At the Half Note

Tuesday, May 23, 2006

Quote

“To hell with the rules. I'm going for the unknown.”
-- Wayne Shorter

David, Annie and I are in the living room. Annie runs across the room to get something.

Me: "Annie, do you think this room is really big?"

Annie: "Yes."

Me: "Compared to how you see it, Daddy and I think the room is small. I bet if you looked at it when you were grown, you'd be surprised by its actual size."

I see that David is thinking something.

Me: "Uh oh, look out, Daddy is thinking about the nature of reality in relation to physical space!"

Annie: "Oh Jesus."

Listening to at the Moment ...

Old Photo

When I was 17, I lived with a man named Russell. He was a union man, my first serious boyfriend and a real sweet guy.

We lived in Arizona for a bit, and Russell took this picture through the mirror while I was putting on my bathing suit to go out for a swim. I don't know why I look so pissed, must have been the Arizona sun .

Devour Me

Monday, May 22, 2006

Quote

“The final mystery is oneself." -- Oscar Wilde

A Love Supreme by kb

Listen to it
Play it
Walk with me
Just us
Play with me
Just us
Listen to it
Play it
A love supreme
Moves me
To you
Into you
Listen to it
Walk with me
Into it
Over here
Come
Over here
Just us
Play it
To me
A love supreme
Is what we have
We could have
So supreme
A love supreme …

Dirty Dining

Saturday, Annie and I leave the barn and head into a diner for lunch. I'm wearing blue jeans, cowboy boots, and a white tank top, bra straps revealed. Although it's fine attire for the barn, Annie doesn't seem to think it's appropriate for the diner. She grabs my jacket from the car and hands it to me.

Annie: Mom! You look like a PRE-Madonna!
Me: "What's a PRE-Madonna?"
Annie: "I don't know what it means, but you look like one!"

He Speaks

“Art is not meant to be a prescription. It is a celebration. People who celebrate do not need prescriptions.” --Seth

The Five Brothers

My Grandfather Joe, pictured center with his brothers, was a hard working man, a beautiful singer and a humanitarian. He immigrated to the U.S. from Russia, ran a dry cleaners on the lower east side, and sang in the Jewish chorus.

From left, Uncle Bill, Unlce Sol, Grandpa Joe, Uncle Herman and Uncle Max. Click to see large.

Seriously Slow Sunday

Katie: "David, do you think that making someone a peanut butter sandwich and making the bed is enough to justify one's existence for the day?"

David: "Is it peanut butter and jelly, or just peanut butter?"

Katie: "Peanut butter and jelly."

David: "Then yes, it's enough."

Had to ...

Quote

“A dress makes no sense unless it inspires men to take it off of you.”

-- F. Sagan

Friday, May 19, 2006

Quote

“All a musician can do is to get closer to the sources of nature, and so feel that he is in communion with the natural laws.”

--John Coltrane

Elisa

Elisa, not to be confused with Lisa, has been my friend since I was about 6 or 7. We lived in San Francisco, went to the same schools, lived a block from each other, and our mothers were, and still are, dear friends.

Elisa and I couldn’t have been more different from one another when we were kids. I'd sleep at her house and she would play show tunes for me on her record player. It was something she loved and something I loathed, but eventually I knew all the words to "Cabaret" whether I liked it or not. Sitting in her room, I would ramble on about horses and the goings on at the stables in Golden Gate Park (Something she tolerated). We'd spend hours bickering over what to do on a Saturday afternoon; she wanted to go shopping or to Ghirardelli Square or to the beach; and all I wanted to do was ride. I don’t actually remember us ever making it out of the house.

Elisa thought my home life was interesting: my parents in the theatre, actors sleeping on our living room floor, but I preferred what she had: a quiet home with 2 cats, junk food in the cupboards and a mom who liked to cook. Funny, with all our differences, not only have we remained close, we ended up in the same profession.

Elisa has a huge laugh that's ready to be released at any given moment. She is spontaneous, joyful and curious, and is always in search of knowledge. She responds to nature more than anyone I've ever known, and her home is flooded with light and filled with flowers. Like she is. She teaches me how to enjoy life and appreciate moments and I am so thankful to have her in my corner.

Elisa lives in L.A. and is a television and film editor. She recently wrapped her second season on the show, "24," and is currently editing a feature-length documentary.

Quote

"You have to be very fond of men. Very, very fond. You have to be very fond of them to love them. Otherwise they're simply unbearable."

- Marguerite Duras

Annie & Dave February 1998

"I always look better with babies around me."
-- David Kosh

Happiness

Walking home from school, Annie hums a tune from Wayne Shorter's, "Ju Ju."

Chinese Proverb

“I dreamed a thousand new paths. . . I woke and walked my old one.”

