It’s been A Hard Year’s Night … (Thanks to Cublet for the photos of Thurston and I). (This piece originally published on Open Salon on June 3, 2012)
It was two years ago today when I first hit that “Publish” button on Open Salon. It not only marked the start of many hours spent happily devoted to working on the My Life — In Concert! series, but also the initiation of online interaction with a group of some terrific writers and all-round interesting folks. Much here makes each of us sigh, groan, and roll our eyes at one time or another, but I believe that’s massively overruled by the positive creations and input on OS, participating in what is essentially a virtual writing and arts group. It’s all about the collective sum.
For a period, it seemed as if OS was going to disappear, so it’s great to see it thriving instead and — wonder of wonders — actually accessible rather than timing out more often than not. Thanks to the behind-the-scenes team for making good on your promise of a more reliable platform.
These past 12 months were personally challenging ones for yours truly, and I’m not out of the woods yet. That’s the reason why I’m tending to publish on OS about half as often as I was. It’s not out of interest lost, but rather that I’ve got some big fish frying in my pan right now. I also need to be putting some time back into another, prior creative project that was largely backburnered once the I began contributing to OS, and I keep wanting to do more with my VATV YouTube and Facebook spinoffs, and bringing my stand-along WordPress blog fully into line with my OS space, but I never seem to have the time to get to them as I’d like. We all do what we can, when we can, and I haven’t been able to create a reliable Cylon version of myself to aid in divvy up my work … yet.
Writing my series as well as the off-topic pieces brings me great pleasure, and I feel honoured and lucky to have those who I truly feel are the Best of OS taking the time to read and comment. So a big Thank You to Abrawang, Algis Kemezys, Boanerges1, catch-22, ChillerPop, designanator, dirndl skirt, Erica K, Keka, Kevin Army, Linda Seccaspina, littlewillie, lschmoopie, Margaret Feike, Myriad, and Scarlett Sumac (apologies if I’ve forgotten someone pertinent — the noggin is nowt as robust as it once was), not only for support but also for your great writing and contributions. Maybe an OS meet-up will happen in this part of the world in the upcoming year.
The biggest disappointment on Open Salon for me during the past year has been the disappearance of Rosycheeks. Here’s hoping you’re not gone from here forever.
I’d also like to send a big Thank You to those who are reading and linking to me from outside of OS, especially rockcritics.com for putting my piece about vintage issues of Sing Out! on your cover as well as all the great support the Laura Nyro Facebook group gave to my piece about Laura Nyro Toronto 1989.
While it’s been great to get to cyber-know many of you through a variety of channels, the biggest and warmest shout out of all goes to Cublet, the light of my life. Thanks for being there and for being your wonderful self, with all the attendant patience, love, understanding and humour. Finally, I’m raising a pint of Guinness to my friends and family both past and present for your contributions to this series and to my life. Cheers! Let’s go for another round.
I’ve decided that for as long as I’m on OS, I’ll mark each anniversary with a satire of a famous album cover. Last year it was the Sex Pistols’ Never Mind the Bollocks, and this year I’m selecting The Beatles’ A Hard Day’s Night: an all too appropriate title for my last dozen months.
On with year three ….
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URU-gWAOlDM]
“It Takes Two,” Marvin Gaye and Kim Weston (1965).
PREVIOUS ANNIVERSARY COVER
© 2012 VariousArtists
HUGGGGGGGGGGGG
from Linda and Kevin and Steve
Awesome reworking of the Beatles cover.
I always appreciate your insight and perspective on what you write about, and it’s done with an enthusiasm for music that isn’t always easy to put across in writing. I look forward to more!
Fusun: Thank you for your kind words and also for your great contributions to this site. Always nice to see you here.Linda: LOL, and very clever — as always. While you’re not on here as frequently, it’s always a treat when you are. And congrats on your book!Abra: That you can get enjoyment out of one of my pieces without necessarily liking the artist is one of the biggest compliments you could give me, as part of what I’m striving for is a life/style depiction as much as a focus on a particular artist. And ditto on the OS-acquaintance.dirndl: How nice of you to say so, especially given that you’re quite the archivist too. I guess that being a (tidy, organized) pack rat through the years has paid off for me with this project. Will be of course looking forward to future posts, and here’s hoping that the memoir doesn’t sit on the shelf for too long.
Kevin: I know we both share a passion for music, so I’m particularly happy that you’ve enjoyed what I’ve written. You’ve been doing such a great job covering the Occupy activities but do hope that you’ll write more on your background in the music industry — you have a lot of tales to pull from.
Boanerges: Well, I’m glad you did and vice versa. I’m still stumbling on to people on OS where I find out they’ve been here for years. Ah, adventure.Scarlett: It’s always a wonderful day when my fellow Ontarian/Canadian music lover is blogging or commenting on the site. Your support and intelligence are always a highlight.Algis: Har har har re: rosycheeks. Et merci beaucoup pour les gentil mots du maître visuelle de Open Salon (I hope I got that sentence correct). If only I had the grace of a dolphin …desginanator: Thanks so much for your patronage and, as you well know, your series on your years at RISD is one of my favourite things about OS.
catch-22: So glad that OS’ preeminent poet and word-weaver can expect to go on a good trip when visiting my blogosphere. I wish I had your economy with language. And, let summer begin indeed (it already has around here, if not on this particular weekend).
WendyO: Er, … this isn’t Fusun’s blog .. But I agree with what you have to say about her regardless.ChillerPop: Thanks Chiller, and thanks here are truly reciprocal. I always look forward to your writing, filled with creative, witty word play and passion about a topic where I haven’t always been well-versed, so I’m learning as well.And I’m thrilled to have been able to promote The Gospel According to Lady Bump. “Lady Bump” vs an incredulous poster of a inexplicably vexed, whiny, and big-haired Linda Blair … a fair trade, I’d say.Myriad: Thanks. Looking forward to more Weird Shit Wednesdays.
Keep up the good work and all that jazz.
I started working on a special Paul tribute piece this morning and when I hit save draft it disappeared. I should know better than to write within the program! Argh. I was halfway through the piece. If I have it in me later tonight I will write again in Word. Doh! (said in my best Homer Simpson voice)
Happy Anniversary & all my best to you & Cublet.