My OperaAfter all these years, I finally figured it out....
Monday, May 8, 2006 11:58:20 PM
Day’s long labor past
I, the weary worker near home
A chorus of crows greets me
With their mean mocking tone
Caw Caw Caw Caw
I’m a working man
Caw Caw Caw Caw
To pay the electric man
But birds can’t change their clothes
Birds can’t warm their toes
And birds can’t love a nose...
This is a portion of a song I found laying on the floor when I got home today. I can only guess my roommate had started writing it, because I sure hadn’t. Normally, I’d have to say that it sums up the way I feel, but today, there’s just a warm numb contentment clinging to my frame like summer polyester.
I just got fired.
Crazy Renee is down in the street screaming at invisible demons as usual. She doesn’t seem to care if I watch. I’ve always wondered what makes crazy people tick...or not tick.
The air is heavy with the smell of fresh flowers and Gulf breeze. A train is rolling up on the levee. Church bells are sounding six pm. Pigeons and mockingbirds are chatting up by my balcony. Everything is competing for my attention.
Lately, I’ve felt another tugging at my being. It all started when some friends and I were talking about places to hang their art. I personally am not a painter, but occasionally, I will throw some random pieces of junk together to be beautiful somewhere. My buddy Rudy paints great Jazz portraits and also builds bikes. A couple of waitresses from the local café are also great artists. I would like to sell “junk art” (most call it “found art”), and clothing. Native plants would also be cool. We found a couple of bars that would rather display local art than beer signs, so hopefully Rudy will start making some dough soon. In my mind, I see a collective forming.... We just have to find a common space.
That brings me to the reason I don’t feel bad about being canned.
Organizing had been a huge part of my life. When I was working for non-profits, I felt I could never go back to the for-profit world without puking and killing people. The process of networking and bringing people together towards a common goal was my happiness. I just happened to be working for environmental groups. I was never a huge environmentalist, although I do think it’s very important. My main thing was waking people up and making them socially aware. It was pure bliss to see the light click on in someone’s eyes. It’s sad to think that today, in our society, not many people know their neighbors, or even care to. That’s why I started “Lazy Sunday” at my home in Austin. I went around and knocked on doors to invite everyone out to a community BBQ.
It’s amazing when a community gets together.
“Oh, so and so can hook you up with one of those.” Or “I know a guy, here’s his card.”
You never have to look far to get things done, so this weekend, I’m starting it in New Orleans.
Lazy Sunday in the Park for Lower Gardenites!
Bring your kids and dogs
Dust off your grills
Come enjoy the day with your neighbors
I can see it spreading from the Lower Garden District. Into the Central Business District. Through the French Quarter into the Marigny and beyond the Bywater
Up through Mid City into Lakeview and back down to Carrollton.
I think we'll call the collective the Weavers. As in social weavers.
God it feels good. Good to know why I’m here....
I, the weary worker near home
A chorus of crows greets me
With their mean mocking tone
Caw Caw Caw Caw
I’m a working man
Caw Caw Caw Caw
To pay the electric man
But birds can’t change their clothes
Birds can’t warm their toes
And birds can’t love a nose...
This is a portion of a song I found laying on the floor when I got home today. I can only guess my roommate had started writing it, because I sure hadn’t. Normally, I’d have to say that it sums up the way I feel, but today, there’s just a warm numb contentment clinging to my frame like summer polyester.
I just got fired.
Crazy Renee is down in the street screaming at invisible demons as usual. She doesn’t seem to care if I watch. I’ve always wondered what makes crazy people tick...or not tick.
The air is heavy with the smell of fresh flowers and Gulf breeze. A train is rolling up on the levee. Church bells are sounding six pm. Pigeons and mockingbirds are chatting up by my balcony. Everything is competing for my attention.
Lately, I’ve felt another tugging at my being. It all started when some friends and I were talking about places to hang their art. I personally am not a painter, but occasionally, I will throw some random pieces of junk together to be beautiful somewhere. My buddy Rudy paints great Jazz portraits and also builds bikes. A couple of waitresses from the local café are also great artists. I would like to sell “junk art” (most call it “found art”), and clothing. Native plants would also be cool. We found a couple of bars that would rather display local art than beer signs, so hopefully Rudy will start making some dough soon. In my mind, I see a collective forming.... We just have to find a common space.
That brings me to the reason I don’t feel bad about being canned.
Organizing had been a huge part of my life. When I was working for non-profits, I felt I could never go back to the for-profit world without puking and killing people. The process of networking and bringing people together towards a common goal was my happiness. I just happened to be working for environmental groups. I was never a huge environmentalist, although I do think it’s very important. My main thing was waking people up and making them socially aware. It was pure bliss to see the light click on in someone’s eyes. It’s sad to think that today, in our society, not many people know their neighbors, or even care to. That’s why I started “Lazy Sunday” at my home in Austin. I went around and knocked on doors to invite everyone out to a community BBQ.
It’s amazing when a community gets together.
“Oh, so and so can hook you up with one of those.” Or “I know a guy, here’s his card.”
You never have to look far to get things done, so this weekend, I’m starting it in New Orleans.
Lazy Sunday in the Park for Lower Gardenites!
Bring your kids and dogs
Dust off your grills
Come enjoy the day with your neighbors
I can see it spreading from the Lower Garden District. Into the Central Business District. Through the French Quarter into the Marigny and beyond the Bywater
Up through Mid City into Lakeview and back down to Carrollton.
I think we'll call the collective the Weavers. As in social weavers.
God it feels good. Good to know why I’m here....
