Today was cloudy.
I had bacon and eggs for breakfast.
I called this guy Robert, who's connected to my passport, and he told me that my passport would be able to be picked up Wednesday, if not Tuesday. !. I booked a flight for Paris literally after I hung up the phone.
I met with JC for coffee at a place called Fuchsbau, which means something like a 'fox den'. The picture outside had a fox wearing a wool sheep costume and the fox was presumably hunting sheep. It reminded me of those episodes where the coyote would dress up as a sheep and the dog would always stop him from one.
I watched "Naked Lunch" (1991) adapted from William Burroughs by David Cronenberg. I've yet to be impressed by Cronenberg. I would recommend watching "Barton Fink" (1991) by Joel Coen (strange that it was also made in '91). Although I don't doubt the creativity of Burroughs, I feel that it was slighted when transferred to film. The movie was, again, alright. Peter Weller acted well I think, but he and the par prosthetics couldn't save the film. It was also a loosely auto-biographical story, which is stunning.
I moved most of the furniture in my room onto the street. Yes, this is illegal, but I found most of the furniture in my room on the street, so I don't really care.
Around 12 o'clock, Gabriel opened a bottle of cheap champagne and made a German pasta-esque dish, called 'spetzel'.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Pennicilin
Today was sunny.
JC invited me to go for a coffee with his friend Maria. We went to a place in Charlottenberg called Schwarzes Coffee. It was really expensive. We also thought that we had ordered pots of coffee, but he instead ordered bowls of coffee...which cost 4 euros. I suppose it could be good preparation for France (still no passport pour moi!). We went out to the old Olympic stadium from the 30's; it looked like a stone castle Colosseum. It looked less like a sports arena and more like a prison. I watched "Juno" (2007). It's a story about an unplanned teenage pregnancy, although those words "unplanned" and "teenage pregnancy" in the same statement seem like a given. I didn't think it was a very good movie. Michael Cera is funny but absent throughout most of the film. Ellen Page plays the girl that shares the film's title (and Zeus's wife's) as a quirky off-beat 16-year-old girl. I could not tolerate sayings like "tunage" (when referring to music) and when things are called "bitchin' ". I don't know any 16-year-old girls anymore, but I've never knew any to talk like that. It's a slang that has always seemed contrived but maybe that's part of the character; regardless it is difficult for me to watch. The music is cute and fitting and there are some memorable moments; but the film is overall forgettable.
JC invited me to a party in a suburb of Berlin. It was a pretty fun party. There were a lot of Polish people there. We had a surprisingly good tasting Polish vodka and said "Na Zdrovia".
JC invited me to go for a coffee with his friend Maria. We went to a place in Charlottenberg called Schwarzes Coffee. It was really expensive. We also thought that we had ordered pots of coffee, but he instead ordered bowls of coffee...which cost 4 euros. I suppose it could be good preparation for France (still no passport pour moi!). We went out to the old Olympic stadium from the 30's; it looked like a stone castle Colosseum. It looked less like a sports arena and more like a prison. I watched "Juno" (2007). It's a story about an unplanned teenage pregnancy, although those words "unplanned" and "teenage pregnancy" in the same statement seem like a given. I didn't think it was a very good movie. Michael Cera is funny but absent throughout most of the film. Ellen Page plays the girl that shares the film's title (and Zeus's wife's) as a quirky off-beat 16-year-old girl. I could not tolerate sayings like "tunage" (when referring to music) and when things are called "bitchin' ". I don't know any 16-year-old girls anymore, but I've never knew any to talk like that. It's a slang that has always seemed contrived but maybe that's part of the character; regardless it is difficult for me to watch. The music is cute and fitting and there are some memorable moments; but the film is overall forgettable.
JC invited me to a party in a suburb of Berlin. It was a pretty fun party. There were a lot of Polish people there. We had a surprisingly good tasting Polish vodka and said "Na Zdrovia".
Friday, February 22, 2008
Penumbra
Today was clouded over, cold, and really windy.
I slept in pretty late.
I watched "Mean Streets" (1973) by Martin Scorsese. It was alright. There was a lot of hand-held shots, probably because of the budget. I think Scorsese uses music well in it. Sometimes there are scenes where the natural sound is muted and only music is heard, which creates an surreal feeling. It is a story about wise-guy New Yorkers in Little Italy. There are a lot of "whadsa madder wid you?" and "wadda yamean?" and "yekiddingme?"; rhetorical tough guy talk. Which is not the films strongest aspect.
Me and Bjorn had planned on going to White Trash, but Blood Red Shoes, the band playing, had sold out. So we ended up going to a bar in Kreuzberg named after a Luis Bunuel film, " El Angel Extermindor" (1962). The English translation is pretty obvious but in German it translates back and forth to mean The Choking Angel in English. I've never been to a bar named after a Bunuel film, but at the same time, why name your bar after a Bunuel film? Maybe because you're pretentious?...or maybe it attracts people like me?...or maybe just because it sounds like a good name for a bar?
This is a snack vendor near where I live;
I slept in pretty late.
I watched "Mean Streets" (1973) by Martin Scorsese. It was alright. There was a lot of hand-held shots, probably because of the budget. I think Scorsese uses music well in it. Sometimes there are scenes where the natural sound is muted and only music is heard, which creates an surreal feeling. It is a story about wise-guy New Yorkers in Little Italy. There are a lot of "whadsa madder wid you?" and "wadda yamean?" and "yekiddingme?"; rhetorical tough guy talk. Which is not the films strongest aspect.
Me and Bjorn had planned on going to White Trash, but Blood Red Shoes, the band playing, had sold out. So we ended up going to a bar in Kreuzberg named after a Luis Bunuel film, " El Angel Extermindor" (1962). The English translation is pretty obvious but in German it translates back and forth to mean The Choking Angel in English. I've never been to a bar named after a Bunuel film, but at the same time, why name your bar after a Bunuel film? Maybe because you're pretentious?...or maybe it attracts people like me?...or maybe just because it sounds like a good name for a bar?
This is a snack vendor near where I live;
Pensive
Yesterday was cloudy.
I slept in pretty late, and by the time I had woken up, Gabriel and Aletta had already cleaned up the apartment from the party.
I had bacon and eggs and toast for breakfast. I read a bit during the afternoon and then I went out to buy some vegetables. I went over to JC's apartment to cook. He was having a party and I said that I would contribute a soup. JC made a spicy (!) curry meal and also guacamole and potato salad. The party was pretty fun and at the same time kind of weird because it was all Americans. I think the party seemed odd because I've been here for nearly 6 months and haven't made friends or really interacted with people other than Germans; Suddenly I was surrounded by people throughout the states and having pretty normal conversations. Elizabeth continuously cut off songs by changing them on the computer. I was thinking what it would have been like to have music at parties before computers etc. Were people constantly changing vinyl during parties back in the 70's? In an 'age of the single' more and more the 'album' is slighted and I think that the party contributes to the loss of the album as a whole.
I left around 12:30 but didn't get home until 3-ish. After 1:00 the subway stops and I missed the last one, but the night buses run all night, so I waited for the bus. I had to wait about 30 minutes and then I got on the wrong bus. Well, it was the right bus, but headed in the wrong direction. After about an hour in the wrong direction, I realized that it was the wrong direction and headed back the way I came. Long story long, a 30 minute bus ride took nearly 3 hours.
This is a picture of a kitschy front yard at Xmas time;
I slept in pretty late, and by the time I had woken up, Gabriel and Aletta had already cleaned up the apartment from the party.
