SQUEE...Christmas Cranford

Sometimes, I feel so bloody old.

Kevin Spacey attacks BBC Talent Shows

While supping coffee and eating muesli this really cheered me up this morning.

The Stage article here.

The Guardian article here.

"I felt that was essentially a 13-week promotion for a musical - where's our 13-week programme?"

Arts Taskforce

Today I will be mainly reading the "A New Landscape For The Arts"

The taskforce is an independent body and has been set up by the Conservatives to consider arts policy ahead of the next general election.

Quote

"I'm creating rituals to make sense of a world that scares the shit out of me." Philip Ridley

Arthur C Clarke, writer and futurist, dies at 90

"Life is just one big banana. Science fiction allows us all to peel open the reality and discover the yellow truth inside."

Captain Birdseye

God rest his fishy soul (or that should be sole? BOOM TISH!)

Genista McIntosh to investigate ACE's spending review

More info at The Stage here.

Apparently nothing to do with the recent controversy - they were going to do it anyway.

This Morning

"There's a hole in the world like a great black pit, and it's filled with people who are filled with shit, and the vermin of the world inhabit it..."

Reminder to self: don't go to sleep with the Sweeny Todd soundtrack on repeat.

To balance out the Sweeney Todd hatred of the world:

-- written by Max Ehrmann in the 1920s --

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible, without surrender,
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even to the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons;
they are vexatious to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter,
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs,
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love,
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace in your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

Andrasta - The Warrior Goddess

Her symbol is the hare. She was a lunar mother-goddess figure associated with fertility and love. She is the goddess of victory, of ravens and of battle. Her colour is red. Her weapon is the sword. Her tarot is death.

She was the Celtic Goddess envoked by Boudicca and the Iceni:

"I thank thee, Andraste, and call upon thee as woman speaking to woman [...] those over whom I rule are Britons, men that know not how to till the soil or ply a trade, but are thoroughly versed in the art of war and hold all things in common, even children and wives, so that the latter possess the same valour as the men. As the queen, then, of such men and of such women, I supplicate and pray thee for victory, preservation of life, and liberty against men insolent, unjust, insatiable, impious" Dio Cassius

"Let us, therefore, go against (the Romans), trusting boldly to good fortune. Let us show them that they are hares and foxes trying to rule over dogs and wolves." When she had finished speaking, she employed a species of divination, letting a hare escape from the fold of her dress; and since it ran on what they considered the auspicious side, the whole multitude shouted with pleasure, and Buduica, raising her hand toward heaven, said: "I thank thee, Andraste, and call upon thee as woman speaking to woman..." Dio Cassius

Mememe Game

I go to page 123 of the book I'm currently reading, skip the first five sentences and reveal the following three.

"Wishing to be loved by their child, parents shrink from exposing him to tales which encourage him to think of parents as bad or rejecting. Parents wish to believe that if a child sees them as stepmothers, witches or giants, this has nothing to do with them and how they at moments appear to the child, but is only the result of tales he has heard. These parents hope that if their child is prevented from learning about such figures, he will not see his own parents in this image."

The Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales by Bruno Bettelheim

Now I "tag" you to do the same...

Quote

"Don't try to solve serious matters in the middle of the night."
Philip K. Dick

You are Emo

Emos are underrated. It's not easy balancing introspection with a childlike delight in life. You look so pretty that people always think you're nothing but a new-wave teenager who takes photos of things, but they're wrong, and can't see past the hair. You notice what's happening around you - you just choose when you want to interact with the world, or not. Let them laugh - they still end up asking if they can download your amazing mp3 collection.

Yep, I know...check out what you are here at this lovely site that I like to frequent.

Aerial Dance: I've been coordinating a week long workshop with Wendy Hesketh and Jamie Ogilvie from Wired Aerial Theatre and Brenda Angiel from Brenda Angiel Aerial Dance Company. I've never seen dance like it. Inspiring, beautiful and full of spectacular qualities; they move with strength and a deliberateness that is just fantastic.

Steam/Sauna/Spa Bath/Swimming pool: There is nothing better in this world for clearing the mind.

More Advenutures

After a restful afternoon I ventured down to Bella Italia for wine, pizza and salad which was very yummy. On returning to the hotel I went into the main hall with a person that I'm working with in Liverpool and tried to sort out our internet problems. We were approached by a gentleman tramp who told us we were beautiful (although I was too big!). He told us was a writer, a poet, a great lover, a undoubtable blagger and he was all in all rather amusing. He left us with a poem and wandered off into the night with his white cider.

A Windy Day in Liverpool

During a day of rushing about and working hard a meeting was delayed by 30mins so I ventured around the corner to the Liverpool Cathedral. A windy day added to the 'heathcliff-ness' of it. It is literally a breathtaking building. It dominates. Large and imposing, you feel pressed down but the weight of it and then you choke with the beauty of the inside. Go see.

I'm going to the Roman Catholic Cathedral this afternoon.

Dancing Queen

This week I'm in Liverpool coordinating "Harnessing performance: exploring dancing in the air". It's amazing but this photo seemed to sum up the basic essence of today's work:

Quote

"Most people would rather be certain they're miserable than risk being happy."
Robert Anthony