SEVEN DAYS

These are the more straight forward things from the week past.

Day 1. MONDAY. Woke up to the thought of a message I received from a cousin in Melbourne. Wore my mature outfit of plum grey trousers and faded blue woolen top. Could be working because a young kid I crossed paths with on the way to the dairy apologised as we both moved in the same direction when trying to avoid each other (according to Wellington rules I was in the right as I had moved left). Working the late shift meant relaxed late night opinions at work. I had only just caught up, the day before, with what happened in Cleveland.

Day 2. TUESDAY. Cleaned the house for Thursday property inspection. Paid bills. Wore red and blue shoes (mostly red). Also was wearing my Perks And Mini headspin woven top. Discovered my friend at work has the makings of a DSLR camera rig (e.g. focus ring, z-finder and glidetrack) this is actually interesting to me. Got a Double-Down burger during my break and went down to the river. For a moment I forgot about the dreams in my head and was where I was (and was who I was). It was refreshing.

Day 3. WEDNESDAY. Woke up from a late morning camera nightmare where I find a perfect shot but then I can't work the camera and then the moment's passed. So I got my camera manual and read the bracketing and manual white balance sections. A frustrating and disappointing dream. Had swapped shifts so I could go to the Mirek Smíšek opening at the NZAFA. Mostly because I'd never been to one there before. Interesting reasons for his beginning his work, endeavouring a positive result to WWII being one of those. Another thing I found interesting was cut pottery. Roughly sculpting the clay with a blade was new to me (maybe I don't get out enough?). A lot of old art patrons there eating the free cheese and drinking the free wine.

Day 4. THURSDAY. Property manager visited. He approved of my listening to the Beatles. He had appropriate disappointment at the weed growing in my neighbours gutter. I forgot to tell him not send the roughshod electricians he used before when getting someone to take a look a the wardrobe bulb that had blown three times in the last two weeks. Day shift today but the night shifts have effected things, such as hand eye co-ordination, a little. Late night DVDs with brother and his fiance and her sister.

Day 5. FRIDAY. Day off today. Signed up for Semi Permanent Auckland. Set up an online video but the export was corrupted O_o. Went to a show with friends. 5 or 6 performances including a surprise appearance by French for Rabbits (secret because they had a bigger gig on the Saturday so I guess they had certain commitments with that, so no advertising). Her voice is kind of plummy and trembling, each song sound like she was about cry, said that was because they were only doing their guitar songs, and all the guitar songs are sad. Plus she said she had stage fright (she was counting frets so...). The lead guitar was subtle to the point you almost couldn't hear it, but in a good way. Beautiful, made the night for me. Also vegan curry and chai!

Day 6. SATURDAY. People drove funny this day, 10km in 50km zones, friend driving doesn't giveway (I couldn't believe what was happening), people walked in front of cars (including girls playing chicken on Courtnay Place). Early shift at work. Met a group setting up for 48hrs at the Embassy. Hung out with a friend who has recently finished a feature film. He's soon leaving to find work in Singapore. Listening to England by The National.

Day 7. SUNDAY. I'm really not sure that the morning is the best part of the day. Got up early today, like yesterday. Church. And in contrast to that, reading a good part of Damien Echol's autobiography. Went to see Detropia. It's made by the same duo that make the surprisingly unbiased Jesus Camp. Detropia was as transparent and was also uncharacteristic of a documentary in offering a solution within itself without compromising it's fly on the wall technique. A very nice film about the city of Detroit's economic struggle. Cinema was about half full.

LAST ARGUMENT OF KINGS

(Ultima Ratio Regum)

Leaping from a clay slope knobbled by sheep tracks and slips, ledges tufted with grass, into a deep murky green water hole. Moments to salute before curling up into a cannonball. Hit the surface and pass though the first tepid layer where it's still light before meeting the frore current moving below. Down and down until jolted to the river-floor  Wait there wondering how deep and think about the eels. Had they been frightened away by the rock throwing ceremony? Then spring open pushing against the curdled silt and misshapen river stones. They grit against each other and silently slip away to rest. Up and up the tepid layer is now, for a moment, warm when bursting, rescued, into the wind.