I had bacon and eggs and toast for breakfast. I read a bit during the afternoon and then I went out to buy some vegetables. I went over to JC's apartment to cook. He was having a party and I said that I would contribute a soup. JC made a spicy (!) curry meal and also guacamole and potato salad. The party was pretty fun and at the same time kind of weird because it was all Americans. I think the party seemed odd because I've been here for nearly 6 months and haven't made friends or really interacted with people other than Germans; Suddenly I was surrounded by people throughout the states and having pretty normal conversations. Elizabeth continuously cut off songs by changing them on the computer. I was thinking what it would have been like to have music at parties before computers etc. Were people constantly changing vinyl during parties back in the 70's? In an 'age of the single' more and more the 'album' is slighted and I think that the party contributes to the loss of the album as a whole.
I left around 12:30 but didn't get home until 3-ish. After 1:00 the subway stops and I missed the last one, but the night buses run all night, so I waited for the bus. I had to wait about 30 minutes and then I got on the wrong bus. Well, it was the right bus, but headed in the wrong direction. After about an hour in the wrong direction, I realized that it was the wrong direction and headed back the way I came. Long story long, a 30 minute bus ride took nearly 3 hours.
This is a picture of a kitschy front yard at Xmas time;
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Pencil Drawing I
Today was a little bit sunny but mostly cloudy.
I went in to the university to hand in my essay on Shakespeare's sonnet, get another 'benottete shein; (this time I got a 2,0 - which is like a B) and also to check my passport (no luck!).
I met Randi at the computer lab and then we went out for lunch at the cafeteria.
I got home around 3 and me and Gabriel went out and bought some beer, rum, coke, and snacks.
I cleaned up my room a bit and then had a shower.
Aletta started 'decorating' for the party. She was putting curtains in the tree-fort; arranging glasses on the counter and bowls of chips on the stove, hanging candle lanterns from the ceiling, and making a sign for the bathroom. I'm not sure how much Gabriel helped. He got pretty excited about his jug of rum and coke, and also the aestheticism of the apartment in preparation for the party. The party was pretty cool, and a lot of people showed up. Some of the people I invited can't speak German, so there ended up being these weird English speaking bubbles throughout the party. Which was kind of expected but at times, there would be a room of just the people I knew, speaking English, and then the other room would be only the people Gabriel and Aletta knew, speaking German.
Conversations ended up concerning themselves with the American candidates and Christianity. So although those are generally thing one wouldn't talk about, Joe steered every conversation to politics and theology...
We went out to "A", a bar near our apartment. It was pretty good except we all sat a one long table and there ended up being an unspoken division of an English side and German side...man!
We all left when Gabriel was picked up via his armpits and kicked out.
This is drawing I made of graffiti at Schelsisches Tor;
I went in to the university to hand in my essay on Shakespeare's sonnet, get another 'benottete shein; (this time I got a 2,0 - which is like a B) and also to check my passport (no luck!).
I met Randi at the computer lab and then we went out for lunch at the cafeteria.
I got home around 3 and me and Gabriel went out and bought some beer, rum, coke, and snacks.
I cleaned up my room a bit and then had a shower.
Aletta started 'decorating' for the party. She was putting curtains in the tree-fort; arranging glasses on the counter and bowls of chips on the stove, hanging candle lanterns from the ceiling, and making a sign for the bathroom. I'm not sure how much Gabriel helped. He got pretty excited about his jug of rum and coke, and also the aestheticism of the apartment in preparation for the party. The party was pretty cool, and a lot of people showed up. Some of the people I invited can't speak German, so there ended up being these weird English speaking bubbles throughout the party. Which was kind of expected but at times, there would be a room of just the people I knew, speaking English, and then the other room would be only the people Gabriel and Aletta knew, speaking German.
Conversations ended up concerning themselves with the American candidates and Christianity. So although those are generally thing one wouldn't talk about, Joe steered every conversation to politics and theology...
We went out to "A", a bar near our apartment. It was pretty good except we all sat a one long table and there ended up being an unspoken division of an English side and German side...man!
We all left when Gabriel was picked up via his armpits and kicked out.
This is drawing I made of graffiti at Schelsisches Tor;
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Appendix
Today was like yesterday; wet but not raining.
I slept in quite late. I am pretty sick and my morning consisted of eucalyptus, a long, hot shower, and a lot of blowing of my nose.
I filled a bucket with hot water, 5 black tea bags and my white windbreaker.
I went to a 4 story second-hand store in Friedrichshain. I was looking for a suitcase/travel bag to take with me on my trip (start date still still pending the return of my passport!).
I also went to East of Eden, the English language used book store. I was looking for Upton Sinclair or Cormac McCarthy. They had neither, but Nelson Algren was suggested to me. Algren was a 'dust bowl' author but I only recently finished "The Grapes of Wrath" so I don't think I can read another novel about that era in Americana.
I went back home and cleaned the bathroom and had some creamed-corn. I listened to an episode of this cooking show called, Let's Get Baked with Matt & Dave. I think the title is weak, but it has cool 'indie-rock' guests. This episode had Grant Lawrence. I think he is so funny, he had a miserable, complaining charm as a guest.
Then I had to go in and get my 'benottete shein' (graded credit) for my American Literature class; I got a 1,7 (A-)! All I really did was participate in class and do two presentations, so I think that's pretty rad.
I got home and made pasta.
Gabriel suggested (in regards to my cold, which at this point was in full effect); a great tea that had an unpronounceable/translatable name, hot lemon water, water, and warm beer. I told him that he was like my German equivalent of a mother, and motherly advice.
Hopefully I will feel a lot better tomorrow.
This is a picture of a circus in Berlin on a rainy day;
I slept in quite late. I am pretty sick and my morning consisted of eucalyptus, a long, hot shower, and a lot of blowing of my nose.
I filled a bucket with hot water, 5 black tea bags and my white windbreaker.
I went to a 4 story second-hand store in Friedrichshain. I was looking for a suitcase/travel bag to take with me on my trip (start date still still pending the return of my passport!).
I also went to East of Eden, the English language used book store. I was looking for Upton Sinclair or Cormac McCarthy. They had neither, but Nelson Algren was suggested to me. Algren was a 'dust bowl' author but I only recently finished "The Grapes of Wrath" so I don't think I can read another novel about that era in Americana.
I went back home and cleaned the bathroom and had some creamed-corn. I listened to an episode of this cooking show called, Let's Get Baked with Matt & Dave. I think the title is weak, but it has cool 'indie-rock' guests. This episode had Grant Lawrence. I think he is so funny, he had a miserable, complaining charm as a guest.
Then I had to go in and get my 'benottete shein' (graded credit) for my American Literature class; I got a 1,7 (A-)! All I really did was participate in class and do two presentations, so I think that's pretty rad.
I got home and made pasta.
Gabriel suggested (in regards to my cold, which at this point was in full effect); a great tea that had an unpronounceable/translatable name, hot lemon water, water, and warm beer. I told him that he was like my German equivalent of a mother, and motherly advice.
Hopefully I will feel a lot better tomorrow.
This is a picture of a circus in Berlin on a rainy day;
Monday, February 18, 2008
Repent
Today was clouded over. It didn't rain but it was really wet. The rain was in the air but not falling.
This morning I saw two women in full purdah (I'm not sure if that's the correct term). They were dressed in huge black robes that also hooded their faces. The only things visible were their eyes and the ridge of the noses. It was by the markets and it felt so surreal.
I went to the German Guggenheim museum. There was an exhibit called "True North". It had some great photography of Iceland and the Arctic Circle and some of the first video installations that I actually thought were good; generally I feel so unimpressed by video art in galleries. One example of the photography was a man who rode back and forth on skis tracing the topography of a mountain. The mountain was covered in snow and his skis left tracks that followed the rise and falls of the mountain. After that I photocopied some more theoretical texts for my essay on "White Teeth".
