More of Braveheart's Stuff - Wednesday 5/14/2008

The Doc's dog, Lulu, is all worn out after a flea treatment. Even royalty tires of its luxuries sometimes.



In my defense, this glass is commenting on whiskey. I drank wine from it, so that's a modest serving.

So glad Braveheart doesn't mind my taking photos of the cool stuff in her house. I love her aesthetic.





Light falling across the vintage tablecloth on the kitchen table.



It's Jimmy's world, the rest of us just live in it.



Later in the evening, Braveheart hosted a very interesting and well-attended event at A Different Light Bookstore. The discussion, based on readings from Leash by Jane DeLynn, Zami: A New Spelling of My Name by Audre Lorde, and Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson, was really successful. People were standing around talking after we packed up the wine and cheese and went next door to a little bar to celebrate.

Great evening. Braveheart's friends are as cool as her decor.

Pretty House - Tuesday 5/13/2008

This is just a pretty little house in Burbank that I pass sometimes on the way from Andrew's to work.

It's a lovely time of year in L.A. So much is in bloom!

Twain's Again - Monday 5/12/2008

Wow, this table has seen some use, huh? The little round spots are where the spoons go!

Dropped off books at the Studio City Branch of L.A. Public Library this morning and looped down to Ventura Boulevard to revisit Twains.

Gave some directions to a guy walking past in shorts, a tee-shirt and a baseball cap, who told me it was his first time in L.A. I pointed out the all-night Ralph's across the street and said, "Welcome!" It was a pretty good bet he hadn't been here long, as he wasn't bundled against the morning damp like a seasoned Los Angelino would be.

I have to tell you about the photograph that got away later in the day!

I was coming out of my office and saw a nicely groomed man in a business suit on the other side of Evergreen with a ladder under his arm. But what was really interesting was that he was cruising along the sidewalk on a skateboard!

Perfectly erect as he swooped around the corner and up the alley. Wonderful!

And me with my camera in my backpack!

Artsy? Perhaps Not. - Sunday 5/11/2008

Okay, forgive me. I was up late two nights in a row, singing.

And then there was this cleaning that just felt like it really need to be done, so that I can love my house. If it gets too messy, it just becomes petulant and demanding.

I really should have taken a photo of the evening light falling across the table in the library...but no. What you have here is one of the toys I was going to give a friend's baby a few years ago, but which turned out to be a wonderful mobile perch for Dodger.

While I have your attention, I'll tell you about singing song #4, "Every Light in the House is On," at a hoot last night.

It went over really well, even though people didn’t seem to remember it. It was a big hit in the early or mid-ninties I think, recorded by Trace Adkins. A sweet pining song. Here are the lyrics.

Hydra did “Play Me” (Neil Diamond) for the first time, and I did some harmonies on the chorus that went well. Especially these falling notes during a held note on his part at the end. I used to do these to the LP (owned by brother Brains) when I was in my early teens. I could see my bedroom and the record player while we sang.

It was a smaller group and we stayed later than usual, so we were able to do another song each. I reprized “That’ll Be the Day” and he did Armstrong a song about Neil Armstrong walking on the moon.. pretty and thoughtful.

Then a couple of women who play and sing together, who have been telling me we should do stuff together, pulled out another Buddy Holley song and we did that together, me harmonizing. We ended up also doing “Johnny B. Goode” They told me to take a verse while we were up there…good thing they had the lyrics right there! Also did “Pink Cadillac” with them. Too much fun!

The last song of the night was when Hydra started doing “Luckenbach, Texas” a capella and about 8 of us stood around singing it together.

Really fun night!

Bouquet Canyon Drive - Saturday 5/10/2008

On the way back from running errands in Valencia, Hydra suggested we take the long way home and drive up Bouquet Canyon. I'm always up for this sort of thing.

I think this is The Big Oaks Lodge.

I think I could really love living along this road. There are so many amazing old houses with stone bases and clapboard walls painted brown and green to blend into the surroundings. Usually they have neat little outbuildings around them, too.




Looking down into Bouquet Canyon Reservoir from the road. Spunky Canyon Road goes around the other side. How'd that get it's name? From some intrepid little burro, maybe?



Low reserves.



My foot. On the road. Lovin' the day.

On a completely different subject... I have this goal to sing 12 "new" songs in public this year. Last night I did #3, which was "That'll Be the Day." [#1 & 2 were "Chattanooga Choo-Choo" and "Accentuate the Positive." Granted, I've been singing about that train since before I can remember, but not really in front of anyone...usually in the back seat of the family car, with a soft serve cone in one hand.]

Here's my story about that:

Ha! I told the audience to sing along because there was no way they were going to drown me out—I do have a big voice—and promptly started off on the wrong key.

Thank goodness, our friend GL was playing along, because he stopped me and clanged out a solid A for me, and off we went. I have to say, the audience was really with me and we rocked it out.

Hydra did “Can You Sing Any Dylan?” which is a very fun Eric Bogle song, and I oohed along in the background, and hammed it up in reaction to the lyrics and got the audience involved.

I think the main thing in performing for people, whether it’s music or a novel reading, or anything, is getting the emotion across. If it’s a fun song, act like you’re having fun and you will…everyone will.

This was a benefit concert that raised about $450 for our music club.