June 2008 Archives

I haven't posted to this blog in two weeks, which is, for me, a long time.  Veteran readers know that extended silences always overlap with some kind of crisis, like Hurricane Katrina, the Israeli/Lebanese War, or really really stupid romantic nonsense.  On these occasions, the blog format of Instant Insight ceases to function.  My ideas no longer plop out of my brain in short, easily-digestible nuggets.  I end up spending my introspective moments alone, staring into space, or with friends, drunk. 

In this particular case, it's not so much a crisis as it is a critical moment -- a few weeks when everything in my life seems to be changing, or at least vibrating.  Here is the breakdown:

1. I Have Become an Official Working Artist
I pretty much quit my job.  From now on, for six days a week, for the first time in my life, I am a Working Artist.  For the record, I never thought this would happen.  I've always said (BOASTED, even) that I would always have a day job.  That it was inconceivable not to.  That if Mary Timony works in an office, than I have no business doing otherwise.  And so, when I got the Six Points Fellowship, I figured I could just use the "living stipend" as a budget for my other projects.  "I don't need a living stipend," I said.  "I have a JOB."  However, a year and half later, my artistic projects are becoming so involved that I'd be foolish not to take advantage of this financial opportunity and just make art make art make art make art.  Wow.

2. I'm Revisiting The Script of My Play, and Making It Way Better
I'm not going to elaborate just yet!  I'm excited though!

3. I'm Recording "Mammal" (Again!)
After a two-year hiatus, Casey Holford and I are once again recording tracks for my second solo record, "Mammal."  We have sessions coming up with Dibs, Matt Katz, Luis Illades, Angela Carlucci and Andrew Hoepfner.

4. I Helped Creaky Boards Take Over The Internet
Andrew Hoepfner and I made this video.  In less than a week, HALF A MILLION people watched it!  It was covered in every major music news outlet, including PerezHilton.com and Pitchforkmedia.com.  In the days following the initial splash, Andrew was interviewed for all sorts of TV, radio and print venues.  Now that the chaos has calmed, slightly, he has all these lucrative offers to sort through, from film soundtracks, to opening slots on major U.S. tours.  I'm helping him make sense of it all.  We've been joking that we've developed a sort of Bill Clinton/James Carville relationship.  If I didn't come up with the analogy myself, I'd have taken it as an insult about my receding hairline.  Anyway, here's the video, with updated pop-ups at the very end.


There are other things on the burner, but I gotta get back to work.  And by "work," I mean "the work of a working artist."  Which is the work I do.  Now.  For as long as I can manage it.  Hey, have you ever noticed the TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATION BUTTON IN THE UPPER LEFT-HAND CORNER OF MY WEBSITE?!?  Whaddya know!

Love
Dan

Reposted from Dion Nissenbaum's Checkpoint Jerusalem blog:

In the decades since the Holocaust, Israel's Yad Vashem has recognized more than 22,000 Righteous Gentiles for risking their lives to protect Jews from Nazi persecution during World War II.

Perhaps the most famous among them is Oskar Schindler, a Polish businessman whose story of saving thousands of Jews became the basis for Steven Speilberg's Oscar-winning 1993 movie, "Schindler's List."

But not one of the 22,000 "Righteous Among the Nations" is Arab.

Robert Satloff, executive director of The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, set out to clarify the historic record.

After writing "Among the Righteous: Lost Stories From The Holocaust's Long Reach Into Arab Lands," Satloff submitted the first request for Yad Vashem to honor an Arab for saving Jews during World War II.

The nominee is Khaled Abdelwahhab, a Tunisian Arab who hid a group of Jews on his farm.

The request received extensive coverage when Satloff made it 18 months ago.

Since then, there has been no word from Yad Vashem.

This week, Satloff and a former Yad Vashem researcher criticized Yad Vashem for not recognizing this historic first.

"I am amazed what is causing such a delay which is way beyond a reasonable amount of time," said Dr. Mordechai Paldiel, the former director of the Department of the Righteous at Yad Vashem.

Satloff called the delay "unexplainable.'

Yad Vashem said the case is still under review.

(Photo of Khaled Abdelwahhab/AP)

Co-Worker: What's wrong?

Me: Gay hipster turmoil.

Co-Worker: That should be the name of your next play.  Gay Hipster Turmoil.

Me: BUT IT WOULDN'T BE INTERESTING AT ALL.

It's been a surreal few days.  I got choked up watching Hillary Clinton's concession speech, not because I'm happy Barack Obama will be the next president (and I am happy, and he will), and not because I feel bad for her (and I do, even though she's an asshole) -- I got choked up because I was jealous.  Because she gets to stop running.  Because sometimes failure is a relief.

If there's one thing I've realized over the past few days, it's that failure (while tempting) is not an option.

I am so in love with being alive, even the chronic pains in my neck feel joyful.

It's summer, and the air won't let you forget that you're here.

It hurts but I'm glad.
Love
Dan

Sometimes I fantasize about living in a small town, where I know everyone, and all the stores are owned by the people who live there.  Why is there something so empowering about local ownership?  Last night, Ardi and I had dinner at Luis' grocery store / restaurant, Urban Rustic.

Afterwards, we hung out on a baseball field with Matt Katz.  Luis met up with us and we watched Raiders of the Lost Arc, projected onto the wall of his loft.  I felt like I didn't live in New York.

Casey and I have been scheduling recording sessions for my new solo album.  With luck, we'll be finished by the end of the summer.  Making a record is thrilling, scary and really, really hard.  We start on Saturday.  I'm petrified.

You know what tastes like Flavorice?  Beet lemonade. 

Also, compare and contrast this Creaky Boards song written in 2007 and this Coldplay song released in 2008:




Love
Dan

Just this morning, I was thinking, "I wish I could have hung out with Jeff some more before he left for tour."  Listening to this new NPR interview. was the next best thing.  I feel blessed that my friends are so accessible in a duplicated, mass-produced audio format.

Love
Dan

And this is all I have to say about that:


Love
Dan