Monday, July 14, 2008

Sleepless Nights



"Nothing happens until something moves."~Albert Einstein

I don't mind admitting I haven't slept much lately. Scribbled notes in the night will bear witness. I knew this was coming all along. Next comes some pacing. And some deciphering. Are the words that begged to be let loose the key? Or am I just slightly disturbed. As Fats Waller said, "One never knows do one? "

And next more pacing. And probably some naps. Not so many words. Colors and lines are what I am after. Expressions come to me visually. That red I used this morning, I just realized is a familiar signal. I had to smile to myself. Those lines I scribbled just after, mean I am engaged.

Right brain is taking over.

A whole show, a body of work came tumbling out in the night. Triggered by a series of cues. I am tired. I am groggy. But I am smiling to myself. And talking in scat. Not the biological kind, the musical kind. Yeah, If I showed you some notes you would see, "Oom, boppa, zizzle, p-cha, p-cha, plonk... dap " No joke. That note is right beside me here. Oh, there are things written that would make more sense to you but those, those words tell me my inner Wynton is on the job. And he never steers me wrong.

So now comes directed action. Movement. But first a much needed nap. It may be Organizing Monday, and those nocturnal notes will be made operational, but my 3 Most Important Tasks have a decided Marsalis rhythm to them today. Are you listening to your muses?

Here's a little "Marsalis speak" for you.



Ya gotta find your voice...sometimes, it sounds kind of silly, it may make you toss and turn...but it will be yours.

6 comments:

Parisbreakfasts said...

Next time you can't get shuteye, pace rt. over to the fridge and grab some carbs- cake or cookies will do nicely.
The drop in blood sugar will quickly put you out solid..
MITs
MITs
MITs
!!!

Janice C. Cartier said...

I would kill for a tasty tart right now....and total out like a light. :))))

But a smoothie of berries...a spin around the usual haunts, and then I am snoozing, I swear.

Anonymous said...

Janice,

When I watched Jazz I could hardly wait for Wynton to come on and speak. He has such a way of breaking it down, making it momentarily understandable and exciting.

Jazz stops me from working, though. I sit and get all wrapped up in it. I can put something classical on in the background and keep going, but with jazz my toe starts tapping and my brain gets sassy and leaves me to dance.

Thoughts day and night and no sleep at all—I have that too for that last couple of weeks. Must be something in the air.

You'll turn it into something fantastic, I know.

Regards,

Kelly

Janice C. Cartier said...

Kelly,
It must be in the air. I am sensing a lot of turbulence. In a good way.
I love Wynton. Get more from him about painting than anyone might imagine.
I just picked up his and Willie Nelson's CD. So appropriate ( LA and TX ). I expect to do some of that dancing myself. It all comes out in the end I hope with a flow of sweet sounds of our own.
Thanks my friend.

Anonymous said...

Janice - One word of advice from someone who's been there: write those nocturnal notes down! I come up with some great ideas at night, only to roll over back to sleep and spend the better part of the next day trying to remember them...

~Graham

Janice C. Cartier said...

I totally agree. Although some of them I am still deciphering. And some of them ...what was I thinking? But the goods ones wow...it all came together...well I hope.