I've been receiving much N-supply for my painting. I spread the word as much as I could: at work, where we deal with Hispanic/Latino talk radio programming; online, where I belong to various groups and forums; and with my inner circle of friends, who are encouraging me to continue to pursue visual arts.
I'm feeling good, but I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that I am not shamelessly peddling my own product. I am helping to promote awareness of something other than myself. What's going on in Juarez has been a concern of mine ever since I first heard about it.
To be able to be a part of something bigger than me is an honor and a privelege. If it were just something I was doing for myself, I think I'd be less inclined to tell others about it.
Someone gave me the idea to paint a picture for my mother as a Mother's Day gift. I'll give it a try. If it doesn't work out, I'll paint over it and buy her a gift.
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Eve told me on Sunday that my painting reminded her of two cards from her Tarot deck. Both of them had women blindfolded, wielding swords... I can't remember which ones they were.
I just wanted to mention that.
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Three or four bands worth mentioning: Kaiser Chiefs, Kings Of Leon, Louis XIV, and The Mars Volta.
Mars Volta used to be known as At The Drive-in. Kings Of Leon have a song on a commercial-- I forget what the ad is for but the song is cool; first time I ever bought an album based off of an ad...
Louis XIV are very T.Rex, while Kaiser Chiefs have this great song on KCRW called "Oh My God".
I am starting to find the new bands that I can have faith in. They are not the coolest, or the edgiest, but their sounds are music to my ears.
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Watched my Who DVD last night. They did a version of their Tommy precursor, "A Quick One (While He's Away)" that was positively glorious.
It started off gently, with the band singing a three-part harmony (drummer Keith Moon, he of the notoriously atonal voice, merely lip-synched as the others sang) to open the piece. Then, as they started playing, you could see Pete Townshend trying to play and tune his guitar at the same time. Having been there at many a time in my life, I can attest to the distracting burden it can be to start playing a song and realize one string is slightly out-of-tune.
They seemed to be losing it a bit when they got to the third section, which is faster in tempo and a bit old-fashioned. But Pete was able to catch his breath for the fourth part, the Cowboy section, and he tuned-up off-camera.
Then, when it was time for the last section, the famous "You Are Forgiven" finale that was used to maximum effect in the movie Rushmore, they were spot-on, singing "Cello, cello, cello, cello" and ripping through the three chords as if their drawers were on fire. John Entwistle's falsetto cried out in the background as Pete looked into the camera and smiled, singing the words with passion, words about a woman whose lover has returned from a year's worth of travels, a woman who admits that she had been unfaithful when he was away, and a man who is so glad to see her again that he waives it off, singing a song of forgiveness...
Amazing. Tears in my eyes. Goose pimples all up and down my spine and arms...
They looked like they were having so much fun being in a band together. The cock rock moves and windmill turns seem ridiculous now, but there was a time when those same moves enervated a whole generation of kids, who wanted to smash their instruments after the set and create absolute mayhem with their racket.
I love what Pete said about The Beatles, how their backing tracks on their records revealed them to be "lousy" players... and he meant this as a compliment!
Rehearsal with the hair-metal band was cancelled tonight. Oh well, there's always next week.
I am going to listen to some music and finish my work. Talk to y'all tomorrow.
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