Not a web log, not a journal, not me, not much.
Some passing thoughts, quotes, and images - always - good for
nothing. - Mr. Oland
The
world of creation being the good-for nothing world, it belongs to anyone with
creativeness, that is to say anyone claiming his natural birth-gift: good
for nothingness. - Robert Filiou
3.31.10
Kiki Smith "Sleepwalker" bronze
march madness
(not basketball)
momentous mementos:
moments
of not
knowing, letting
being
go out
There
i
am
aching non pain
proving uncertainty
dreading non fear
smitten by non-love
(not basketball)
3.14.10
Snowdrops (Galanthus)
humpty dumpty
Freeze may be over. Things are happening! Carpet of snowdrops appeared about a month ago but have been buried, happily apparently - under snow until now. Crocuses are open and a few daffodils are sending up feelers. By mid March the weeping cherry is usually blooming. Not even a hint of buds yet - so "sakura" in April this year!
Even a few days of 60 degree weather, though truly a week of Off-ness. SF cancelled her visit two days in a row, and YT, reconnecting with frustration, disappointment, and ego, upset some of her students (apologized later.)
NYC was fun. Tino Sehgal performers at Guggenheim - interesting. However, more impressed with the Anish Kapoor something/nothing, metaphor-rich, steel "egg," titled "Memory." Its huge exterior crowding an entire room, floor to ceiling, could only be viewed in segments. The interior appeared as a flat black square at first, and then seemed infinitely deep. Awesome, truly.
Whitney Biennial - bland, ho-hum. My favorites were videos, and otherwise, not one stand-out. For second time, the New Museum has upstaged Biennial in my opinion. "Fruit and Skin" curated by Jeff Koons from Dakin Joannou Collection was dramatic and edgy. Not much quiet art these days - the Biennial, alas was just boring. Met SS there and not surprisingly, he hated it.
Discovered gourmet, expensive - vegan restaurant, Blossom, around the corner from Leo House. Saw Barber of Seville, and Hair revival. Latter was awful. Trying to relive, revisit the past never works.
Insanely busy as always in spring semester. Finally figured out context for the phantom tools. If it works -more later. Tim Miller, Ashtanga master, will be in Asheville for classes this weekend. Hope to take one or two.
*
Note to "self" - If you lose a connection (grounding in awareness) - you're out on a limb and in illusion. You'll be grounded fast by crashing into an encounter with the earth (reality).
Aaaaah, can a sinner give blessings?
Answer from friend: "Is the Pope Catholic?"
metta
3.13.10
Snowdrops
3.3.10
nevermore
Evermore snow - 9" yesterday. Snow on the ground here (at home) since December! Sunny at the moment - so it's beautiful. Just brought the marooned van up from Walmart parking lot because someone had scraped the street. Shoveling and salt unnecessary! Simple joy.
A high energy week, the last one. Am used to a somewhat solitary emotional, intellectual life - so guessing that -when connecting with someone on a deeper level, I go into overdrive and can barely sleep. Which all goes to say I enjoyed SS's visit very much and was rewarded with lots to ponder and not much slumber.
S's flight back to NYC was cancelled. At the airport I asked if airlines would provide food and lodging.
Airline guy: "Not unless canceling is a result of an act of God."
"What if you don't believe in God," SS - cheekily.
Me, laughing: "Hey! This is the South. We don't say things like that here."
Then the guy proceeded to hand over a voucher for food and lodging. Cool! We drove back to Asheville, had lunch, shopped for shoes, and talked a streak.
On the other hand, next week's guest artist - SF - as friend BJ has suggested - may turn out to be "My Favorite Person" (someone who drives you crazy.) BTW, B may lose her hair and has decided to have it cut Buddhist nun style in a cutting hair ceremony done by a Buddhist nun. I'm impressed.
Tomorrow will be in NYC during mid-term, mini-break. Prepping for culture and cold!
Another quote from Living Compassion. The lure of the distant but especially the difficult - in my art is strong.
The lesson which life repeats and constantly enforces is "look under foot." You are always nearer the divine and the true sources of your power than you think. The lure of the distant and the difficult is deceptive. The great opportunity is where you are. Do not despise your own place and hour. Every place is under the stars, every place is the center of the world.
