TRAVEL DIARY

A weblog regularly updated by Jodi Rose.

Wednesday, September 5, 2007

11:55 PM
Posted by jodi rose

conversation overheard by jasmine at zentrale randlage australian music gig last night:

'Jodi Rose is here!'
'Who is Jodi Rose?'
'Just another random Australian in Berlin...'

and so it goes.
the funny thing is that was the exact same phrase I had been using about some of the familiar faces who turned up unexpectedly.

someone just wrote to me and said:
'You write a lot. When do you sleep?'

I write in my sleep, baby.

Well, practically. I'm always making notes in those moments just before you drift off and while you're waking up, so lucid and febrile.

Landed at 5pm on Saturday, with the feeling that everything is going to work out just fine. Laughed when the baggage carousel started turning - well, I guess someone's luggage has to be out first ;)

Stopped to drop-off bags and have a cuppa tea with Joni, she ran me a bath to freshen up before the evening. Made it to five out of the six art gallery openings on the one block of Brunennstrasse, including a sculpture show curated by Amy, another random australian I know from Glasgow. Gorgeous sound piece, with two sets of headphones on either side of a column, and black script reading 'keep us together/tear us apart'. A woman's voice on one side, and man's on the other, humming the relevant songs (love, love will tear us apart. again..../...and let love keep us together). Perfect.

Feel I have started Berlin life with genuine demonstration of my new commitment to art career. That and almost entirely black wardrobe. Just a shade of charcoal and hint of pinstripe here and there. Blend in.

Very crazy night at Torben's party, definitely worth flying back for. Endless dance floor antics, wildly diverse dj's, mist in the wohnung, feast and fabulousness. Stayed until 5pm the next day, long recovery breakfast then wandered up to meet seamus and friends in the mauer park. New abode in studio of dr.nexus, at the wedding end of pberg.

I love that. Things just falling into place. Had one of those suddenly intense and personal conversations with one of the artists who has a studio here, sitting out the front on our bench in the sun. Then seven hot french men arrived on holiday, some of them staying upstairs. Down to six after the first night, one with a broken shoulder sent home. Nice Norwegian artists in the studio next door, and some Irish drop-ins this evening. Very international, the high ratio of australians in town notwithstanding. Berlin music tomorrow night, then art opening friday, and saturday out to a schloss in potsdam for performance evening. Just enough time to keep the wheels turning on this art machine in between. That's all part of the game. Played with some sounds from Bangkok, almost ready to start work on a new piece. First time in months I've actually listened to a bridge. Nice.

Ok, lucid moments over, back to the haze of sleep and sound.
Welcome to your new life. It's good to be here!