Waking Music, Reading Music

It's just before 8 am on a Saturday morning and I chose to not sleep in.  I have plenty to do but nothing really I have to do.  No deadlines, no ongoing projects.  I will probably straighten up my studio to make it more tolerable to work in.  I am at peace this morning with, for want of a better term, doing nothing.

And I am waking up to strong coffee and a jazz playlist. I like to wake slowly on my days off from The Job.  Sometimes I like to wake up to Classical music but I usually reserve that when for reading.  This morning, this playlist is suitable for a slow waking.




So, once again, it's hermit time, at least for the morning.  I am venturing out later to an illustrators meetup.  Usually I dread social events but today, I am actually excited. Usually, hermit time means just that.  All weekend I don't venture out.  I am also at peace with that.

And it's a beautiful day.  Summer is coming to an eventual close.  Autumn is my favorite time of year.  My creativity increases, I get more reading in.  The temperature lends itself to both. The air seems to conduct creative energy and it all just pours in.  Although I mentioned that I have no deadlines to speak of, I still have plenty to do.  Mostly self-generated projects.  I am doing The Postcard Project, drawing random and assorted postcards that I am offering up on my Ko-Fi page.  You can read more about the project by clicking on the Postcard Project link.

And what is Ko-Fi?  It's where people can go to buy an artist/creator a virtual coffee for $3 as a way of supporting their art.  Think of it as a tip jar for an artist.  With my ko-fi page, the more coffees you buy me, the more of my art I send you.  For instance, 2 coffees gets you a hand drawn postcard, delivered right to your door.

I hope everyone has the day they are wishing for.  I have some reading to catch up on...

Sketching

Over the last couple years, I kind of fell away from keeping a sketchbook.  I focused on printmaking, doing art fairs (which takes up a lot of time and energy in itself) and well, it just happened.  I would carry the sketchbook around but never seem to put anything in it.

The, it started happening again without me really trying.  It was a series of events, you could say.  First, I started reading more.  In earnest.  And real books, not e-reader books.  That led to taking notes on what I was reading, which then led to keeping a journal.  I started adding small doodles to my journal entry, nothing too involved.  

I have had a annual membership to Skillshare since November of last year.  Within the last few weeks, I started to take advantage of the classes that are offered.  Drawing, watercolor, Urban Sketching, Design.  There is a lot! If you are interested, just follow the link above.  You get two free months and I get a free month.  It's 99 dollars a year and in my opinion, well worth it.

Anyway, so I'm drawing and sketching again.  I have been also drawing artist trading cards and postcards.  I offer these on ko-fi.com, where you can get original artwork from me by buying me a virtual coffee (or two).  Click the link or click the "Buy Me a Coffee" button on the right sidebar.

So, you will be seeing more sketches from me amongst the poetry and book reviews.  Please let me know what you think.  I love getting comments.

Insomnolence

Insomnolence

For the first time in weeks 
(has it been months?)
my dreams did not contain
imagined scenes of regret
concerning people 
I did not know 
or have never met.

This morning I woke from a
sleep of dreaming and
I was dreaming of sleep
and slumbering late
in the morning
And for once, feeling rested
Thinking of the day ahead
and thoughts of coffee
and the absence of dread

The Purpose of Memory

The Purpose of Memory

The years have passed 
and 
I guess I 
don't remember you 
quite as well as I promised or
thought I would.

I know, I know,
I promised never to
forget
but the years have passed

And the memories of 
then have lost their
purpose to
the present, to the now,
to the moment.

And the bond already
tenuous to begin with
has all but
disappeared.


--Mark Bodhisattva Hill

Eremite

Eremite

The waking early without an alarm
The quiet breathing of my love
beside me
The joy of not having to go
to work.
The frivolous struggle in my 
mind of whether to lay there 
a bit longer
or start the day.

The sound of water boiling and
coffee grinding, the aroma.
The five minutes of waiting.
The steam rising from the cup.
The sugar hissing as it
hits the hot coffee, the rolling
clouds of creamer.
The small groan of pleasure as
I take the first sip.

The lack of plans or destination
other than perhaps the studio,
perhaps the couch,
perhaps a bike ride
perhaps just sitting and
listening to quiet music or
perhaps to nothing at all,
the incidental music
of the birds outside,

I dream of a life
where this is Everyday, only
varying by the seasons and 
the weather outside.
A life of the hermit, 
of sorts,
just me and
my Love.

--Mark Bodhisattva Hill

Bookstores: How to Read More Books in the Golden Age of Content - by Max Joseph.

BOOKSTORES: How to Read More Books in the Golden Age of Content from Max Joseph on Vimeo.

I found this video fascinating.  And now I want to travel to Portugal...

Review: Born to Be Posthumous: The Eccentric Life and Mysterious Genius of Edward Gorey

Born to Be Posthumous: The Eccentric Life and Mysterious Genius of Edward Gorey by Mark Dery
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I found the writing to be very unsatisfying. Dery sometimes sounds as though he is writing for a college newspaper. He refers to Gorey's art and writing as his "stuff." Dery spends more than half of the book quoting or using other sources, one wonders if he ever met Gorey.

And yes, he focuses far too much on whether Edward Gorey was gay. Gorey was always in the habit of deflecting the question when directly posed to him. Most likely he felt it was no one's business. And it wasn't. Or isn't. Gorey was multifaceted, idiosyncratic, eccentric, incredibly imaginative, and yes, most likely gay. Dery glosses over most of Gorey's personality but keeps reminding the reader, oh yes he's all of these things, but mostly he's gay.

I wanted to read this book because I admire Edward Gorey as a person and an artist. I took away a lot from this book, to be sure, but also became bored with Dery's flitting about and going off on tangents.

Maybe I should give some of the blame to Dery's editor...

View all my reviews