity for "raw talent" because I know that there's no Vincent Van Gogh waiting to burst out of me somewhere.

A friend of mine once told me that most art students rarely do anything creative once they get out of school, and I wonder if the reason I still have enthusiasm for it was because I changed majors and never burned myself out.

U2's "Achtung Baby" has always been a soundtrack for me since my lonely freshman year of college when I thought I'd be an artist, where I'd spend my weekends painting all night down in the art building until they kicked me out, but that second Digable Planets album is getting up there too as far as ultimate, don't have to hit skip art-making music.

I never feel like most of my projects are ever done. They could always be better than they are and when I give a piece away, I'll see it on someone's wall and almost want to take it back and add something, improve upon it.

I have never sold any of my artwork, and at this point I have no desire to. Part of this is that I know that I am not the greatest artist ever but also because I feel like it cheapens it and I just can't bring myself to part with the pieces to just anybody. Usually they end up being Christmas gifts, birthday presents, or stashed in a portfolio in my attic. A couple of my pieces are hanging up at my old church down in Kent, but otherwise most people haven't seen what I do.

I have nothing planned tonight except this: a stack of CDs, some crates of vinyl, and all of my creative junk at my disposal. I've been stressed about things lately that are beyond my control and are more or less unfounded and I know that this will be good for me.

need to chill

I really shouldn't try to ponder the future of anything after 11:00 at night.

That is all.

You wake up the next morning and wonder what on earth you were freaking out about.

ramble on

Kindareallywanna see the Smashing Pumpkins when they come through.

Going out to the far west of the county tonight with the roommate to pick up a cello (!) and while she's teaching music, I'll probably be browsing the bookshelves at the Cracker Park Barnes & Noble wondering how people can afford such expensive toys when the economy is crashing.

I am excited about the cello though. I love the deep sound of those things.

another open letter...

Dear Chris Cornell,

I still love my Soundgarden albums, but seriously, what happened to you?

You went from this:



to this?



I never thought I'd say that Audioslave sounded better than anything, but come on!

Where is Kim Thayil when you need him, anyway?

playing catchup

Starting to play music with people on a regular basis again.

Got back in touch with a friend from way back that I haven't seen in about six years.

Hanging out with the Burundi kids is a regular thing now. I picked up some books at the library sale for them, and they were so excited. After the class, we went outside and played soccer and gave the kids piggyback rides until their parents were done.

Ended up getting to hear them sing together at the Swahili service at my friend's church. It was beautiful.

Meanwhile the world is completely crazy. Guess that's nothing new.