This isn't Shakespeare, this isn't news/ It's just my thoughts on music and booze/ Read if you dare, leave if you must/ Though you'll miss out on my musical lust/ Depart and go on your own merry way/ But much is offered, should you choose to stay.
It's October! My favorite month! It's the 4th, and as of about 2 days ago, it finally actually feels like fall. No more temps in the 90s. This time next week I'll be up to my nose in Creole, Cajun and French influences, foods, histories and atmospheres. Yep, going to Nola! Taking my mom. We're pretty excited. Marie Laveau, Jean Lafitte, voodoo, absinthe, crawdads, etoufee... just to name a fraction of it. Oh! I finished my Poison Ivy painting a while back! Here she be:
I'm pleased with how she turned out. Now on to the next one... As for music, tonight I was reminded of a song that's in the show Orphan Black. It's called "Water Prayer" by Adham Shaikh, and it's the Matt the Alien Remix. It's got a good smooth feel to it, something worth dancing to. (If you're interested, the Orphan Black scene with the song is here.)
I also listened to the Nightmare Revisited album earlier. Give it a listen, if you haven't. And if you're into Nightmare Before Christmas. Alright, one more song. This one was on an episode of Grace and Frankie. It stuck with me and still gets played rather often.
Not much else to share, even after six and a half months... Ta.
Since my last post, I've acquired a new job! No more bartending, back to what I love... working with kids! I'm a para again! And absolutely loving it. It happened about a month after my last entry, actually.
I discovered a couple of songs via youtube. Sorry, what? Well hell yeah, of course I'm gonna share 'em! The first is from a band I hadn't heard of previously, called The Dead South. This song... something about it really stuck with me. I find it catchy.
It's difficult for me to understand what the song is about, but I gather it's a couple who meets a rather violent end, with him ending her and them himself, saying he'll "be in good company" in hell, since that's where they both are probably going.
The second song I discovered is from a band I already love, The Kills. Their album Blood Pressures is one of my top 5 favorites. And I don't think I can listen to this song without watching to music vid to accompany it. Greatness.
She (Alison Mosshart) is also in another band called The Dead Weather. (I may have mentioned this before. Totally bears repeating.) When I first discovered her, thanks to Anthony Bourdain's Nashville episode, I delved into her music and found I preferred The Kills over The Dead Weather. NOW, however, I find that the latter's Dodge and Burn album has really grown on me.
In essence, Alison Mosshart holds a special place in my heart. And my musical choices.
So I just watched the first John Wick movie, for the first time. I had a slight idea of what it was about, guy's dog gets killed, he seeks revenge. 'S'what I'd heard, anyway. And basically yeah, there's a bit more to it, but that's what it boils down to. I think what surprised/amused me was, EVERYONE'S reaction. "You killed his dog? F*ck!! You f*cking IDIOT!" Followed by a huge impressive violent revenge tale.
Finally painting again! As of about an hour ago! Something I've long had on my to-do list. Poison Ivy on canvas to go with my Harley Quinn. And it's off to a pretty good start.
It's finally that amazing time of year. Chilly. Autumn-y. Time for fires and hot tea. And of course Oktoberfest beer. As for the art projects I mentioned in my last post, I did accomplish a bit. First is the wooden 20-sided die I bought my husband.
This, let me tell you, has been pretty meticulous work. But I'm pleased. My first painting for my friend's hippie bar wasn't proceeding as hoped, so I took a different approach with my second canvas. Instead of sketching first, and being mindful of the lines, I loosened up and used nothing but paintbrush.
I think it worked out. My friend loves it. Also did a quick Joan Jett sketch while I was stuck between projects. Nothing special, but kinda got me pointed in the right direction.
