Last night on my way from the studio to the hotel an owl hooted at me like five times. I say they hooted “at me” without really knowing who or what they hooted at. But it felt very directed, abrupt and, dare I say, even aggressive. When you hear five owl hoots on a foggy, moonlit, quiet street, it’s hard not to assign vaguely malicious intent.
(I do revere owls, but ever since I learned they can talon-grip your head like a basketball and carry it away with them I’ve been a little hesitant when I hear one in the area…?)
Then, I got into a Lyft and had a ride with an owl of a man. When he found out my “job” is “drumming,” he silently raised a fist to await a bump. Then he told me about his habit, in the aughts, of bringing his favorite Beastie Boys CD (The In Sound from Way Out!) to massage appointments to listen to it during massages. Excellent!
Anywho… The session in North Carolina went very well. That’s all I can say about it for now, but it was fun and I’m grateful.
Now I just arrived in Los Angeles to see my dad’s solo acoustic shows at Largo and to visit our family here: Danny, Kendall, and Charles.
In hindsight, this was an especially globetrotty time to start a public journal. I don’t like the impression that gives but I can’t really claim this week is that much different from the norm, so I’ll just have to own the trottiness.
How is your first week of 2023? Are things going smoothly? Making plans to carry the fresh-year motivation into sustained smacking? Askin’.
I’m working on a post that seems to be about facial expressions and performing. I tried to finish it but with so few hours of sleep, right now seems like a bad time to try to hang on to comprehensibility. So in the meantime, here are some pieces from the artist Alessandro Comotti (via Cargo Collective) that I saw and enjoyed recently. For uncropped versions, tap the images or visit the artist’s website.
AND: The response to the first letter on Monday was so encouraging. You really made me feel like this is worthwhile. Thank you!!
I hope you have a wonderful rest of the week.
—Spencer
P.S. Thanks to Jason for the typo that inspired this letter’s title.
Hi Spencer, Many thanks for keeping me posted. Keep up the good work, as always, and give my love to our family in California. Stay safe and I look forward to our getting together in Chicago. Love, Zaid
This post has led me into wondering why owls and mushrooms became such ubiquitous items of decor in the ‘70s.