WHAT'S THAT SOUND?

I was sitting on my couch last night, taking a few minutes before going to drawing class (I'm taking a night drawing class. It's been awesome). 

Outside I heard bells. That song! I actually had to listen hard at first because I couldn't believe it. Is that what I think it is?

"An ice cream truck!"

That big familiar white truck. Driving up the street. And the memories rolled in. We used to have one that came up our block in Granada Hills when I was a kid. I'd hear that same sound and wonder if I had enough time to run home, get some change and catch the guy. Sometime a few other kids would pull him over and buy me some time. 

I woundn't always make it. And sometimes my mother wouldn't let me get anything. 

Last night there were no kids. Just a lonely truck driving up the street. I felt sad. I should've run out to buy something from him but it was time to leave for class. And so it goes.

Ice cream men are a thing of the past. I started wondering, does he have a family? I hope he still sells enough to feed them. It's probably his second or third job. In my opinion, an ice cream man should make a good living. He brings joy. There are a lot of trades that no longer earn much money, but should in my opinion. 

I suppose there are also new things and professions coming up. That's the way it works. It's just change. Simple and real. Everything changes. Growing up is a trip. Literally. If he comes our way again, I'll be ready. I wonder if he still sells the Rocket Pops. Although my personal favorite was always the classic ice cream sandwich. 

LA TIMES FESTIVAL OF BOOKS, BEN & JERRYS, AND A HIGH BROW DAY OF LOFTY THINKING

Miss Ellie and I went to the LA Times Festival of Books yesterday. I had never heard of it, but evidently it's been a big event here in LA for years. We got lucky on parking and sailed right in. First order of business was lunch. Wahoo's fish tacos in the food court. Then, the Ben & Jerry's truck was giving away free new flavors to promote a collaboration with Target. Couldn't pass that up. So the first 2 hours of our high brow literary experience was spent on yummies. Who could blame us? We were hungry.

Bellies satisfied, we finally perused the grounds. What a great place. I was pleased to see so many people at an event put on by a newspaper. We signed up for the Sunday LA Times recently. It's fun getting the paper. Soon to be a thing of the past. 

I grabbed a bunch of museum pamphlets as I'm always interested in what they're showing, and I want to start bringing my art+music shows to museums. We also saw all kinds of publishers, book stores, and independent authors with booths. The woman in line behind us at Wahoo's said that there are more "readers" in Los Angeles than any other city in the US. Is that possible???? 

We also attended a lecture by 4 writers talking about the changing music business. "Music: A Business In Flux" or something like that. I usually attend lectures by "regular industry types" and not authors. This was interesting. Different perspective. They went back and forth about how there is no money in making music anymore and therefore the art form is basically going to crap.  

One interesting thing I was left with that came up at the end....Back in the 60's, if you wanted to change the world, you might record an album. These days, if you want to change the world, you'd probably create an App. Facebook is the perfect example. Music is no longer as tied to social change and awareness as it used to be. We digest it like a snack. Yum! Rebecca Black wasn't all that different than my free "Voluntiramisu" from Ben & Jerry's today.

I sat on a curb while we laughed, cracked a few jokes and enjoyed the cool, creamy coffee flavor for the 5 minutes I was eating it. Then promptly discarded it into the trash can before continuing my day with a vague memory of enjoying something I ate. 

ONWARD HO

It's been a hazy few days since my show last Thursday. It was such a fast pace in the lead up to that night, and now I'm playing catch up with all the pieces of my life I left at the curb while focused on that single task. It's ironic how I built an art+music show called "Door No.1" about passing through doors, making choices, the changes that happen in life as a result, and now I feel as though I've passed through a door of my own in the process. I feel different. Something happened. I'm not even sure what yet. 

I'm excited about my new songs that are associated with this show and the artwork as well. A lot of new possibilities. I'll post pictures of the new work this week and the songs should be listenable in another few weeks. 

I was left with a beautiful feeling about a handful of my friends that really showed up for me. It was an unfathomable amount of work to put this on and they really came through. 

Choices.

And so now...a few more days to catch my breath, and onward!

I BELIEVE IT

I've been so busy painting and working on new songs lately, that once again, the most interesting of my days go undocumented. I tend to work well under deadlines though. The short timeline forces me to make decisions quickly that I would otherwise overdeliberate because I have the luxury of time. 

Time. I have 3 more weeks until my first showing of "Door No.1" in Los Angeles. I'm really excited. I learned so much from my last couple shows. This one is feeling really good. 

As I've been working, I find myself thinking about struggles. As I get closer to my deadline, I struggle less. I go with the flow more because I have to. I think, "pink", and I grab the pink paint. No time to overthink. Interestingly enough, the work gets better because of that. It means more. It comes from a different place. 

Amazing how powerful the things I tell myself can be. It seems that at some level I believe everything I say!!!

THE SITE OF MY NEXT ART+MUSIC SHOW

I shot this awhile back, and thought I'd show you what the room looks like...great place. 

MUDDY WATERS

Sometimes I get uncomfortable for no reason. It just happens. In actuality there is a reason, but not one I particularly feel like doing anything about. It's how life is. I press on. That's what we do, right? So tonight I'm working on my new website listening to Muddy Waters feeling like the most boring man alive.

Current track: "Mannish Boy"

Now, I'm not necessarily a big blues guy, but this is AWESOME. When I listen carefully there's a whole other world easily missed on a casual listen. I think we casually listen to our lives too much. 

I borrowed a bunch of cds from my friend Scott to dive into some great songs, great playing, and re-fertilize my soil. It's working. I love talking dirty...

THE CHURCH BELLS ARE RINGING

It's Sunday morning and the church bells are ringing. Literally. I live across the street from a church and it's ten minutes to 9. The first sermon starts at 9. This same bell has been rung every Sunday for the past 150 years. Nevada City, CA, where I live, was built during the 1850's when they found "gold in them there hills!"

There's something about the sound of that deep, slow clang that I find comforting. I don't know if it's some DNA memory of western culture over hundreds of years, or just the fact that somehow after 8 months of living here, it now says to me, "good morning, it's Sunday!"

I work most Sundays so it's not like it signifies a day off, but I always try to take a walk or do at least one thing to clear my head before the weekly cycle repeats itself. People are more relaxed on Sundays. They sit at cafes or window shop. Traffic isn't as predicable. I like the energy of just walking down the street.

The bell will ring again about 10:15 as a call for the 10:30 sermon. I haven't gone to any sermons yet so I don't know how they are. I haven't even been inside the church. They sold hot dogs there during the Christmas festival and they have events in the back room from time to time. That door is right across the tiny street outside my window.

I'm not Christian or Catholic, so church visits have mostly been limited to weddings and odd special occasions in my life. But I love that big bell ringing. And I love Sundays. I love living next to a landmark. So much history in this small beautiful town.

With 3 new art + music shows booked before the end of the year, my plate is full. My days are mostly filled with painting, new songs, graphic design, and trying to find ways to pay for art show supplies while keeping my lights on. This schedule doesn't care what day of the week the calendar says it is.

It's a great life mostly, but I'm also feeling a lot of pressure. Even painting and music have a lot of logistics involved. I find it difficult to just "turn it on" and "turn it off" during the specified periods quarantined for creativity (if there are any). It lacks a certain romance. But I'm grateful to have as many opportunities as I do, and I plan on making the most of every one with the resources at my disposal.

Somehow on Sunday the load feels lighter. I'll probably be leaving Nevada City soon for work reasons, but I'm going to enjoy this place and those church bells as much as I can until then.