Image: Some art I did while moving to The Oaks.
Good morning. It’s 40ish degrees here in Los Angeles, well, it was this morning as I left the oaks. It’s been a rather eventful 2 weeks since the passing of my girl Bella… lets catch up.
Vinyl Artwork: Between losing Bella, The Holidays and moving operations to a new location outside the city, I had to put Vinyl artwork design on hold. I literally have been living out of boxes the last few weeks, which was actually a nice distraction from missing Bella. The thought she’s gone still doesn’t quite register in my head. I suppose once I’m settled, I’ll have to deal with that. The final days of my move are in front of me. I’ll be handing over the old keys to the LEX on Sunday, that Place I finished the Breakers record, and getting settled in the Oaks. Last night I lit the fireplace in the new studio room, a somewhat roomy and holy place. I imagine I’ll finish the artwork there and start to write and record again very soon. The artwork for the breakers vinyl is really close to being completed, or at least handed over to the record label, I just really couldn’t even get to it as I had to pack everything into boxes and bins the last few weeks. I’ll start back up next week. I’ll be pushing to complete as soon as the computers are running again.
Music: I’ve been very inspired musically lately. Lots of song ideas are coming to me. I think the spirits of these oak trees are like lightning rods, channeling things into my subconscious. I’m hearing Zabble again, and seeing chapters of the Hadder tale. I’m imagining the next Breakers record. I almost can’t wait to fire up the boards in the war room. My fingers are tingling and my voice feels stronger and more focused than ever.
Rabbit Tales: We are creatures of habit. Lord knows I am. I dwell in my patterns. I find peace there and tranquility in the things I can control. At the moment I feel like this move to the oaks, as frantic and disruptive as it was to my patterns and peace, was a very needed step in the progression of this “breakers” endeavor that I’m still fully engulfed in. You see, the breakers record is not really just a musical record, it happened as I happened… over time… and the story is still ongoing. The last two weeks I planted some very strange seeds in the ground, it was hard to do… the earth was like cement near these oaks. But I’m a creature of spring as well and I believe the things I’ve done and the choices I’ve made the last two week, during this winter, will blossom into some amazing patterns later in the year. Let me tell you a little story.
One day before I had the dream about Mr. Evermore, I was driving along the Pacific. Years had passed since I was in any kind of regimented vocal training routines. Although I took opera lessons and vocal lessons for years and pursued singing and music most of my life in various forms, my life had spiraled into responsibilities and confusion and regrets. But I had an idea that day, as my drive into Los Angeles was long and very routine, that I would start training my voice again. But training it unlike I ever trained it. I made a choice that day that I would return to that old fire I had, the one who’s embers had dimmed to nothing more than a warm touch. And so slowly… day after day.. month after month… year after year it seemed… along the Pacific… I trained. Like I said, I’m a creature of habbit. Much like Andy Dufresne and his rock hammer ways, I felt that the only thing standing between me and freedom was time. That was long ago now. Why mention this? Well, three days ago I returned to the canyons. I awoke for the first time in a long time to the sound of pre-dawn Owl hoots in the cold darkness. A half moon could be seen through the twisted skeletons of the 500 year old oak trees that drape over my new tower. My breath was a cloud of warm air cutting through the midnight cold of the canyon. I began my ride through the twisted canyon, a planted seed, left and right and left and right until I came upon the PCH and the sweet smell of the pacific. We meet again. The seeds I planted this week, will be sprouting new patterns in my life, patterns that I forecasted as I was digging in the earth. It’s time to train harder. I’ve come back to the place of the wolf. I am the dead rabbit.
Not that I’m a person to preach, to judge or to teach, but I will say, anything you wish to achieve in this earthy realm is simply governed by your daily efforts and the accumulation of those efforts over long periods of time. When the snowy water leaves the mountain tops, it’s doesn’t just arrive at the mouth of the river, it has to find its way… over the pass.… through the canyon… under the ground and past the great tree. It makes its own way as you must. Likes and Follows have nothing to do with it. Stay the course friend… we have time on our side.
Farewell
-j