Naked Greenspan

One primed canvas, three feet by seven. Soon to be Naked Greenspan.



For you completists, I had a bacon, goat cheese, onion and pepper omelet for breakfast. No toast. While priming, and now while typing, I've been listening to Glenn Miller on this, my latest gadget:



I play it through something called a Neuhaus T-1 hybrid amp (which means it contains a bunch of sophisticated digital technology which is then filtered, if that's even the right word, which it certainly isn't, through a pair of analog tubes). The mellowing presence of the tubes makes the usual iTunes stuff my computer is pumping out sound so vastly better as to defy description in words.

Then, after ordering the turntable, I realized (that's not entirely true--I already knew it) that all my LPs were in storage in Brooklyn. So I went to the used record store around the corner and bought a bunch of jazz albums. Big bands, Art Tatum, Mel Torme, Thelonius Monk (I like the piano guys), plus some classical stuff. And the sound of this stuff on vinyl is so extraordinary, I can't go back to my digital files.

So you've turned into one of those assholes?
I suppose the short answer is yes.

Anyway, the difference between jazz guys and rock and roll guys ( a category I'd put myself in) is that the jazz guys all take obsessive care of their LPs. You go to the store and buy any number of two and three dollar albums, take them home, open them up and, Lordy, they are almost pristine.

Not so much my personal collection, so perhaps it's better they're in Brooklyn.

And then there's this:



You'll remember my earlier discussion of this painting and how I was going to paint the thing completely in black and white, with the only exception being an interpretation of the 7-Eleven how-tall-is-the-perp? graphic that festoons the upper interior corners of doors in every 7-Eleven in the world. This would be one of those.

Personal Aside: Back to this whole new-stereo business. Lest you think I'm a maniac with the money (which isn't a good idea in my line of work), the entire system cost less than a lovely lunch for one at Per Se, assuming you chose the Tsar Imperial Osetra Caviar over the Oysters and Pearls ($75.00 supplement)--which would be crazy because the O&P are a must-have experience and you can get raggedy-ass caviar any time you like at Petrossian--and the "Gateau" of Hudson Valley Moulard Duck Foie Gras ($40.00 supplement) over the Sicilian Pistachio "Panna Cotta"--which, as noted below, was the smart move--and limited yourself to one medium-priced bottle of wine. Although thinking about it, two half bottles would probably make more sense.