I have not yet given up on the idea of writing a novel. I am entertaining the notion of how much I do enjoy the experience of live performance before a real audience, hence the lessons at acting, and singing, of these last two years.
Still, what I have to communicate, what gnaws within, alive but unborn, and yearning for life, are stories that can only be revelaed in the written word.
Still the comfort within the novel's form eludes me; I do, however, like the idea of a series of connected vignettes. What a lovely word, vignettes...little vines?
Yes, vignettes on Penticton/Wardlaw stuff, Maria/Marbella, for example; Tatl;a Lake, too, and UVIC. Perhaps that is a form I can work in.
How hard would that be? to write a series of Penticton vignettes? NOT! it would be fun, it would be therapeutic, it would be actionable! I can see working at that.
WORK = LOVE
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Saturday, February 11, 2012
'Whom does it Serve?'
I have just re-read my original 'mission statement' of May 27, 2004, when I began my 'blog.
I have learned to ask first, 'Whom does it serve?' In that way I can go ahead.
If you recall, Mi Patrone, that was the question Sir Perceval failed to ask when he had entered the Grail Castle and could have restored Anfortas to health; he had been schooled in the etiquette of the day by his MOther, who raised him alone, and had learned that it was rude to as questions. So, in the Grail Castle, in that imperative moment, he failed to utter what there was upon his tongue: that question, the question.
Now, I have learned to ask it, and find that its answers help to propel me forward.
I have learned to ask first, 'Whom does it serve?' In that way I can go ahead.
If you recall, Mi Patrone, that was the question Sir Perceval failed to ask when he had entered the Grail Castle and could have restored Anfortas to health; he had been schooled in the etiquette of the day by his MOther, who raised him alone, and had learned that it was rude to as questions. So, in the Grail Castle, in that imperative moment, he failed to utter what there was upon his tongue: that question, the question.
Now, I have learned to ask it, and find that its answers help to propel me forward.
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Of Dreams, and Magic; and, On How to Move the Heart of a Stranger
Bob Dylan said, in his book, "A song is a dream, you try to make it come true."
Bob knows what it is like to dwell in the magical realm of Song, he has managed to live there most of his life.
*
Magus, imagos, imagine, magic; he who does the dreaming is in control...it helps to stay reality-based. We all of us dream the worlds we inhabit, it is a characteristic of the human condition. Authors write about it, singers sing about it, artists paint out their visions...
*
I have recently discovered my voice - it happened on December 14, 20111, at approximately 1330. I'm not gonna talk about it here, now, but suffice it to say I am 100% confident of my...vocation (from the Latin, 'voce', for 'voice').
I'm just now these last few days experimenting with how to use it.
*
Hooligans across the road, in my gentrified neighbourhood, where the evening songbirds trill in the hedgerows, fire off the fireworks and small cannon, making the dogs to bark...should I call the police?
As a human, I want them to burn and glow and flare all night long; but, as a 'citizen', I am bound to call the police. One lady has already lost her dawg to the night, prompted by the bark of gunpowder explosive...she calles to it , plaintively, in vain...the lads grow ever more drunk, and their bottles are caused by them to clink, a jarring sound in my starry starry night.
Fuck off, Yahoos! Fall into the Stupor that is yr natural province, and leave me to my reveries. You are being 'policed', even as I write, I have called to them, I can see the blue and red flashing light atop their steely vehicles, hear the tramp of leasher boots on yr gravel driveway, see the shadow of the Man tromp yr home...fuck you.
Dig Infinity...
*
Who, in these early daze of the 21st Century, is involved in the art of conversation'? excactly, no one I know, except the dog park denizens, and my co-workers. Evryone is busy texting and such, which does not involve immediate involvement, lacks the information of body-language...86% of human communication is non-verbal, studies have shown, so of what value IS the written word? perhaps more so as real actors' talent and spirits are given over to the acting-out of the writer's truths; hence, William Shakespeare.
To move the heart of a stranger, that is my life-goal; that, coupled with the quest for artistic integrity, is considered by me to be a life well-lived.
I am studying intensely the essay, 'On the Art of Conversation', by the divine Montaigne. I read the version as translated by Charles Coton, the 17th Century English poet, in a volume of readings chosen and illustrated by - Salvador Dali. The 1947 version.
A 16the century French text, derived from Latin sources, translated by a 17th century English poet, and illustrated by a 20th century Spanish painter, surrealist...and read by me, 21st century IZ aspiring artiste.
What a wonderful world, how little I need, in order to live out my life.
Is there some better way to live? show it to me now, or remain forever silent.
I coould watch more teevee...
Bob knows what it is like to dwell in the magical realm of Song, he has managed to live there most of his life.
*
Magus, imagos, imagine, magic; he who does the dreaming is in control...it helps to stay reality-based. We all of us dream the worlds we inhabit, it is a characteristic of the human condition. Authors write about it, singers sing about it, artists paint out their visions...
*
I have recently discovered my voice - it happened on December 14, 20111, at approximately 1330. I'm not gonna talk about it here, now, but suffice it to say I am 100% confident of my...vocation (from the Latin, 'voce', for 'voice').
