gurdonark: (Default)
gurdonark ([personal profile] gurdonark) wrote2005-09-07 10:52 pm

ungeek at any speed

I'm re-reading "Time of Hope", the first book in one of my favorite novel cycles, C.P. Snow's "Strangers and Brothers". It's a novel cycle tracing a single protagonist through an entire life of a fellow named Lewis Eliot in the UK from the 1910 to 1970 or so. I suppose I like these novels in part for the same reason I like the television show "law and Order". Snow's novels' elaborate "Eliotverse" often subordinates plot plausibility and even character in favor of setting up dilemmae and issues for dissection and discussion. The first novel has a lot of plot points about the problem of being bright but unwordly coming out of high school in a small provincial town--and how often choices are made awry because nobody is available to point out alternatives and options. The way in which people are both strangers and brothers, not surprisingly, features over and over in the books. I want to read all 11 novels again, although I must find a used copy of the three volume set.

Today I found myself immersed until 9 p.m. in diverse and very demanding work matters for admirable clients. When I got home, the mail contained my Orbitor Nature Recording device. It has a big plastic dish, a gun-like assembly, headphones and a monocular. It looks like a cheap 50s sci fi movie. The sound magniifcation is really extraordinary, though. I could hear things far away in a new way. My wife observed with a chuckle "you're turning into a nerd", which, I suppose, is high praise indeed, as, you see, it implies that I formerly lived in a more pristine state. I reeled back "I'm an artist", not that I am an artist, but because I knew it would make her laugh. Next time I will reply with a better line, along the lines of "I prefer the term pioneer".

I'm continuing to have good luck with musical exchange. I got a nice note from a fellow in Israel who runs a cool netlabel about a fun remix of one of his unusual songs that I did, and a note from a great studio recordist I know, being kind about a bit of silliness I mixed of his. I now evangelize the Slicer syntesizer.

My natural exuberance led me to write a very long e mail to my favorite DJ, a woman in Los Angeles ((who once also lived in Dallas) I don't know at all, who has a show on public radio. I suggested to her to send me an mp3 for collaboration. My reasoning was simple--everyone asks DJs to play their songs--but how many people request of DJs to send a song or sample? I easily amuse myself sometimes, although my e mail was a bit on the wordy and witty side. Perhaps I should post it, as open letters are more fun anyway. Open source, open mind, open heart, open feelings, open hand.

The Jeff Pearce Chapman Stick album is indeed interesting, although it verges on pop and smooth sound rather than pure ambience. But labels get distracting, anyway, so I guess it's all in how I look at it. I will listen to Diatonis tomorrow on the plane--a dawn awakening in sound.

I fly tomorrow at dawn. An old friend wrote about coming in October for a visit. I'm exhausted, but durable.

[identity profile] missprune.livejournal.com 2005-09-08 04:19 am (UTC)(link)
I like your "open" mantra, affirmation, or slogan.

[identity profile] gurdonark.livejournal.com 2005-09-08 04:57 am (UTC)(link)
Thanks. It seemed to fit tonight.
gracegiver: (Default)

Sorry, but I'm laughing .. you ungeek you.

[personal profile] gracegiver 2005-09-08 04:53 am (UTC)(link)
"I'm an artist",

Love ya anyway.

Re: Sorry, but I'm laughing .. you ungeek you.

[identity profile] gurdonark.livejournal.com 2005-09-08 04:55 am (UTC)(link)
thanks!
gracegiver: (Default)

Re: Sorry, but I'm laughing .. you ungeek you.

[personal profile] gracegiver 2005-09-08 04:58 am (UTC)(link)
A real geek would fix it, and then delete my comment.

Re: Sorry, but I'm laughing .. you ungeek you.

[identity profile] gurdonark.livejournal.com 2005-09-08 05:00 am (UTC)(link)
well, I did fix it. But the comment stays! But as an artist, I must say it coulc have been a statement, (not italics)an artist(not italics), a mission statement about my purpose in life if I ever conceived one.