I bought some vegetables and made a soup. It was just carrots, celery root, a green onion (maybe a leek, I'm not sure) and parsley, but the soup was really good. I cleaned my room and packed away a lot of my stuff in preparation for my travels (the start date still pending the return of my passport!).
I bought what I think is an anti-histamine drug and a box of tissues, as my allergies are in all out war.
Gabriel and Aletta are planning a party on Wednesday and I think tomorrow I have to clean the bathroom.
This is a picture of a statue in Berlin;
This morning I saw two women in full purdah (I'm not sure if that's the correct term). They were dressed in huge black robes that also hooded their faces. The only things visible were their eyes and the ridge of the noses. It was by the markets and it felt so surreal.
I went to the German Guggenheim museum. There was an exhibit called "True North". It had some great photography of Iceland and the Arctic Circle and some of the first video installations that I actually thought were good; generally I feel so unimpressed by video art in galleries. One example of the photography was a man who rode back and forth on skis tracing the topography of a mountain. The mountain was covered in snow and his skis left tracks that followed the rise and falls of the mountain. After that I photocopied some more theoretical texts for my essay on "White Teeth".
I bought some vegetables and made a soup. It was just carrots, celery root, a green onion (maybe a leek, I'm not sure) and parsley, but the soup was really good. I cleaned my room and packed away a lot of my stuff in preparation for my travels (the start date still pending the return of my passport!).
I bought what I think is an anti-histamine drug and a box of tissues, as my allergies are in all out war.
Gabriel and Aletta are planning a party on Wednesday and I think tomorrow I have to clean the bathroom.
This is a picture of a statue in Berlin;
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Depend
Today was sunny.
I was pretty tired because I got little sleep and I drank a lot of beer yesterday so I was also really thirsty. I went out to Honow, which is technically not even Berlin anymore. It was pretty suburban but almost rural. I went out to meet this girl Carola, who I've become friends with. She's pretty rad and talks pretty honestly about herself and her life. She also speaks differently; it kind of sounds like how a deaf person sounds when they speak, but not as extreme as that. I'm not saying that to be mean, I actually think it's pretty endearing. We walked her dog and drank tea.
I read some Homi Bhabha on the subway home.
I watched "No Country For Old Men" (2007) again. The movie is adapted from a Cormac McCarthy novel of the same name. McCarthy just won the Pulitzer Prize for his novel "The Road". I'm a sucker for the Pulitzer Prize, so I want to read it.
Then I made a sandwich and drew a couple of drawings.
I talked to my sister and my mom and my dad on the phone.
I made a salad, but wasn't paying attention and accidentally put chili pepper in it instead of black pepper. The chili pepper was so spicy and ruined the salad and I couldn't even eat it. Then I rubbed my face and eyes - the chili pepper burned so much! The sensation was unbearable, I thought I was going to be blind!
This is a picture of a building that I think is ugly in Kreuzberg;
I was pretty tired because I got little sleep and I drank a lot of beer yesterday so I was also really thirsty. I went out to Honow, which is technically not even Berlin anymore. It was pretty suburban but almost rural. I went out to meet this girl Carola, who I've become friends with. She's pretty rad and talks pretty honestly about herself and her life. She also speaks differently; it kind of sounds like how a deaf person sounds when they speak, but not as extreme as that. I'm not saying that to be mean, I actually think it's pretty endearing. We walked her dog and drank tea.
I read some Homi Bhabha on the subway home.
I watched "No Country For Old Men" (2007) again. The movie is adapted from a Cormac McCarthy novel of the same name. McCarthy just won the Pulitzer Prize for his novel "The Road". I'm a sucker for the Pulitzer Prize, so I want to read it.
Then I made a sandwich and drew a couple of drawings.
I talked to my sister and my mom and my dad on the phone.
I made a salad, but wasn't paying attention and accidentally put chili pepper in it instead of black pepper. The chili pepper was so spicy and ruined the salad and I couldn't even eat it. Then I rubbed my face and eyes - the chili pepper burned so much! The sensation was unbearable, I thought I was going to be blind!
This is a picture of a building that I think is ugly in Kreuzberg;
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Penelope
Today was sunny.
I didn't accomplish much. I mailed a letter to Mack but then when I got home I hung around in my room. I read a lot about Paul Thomas Anderson and then I got stranded on the internet and ended up watching John Safran on youtube. I read some sonnets by Shakespeare; I have to write a paper on one of his sonnets and I'm deciding between 50 or 73. 50 is about this guy who's slowly riding a horse and he's thinking about all that he's leaving behind; a person he loves but also I think maybe his youth.
Then I made a sandwich and had curry for dinner.
Elizabeth invited me to a bar with some of her friends. The bar was pretty busy and beer was over priced. There were some English people sitting near us, and for whatever reason Ireland came up and there is a lot of animosity between England (this one guy at the bar) and Ireland. The girl was a linguistics student, and I've been noticing a lot of stuff about the German language and we talked about that for a bit.
I ended up making friends with Elizabeth's friend Jiann-Chyng (JC) and me and Elizabeth and JC left the bar and went to a different bar and then went to JC's apartment. JC and I have pretty similar tastes in music. He accused me of being 'emo'; my haircut, my jeans and my shirt. I thought black t shirts or 'band' t shirts defined 'emo' but now I guess it's solid colors. I'm loathe to accept that label but I don't think I'll ever escape it. Me and JC stayed up until 7 talking about music et al, and I slept on his couch.
I think I'm getting sick and my allergies are starting to act up. I'm also noticing that the hair on my head and legs is always standing on end with static electricity - which I hate.
This is a picture of a ferris wheel and a bus stop;
I didn't accomplish much. I mailed a letter to Mack but then when I got home I hung around in my room. I read a lot about Paul Thomas Anderson and then I got stranded on the internet and ended up watching John Safran on youtube. I read some sonnets by Shakespeare; I have to write a paper on one of his sonnets and I'm deciding between 50 or 73. 50 is about this guy who's slowly riding a horse and he's thinking about all that he's leaving behind; a person he loves but also I think maybe his youth.
Then I made a sandwich and had curry for dinner.
Elizabeth invited me to a bar with some of her friends. The bar was pretty busy and beer was over priced. There were some English people sitting near us, and for whatever reason Ireland came up and there is a lot of animosity between England (this one guy at the bar) and Ireland. The girl was a linguistics student, and I've been noticing a lot of stuff about the German language and we talked about that for a bit.
I ended up making friends with Elizabeth's friend Jiann-Chyng (JC) and me and Elizabeth and JC left the bar and went to a different bar and then went to JC's apartment. JC and I have pretty similar tastes in music. He accused me of being 'emo'; my haircut, my jeans and my shirt. I thought black t shirts or 'band' t shirts defined 'emo' but now I guess it's solid colors. I'm loathe to accept that label but I don't think I'll ever escape it. Me and JC stayed up until 7 talking about music et al, and I slept on his couch.
I think I'm getting sick and my allergies are starting to act up. I'm also noticing that the hair on my head and legs is always standing on end with static electricity - which I hate.
This is a picture of a ferris wheel and a bus stop;
Friday, February 15, 2008
Pentagram
Today was sunny and cloudy.
I slept until 1230-ish, we got home late last night, and I was really tired.
My passport still hasn't been returned from the visa office!
I listened to a lot of Daniel Johnston today...I think it may be easier for me to appreciate it than I thought.
