April 29, 2011
weather blends
Brewing up spells of sunshine, the threat extends to many areas, one of two further, die out or dry out, scattered showers, range between, spot Easterly breeze.
April 28, 2011
I noticed it was v quiet outside yesterday and declared the hockey match must be over and that they’d won. However, it hadn’t yet started.
When, hours later, there was something of an external wailing outdoors (something between a falling off a horse and incanting at a wedding) I was reading a particularly compelling letter from Walter Benjamin to someone, Adorno, maybe or Brecht, and was reaching the crescendo in his big question (not to be confused with his little or middling questions) :
“How much of a dialectical synthesis of misery and exuberance lies in this research, which has been continually interrupted and repeatedly revived over the course of a decade, and which has been driven on into the remotest of regions?”
‘Nuff said.
April 26, 2011
It’s a toss up which do I care less about the hockey or the royal wedding?
Right now I don’t care remotely for either.
This is odd since I still recall the mugs they gave out during the previous wedding. They were very unremarkable mugs.
It is also odd because I recall getting considerably worked up when Calgary was in the Play Offs though I cannot remember when that was. Even odder since I’ve never been to Calgary and cannot remember how or why I managed to sustain any interest in it.
Puzzled.
Syria, however, that worries me, that worries me a great deal.
April 26, 2011
Watering Benjamin
The Arcades Project was written with insomniacs in mind. I benefitted around 3am within the Sales Clerks section.
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There are rain drops on the underside of the tree branches that are not going anywhere. Just hanging there, stagnant bubbles. Acrobatic water. We are still on the dimmer weather-wise.
April 25, 2011
Avant-Garde Nukus
Documentary birthday outing yesterday with Kevin and Bobbi was a good one. We saw The Desert of Forbidden Art. The avant garde lives in Nukus. The documentary told the story of Igor Savitsky’s passion, resolve and single mindedness in rescuing thousands of art works and concurrently doing in his lungs.
Extraordinary vision he had. An instigator in a sparse space. He moved quick and quiet. A contrast to our current cultural capitalists who move slow and in a very straight, risk averse line.
The women artists mentioned in the film fascinated me and I intend to learn more about them. They were, in someways, a step ahead of Savitsky and knew exactly what he was up to and put their work behind it.
April 25, 2011
It is a grotty 8 degree of a day, tho’ hard to believe 8 it could be, since the chill of the wind almost lifted my fingernails off, when I said good morning to the lettuce seedlings.
The lettuce seedlings have a look of impatience about them and an inquiring “what’s the story? and why are we still cramped four to a tiny pot?”.
Questions I can’t answer.
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April 24, 2011
Rereading the Riot Act (April 23, 1935/2011)
Thanks a million to all the people who came out and participated in yesterday’s event in the DTES. We had a great turn out and a wonderful, rousing event, marking and reinscribing. I was very touched by the enthusiasm and collective nature of what took place.
Process-orientated work is fascinating because there are all these hidden layers that become apparent once the event is underway. You offer a departure point, something of a framework but where the participants and viewers take it and where it decides it wants to go is brand new and immediate.
I am still pondering what took place but essentially we remarked or reclaimed the Mayor’s route with a fictional protest based on an actual historical protest that also interfaced with another recreation of an actual protest — Stan Douglas piece at Woodwards — and then headed to Victory Square for more responses some of which interfaced with actual events and others which created new versions of it.
I have more to say about it, but one of the most fascinating aspects was also the response and interaction at street level, and the various forms of protest and inquiry towards what was taking place. Within the responses we had a diverse array of voices, times, history, language, song, objects, the yesterday, today (now) and the tomorrow.
The Solidarity Notes Labour choir were amazing, raising the hoops at Woodwards and rocking the skies at Victory Square and participating with heckles and laughter. What a vital bunch of individuals and wonderful singers they are. I hope you have the chance to sing with them or listen to them.
April 22, 2011
Trying to think of something to do to mark turning 40. Not having much success, I think because I am really very happy to be 40.
1. Boil the kettle.
2. Read The Arcades Project
3. Reboil the kettle.
4. Read The Arcades Project.
5. Turn on the hoover.
6. Imagine having a superior hoover.
7. Marvel at the fact I have not quite killed Helen’s lettuces and they still have not been planted.
8. Reboil the kettle.
9. Watch compelling documentary on something compelling that I can’t conceive of in this list right now.
10. Disco bowling to legendary arm ache.
11. Plan, ten year one, to get very worked up about being 50.