wherewhen AndR?

Words I have hardly given to this blogthing, & so, presumably, to some friends that read it. Hellohi! I will place myself in spacetime for you.

past

Fall Semester of School for Designing a Society ended, climaxing w/ a concert at our very house, La Casa. We had musicks, stories, essays, hangings, recitations, installations, & an intermission w/ popcorn jam. Jacob & I joined our goodfriend Rob in an aggregate we call, tentatively, JARBAND, to play one rock-ish version of Nodal Nim's 'how to ferment the colon' & a piece of theatre composed by Rob called, very tentatively, Cockroach Opera, & featuring Nodal Nim's 'stripes' w/ new lyrics by Rob & renamed 'gripes'. I enjoyed it & want more more more of it.

Visited at that time did Dogbody Lathus, goodfriend o' me, who now intends w/ Tilly T, alsogoodfriend, to move to Urbana for living & future SDaSing!

I took Greyhound home to Troy, NY & saw goodfriends from timespast. Had lots of jolly asynchronous conversation, wrote a lot, & generally felt at peace w/ universe. Spent Xmas w/ my mom & her man Bob. Made good food & good musick improvisationally w/ Scotty. Remembered how to meditate.

Greyhounded back to Urbana, IL to spend New Years w/ goodfriends out here. Anna hosted a gettogether gamenight, & we played Apples to Apples & Boggle, chatted, & made musick out of banjo, saw, toy piano, & apartmentbits.

Beth hosted another composition intensive, at which I made new friends, wrote up some bits about antijamming, reacquainted myself w/ th Blue Demon (my mandolin), & participated in smokey pancakemaking.

Went out hunting for something joblike, but have yet to find anything.

Read books. Cooked food. Ate food.

Inspired in part by a visit to th Prairie Zen Center in Champaign I started a daily sunrise meditation practice which I've continued for a week or so to th present day. Newfriend Caroline (who invited me initially to th Prairie Zen Center) joined me for th first few sessions, & since then, Jacob & my new housemate Ronna have also occasionally joined.

Attended one session of a "contemplative meditation" group hosted by newfriends Snow Leopard & Ty.

Started a dual journal w/ Jacob.

Reacquainted myself w/ my Cümbüş & taught some daysongs to Jacob, who then learned an accompanying part on tubulon (stainless steel tubes he has cut to play in 17edo). Played again w/ neutral scales.

Attended & helped at Oddmusic Convergence, hosted by Jacob, augmented by UnTwelve, at th Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center, whereat people of all sorts assembled instruments from parts strewn about, showed them off, played them w/ others, etc. Jacob performed Messiaen on udderbot w/ Snow Leopard. Jacob & I debuted tubes-Cümbüş musicks.

Started a daily(ish) morning schmooze w/ goodfriend Drew, at which we've discussed desire, determinism, doubletalk, description, radical constructivism, reality, & other topics beginning w/ "d" & "r".

Attended one evening, so far, of a poetry class taught by Michael Halloway, hosted at Michael Brün's house down th street from us. Showed Book of Days project, which I rather miss.

Played a bit of Go.

Survived w/ good humor th bitter cold (so far).

present (well, ok, more recent past)

Find myself needing a shower.

Feel pretty nice, & attribute it to getting good sleep, having a nice walk w/ Sophie in th sun, & finally getting around to writing for my blog.

Hear Jacob in th other room playing distorted hymns & singing along, as part of a compositional practice.

Run to catch th phone... don't quite make it...

Look forward to...

future (as predicted, wished for, expected, by me)

Will go to contemplative meditation w/ Snow Leopard & Ty at 5:30.

Will, hopefully soon, make steps toward a radio show w/ Jacob called, perhaps, "Talk Wrong Radio".

Intend to take a shower as soon as I post this.

Excited about new member of JARBAND, our friend Anna, who has agreed to our proposal to learn Jacob's tubes so he can play udderbot & trombone. Our new four-piece plans to do all 17edo music, including old Nim/Andrew songs, old Jacob songs, & new cybernetically-themed songs by all.

