intelligent clashing

LE DANS LA

LE DANS LA

One of the best things Sarah Reid did for me was introduce me to this man's music.

From a blog, created by a friend of a friend. This article comes from the campus newspaper of my alma mater. Stay classy, IUP.

GREEN AND WHITE

If you can first identify the things about your personality that are true and not "put-on", and then if you can identify small every-day things that you simply enjoy --that make you happy on the most basic level-- - if you can do these things, then you can craft an image of what your life at it's most blissful and contented state would look like.

That gives you a small blueprint, easily followed, that can lead you to a satisfied and honest life that will allow you to be happy with yourself.

Freunde von Freunden

interview with Malin Elmlid

castello tistory, dream smile design, late night fashion

PAPERHEART

I want to talk about Jessica Williams and her site Paperheart (some of her photographs are in the previous post) I tumbled upon this thanks to an accident, and now I'm thinking about making it my default. Why? Because the site is an example of good time put to good use, demonstrating that any idea no matter how quick or small might well turn out nicely. Many of the things this girl has created were ideas I had years (or not years) ago, but never acted on. Unlike other artists, who when they create things I know I could or should have created, she does not spark an idle sickness or jealousy in me. There is no feeling of eager, pulse-quickening defeat and desperate inspiration to "Better" her. Simply, I flip around this site and remember that we're all just a jumble of ideas and it's the lazy ones who get around to realizing them.

Anyway, among other things the girl makes books, which I love and would love to start doing again. I remember once upon a time I had the drive to do it, and did it until I lost it. How sweet to see this simple little works, done simply, over time.

In short, I like to pop in on her every day as a friendly reminder to just follow through, you idiot.

Zine

Diaryland

T7+ years of her journaling and bound into a series. I used to keep a journal and found it so interesting and ridiculous that I used to motivate myself to keep going by swearing I'd self-publish it one day. But never did, because of the feeling that there was no real reason to do it. Perhaps that's what is inspiring about it. Doing things for the sake of doing them.

Tenderness

A photo series for Books On Line. And if you haven't heard of Books On Line you're going to pee your pants when you get there.

BACK FROM LATELY

There have been tornadoes and such, severe thunderstorms, big life decisions, brothers faltering with drug addiction recovery, visiting in-laws, near-nervous breakdowns and sudden sunny realizations; found and killed terrorists, monopolized radio-days, Canadian elections and other things political (Trump's hair, Obama's stand-up comedy); finally, there was the West Wing to finish, books to read (The Ticking Is The Bomb, by Nick Flynn, The People's History of the United States, by Howard Zinn) and old friends to email and be forgiven by: many reasons why one does not need to browse the web for inspiration. For when it stirs and breeds in your own backyard you have no need for others' divine thoughts and visual stimulation. That said, much is settling down now. And so I may peek in and out from time to time. (above, my favorite goldsmith, David Neale)

__

Also, Abbott started walking. He's a little boy. We look at him in his crib at night and wonder where he's fallen to, our small baby grown up so tall. He tries to talk. He eats solid food. He has two new teeth. I can hardly understand it all. Our cats have become outdoor cats. Our porch is covered in plants from a local greenhouse. A neighbor and I dug a plot, planted a garden. Thunderstorms come every few nights and I'm always totally frightened.

(top: moth pin by Warwick Freeman, via David Neale; other photographs by Jessica Williams of Paperheart)

PRAXIS

Andrew sent me an email from work this afternoon linking me to an interview with a guy he'd gone to theater school with (he actually was a year or so ahead of him, but anyhow...) in Montreal. The interview was conducted by someone at Praxis Theatre in Toronto. It's a company he references from time to time as one of those companies we'd love to work for some day, who dedicate their hours and dollars toward developing interesting original work. Some of their posters are above.

Anyway, the interview is with actor Lwam Ghebrehariat and he goes into why it is certain theater school "success rates" reflect standard acceptance procedures, how maybe we should re-evaluate the way an actor might look at the future of his or her career, and how we should maybe consider mandating a minimum age-requirement for admittance to theatre school. Many of his sentiments I recall sharing during my years of study, so it's interesting to hear it all tied up in a sweet little Lwam package. Indeed, in regard to the age thing, I remember being 18 in a New York City theatre school thinking I was the bees knees, certainly the lucky duck who will be successful while the others waited tables. If I'd gone today instead of back then, I'd have buckled down and faced reality, worked differently, known things I know now but didn't back then. The rose-colored glasses having been removed, you know?

That stuff aside, it's Lwam's current "career" that I find most appealing, as he finishes up Law School, still occasionally performing on the side. His approach is exactly what we've had in mind for ourselves for Goodness knows how long. As we start looking at school again for A, it helps to have this little article as a morale booster, whispering "it's possible, it's possible," in our wretched little ears.

You can play a soundbyte and read the mini-article about him here:

http://praxistheatre.com/2011/04/exit-interviews-lwam-ghebrehariat/