The weather got a little crazy in Houston today, but we’re okay here at Houndstooth Hall, Fox Den, and Fairy Cottage. I’ve heard there was tornado damage, but I tried not to stress out about it because the dogs pick that up. Instead, I stayed in cozy PJs all day while it stormed and wrote and rewrote and rewrote again the chapter that I just finished. I think I probably can’t write any more today, though I might edit a little after I cook and we eat dinner.
This is the wee boombox that now sits next to me while I write. I also picked up the kind of old-school headphones that I like and longed for after the previous boombox got unreliable.
I continue to think having music playing while I write is helping the process. Back in the earlier years of this century, when Tim and I wrote in the same room or at least one of the two homes on The Compound, he always had music playing. But for some reason, when I’d try to write alone, I didn’t want music. Maybe I overthought what I should listen to. Now that I’m just going alphabetically through the CD binders, no analyzing required.
These were today’s choices:
Patsy Cline, 12 Greatest Hits; Leonard Cohen, More Best of Leonard Cohen; and Paula Cole, This Fire.
Yesterday…
Front and back covers of B.B. King and Eric Clapton, Riding With the King; Eric Clapton, Reptile; Eric Clapton, Me and Mr. Johnson.
That was a cool selection because it set the mood for an entirely new character I introduced.
I have an anxiety-inducing phone call tomorrow afternoon. Another day to stay away from news and social media. Please send good vibes.
Last year, when I was playing from my music library, be it driving, laundry, etc, I went through the entire hot season on all starting with the letter’P’. The Pet Shop Boys albums somehow soothed most of the hot season away just by keeping my mind and soul singing along.
All my Pet Shop Boys was loaded into my iTunes library on the computer that suddenly went black one day in 2020, just after I was laid off. The newer computer (which is, to be frank, a piece of shit and we don’t know why), now controls the iTunes library, and only recognizes purchases because Dead Computer can’t be turned on. (They used to speak to each other when both were up and running.)
There was nothing we could do about Dead Computer because no one was going into Apple stores and sitting for hours when there was a pandemic raging and no vaccinations.
We have a friend with a “Computer Guy” who could probably help with all of this, but that’s not in the current budget. So I make do. And for Pet Shop Boys, I visit YouTube.
Im hoping Everybody Knows is on Leonard Cohen’s … and have a good day tomorrow and if you need anything give a call unless I’m in therapy I’m always available
Yes, “Everybody Knows” is on there.
Thanks.