Tag Archives: beat

“Personal Archeology” – Postcard #88 (+ via audio &/or video)

Riffs about the glory of journals, diaries, notebooks full of musings and importance of turning off inner-critic and not overthinking while savoring the process of transcription, curation and further creative wonderment from Kura barn in provincial Japan. With evidence with my own process.

Items are Marty Thurston’s backyard studio for “Personal Archeology – Postcard #88”

Plus sorta re-cap how far I got about Circumnavigation poetry book project, tips and tactics for enjoying and “doing something with” your diaries, scrapbooks and so on, having multiple books on the go (and mixing up with all manner of stuff all at once, notes about semantics of freeverse, lyrics, short stories and prose poems, and probably a riff about remembering to forget, questioning “who are you making this for” and where I place the ghosts.

Finally, I read straight from some barely legible poetry scribbles with meanderings about sensory depravation chambers, menthol smokes with Leonard Cohen, Pan Am flights with Zeus, Buddha, Glen Canyon, and solving algorithms with nuclear fusion.

“Personal Archeology – Postcard #88” audio
43:33, 256kbps mp3, 84MB

With special thanks to all who bravely step out with creative endeavors and extra for following along with my projects and what have you.

Namechecks for:
Rogério De Freitas
José Naranja
Jason Emde
Austin Kleon
Gord Downie
Henry David Thoreau
James Joyce

+ Julian, Derek, Diego, JoBot
& others, maybe you

Let’s “Embark on Personal Archeology”

Note: “Personal Archeology – Postcard #88” is available in audio-only via all normal podcast channels.

Nepal Stupa Choruses – Postcard #87 via video

Ambient video version of a Postcards from Gravelly Beach podcast “Nepal Stupa Choruses” with a cycle of poems written on a lake heading towards a temple and tea in shadow of Annapurna – the audio in the *actual pod* is much better but just happened to film whilst recording and added a few snaps from the journey for amusement and colour, so here we are, in my kura barn studio in provincial Japan, ergo:

“Washing dishes and busted spectacles lead to rowing a lake in Nepal figuring out deity, enlightenment, peace and power with choruses fresh from diaries – plus Royal hospitals, poetic devices and question mark eyebrows. Your turn Buddha, your turn.”

Note: “Nepal Stupa Choruses” is available in audio-only via all normal podcast channels and elsewhere in this library.

Nepal Stupa Choruses – Postcard #87

Nepal Stupa Choruses – Postcard #87

Washing dishes and busted spectacles lead to rowing a lake in Nepal figuring out deity, enlightenment, peace and power with choruses fresh from diaries – plus Royal hospitals, poetic devices and question mark eyebrows. Your turn Buddha, your turn.

Let’s enjoy: Nepal Stupa Choruses – Postcard #87

Don’t climb the mountain: Nepal Stupa Choruses – Postcard #87
(39MB, 21:02, 256kbps mp3, stereo)

Continue reading Nepal Stupa Choruses – Postcard #87

Indulge Me, Logistically – Postcard #86

Indulge Me, Logistically – Postcard #86 (at artist Yumeji birthplace museum)

Let’s not lose each other amidst the table cloth being pulled out from under glasses and dishes. Meaning: some technical jibber-jabber about claiming feeds sparks a history of these sporadic, occasional (yet somehow charming, right?) literary dispatches from hand-written XML to various blogs and feeds and meanderings. Plus, about me! My name is Dave Olson (hi, more below). So, let’s continue to spend time together shall we?

clickity-click: Indulge Me, Logistically – Postcard #86

A brief history and future at: Indulge Me, Logistically – Postcard #86
(64MB, 33:29, 256k mp3, stereo)

Special music from The Matinée who have new album coming out called “Road to Hell”. Consider supporting these lovely gents in their most enjoyable endeavours.

{more The Matinée in this archive}

Continue reading Indulge Me, Logistically – Postcard #86

Beat Sushi: Jack Kerouac spins for “Brian Land”

From a kura barn in provincial Japan, DaveO kicks off “Beat Sushi” by sending greetings to Beat / Deadhead / Prankster / Political fixer(?) Brian Hassett with a meandering answer to a simple question about a Jack Kerouac vinyl box set.

Along with spinning Velvet Underground and Jack’s “Western Movies” with Al Cohn and Zoot Sims from “The Last Word” disc, your rambling host talks about:

  • * JK’s recent centenary & events in Lowell, Mass etc
  • * a phone call from Lowell with Brian and Thomas the German architect
  • * plus namechecks for: Beat Museum’s event in San Francisco; Jim Irsay and Mr. Canary’s sc/rol etc adventures in LA and beyond
  • * bit of SxSW flashback (missing pals & hi/jinks)
  • * and a look around the Giggling Piglet Studio with records, books, typewriters, flags, ephemera and whatnot

Dig Jack Kerouac festivities in Lowell roundup riff at Brian Land: https://brianhassett.com/2022/03/kerouacs-100th-birthday-celebration-in-lowell/

Much more Beat & counter-culture literary goodness, fill yer boots!