So now I need to finish the first painting I started, and start either a Poison Ivy or Catwoman to go with the Harley Quinn I have. Speaking of Batman villains, Devon wants to go as the Riddler for Halloween this year, and he wants me to go as Ivy. Dude... I'm about 30 lbs over my "sexy" body, but... fine. If that's what you want. I caught a documentary on tv the other day, and I loved it. It was Pink Floyd: The Making of Wish You Were Here. And it made me fall in love with the album. They broke down every song... The background, the meaning... It was fantastic. What's interesting is, maybe a week before I saw it, I was reading about the band, and the whole Syd Barrett story stuck with me. He was an original founder, and the first lead singer. But, that Syd disappeared and left behind a shell of his former self. Family claims it was mental issues, like schizophrenia, while his bandmates say it was an overuse of LSD. At any rate, Syd and the band separated, and a few years later they made Wish You Were Here. The first and last tracks - the two-part Shine On You Crazy Diamond - is about, and dedicated to, him. Anyway, it's actually available on YouTube, so... Give it a watch!
Happy mid-September. I suppose. Just, y'know, waiting for October, and everything that comes with it. Just get here already... And bring that chill to the air with you.
Finally got some art projects going. I'm painting a flat wooden 20-sided die for my husband, and working on the first of hopefully a few canvasses for a friend. She just opened up a bar close to where I work, and it's hippie-themed. I'm also hoping to finally do the Poison Ivy (from the Batman universe) canvas I've wanted to do for ages. I'll share pics of them once they're done. The new house is going nicely. Got it all unpacked, now just need to get a couple projects done. A dresser for the kid, an entertainment center. Deep freeze. This 'n that. Apparently we moved into a nature preserve. Countless squirrels, rabbits, mourning doves, cardinals, other birds I can't identify, possums, a snake or three, and... two chipmunks. Yep. However, it's only when I keep the bird feeder filled. Leave it empty for a few days, and it's a ghost town. One of the chipmunks, the one I see regularly, is my favorite. When I fill the hanging bird feeder, I'll lay some food out on the ground for him. He fills his cheeks and disappears for a while, then returns empty. Repeat. The other chipmunk I only saw once or twice, and I thought "oh, you brought family, awesome!..." then suddenly he chased the new guy away with great hostility. "Or... not... ok..." Hopefully getting new ink soon. As in new tattoo. Again with the sharing of pics once it happens. Our family "vacation" this summer (I'm really not considering it a vacation, for reasons) included a sightseeing trip to "castle ruins" in/near the Ozarks. If you're ever in the area, it's worth the time. Here's a pic to give you an idea...
After a couple of paragraphs, I realized that I really don't have much to say tonight... Just excited to be doing art again, I guess, and wanted to share. Don't really have a lot to get excited about these days. Take care. Ta-ta.
Ah, echo. It's just as empty here as before I took my unprecedented leave.
Jolly good.
So, my last post was... October! Wow. Four months ago.
Over the holidays, we received enough money to give our kid the choice between a train ride into the city, or a short vacation to a beach. He chose the latter. So we're combining this year's family vacation with Eric and I's wedding anniversary and all going to the gulf.
Still at my house cleaning job. The schedule is great, and time off is almost always given when requested. But, a lot of times, it's difficult to work with basically a girls club, all of whom are younger than me, and not fitting in. It's gotten a bit better, but not entirely.
Also, five months of being the bathroom bitch is about 2 months too long.
Ah, an interesting development. Assuming plans don't change, I'll be officiating a wedding in October. Looking forward to it, since it's a) something I've never done before and b) helping out someone I work with. I'll do the proper arrangements to be their minister soon - getting certified and all. Ha, and the other day, another girl I work with came up to me asking if I'd be willing to do her sister's wedding. I said I'd prefer to get to know the couple I'm binding, but I could probably do a cold ceremony. (Y'know, like a cold open, yeah?)
I've been binge watching Falling Skies now that it's over. Enjoying it. I like Noah Wyle, and I think he fits his character pretty perfectly.
Something else I've done in the span of my unnoticed absence, I painted a couple things as Christmas gifts. One for someone who loves otters...
