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Comments:
BrianO - 2003-07-17 13:54:53
I left a comment and it seems to have dissappeared. I hope I didn't leave it on someone else's site.
This Artist's Date thing sounds interesting, but what exactly is it you need? A place where you can go and be creative? Or a place that inspires creativity? Or something else? (Not that I have all that much to offer anyway.)
And I like "meh", it seems to sum up your mood well.
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Aimee - 2003-07-17 14:03:12
I was wondering why I got an email saying that there was a comment, and then... nada...
Yeah, after I posted I realized, wow, I did a pretty suck-ass job of describing an Artist's Date! It's supposed to inspire creativity - you're not at all supposed to do any work. You basically go do something really fun. Like go to a movie you really want to see, or buy silly stuff at a five and dime, play on a playground, browse through stuff in a thrift store, that kind of thing.
Probably nothing's grabbing me because of my mood. Meh!
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BStu - 2003-07-17 14:17:48
I figure I should avoid my first name since you seem to be inundated with enough "Brians".
Not that I'm 100% clear on the artists date concept, so I apologize if this is widely off the mark, but given your examples and how you described it, I keep thinking of one little fun think I like to do and don't do enough, and that is browse through a used book store. I spent many years working in libraries, so I've always enjoyed the experience of being around old books and their quiet sense of experience. I especially love old paperbacks of Shakespeare plays. Just something about them that I've always loved, and I have about a shelf's worth of them myself. They are worn, but still feel like they are begging to be read. Its not like an old book you are afraid to read for fear of damaging it. If a Penguin paperback of The Tempest has lasted 40 years, it can probably last a bit more. Especially since these are books meant to be read and experiences. I love the scholar's editions with the foot-notes. You just know this is something that needs to be read, but it isn't sterile like a new edition. You are experiencing the book's history while you are encountering the play.
See, I'm long-winded. Gotta stop that, but that's my suggestion. Ignore at your leisure.
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BrianO - 2003-07-17 14:54:50
The used book store idea sounds great. I love doing that, but I'm obsessed with books. I go to Books by the Falls in Derby, CT and just stand under the big piles of books that seem like they are about to topple over me. Good stuff. Along the same lines, a library is a great place to go, although after 5 they're probably closed.
I was going to suggest seeing The Stone Reader film or the Cremaster exhibition at the Guggenheim, but those have both left New York. Sorry.
Outside of that, I have no ideas. There aren't even any movies I would recommend. Sorry, I'm not being a lot of help. Hope you find something.
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BStu - 2003-07-17 15:07:03
It would seem I lost a response as well. I'm taking on my college nickname, lest I complicate things with yet another Brian muddying the waters.
Not sure I fully understand the Artist's Date thing, so let me take the risk at looking the fool by making a suggestion. Given the other examples you cite, I immediantly thought of visiting a used book store. There is just something about used books that I've always found inviting, like they are just asking to be read. I especially like some of the old paperback Shakespeare editions, like the kind you got in high school. Its not like an old book you are afraid to open. Indeed, if a Penguin edition of The Tempest has lasted 40 years, its like proof of readability. I especially like the annotated editions that are out there, both for their usefulness and the fact that they are completely meant to be read and re-read. The book has a sense of history, or place that you will experience while you are encountering the work. Just something creatively invigorating about that to me. Gosh, I really need to go to a used book shop myself! hehe
So, that's my humble idea. Ignore at your lesuire, which will be a lot easier if my post gets sent to oblivion again.
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Aimee - 2003-07-17 15:51:38
Hey, a girl can never have too many Brians! Well, she can, but I weeded out the bad ones. Welcome BrianS, thanks for coming by! (If you haven't already read it, check out my Clarifying the Brians entry.. :-)
I love that both of you came up with the same idea! I haven't been to a used book store in ages, and I live in NYC, what's wrong with me? Not to mention that The Strand is right near where I'm going for the MeetUp tonight. Duh! BrianS, I don't know how often you go into Boston, but isn't there a really cool old book store with lots of old maps on Newbury Street? I seem to vaguely recall a store like that, unless I'm making it up.. :-) I'm always so embarrassed to admit that I have such terribly pedestrian taste in books; that a Jackie Susann novel would probably thrill me more than stumbling upon Shakespeare (oh, how shameful!!) Although I betcha an annotated version might make for smoother sailing.
I have to say I'm still not too sure about the Artist's Date concept - although I am just about 100% sure that the author does not recommend beating yourself up over whether you've got the idea down exactly, and would probably recommend just having fun, which is probably why I'm stressing out about it so much.