I had a sandwich for dinner, which felt awkward and then I went to "There Will Be Blood"(2007). I was so excited to see it, I actually could feel my pace quickening as I walked to the theater. I'm never sure who to credit with the way a film looks, director Paul Thomas Anderson, or cinematographer Robert Elswit. Some scenes are photographed and staged so well, they could be hung in galleries. Daniel-Day Lewis is good, but I think Paul Dano does a great job too. He plays a religious leader of a church that seemed to be a fanatic off-shoot of Christianity. Characters like that are always hard for me to watch. I also noticed that some of the actors share their names with their characters. The film is long, but it never seemed to be. Watching it, it felt as though it wasn't really developing. The film is paced and the story structured so that nothing really 'happens'. That obviously isn't true, things happen, its just that rising action doesn't seem to 'rise', but remains a steady gait throughout the film. I want to read "Oil!" by Upton Sinclair, the novel the film is inspired from. Johnny Greenwood's score was appropriate to the film, but also sometimes felt out of place, like the strings sometimes did on Joanna Newsom's "Y's"(2006). I can't put my finger on what makes a Paul Thomas Anderson film a Paul Thomas Anderson film. The ending is fantastic.
This is a picture I took of a cross in Berlin;
I slept until 1230-ish, we got home late last night, and I was really tired.
My passport still hasn't been returned from the visa office!
I listened to a lot of Daniel Johnston today...I think it may be easier for me to appreciate it than I thought.
I had a sandwich for dinner, which felt awkward and then I went to "There Will Be Blood"(2007). I was so excited to see it, I actually could feel my pace quickening as I walked to the theater. I'm never sure who to credit with the way a film looks, director Paul Thomas Anderson, or cinematographer Robert Elswit. Some scenes are photographed and staged so well, they could be hung in galleries. Daniel-Day Lewis is good, but I think Paul Dano does a great job too. He plays a religious leader of a church that seemed to be a fanatic off-shoot of Christianity. Characters like that are always hard for me to watch. I also noticed that some of the actors share their names with their characters. The film is long, but it never seemed to be. Watching it, it felt as though it wasn't really developing. The film is paced and the story structured so that nothing really 'happens'. That obviously isn't true, things happen, its just that rising action doesn't seem to 'rise', but remains a steady gait throughout the film. I want to read "Oil!" by Upton Sinclair, the novel the film is inspired from. Johnny Greenwood's score was appropriate to the film, but also sometimes felt out of place, like the strings sometimes did on Joanna Newsom's "Y's"(2006). I can't put my finger on what makes a Paul Thomas Anderson film a Paul Thomas Anderson film. The ending is fantastic.
This is a picture I took of a cross in Berlin;
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Pentagon
Today tried to rain all day long.
Someone from the apartment administration woke me up at at 7 by ringing the doorbell and knocking on the door. I had a banana and a coffee for breakfast then went to my last class of the semester.
I didn't do much after class. I scanned a bunch of of photos into the computer at school but the power went out so I will have to do it again tomorrow...
I played guitar most of the afternoon. Some of Gabriel's friends came and we watched a soccer game between Scotland and Germany. It was OK. Gabriel's friends were; a thinner more Jewish Scott and a older guy who was blading so he, like most balding older men, shaved his head. He did leave one lone dreadlock ratrail at the back though.
We went to a pub in Prenzlauerberg and met up with a bunch of Gabriel and Aletta's classmates. Then we took a taxi to "A", this bar near our apartment. The taxi driver said that he had only been asked to drive to our neighborhood once since 1969. He also said that he is the oldest taxi in Berlin, and had newspaper articles to prove it. I downloaded "Red Apple Falls" (1997) by smog and also "Yip Jump Music" (1983) and "Fun" (1981) by Daniel Johnston.
Someone from the apartment administration woke me up at at 7 by ringing the doorbell and knocking on the door. I had a banana and a coffee for breakfast then went to my last class of the semester.
I didn't do much after class. I scanned a bunch of of photos into the computer at school but the power went out so I will have to do it again tomorrow...
I played guitar most of the afternoon. Some of Gabriel's friends came and we watched a soccer game between Scotland and Germany. It was OK. Gabriel's friends were; a thinner more Jewish Scott and a older guy who was blading so he, like most balding older men, shaved his head. He did leave one lone dreadlock ratrail at the back though.
We went to a pub in Prenzlauerberg and met up with a bunch of Gabriel and Aletta's classmates. Then we took a taxi to "A", this bar near our apartment. The taxi driver said that he had only been asked to drive to our neighborhood once since 1969. He also said that he is the oldest taxi in Berlin, and had newspaper articles to prove it. I downloaded "Red Apple Falls" (1997) by smog and also "Yip Jump Music" (1983) and "Fun" (1981) by Daniel Johnston.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Pendulum
Today was mostly sunny.
I forgot the peanut butter and jam sandwich I made when I left for school.
My sonnet class was pretty good. We read e.e. cummings, "next to of course god" (1926). I think some of the students liked it because of their misplaced angst towards George Bush. I liked it too though, less for the political edge it had, but for the way cummings challenged poetry and language. I had a long break between classes and ended up drinking 4 cups of coffee, and I think I can still feel the effects of the caffeine. My passport still hasn't been processed and returned and I think it may postpone my travel plans, albeit by only a few days. My American literature class was just a 'wrap-up' session, but me and Phillip got to talking and he told me some great stuff about the south of France. Phillip studies music and really likes Lambchop, and said there is an archive of live recordings and that Lambchop has a great concert and I said I liked smog and that I had heard "Is A Woman" (2002) but that I didn't like it.
I read a lot about In "The Aeroplane Over the Sea" (2008) when I got home. It's a hard album to talk about, I don't think much more can be said about it and what pitchfork is doing is maybe not the smartest thing to do. I also think I'm developing a relationship with Jeff Magnum really similar to what I've created with Dylan, which ends up being really special, but also limiting, for me and for them. It's becoming harder and harder for me to talk about Bob Dylan, and I can see now, that I'm doing the same to Jeff Magnum.
Also reading about Neutral Milk Hotel, Daniel Johnston came up once or maybe twice. I think I have a pretty intelligent understanding of music and can be pretty objective, but - but - Daniel Johnston is something that is going to take a lot of me.
I talked to my mom an the phone for about an hour. Then I made a pretty great curry rice and beef meal.
I finished "White Teeth". It was great, even if the ending was spoiled for me. Oh well.
I think "There Will Be Blood"(2007) comes out here tomorrow, so I'm really excited about that.
I edited some more Super8.
This is some Super8 film of a bee on a dandelion and willow tree leaves;
I forgot the peanut butter and jam sandwich I made when I left for school.
My sonnet class was pretty good. We read e.e. cummings, "next to of course god" (1926). I think some of the students liked it because of their misplaced angst towards George Bush. I liked it too though, less for the political edge it had, but for the way cummings challenged poetry and language. I had a long break between classes and ended up drinking 4 cups of coffee, and I think I can still feel the effects of the caffeine. My passport still hasn't been processed and returned and I think it may postpone my travel plans, albeit by only a few days. My American literature class was just a 'wrap-up' session, but me and Phillip got to talking and he told me some great stuff about the south of France. Phillip studies music and really likes Lambchop, and said there is an archive of live recordings and that Lambchop has a great concert and I said I liked smog and that I had heard "Is A Woman" (2002) but that I didn't like it.
I read a lot about In "The Aeroplane Over the Sea" (2008) when I got home. It's a hard album to talk about, I don't think much more can be said about it and what pitchfork is doing is maybe not the smartest thing to do. I also think I'm developing a relationship with Jeff Magnum really similar to what I've created with Dylan, which ends up being really special, but also limiting, for me and for them. It's becoming harder and harder for me to talk about Bob Dylan, and I can see now, that I'm doing the same to Jeff Magnum.
Also reading about Neutral Milk Hotel, Daniel Johnston came up once or maybe twice. I think I have a pretty intelligent understanding of music and can be pretty objective, but - but - Daniel Johnston is something that is going to take a lot of me.
