Stories Departed [351]
Greetings from my shed...
It’s been a pretty quiet week, but I bet I still run out of space.
#TheAction
School holidays have seen me attempting to pry the kids from screens with some success. But as they are about to face two weeks away from devices I can’t help but feel I should let them have their dose.
The most fun outside of cycling this week was had playing on inflatables. I can’t remember the family ever laughing as hard as they did while scrambling up and jumping off these inflatables into a freshwater lake.
#ThePictures
I’ve been watching series two of Picard. Thankfully I’m not a Trekkie otherwise I’d be sure to pick this apart starting with how serious it’s taking itself.
Although the old gang is back together, baggage and all, things have gotten a little more complicated. I’m almost at the end of the series and will see it through. Still waiting for the jokes though.
This short film was shot between jobs on a day off. Love the cinematography sentiment, sound and edit of Bloom.
Words: Hassan Galedary / DP: Ian Rigby / Edit: Alex Morrison / Sound Design: Roman Richard
Eva Hesse had an incredible influence on the art world considering she died at 34. An interesting question posed by this film… ‘When is a work no longer indicative of the artist’s intent?’ The Afterlife of Eva Hesse’s “Expanded Expansion”.
Watching this film and reading a little about Eva, I can’t help but think she would rather this piece disintegrate and not be immortalised. As someone only too aware of impermanence, perhaps she’d have preferred this relic to be displayed without any intervention, and hung till it aged beyond repair.
These notebooks from Pep Carrió are beautiful. Click the pic for more info.
#TheWords
I’m being forced at finger point to move some of my ‘junk’. A pile of photos, negatives and text fills a space destined for greater things.
Dusty eventide
A stack of curling photos
Hide the perfect words
Between all the images and letters are poems and songs. Things that once meant a great deal to me. That might have meant something to others.
Stories departed
A lost ballpoint, finds it’s way
To revive the past
I hope to reacquaint myself with my early attempts at content creation. Before I banish these folders and boxes into the roof.
Stale Acheron
Where hungry dry spiders wait
Watching the lightbulb
But the things I wrote at nineteen were from that person, in that time. These haikus were lifted from the ‘junk’. And for as long as it took you to read this, they were seen.
Horny and happy
Summer minds will find beauty
In everything
I thought sharing them would be harder. But I have the feeling you are more curious than critical. Perhaps I'll drop other things here as I move through the pile. Maybe they can be momentarily reanimated between pixels and eyeballs.
Haikus can be easy to share. Especially fleeting thoughts and observations. A wordy canapé. I feel longer pieces contain more heart and soul. Give more away. Plus it’s easier to find fault in structure or rhythm. If that’s your thing.
I cringe at some of the things I wrote back then. They were perfect for there. For me. But very little of it was written thinking others might read it. Weird when today everything we make seems to have sharing in mind.
This nineteen year old, Eric Yip, is the youngest person ever to win the National Poetry Competition. Two years into a life of writing, and sharing his innermost thoughts certainly paid off. What an amazing start.
#TheSound
The album Sun by Cat Power is ten years old and I heard it for the first time this week.
I took my neglected FLAC player out with a decent pair of headphones and it was perfect. Synthesised yet real, autobiographical yet present. As a long time Cat Power fan this is a real gem I’m glad I found. This review from 2012 is worth a read.
#TheConsumed
Even if your chocolate whoopie pies don’t come out quite right, they are still going to be delicious.
As a fan of clotted cream I decided on the heart stuttering combo of clotted cream ice cream as a filling with clotted cream and raspberries for the topping. They were only small making them not as over indulgent as you might think. Unless you neck three with a cup of tea. Which I did.
#TheBody
Been reading up on Randonneuring. Also known as Audax. Sounds like a pretty epic way to ‘enjoy’ long distance bike rides. The LEL is a particularly gruelling 1500km ride where you have to do 300km a day for a little over 5 days (125h).
Charlotte Lawson is a friend of a friend and will be attempting this ride on her Brompton. Check out her Just Giving page here.
#TheThings
This week I said goodbye to the my (leased)VW ID3. A car that (despite the disreputable VW brand) has been a joy to drive. It might well be the best car I’ve ever had.
I shall miss it. With both the VW and the Kia E-Nero tied to my Wife’s job, a change of career path has meant we have to say goodbye to our electric cars. (Both cars worked out about the same as leasing one Tesla.) It’s been a luxury and a privilege to have been able to experience these cars and I have zero complaints.
What’s next? Hopefully this means more cycling where possible, a little more time on the motorbike but we will also be temporarily returning to diesel and a gratefully received donated 11 year old VW Sirocco from a relative who no longer needs it.
In the longer term I will be chomping at the bit to return to electric. Yesterday I tried and failed to put a deposit down on this.
The Sion from Sono Motors. I spotted it back in 2019 when it was still a quirky prototype but this recent Fully Charged video really sold it to me. So much so I scraped together the 500 euros needed to place a deposit and plan to save hard for the rest of the cash when these cars hit the streets next year. Sadly they are only taking orders from German addresses at the moment and already have around 20,000 on the waiting list. I shall save and wait patiently.
#TheThanks
I must thank @AntoniaWard and the other paying subscribers that pay $5/month to get all the content I share into this feed. If you are able, please upgrade to become a paid supporter. Or if you prefer, I’d also appreciate a coffee. ;-)
#TheWeb
Mysterious holes on the ocean floor.
Might this be the last book you buy from Amazon? Probably not. The ebook is reduced 89% Affiliate link→“Wave goodbye to your dependence on big-box stores and toxic chemicals with this complete guide to self-sufficiency!”
Anyone not on the Documentally community map who might live near the Centre of Alternative Technology who can put me up for a night next week?
Fans of Liberland are getting ready for the Floating Man Festival.
Looking for sustainable web design? Look no further.
Bernard Cribbins died age 93 this week. He had just narrated his autobiography. James Lovelock also died this week. He was 103. Here he is at 100.
Surfers offer free wooden bellyboards to cut plastic pollution
#TheEnd
This week I offered members of the Green Party in my surrounding counties free training in video production, podcasting and storytelling. If you are friends with any please let them know. RT’s always appreciated. Should you or your company be looking for the same I’m afraid all I can do is offer a discount to subscribing members. I’m back to being the main ‘bread winner’ and can’t help but notice that bread has gone up in price. Please think of me if I can help you with something. Or if 500 of you take out a supporting subscription I can extend the free workshops to all (within reason), then learn to spell and perhaps even improve this dispatch. ;-) Ooops, I ran out of space.
"Life doesn't last; art doesn't last. It doesn't matter." ~ Eva Hesse
Saddle up,
See you out there.
Over…