I'm just now these last few days experimenting with how to use it.
*
Hooligans across the road, in my gentrified neighbourhood, where the evening songbirds trill in the hedgerows, fire off the fireworks and small cannon, making the dogs to bark...should I call the police?
As a human, I want them to burn and glow and flare all night long; but, as a 'citizen', I am bound to call the police. One lady has already lost her dawg to the night, prompted by the bark of gunpowder explosive...she calles to it , plaintively, in vain...the lads grow ever more drunk, and their bottles are caused by them to clink, a jarring sound in my starry starry night.
Fuck off, Yahoos! Fall into the Stupor that is yr natural province, and leave me to my reveries. You are being 'policed', even as I write, I have called to them, I can see the blue and red flashing light atop their steely vehicles, hear the tramp of leasher boots on yr gravel driveway, see the shadow of the Man tromp yr home...fuck you.
Dig Infinity...
*
Who, in these early daze of the 21st Century, is involved in the art of conversation'? excactly, no one I know, except the dog park denizens, and my co-workers. Evryone is busy texting and such, which does not involve immediate involvement, lacks the information of body-language...86% of human communication is non-verbal, studies have shown, so of what value IS the written word? perhaps more so as real actors' talent and spirits are given over to the acting-out of the writer's truths; hence, William Shakespeare.
To move the heart of a stranger, that is my life-goal; that, coupled with the quest for artistic integrity, is considered by me to be a life well-lived.
I am studying intensely the essay, 'On the Art of Conversation', by the divine Montaigne. I read the version as translated by Charles Coton, the 17th Century English poet, in a volume of readings chosen and illustrated by - Salvador Dali. The 1947 version.
A 16the century French text, derived from Latin sources, translated by a 17th century English poet, and illustrated by a 20th century Spanish painter, surrealist...and read by me, 21st century IZ aspiring artiste.
What a wonderful world, how little I need, in order to live out my life.
Is there some better way to live? show it to me now, or remain forever silent.
I coould watch more teevee...
Monday, December 19, 2011
Scraps, quotes
Couple of quotes that are very important to me...
"Be wrong! Be wrong!!"
And, something like, "Tropez la racine", a very translation, v bad French, which means, "Cut off the root".
I can't recall at this time who uttered these words; some French artiste, I believe. I knwo that I have these written down somewhere, in the 'long files'.
I look for inspiration anywhere, in my quest to move from Dreamer to Doer, from dreamer lost in revery to man of action. There is in me a drive to write down so that I can prove my ideas are 'right'. That is an artistic fraudulence, for Art demands of the artist that he have the courage to 'be wrong'.
See, Like Jack Kerouac sayed, "All of the things I wrote were true, because I believed in what I saw'. Now, as far as others are concerned, what he saw was wrong, he didn't get the facts right, he didn't know what he was talking about...but they are too concerned with 'real', and not looking for evidence of imagination at play in the mind of the writer.
As for, 'cut off the root', what that means is cut off the terrible weight of the past, and find the courage to re-imagine everything, with the vision of Today. Forget who you were, what you did, ignore who you think you are, today, and take courage and move forward! that is called, by me, Life.
Else lose all currency. Dead, emotionless, spiritless examination of past events has a name, and it is called, 'History'; it strives to objectivity, concreteness...
There is my trap, as a trained historian, that is the temptation, to merely assemble and record undisputed facts.
And here is Jack London: "It is always easy to tell a man how to play his hand at cards. Take that hand and play it yourself. Get up; wake up; kick in; do something. A man who does not do anything is usually a critic. Deliver the goods; come across; arise, or be forever damned."
"On s'engage et puis on voit." Napoleon ("You have only to engage.")
'Do' anything, but do something.
"Be wrong! Be wrong!!"
And, something like, "Tropez la racine", a very translation, v bad French, which means, "Cut off the root".
I can't recall at this time who uttered these words; some French artiste, I believe. I knwo that I have these written down somewhere, in the 'long files'.
I look for inspiration anywhere, in my quest to move from Dreamer to Doer, from dreamer lost in revery to man of action. There is in me a drive to write down so that I can prove my ideas are 'right'. That is an artistic fraudulence, for Art demands of the artist that he have the courage to 'be wrong'.
See, Like Jack Kerouac sayed, "All of the things I wrote were true, because I believed in what I saw'. Now, as far as others are concerned, what he saw was wrong, he didn't get the facts right, he didn't know what he was talking about...but they are too concerned with 'real', and not looking for evidence of imagination at play in the mind of the writer.
As for, 'cut off the root', what that means is cut off the terrible weight of the past, and find the courage to re-imagine everything, with the vision of Today. Forget who you were, what you did, ignore who you think you are, today, and take courage and move forward! that is called, by me, Life.
Else lose all currency. Dead, emotionless, spiritless examination of past events has a name, and it is called, 'History'; it strives to objectivity, concreteness...
There is my trap, as a trained historian, that is the temptation, to merely assemble and record undisputed facts.
And here is Jack London: "It is always easy to tell a man how to play his hand at cards. Take that hand and play it yourself. Get up; wake up; kick in; do something. A man who does not do anything is usually a critic. Deliver the goods; come across; arise, or be forever damned."