--Photo by Annie Kosh from the "Wake Up Mommy" series.

A Notable Father

My dad was a big note writer. Notes telling me to do the dishes, or to feed the cat, or, like this one, just wishing me well.

A Sonny Manhattan Morning

David is listening to Sonny Rollins while getting ready for work this morning, and although I appreciate Rollins, I’m not a huge fan. David explains that what he likes is the expression of joy inside the music, that Rollins doesn’t make him feel like he’s in a dark basement jazz club smoking too many cigarettes and drinking too much booze. He says that the music is not tied to angst or pain, that it’s not meant to crack you open; it’s meant to lift you up.

“Sonny Rollins is like Renoir as opposed to Van Gough,” David said, “It’s a celebration of music, of being alive and being able to play music.”

Favorite Film

A Dash of Something Cute

Thursday, May 18, 2006

Quote

“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.”

--Dr. Seuss

Dropping in, Dropping Out

I left home when I was 17 and when I was 19, I moved to Santa Cruz. After spending the first few months there, delivering pizza, washing dishes and waiting tables, I thought it might be more fun to go to school and be supported by my father.

Here’s a letter he wrote to me about his thoughts on the subject. Click on it to read.

Note: I did end up going to school for a stint, but it didn’t suit me. And no, I never got my high school diploma.

Thursday Morning

Annie is hugging and kissing me.

Me: "Annie, go get ready for school honey."
Annie: "This IS getting ready. For when I'm a grown-up and I have lovers."

Another Fine Establishment (Yikes!)

Brotherly Love Note

Just Cute

Favorite Film

Caffeine Love

Katie: "Coffee is my boyfriend."
David: "Coffee is my girlfriend. I have her every morning at work."

Listening to at the Moment ...

Quote

“There is never jealousy where there is not strong regard”

-- Washington Irving

Part of Me

"Lipstickless" Photo by Annie Kosh, May 17th 2006

Stay tuned for the rest of the series which will include my left ankle, right eye and upper neck.

Wednesday, May 17, 2006

My Girl

Wednesday Morning Cheer

Annie likes to write messages on her dry-erase board every day. This is what she wrote today. So sweet.

Annie Walks to School Wednesday

Click on it.

Love Notes on Bar Napkins

David and I fell in love while he was behind the bar and I was waiting tables. Lots of notes were passed between us, and my customers could never figure out why I was the most cheerful waitress in New York City. Here's a note from David to me, 1989.

Love Notes on Bar Napkins

From David to me 1989. (Before getting married)

I'm glad I saved all this stuff.
Click to read.
Sweet.

Jill Sobule

Jill Sobule is one of my favorites. She's a singer, a songwriter and a satirist all rolled into one woman who has the voice of an angel and plays guitar like the devil. She has the incredible ability to combine her serious chops and stunning poetic lyrics with a cutting wit, and she delivers it in a way that makes me laugh and cry at the same time.

I may, one day, post a story about the night I sang with her on stage at Joe's Pub. It was a crazy night and might be a bit too racey for the blog. We'll see.

--The following song, despite its sometimes humorous lyrics, is heartbreakingly sad and beautiful. I send it out today as a dedication to all those boys who never loved me... (You know who you are.)

"Mexican Wrestler" by Jill Sobule.

Sometimes I wish that I was an angel,
A fallen angel who visits your dreams,
And in those dreams I'd blow you a message that says
You really want me.

Sometimes I wish that I was a wrestler,
A Mexican wrestler in a red vinyl mask,
And I might grab you, and body slam you, and maybe cause
physical harm.
But when we would land
I might take pity on you,
I can crack all your ribs
But I can't break your heart.

You will never love me,
And this I can't forgive,
That you will never love me,
As long as I will live.

Sometimes I wish that I was a beauty,
A beautiful girl who was still 21,
And I'd turn your head as well as your buddies,
And I could afford to play hard to get.
We'd go to parties and you'd show me off,
And I'd go home with someone else.

You will never love me,
And this I can't forgive,
And it will always bug me,
As long as I will live.
You will never love me,
Why should I even care,
It's not that you're so special
You're just the cross I bear.

After School

Annie: "Is it possible that someone doesn't like me?"
Katie: "It's possible."
Annie: "No, it isn't."
Katie: "Well, I'm sure there are people who don't like ME."
Annie: "No. Everyone likes you and everyone likes me, whether they like it or not."

Last Night in the Elevator

David says to me: "You look tired and miserable and sad and cute."

To Do: Stop reading "To Do" Blog

What draws me to this blog? You know, the one that's made up solely of people's handwritten lists? I like this one where a woman writes down things she appreciates about her lover, especially the last one: "The way my heart skips a beat when a "394" number comes up on the caller ID."

Click if you want to.