cake shop. mmmmm.
in Performance, Thoughts and Feelings
as Bill, bischoffs, brushing my teeth, cake shop, Cause, conestoga wagon, delancy street, good vibes, Got, hand, Inwood, NBD, opposite, pamper, shop, stop, turtle shell, uke, wild wild west
You know how, in Star Trek, they do that thing where the stars become long lines because they are traveling faster than the speed of light? Or is that Star Wars? Well, it’s Star something-with-one-sylllable-in-the-next-word, anyway.
The subway was the opposite of that tonight.
And I had my musician-turtle-shell-on-her-back getup going on. The keyboard (IT’S GOT STAPS!) like a backpack, the stand in one hand, and the uke in the other. And all of that stuff makes me tired. And the train suddenly just skipped Delancy Street. Just didn’t stop. It was all, “NBD, I’m not stopping at a stop that I normally make. CAUSE I DON’T FEEL LIKE IT.”
Must be nice, train; must be nice.
Sometimes I sure don’t feel like paying a bill or brushing my teeth or just plain getting out of bed, but do I just pamper my feelings? No. Cause I’m what some would call an adult. Unfortunately, I was riding on a little toddler train who just didn’t feel like stopping at Delancy AND SO DIDN’T. I bet Momma Train understood, but I sure didn’t.
Anyway, all that to say, I think it took about the same length of time to get from Inwood to the East Village as it did for the settlers to Conestoga wagon it from the east coast to the wild wild west.
I’m not sure, but it’s got to be close, at least.
But then I got to my gig and the place was just awesome. Lots of people, lots of good vibes, and, yes folks, the Cake Shop sure does have cake. I love it when a venue lives up to its name. I went on last and the audience was all listening and recording and swaying and smiling and saying inappropriate things.
Well, one guy did, anyway.
But I made it into a joke and we all had a good laugh.
AND!
The percussionist for the band that played before me (the Bischoffs; check them out, they’re incredible, actually) was happy to play with me for my set. He had never heard any of my songs before (with the exception of ‘ain’t my friend), and he just jammed with me like it ain’t no thang. Maybe it’s my niche; jamming with percussionists I’ve never met before, I mean. But, the coolest thing is that Amit wants to start playing with me around the city. How great is that? I’ll tell you (cause you might not have heard his beats): it’s super great.
Afterward, I met so many fantastic people and took pictures with them and just enjoyed them in general. There was talks of me being in a dance-off as the night got later, but that turned into more of a talk-off, which I was just fine with, to be honest.
And I am not setting my alarm but I AM going to bed.
Happily, I may add. And happy don’t always come easy, so I’m feeling mighty thankful right about now.
I’m happy cause they’re happy that I’m happy.
in Loved Ones, Thoughts and Feelings
as artwork, atmosphere, Cause, couch, health insurance, insurance, kid, kind, laundry, many a night, moisture, occurrences, person, pop, sad times, sandwich, song, starters
Tonight, I sat on my parents’ couch and blinked back tears. I did not let on, though, that there was any kind of moisture pooling in my eyes, because I did not feel like crying. Well, okay, I felt like crying, since I kind of was crying, I guess–but I didn’t wanna commit to the Sob Fest 2012. Not when there were things to do.
Because right now, there are always things to do, it seems. I need to write this person back. Or text that person. Or call her. Or record a song. Or practice my music. Or listen to a message. Or get artwork together for an itunes release. Or send a post card. Or do laundry. Or brush my teeth. Or get on the train back to NYC. Or meet with someone. Or eat a sandwich.
But, tonight, I sat and talked with my parents about the recent occurrences, and I was just so happy for them, if that makes any sense at all. I have not yet had a kid, but I have heard that being a parent is to have your heart walk around outside of your body. What I mean to say is, the connection goes deep. And, they’ve seen me through some sad times. And then some more sad times, after that. We’ve sat on that couch many a night when I was crying and asking them to please tell me something that is good; tell me that there is a plan for my life that involves dreams coming true. Or love. Or, hey–how bout plain old health insurance, for starters?
But, I just watched them tonight. Their faces were so animated, talking to me. They were actually laughing out loud when I played for them the finished track of Ain’t My Friend tonight. Well, my pop was joyously laughing, anyway. My mom was concentrating very hard and looking irritated at my pop every time he adjusted the volume. Like, if you touched a knob–altered the atmosphere even the tiniest amounts–this whole thing might just vanish as fast as it first appeared.
And it might.
But, in the meantime, I am happy to sing my songs for people. And really really happy to watch my parents’ eyes light up over something good happening in my life. Not that it’s the first good thing. No, far from it! There are so many good things that have already happened to me–and many of them share my last name; while some don’t, but our closeness makes it feel like they do, anyway.
