Tuesday, July 11, 2006

Creative Stuff

I've got that wonderful "clothesline fresh" feeling today. My teeth are sparkling like the Orbit gum commercial (the sound effects from the commercial are awesome "ding!") and my skin is all aglow. I've been singing in tune all morning ( a minor miracle) and I've been walking on sunshine. (amazing that I was able to fit that many tv commercial phrases into one short paragraph, huh?)

What's got me in such a great mood? (despite my determination last night to break my "no drink on a Monday night" rule with vast amounts of Bombay and tonic to shore up the nerves and the resulting sluggish "morning after Jali")

I read a poem at an open mic affair in Riverdale, GA last night and the crowd showed me love. Art for the sake of art is all well and good, but positive feedback is a miraculous thing.

I hung out with some of the other performers until waaay after midnight (thus breaking my "early to bed on a Monday night" rule) and we laughed and played games like a crew of old friends. In a sense I suppose we were - going through the same thing at the same time brings people together.

I even planned next week's performance with one of my new close personal friends (whattup Adam!!!). We've decided to try an improv type piece - we're going to ask the audience to shout out different topics and we're going to perform based on the topic. It will be challenging, but in my "Newbie" ignorance I believe I can do it. (you can do eeeeet.... you can do eeeet aaallll niiiiight long! - movie line)

I made some great contacts too. I've written quite a few songs and a brother offered to collaborate with me just based on the lyrics I croaked out on the patio between puffs of my menthol ciggie. Either he was a bit drunk, or I'm really a multitalented chick just waiting for that big break. (I'm clicking these heels three times and believing in the dream)

(lunch break)

(back 1:03pm) lunch report: called "A" to whine about my sluggishness - the man has some wonderful wide shoulders to lean on and cry on. He was real cool at listening to my nonsense while trying to dress for work especially since he was wide awake when I stumbled in grinning in triumph from my fun evening of spoken word and liquor. I have a wonderful man y'all (well I live down south now so I get to use the language).

Had a "Jason's Deli" chicken salad sandwich from a lunch presentation in our office (free food is always yummy) and did 1/2 of the crossword puzzle (Tuesdays are easy as hell) after reading part of the local newspaper. I'm sure you're thinking, "what an exciting life she leads".

Back to the pre-lunch story...

I'm making a conscious effort to retake my artistic self. Poetry and songwriting are in me. My unfinished novel, "Granny" is in me too.

"A" has encouraged me to pursue the writing thing - to finish the novel - to speak the poetry - to actually 'walk the walk' and in yet another pinky bet http://jali-jalishouse.blogspot.com/2006/06/pinky-bet-stuff.html, we agreed to work on our creative sides. "A" is a very talented writer so support from him is a really a very big deal to me.

Feels good to have the juices flowing! (read into that what you wish cause whatever you're thinking is true!)

18 comments:

~d said...

HOORAY FOR YOU!
How exciting that must have been!

YAY!

YAY!!!!


~d toasts Jali...

heartinsanfrancisco said...

You go, girl. You're a natural writer - I love the way you express yourself. It sounds as if you're getting it all together, baby. (Barry White soundtrack here.)

There are few highs as exhilarating as performing your own stuff and being loved in public. I'm happy for you.

jali said...

~d,

Thanks for the beautiful toast, but I'm not drinking again until at least Thursday! (smile)

Hearts,

Gave me the Barry White soundtrack! I love it. Thank you (grinning like a big kid)

jali said...

~d,

I can't get your page to load. I'll try a little later.

Anonymous said...

pinky bets can be dangerous...

dirk.mancuso said...

Jali, treasure A for the jewel he is in fostering your creative side. All Gregg ever told me was "you are living in a dream world" when I tried writing.

You have a great voice on here, Jali. Run with it.

Big hug,

Dirk

Donna said...

you've been watching tampon commercials again, haven't you?

Karen Bodkin said...

Miss ANn made me snort. ROFL! Good for you with the poem though.

Deb said...

Hey, good luck with it all. Have fun with it. I'm a songwriter as well and when I work with another girl who sings while I play guitar, we call it 'spontaneous combustion'... our energies just combine with each other's talents and we write and compose as we go---we don't plan it at all. It's amazing. I would love to hear your stuff. You should put an audio clip of your work. I'm sure it's impressive!

Oh, and the 'no drinking rule' on Mondays-----OUT THE FRICKEN DOOR with me! The only days I don't drink...are....ummm....errr.....can I get back to you on that?

{{hugs}}

Donna said...

Despite my tampon comment, which bit me in the ass because Let It Whip was in my head alll freaking day and yeah it's uber cool and I am an '80s kinda girl but that damned cheerleader tampax commercial stayed in my head with it..

Anyway, I would love to see something from "Granny" because it sounds sorta biographical and you write very well.

Plus it would make the cheerleaders go away.

jali said...

Dirk,

If I ever meet Gregg I'm going to punch him in his throat! I mean it.


karenrani,
She's funny as hell, but showing off in my house and talking about tampons while I'm cramping...um...
I had a threat, but I'm afraid of that raised eyebrow thing she does so ... never mind. Thanks for the encouragement!

~Deb,
I'm going to stand fast on the no drinking Monday thing unless:
-I'm in a bar
-I'm in a restaurant that serves liquor
-I'm at someones home
-I'm at home alone and bored
hmmm...gotta rethink my rules.
I'd love to hear your music too, but I have no speakers here at work. My suff at home is so decrepit I don't even turn it on anymore. Gotta get a Dell.

miss ann thrope,
I'm doing my go away stupid cheerleader incantation right now. I wish you a "happy" period. (heh-heh)

Trebuchet said...

Alright, fess up.

Where did you manage to rustle up a good guy WITH A BRAIN? AND broad shoulders?

Perhaps I should consider a move south. Of course, then I'd really have to give up the whole "Northwestern girl" thing, which would suck a little because I've made it part of my internal hipometer. Besides, if faced with all things fried my vegetarianism might be shot all to shit. So yeah, maybe not.

But hooray for you. There's nothing like standing up in front of fellow artists and randoms off the street and saying "this is me. what do you think about that?" and having them say "applause". Or, well, ::applause:: and some "Yeah, girl!" and "I dig!" and stuff. It's a rush. You've inspired me to get back at it, myself.

By the way, honey: I'm pretty sure you've not lost your "Hip". I sense effortless hipness here. Meanwhile I'm telling poop jokes. ::sigh::...

jali said...

Trebuchet,

Your story was the hilarious! It wasn't just a poop joke. (People go to her site and read it for yourselves!!!!!)

Let me know how you do at your reading. I love it.

I'm transplanted, but have come to LOVE the South - well, Atlanta at least. C'mon down to check it out. We could use a little Northwestern flavor down here!

Anonymous said...

That's fantabulous to hear. I just love it when a girl gets her juices flowing, whatever it takes! ;-)

jali said...

Jennifer,

You feel me!

Stephen A. Bess said...

I've never done the open-mic thing, but I've always wanted to give it a try. My brother performs throughout ATL. He does the Apache sometimes and other spots. His name is Thomas Bess Jr. http://www.myspace.com/thomasbessjr

Check him out. Great blog! Peace~

jali said...

little miss a,
Thanks! The encouragement feels great!

stephen,
I hope I get to see youperform someday! There's a myspace block here at the office. I'll try to visit over the weekend. Thanks!

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