I talked to my mom an the phone for about an hour. Then I made a pretty great curry rice and beef meal.
I finished "White Teeth". It was great, even if the ending was spoiled for me. Oh well.
I think "There Will Be Blood"(2007) comes out here tomorrow, so I'm really excited about that.
I edited some more Super8.
This is some Super8 film of a bee on a dandelion and willow tree leaves;
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Serpent
Today was cloudy.
My creative writing class was pretty fun. If anyone ever suspected creative writing to be an 'easy' course or of less academic fervor than today's class would be a prime example. We ate cookies and played word games; spontaneous rhyming, worst opening sentences to novels, incoherent lists of commands. It was, like I said, pretty fun.
My American Literature studies class went well as well. I was tentative to present AHWOSG and had prepared "America" by Allen Ginsberg in case everyone else brought canonical texts; Ginsberg was my Plan B. But (!) Sabine brought "Survivor" (2006) by Chuck Palahniuk, so the coast was clear for Dave Eggers. I am pretty nervous with presenting among my peers and it never fails that I am asked to "slow down a bit". However, I think AHWOSG was generally well-received and I pitched it pretty well; I literally sold it. Literally. I sold my copy to my professor, which is great because I wasn't to sure if my plan of returning it would work.
Me and Max went for a coffee while waiting for a lecture after hours at the university. I only had a vague understanding that the lecture would involve music so I said I would go. It was about Mohandas Gandhi and Martin King and their achievements. The presenter was a towering Black man, Kevin Maynor, and he was accompanied on piano by a less towering White guy, Eric Olson. I don't question that they were both talented in their respective skills, however, the couldn't have been more un-harmonic. Maynor's spoken word (Darth Vader) and operatic style of singing were powerful and Olsen is an accomplished pianist, but they seemed to be working against each other and rarely complemented each other's performance. There was also an overwhelming Christian aspect to the presentation. Granted Martin King was a Christian, but the lecture bordered less on the struggle of race relations in America and more on Christ's teachings of understanding and love. Maynor sang excerpts from the Bible, that reminded me of Anglican bishops and the speak-sing they sometimes do, and he sang "Blessed Assurance" and his encore was solo effort of "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot". Both hymns center on salvation, not Black and White relations, so it seemed somehow...unrelated.
All the grocery stores were closed when I got home and I was really hungry. I ended up caving and eating at ActivChickenHaus, an establishment whose name is an amalgamation of English and German, and I had a meal which, I'm sure, was an amalgamation of chicken and well, something else. It tasted like failure and defeat. Never. Again. Ever.
Gabriel and Aletta and their classmate Phillip were studying when I got home. They only spoke in German, but I think they were talking about Calvinism and it's concepts of predestination and knowing God, Capitalism and then Hinduism and it's concepts of reincarnation.
I edited some more Super8 film.
This is some Super8 film of my sister Kathleen and a windy day in Kelowna;
My creative writing class was pretty fun. If anyone ever suspected creative writing to be an 'easy' course or of less academic fervor than today's class would be a prime example. We ate cookies and played word games; spontaneous rhyming, worst opening sentences to novels, incoherent lists of commands. It was, like I said, pretty fun.
My American Literature studies class went well as well. I was tentative to present AHWOSG and had prepared "America" by Allen Ginsberg in case everyone else brought canonical texts; Ginsberg was my Plan B. But (!) Sabine brought "Survivor" (2006) by Chuck Palahniuk, so the coast was clear for Dave Eggers. I am pretty nervous with presenting among my peers and it never fails that I am asked to "slow down a bit". However, I think AHWOSG was generally well-received and I pitched it pretty well; I literally sold it. Literally. I sold my copy to my professor, which is great because I wasn't to sure if my plan of returning it would work.
Me and Max went for a coffee while waiting for a lecture after hours at the university. I only had a vague understanding that the lecture would involve music so I said I would go. It was about Mohandas Gandhi and Martin King and their achievements. The presenter was a towering Black man, Kevin Maynor, and he was accompanied on piano by a less towering White guy, Eric Olson. I don't question that they were both talented in their respective skills, however, the couldn't have been more un-harmonic. Maynor's spoken word (Darth Vader) and operatic style of singing were powerful and Olsen is an accomplished pianist, but they seemed to be working against each other and rarely complemented each other's performance. There was also an overwhelming Christian aspect to the presentation. Granted Martin King was a Christian, but the lecture bordered less on the struggle of race relations in America and more on Christ's teachings of understanding and love. Maynor sang excerpts from the Bible, that reminded me of Anglican bishops and the speak-sing they sometimes do, and he sang "Blessed Assurance" and his encore was solo effort of "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot". Both hymns center on salvation, not Black and White relations, so it seemed somehow...unrelated.
All the grocery stores were closed when I got home and I was really hungry. I ended up caving and eating at ActivChickenHaus, an establishment whose name is an amalgamation of English and German, and I had a meal which, I'm sure, was an amalgamation of chicken and well, something else. It tasted like failure and defeat. Never. Again. Ever.
Gabriel and Aletta and their classmate Phillip were studying when I got home. They only spoke in German, but I think they were talking about Calvinism and it's concepts of predestination and knowing God, Capitalism and then Hinduism and it's concepts of reincarnation.
I edited some more Super8 film.
This is some Super8 film of my sister Kathleen and a windy day in Kelowna;
Monday, February 11, 2008
Happening
Today was cloudy.
I had my Post-Colonial London seminar today. I still don't know what I'm going to write my 12 page essay on... I'm thinking about how religion is represented in Post-Colonial texts, but that sentence is far from a thesis. Me and Joe went out for coffee after and shot the shit.
I made some copies and an unnecessary transparency of AHBWOSG. I don't how the presentation will go tomorrow, here's hoping.
When I got home I went 'running'. You can tell I'm not a person who should 'run' as I don't own 'running' clothes and wore jeans and a pair of far-from 'running' shoes. I also think that I may have an ugly 'running' style. There was another 'runner' at the park and I was somehow embarrassed to 'run' around her and planned my laps so as to not cross our paths. I don't know when 'running' became such an involving activity and required so many of these ' '; Remember when running was just something you did at elementary school. While running I was picturing the scenes when Kevin Spacey runs in "American Beauty" (1999)
I made some pasta; using the term 'pasta' loosely, as it was only noodles and a store bought sauce.
I'm butchering my new canvas; think mountains made of mustard and characters made of plasticine.
I'm really listening to a lot of Andrew Bird lately, mostly "Armchair Apocrypha"(2007).
I also edited some of my Super8 film.
This is some Super8 film of traffic after rain;
I had my Post-Colonial London seminar today. I still don't know what I'm going to write my 12 page essay on... I'm thinking about how religion is represented in Post-Colonial texts, but that sentence is far from a thesis. Me and Joe went out for coffee after and shot the shit.
I made some copies and an unnecessary transparency of AHBWOSG. I don't how the presentation will go tomorrow, here's hoping.
When I got home I went 'running'. You can tell I'm not a person who should 'run' as I don't own 'running' clothes and wore jeans and a pair of far-from 'running' shoes. I also think that I may have an ugly 'running' style. There was another 'runner' at the park and I was somehow embarrassed to 'run' around her and planned my laps so as to not cross our paths. I don't know when 'running' became such an involving activity and required so many of these ' '; Remember when running was just something you did at elementary school. While running I was picturing the scenes when Kevin Spacey runs in "American Beauty" (1999)
I made some pasta; using the term 'pasta' loosely, as it was only noodles and a store bought sauce.
I'm butchering my new canvas; think mountains made of mustard and characters made of plasticine.
I'm really listening to a lot of Andrew Bird lately, mostly "Armchair Apocrypha"(2007).
I also edited some of my Super8 film.
