I made the command decision over the weekend to give up freelance music criticism, at least for now. I think the new job takes up the slack and, with luck, I’ll be able to do some creative things there shortly. And by creative, I mean interview Rihanna or something like that.
Meanwhile, a list of things I’m presently, pleasantly enjoying:
- Grilling.
- Gardening. Our block had an impromptu, totally unsanctioned Arbor Day celebration two weekends ago, resulting in a serial planting of flowering pear trees everywhere.
- Reading really long novels in the time formerly spent on coming up with angles and pitches. I’m finally digging into Pynchon’s V. and I’m loving it. I’m also noting how much Rushdie seems to have “borrowed” for elements of The Satanic Verses. Like Gibreel Farishta, f. ex.
- Independent music. Now that I spend so much time sorting out which mainstream releases end up on what day of the week and why and what video packages and news items suit them, it’s really relaxing to unwind with whatever’s waiting for me at home. Then I find creative ways to include it at the job. Circle of life and all that.
- Learning Google Sketchup to landscape the backyard. I need to figure out how to rethink terrace gardening, this table and that grill.
- Falling back in love with movies too. Bear in mind that I stopped using my house account at my old job well before getting laid off. I haven’t been the rabid renter I once was, and in the interim, I’ve not bought much either. I foresee a bountiful Netflix harvest in the near future.
- Donovan. Rihanna. It’s going to be a great summer.