Vacation Day Blues #1

Day #1 of 13 vacation days was used up yesterday thanks to Junior's class being cancelled. I was only planning on working until 12:00 anyway, since I had to work Saturday, so I figure I might as well use up a vacation day since everybody else was scheduled to work. I woke up at the same time as usual, made some coffee, paid some bills, & burned some live shows (currently I'm listening to Bob Dylan from Granada, Spain from 1999, a great year). I did some laundry, worked out, cleaned the house, & went shopping for groceries, new work shoes, blank cdr's & the bonus purchase of the documentary "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart" about the making of Wilco's seminal album Yankee Foxtrot Hotel. I've only seen the first half so far, & so far I'm completely enthralled. There's just something about watching musicians work that always fascinates me. I think I'll watch the rest tonight.

The main objective for yesterday was cancelled due to rain. Christie & I were going to go for a hike at Rosy Mound, & perhaps take some pictures, but the rain wouldn't allow. It wouldn't even stop long enough for the old Pier walk. Oh well, we had dinner at Portobello instead (Eggplant Parmigiana with a glass of Merlot, mmm...) & watched a movie. All in all, a very good day.

Don't get jealous of my jet set lifestyle, now, I've got 12 more of these fascinating vacation days left.

Five Favorite Songs of the Day

Reservations-Wilco, Yankee Foxtrot Hotel

What I realized watching that documentary is that what makes Wilco so great & revolutionary, & cutting edge is what bugs me the most about them. Jay Bennett makes a comment while they are mixing a track about how they have to do something to it "otherwise it'll sound like just another folk song". So what they do is add all this ambient noise & if you listen really close you can find the shell of the song somewhere in there. Hearing Jeff Tweedy perform the song solo seems much more effective to these ears. The song speaks for itself, the coolest effects can't save a bad song or I suppose they can't ruin a great song either. To me, this album sounds like eleven attempts to ruin eleven great songs.

Jesus, Etc-Wilco, Yankee Foxtrot Hotel

Ashes of American Flags-Wilco, Yankee Foxtrot Hotel

i wonder why nobody listens to poets, and nobody gives a f&#k, how hot & sorrowful, this machine begs for luck, all my lies are always wishes, I know I would die if I could come back new...

Mosey Roun' Bring it Down-Leroy Jones, Mo' Cream from the Crop

At the Chime of a City Clock-Nick Drake, Bryter Later

Happy weekend, friends...

andrew

A Quick Story About Joyce

We had a halloween party one year in Waltz in the old office or the family room (I think that's what we called it). I don't remember exactly who the party was for or who was invited, I think it was for Heidi's class or something like that, I'm not quite sure. I must have been seven or eight. I think I was Johnny Appleseed that year. Oh how I longed for one of those store bought costumes, but instead we had to get creative. If memory serves me correctly, Johnny Appleseed followed Pastor Bug from the year before. Apparently, for all of my first Halloweens I was seen as some sort of Halloevangelist, stealing your candy & spreading the gospel at the same time, but I digress.

Anyways, what I do remember about that party was that I invited a friend of mine that didn't know many people at the party, if anybody other than me & my family. I remember not spending too much time with him, which must've been awful considering he didn't know anybody & that everybody else at the party was much older than him. Eventually, I realized that he was no longer amongst the party, so I searched through the house to find out where he was. I found him up in my room, playing with some of my toys. Joyce was in the room with him, playing right along.

That's Joyce in a nutshell. She's always looking out, making sure no one is alone, & making sure that everyone is having a good time. I don't think there's anyone better at making you feel welcome, wherever you are, especially at her home (which was good because we were at her home quite a bit growing up). The ultimate hostess.

Also, I really appreciate Joyce because she brings out the adventurous spirit in my mother, something her sticks-in-the-mud husband & son could never do. Happy Birthday, Joyce.

Five Favorite Songs of the Day

A Minor Place-Bonnie "Prince" Billy, I See a Darkness

Desolation Row-Bob Dylan, Brixton 2005

Notes on Air-Alejandro Escovedo, The Boxing Mirror

Feelin' Alright-Joe Cocker

Something-Bob Dylan, NYC 2002 (song by George Harrison)

Unfortunately, this clip omits the short little speech Bob makes about George, who'd passed away a month earlier, but it's a great performance none the less.

