you must take the derive

I don't spend all that much time thinking about how I move through a city-scape, because ninety percent of the time I am moving, it's with a specific location in mind. It's in my nature; I am always thinking about the destination, rather than the journey. The more I think about it, the derive is actually the total antithesis of how I move throught the city. Nothing I do is random, and lately, I feel it's because I haven't allowed myself the time to be random. A few weeks ago, a derive would have seemed like a great idea, but now with this new cold snap, it just seems like a deathwish.

My hope for reading week is that it warms up, even just so the chill is tolerable. If this happens, I will absolutely attempt a derive. Perhaps I'll invite someone along (spontaneous and uncharted field trip, anyone?)

For the performer/creator part of my brain, the derive is literally improvised performance; you must allow yourself to be influenced by the other actors in the scenario and the scenario itself. A good rule of thumb in improv is to constantly be making offers and saying yes. I think that rule can be applied to the derive as well. If you start saying 'no', it's because you desire too much control.

Another thing we often say in theatre is to "follow your impluse". Again, I think this is true of the derive as well. Some of the best work I've seen my peers present has been informed by a single impulsive gesture. The derive, as well, can yield amazing things if you let your feet do the thinking, as well as the walking.

RESIST NOT. There is so much to be found in the drift.

treading the (key)boards

I have an intense love-hate relationship with essay writing.
  
   Essays are just about the worst on-again/off-again boyfriends ever, and this class is like singles therapy (if such a thing exists?) It's refreshing to walk into a class where there's no essay writign involved, because as I plow deeper and deeper into Undergradlandia, it's something I've just learned to expect:

"This essay is worth 25% of your final grade!"
"Your final paper is waited at 40%."
"For your final project you will submit a 15 page research essay on a topic of your choice. The paper will be worth 60% of your final grade and all your remaining sanity."

When I was first telling people about this course, they couldn't quite wrap their heads around the fact that an English class had no essay writing component. But why should it? When Malcolm was in talking to our class yesterday, he said something that I think a lot of professors know but don't like to admit: essays are (often) boring, required reading in the land of academia. There are others, like our fearless leader H.Z., who actually understands that, and is trying to help us out of the rut we've been stuck in when it comes to REAL writing.

What point am I trying to make?....English classes help make you a better theorist, a better essayist and a better critical thinker, but many of the most accomplished writers of our times are novelists, not essayists. Sure, they must have written some essays on their way to becoming published authors, but I think we can all agree that A Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime is a far better novel than it would be an essay on autism.

I don't want to dump on essay writing. I get a lot of satisfaction from finishing an intense essay, especially when I feel it's well-written. I guess what I'm trying to say is it's nice to have a break, and to find new ways of spurring on my ideas.

fast-paced world

I know the prompt this week is about minorities and their locations within the city, but I want to put a different spin on this post.

  After reading Darren Hagen’s “The Edmonton Queen”, it made me remember the gay bars that have closed down in the city. First it was Flashback, and then the Roost, and most recently, Play has been closed down.  This got me thinking about the closure of local businesses in general, most recently (and most disappointing for me and my wardrobe) Nokomis Clothing on Whyte Avenue.

   My one totally irrational fear is that Edmonton will, over time, become one giant box-mall. Remember Southside Sound? Remember Megatunes?  They were great music stores that could not compete with HMV. I assume it’s the same for Nokomis – they could not compete with the chain clothing stores. I don’t want to bash chain stores, because I think at a certain point, based on financial needs and proximity, we all have to shop at those places. However, I do think that as city dwellers, we should try to discover and frequent our local gems, and thus, help to sustain them in an increasingly homogenous city.

Tidbit: The title of this post was stolen from brought to you by The Dukhs' song "Fast Paced World"...Winnipegers! Check them out!

And check out http://www.live-local.ca/ for info about eating and shopping locally.