What a Little Confidence Will Give You

So this past weekend was really great. It was the first weekend that I didn't have any "PLANS", unlike all of October and the rest of this month. This is the first weekend that I wasn't really expected anywhere, but it was fruitful none the less.

Friday night I went to a local bar. My friend told us of this event that was happening there where an artist was painting 24 paintings in 24 hours. So we showed up once he was finished and looked at the art and tried to guess what one was done at 3 am, 4 am, 5 am, etc. I just know from my last DJ gig, that 5 am hour is killer... one where your mind becomes mush. I have gone to this bar many times after my Tae Kwon Do classes and tests, so the owner has gotten to know us. She recognized me that night and we said our hello's. I also know she has seen some of my work at the Cathedral Arts Festival that I have participated in every year for the past four years. I swallowed my pride and asked her when the next group show was. She told me that it was next month and that it was a small works show, which is actually perfect for my work since i have NO room to work in. I reminded her of my book pieces I had shown at the Cathedral and she said- Those would be PERFECT! She then proceeded to introduce me to the curator of the space, who is another woman that I had met a couple times before. I never knew that she had become the curator for the space, so that was a nice surprise. When we got introduced, she said- Oh! I know you! So it's nice to be "known". So by just a little question, I have three pieces going into the show, which is a nice surprise. Granted they are old pieces (made them back in college), but I know I don't want to be a collector of my own art work. So that started off my work week.

The next day was rainy and I slept in a little bit, which was a nice change and much needed. I hung around the house and was lazy. i had a headache that was killer (no i wasn't even close to being drunk- only had 3 beers the entire night). I sat around watching Extras on On Demand. That show is hilarious. Finally Jeff said that we should go get our tickets to see Reverend Horton Heat, which is next Saturday, today from the box office. So we trudged to the city in the rain and fought off all the tourists. We get to the box office by 3:15 and they were closed. They were supposed to be open until 4 pm, and we saw that there was someone inside. I grab the gate and start shaking it to draw his attention. There was another woman waiting as well, saying that she had called and they said they were open until 4 pm. Finally I get the guys attention and he looks at us pissed off. I mime something about the number 4 and point at my wrist and shrug shoulders. Finally he comes to the door with this smarmy look on his face. He opens the door and tries to come up with this witty response which he bumbles through. He says something to the degree of there must be a better way of getting our attention.... and then Jeff pipes in- like a doorbell? The guy looks at Jeff annoyed and finally blurts out that what better way to let people know they are closed by with a large metal gate. I look at him with that questioning expression. I think- Seriously? You didn't.... I chime in- Yeah that would be great IF it was 4... but it's NOT, and you are SUPPOSED to be open, since it is 3:15.... The guy looks at his watch, then at us and then let's out a pissed off sigh and grumbles something pissed off and finally opens the gate and door. We go in, get our tickets and once i was done, yells out to the other lady waiting- NEXT! As we leave, 2 more people enter the place and I giggle to myself. What a douche.

We then go get an early dinner and go get my a new pair of glasses. I got Lasik a while ago, but my eyesight has definitely changed and i had already got a touch up on one eye, but they keep changing. i figure, i would rather deal with glasses that I don't have to wear all the time for a bit. We then went home and rested for a bit, as I wasn't feeling too wonderful, again. Weather messes me up I guess. At around 9 pm, we decided to go on an adventure and check out this bar in Patterson, NJ. it's called Paul's Bar and Bowling. Jeff had heard about it from some band mailing lists he's on and there was always rockabilly music. We found it and see from the outside that there is going to be live music. We walk inside and fall in love. This bar was amazing. it was trashy, but the right kind of trashy. The music playing was good, the bar was curvy and made you want to sit at it. The lighting was perfect. The customers there were characters and a band was setting up. In the back of the building were these old 1967 bowling lanes, all original. There were 4 lanes upstairs and 4 downstairs. So nice. I will have to go back there soon with better camera in hand to take better pictures. I need to capture the feelings of this place. That and a Sierra Nevada are only $4.25 each (NYC it's around $8 ea.).

Then Sunday, my work was being filmed for Food Network. Some new show called "Will Work for Food". They had filmed in the studio on Friday. I surprisingly knew the sound guy on the crew. That was a nice surprise. He was a friend of Jeff's from long ago. That was a chance meeting. I teased Jeff with this all weekend as well, not telling him who it was and that he was going to see him on Sunday. So we went to the final "event" on Sunday, which was made up just for tv. There was supposed to be free food, but there was really not enough to go around. That part was not too great, but all in all it was a nice time to be able to hang out with an old friend.

So yes, a unplanned weekend became a busy one. I need to get in my studio and create some art. I see some future shows of mine.... I need to crack that whip and find some time to get it done.