November 17ths (That Was Me)

11/17/2001

Writing in diary. 

[That was me 23 years ago]

 

 

 

 

 

 

11/17/2004

Interesting observation/existential moment: A twenty year-old musician dressed in tight black leather, getting off the El with his girlfriend, slinging his bass, getting home from a gig at 7:30 a.m. I felt so old. That was me 25 years ago. 

Converted to lyrics:

That was me
25 years ago
That was me

Tight black leather
Going to a gig
25 years ago
Discovering yourself
As you go along
You set the rules
You’ve written the song

Being alive
And in your body
Struggling in the moment
And getting through

I overheard an actor talking about improvisation in theater—following impulses, making arbitrary choices, discovering characters as you go along, you set the rules and go—like improvisation in music. "The theater became my church", comedic "evangelism" (Convincing people to believe you're funny); Doing comedy is physical work—being alive in your body and in the moment; "Struggling in the moment and getting through." (the audience respects you for it); Learning when to "turn the lights out" (or turn them on). it makes people react.

11/17/2009

On the "Car Kabob" (Spindle) in Berwyn: Interesting: Art can be temporarily disassembled and recreated and gathers historical narrative ("moss").