first notebook pages (almost)

...in which I make my first appearance. I did not mean for the pope to look so angry.

from where i sit (sometimes)

From where I was sitting the other day, down in the doldrums of my joblessness, it was good to come across a radio show on genius entertainer, playwright, observer, Ken Campbell. (For just a few days more, the show is available here.) Since then, I have been wondering where all the KC wonder came from - as well as his insatiable curiosity and wordiness. This all leads to some happy and unhappy self-examination, prayers, musings, doldrum-sittings and conversations with myself, wondering about my place in the world. Part of me responds, Just get on with it! But then with, Get on with what? Then a sigh. But, for today at least, a cheery sigh with a twinkle in me eye.

This is the last drawing posted from my second notebook.

abdolkarim soroush

merton and prayer

Those are my words on prayer, not Merton's, though he has a lot to say about this.

daftness

I think the world needs a lot more daftness but I have associated this quality with Robert Burns before now. As a family, we celebrated his birthday every year when I was growing up.

The best 'Immortal Memory' I heard made a stirring argument for Burns as a proto-feminist.

unidentified defendant

I have to confess that I have not been thinking about the Iranian people and what is happening in Iran so much recently. This changed some when I saw Persepolis last week and again when I read this article in the New York Review of Books, which is really my main news source. The piece is very very good. This is the news.



Again, the question, 3 or 1?, seems appropriate. In the original photo the unidentified defendant looks strikingly slef-assured.

retains a dignity

yorkston festival

I received several James Yorkston albums in the post and they are all I have listened to for the past 2 weeks. Something about his music and his approach to his art that makes me very very happy. In the midst of my not finding a job its good to have the music to go to. Art communicates grace.

More videos here.

gaps between posts

Persepolis | Trailer from Smelly Cat on Vimeo.

We watched Persepolis the other night. Amazing film - incredibly involving and moving. The DVD documentary on adapting Marjane Satrapi's books for the screen (the process took 3 years) was equally involving and I am in awe of Ms. Satrapi's mettle.


Not quite her, but the best of three attempts.

A strange slow start to this week. Some inspiration at the end of last week, thanks to friends, but it has been hard to turn that into focused research, general good humour, or job hits.

words of winter

Bei Ling, who says, "I am one for whom personal freedom is a precondition for survival".

and

Words of Winter

So far away, so dim
Behind the block of time
Plastered up with illuminating words
Triumphant as a home-coming those crazy crazy days
Days when arms are crossed
So distant that your hands feel tied

Winter restlessness
Winter cannot keep the sunshine over us
You distance yourself from it all
But you still hurry in your steps

Nothing, there's nothing
No visible veins that cannot be severed
No wind sweeping over the roof
No words sought in the desperation
Splashing, hollow sounds rise
Sounds of the human
Sounds of light and dun earth

Quietude of the whole night

[Translated from the Chinese by Wang Rong and Anastasios Kozaitis]