Happy Thursday, friends...

andrew

Carving up the Calendar

It always seems to happen this time of year, that I start to look at how much vacation time I've got left to use up before the end of the year, & it seems like a chore to figure out how & when I'm going to use it. At the beginning of the year, everything seems to be so filled with promise, & I think that towards the end of the year there's going to be some fantastic time that I'll have to save my vacation for, but alas, it never comes. What's worse, is Dan, the assistant, has made the same mistake, with almost as much vacation time left as me to use up before the end of the year. We lose it if we don't use it. With such a small staff, for any one person to take a day off takes a good deal of planning, & sometimes I end up working just as much if not more when I take vacation as when I don't. We've got our times planned, who knows what I'll use it for. Anybody need any painting done?

Five Favorite Songs of the Day

Tuesday Morning-the Pogues

A Night In Tunisia-Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers

Boots of Spanish Leather-Bob Dylan, Hamburg 2003

so take heed, take heed, of the western wind, take heed of the stormy weather...

Okay, that settles it. I've decided that Boots of Spanish Leather is Bob Dylan's best unrequited love song. Any one care to argue?

Quinn the Eskimo (the Mighty Quinn)-Bob Dylan, Southampton 2002

Let it be known that this song was played live for the first time in thirty five years the summer Quinn was born. Coincidence? Probably.

Tell Ol' Bill-Bob Dylan, Tell Ol' Bill Outtakes

you trample on me as you pass...

Happy Wednesday, friends, I hope you've used your free time wisely.

andrew

If There's an Original Thought Out There, I Could Use it Right Now!

Last Sunday I was at one of my favorite breakfast joints, & I saw one of my former professors from Grand Valley, I think the class was called Creativity or something like that. It wasn't creative writing or creative sculpture or anything like that, it was just creativity. I didn't need the class for my major, I think I just took it for credits. I think the professor was a playwright, unfortunately I don't remember seeing any of his plays.

I don't know how much creativity plays a part in my everyday life. I like to think I use it to a certain extent to solve problems or to come up with new ways to do things. A little creativity can get you into trouble when you are working for a corporation with a million rules on how to do things & how not to do things. I loved that class, I think everyone should take such a class every other year of their lives, regardless of profession.

I've been trying to come up with something to give to my new niece, but sometimes I get the feeling that creativity is one of those things you have to use on a regular basis otherwise it'll wither away & die. Well, well. Time to get to work.

I wish I'd written this one, but Blake beat me to it.

A Cradle Song

Sleep, Sleep, beauty bright
Dreaming o'er the joys of night.
Sleep, Sleep: in thy sleep
Little sorrows sit & weep.

Sweet Babe, in thy face
Soft desires I can trace
Secret joys & secret smiles
Little pretty infant wiles

As thy softest limbs I feel
Smiles as of the morning steal
O'er thy cheek & o'er thy breast
Where thy little heart does rest.

O, the cunning wiles that creep
In thy little heart asleep.
When thy little heart does wake,
Then the dreadful lightnings break.

From thy cheek & from thy eye
O'er the youthful harvests nigh
Infant wiles & infant smiles
Heaven & Earth of peace beguiles.

William Blake, Lyrics & Other Poems

Has anybody been catching the Andy Warhol Documentary by Ken Burns on Public Television? I've only seen about a half hour of it, so far, but it's riveting. I can't wait to watch the rest of it. I watched some of it after watching the series premier of Grey's Anatomy (no comment). Talk about culture shock. Andy Warhol, genius or hack?

On an unrelated note, last Friday night my house was filled with people, tonight it's just me. I can't figure out which way I like it better.

Five Favorite Songs of the Day

Don't Think Twice (It's Alright)-Bob Dylan, London 1965

Bob Dylan performances don't get much better than this one, my favorite version of one of my favorite songs. I love the way he makes the harp sound like a train, this song has always been about movement, & is best heard while moving.

Rock of Ages-Bob Dylan, Santa Cruz, 2000

THE Rock of Ages, not this Def Leppard dribble. while I draw this fleeting breath, while mine eyes shall close in death, can I travel to worlds unknown, & behold thee on the throne?

Hallelujah-Jeff Buckley, Grace (song by Leonard Cohen)

Oceanside-the Decemberists, Five Songs

Red Right Ankle-the Decemberists, Her Majesty, the Decemberists!

Colin Meloy is turning out to be one of the finer songwriters to emerge from the last ten years, this song being one of the finest examples.

Happy Friday, friends, let your creative juices flow, whatever you're doing!

andrew

A Little Blake to Seal the Deal...

Night

The sun descending in the west,
The evening star does shine;
The birds are silent in their nest,
And I must seek for mine.
The moon like a flower
In heaven's high bower,
With silent delight
Sits and smiles on the night.