Art Makes the Future / 6 Poets at 6 Gallery

Oct 7, 1955, San Francisco

{Of course, much has been written and documented this, however I’ll be uncharacteristically brief}, ergo:

How to change the world

  • Rally up creative pals
  • Post some easy flyers
  • Gather in a space with others
  • No charge (pass a hat for jugs of wine)
  • Spark the future

{Primer: Oct 7, 1955 / The list of poets reading included Allen Ginsberg (debut Howl), Gary Snyder, Philip Lamantia, Michael McClure and Kenneth Rexroth.

Others merely observed > Jack Kerouac, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Neal Cassady and Ann Charters were among the large audience at Six Gallery.}

“Thunderstorms in the Crash Years” – audio story about #MECFS & #Fibro

Dave working on healing at Peacock Ayurveda near Galle, Sri Lanka (with Dr.)
Dave working on healing at Peacock Ayurveda near Galle, Sri Lanka (with Dr.)

 

Amidst a thunderstorm at 4AM on a balcony in Chiang Mai, Dave discusses – with excessive frankness and emotion – various medical conundrums (Fibromyalgia and CFS-ME) and details the physical feelings of “crash mode” as well as the mental strain in dealing with self de-identification and inter-personal relationships, confusion in seeking help, and various alternative treatments.

audio story about #MECFS & #Fibro, just click play below

Always be kind for: Thunder in the Crash Years – Postcard #75 (75MB, 37:09, mp3, stereo)

No sympathy or advice requested.

(un-licensed but fairish-use) music by:

  • Tegan and Sara “Wake Up Exhausted” (demo)
  • Billy Bragg “Must I Paint you a Picture” (extended)
  • New Pornographers “The Crash Years” and “Adventures in Solitude” (studio)
 

 

Jack Kerouac Exhibit in Kobe: books, typewriters, vibes

“On The Road” – Learn about Jack Kerouac’s classic novel in Kobe

“On The Road” – Learn about Jack Kerouac’s classic novel in Kobe, Japan from July 3 to August 8. This book is the fountainhead of so much what we now call counter culture – breaking out of the illusions of postwar malaise and sparking so much of what we know to be true today about personal expression, practical freedom, and mind expansion.

This exhibit will feature rare and unique editions of Kerouac and contemporaries books, typewriters and a faithful reproduction of the original sc/roll of On the Road as well as a speaker series.

More information at BB Plaza Museum of Art’s event listing.

Also: a fantastic guide about On the Road for Japanese readers made by Prof Theado and his classes outlining and explaining much of the unique vocabulary, slang, colloquialisms and cultural references – plus a rundown of Jazz musicians – from the book specifically for Japanese audiences. 

Sure hoping all comes together safely and we can celebrate this story together after last year’s event being thwarted by public health concerns.

PS Kerouac in Kobe FB group

++ Hattip to Matt Theado and regards to Jim Canary.

Note: credit for the Japanese readers’ guide are: 

Designed and Edited by 
Akane Kawaguchi and Sana Adachi (神戸市外国語大学 M.Theadoゼミ所属) 

Cooperated by
Students in American Culture Seminar class
 at Kobe City University of Foreign Studies(神戸市外国語大学Theadoゼミ)

Riff: Ghosts of Festive Losts {Christmas Any/no/elsewhere}

Sometimes you feel like a person left in the “lost luggage” room… You sit, you wait for the person to come ~ sometimes someone comes by but for another reason and you just sit and you wait. Eventually, a train comes, sometimes you find a seat, sometimes with window and you go.

Ghosts of Festive Losts – you wait, sometimes miracles arrive or ring or you are just lost (Lanka 2017)

Other times, a friend is someone who comes to help you for a rather different purpose than the “help you seek“ yet somehow, maybe unbeknownst to you & them, they help & you appreciate, admiration is mutual, then each drift into life, better than before, or at least different.

I’ve spent more Christmases {or whatever} either working jobs, in hospitals, lost alone, holed up in hotels, hiding in cabins, or movie theatres, on road hitching, or with strangers etc. than have with family or familiar. Best stories. Fortunately none in jail. Hear you if alone.

Tradition is what you are doing in the present tense.

Every moment a spectacular event.

You are a miracle, truly, enjoy.

Post’d: usual dossiers of art, poetry and ephemera (and tea)

The usual, ergo:

dossiers of art, poetry and ephemera

scrapbooks of same(ish)

piles to Post offices.

Also tea.

PS I enjoy this sort of activity on many levels for sure, i.e.: find playing with scissors and glue and pens very pleasant and, like the thought of spreading a little bit of goodness to various places around the world and, going to the post office gives me a little manageable errand.

I have a hard time getting “out and about” and really have to minimize screen time so this allows me to communicate and create and keep my brain active.

In these dossiers, i included prints of my paintings, bits of poetry, various insta snapshots, and letters on expired aerograms etc.

Enjoy the goodness / (of course) my address is available and you can sign up for Postal Club. I hope you hang on your fridge or put in a shoebox.