writing the argument

"Throw away the lights, the definitions
And say of what you see in the dark

That it is this or that it is that,
But do not use the rotted names."

-Wallace Stevens
"The Man with the Blue Guitar"

I am embarking on trying to write a first draft of a statement of research, which will serve as a template for cover letters and postdoc apps. I am trying to follow Stevens' advice, which I have repurposed for this situation to mean: don't use jargon, don't use phrases and words that you've heard and repeated so many times that they don't excite the brain and the tongue off of which they thud to the ground. But, sitting here with sweat forming on my upper lip, listening to the sharp buzz of tiles being cut, it is hard to perform such reimaginations. Much easier to tinker with the font of my cv.

Shakespeare in the Park
We saw Richard II this past Saturday. My parents opted not to come with: as we'd been driving about all day, they were pretty exhausted and just wanted to stay home (and watch my Netflix). So we got there and laid about in the damp night-grass. The play is long and the tension really doesn't break at all. It starts with scandal and the machinations of the king and moves from duel to banishment to death to regime change. Very corking. I like the histories a lot. I wonder why they don't get performed more?

However, I think this will be the last time I go to Shakespeare in the Park. Last year, we saw Hamlet there and found it quite good. We were especially interested in the choice by the lead actor to play Hamlet in a somewhat sardonic, mocking manner--quite a contrast to the melodrama that character is usually imbued with. And the same actor was the lead in Richard II. Which he played in a somewhat sardonic, mocking manner. So that interesting choice: a shtick. What worked for Hamlet, a young, insecure prince trying to find his way, did not for Richard II, who came off as a fop with nothing to lose, despite the many speeches re "my cares." None of the craven scheming and power-hunger reflected in this portrayal. Too bad.

The Lists

TO DO WORK: Outline the chapter. Write the first section on ecstatic memory. Write a first draft of research statement. Write the mask section of c2.
DONE! updated cv. cleaned up computer desktop

TO DO LIFE: Pay down debt (currently $1,031.09). Procure dog. Go running. Buy suit. Read Therí's paper. Send siff letter. Go to dmv and figure out car insurance. Move clothes around. Cover books.
done: Figured out where my missing contacts had gone off to. Asked tiler to please tear out two pieces and redo them: turns out there was no need for all my last night's dramz. he said: you want me to tear those out? no problem. I hope to god they're being slightly more careful with cutting today so I don't have to make that request again. Sent siff letter.

TO DO BLITZ: sarah, marilyn, giulia, irmary, mariana, dar, nv, sf, marzena, thérèse, toño, pk.
new subset: TO DO CALL: katie, hen, lauryn.

Restau 99

Lou
Cali Contemporary. 724 N. Vine St. Hollywood. 323.962.6369. dinner mon-sat. $
We went to Lou after our downtown adventure last thursday. We trolled around Little Tokyo for hours then saw a free concert in the First and Central series at the Japanese American National Museum with Destiny Wolf (cheesy lite jazz singer) and Máquina Loca, which was fun. Lots of bopping about in my chair and huggling with Michael. Anyway! I find the decor at Lou hipster-hideous, the only mercy is that hiphid requires a darkness that makes almost everything else invisible. The kitchen at Lou is operational until 11, they don't take resas, we got a table right away, and the food was excellent. We split everything, the garlic bread, the frisée salad with roasted goat cheese the savory zucchini tart and the flat-iron beef with fingerling potatoes. Pleasantly full, pockets undrained.

Village Idiot
Gastropub/English. 7383 Melrose. LA. 323.655.3331. lunch and dinner everyday (open until 2 am). $
Yum. We got there after Shakespeare in the Park ended, right before eleven and so had to choose from the reduced bar menu. Michael had spicy sausages and mashed potatoes (which I want to call "bangers and mash" but really, i have no idea) and I had the leek and goat cheese tart. Both quite good, but not exquisite. The dessert seemed utterly uninspired.

Casa Bianca
Italian (pizza). 1650 Colorado. Eagle Rock. 323.256.9617. dinner tues-sat. $
Do you think maybe pepperoni and sun-dried tomatoes are not the best combo? We did take-out from there last night and it was just not at all terrific. I think I don't like think-crust as much as Michael and everyone else in the universe who genuflects over it. Estimation of Casa Bianca: downright bad. Oh Jonathan Gold, I follow you like a trusting lamb and you can mislead me so!

I have to say, I am becoming dubious of this list: neither Village Idiot or Casa Bianca seem to me to belong on a list of the 99 best restaurants in la.