What A Week.

This week has stretched me out. I'm all gummy and pink and thin in the middle.

I originally had four days booked in the studio this week. Without taking you through all the painful and absurd happenings, I did a total of one day in the studio this week. No drums got played, at all. It wasn't anyone's fault, per se. Just one thing on top of another. One thing on top of another thing. Ack. Ack, ack, ack. It was a difficult week.

And, I got sick!

I am a wheezing, sneezing, screeching, phlegm-filled, tired human being with a red, peeling, flaking nose. I've blown so much today that my nose hurts, all on its own.

*sigh*

It's okay, though. It's all okay.

All the bed tracks for my album are finished, at least. I'm headed up to Canada in the next couple of weeks, to finally get the drums done. This is a good plan, there are too many variables and distractions in the Brooklyn rehearsal space.

I've been reading a ton in preparation to re-start my novel. Writing the Breakout Novel was delicious. I am reading Creating Character Emotions. Quick read, but good stuff here. I bought the Best American Short Stories of 2006, and am tucking into that now.

Here's to a happy weekend.

jules

Up From The Underground.

Howdy, Folks, out there in the ether.

Sorry to be away for so long. My album sessions started Monday. I was sucked into the album vortex until 10pm tonight, when I came home, made myself a turkey burger, and finally felt like I could exhale for the first time in days.

It has not been an easy week.

Sitting in front of a microphone with a guitar in my hand has brought up *all* my stuff, my yucky psychological stuff. At once. I'm working through it, though. We are recording in a space that's actually in a (sometimes noisy) rehearsal studio, so there have been a few things to negotiate. But, we've gotten down buildable versions of seven songs, as of this writing. I get a week and a half off, and then we try to get the other half of the basic tracks for the record down in two days.

I am exhausted.

I love my producers.

They are polar opposites of each other, almost. They are good friends, but have very different ways of working on music, and it has been such a growth exercise to watch them working it all out, and to work it out with them. They are talented, conscientious men, my fellow soldiers in a difficult task. I am lucky to have them.

Did I mention that I *love* my producers?

*big smile*

I have also been whittling away at my 101 in the few spare hours I've had. I finished The Information and started Jeanette Winterson's Sexing the Cherry. My next book will be Weston Ochse's Scarecrow Gods, since he was kind enough to leave a comment on the blog (thank you, Weston!).

And, I'll have something to show you tomorrow, and another thing to cross off the list....

:)

jules

101 — A Cool, Cold Day.

What a cool day. In spite of the freezing coldness.

I finally finished all my musical charts, and took my files to work to get printed.

I don't mind being at work when I don't have to be there. It was nice to see my weekday co-workers, who I haven't seen for three weeks now. Anyhow, I made my Album Book. It's beautiful, to see all the songs for my album compiled into one place, with a beautiful wire binding.

Dropped the book off with producer #2. Got more questions and concerns from him, and lovely chat. We start work in earnest next week, and I'm so excited it's hard to keep myself still.

Knit New York is tucked away in a little basement level shop not too far away from my beloved Union Square. I walked there, fully intent on signing up for the group class on Wednesday the 20th. However, I was told by Raashida there that the private classes are a little cheaper and more flexible, so I signed up for a private lesson on Monday the 18th. I'll learn knitting *and* purling, whatever that is!

I'm going to make a hat!

On my way out of HSBC, I saw Olga, a Municipal Liaison for National Novel Writing Month in Brooklyn. She was out with her friend Erika, and asked me to go shopping at the Union Square Christmas Kiosks with them.

I like the idea of the kiosks, but have avoided them for the past couple of years for fear of that claustrophobia endemic in popular New York shopping locations at Christmastime. I'm glad I let Olga lead me over there - it was such a cold day that the kiosks weren't too crowded. And, I found some beautiful items. I bought a necklace and a pair of earrings, for much more money than I would usually spend on jewelry. But, I love them. They're very classy.

Olga, Erika, and I then took our freezing fingers and toes to the Max Brenner, where they had hot chocolates, I had coffee. Max Brenner is a very, very dangerous place. There are huge vats of chocolate, peanut butter, hazelnut praline, and other delicious things, just sitting there. On a less disciplined day, I'd be...never mind. Shouldn't think about it.

Netflix came through for me, I now have Holy Smoke.

woot,

jules