notes on becoming fearless

A-ok

I think I need one of these...

You know, just as a reminder!

Buy here from Secret Holiday & Co.

in the shadows

SLUTWALK

 

SlutWalk London, more information here and on their Facebook page.

found

Been eBay browsing... I have no money of my own to spend but in case you're a man, size 11 and after a pair of seriously cheap Mr Hare shoes go here...

Or you're a 5.5 and after the shoe of the season go here...

overlap

Photos by Lewis Jones. Taken with one of those pinhole cameras you make up from a little kit. It didn't look all that easy to use but I like the results.

MIRACLE

Or at least I hope so anyway!

DREAMACHINE

Brion Gysin, lifelong collaborator of William Burroughs and guiding force in his cut and fold experiments also invented (along with his friend the mathematician Ian Sommerville) the Dreamachine. A dreamachine is a kind of meditation device using flickering light emitting from specific shapes to allow for a mathematically calculated rate of flicker. The device is "viewed" with closed eyes and apparently allows one to achieve an oracular dream state - sounds good to me!

The Dreamachine can be made from a cylinder of card with slits cut in the sides, it is then placed on a record turntable and rotated at 78rpm or 45rpm with a light bulb suspended in the centre of the cylinder. "This spinning, flickering cylinder was designed to affect the alpha rhythms of the human brain, allowing access to one's inner visual capacities. The first object-kinetic sclpture to be viewed with your eyes closed. Gysin spoke of flashes of memory and 360 degree visions with the clarity of projected film after extended use."

                                        

Gysin's Dreamachine plans are available to downlaod from Ubuweb here (at the very bottom of the page). Obviously not suitable for epileptics.

it felt like a KISS

More Adam Curtis! This time an experimental film made for the BBC that is a brilliant collage of archive footage and sound woven together with the connections Curtis makes about how power really works in the world - 'To show that power is exercised not just through politics and diplomacy - but flows through our feelings and emotions, and shapes the way we think of ourselves and the world.' Watch it here.

There was actually a participative theatre type show made of the film in collaboration with theatre group Punchdrunk as well.

programmed to FUNCTION

I’m attempting to try really hard not to buy pointless things I don’t really need. Unfortunately Topshop like to make this really difficult for me.

So common sense says these shoes are not really a useful nor a practical purchase and I have two pairs already that are incredibly similar that I hardly ever wear. Also they're kind of ugly. And that I should spend my money on more useful things that I actually need like clothes for work or a haircut or you know, food. But I still want them. Luckily thanks to Adam Curtis and his series Century of the Self I am confident in the knowledge that I can now blame my unattractive consumerist tendencies on a man named Edward Bernays rather than my own weak self. Bernays, Sigmund Freud’s nephew is basically entirely responsible for us being the programmed consumerist machines we are. It’s not quite as brilliant as The Trap but it’s still fascinating. Adam Curtis also has a brilliant blog here. 

LADY lady

I hope Lady Luck smiles on me today... I could do with it! 

Photo by Charlie Bidwell.