Archive for January, 2009

Beginning a Blog

Thursday, January 22nd, 2009

“Having bought the colours, an easel, and a canvas, the next step was to begin. But what a step to take! The palette gleamed with beads of colour; fair and white rose the canvas; the empty brush hung poised, heavy with destiny, irresolute in the air. My hand seemed arrested by a silent veto. But after all the sky on this occasion was unquestionably blue, and a pale blue at that. There could be no doubt that blue paint mixed with white should be put on the top part of the canvas. One really does not need to have had an artist’s training to see that. It is a starting-point open to all. So very gingerly I mixed a little blue paint on the palette with a very small brush, and then with infinite precaution made a mark about as big as a bean upon the affronted snow-white shield.”

Winston Churchill

OK. I’ve begun.

Today I watched the video of James Cagney’s “Yankee Doodle Dandy.” What a picture! Yesterday I saw “The Wrestler” at the Harvard Square Movie Theater. It seemed long; while I admired the performances yet I waited for it to get on. I wanted to know more about the secondary characters, too. I wanted more of the story. My ideas of drama and life are drawn from the last Century and, to a large degree, from the previous Century, too. Tonight I’m going to The Stone Temple Coffee House to hear a folk singer. Amy will be singing over the dead bodies of two presidents — John and John Quincy Adams — in the crypt below along side their wives. I hope they enjoy the music. This is enough painting for now.