Awake/asleep more than once during night. Up for good around 6:30.
Breakfast, therapy.
Tried to make arrangements about getting one of my parents’ cars checked for its smog certificate; made appts. for dad w/ accountant and dermatologist.
Errands, 11-noon: lightbulbs, groceries. Listened to OMD s/t.
Probably overate for lunch. Read The Mao Case, took longish nap.
Went to Upland Starbucks around 3:45, mainly to get out for a while before dinner.
Daybook poem.
Finished Warwick.
Dinner, Jeopardy.
Went back to Starbucks, worked on bridge draft about 9-11. Listening to tango disc (will retrieve exact title/artist later).
5.6.18
Better sleep - up 6:30.
Found last bit of info for dad’s taxes. Will call for appt. tomorrow (a lot of this kind of stuff next week).
Read last 2 stories in Johnson. The most interesting pieces are the martial arts story, and one about the African tribe he invented for Middle Passage. You could, though, assign a story about Descartes and Queen Christina to an undergrad philosophy course. Listened to Gabor Szabo, Dreams (1968), w/ Keltner on drums, while browsing - I don’t know him, really, but this record suggests I’ve been missing out.6/16 is a lock.
Looks like we have a Human Hearts show w/ Tres Oui on June 16. Matt's in, unsure of Pete and Brandon, will contact Annie Nero or Tom Shad about bass if needed.
Left after 10. Drove around Pligrim Place, unsuccessfully looking for info on their weekly book sale. Found a park for the Farmer’s Market; bought a book of intro phil readings (“contemporary debates” kind of thing); zucchini for a frittata; and grape leaves and eggplant for lunch.
Listened to the rest of Uh Huh Her. It’s a return to a stripped-down style, all or mostly recorded solo I think; not as ambitious, song for song, as Dry or Rid of Me, but enjoyable - some great guitar tones/riffs.
Sanctuary. Caught up in daybook (had skipped yesterday).
Drove out to Rancho Cucamonga Library, bought a book on modern-day Brazil, and a handful of $1 CDs, inc. a compilation of classic tangos, a stray Rova Saxophone Quartet disc (very how did this get here?), and YLT’s Summer Sun, which I may already own. Worked on entry for a couple hours.
Picked up dinner at Vince’s, home around 5:30. Dinner - very dull evening afterwards. Read the first few pages of Qui Xiaolong, The Mao Case, watched an MGM “crime doesn’t pay” short about druggists selling stolen merchandise. Fell asleep to a 5049 podcast interview w/ Che Chen from 75 Dollar Bill.
5.5.18
Slept poorly - had breakfast and finished watching Maisie Was a Lady, but had to go back to bed after.
Around 11 or so, did nearly everything that remained to be done on dad’s taxes. Discussed a few matters.
Left around 12:30, went to Ontario Library, spent $3 on 2 books about Native Americans.
Went downstairs (very quiet) and read quota of Warwick + 2 stories in Johnson.
Deposited some checks for my dad, got a coffee at Rad.
Went to Honnold, worked about 3 - 5:30, made another go at the opening of the Middleton “bridge” revision. (Had a useful response from an editor yesterday.) 500 words, not sure if I’m on the right track.
Stopped by Rhino, said hello to Nathan, bought 2 used CDs - a Charlie Parker Verve best of, just for convenience, and OMD s/t debut (cheap, and the reissue w/ extras is hard to find).
Home, dinner, Jeopardy. Restless afterwards, went out around 10 to get a soda but mostly to drive around. Put on PJ Harvey, Uh Huh Her, which I’ve never heard.
Made myself get through some email & the like, after 11. Watched SNL (already online before West Coast broadcast), put on some Robert Ashley, lights out around 1.
5.4.18
Up for a while at 2:30, but then slept through to 8. (Internal clock stabilizing.)
Did an hr. on dad’s taxes after breakfast.
Left before 11; listening to v/a Where the Girls Are, v. 7. This 1996 single by the Utopias is amazing.
Went to Sanctuary, drafted another 500 of bridge fairly quickly, then decided I should write to the eds for guidance.
Other email. I have 2 books out from NYPL that can’t be renewed - not sure what to do about fines between now and getting home.
Went home for a while to “supervise,” I guess, the shift change (put my dad’s mind at ease that he’d get dinner, really).
Left for L.A. before 5. Listened to Where the Girls Are and a disc of Rameau overtures on the way out.
Parked near the El Rey, read quota of Warwick in a Starbuck’s on Wilshire, daybook poem. Suppose I could have gone somewhere more colorful, or stopped by (e.g.) Amoeba. Trying not to spend money on records just for the sake of it.
Watched Rebecca Schiffman’s opening set (solo electric) - notably effective not to introduce herself before the first song, though she bantered later. Particularly liked a new one called “Song for a Writer,” which I could hear with a band. Talked to Scott Jacobson and one of his neighbors before/after. Watched about 2 songs of middle band No Joy (2 guitarists + drums, sort of a hard-shoegaze, quite skilled, couldn’t make out a word), skipped headliners Baths entirely. Talked to Scott briefly about possible “Flag Pin” video before I left.
Rest of Rameau and some Berg on the way back. Home at 11, read one story in Johnson, lights out before midnight.
5.3.18
Up 4:30.
Went out to Rad Coffee at about 6. Started reading Jacqueilne Warwick, Girl Groups, Girl Culture. More email, contacted the guy from a new Shrimper band about playing on one of their East Coast shows.
Came home by 8, per dad’s request, so I could keep an eye on Mom while the caregiver helps him shower.
Helped dad w/ taxes for an hr. or so.
Therapy by Skype.
Napped until almost 2; dad had gone to a dr’s appt. w/ Anthony when I woke up.
Tried to leave by 2:30; they came back just as I was pulling out, so we talked about some family issues.
Stopped by the Upland Library book sale - picked up Sheila Weller’s Girls Like Us, on Joni Mitchell, Carole King, and Carly Simon.
Called Bree back.
Went to the Spot on Mountain, had one beer, tried to get my to-do list together. Sent a couple emails re trying to get Dan Clucas a NYC show in June.
Home at 6:30. Read the rest of Jordan’s book; it’s very heart-on-its-sleeve in its way, and sophisticatedly demotic. Will re-read.
Dinner. Went to Sprouts for a few things so I wouldn’t have to tomorrow. Jeopardy when I came back, but Dad fell asleep. Another chunk of the Maisie movie.
Bed around 10. Read 1st two stories in Charles Johnson, Dr. King’s Refrigerator - one w/ an SF hook, one an updated fable. Maybe “deceptively simple” to a fault?
Have been listening to Eliane Radigue to get to sleep.