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Life leads the thoughtful man on a path of many windings.
Now the course is checked, now it runs straight again.
Here winged thoughts may pour freely forth in words.
There the heavy burden of knowledge must be shut away in silence.
But when two people are at one in their inmost hearts,
They shatter even the strength of iron or of bronze.
And when two people understand each other in their inmost hearts,
Their words are sweet and strong, like the fragrance of orchids.

Aristotle, quoted by Tim Boucher
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Week’s end

Top of Mind: That Tuesday is not the end of any week I know, but I have an excuse! Two, actually, Indiecon and Impro Jam. Both really great, and both chances to catch up with great people. I even managed to squeeze in an hour walking in the New Forest.

Listening: Green Lights by Aloe Blac. Terrific old school soul track.

Reading: Sociocracy by John Buck and Sharon Villines. Apparently the core writings on sociocracy that precede this book are dry and inaccessible; so far I’m seeing some residue on the pages. Pressing on as I think there may be something to be had here.

Planning: Mask workshop this weekend, so we’ll  be graced with some European practitioners to show around and feed. 

Writing: I punched up my cv this week.

And you?

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“Biological Vulnerability and Negative Emotions Lead to Greater Artistic Creativity”

“Biological Vulnerability and Negative Emotions Lead to Greater Artistic Creativity”

Not new but new to me, and interesting. I love the nuance you get when you move beyond the “don’t worry be happy” end of positive psych.

So what for me: continue to play with mood as a variable to stimulate how a show goes. Crazy energising warmups are not always the best approach for good theatre content.

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Week’s end

Top of Mind: Another Street Training session, training the police from around the estate. And last night, our mini impro show planted at a great party (bands, collaborative painting, a capella rap), with lots of audience interaction.

Listening: A nice set from Daniel Burne at that same gig.

Reading: Between books just now.

Planning: Next weekend: whether to go to Indiecon. Or to Impro Jam. Or neither. Or…both.

Writing: Finished the fwd submissions. Check out Steve’s too.

And you?

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Week’s end

Top of Mind: Glad to have fulfilled my sitting practice this week: half an hour every morning. 

Listening: Terence Blanchard’s Voices

Reading: Enjoyed Agatha Christie’s The Mystery at Styles. A country house, a highly mannered Belgian, unreliable narrators, the works. The Narrative Escape by Tom Stafford – an essay on stories, psychology and morality – you can see I was duty-bound to read it! Provocative and neat.

Planning: follow-up Street Training contributions, some shows next week (I know, I know, it’s improv. But still).

Writing: theFWD contributions.

And you?

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Eccentric doesn’t bother me. “Eccentric” being a poetic interpretation of a mathematical term meaning something that doesn’t follow the lines – that’s okay.

I think what eccentricity can represent in terms of the fear it engenders is a challenge to what is already considered right or good by people who have invested a certain amount into their life and livelihood that is not eccentric, but centric.

If there’s a challenge to that, that can make people concerned that either what is considered a safe way of living or a good way of living may be pulled out from under them. I can understand that.

That’s why countercultural film movements are important since it’s lacking in the culture right now.

There’s an idea that there’s value to an alternate point of view, but everything that’s presented in the media is procultural, and it makes people nervous when there hasn’t been a true discussion of alternate points of view. There’s no general discussion in the media.

Crispin Glover, actor. In note of the rerelease of Back To The Future in which he took the role of George McFly 
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There are always coincidences: always what turns up. There is a pattern because there is the ability to see patterns. It is through seeing this ability that we create our way through the maze.

Nicholas Moseley, Hopeful Monsters
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Week’s End

Top of Mind: A fun audition for a Chicago long-form course. Today, a lovely day out walking to the Horniman Museum, checking out African ritual, children’s storytelling, and getting my hands on some cool masks and puppets.

Listening: The Bad Plus, soon in the UK for a series of jazz festival shows

Reading: Just finished Anarchism: A Very Short Introduction by Colin Ward, on the heels of Eaarth by Bill McKibben. Both excellent.

Planning: A trip to Bristol for the Old Vic Improv festival.

Writing: Some pieces for leashless’ The Future We Deserve.

Because comments are now enabled, I can also ask: And you?