Susan Hwang

Here’s a new song.  I wrote it for the Bushwick Book Club show at Barbes inspired by Jonathan Ames’ very funny and moving book, Wake Up, Sir.  It’s called Walk With Me.  Chris Rael of Church of Betty who I like so much, tweaked the arrangement, wrote an interlude and made the entire backing track with his own hands!  Who does that for a girl these days???  In case that link went unnoticed, click on the Jonathan Ames below to hear the song:

That’s Jonathan doing the “Hairy Call” that ended the show that night.   That’s the closer.  You really can’t follow that with anything.  It’s the hairy call, and then it’s good night…

All the songs from that show were recorded live and are now available for listening on our bandcamp site.

Bushwickbookclub.bandcamp.com

I can’t keep up with the weekends.

I biked into the East Village from Bushwick on Saturday night.  I normally like getting on my bike.  In regards to biking, my motto is, “Get on; you won’t regret it.”   When you’re on your bike it feels good.

It’s similar to my motto about horses — “Everything looks better from the back of a horse.”

I also have a motto about singing — “It’s better to sing than not to sing.”

But I almost amended my motto on bikes Saturday night.  I don’t see how this is possible, but there was extra chaos in the traffic that evening.  And then once you’re in the city, there are all the drunk weekenders standing in the middle of the street, getting out of cabs, talking loudly enough to knock you off balance.

However, the flashing headlights of all the citibikes coming at me on the Williamsburg bridge looked like fireflies.  It was kind of pretty.   That and the moments of lift and solitude I got on the bridge gave me that feeling of flying that I know from my dreams.

All this transportation was so I could see my friends from Yara Arts Group.  Vova (Waldemart Klyuzko) had an art show opening at The Ukrainian Museum on 6th Street.  It was a collection of his protest art and photography, much of it used in demonstrations against Russia.  I learned how to say “dick head” in Ukrainian.  This is Vova with a piece of one of his pieces.  It’s a bomb.  He just happened to be wearing an explosion tshirt.  He said he got the shirt in NYC.  I said that’s funny, because it looks like Kyiv.  All the charred remains of those fires that burned and burned are left in the city.  And bits are being taken and sold to tourists.  Protest chachkas.  Resistance rubble.

Vova with the bomb.  That is perfect.  Others made maletov cocktails.  Vova makes artbombs.

You can see the exhibit — “We Are All Ukraine” now through July 6th at The Ukrainian Museum – 222 East 6th Street (bet. 2nd and 3rd Aves.) New York, NY 10003, ph: 212 228-0110.

The highlight of the night though, came from this lady:

She beat up Vova’s installation of Putin as a blow-up doll.

She’s 92 years old.

She really enjoyed this.

Afterwards, she said, “That makes me feel better.”

My mom has an email account, and she texts me in Korean, and I love all these communications, but something extra shockingly adorable and touching always comes through in her handwritten notes.  She’s old-fashioned that way (and other ways).  She sends thank you notes and just general notes to say hi.  My favorites are the pictures she includes.  She studied art in school as much as she could before reality dictated she focus on her pharmacy studies (remember, art=death in the Korea of her times).

I moved recently after my break-up with my boyfriend of 6 years.  This card arrived in the mailbox of my new apartment 2 days ago:

Dear Susan:

I know you must be very busy, but at least the weather is better now.  It will take time to put everything in the right places.

I am sorry I can’t help you.

“I hope you have better life in the new place.”

I love you.

Mom

 
She really wants me to have a better life–so much so, that she reiterates it and underlines it on the next page of the card after including the most depressing Bible quote there is, which basically states “Don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will also suck.”  Thanks, Mom…

“never be anxious about the next day.  for the next day will have its own anxieties.  Each day has enough of its own troubles.” (Matthew 6:34)

I hope you have better life in the new place.

But she drew me flowers!  Mom!