This is some Super8 film of traffic after rain;
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Pennsylvania
Today was hazy.
I slept in until 10. I bought a coffee and a muffin from the bakery at the end of the street and took it to the park. I read a chapter and a bit of "White Teeth". I gave Aletta her birthday present when I got home and then her and Simon went out for a bit. While they were gone Gabriel approached me and said that Simon had 'ordered' a Mariachi band to play for Aletta as a surprise. I'm terrible at surprises and Gabriel said that Simon said that he and Aletta would come home and then Gabriel and I would have to distract Aletta while the band set-up in her room. We were all convinced this was a bad idea and instead, the band came first and set-up and then Aletta and Simon would return from their walk. It was a really great present and the band, a three piece, sounded great. At one point though, I wasn't sure if we were enjoying the music or somehow exploiting a culture. We may have been doing both; I definitely enjoyed it.
I hung out around the apartment most of the afternoon, eating toast and drinking tea and reading. I watched "The Deer Hunter" (1978). It was 3 hours long, emphasis on the 'long' part. I thought it was really good though, I mostly liked the parts in that took place in America. I really identify with factory workers, and their steel-toed lives. Maybe it's somehow because of my dad. There's something about that persona though, like Jack Nicholson in "Five Easy Pieces" (1970) or even in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" (1975) . I'm almost in a way, envious. Maybe I'm just being maudlin though...
I made hamburger and potatoes and peas for dinner. I had a couple beer after dinner and didn't do much before going to bed.
I watched the trailer for the Ladyhawk documentary.
This is a picture of 'graffiti' near Schlesisches Tor;
I slept in until 10. I bought a coffee and a muffin from the bakery at the end of the street and took it to the park. I read a chapter and a bit of "White Teeth". I gave Aletta her birthday present when I got home and then her and Simon went out for a bit. While they were gone Gabriel approached me and said that Simon had 'ordered' a Mariachi band to play for Aletta as a surprise. I'm terrible at surprises and Gabriel said that Simon said that he and Aletta would come home and then Gabriel and I would have to distract Aletta while the band set-up in her room. We were all convinced this was a bad idea and instead, the band came first and set-up and then Aletta and Simon would return from their walk. It was a really great present and the band, a three piece, sounded great. At one point though, I wasn't sure if we were enjoying the music or somehow exploiting a culture. We may have been doing both; I definitely enjoyed it.
I hung out around the apartment most of the afternoon, eating toast and drinking tea and reading. I watched "The Deer Hunter" (1978). It was 3 hours long, emphasis on the 'long' part. I thought it was really good though, I mostly liked the parts in that took place in America. I really identify with factory workers, and their steel-toed lives. Maybe it's somehow because of my dad. There's something about that persona though, like Jack Nicholson in "Five Easy Pieces" (1970) or even in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" (1975) . I'm almost in a way, envious. Maybe I'm just being maudlin though...
I made hamburger and potatoes and peas for dinner. I had a couple beer after dinner and didn't do much before going to bed.
I watched the trailer for the Ladyhawk documentary.
This is a picture of 'graffiti' near Schlesisches Tor;
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Peninsula
Today was cloudy, but with blue sky visible but no real sun except it was sunny when I was in the park.
It was Saturday so I could sleep in, and I did, until around 11.
I got a notice to pick-up a package today, yesterday, so that was my only real appointment. It turned out to be my birthday (December 8th) and Christmas (December 25th) gifts from Adam and Troe (sic); a comic book (Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life), a Choose Your Own Adventure (Tattoo of Death) book and a scarf. I think I'll take the Choose Your Own Adventure to France...for obvious or less than obvious reasons.
I got back home from the post-office and then went into "town".
I climbed a wall to get into a closed park and swimming pool. The wall is maybe about 10 feet tall and covered in barbed and/or razor wire. I found a barren spot though and climbed over. The backside of the wall was covered in moss that was surprisingly warm. The park however, not surprisingly, was empty. It was really surreal being in the park. There were two huge swimming pools and a big grass field with trees. It was totally empty and I walked around for a bit and took some 35mm pictures. Then I laid down against a tree and the sun came out.
I bought groceries on my way home. I don't like buying groceries. It could be the lines or the fact that money is becoming more and more important with my fast approaching travel plans. Regardless, I hate grocery shopping. I read the comic book in one sitting; it was funny and full of pop-culture which is a "+".
I made a pretty bland pasta dinner and then read some of White Teeth (2000) by Zadie Smith. I'm nearly finished it and like it a lot.
Tomorrow is Aletta's birthday so I went out after reading and bought her a Charlie Parker CD. It's a recording of a performance at Massey Hall. I listened to it and it sounded pretty good. I really wanted to get a concert performance CD, being that its jazz, and it's known for its live characteristics. I also bought "A Heart Breaking Work Of Staggering Genius"(2000) by Dave Eggars. On Tuesday we have to present a book of American Literature and I'm going to make transparencies of the preface and memorable parts to AHBWOSG, present it and then return it to the book store and pretend it was a gift but the person already had it. We'll see...
Simon (Aletta's boyfriend) is here for Aletta's birthday.
This is a newspaper clipping of a boy in a grocery store;
It was Saturday so I could sleep in, and I did, until around 11.
I got a notice to pick-up a package today, yesterday, so that was my only real appointment. It turned out to be my birthday (December 8th) and Christmas (December 25th) gifts from Adam and Troe (sic); a comic book (Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life), a Choose Your Own Adventure (Tattoo of Death) book and a scarf. I think I'll take the Choose Your Own Adventure to France...for obvious or less than obvious reasons.
I got back home from the post-office and then went into "town".
I climbed a wall to get into a closed park and swimming pool. The wall is maybe about 10 feet tall and covered in barbed and/or razor wire. I found a barren spot though and climbed over. The backside of the wall was covered in moss that was surprisingly warm. The park however, not surprisingly, was empty. It was really surreal being in the park. There were two huge swimming pools and a big grass field with trees. It was totally empty and I walked around for a bit and took some 35mm pictures. Then I laid down against a tree and the sun came out.
I bought groceries on my way home. I don't like buying groceries. It could be the lines or the fact that money is becoming more and more important with my fast approaching travel plans. Regardless, I hate grocery shopping. I read the comic book in one sitting; it was funny and full of pop-culture which is a "+".
I made a pretty bland pasta dinner and then read some of White Teeth (2000) by Zadie Smith. I'm nearly finished it and like it a lot.
Tomorrow is Aletta's birthday so I went out after reading and bought her a Charlie Parker CD. It's a recording of a performance at Massey Hall. I listened to it and it sounded pretty good. I really wanted to get a concert performance CD, being that its jazz, and it's known for its live characteristics. I also bought "A Heart Breaking Work Of Staggering Genius"(2000) by Dave Eggars. On Tuesday we have to present a book of American Literature and I'm going to make transparencies of the preface and memorable parts to AHBWOSG, present it and then return it to the book store and pretend it was a gift but the person already had it. We'll see...
Simon (Aletta's boyfriend) is here for Aletta's birthday.
This is a newspaper clipping of a boy in a grocery store;
Friday, February 8, 2008
Pen Drawing II
Today was cloudy.
I slept in until 11 and had cereal for breakfast.
I had no class today, as I do every Friday, so I had planned on going to a photography exhibit.
