2005-11-08 - 1:42 a.m.

as regular readers may have guessed, i was in a terrifically black mood today. couldn't paint, couldn't write, couldn't move forward. a called me to check on me and i just raged and cried like an aging opera diva (as she diligently paid for her purchases at duane reade on the other end of the digital line). the disappointment about the failure of my art project (and the collaborative relationship that framed it) was weighing me down and it didn't feel as if anything could lift that weight. i wasn't even planning to go to chess club, but a reminded me how much i usually enjoy it.

and then several amazing things happened.

1. several new people showed up at chess club to play enthusiastically, after months of just playing one other person.
   
2. my new friend b came at the end of the evening, to kick my sorry ass all over the chess board.
   
3. after months and months of literally painful musical acts at the cafe where we hold chess club, the roster has changed. for the near future, keyboard karaoke has taken over the other room.
   
4. b and one of the keyboardists convinced me to stay after chess club and sing. singing makes me very happy. i sang a duet with b, 'islands in the stream', and one with the keyboardist, 'fernando'.
   
5. i heard the most amazing renditions *ever* of 'don't worry baby' and 'bela lugosi's dead' and 'fame' (the last of which everyone danced to in true drunken disco style).
   
6. i got a very sweet message on my voicemail from someone i haven't heard from in months.
   
7. i received several appreciative emails about recent paintings i posted