Thanks again, both of you, for responding with such great ideas. My "meh" mood seems to be lifting some and I'm actually much more looking forward to having a fun time!
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BrianO - 2003-07-17 16:07:25
Actually, I was just following BStu's suggestion of a used book store and seconding it. Can neither of you see BStu's first entry up there? I can. Odd.
As for Shakespeare, I love the fact that he was derided in his time for pandering to the masses and for excessive use of sex and violence. And now, the same kind of pompous asses hold him up as their hero. He would hate them I'm sure. And he'd probably love Jackie Susann too. (Everytime I hear her name I think of the X song "Adult Books." "all in a line/ they're all in a line/ like adult books/ i don't understand/ jackie susann/ meant it that way." Don't know what it means, but I like it.)
Anyway, whatever you do Aimee, enjoy it.
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BStu - 2003-07-17 16:08:05
Opps, now its there. That's weird. My apologies for the clutter.
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Yi Shun - 2003-07-17 16:11:47
i like to people-watch. i get myself a huge indulgent ridiculous cup of coffee and waste a good hour of time watching people and reading comic books. i bought it, by the way. yeah, the one that our silly movie is based on. that and a book on ecology. :) i also like to go to the children's book section and read those. or look at all the Klutz books and think of just what a crafty bitch i can be. :)
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BStu - 2003-07-17 16:19:22
There is the Victor Hugo on Newbury St., but I don't recal maps. I could be shutting them out, though, as I spent a horrid summer working in the stacks at the Maps Collection at Yale University. My favorite local used book shop is actually on Beacon Street right near the Brookline town line. The Book Annex, I believe.
Admittedly, my taste in books is more pedestrian than my love of annotated Shakespeare makes it seems. Usually, I only read non-fiction, preferably collections of essays. That and Get Fuzzy. But I absolutely love The Tempest. Its my favorite piece of literature and I have a very unique interpretation that always annoyed classmates who were overly concerned with contextual interpretation rather than treating the text on its own. While an author's intent is important, it makes the experience far more scholarly than a bit of theatre warrents. Plays are, by their nature, a living text and are especially given to new experiences by the reader/viewer. I'm over intellectualizing, but I'm definetly not one to elevate Shakespear as some kind of elitist classic. Some stuff is written to be elitist garbage, but as you point out, certainly Shakespeare wasn't one. Which is why he is still so relevant, really. Same thing goes for the greatest composers. The best understood that pleasing an audience was part of art, not an obstacle to it. But even they get draged through the mud of pompusity. Is that a word? Well, it should be.
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BrianO - 2003-07-17 16:34:14
BStu: I believe it's pomposity, but pompusity seems so much better. I'd love to hear your interpretation of The Tempest, it's my favorite Shakespeare; that is, of the Shakespeare I've read.
I will always advise reading comic books by the way. People-watching must be an exhaustive sport in New York though, no?
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BrianO - 2003-07-17 16:35:01
I think I meant exhausting there. Ah well.
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Aimee - 2003-07-17 16:37:02
Clutter is just fine by me, you should see my room! ;-)
I can't believe I forgot to mention it earlier, but BrianO lives in West Haven, which is where BrianS grew up, how cool is that? All us Connecticut types!
Not to mention that Yi Shun frequently drives past good old Holy Land, USA.. :-)
Funny, I had thought about going to the kids section also, although the kids section often makes me cry, especially when I'm PMSing. All I need to do is look at the cover of Charlotte's Web and I'm a mess.
You'll have to let me know how LXG is as a graphic novel, I'm awfully curious! While the movie was super-silly in places, it sure whetted my curiosity.
Bah, back to work, without touching upon any of the fascinating intellectual conversation around here. Talk amongst yourselves!
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BrianO - 2003-07-17 16:42:17
Wait a minute, you're talking about "League of Extraordinary Gentlemen?" I'm refusing to see the movie because they've changed so much from the comic book. The comic book is fantastic. Whatever you thought of the movie (even if you liked) I doubt it's a good measuring stick for the book. I mean, they put Tom Sawyer in the movie as a gunslinger... what the hell is that about? Ah well, hope you enjoy the comic anyway.
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Aimee - 2003-07-17 17:30:44
Yep, that's the one! I had only vaguely heard of the comic book, and hadn't even had much interest in the movie, I was just tagging along with Yi Shun. The movie was silly fun, but I betcha the comic book is great. The Times had a great article about the difference between the two, the link to which I would post were I not feeling lazy right now.
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