Farewell, green fields and happy groves,
Where flocks have took delight.
Where lambs have nibbled,
silent moves
The feet of angels bright;
Unseen they pour blessing
And joy without ceasing,
On each bud and blossom,
And each sleeping bosom.

They look in every thoughtless nest,
Where birds are cover'd warm;
They visit caves of every beast,
To keep them all from harm.
If they see any weeping
That should have been sleeping,
They pour sleep on their head,
And sit down by their bed.

When wolves and tygers howl for prey,
They pitying stand and weep;
Seeking to drive their thirst away,
And keep them from the sheep;
But if they rush dreadful,
The angels, most heedful,
Receive each mild spirit,
New worlds to inherit.

And there the lion's ruddy eyes
Shall flow with tears of gold,
And pitying the tender cries,
And walking round the fold,
Saying "Wrath, by his meekness,
And by his health, sickness
Is driven away
From our immortal day.

"And now beside thee, bleating lamb,
I can lie down and sleep;
Or think on him who bore thy name,
Graze after thee and weep.
For, wash'd in life's river,
My bright mane for ever
Shall shine like the gold
As I guard o'er the fold."

William Blake, Songs of Innocence

Birds are Leaving Over Autumn's Ending...

I don't know about you all, but I think there's a bit of a melancholy feeling in the air. Maybe it's the earlier nights, or the colder weather, or the fact that things are incredibly slow at work, highlighting every little thing that hasn't gone right over the last year. Maybe it's because Dan's heading south at the end of the week, or because I had to go to work this morning after a fantastic weekend. Maybe it's because I listened to Nick Drake's (pictured above) "Bryter Later" the first thing in the morning today, he's a fella who may have written the book on melancholy. Or maybe it's this guy I heard on the radio, today, sounding giddy & gleeful about the war because he thinks it'll signal the end times. A thief in the night, fella, a thief in the night. You better make sure your house is in order before you worry about the end times.

Oh well, hope springs eternal...

Five Favorite Songs of the Day

Monday Night-Ryan Adams, Down from the Mountain, 5 Years of Bloodshot Records

Worried Blues-Bob Dylan, Bootleg Series Vol I

What a painful little song this is, you get the idea that the narrator is headed off to jail, or leaving town to avoid jail time, hoping that his gal stays by his side.

Naked as We Came-Iron & Wine, Our Endless Numbered Days

One of These Things First-Nick Drake, Bryter Later

The ultimate song of wishing you'd chosen a different path in life, but knowing deep down that if you had it to do again, that you'd probably pick the same one, good or bad.

Girl in the War-Josh Ritter, the Animal Years

Happy Monday, friends...

andrew

What's the Matter With Me? I Ain't Got Much to Say...

Over to you, Kevin McFadden...

Tone Deficit

Can't tell your oh from your ah? Go, go or else
go ga-ga. What, were you born in a barn? Oh.
Ah. What do you say when the dentist asks?
No novacaine? Nah. The joke's on us, Jack:

we gnaw ourselves when we reallly ought to know.
Can't tell the force from the farce, nor our
cores from our cars. The horde works hard in this
new nation of shopkeeps, moles in malls, minding

our stores when we should be minding our stars.
Harmony, whoremoney--can we even tell
the showman from the shaman? Or are we
the worst kind of tourists, doing La France

in low fronts, sporting shorts at Chartres
and so alone in our elan? Nope. We're Napoleons
of nowhere, hopeless going on hapless,
unable to tell our Elbas from our elbows.

from POETRY, September 2006

Five Favorite Songs of the Day

Strange Fruit-Billie Holiday

This must've flipped a bunch of wigs back in the day. It sure flipped mine. Just look at that face. Her voice, her facial features, her songs all spell out tragedy, but it's so beautiful.

Windfall-Son Volt, Trace

catching an all night station, somewhere in Louisiana, it sounds like 1963, but for now, it sounds like heaven...

So What?-Miles Davis, Kind of Blue

What I like most about Miles, is that he never needed to be the center of attention. He was never the fastest player, never going for the grandiose solo, he realized that greatness lies in the spaces between the notes. Listening to his earlier bands, you'd never really know who was the star, whether it was Gil Evans, John Coltrane, Cannonball Adderly or Miles himself. I'm about a third of the way towards owning the entire Miles Davis catalog. Maybe before I retire, I'll have 'em all. Bitches Brew is next, even though Melvin warned against it.

Various Stages-Great Lake Swimmers, Bodies & Minds

Spirit on the Water-Bob Dylan, Modern Times

I keep thinking about you, baby, I can't hardly sleep...

Happy Thursday, friends...

andrew