On my way to the gallery, I cut through this old vacant lot and there were 4 rottweiler puppies wrestling with each other. I'm sure you can imagine, but it was pretty adorable, even if they were probably homeless or owned by someone homeless. The exhibit was really really good. It was called "Martin Parr : Assorted Cocktail", a collection of Martin Parr's works. It was a photo journalism documenting how obnoxious globalization is and how marketable national pride and Roman Catholicism/Buddhism are and how disgusting tourism can be. Parr is a master of juxtaposition, photographing birds eating Fried Chicken left-overs, kids swimming, literally, in garbage, people taking photos of landscapes with landscapes screen-printed on their t-shirts and handbags, etc.
http://www.martinparr.com/
I bought some potatoes and yellow peppers on the way home. I also bought a new canvas and am excited to paint a new picture. I went skateboarding after dinner, it wasn't too crowded but then some really good guys showed up and annihilated the park. I got home as Gabriel, Aletta and Mario were heading out to a party. I stayed home instead of joining them because my back was hurting after skateboarding. I finished the painting of Chaad and started a new one while listening to the CBC3 "makeout" podcast. They played my Jon-Rae request, which was rad - except Grant Lawrence said the wrong title of the song...
Jens Lekman is playing on the 16th so I'll wait to see him and then I'll go to France.
This is a pen drawing I made of a roadblock in Kenya;
I slept in until 11 and had cereal for breakfast.
I had no class today, as I do every Friday, so I had planned on going to a photography exhibit.
On my way to the gallery, I cut through this old vacant lot and there were 4 rottweiler puppies wrestling with each other. I'm sure you can imagine, but it was pretty adorable, even if they were probably homeless or owned by someone homeless. The exhibit was really really good. It was called "Martin Parr : Assorted Cocktail", a collection of Martin Parr's works. It was a photo journalism documenting how obnoxious globalization is and how marketable national pride and Roman Catholicism/Buddhism are and how disgusting tourism can be. Parr is a master of juxtaposition, photographing birds eating Fried Chicken left-overs, kids swimming, literally, in garbage, people taking photos of landscapes with landscapes screen-printed on their t-shirts and handbags, etc.
http://www.martinparr.com/
I bought some potatoes and yellow peppers on the way home. I also bought a new canvas and am excited to paint a new picture. I went skateboarding after dinner, it wasn't too crowded but then some really good guys showed up and annihilated the park. I got home as Gabriel, Aletta and Mario were heading out to a party. I stayed home instead of joining them because my back was hurting after skateboarding. I finished the painting of Chaad and started a new one while listening to the CBC3 "makeout" podcast. They played my Jon-Rae request, which was rad - except Grant Lawrence said the wrong title of the song...
Jens Lekman is playing on the 16th so I'll wait to see him and then I'll go to France.
This is a pen drawing I made of a roadblock in Kenya;
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Penal Colony
Today was cloudy, but the sun pushed through at times.
I was late for my Mid Victorian poetry class; we are studying Dante and Christina Rossetti. Nothing spectacular. After class I decided to walk for a bit. I ended up in a graveyard, although cemetery sounds less haunted. There seems to be a lot of cemeteries here and some, if not many, are treated as parks, which is weird for me. So I left pretty quick.
I took the subway home. I've nearly finished part 2 of "Angels In America". Before going in the apartment, I went to the park near my house and I laid down by a tree. It was really comfortable and the sun was out and reflected white off the grass.
I went back to my apartment and read about Allen Ginsberg, then I slept from around 3 until 7, or 7:30. Then I had pork chops and I made a pretty good salad.
I was going to go skateboarding, but because I slept so late, I just decided to watch a movie. I watched "Suspira" (1977) by Dario Argento. It was OK. It had a pretty haunting score, with a xylophone and incoherent vocals. It reminded me of the music from "The Exorcist" (1973), even if that isn't an appropriate comparison. I think "Suspria"'s score really adds to the tension of watching it and at times, it's the absence of the score, or really any sound that is the most frightening. Although, it isn't really that scary of a movie - but there were parts... I think that another element of the scariness is that so much of what is said, is actually whispered. It's surprising how much mood is created with anxious whispers. Everything becomes rushed and tense and important and is spoken in quick bursts."Suspiria" also has this unnatural set lighting (reds and blues and greens) which looks bad and takes away from the movie and although the set special effects are good, some of the prosthetics are terribly unreal. It's also interesting to see a movie that is so dominated by female actors...although, it is about ballet and witches, so I guess that is expected. "Suspiria" also takes place in Freiburg, Germany, which I may visit when I go to the Black Forest next month.
I made a sandwich of two fried eggs, ketchup and mayonnaise. Mario, Gabriel's friend, is here too. He arrived just before the movie.
This is a newspaper clipping of the Battle at Gettysburg;
I was late for my Mid Victorian poetry class; we are studying Dante and Christina Rossetti. Nothing spectacular. After class I decided to walk for a bit. I ended up in a graveyard, although cemetery sounds less haunted. There seems to be a lot of cemeteries here and some, if not many, are treated as parks, which is weird for me. So I left pretty quick.
I took the subway home. I've nearly finished part 2 of "Angels In America". Before going in the apartment, I went to the park near my house and I laid down by a tree. It was really comfortable and the sun was out and reflected white off the grass.
I went back to my apartment and read about Allen Ginsberg, then I slept from around 3 until 7, or 7:30. Then I had pork chops and I made a pretty good salad.
I was going to go skateboarding, but because I slept so late, I just decided to watch a movie. I watched "Suspira" (1977) by Dario Argento. It was OK. It had a pretty haunting score, with a xylophone and incoherent vocals. It reminded me of the music from "The Exorcist" (1973), even if that isn't an appropriate comparison. I think "Suspria"'s score really adds to the tension of watching it and at times, it's the absence of the score, or really any sound that is the most frightening. Although, it isn't really that scary of a movie - but there were parts... I think that another element of the scariness is that so much of what is said, is actually whispered. It's surprising how much mood is created with anxious whispers. Everything becomes rushed and tense and important and is spoken in quick bursts."Suspiria" also has this unnatural set lighting (reds and blues and greens) which looks bad and takes away from the movie and although the set special effects are good, some of the prosthetics are terribly unreal. It's also interesting to see a movie that is so dominated by female actors...although, it is about ballet and witches, so I guess that is expected. "Suspiria" also takes place in Freiburg, Germany, which I may visit when I go to the Black Forest next month.
I made a sandwich of two fried eggs, ketchup and mayonnaise. Mario, Gabriel's friend, is here too. He arrived just before the movie.
This is a newspaper clipping of the Battle at Gettysburg;
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Open
Today was cloudy, and it rained for a while.
I slept in later than I had planned and had no time for breakfast.
My class on sonnet poetry was pretty good. We studied Oscar Wilde, whose works I have read and seen performed before. I got a haircut after class. The barber could speak almost no English, I think she could speak less English than I can speak German. It was hard to tell her how I wanted my hair cut.
In my class on American literary concepts we discussed ideas of cultural capital and conspicuous consumption.
When I went to the grocery store there was an old woman sitting on a bench. She looked like she was an immigrant, or her parents were. I think that this is my perception of immigrants, especially old female immigrants. They appear to me perpetually sitting, exhausted on benches; always resting and catching their breath.
I watched "Aguirre, The Wrath of God" (1972) by Werner Herzog. It was interesting and, although I have never seen "Apocalypse Now" (1979), I think it is similar; and Kinski's madness seems akin to that of Brando. And both movies take place on a river.
My mom called and we talked about my dad getting hearing aids. Apparently, but all too obvious to me and my family, my dad had 20% of his hearing in one ear and 30% of his hearing in his other. No shit. My dad would not be able to hear the trumpets sounding.
I finished Part 1 of "Angels In America" and read a fair bit of Part 2, Perestroika. The angels seem fantastic and somehow different form the Christian - Jewish angels of the Bible. I think that many authors take the concept of Biblical angels and attribute new characteristics to them not found in the Bible; They just make them up. These new angels seem somehow false and mystical and like characters from a Greek Myth. I don't know much about the Biblical angels but these 'new' angels just don't seem quite right.