- John Burroughs
metta
2.22.10
art scholars, hand stands, uselessness, Zatoichi, and dreams
Love this hokey image - and used it a lot this week. Our visiting scholar arrives tomorrow - staying at Chancellor's Guest House and YT has taken the liberty (presumption?) of arranging a party - there - for him and the rest of us art scholars. Made huge pot of Bhajan's Banquet for "Art Scholar" dinner on Wednesday. Comfort food!
Almost 60 degrees yesterday - though we still have lots of snow on property. At last made it to Sunday Ashtanga class. Felt so good. (3 weeks with David Swenson - the book - apparently didn't hurt.) Fantasies of "getting" the hand stand one of these days. My arms are probably the strongest they've ever been in my life. Of course, that's not saying much.
**
the hope of results
Also working on the phantom tools which could be a total flop - that's the risk - and many times have been tempted to give it up. Move between giving up, scary, and doing it. Anyway they look pretty silly/wonderfully weird right now. Will see what happens.
the truth of the work itself
**
In spare moments have almost completed watching the entire Zatoichi series (hulu) - 6 of them. Zatoichi is a blind masseur/yakuza/sword master who is humble, kind, ethical. He attracts lots of women and is unbeatable with what else - a sword! Really like the heroic aspect and of course, it's always fun to enter Japanese 19th C. culture via film.
Lots of anxiety dreams these days - almost every night: not being ready, not packed in time, not back to where I'm supposed to be, not remembering someone's name to call to tell them to wait etc.
**
Peace Quote today - perfect for life, Sisyphus Project, and phantom tools.
Do not depend on the hope of results. You may have to face the fact that your work will be apparently worthless and achieve no result at all, if not, perhaps, bring about its opposite. And as you get used to this idea you start more and more to concentrate not on the results but on the value, the rightness, the truth of the work itself.
- Thomas Merton
2.14.10
table whine
Outdoors: the stuff Indoors: the amaryllis
Oh, it's beginning to wear, and I'm ready to file a complaint. This being snow bound. The van's battery is dead, the hill hasn't been scraped, it's snowing again, and there will be a fat layer of ice by tomorrow. Sigh!
Yoga here again today Mysore style - solo.
Last night watched the Tibetan movie "The Cup" about young Tibetan monks in India crazy to watch the World Cup match in 1999. Lovely movie filled with metta. Went to sleep thinking of it and a friend's book, comforted in the warmth.
Time to water plants and cook a meal.
metta
2.7.10
Amaryllis burst in today's sun.
physics and good sense
Inertia:
in physics is a property of matter by which it continues in its existing state of rest or uniform motion in a straight line, unless that state is changed by an external force.
Occam's razor:
is the principle that "entities must not be multiplied beyond necessity" and the conclusion thereof, that the simplest explanation or strategy tends to be the best one.
YT feels the properties of inertia - as a virtual shut-in this week, and admires Occam's wisdom.
Struggles with the elements. Finally got Prius out - but coming back up the hill on battery power - no zip. Stuck. Abandon starship! Lots of picking at ice as hard as granite. Next day, dug van out and it made it both ways. Then with salt and spade shovel, C and I cleared a way for Pri to return to haven/garage.
Aaaah, boring you say? YT IS dull after being marooned for days in non-momentum - inertia.
Another Sunday with David Swenson's book and first series. Got tired and slacked on vinyasas. Difficult: navasana, uthita hasta padangusthasana (balance!), bhujapidasana. Fun: garba pindasana, kukkutasana - and just the whole dance of it all.
Essays, thesis, and artist statements demand to be read. Wondering how much to push one student. Am insisting writing style, content be a certain way, and she is resisting for reasons that seem to go deeply into her personal circumstances and psychology. Does she regard my editorial efforts as denying the reality of the abuse in her history? Maybe.
Thought: there are other forums for airing issues not directly related to visual realities of the piece. Occam's razor: simplest strategy - give it a good try, then let it go.
Assigned ponderous art theory readings for the grad crit class. Duh! Now I gotta read 'em.
Memories of Mela - painful gasping flashbacks, actually. Realized it's 3rd year anniversary.
