Supermarket Panic part 3

Got up extra early this morning because I was expecting a visit from my landlord.  The problem was that I didn't know how I knew this. Thinking about it last night, I couldn't remember getting a written communication, or a phone call, or a voice mail.  Eventually I settled on the explanation that I may have imagined it, came in a dream or something.  Figured I should prepare just in case, and began doing a straightening up yesterday.  This morning I set the alarm for 7 am, giving me enough time to do my morning routine, finish my cleaning, all before the expected early arrival. Of course he didn't show up, which was fine by me.  The time spent cleaning wasn't necessary, though a little sweeping and wiping down always makes things look a little better.

Another concern the past few days was that my mother mentioned that she had seen something about a food giveaway at my Studio building, free lunch for locals who need it. She thought Wednesday, or maybe Tuesday. The problem was that, once again, I couldn't find any way to back this up anywhere. No emails from Nichole, who sends a lot of mail.  Nothing on the main website either, and an internet search using key words dug up nothing.  Anyone who knows me knows I enjoy a free meal, but I'm also not one to go where I'm not invited and beg for stuff.  This morning my mother called me with some details- will be Wednesday late afternoon, with food provided by a number of local restaurants and food producers.  As of a few minutes ago, still nothing that I could see myself, almost like the event was being kept secret. Good thing I'm not starving.  I was planning to go to the Studio today anyway, and figured maybe I'd find out something up there.  I had more important questions, plus the opportunity to make some art is always fun.

The first thing I noticed in my space was that the window to far right was now completely covered with wood. In her "security alert" email Nichole had mentioned steps were taken to deal with the problem that gave us the break in; perhaps this was the solution.  Just this one window. I should find out more.

Time to get to work. For music today I went with something that wouldn't have worked in the winter, the Trinity Session album from the Cowboy Junkies.   Wouldn't work in the Studio in winter because it's one of quietest albums I've ever heard, and our heater in that room is very loud, and runs almost constantly in the cold weather.  The band is Canadian, three siblings and a fourth member, all grouped around a single microphone, much like all music was recorded in the early 20th century, and the band (very much into early country and blues) liked that sound.  The hushed quality of the band seems to be due to having a rehearsal space in a residential neighborhood, and neighbors that objected to any kind of noise.  It was actually recorded in an old church in Toronto (thus the title), but by then the quiet way of working had become their style.   The songs are a mix of originals and covers, some as reworked traditional songs, but also ones released originally by Hank Williams and Patsy Cline.  Probably what got the most attention was a version of "Sweet Jane", slow and soft, more like the original version put out by the Velvet Underground, not at all like the more often played loud guitar rock version that Lou Reed put out on a solo record. The album first came out in 1988, and was a good example of the difference context can make.

I believe the album was first issued on a small Canadian label, but eventually it got picked up by a major label and rereleased.  My college radio station there in Virginia (where I was going to school at the time) had two copies, both on vinyl (which is how most things came in then), one from each label.  Identical except for some credits.  At college radio stations, student dj's are encouraged to review all incoming records and attach these to the album jacket- information about the songs, good or bad, tempo, style, whether they end gradually or abruptly- all useful when you are playing music over the airwaves. I don't remember all the details, but the student who reviewed that first copy didn't care for it much. The student who reviewed the newer copy thought it great.  Had it changed?  No, but now the important music magazines had all endorsed it as one of the best albums of the year, and this later student decided to join that opinion. My copy is on CD, has no reviews, and I just listen to it because I like it.

Didn't have a long time in the Studio today (had to get to some yard work), so I didn't get that far. Started with the shopping cart, since that seems to be the focus of this piece.  So far similar to the one in my paper sketch.   Would have been better if I had an actual shopping cart to draw from, but without that I relied on various memories, and bits borrowed from older supermarket blocks that were there in the Studio. I'll try to get there earlier tomorrow, so I can get more drawing done, and maybe get answers to questions I have, and maybe even a free lunch.  Nichole wasn't there today, but I saw Bobby down there in the basement.  He mentioned the food thing, but also that Nichole was working on ideas for how we can start having classes again.  A lot of rules to be worked out, especially for students who are children, but that's something I rarely have.