"On s'engage et puis on voit." Napoleon ("You have only to engage.")
'Do' anything, but do something.
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Acquisition of Technology, or, Mad Skillz
Andre Dupuis is a Gemini award-winning cinematographer. His passion and talents have evolved with the latest techniques and technologies. If the scope of his artistic vision requires a new skill set, Andre does not sleep until he has mastered what he needs to execute a project with style.
This guy is the cinematographer who recorded all of the tv series, 'Departures'.
I love and admire so much that statement of his, esp, "...does not sleep until he has mastered what he needs to execute a project with style."
That's astonishing, to me, such a lot of work! couldn't it be easier?
Still, that's the purpose of mastery, to facilitate expression, I have to remember that.
I hate technology, it's so hard to stay w the left brain, I'd rather just jabber...but, I love technology, too, because it empowers me to create. If there is no form, the content is incomprehensible.
I do retian a sneaky suspicion that only in the spoken word is the true power of the Word most essentially expressed. I'l have to see. Until then, I will continue to use digital voice recorder and vFlip video camera, and blog.
This guy is the cinematographer who recorded all of the tv series, 'Departures'.
I love and admire so much that statement of his, esp, "...does not sleep until he has mastered what he needs to execute a project with style."
That's astonishing, to me, such a lot of work! couldn't it be easier?
Still, that's the purpose of mastery, to facilitate expression, I have to remember that.
I hate technology, it's so hard to stay w the left brain, I'd rather just jabber...but, I love technology, too, because it empowers me to create. If there is no form, the content is incomprehensible.
I do retian a sneaky suspicion that only in the spoken word is the true power of the Word most essentially expressed. I'l have to see. Until then, I will continue to use digital voice recorder and vFlip video camera, and blog.
Tuesday, December 06, 2011
Thursday, November 24, 2011
QUIXOSIS
It is impossible for a human being to experience the Earth as a globe; for man, life on earh is a flat experience.
One can only apprehend the globular nature of our planet through the aid of a map; once experience (discovery) has been transcribed as an idea, a pictogram that purports to depict reality, that all of the known earth is now accounted for, one realises that the earth is indeed round, and not flat.
But for the map, dependent on our own five senses, and of our minds to interpret experince, we will believe the earth to be flat...and ever search for its edges.
Because, in the absence of a map, it is very difficult to reasonably posit a round earth...
Maybe, in some way I have not thought of, it's better to think of it as flat!
*
I am at work on a monograph, detailing and explaining works of art, literature, etc, mentioned in Poe's, 'Usher'.
Will do this audiofile...tomorrow.
Because, regardless of my obsession w doing nothing until I am, sure it is 'perfect', I have also to undertsand that I must do it NOW
In the best way I can, now...and not wait for website designer, new camera, DragonSpeak, mastery of DAW all that...let's go, let's get it on, now, hiphop!
ALWAYS, to keep it real, let it be what it is, and move forward, always...or backward, but at least TO MOVE!
And to bump myself from revery into action, out, from being 'in a brown study' to a new being 'in the street' (a la Emerson, 'On Eloquence')
So, fumbling, stumbling, awkward, ignorant, self-indulgent meanderings w only the slightest of relevances...ut thy exist. Maybe someone will be....entertained.
So - a half hour 'show' each week, w this technology, this studio, this mind, as it is, now...'I', as I am today, directs, acts, wrires, set designs, records and eperforms and edits...and hopefully creates, all with the ideas in mind of evolution (anythng to preserve me from the present!)
One can only apprehend the globular nature of our planet through the aid of a map; once experience (discovery) has been transcribed as an idea, a pictogram that purports to depict reality, that all of the known earth is now accounted for, one realises that the earth is indeed round, and not flat.
But for the map, dependent on our own five senses, and of our minds to interpret experince, we will believe the earth to be flat...and ever search for its edges.
Because, in the absence of a map, it is very difficult to reasonably posit a round earth...
Maybe, in some way I have not thought of, it's better to think of it as flat!
*
I am at work on a monograph, detailing and explaining works of art, literature, etc, mentioned in Poe's, 'Usher'.
Will do this audiofile...tomorrow.
Because, regardless of my obsession w doing nothing until I am, sure it is 'perfect', I have also to undertsand that I must do it NOW
In the best way I can, now...and not wait for website designer, new camera, DragonSpeak, mastery of DAW all that...let's go, let's get it on, now, hiphop!
ALWAYS, to keep it real, let it be what it is, and move forward, always...or backward, but at least TO MOVE!
And to bump myself from revery into action, out, from being 'in a brown study' to a new being 'in the street' (a la Emerson, 'On Eloquence')
So, fumbling, stumbling, awkward, ignorant, self-indulgent meanderings w only the slightest of relevances...ut thy exist. Maybe someone will be....entertained.
So - a half hour 'show' each week, w this technology, this studio, this mind, as it is, now...'I', as I am today, directs, acts, wrires, set designs, records and eperforms and edits...and hopefully creates, all with the ideas in mind of evolution (anythng to preserve me from the present!)
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