May 27

Up from about 3:30-5, put on some podcasts, fitful after that, finally got back to sleep, really started day around 10.

Wrote about convention 10-20 min. at E77, edited for rest of hour. Worked on “informal” narrative for writing coach. Came back at 12:30. Read 25 p. of Rogin, on the residue of blackface in post-war musicals (Singin’ in the Rain) and social problem films (Body and Soul) - w/ some interesting connections to that song and “Strange Fruit,” though not surprisingly w/o musical specificity. Read 25 p. of Nicholson.

Made plans to meet Dan Clucas in Brooklyn tomorrow afternoon before rehearsal, and figured out the rest of my day around that. Sent bio, photo, links to Pete’s Candy Store.

Went back out to E77, got involved in the note to the writing coach, about 8-9:30. Finished a draft, will try to cut it down a bit before sending it this weekend. Came home, spent a couple hrs. getting charts and lyrics together for tomorrow, since I’ll be out all day. Wrote quick charts for “Green Fields of Summer,” (a Peter Wolf song, nothing like J. Geils) and “Fair and Tender Ladies.” Others are responsible for other songs in the set, so I feel fairly prepared, and like I’ve done my bit.

Read a few pages of Robbe-Grillet, Project for a Revolution in New York. Takes him until the second whole project to get into a bondage thing. Lights out before midnight.

May 26

Up 8.

Groceries.

Out at 10, wrote yesterday’s entry + some email and worked on the interview until about 12:30.

Didn’t do a great deal w/ the afternoon, frankly, except for watching Not Reconciled (1965, Jean-Marie Straub [Huillet isn’t co-credited yet). Intentionally toneless, even relative to Machorka-Muff; similar thematic territory (and source material, Böll, who I’ll probably never get around to reading).

Re-read a writing productivity book and decided to sign up for a coaching session. Candidly, I don’t like reporting this - that after 1 (short) book of criticism, 1 of poems, and however much prose published since 1995 or so, I’m this stuck, and seeking help. But the main points of this journal are to remind myself of what I’m doing and to give others some window on what goes on w/ someone who’s trying to finish a book, just in case evidence that it isn’t easy or smooth helps anyone feel less ashamed of their own process.

After a thunderstorm, went back out and managed to work on a little section. Wrote for 10 min., the very minimal, gentle, do-able contract I made with myself, and then spent 45 finding related bits in another draft and incorporating them. I think it was useful. A little a day is better than nothing for days.

Came back at 8 and worked on charts for “Massachusetts” (Roberts/Razaf) “Have You Ever Been Lonely?” (Hill/DeRose) and “The M.T.A. Song,” (Bess Lomax/Jacqueline Steiner), sent them to L.C.’s band, and gave another listen to a few songs in the set. Knocked off 10:30.

Read 15 p. of Rogin and the first poem in Sara Nicholson, What the Lyric Is. I’ve read much less this month than usual; I’ll be happy if I finish both of these by June 1. Lights out 11-ish.

May 25

Up 8.

Finished the art critic interviews - Lynne Tillman, Michelle Williams, John Yau.

Spent an hr. on email (some progress, inbox hovering around 100), listened to some links to Puffy Aniyume songs Andrew H. sent. About the same on McClennan interview (don’t want to go too long on some of these questions).

Left later than I should have for Brooklyn, but arrived in the second hour of a memorial tribute to Joseph Jarman (AACM/Art Ensemble) at Roulette. (Ate some chicken wings and greens from a street fair en route) Moving testimonials from Thurman Barker, Patricia Nicholson, Muhal Richard Abrams’ widow, and Jarman’s; also from a student at his aikido dojo. Performances by Leo Smith w/ pianist, a quartet w/ Amina Claudia Myers on Hammond, and other musicians and can’t name w/ certainty (I couldn’t score a program). Ended at about 4, talked to James McNew and family (inc. 7 month old sun Abraham, whom I didn’t know about) on the way out.

Stopped in the Center for Fiction for a coffee, wrote briefly in notebook, didn’t buy anything.