And the other for someone who practices Reiki (a healing technique based on the principle that the therpist can channel energy into the patient by means of touch, to activate the natural healing processes of the patient's body and restore physical and emotional well-being).
They were pretty well received. Pleased, was I. Been wanting to paint something else now, but not sure what. Maybe it's time to get back to Poison Ivy, to match the Harley I did.
If you need new-ish music to listen to, try Post Pop Depression by Iggy Pop, The Getaway by Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Act One by Marian Hill. The Marian Hill album isn't my usual flavor, and isn't my favorite, but I appreciate it for its artistry. (Also, the artist name comes from the two main characters from the musical The Music Man.)
Since my last entry, I've started watching The Blacklist. And I'm hooked. In love with James Spader. He's amazing. The slow, slow revealing of the main character's past and her connection to his character, Raymond "Red" Reddington, is damned frustrating, but I think that if they were to reveal the truth in its entirety, the show would lose a chunk of its following. "Well, now I know, so what's the point of watching..." So I understand. But I'm quite looking forward to that reveal, whenever it shall show itself. (Probably the series finale.)
I'm considering starting on some jukebox art. Either oil paint on canvas or colored pencil on paper. Nice contrast of neon with dark undertones.
OR maybe the Daft Punk guys.
Kinda phasing out of pastels.
Amy Winehouse in the ears as I type. Her Back To Black album.
Started reading Forrest Gump a few days ago. The novel is pretty different from the movie. It's a bit of a slow read, I think mostly due to it being written as he would write it. Example: "We foun a place to put the gun an stayed there till it got dark - an all night long, too, but nothin happen. We could hear all sorts of shit goin on everplace else, but we be lef to ourselfs. Sunup come, an we hungry an tired, but there we is."
I may have started reading Hannibal by Thomas Harris at about the same time, to balance things out a bit, grammatically and intellectually.
There are two meals I'd like to attempt sometime soon. One from Captain America: Civil War, the other from the Hannibal TV show.
Chicken Paprikash
and...
Pappardelle alla Lepre
(Papparedelle with Rabbit)
Yum. Times two. Actually, dunno about the Paprikash, but I know I'd like the pappardelle. (Which is really wide, flat noodles.) AND, as luck would have it, I was recently given rabbit meat. Score.
Them Crooked Vultures now.
I recently found a really cool picture online. I was browsing Cthulhu pics on Google, and found this one:
How cool would it be to be driving down the freeway and see this looming in front of you? Or maybe in your rearview mirror?
I know, I'm odd. But really... It'd be pretty cool.
This one is pretty awesome as well. A brilliantly made gif...
Alright, gonna wrap things up. Take care. Hug a cephalopod. Buh bye.
My summer continues. It got hot quickly this year, up in the 90s by the 2nd week of June. We were hoping to hold off as long as possible on putting the air conditioning window units in, but that just didn't happen.
Unfortunate news... Our beloved cat, Vigo, will be leaving us. No matter our efforts, he is set on getting outside as often as possible. There are fleas outside. Well, mostly outside... Anyway, hopefully he goes to another loving home and we get ours cleared of pests.
I just wish I could turn all our little "guests" into one large Flea...
...And the rest of the Red Hot Chili Peppers are welcome to set up shop here as well, of course...
A few weeks ago, I looked into more Stoner Rock bands. Basically anything Joshua Homme has done has been, or at least included, Stoner Rock. Kyuss, Eagles of Death Metal, Queens of the Stone Age... So I wanted to find more. And I found Atomic Bitchwax. Well right away, the name had me. Loved it. I'm listening to it now, their Gravitron album, which is their most recent, released last year. I'm enjoying it. Though, they seem to have a bit of a faster tempo than the usual Stoner Rock. No matter, still good.
I may be switching back to my rum & colas. I'm not sure if the Stonewalls I've been drinking for some time now are actually better for me or not, so I'm opting for the cheaper route.