This is a newspaper clipping of the center of Islam;
(I find it fascinating and frightening)
I slept in later than I had planned and had no time for breakfast.
My class on sonnet poetry was pretty good. We studied Oscar Wilde, whose works I have read and seen performed before. I got a haircut after class. The barber could speak almost no English, I think she could speak less English than I can speak German. It was hard to tell her how I wanted my hair cut.
In my class on American literary concepts we discussed ideas of cultural capital and conspicuous consumption.
When I went to the grocery store there was an old woman sitting on a bench. She looked like she was an immigrant, or her parents were. I think that this is my perception of immigrants, especially old female immigrants. They appear to me perpetually sitting, exhausted on benches; always resting and catching their breath.
I watched "Aguirre, The Wrath of God" (1972) by Werner Herzog. It was interesting and, although I have never seen "Apocalypse Now" (1979), I think it is similar; and Kinski's madness seems akin to that of Brando. And both movies take place on a river.
My mom called and we talked about my dad getting hearing aids. Apparently, but all too obvious to me and my family, my dad had 20% of his hearing in one ear and 30% of his hearing in his other. No shit. My dad would not be able to hear the trumpets sounding.
I finished Part 1 of "Angels In America" and read a fair bit of Part 2, Perestroika. The angels seem fantastic and somehow different form the Christian - Jewish angels of the Bible. I think that many authors take the concept of Biblical angels and attribute new characteristics to them not found in the Bible; They just make them up. These new angels seem somehow false and mystical and like characters from a Greek Myth. I don't know much about the Biblical angels but these 'new' angels just don't seem quite right.
This is a newspaper clipping of the center of Islam;
(I find it fascinating and frightening)
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Pen15 Club
Today was cloudy.
For breakfast I had 4 pieces of bacon, a peanut butter and jam sandwich and fruit tea. I think I might be malnourished.
My science fiction short story was liked, but no one had any real constructive criticism. Later in the day though, I thought about some more plot - so that's good.
I ate with Bjorn and Alice at the cafeteria (although it was vegetables, I think that any cafeteria food can't be much healthier than my breakfast).
My American Literature class was pretty great. Not many people showed up but Sabine presented Kushner's "Angels in America" (1993). She introduced it and then she and another student (whose name I can't remember) read out two scenes. It was really great to see. The three girls at the one end of the discussion seemed to just stare at the air in front of them, but I really liked it. I asked Sabine if I could borrow her copies and she said that I could. I've nearly finished Part 1.
After class I went for coffee with Bjorn. He still talks about his failed relationship.
I had a big break then, from coffee to when I was meeting Randi and Joe. I spent most of it reading Angels In America. Then we met at Potsdamer Platz to see "Cloverfield" (2008). It was alright. In cinema, there seems to be a fine line between showing too much of the monster and not enough. I think that "Cloverfield" doesn't have enough clear viewings of the monster. But it does have some good ones, and the digital animation is well done and looks real enough, however it is hard to be impressed by digital media and also hard to suspend my disbelief and pretend a skyscraper sized monster is real. It's told from a hand held perspective similar to "The Blair Witch Project" (1999) and I think the earliest film to do this style; the earliest film to be a story told from recovered footage of a personal camera, is "Cannibal Holocaust" (1980). However those films are pretty different as far as subject matter goes. My Dr. Pepper exploded when I opened it and spilled over into my lap and the four surrounding people during the movie.
I spoke mostly in German to Aletta and Gabriel when I got home.
Mack's letter came so that was a real great way to end my day.
This is a clipping from the newspaper, about how people still admire this Romanian leader;
For breakfast I had 4 pieces of bacon, a peanut butter and jam sandwich and fruit tea. I think I might be malnourished.
My science fiction short story was liked, but no one had any real constructive criticism. Later in the day though, I thought about some more plot - so that's good.
I ate with Bjorn and Alice at the cafeteria (although it was vegetables, I think that any cafeteria food can't be much healthier than my breakfast).
My American Literature class was pretty great. Not many people showed up but Sabine presented Kushner's "Angels in America" (1993). She introduced it and then she and another student (whose name I can't remember) read out two scenes. It was really great to see. The three girls at the one end of the discussion seemed to just stare at the air in front of them, but I really liked it. I asked Sabine if I could borrow her copies and she said that I could. I've nearly finished Part 1.
After class I went for coffee with Bjorn. He still talks about his failed relationship.
I had a big break then, from coffee to when I was meeting Randi and Joe. I spent most of it reading Angels In America. Then we met at Potsdamer Platz to see "Cloverfield" (2008). It was alright. In cinema, there seems to be a fine line between showing too much of the monster and not enough. I think that "Cloverfield" doesn't have enough clear viewings of the monster. But it does have some good ones, and the digital animation is well done and looks real enough, however it is hard to be impressed by digital media and also hard to suspend my disbelief and pretend a skyscraper sized monster is real. It's told from a hand held perspective similar to "The Blair Witch Project" (1999) and I think the earliest film to do this style; the earliest film to be a story told from recovered footage of a personal camera, is "Cannibal Holocaust" (1980). However those films are pretty different as far as subject matter goes. My Dr. Pepper exploded when I opened it and spilled over into my lap and the four surrounding people during the movie.
I spoke mostly in German to Aletta and Gabriel when I got home.
Mack's letter came so that was a real great way to end my day.
This is a clipping from the newspaper, about how people still admire this Romanian leader;
Monday, February 4, 2008
Pen Drawing I
Today was sunny.
I had a class about Post-Colonial fiction, which I think is mostly novels about the immigrant population in London. It is an immigrant population that seems to be dominated by Muslims from Bangladesh, India and other 'Muslim' countries.
After class I ate with Joe and Randi, which is becoming a pleasant Monday afternoon tradition, regardless if the cafeteria food happens to also be pleasant or not. I have to write a science fiction short story for my creative writing class and pitched some ideas to them.
I was going to sneak into a public swimming area in Kreuzberg that is closed for the season but I forgot to. I want to take a picture of how abandoned it looks during February, but maybe I will later this week.
I watched The Beatles' "Let It Be" (1970). The studio parts seem to be focussed on Paul, even though the album "Let It Be" isn't necessarily a Paul album, and the editing seems to manipulate footage of John and Yoko to seem like outcasts. The rooftop part is pretty exciting though.
I watched David Lynch's "Eraserhead" (1977). I didn't like it. It seemed to be over-acted and at the same time maintained a staleness that was irritable. There was also a cacophony of sound throughout the movie that sounded like; wind, boiling water and paper rustling.
This is a drawing I made of my friend Corbin;
I had a class about Post-Colonial fiction, which I think is mostly novels about the immigrant population in London. It is an immigrant population that seems to be dominated by Muslims from Bangladesh, India and other 'Muslim' countries.
After class I ate with Joe and Randi, which is becoming a pleasant Monday afternoon tradition, regardless if the cafeteria food happens to also be pleasant or not. I have to write a science fiction short story for my creative writing class and pitched some ideas to them.
I was going to sneak into a public swimming area in Kreuzberg that is closed for the season but I forgot to. I want to take a picture of how abandoned it looks during February, but maybe I will later this week.
I watched The Beatles' "Let It Be" (1970). The studio parts seem to be focussed on Paul, even though the album "Let It Be" isn't necessarily a Paul album, and the editing seems to manipulate footage of John and Yoko to seem like outcasts. The rooftop part is pretty exciting though.
I watched David Lynch's "Eraserhead" (1977). I didn't like it. It seemed to be over-acted and at the same time maintained a staleness that was irritable. There was also a cacophony of sound throughout the movie that sounded like; wind, boiling water and paper rustling.
This is a drawing I made of my friend Corbin;
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