Walked about 15 min. to a birthday party for a Canadian writer I know slightly (enough to be invited anyway); moved from stoop to rooftop. Mainly a millennial cohort (I turned down a microdose of acid!!), and I only knew one other (also older) person previously, but I felt comfortable enough to stay from about 6-9:30, and had interesting conversations about Grimes, Wyndham Lewis, and Dory Previn. 

Unnameable Books was too close not to stop at. Picked up Music and Cultural Theory, ed. John Shepherd and Peter Wick, Craig Dworkin Motes, and Robbe-Grillet Recollections of the Golden Triangle (b/c it’s not one of the ones that stays in print) used, and Jen Tynes Hunter Monies + a chapbook of Corinna Copp’s new. Very tempted by A Handful of Shells, a new history of West Africa.

Probably made it through 20 or so p. of Rogin over the course of the day.

Home by midnight, didn’t stay up long.

May 24

Up around 8.
Got a quick coffee, had to be back for the scheduled window (10-2) for bookcase delivery while Bree was out.
Spent an hr. or so getting the songs for States of Country together from various emails. Also proposed Luckey Roberts’ and Andy Razaf’s “Massachusetts” for one of our singers, Danhy Clermont. Cleared some other misc. email. Read interviews w/ Schjeldhal, Schwabsky, Paul Chaat Smith (Native writer/critic whose work sounds intriguing), and Roberta Smith.
Called my dad around 1:30.
The delivery came just after 2, well after Bree was back, but they didn’t know anything about the assembly we’d signed up for, so I got on the phone w/ customer service. They’re refunding the assembly charge and arranging for a 3rd party company to come out and do it. Not a bad outcome, esp. money-wise, but it won’t happen until the 2nd piece is delivered late next week, and it’s annoying to have hung around the house for nothing - essentially gave up my writing day.
Felt pretty lethargic in the afternoon - half-watched a completely pointless TV movie remake of Dial M for Murder, w/ Angie Dickinson in the Grace Kelly role, that i found on YouTube. (Had tried to watch something more substantial earlier, but the internet/MUBI was slow to load.)
Finally left about 6, listened to Wyatt and read Rogin, picked up the books I’d left at Strand + found Devon Johnston’s new book for $2 outside. Met Andrew Hultkrans and Dan Fox for drinks and then Japanese food. Just catching up. Dan has to go back to England for some weeks/months while his new visa is processed; Andrew’s going to Havana w/ his gf Regan Good for a literary festival she was invited to.
Hung out ‘til 11, came home - listened to Indian philosophy podcasts on the train. Lights out 1 am.

May 23

Up for a while 5-7, but went back to bed until 10 or later.
Read quota of Earnest (Perl, Rose, Saltz).
Rearranged books, boxes, etc. to prep for bookcase delivery tomorrow. Another side of Milburn.
Pretty dead in afternoon, to be honest; long tail of cold doesn’t help, but it’s unfortunate that I didn’t get out before 6.
Read a bit of Rogen on train. Went to the Strand to hear Stephanie Burt talk about his new book Don’t Read Poetry (deceptive title) with Monica Youn. He’s become a really good, ecumenical advocate. Talked to Karen Weiser (who’s becoming a psychoanalyst) for a while after. Bought 2 Robbe-Grillet novels, a older used copy of Greenberg’s Art and Culture (I have a caricature of what I don’t like about his criticism, or maybe its influence, in my head, but haven’t actually tried to read him for a long time), and a 2016 book on the Art & Language group I hadn’t seen — but I checked them in the store when I went outside, and forgot to collect them (will go back tomorrow).
Called my cousin Lynda, who’s in town w/ her husband on vacation — she’d texted me just before the event. Odd that I hadn’t heard from them a little further in advance, but Bree and I will see them sometime next week, and I told them about Laura’s show Wed. (Not many of my relatives have seen me perform as an adult, unless playing the piano at Christmas counts.)
Went out w/ Steph, Monica, and another poet (Cat something - we talked, but weren’t really i.d.’d to each other). 2 rounds.
Home 11:30, lights out shortly thereafter. Glad I went to the reading and hung out, but otherwise not a very productive day.