Ah now on to Arctic Monkeys. They're a good go-to when you're not sure what to listen to.
There's a bit of a chance we'll be relocating... majorly. Over 22 hours' drive worth of relocating. To a place that's half our town's population, and... in the desert. I don't handle heat well. People say that a "dry heat" is better than humidity. I'm not arguing, I'm just saying heat is heat. It's more difficult to escape heat than it is cold.
But then I thought... I'm always looking for something new. While it's not necessarily my first choice, it's still something new! I have a select few people I interact with regularly that I'll be heartbroken to leave behind, but I'm not exactly drowning in friends.
There IS a brewery there whose best seller is a red ale, so I know where I'll be spending a lot of my free time. AND another one about an hour away, bordering a lake.
Now for some throwback. Eve 6. Their self-titled.
I started another art project the other night. Rather than continuing with the Gotham Gals oil paint, I started a chalk portrait of Illyria from the tv show Angel. She makes her appearance in the final season. I've always been drawn to her blue hue... Her hair, her eyes, her lips... and the character that accompanies these attributes. And I feel like the desire to capture it in a portrait has recently reached a peak, so I obeyed my desire.
Also, I think I figured out why I prefer using oil paint on canvas over using pastels. It's more precise. If I need a sharper line, I can get a smaller, finer brush. You can't really do that with chalk. Sure, pastel is easier to fix, but I found oil paint to have a better finished product.
Oh! Right! MUST mention this! We watch America's Got Talent, and I think my favorite act of the year showed himself in the first one or two episodes. Tape Face! I always go for the "odd" acts. There are plenty of competitive shows for singers and dancers. Even magicians and stand-up comedians have a type-specific show they can try for (though I have a soft spot for comedians). But the odd acts! Like Uzeyer last year! And this year, Tape Face! Here...
If you don't like the first part, just hang in there for the second. It's great. I can't wait to see more of him. Very creative, imaginative.
Apparently I have quite a bit to say tonight.
Now listening to Fun. Another good go-to. Their style is different. But excellent.
Alright, I'm gonna call it a night. Gotta get up somewhat early for the kid's dentist appointment.
May your summer be a "dry heat" and your air conditioned.
Finished my Harley Quinn oil painting about a week and a half ago. Here's the finished piece:
I'm pleased with how it turned out. I know I said I'd do Catwoman next, but it's been difficult figuring out how to portray her. So I may have found a way to do Poison Ivy instead, and I hope to get started soon.
Less than 3 weeks of school/work left. I'm rather glad.
Not sure what the summer's going to bring. The kid will have summer school and perhaps a week away at a camp (last year he only lasted one night) and maybe some other stuff. I'll be job hunting, of course, and cleaning around the house. Tending to our garden! I check on it and my potted stuff every morning before I leave and again when I get home. Hopefully we got rid of the rabbit problem by putting a fence up around the veggies.
My birthday weekend started this evening, even with having work tomorrow. It was kinda spur-of-the-moment, but those are worth the groggy mornings... ;)
Well Friday ended on a low note. Got told by the principal that I had 2 options. Either hand in a letter of resignation to the board of education effective the end of the school year (next month) or my position would be terminated.
So, let's recap.
1)Didn't get a part, or even a callback, for the play I desperately wanted to be in.
2)Kid is headed towards getting put on behavior meds.
3)I'm being forced to resign from the job I strived to get only a year ago.
Yeah. Feelin' pretty defeated.
But, I have a growler of beer here that is trying its best to help me find my white chick groove as I listen to the Night at the Roxbury soundtrack. Temporary peace of mind.
I'm ready to do something. Get out of town. Hopefully next month.
Silver lining, I'm looking forward to having the time to continue my canvas art and hopefully completing the project I'm trying for. I'm mostly done with the first, and I believe Catwoman will be next. I'll leave Ivy for last. She'll likely be the most challenging. Not that that's a bad thing.
Alright, I'm out. Just wanted to express my current state of mind. No one reads it anyway.
