Evolutions

The components for my bathroom upgrades arrived yesterday: new toilet, sink, and shower fixtures. My bathroom is covered in the original 1957-pink tile and in the past four years I've not only come to accept it, but love it. All of the new bathroom appliances are very retro, with a comforting 1950's feel. Anyway, Home Depot only provides curbside delivery, which meant I had to lug all of the pieces upstairs myself. On my second trip I took a serious spill.

The utility stairwell in my building has cement steps and the melting snow created a little puddle. Because I was carrying a heavy box, my center of gravity was off and both of my feet went out from under me at the same time. I landed flat on my back on those cement steps. Somehow I missed my kidneys and took the brunt of force right at the base of my spine and on my elbows, but I took a sound blow right across the middle of my back as well, knocking the wind out of me. I scared the poor delivery guy, and he tried to perform CPR while I was sitting up. I guess I'm fine, but I tore open my left arm at the elbow and there was blood everywhere. My back is sore, and I can already see the Technicolor bruise spreading across my back.

But the upgrades continue. I was flipping through my iPod and realized a lot of the space is taken up by Bernadette Peters. Every fag seems to have his diva, and for years mine was Bernadette Peters. I just ate up her little carnival doll routine, and I loved her voice. And while I think I will always have a soft spot for Bernadette circa 1990, my admiration has cooled over the years. I've bought her recordings more out of a sense of nostalgia out of any real interest. Yet someone who's music I have become more interested in is Patti LuPone's. As she approaches sixty her talent seems to grow. I love her recordings and I've seen her in live performance twice. She's electric. I love her website, which she doesn't update nearly enough. Unlike Bernadette, who seems to desperately clinging to thirty-five, Patti seems to be embracing her age and as a result seems ageless. In her mid fifties she did her first opera, and continues to explore that world. I love people who enter different stages of their lives and absolutely refuse to sit on their laurels.

Still, my musical tastes seem to be changing. I won't say they're evolving, but I am aware that I'm more interested in male musicians than I am in female ones, my new found interest in Patti LuPone notwithstanding. While his is not ground-breaking in any way, I am listening endlessly to Daughtry. John Mayer is getting some play, as is Chanticleer. And if Tim McGraw would put out a new album, I'd have it. His latest was a greatest hits compilation, and since I have all the CD's I didn't see the need to purchase this. In the absence of openly gay musicians, (not a Rufus fan, and Elton tends to be a little too retro for me) I tend to voices that are a little rougher. Yet, I don't like hard rock which is either too adolescent or manufactured for me. I, of course recognize the dichotomy of wanting to avoid manufactured music and yet still being devoted to Daughtry and John Mayer, but for me it's the difference between Banana Republic and Target.

So, the upgrades continue: bathroom, music, and education. Because of yesterday's little spill, I'm way behind in my school work, so I need to tidy up around the house and get off to the library. More coherent blogging later...