TRAVEL DIARY

A weblog regularly updated by Jodi Rose.

Tuesday, May 18, 2004

11:26 AM
Posted by jodi rose

Breath in, breathe out.
Main issues in my life today are editing and data management and slowing down. I am attempting to construct a coherent text of 1000 words for the report on pixelache, based on material from the insane rambling travel diary which I wrote while I was there. That is a salutory lesson in actually writing complete sentences and maybe giving a little overview to the detail and immediacy of experience which tends to be the main focus. If I am going to write this book, I will need to get some editing techniques on board damn quickly.
And slowing down when writing helps. I could even read my own handwriting this morning - a rare occurence. Realising that rushed feeling has permeated every kind of small action and daily movement and that maybe if I start slowing them down consciously, the sense of haste will abate.
It seems that both issues are intertwined; I need to filter and edit all the sounds and text and information that I keep collecting and generating, so that the good material stands out from the dross. To do this a slowing down is required, paying attention to the activity in which you are engaged each moment, focusing on it. Having a constant list of 10 other things to do next really doesn't help with anything. Except stress levels.

Anyway, today I am in Perth, staying with Nigel and Nellia. Enjoying talking for hours with Nigel, he is full of great stories and projects. I can't go into details right now, but they include the lifeboat that will be off the coast of Norway next year, the audiolab: syren a real time 1:1 scale sound map of the shipping route that will be audiuble at the helicopter pad on the ISEA ferry, his narrative about a digital personal assistant who knows your every need before you do, on a night out in helsinki. He tells me ERIC is very similar, although I should focus on the emotionally responsive computing aspect. Which is what I am most interested in. He has also been teasing me about 'when are you doing to do something else besides bridges?'. I cited Christo as an example of an artist making variations on the one idea for years - does anyone ask him: Hey, Christo, when are you going to do something other than wrap stuff??!!!?? Although he does have a point, sometimes I ask myself the same question; but then realise I am nowhere near done with bridges yet. There are so many permutations of the idea which are still to be realised, from the live linked performance to a permanent sound installation on a bridge and much much more. Also in light of my previous thoughts, it is probably good for me to keep going deeper into the one thing, and not skim the surface and move on too quickly. There are many years to explore different ideas and projects, and for now, bridges is it!!

I had an interesting conversation this morning with Ros, a contact from Donna who I talked with at the ABC in Brisbane, and now have the name of a fungus expert in Denmark, WA to contact about the treetops walk area. I have seen photos and it looks amazingly like a bridge, suspended up there in the trees. Unfortunately there is a 6 to 8 hour train and bus journey ahead of me in the morning, to get down there from Perth. But it can be enjoyable watching the country go by from the window, it gives a space to reflect and dream.... I was wishing for a day where I didn't go madly rushing around completing tasks on a schedule. That might be it!