Friday, January 1, 2010

'An Early Model Chevrolet'

Its like your standing in the window,
of a house nobody lives in,
and I'm sittin' in a car across the way,
let's just say, an early model chevrolet,
let's just say, a warm and windy day,
the trash man comes tomorrow,
He'll pick up all our sorrow,
And we'll just drive away.

Jackson Browne 'Late For the Sky'

Of all Jackson Browne's lyrics, this is one of my favorites. I'm not so sure why I'm thinking of it tonight, on the first day of 2010, perhaps because it's the perfect nostalgic lyric. I'm feeling some nostalgia tonight. Maybe because I'm far away from home. Maybe because the future is uncertain. Maybe because I've been playing old songs on my guitar. Maybe, maybe, maybe... the world is full of 'maybes' tonight.

I did have a fairly interesting evening last night. I went to an all sober party. It's rather strange to go to a party on New Year's Eve, filled with recovering alcoholics who are not drinking. Because no one is drinking, the room is filled with frenetic energy, social phobia, and constant movement. Perhaps, this is only my take on the landscape, my own subjectivity. Because I didn't know anyone, I sat in a corner on a couch and read the paper, filled up with my own social phobia. Not that people weren't nice, they were, in fact, very nice, and I met some new people. This was my assignment, "Go to the party and meet some people..." The universe works in such interesting ways. In the end, I sat on the couch and talked with someone that I really liked. There was fireworks. I watched them until the end, and then left to get Baby out of her crate, and get her through the bang and popping of New Year's Eve. She was asleep when I got home.

Today, I got up early, went to another meeting, and then to the dog park. The dog park is always a fun place to go. Once again, Baby got the dogs moving in her direction. She does have this amazing charismatic energy, (I know, my dog) but really, she is the most social dog I've ever seen. Its almost as if she's making sure everyone is having fun. Today I noticed people calling for their dogs... "Mitzi! Jake! Hooter! Molly! Jack! Rooney!" I don't know if the dogs were still a little freaked out by the New Year's fireworks and change of routine, but they were all a little more aggressive today.

I'm a little anxious myself tonight, because tomorrow's Saturday, I'll have to wait two more days, (Monday) before I can continue with my 'Take on Texas' plan. I know there's much to get done in these next two weeks. Our tech rehearsal for the show in the FronteraFest is on the 17th of January, and we have to be out of this apartment on the 16th, it's going to be a little crazy, a tough transition. The theatre we are performing in has a much taller ceiling, and so we have to figure out how we are going to 'rig' the screen for the slides. I like to solve these kind of problems, but starting out, I always get a little anxious. Even though I've done this show over forty-five times now, the anxiety never really goes completely away. Still, it's a new theatre, and as I've mentioned, the show is almost as compact as I can get it, which is pretty minimal and transportable.

Oh, I don't think I talked about going to Bryan, TX. We did a radio interview in Bryan with my friend, Ann Preston, it was really fun. Bryan is about two hours north of Austin, right next to College Station, where Texas A&M university resides. Ann is a great interviewer, and since she knows about my career and family, she asked great questions and kept the interview going. The radio station where she works is really cool, so it was a great experience. We also went to the local theatre there and met with some of the members of the board. It looks like I will being doing four shows in Bryan, TX the first part of March if I can financially survive February. I really do think the rural market is my oyster. The space there is old but exactly the kind of theatre I feel comfortable in, and like to perform in.

The plan for now is to figure out how I can stay in Austin until at the least, summer. I have been making lots of connections and meeting people, but as I do, I'm also looking for some work. I realized driving around today, that I've never filled out a job application. All the jobs I've had have been through referral or a friend, and if I've filled one out, I don't remember doing so. Maybe its time. I'm continuing to go to Rozone Productions everyday, but they have been closed. I have a good feeling about their company, however, they do just the sort of thing I've been doing for years. Next month, they are producing Anita Baker at The Austin Music Hall. As I told Rustin the other day, we have as good of a chance at working in production as anyone else, and we have lots of 'chops'. I'll let you know what comes through.

I have no inspired thoughts tonight, but thought I'd better write anyway, an act of faith, really, but isn't everything? Happy New Year.


5 comments:

TJ in Boulder said...

A New Year's eve campfire at Lisa & Keith's with a small glass of wine and good conversation. A couple of small Roman Candle fireworks. It was 8 degrees and we had on multiple layers. Home by 9:00 and asleep by 11:00. Calender changes are a pretty arbitrary "renewal" date. I now realize I prefer the solstice since it represents an actual astronomical event. The light now grows for 6 months. Snow shoeing on the monuntain, as we continue to have a good snow base and cold nights. Town is very quiet with the celebration season ending and various people heading for winter escapes. Even the H & H will be closing tomorrow for 1 1/2 months.

Our thoughts are with you. We wish for a healthy, happy and successful 2010 for Raymond & Baby.

T

kanyonland King 2.blogspot.com said...

Heck, your dog just knows how to 'round-up' the playmates. People claim Border Collies are great with cattle as well as sheep.
I didn't realize you were headed to Austin for the winter! It will be spring when you think Boulder.
I was interested that you would go to a 'sober' party. Way to go!

Chuckh said...

Border collies will try to "heard" other dogs and even people if they are running. They are smart and hyper and get into trouble if left to their own devices. Need lots of exercise, too. I was going to get one but I realized I couldn't give it enough exercise each day. I love those dogs, though. Austin sounds like a cool city. Best of luck job hunting. Hope you got my card.

caroline said...

If we want to look at it that way, every (literal) step we take is an act of faith. So good on ya for braving it. May your dreams catch up to you this year, Raymond.

Gerry said...

I better comment down here on Doc's computer as ever since Dante spent 15 hours on mine it has been acting up, but I know there is always that possibility but I can't deny him access since he gets little chance to go on line, and he goes crazy for it. Dan knows this, too, so that's why I am going to write my memoirs on Doc's computer so I never have to deny Dante access. He doesn't visit me that often. I am glad you wrote as an act of faith, because I think that is what it takes to survive, just getting out there and trying to connect in all kinds of ways. Regularly.