Tower of Song

Darrell was here for a short while yesterday. He put the stove in place in the studio and then went home to build the doors for the water room in his workshop; they’ll go up later today. They’ll be additional corkboards for me to use. It feels super good to see progress in the studio again. I’m due to hear about the arrival date of the tiles today.

And thank God! There is absolutely nothing in the weather forecast for the next week but rain; the next two months are the worst for weather in this part of the world but I will be oblivious as I set up my studio and get to work on projects and my huge new worktable.

I did almost nothing and nothing is exactly what I wanted to do. I did tote a lot of kindling into the wood closet but mostly I played with the pets. I wasted a ton of time visiting my favourite websites and blogs. But I did hear from Paula T., a theatre friend from way back who’s bought a place here. She’s going to come for lunch today.

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I was very lucky last night. I happened to catch most of the ibute concert for Leonard Cohen on the CBC called Tower of Song. I loved it. Well not all of it. I’ve never been a fan of Elvis Costello. He did two songs and one was absolutely amazing but the other was caterwauling to me. Lana Del was there too; she’s the dullest entertainer since Peggy Lee (but Peggy had an interesting voice). And the ego called Sting made noise.

But Adam Cohen was brilliant. What a guy. And K. D. Lang. She still has her voice. She is still as pure as sunlight and my God, what a woman. She, of course, sang Hallelujah but a different arrangement that was simply spectacular. And Damien Rice — an Irish singer I had never heard of — was mesmerizing, as was the incredible Jewish choir. The choir was a highlight of the concert.

It was a wonderful telecast and the best part was the lack of a host. Names were projected onto screens and the absence of a host seemed apt for a concert about a man who’s no longer with us. Instead, he was there. He was the host and the producers chose wonderful clips to introduce songs and add to our audience experience.

What I saw and heard will stay with me for a long time.

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I’m actually doing something community-ish. I’m going as a guest to a Gabriola Community Arts Council fundraising event meeting on January 11th. I’ve been invited because the executive director likes an idea I suggested.

I’m looking forward to going and contributing. I’m doing my usual thing: I’m taking a written proposal for them — not in hopes of convincing them but in order to minimize my talking. I’m putting as much as I can about how the idea might work for them into a point-form list.

I like fundraising and from perusing their materials, I think I have lots to offer for them to consider — as much about their image and social positioning as about fundraising.