Nov 2006
Incense legs
29/November/2006 13:04 .Local life.Permalink
For those of you dying for a yoga update, I am pleased to report that the class has not let me down. Yesterday evenings offerings included a scattering of small pyramid incense sticks on the floor amongst a dozen candles - which was fine during the aerobic warm up - but when we hit the meditation middle section, the sound of many zzzzz´s accompanied the ambient background music from the film Bladerunner.
Not altogether an inappropriate choice. The class continued in semi-darkness, momentarily brightened by the teacher leaving one leg over an incense burner too long and setting fire to his trouser.
However, the zzzz´s continued, even during the most bizarre of new age compilations, this time the sound of a tap dripping in a basement or cellar as we were sent on another guided meditation. Such was the success of this particular journey, that I not only felt I was in the cellar, but I was the cellar. Worrying, even for a monk.
Play: Down in the tubestation at midnight - Jam
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Monday blues.....
27/November/2006 13:03 .Teabag
rambles.Permalink
Heavy rain does not fall all day
Are not these made by heaven and earth?
If the power of heaven and earth
Cannot make violent activity last,
How can you?Lao Tsu: Tao Te Ching
each time I find myself .....flat on my face, I pick mysef up and get ......back in the race
Thats life. I tell yer, I cant deny it....
I thought of quitting baby but my heart just aint gonna buy it....Frankie: That´s Life.
You saw it here first
25/November/2006 13:03 .Local life.Permalink
Cannes it most definitely wasn´t. Thankfully. But Loja did put on its own small celebration to the silver screen this weekend with its 3rd Short Film Festival. We only managed to make it to the final projection of four separate showings over three days. But we were fortunate enough to catch the short film by R. Robles Rafatal, a Malagueño who had submitted his wonderful film Domicilio Habitual. Below is a still from the movie kindly sent to me by Rafatal, along with the poster above.
According to Rafatal - who like most of the directors present, introduced the film - it was a ¨homage to the world of secretaries, the right hand of big business¨. He added it was also a recognition of the work done by cleaners in such establishments.
So here goes: The director of a large business dies in his seat at work. Without knowing he is already dead, his partner, secretary and numerous others enter his office and in secret kill him (again).
Finally, they are all arrested except the !!!!!! who inherits the lot!
Apart form a twisting and captivating story line, the film uses a range of camera speeds, glorious lighting, superb characterizations and celebratory 70´s deco that combine to serve up the film in a most palatable fashion. Heartedly recommended and should I dare say it....a director to watch out for in the immediate future.
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Having said all that I had a couple of questions to put to the organizers and participants of the event.
1. What´s with the pink? Pink and blue posters. Rafatal´s pink hair streaks and the woman standing behind Miguel Castellano ( Loja´s Alcalde) is wearing half a pink
coat! Check out the photo at the top.
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The teapotmonk is troubled.
For more info: www.rafatal.com
Play: Outta my head - Kylie.
Ian Gibson bites dogs
24/November/2006 12:45 .Local life.Permalink
Scene 1: Outside the townhall.
It was just 15 minutes before. Loja had organised the second jornada for the Recuperacion de la memoria Historica and this evening we were to be treated to Ian Gibson talking on Los Intelectuales Españoles Ante la Segunda Republica. For Ian, this would inevitably mean talking - yet again - about the subjects of his better known bigraphies: Machado and Lorca. Once again. But for us it was a chance to meet up with an old friend.
We had first met Ian several years previously when he had resided in Restabal, a small village in the Lecrin valley where he came to be known as El Gibson.
At that point I was teaching computers and Ian was in desperate need of tuition and advice regarding his computer and writing tools. I remember first meeting him and looking around at his umpteen old computers and his studio piled from floor to ceiling with newspaper cuttings and reference books. It appeared that it was not just his PC that needed a defrag. And the there were the plaques. Everywhere. Back then, Cherry and I both spent time with he and his wife Carol, working at making his Ian´s digital life as productive as possible. It was a challenge.
Then, he moved back to Madrid and we lost contact. Several chapters of the Tao Te Ching later and suddenly he was appearing in Loja. We were excited and planed to surprise him. But first, Cherry was to take Yogi out for a quick paseo around the plaza.
