Before catching a bus that would take me downtown, I got the notion to browse at a photo and painting sale in the mall. I’m glad I did, because I found some cheap mounted prints. I bought two complimentary Shirlene Lascurain prints, Victorious and Victory and another print (I used to have a poster of it while I attended Dalhousie). I can’t recall the name of the painting nor the artist who created it. If someone is familiar with it, please let me know what you can. I’m very pleased to have these paintings hanging on the wall of my home now; each has made my rooms more alive and inviting.
After dropping those off here I finally made my way downtown and headed for the park. It was a mild and sunny, though breezy, day that I walked through today. We’ve been having an unseasonably warm January this year, which I’m welcoming of; I’d usually be sick of the snow and cold by now.
I spent a long time criss-crossing the park, visiting each spot that interests me and holds memories. It was like a homecoming to be moving along the coastal rocks, beneath the trees or amid the ruins of old battlements. I was sure to snap some photos of the park and myself while there. I discovered a laughable 666 pentagram and a seemingly incomplete message from The Lorax, both of which make me chuckle at the absurdity of such vandalism.
On the way home I decided to make a final attempt to find a calendar for 2006 at a bookstore. I was very surprised to find a beautiful calendar that matches beautiful paintings by Michael Green with the poetry of Jelaludin Rumi, a 13th century mystic Sufi poet. Rumi was a liberated master, and his work is an excellent avenue for exploring Sufism (which I have a great desire to learn more about myself).
who is your beginning and end.
When you find him,
you will not remain in expectation(of anything else):
he is both the manifest and also the mystery.
Non-dual illumination at its finest? I think so. Just reading some of these passages has tears brimming at my eyes because of the beauty and truth of them. It’s no wonder his words have endured and been respected throughout the world.
Now embrace their origin
Come, let nothing stand between us.
Water spills from a rock.
The rock disappears.
I recently noticed that my wallet had been falling apart, and would soon need to be replaced. Not being one to just use any wallet, I decided to scour the internet to find something inventive or beautiful enough to be a worthy replacement of the best wallet I’ve ever had. My search ended when I came across The Jimi, a small plastic wallet deemed “the wallet for people who hate wallets.” I can’t say I hate wallets, but I’m always open for alternatives, so I took a look and then decided to order one.
I’ve been using my smoke Jimi for a few days now and I’m very impressed. It’s practical, durable, nice looking (especially with the Ohm sticker I added) and encourages minimalism. I had to weed out some non-essentials and put them in my bag (I always carry it when going to anywhere those cards might be needed at), which was a nice bonus. I also like the company’s commitment to consumer, environment and worker, as openly stated on the literature that came with the Jimi; it’s definitely a selling point for me to have a company conscious of its responsiblity to the world. Oh, and the “operator’s manual” is good for a laugh.
For months I anticipated Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean’s Mirrormask for months now. I’ve been a big fan of both men’s individual and collaborative work for years, and when I learned they’d created a film together, along with the Jim Henson Company, I was thrilled. I was very disappointed when it didn’t receive a wide release and never played in a Halifax theatre. It comes out on DVD on Feb. 14, but I was lucky enough to watch an advance this week. It’s absolutely everything I had hoped for. It’s one of the finest films I’ve ever seen visually and the story is definitely Gaiman at his finest. It’s been compared to a darker telling of Alice in Wonderland, and I think that’s fitting, but it has a depth and appeal uniquely its own. Definitely a neglected gem, this will be a must-have in a month’s time.
During my high school days I discovered Siouxsie and the Banshees as a side-effect of my goth period (I kept the black, the finer aspects of the music and a healthy appreciation for all those dark and gloomy things.) I had Once Upon A Time and the “Dear Prudance” single on vinyl, so when I discovered a remastered album, called Gold: Remixes, containing a lot of those tracks and some remixes, I pounced upon it. The song all sound so much better this time around, and I barely miss the pop and hiss of a record. Siouxsie Sioux has one of the most recognizable voices out there, and sounds stellar in this rejuvenated package.
I’m about to tell you about the most unusual album to have ever fallen into my music collection. Please don’t get the wrong idea about me, but it’s She Had A Taste For Music, an anthology of Italian erotic film soundtracks. It’s filled with ecclectic tracks that range from the sincerely romantic to experimental world, bouncy jazz and funk to the downright strange. But it’s actually oddly enjoyable. I want to throw a party and have this in the background.
P.S. I am always thrilled to see new postings in Audrey Kawasaki‘s journal. Go look for yourself.
P.P.S. I now have a Flickr account here.