But tonight it was good to see my parents so happy.
And I am just gonna sit in this feeling for a while, if you don’t mind.
Who knows!? Maybe health insurance is next.
life and cleaning.
in I Lift My Eyes Up, there are pictures here, Thoughts and Feelings
as battering ram, Cause, fashion, fashion show, hamstrings, honest to goodness, kind, knight in shining armor, life priorities, mess, middle, moment, organization, proud cause, purple belt, rain boots, reading, reason, show, Tim Gunn
Does this kind of thing ever happen to you? You’re cleaning your room. Or, honest to goodness, really trying to. But then you find a dress your friend gave you that you’d completely forgotten about and it’s yellow (yellow!), so you decide to pair it with a purple belt and your rain boots and then [...]
oh, it’s monsoon season.
in Funny Stuff, I Lift My Eyes Up, Thoughts and Feelings
as Cause, chagrin, gleam, life, messes, MONSOON, monsoon season, pair, puddles, Pussycat, pussycat dolls, sky, slippage, song, tectonic plates, truth, ukelele, umbrella, way, wet socks, white dress, WORSE, yeah
I am not sure that you are aware of this, but it is apparently monsoon season in New York City. Also known as: JESSICA, DON’T FORGET YOUR UMBRELLA AGAIN! SEASON. Also known as: IS THERE ANYTHING WORSE THAN WET SOCKS? SEASON. And yes, there is something worse than wet socks. But just one thing, really: [...]
my bucket list.
in Thoughts and Feelings
as antarctica, broadway stage, bucket, Cause, choreograph, clamor, continent, direction, ears, europe, gosh, handstand, home, little baby, mouths, quilt, sense of direction, stage, stone, swaddling cloths, wood
walk all over europe. actually, walk on every continent. well, not quite sure about antarctica. we’ll see, I guess. make more albums. lots more. publish a book. perform on a Broadway stage. do a handstand all by myself. tour. for music, this time, I mean. build somekindawonderful relationship with somekindawonderful boy. have a small home [...]
farewell. I mean that: we will both fare well.
in Thoughts and Feelings
as body, Cause, closure, conversation, farewell, feed, ghetto, gotta, gurl, jazz class, new stuff, pansy, scars, song, stranger, subway station, Voice, voice lesson, way
Today I took: Hip hop. Capoeira. Yoga. And learned: A song for my voice lesson. And had a conversation with: My ex (I hate that word; I just do). I think I am exhausted in every way it is possible to be exhausted. My legs are protesting the three class streak today. My body’s all [...]
awkward.
in Performance, Thoughts and Feelings
as beating heart, Cause, colorful clothing, country singer, denim shirt, eff, expression, face, face value, funny thoughts, justice, kind, larry gatlin, matter of course, mysterious creatures, silken, singer, stage, swarovski crystals, way
I have come to the conclusion that, as a matter of course, sometimes life just becomes awkward. Sometimes you are wearing a beautiful sapphire gown that is covered in swarovski crystals. Country singer Larry Gatlin is also sharing the stage with you. Or, more appropriately, you are sharing the stage with him. And suddenly, you [...]
we’re all broken sometimes (it’s gonna get better)
in MP3
as bitter waters, cannot, Cause, combination of words, fly, gonna, mail, news, ocean, perfect combination, phone, song, swimming, tonight, way, while
I wrote this song tonight… we’re all broken sometimes…it’s gonna get better you don’t know lullabies, you just know how to say good-bye you haven’t heard the the perfect combination of words for quite a while you walk alone, try not to look at your phone you say you’re okay this way, what you don’t [...]
(merry christmas) i really do not miss missing you
in MP3
as Cause, Christmas, christmas lights, church, church bells, freedom, home, jingle bells, merry, Merry Christmas, piano, snowfall, song, stay, Voice
I was driving home tonight and this song dropped into my mind. I wrote it down at the piano when I got home and then I went and recorded it. Unfortunately, the piano is really quiet compared to my voice. But, yeah. Here it is: (merry christmas) I really do not miss missing you christmas [...]
halloween and a song tonight.
in MP3, Performance, photography, Thoughts and Feelings
as beatnic, Canada, Cause, dock, halloween, Halloweens, hook, kind, last minute, life, lobster, rufio, russian spy, Russian--or, show, sittin on the dock of the bay, song, spy, today, way
So, since people generally think I’m Russian–or just not from here anyway–(just yesterday someone was like, “Where are you from? You are foreign, yes?), I decided that for Halloween I’d be a Russian spy.Or a beatnic. Or someone who knows how to spell beatnic. Also, since some friends asked me to go out earlier today [...]
