TRAVEL DIARY

A weblog regularly updated by Jodi Rose.

Saturday, May 12, 2007

10:41 AM
Posted by jodi rose

Somehow it seems I manage to do just enough tweaking to keep a professional life afloat. Amidst the endless angst and existential musing. Lucky I don't have a 9-5 job or this would all be impossible. A personal life however, is another matter entirely. But let's not go there.

Listening to Piaf who gives a nice mix of jaunty chanteuse, tortured outcast to a Saturday morning - ahhh mon dieu, just this once - Bravo! Her songs have a particular resonance for me, having seen my wonderful ungodly godmother Jeannie Lewis singing them when she played the role in the Pam Gem Musical 'Piaf: The Songs and the Story'. Mum took me to Melbourne to see her when I was about twelve, there is a very cute photo of us, Jean and Cathy in front of the piaf poster, I look 12 going on 24 with rolled up jeans, a stripey velour top, and desperate to grow up. How things change...

I'm reading a book about simplicity - called, funnily enough 'The Laws of Simplicity' so far, in relation to technology, life and jazz drumming. The author, John Maeda confesses to having been responsible for artwork that led to those spinning flashing things all over the internet and apologises early on for this. He talks about the rhythm of simplicity and complexity, how the counterpoint and phrasing between them keep life interesting, and indeed bearable. Which makes sense, it's impossible to be complex all the time ;)
Some days you really do need to just feel the earth beneath your feet and watch the clouds drift by. Preferably with a cuppa tea and nice conversation.
Which all explains a lot (to me anyway) about these last few months. So in need of some downtime. Balance balance balance. Caught up with a friend last night - Christina - who I originally met in Helsinki, on the beach of Uunisaari Island for the private sauna at the end of ISEA, and bonded over the following years Pixelache. She's now living in Amsterdam, and asked 'how do you manage to relax, traveling so much? You're never 'at home'. Yes indeed. Tell me about it.

Although this last week comes closer than anything I've experienced in a long time, even back in Australia. But that's another story. A quiet night on the couch with the cat and a video certainly helps calm that frenzied tone that life can build into. Last night it was Marjoleine Boonstra's 'Haven: Roaming Through the Night', a gorgeous melancholy documentary about the industrial port area of North Amsterdam. Right near where I've been staying. Wonderful characters, who all inhabit the harbour in various ways; the English woman who cleans and looks after the old russian submarine (now a party venue), the night watchman for the boats, a dinghy worker responsible for mooring the huge ships, the striking looking woman who lives inside the old dock. As their stories unfold you have a sense of these incredibly hard lives, told with so much humour, grace, and love that their poetry and dignity resonate deeply.
The whole 'living outside society' thing, being slightly able to counteract the forces of capital-status-money and survive somehow. Very inspiring and atmospheric.
With a beautiful soundtrack, with a subtle mix of haunting music and water/boat sounds.

Which takes us to this morning. Almost enticed into lying in bed for another few hours looking at the trees. It is Saturday after all. But no, Philippa arrives this afternoon and there is my favourite market on prinsengracht to go find bread cheese fruit vegetables.

A final word from John on blogs and simplicity:
'Like most blogs, it has been a place where I have shared unedited thoughts that represent my personal opinions on a topic about which I am passionate. I discovered that the readership resonated with the topic that underlies it all: my struggle to understand the meaning of life as a human technologist.'

Indeed, I can only hope. Really is time for some editing and coherence. Give me strength.

And a last final word from Piaf:

No je ne regrette rien.

xx