
The postal services of the world create a magnificent neural network of sorts – dispatches leaping across borders, bypassing squabbles and avoiding incidents // due to creative time-tested systems and intrepid workers.
postcards, letters, aerogrammes… making, writing, assembling, stamping, mailing and everything related
The postal services of the world create a magnificent neural network of sorts – dispatches leaping across borders, bypassing squabbles and avoiding incidents // due to creative time-tested systems and intrepid workers.
Some countries still don’t have air mail connections with Japan at this time, so, sending a letter envelope by surface post… Wonder how long it will take to find its destination? Hope this envelope has it sea legs.
All together dispatches today went to Sri Lanka, India, and the usual, Japan, USA and Canada.
Three views of mailing a letter (one for business, one for pleasure) and the broken vending machine on the walk to the box.
Rick Rubin’s book arrived, in glorious hard cover. Lovely design and I’m sure full of goodness.
If I had my head together, I would give you a list of all these great recent interviews, including with Neil Young, Malcolm Gladwell and dozens of others – each one better than the last…
Plus a list of albums he produced (but you probably already know that), and namecheck that show he did with Paul McCartney where he deconstructs and unpacks stories songs which are so familiar in genial black-and-white goodness… however, im busy wearing my s3xy robot maid outfit tidying up the kitchen and just taking a break so you’re on your own
It’s a “creative act” after all.
[update, a few notes]:
In brief:
Note: it’s meditations, prompts, thoughts and musings about creativity… What it is, how to harness it, how to block out noise and negativity and do your own thing – and why all of that matters.
Note: super wise and for “real musicians” and sound engineers, he can come off as a bit of a edge case because he’s not technical in any sense… Has produced dozens of important albums but doesn’t really run a sound/mixing desk, doesn’t read music or play instruments per se but has an ability to bring out the vibe, push artists further into their work and produce something somewhat unexpected but somehow just right (usually).
His conversations with Neil Young are particularly good… Just listened to a Longform conversation with Iggy Pop as well and watch the series he did with Paul McCartney where he deconstructs Beatles/wings songs
Here’s a great overview of the book from the podcast Rick does with Malcolm Gladwell. In this case, appropriately, Malcolm interviewing Rick about the book.
Note: If you’re really curious… Here’s an extended conversation between renegade history pod maker Dan Carlin and Rick Rubin spanning all sorts of topics in and around his book but with numerous digressions, diversions and riffs
It’s not a “how to” or technical book.
Since I’m here,
Real question for “obsessive creative latent perfectionist” types:
How do you let go of the feeling of wanting to be doing all the time? How do you set aside creative ambitions and ‘turn off’?
I try to find balance & take long baths but always want to be “making” something.
{noted from bed #MECFS crash recovery mode – and yes, being in bed is the best place for me to be to recover from recent activities as the most important thing in my life is to take care of myself so I can be a good hubbo and pappa… So there’s that, just wanna wanna wanna…}
In front of a wood stove, Dave stashes cards from the “string of honour” into archival book while recounting tales of the wonderful folks who sent greeting cards and letters to Tsuchida Cottage.
Along with banter about:
* having several scrapbooks on-the-go at all times
* special collections and on-going correspondence
* topsy turvy start to the year
* “lap projects” like mending and scrapbooking
* thoughts about last year (lots of paperwork!)
* theme for this year (letting go)
and usual digressions, meanderings and anecdotes (i.e. hanging stereo speakers and maybe something about solar panels). Oh, there is a Dymo LabelMaker in action.
Very grateful for your friendship and lovely correspondence.
PS if I’ve missed sharing your card I probably shared under separate cover / somewhere else, or will do another time (thinking of you Astrid in Germany who’s art is already hanging up).
Photo book and photo zine by Andrew McCormick (@a.d.mccormick IG, @a_d_mccormick Tw) curator/wrangler of Art Island Center (@artislandcenter IG) on nearby Naoshima – one of the several art islands in the Seto inland sea.
Both have lovely production value, engaging content, and so great to support a really important and interesting project (with which I would love to collaborate eventually.
(hard for me to get out to the islands as much as I would like to due to the #MECFS but the fact that so much art goodness is available scattered around charming little islands, simply *exists* and that when friends come to visit, I know they can head out there easily / warms my wee heart)
i also ordered some Drapin Field Notes notebooks which arrived in the lovely packet.
PS i have a post waiting to share about this island but for now visit David Billa‘s Setouchi Explorer & you can order “perfect is unnerving” you get a free gift & free shipping (Japan/US).
“Good news” is over 300 pieces of postal mail dispatched the last 4-5 weeks. Mostly postcards but also bunch of special packets (some were far overdue) + typed (poorly) a few long letters – still a few more on my list and then have to pause / slow down for a while.
The next “big project” is getting ready for a trip #BCInvasion in April/May. Focus is “family, friends, parks, and gardens” 1st time for my darlings, and I’m a little intimidated to deal with lack of public toilets, tax/tips and other social connections, but will get through it. And yes, of course I’ve made a Google doc plan and “poster art”.
New Year day in Japan is better than Christmas for postal mail enthusiasts when a big stack of cards arrives with a “thud” – complete with “magic numbers” which you look up in the newspaper to see if you won some prize, {one time I won stamps}
PS about 885 million of these special New Year’s cards are delivered on New Year’s Day – yes, that many, yes by postal workers working on New Year’s Day
PPS we sent about 250 and so much thanks to all the folks who sent festive cards to us – Will be savored, inventoried archived, scrapbook’d and thanked.
Poet Ron Whitehead says,
Huge Shout Out Thank You to my friend Dave Olson for the Amazing Gift Package from Japan!!! Sending good vibrations from my little writing cottage near the banks of the oh great river!!
Ron Whitehead, Lifetime Beat Poet Laureate
Photo by Frogg Corpse
To which i reply,
Dear poet Ron and artist Jinn,
So glad the package arrived, and very grateful that you took the time to savour all the contents with glimpses of my projects and “usual days” plus very much appreciate you making this wonderful collage / unsurprisingly, I will be sure to properly archive the evidence
Warms my heart across continents and oceans. I look forward to continued correspondence and collaborations.
Fondly from my cottage to yours,
PS for those curious about the Kerouac in Kobe artifacts, check this dossier & video: “Kerouac in Kobe” – *On the Road scroll* in Japan / video interview + exhibit
Quite an assortment in the Post box yesterday:
1) postcard of painting of a postbox from Wales with a commemorative Queen Elizabeth 2 Memorial franking & 3 language Air Mail seal
2) postcard from a dear correspondent in Gifu who’s postmaster always does a fantastic cancellation stamp (subject matter: motels around the world)
3) big envelope with collage art from Portugal with a fantastic oversize 4£ portfolio style stamp
4) a postcard i mailed to India that sadly, was returned because “mail to this region is not currently possible“ – keeping it on standby in the meanwhile
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