May 13, 2007

8:36 p.m.

The Beauty of Kites

Turn your sound on and go to

this link

for one of the most beautiful and poignant things you'll ever see. I'll be very surprised if it doesn't bring tears to your eyes. Take note that one guy is manipulating all three kites.

********

We got back from Pennsylvania at 2:30 this morning, and I crashed at the band's house so we could get up and record a few things today for our school demo. They're in the middle of packing, and the painter was coming today to touch up some things, inside and out. The kitchen table and chairs were moved out to the screen porch so they can do something to the kitchen floor; boxes are starting to pile up everywhere. We were all completely fagged when we got up; Carol and I tried to hit an iHop for breakfast but there was an hour wait, so we went to the grocery store for turkey bacon and frozen waffles instead.

Chris made excellent cappuccinos from his new machine, and somehow we got the tracks we needed for now. It took a few hours. Eventually the painter arrived (a genius sax player who does houses on the side) and we wrapped up our last track and I was dismissed. It's probably the last time I'll record in their little basement cubicle! The new house will have much more room for the studio to expand. And the spare bedroom (which they always refer to as my room) has its own bathroom. I'm glad to see that my needs have been considered.

So I spent $50 at the grocery store (grapefruits and edensoy on sale!) and came home to make buffalo burgers and salad, and read my book some more, and now my eyes are drooping. It was such a long drive last night -- 4 hours after packing up from the gig -- and we were so punchy we laughed and laughed. I suddenly said from the back seat, "Did you ever wonder where spit comes from?" And Chris said, "It comes from your saliva glands, of course!" and I said, "No, but where do the glands get it? The water has to come from somewhere, and it has to be available right away! Where does it come from?" "From your body!" Chris said unhelpfully. "YES, but WHERE in the body? Are there tubes coming in from various places, conducting water? Does it just get sucked out of the blood, and then have enzymes added to it somehow? WHERE DOES IT COME FROM?" We were just about breathless laughing by then, and Carol said, "Well, but what is a gland, anyway? ...... Oh, no, wait, I'm thinking of a gill!" And that was it. We screamed. I said, "If you had a gill, you'd get water from outside your body!" That led us to wonder where tears come from, too.

This kept Chris (who was driving) awake for a while longer, and when he started to fade again we made fart noises until we laughed ourselves awake once more.

********

My jasmine is blooming to beat the band. C&C gave me a window fan that will pull or push air at the flick of a switch; no more turning the big square fan around, or duct-taping cardboard over the empty space on the side.

I have a big list this week but also the whole week off, with the exception of Thursday's rehearsal. Wednesday I'll go to Boston to see the lilacs in their prime, with Dar. We haven't done lilac time in years. Perhaps someone will by flying a kite on the common; you never know.