I have a few moments and I thought I would update. Joey also took me to the art museum as planned and like the art student that he always is, made a video of me playing with Warhol's Silver Clouds. No, I am not posting it. It's his work, his video, his project. But it was a fun day. We looked at every single piece of art in that building and ended up spending the entire afternoon there, I mean hours and hours. Great fun. Then we went out to eat. Then we rode around looking at new buildings. Don't ask.
I've been listening to Placebo's new vinyl, which I love. It's sonically beautiful. Joey and I played the CD in the car on the way and talked music, which songs he liked versus the ones I did. We both really like the same ones, our favorites, Forever Chemicals and Sad White Reggae. I thought maybe four new Placebo songs would be added to the writing playlist but I have more. Cringe. But I just could not do without them. I really can't imagine what "Placebo" is thinking when they look at the charts. They are 25+ years into a career, already put out a compilation album and this piece of work is just stunning. That doesn't happen often. And from an indie band and an indie label. I am really happy for them. It's a fairy tale story though really it's about talent, struggle, and perseverance. In the arts, all arts, being at the right place at the right time is part of it. That's why many arty people work all the time. One reason. The other is they love what they do even when no one is listening or reading or looking or paying attention at all.
The novel is coming along, as all novels do if one adds more words than one takes away. But there are many words to go. And I tend to think too much. I've promised certain people not to think myself into a rigamarole, something I am known to do. While writing I have to read, too. Reading stimulates me. I try to stay focused on non-fiction while writing fiction but occasionally I veer off the path and read a novel. Right now, it's two novels. One by Donna Tartt and one by Jennifer Egan. I'll post about them when I finish. Different reads. Very good. I was thinking about tone today when rereading what I had wrote. Both these women have personal styles that function as tone. Tone has been the most difficult aspect for me in this draft. In the first draft, one just attempts to discover the story and organize a plot and well, find out what NOT to do. The rewrites get harder and harder as an author pins down all her devices. And that is where I am. There. In that difficult place.
