White Noise

Isn't this season just the pits? We ride the highs and lows of the holiday wave for weeks until days until the hours when we find ourselves writing cards or playing cards, cooking ham or hamming it up, rushing around only to find peace right where we left it - there, here, in silence. Don't think I'm preaching against the extremes or the festivities of this crazy time of year, but perhaps I'm offering a friendly reminder of all that is around us: us, ourselves, family and friends.

This Minute Moment happened about a week ago while walking LeAbbey, our house ChowChowLab. She has her route, and we've enjoyed one another for a few morning already, when she decided to stop and just wait a moment before deciding which direction to head toward. I figured I might as well too, and then got lost, and found, within my surroundings.

Please enjoy "White Noise"

Feet Walk

These shoes spent me out of $20 a year or so ago from Salvation Army - and trust me, they've been through a lot. They've been my work shoes for 3 different jobs, have walked all over Washington, D.C., the Metro Detroit area, and now, again, Ann Arbor, MI. While walking home the other night after a holiday party I was surprised by how cold and wet my left foot felt. It wasn't until the next day I found that the bottom of the shoe is completely ripped open, now on it's last leg.

But as I cannot quite yet afford a new pair, this Minute Moment comes from this past Sunday while at work. The store is a great space for the kind of walking I enjoy, especially as these shoes have given me many, many great walking moments.

Please enjoy, Feet Walk

Let Light In

I'm trying something new this fall. Other years I'd already be bringing out the eye-liner, hand picking the hundreds of pieces of random fabric I'd use to "layer" myself throughout these autumn days, and would be donning a pretty full beard and/or tailored amount of facial hair. As I've been cultivating my "fall look", however, I've started to realize that it's heading more and more in the direction of "clean" - more than I've ever been accustomed to. As I said the other day, "I've done gypsy for so damn long already; it's about being so damn clean now". (note: not that gypsies are inherently dirty)

This Minute Moment comes from after shaving today, and it is my debut on the screen as well. I was staring in the mirror for some time after having shaved, as I haven't really seen myself for a couple months now without any facial hair. And as I flipped on the light, I caught myself playing with something I've always enjoyed.

Please enjoy: Let Light In

[note: sorry this one is only 40seconds. I forgot to count, and I couldn't see the camera's timer]

Where I Live

It's been a few days now, waiting to find a moment, or have the moment find me. I had two different 2-day groupings of days off, so there's been a lot of time off. A lot of time for viewing, and thinking ... and cleaning and watching and touching and figuring and bathing and laundrying and semi-creating and drinking and clipping and tipping and tip-toe-ing and waiting and waiting and not-sureing and then sure-sureing. Changing up collars and into vests, coats and layers are making their appearances, and staying in bed longer because of the coziness is all over the place lately. And I realized I've been smoking again. I used to smoke all the time, in the house, in my room, at bars, at work, everywhere all the time.

But this Minute Moment comes while sitting on my front porch where I live now, smoking. During one of the last days off I've had recently, and a good one too, it came to me, all the sounds and all the passing-by. I find a grace and flow in this little moment that happens when just sitting and watching what happens daily out front. The crickets absolutely get me these days.

Please enjoy "Where I Live"

Crumbled Glory

I've been home in Metro Detroit for a few days, Labor Day Weekend. At the fam's house we're having the floors redone, so there's been a bunch of sawing, ripping, tearing, screaming, crying, laughing - it's been a full on overhaul project. At time's we're having an EVERYTHING MUST GO SALE!!!, and at times there' the "oooohhh, I miss that scarf...." or "and where do I put this" or "go wash your hands." When it's done though I know it'll look and feel so good, we got to all remember that.

This Minute Moment comes from The City of Detroit: The Old Tiger Stadium. Always being debated over the past decade, "What do we do with the old stadium?" Tear it down? Convert it into something? The stadium and surrounding area is so rich with history that it merits some sort of preservation, yet the lack of upkeep requires a safe removal. While breaking from an event my brother Bil and I were participating in, we decided to walk to the stadium and take a look. And if you drive by it these days you'll see the same disturbing, yet semi-graceful site.

Please enjoy "Crumbled Glory"

Curtain Dance

A graceful day, not much happening besides the necessities. Had another yard sale today, a little more relaxed than the one last week. Carol made a visit again, but she lost out on the roller skates to another woman who came by later, right when it started raining. She actually helped us move some stuff out of the rain, covering items with large plastic sheet-coverings. Her outfit was much deserving of the white roller skates, size 7.

This Minute Moment, however, comes from a few hours earlier in the day, while resting on the floor in the living room, checking some email. I looked at the window and caught this little movement happening with the curtain, and the song playing at the time just happened to help out with the mood.

Please enjoy "Curtain Dance"
Song by Boy Least Likely To, "Fur Soft As Fur"

Backseat Driver

I woke up early today, had the day off. Got a text from my friend Richard, trying to work out a visit; he lives in NYC and Washington, D.C., where I used to live as well. So then I had some toast and tea, wrote some emails, visited the North Side Grille with E (see video, driver), then wanted to get to the pool. Ended up joining E to drop off friend at the Detroit Metro Airport, headed back to A2, lounged around town for a bit, and, as to yet, never made it to the pool. It's 6:30pm, and all I can think about are these late summer days and how nice it'll be to get a good color by hanging around the pool.

This Minute Moment comes from the drive to the DTW Airport. There was a song on le-Ipod, cannot remember the name, can you hear it? I like driving moments, especially when younger, at night, coming back from my grandparents' house - I used to squint my eyes to be able to see the glare from the cars the way they happen here from the sunlight.

Please enjoy "Backseat Driver"

Cloud Eat Sun

So we had a yard sale today. Together, about $40 was made, between 2 tables, a couples skirts, a few books, 1 cricket catcher and 2 pairs of stolen shoes. We met some new friends from the neighborhood, inc.luding a very nice 50yr old woman that didn't appear a day older than 30, a man who has a few pet tarantulas and who later returned to gift me an entire tarantula body shed (later to come), and a nice guy who actually saw our "3 hours left!!!" post on Craigslist and actually ended up coming over (he mentioned he had poison ivy on his hands, so not to shake hands with me, but then I was confused as to why he was petting the dog (?)). The day finished with the ice cream truck coming down the street and settling at the cul-de-sac, me dashing out the door and grabbing a orange push-up amongst all the kids who live in the neighborhood.

This Minute Moment happened earlier in the day, when I decided it might help bring in traffic to the yard sale by sitting on a chair on the sidewalk by the road, waving at cars as they passed by. I realized how great the sun felt, looked up, and witnessed the ever-beautiful dance of clouds + sun.

Please enjoy: Cloud Eat Sun