Today was Callback day for a play I tried out for earlier this week. I received no call. So I'm attempting to drown my disappointment in rum and waiting for the thunderstorm that's been threatening us all day to finally arrive.
Feels like two fails back to back. Lousy (better, but still lousy) evaluation from douchebag at work and now this.
Now for appropriate music... Do I want to do heavy/angry rock or the soothing sounds of Elbow?.... Yeah I'll start with the former and go from there. Rise Against followed by Framing Hanley. Their "You Stupid Girl" and "Weight of the World" are good tunes.
More rum? Yes please. Thank you.
I finally got ahold of a song I've heard on the radio a few times and took a liking to. "Blue on Black" by Kenny Wayne Shepherd. From his 1997 Trouble Is... album.
Currently attempting my first canvas craft. Oil paint on a 14x11 canvas. If it turns out, it'll be a birthday gift for a friend. It's similar to yet different from using pastels on paper. Oil paint gets on your skin without you knowing... and spreads... everywhere. On you and your craft. Pastels do as well, to an extent, but they're much easier to handle, fix, and clean up. Also, the paint takes days to dry, while the pastels are done as soon as you are. But, I have to laminate the pastels, so that they don't smear. No need with the paint. Once it's dry, you're good.
I have a sudden crush on Iggy Pop. His personality, his voice, his everything. He was mesmerizing when he and Josh Homme debuted "Gardenia" on Stephen Colbert. Excellent frontman.
(Rubik's Cubes Iggy Pop art.) Midnight-thirty. Still no storm. Currently listening to Florence + the Machine. 2pm. Rather still outside, other than a slight breeze. Obviously I've not had anything to add, so I'll end it here.
Guess the Oscars are coming up. Prolly won't watch them, for two reasons. To support the boycott and to avoid the Alan Rickman tribute. I can always watch that part later. See if the emotions still hit hard. (After Robin Williams, it took several months.)
Been irritable ever since getting home from work today. Trying to remedy with drink and tunes. Listened to The C*nts earlier and now to an old favorite, Them Crooked Vultures. I'd really love for them to get together and make another album. But seeing as the 3-man supergroup is one part Queens of the Stone Age, one part Foo Fighters, and one part Led Zeppelin, I can see how that might be difficult... But still!
Alright, so ever since Alan Rickman died, I knew I wanted to attempt to draw him. Here is tonight's attempt:
Based from this pic:
Not perfect, I know, but I'm pretty pleased. I definitely wanted to honor him with my best attempt.
Hate when I really want to let loose blog-wise, but have nothing to talk about. Same happens with art. I loved art class in high school, the teacher gives you an assignment, whether it be chalk, clay, papier-mâché... Anyway, she would narrow it down, while at the same time giving you options. Such as, she says; we're doing a chalk portrait of a person. You get to choose your subject. I seemed to have the most success with those, because those are what won me art fair ribbons. And now, I just know that I want to create something, I want to be hard at work at what I'm doing... but I guess the motivation is lacking.
Apparently I left my ipod cord at my mom's last time I was there. Which is frustrating. I have acquired music, and then discovered I have no way of transferring it to my ipod. I knew I should've bought a spare one.
I hope to start classes at a community college soon. I know that I should have as soon as I got out of high school, but I had no idea of what to go for at the time. Well, I did, but for me to be successful, it would have required me to go to New York or Los Angeles. Shyeah, like that would have worked out.
And yes, my blog title does consist of song lyrics.
Me thinks mine motivation is spent on keeping the apartment semi-clean, meaning cleaning up after mine child, whom is constantly into everything, and his father, whom is severely lacking in the organizational area. But alas, I have told meself to complain not in this blog entry.
Listening to Dream by the Cranberries, which I know was in The Next Karate Kid (one of my favorites as a kid... Hilary Swank and Michael Ironside... nuff said) but was also in a commercial a while back... but can't remember which. I shall attempt to find out.
