Last Saturday Sandman and I got into his ant-infes…
Last Saturday Sandman and I got into his ant-infested Nissan and traveled out to Zoe’s mountain retreat for a final going-away bash, and also to get some recording in. The Muddy Basin Ramblers have been album-less for too long, or so we’re told, but it’s hard to get the enthusiasm of our performances onto tape without the glaring errors and screwups that define our particular kind of charm (or so he wrote, without quite knowing what that means….well, ok, it means we don’t practice, basically).
The huge house Zoe shares with a few other people was obviously built for rich, private people, probably about 10-20 years ago, but the lack of dehumidification over the years has diminished it’s opulence somewhat, and resulted in a moldy smell and rotting wood fixtures. Only a few other people were there when we arrived, but it filled quickly as we got track after track into David’s computer. Barbeque and drinking commenced, and that was pretty much the end of our recording session. Robyn baked delicious brownies, and several varieties of meat were on the grill. The number of people present quickly surpassed the number I’m usually comfortable around, but it was such a big space it didn’t seem so bad. We watched some video recordings of earlier shows, and got interviewed for a Taiwanese girl’s documentary. I didn’t say more than three words during the whole thing, but I noticed that she was using the same camera I have.
After that we jammed on various instruments. Peter taught me to play a scale on a clarinet, which I’ve never been able to play before, but I was inspired by a recent dream to try again. The drink was flowing the whole time, and as the level of general drunkeness rose, our jamming became less inspired and more chaotic. As I was playing something thumped against my leg. It was Conor, who’d had a bit too much to drink and was having trouble sitting properly. Sandman had long since gone home, as had everyone else from my neighborhood, and Slim looked more or less permanently installed, so I packed up my stuff, forgetting my MBR T-shirt that David designed and made, and caught a cab home.
This week’s been hot, but not as hot as before the last storm hit us. Cool evening breezes in Bitan, at least. Another storm’s headed this way but has plenty of time to veer aside before it arrives. We’re filming this weekend, again, trying to make up for the scenes we didn’t get last time. I still feel like I’m playing catch-up, not just for filming, but in general. A natural post-move reaction, I suppose. For some reason, I don’t seem to have accepted my new place as my own. Part of this is the fact that I’m renting again, but it just doesn’t seem like a permanent arrangement. I keep thinking that I’m going to be moving again soon, but I don’t know why.
In order to do something about this conundrum, last Sunday I went to the nearby Taiping Temple to inform the gods there of my change of address. Just so they knew, and perhaps to tell myself as well. Many of the things we tell the gods are things we ourselves particularly need to hear, I think.
Harry and Daniel came along as well, and later Harry and I went into town for dinner with Mark and Lorens at one of those steak places where they bring the meal out on a sizzling platter of meat, thick noodles and raw egg splattering various juices all over the place. I almost wanted to tell them to cook the stuff first and then bring it out, but I’m sure they would have tried to have me committed if I’d suggested such a ludicrous idea. Actually, the rib-eye wasn’t that bad.
Mark, of Doubting To Shuo, is traveling in China, which he seems to enjoy quite a lot. I never made it to Beijing or even Shanghai when I was working in China, a fact I regret. Maybe I’ll wait for the three links to open and take a cruise to Shanghai from Keelung or something. Heh.
I’m still amazed that you are such a good friend that you gave up your own apartment for Chris! You must be racking up good karma points, so hopefully the gods will provide the perfect place to live. ???
Comment by 500CBFan — July 23, 2006 @ 6:59 am
Well, though moving was stressful, and I don’t quite feel settled, the new place isn’t bad, bigger and lighter in spite of the fengshui deficiency, so I’m not exactly hurting.
Comment by TC — July 24, 2006 @ 4:45 am