2/9/23

 Thursday, February 9,2023

In bed at 9, awake at 5:20, up at 5:41, no dreams, half-dreams, thoughts, gummi brain?  35 degrees outside, temps pretty steady all day with light rain throughout the morning, snow throughout the afternoon. Variable winds from NE to 22 mph and gusts up to 38 mph. Current wind chill at 26, wind chills will run 21 to 33 degrees. 'Total wintry mix today = 3.25 inches.  Sunrise at 6:57, sunset 5:14, 10+16.

Frank Sinatra  I'm reading a 1997 New Yorker article about The Chairman of the Board, "Sinatra's Song."  There are many songs by male singers that I enjoy but it's female vocalists who dominate my music collection.  The big exception to that rule is Frank Sinatra.  When I'm in a pensive mood, I'm more likely to turn to Sinatra's great lovesick albums as to anything else.  No one could or can sing emotional, bluesy ballads, torch songs, songs of loss, of emotional pain, of loneliness and sadness and hopelessness, like Sinatra.  In the Wee Small Hours, Only the Lonely, September of my Years, Where Are You?, No One Cares - magnificent accomplishments, the deep richness of his voice, his unique phrasing and timing, the heartfelt emotionality of his delivery.  Anyone inclined toward Mickey-the-Mope-ism in life, as I am, can't help but be touched by these songs.  I think about whether there is a female equivalent to Sinatra among my favorite vocalists - Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, Diana Krall, Julie London, Nins Simone - but I can't come up with one.  Sinatra is unique.  I noticed in the New Yorker article that, at least as of November 3, 1997, Sinatra's " two hundred and six CDs currently in print make him the most comprehensively digitally preserved music-maker in the history of recorded sound."  I wonder if that is still true today and, if not, what artists have his record.  On a day like today, cold, wet, windy, and overcast, I need to set aside some time to put my earbuds in my ears, push my chair to its reclining position, and binge on The Master.  The 25th anniversary of his death will occur on May 14th of this year.  What would be an appropriate marking of this date?

 David Brooks this morning, 'Losing My Friend Pete'   "I feel like I’ve read a lot about the grieving process for family members but not so much about what grieving is like when your friends die. Death and I were too well acquainted last year. I lost three good friends — Pete, Mike Gerson and my longtime “NewsHour” partner, Mark Shields. I’ve been surprised by how profound and lasting the inner aches have been.  Pete’s death has been a cause of great disorientation. He’d been a presence for practically my whole life, and now the steady friendship I took for granted is gone. It’s as if I went to Montana and suddenly the mountains had disappeared."  Except it's worse, a lot lonelier.

LTMW at a very blustery day, light rain or drizzle waiting to turn into snow.  When it's this windy we don't see very many visitors on our sunflower feeders or the suet cake.  The goldfinches on the other hand will not be denied their niger seeds.  Wind, rain, cold temps - nothing keeps them from gripping the little openings on the niger feeder with their tiny claws and rooting about for their meals, lousy weather be damned.  There are 8 or 9 of them out there munching away in the rain.

Mequon Passeggiata.  Ran into old friend Ruth Lebed at Sendik's this afternoon and had a pleasant chat.   She tells me Peter Rofes is still teaching at the law school at age 67 or so, and still living in the huge condo on Lake Drive, all by himself.  Ruth has been a favorite of Geris and mine from the first time we met her, when Peter brought her over to our house on Newton in Shorewood.  Geri attended their wedding in New York State many years ago.  The friendship(s) with Peter didn't end well but our friendship with Ruth never weakened.  

Vietnamese Girl is finished, at least for now.  I've struggled over whether to add something to the sand colored background of the painting.  I haven't been able to come up with any ideas that wouldn't interfere with the focus of the painting which is the young girl herself.  I'm not inclined to 'busy up' the background in any way that would deflect a viewer's eye from the girl herself, calmly seated with her hands folded, innocent.