It seems cooler today. I know I keep saying that but surely this heat wave has to pass sometime. We’ve been roasting here in NYC, melting into the hot street. I take Doe out and rush her back into the air conditioning. I’m glad I don’t have to wear a fur coat as she does. The yoga studios at Pure are overwhelmed by it, the sweat pours off of us in Level 1, and it’s been too hot to run in the park.
Last night, there was a breeze off the river, the moon looked like a prop in a movie set. Paul walked me to the bus stop and pointed it out. It’s a straight shot across town from my place to his. The 96 Street crosstown is my chariot.
We’re working on a couple of pieces for a DW project. I wrote the first one last Wednesday, and the second on Thursday, then spent the next four days getting piano performances I was happy with. In contrast, Paul sat down with his guitar and played his parts with ease. He is a better and better musician over the years and can play anything, but mostly what I think about when I look at him, is what a great person he is, and how lucky I am to have his friendship. He’s been my best friend for more than 30 years. It makes me happy to see him so happy these days. His life is full of love and work now, and he deserves every minute of it.
Part of the reason it was so hard to get the piano performances (other than the fact that the pieces are hard and I’m not a great piano player), is that the noise factor is a problem in my new place. I was getting the low frequencies of everyone’s air conditioner, even after I’d turned mine off. Also, there’s the sound of traffic on Third Avenue. It rarely gets quiet. I need to get some sort of baffling for my mic, which is very sensitive and picks up absolutely everything.
I hadn’t worked on music in a long time before working on this project, but I feel like a fish swimming. It’s natural and satisfying for me. I’m working on my novel every day now, and that process is much harder. But I’ve been writing songs since I was 11 years old. I’m sure my second novel will be easier. My goal with this one is to, number one: finish it, and number two: make it as great as I’m capable of at this time, (which may not be very great at all.) It’s the challenge of learning that makes it an adventure, and I’m feeling good about the story, which is titled, for the time being, “The Original 1982.”
I’ll work on it for an hour this morning before running a couple of errands. Then it’s back on the cross town bus to Paul’s house, where we’ll finish our mixes and get them off to DW’s editor at Chinagraph.