It was just 15 minutes before.
Then she appears at the door, Yogi panting and she, startled and in shock with blood running down her right hand. ¨We were attacked by a dog.¨
- Where is El GIbson - I demanded running into the first office I came to.
- He´s in tthat room being interviewed. Who are you? -
I looked at this man in front of me. Where had I seen him before? I glanced up above his head. There, hanging above the table was a portrait of this man with chains of office around his neck.
- He´s an old friend. Can´t you tell him I´m here?
- Sorry, but you see....its .......a bit difficult......
Then suddenly form the back room I heard.....
- Paul, is that you. ¿Coño qué haces aquí?
Scene2: The health Centre.
Entering the main doors, two policemen wait at the counter and shuffle to attention as we enter. The medical staff are clearly expecting us.
- We are here to take your report on the dog attack - said one of the policemen. The Mayor called us and told us to meet you here.
- whoa -
Scene 3: El Medico.
- Well, as the dog was not a street dog, but there was an owner, albeit a negligent owner, I don´t think you need rabies shot. But you must come back if your whole arm goes numb -
- I see -
- By the way, why have you moved form the coast to Loja? I have been here just a short while too.
- We like it here.
- But there are better towns in the province than Loja -
- Are there?
- Oh yes, far more prettier towns.
- We´re not looking for pretty towns.
- You´re not!
- You wouldn´t be a friend of Roberto´s would you?
Scene 4: The Jornada
- And so if there are no more questions for Ian, it just leaves me the honor of presenting him with this plaque as a memento of his visit to Loja.
- Hmmmm, another plaque. Thankyou so much, I shall keep it with the others. All of them.
The meeting finishes and Ian comes rushing to the back to welcome us.
- Cherry, you been savaged by a dog!
- Well, my thumb has seen better days.
- So how are you both, you are really living here?
- Look Ian, why not come out for a drink and a tapa with us and we can catch up on old times.
- I am, alas obliged to dine with this group. He turned and pointed at the Alcalde, the Alcalde´s wife and a bunch of officials twiddling their thumbs in the exit doorway.
- Oh. Well. Maybe another time.
- Perhaps if I just spoke to.........we could........maybe......?
Scene 5: Private function room in he oldest and biggest restaurant in Loja. Ian is growling at the Deputy Major and some official from Granada about his timetable. We approach the Mayor.
- So it was you who called the police Mr Alcalde?
- Can´t have people being bitten by dogs can we?
- There are worse things to be bitten by.
- Oh yes!
- Elderly Irish Hispanists for example who are paid off in plaques rather than cheques.
We turn to look over at Ian, nibbling olives and using his plaque as an olive pip tray. He looks over to us, wearing that Elvis snarl he has so well cultivated.
Grrrrrrrrrrr.
Street lessons 1: avoiding complacency
09/November/2006 13:01 .Teabag
rambles.Permalink
Wherever you live, after a while you learn to select what your eyes see, to choose what you want to hear and to be careful what you say and to whom you say it.
But when you are new in town, you don´t give a hoot!
And, you notice with pleasure the mundane, you rejoice in the ordinary and you veer away from the cynic and the complacent types for fear of contracting - too early - their weather-beaten outlook.
Si hubiera vivido aqui por 13 years - then perhaps I too would feel the same tiredness, but Roberto admits he is a tad burnt out and maybe should move on. He runs a bar in town with all the gusto of Eeyore consuming a damp nettle bush.
- Hmmm. You sound tired of life here Roberto.
- No no Paul, Loja is a lovely town really.
- Didnt you just say it was a town planning nightmare and that the service is crap and that its filthy and has no civic pride.
- Yes thats true. Compared to other towns, like Osuna for example...whitewashed, clean, proud....Loja looks a little shabby. In fact all of Granada´s towns are shabby compared to towns in the province of Malaga for example.
- Beware falling for superficialities Roberto. The attractiveness of a town is not found in the colour of its walls. Look for a towns essence in whom it invites to speak at a public meeting. Santiago Carrillo for instance.
- Is that the mayor?
- No, Kwai Chang Caine is our Mayor, Roberto.
- He´s not! .......... Is he?