I was under the floor when I returned from Pátzcuaro and learned that the sale of my house in New Orleans had been postponed AGAIN. Since I’m no longer acting, a career that allowed me to put my drama onstage instead of bringing it into my life, I went into woe is me mode and started contemplating the edge. This is never really serious—my fear that I might reincarnate on a lower level negates the possibility of suicide. I wanna get it right this time so that I will never have to visit earth plane again.
After 24-hours I stopped the pity party, a rule I’ve stuck to assiduously since Hurricane Katrina, and called Tim Hazell, an artist who had contacted me about writing an article for Atención on his new exhibit, to tell him I could get started earlier than I had anticipated. Although ma was a visual artist, I’ve never written about art and was a little intimidated. But a challenge was exactly what I needed—it would leave less time to brood. A day or so later, another writing assignment materialized—a feature article on the jazz festival. That plus my regular work for the Literary Sala meant I had 3 articles to complete in as many weeks.
Needing continual attitudinal adjustments, due to things in New Orleans, my Thanksgiving celebration this year focused on drinks, not food. I got wasted. I’d planned to watch Beyonce’s concert on one of the networks that night, but passed out on the couch about five minutes after it started. Will have to catch that one on Utube.
The 15th Annual Blues and Jazz Festival started the day after Thanksgiving. The Angela Peralta Theatre, where it’s usually presented, was closed for renovations this year so the Festival had to find a home. Festival Director, Antonio Lozoya, expanded the Festival and made other decisions that significantly increased the ticket prices this year, weird given that we are in the mist of a global economic meltdown. The lineup was good but I, like most San Miguelese, couldn’t afford to see much of it. As much as I love jazz, I have to pay the rent and utilities first and wanted to have a few Feliz Navidad dollars. My article on Nic Bearde got me into performance free. I bought a ticket to hear David Gilmore, who was guest artist for this kick-ass Mexican fusion band, lead by pianist Mark Aanderud, and a friend treated me to saxophonist David Sánchez’s performance with special guest, drummer Antonio Sánchez. Only the last performance was well attended. The first two had less than 60 people.
Am going back into writing hibernation until I leave for Oaxaca on December 20th.
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