yesterday only improved

Just when I thought yesterday could not get any better, it did! 'Twas a great mail day: a few fun items mentioned in my recent blog entries + a new issue of Paste. Johnny & I took our walk, and I collected bits of nature - proof that leaves do change in Houston. While I photographed my autumn finds on a backyard windowsill, Johnny put in an appearance from our living room.







After laughing at my husband, I walked around to our front yard and inhaled the air. I gazed at pine trees. All was quiet, give or take a few meditative souls on bicycles. I admired tiny orange & red leaves hiding in our foliage, one of my favorite morning sights as I open the kitchen mini blinds. I was so grateful to feel more like myself; it's been awhile.





I'm not sure where Regina Spektor has been all my life. I thank my brother for hipping us to her music! I love that he's a fan of bands such as Tool and Nine Inch Nails, and also the likes of Regina. Warehouse Live was a cool venue - I loved the chandeliers and architecture of the bars, but the stage needs to be much higher, especially for short folk (me). Even Johnny and my brother had trouble keeping eye contact with Regina Spektor, yet she sounded incredible. I loved her voice which reminded me of a Jolie Holland-Tori Amos-Bjork-Fiona Apple-Ani DiFranco combo. What I could see was Regina's grand piano adorned by three oversized light bulbs hanging above. I liked that aesthetic. My brother and Johnny shared the near-consistent view of a non-hetero couple swapping spit inches away. I think I got the better deal.

After the show we took my brother back to his new apartment. It's on the small side, but much more space than I had in my old studio apartment behind Empire Café. His new space brought back fond memories of living alone - sometimes lonely - but always an adventure. I spied my brother's new paintings leaning against a wall. He gave me $5.00 and said, "Buy a few Regina Spektor songs off iTunes, and be sure to buy 'Real Love' from the Instant Karma: The Campaign to Save Darfur album." [done, little bro] He recently visited our parents and carted back my breakfast-in-bed tray, a loan to my Mom after her foot surgeries. She is doing better, and I'm happy to have the tray back home. After the cats finish sniffing it, I can use it as a laptop desk while I sit on the couch. Or Johnny could just make me breakfast in bed.