Will have a job sooner or later, & so a routine & rent money. Fingers crossed.

New interest in I Ching makes me wonder where a project involving that could take me.

Have plans to compose a song w/ Anna that "plays w/ policy".

Enjoy Buddhist & constructivist readings & plan to continue them into th future.

Would like to suggest a Go tournament w/ four or so local playerfriends.

Want to clean my room a bit later.

Mostly, I don't know what to expect of th future. I have no long-term plans at all. I rather like it that way, actually.

Now that I've mostly caught things up on this here blog, I'd like to share more up-to-date ideas & use it for organizing bits of this & that & that & this.

th spectacular clay pots of 30.3

An excerpt from th I Ching (as translated by Bradford Hatcher):

gua 30, arising: 3rd line

Th sun declines with its radiance
Not drumming on clay pots & singing
Leads to much of old age's lament
Unfortunate

bluebinis a go go

Hello Discordianites,

Hdyd?

I eat a sammich of tahini & blueberry [preserve].

I continue to find my project of learning to speak in E-Prime daunting & somewhat pointless. I have gradually gotten worse & worse at catching "to be"s before they come rolling out of my mouth. I don't know if I care.

On another spectrum, I have done a bit of work studying th I Ching. I've memorized th names, numbers, & line patterns of all 64 hexagrams (more or less), & I've started learning th text. I switched to a new translation recently: from th out-of-date but still kind of standard, best translation in th Public Domain, that of Wilhelm & Baynes to th less-muddied Huang & Huang, which attempts a more accurate translation that does away with rambling commentary that Taoists & Confuciansists have added over th centuries. Much more poetic, th latter.

It frustrates me that no modern translations exist in th Public Domain. Th I Ching should belong to every human being everywhere. Maybe I'll write my own paraphrase [in E-Prime] from a bunch of copyrighted sources & put that in th Public Domain. . . .

I've also begun putting it into practice: doing regular divinations for myself & evening reading fortunes for friends. At any rate, I find it amusing to make sense of essentially random patterns & apply them to actual circumstances. I want to continue this. If anyone out there would like a free I Ching reading by an absolute amateur (but one with ministry credentials from th Universal Life Church, don't forget), then do get in touch!

Skeptics among us who find this whole concept silly & beneath them, I hear where you come from, but I've got about a dozen thoughtful reasons why divination may appeal to freethinkers as well as New Age-niks. I'll save that essay for another day, tho.

Much love & bluebini sammiches,
Rev Andr of Nimland, KSC, FaKr of th Flum.

Work on What has been Spoiled

New Year's Resolutions

[that I came up with this afternoon whilst walking my beagle in th snow]

1. every single day, further my development of self-awareness & self-discipline.
   
2. every single day, speak only th truth - speak not lies - learn to think in E Prime.
   
3. every single day, actively embrace with joy (& never with terror) th absurdity of th universe.

That seems a good beginning.

Ah, I know of a hexagram from th Book of Changes that fits this "resolution" game:

18. Ku
WORK on WHAT has been SPOILED [DECAY]



Work on what has been spoiled
Has supreme success.
It furthers one to cross th great water.
Before th starting point, 3 days.
After th starting point, 3 days.

¤

Th wind blows low on th mountain:
Th image of decay.
Thus th superior man stirs up th people
& strengthens their spirit.

biting thru

21. Biting Thru

th JUDGMENT
Biting thru has success.
It is favorable to let justice be administered.

th IMAGE
Thunder & lightning:
Th image of biting thru.
Thus th kings of former times made firm th laws
Thru clearly defined penalties.

I think this means I should make a particular phone call this afternoon. I will proceed in making it.

Mouth's Receptive Cradle

27. th Corners of th Mouth (Providing Nourishment)

th JUDGMENT

Th corners of th mouth.
Perseverance brings good fortune.
Pay heed to th providing of nourishment
And to what a man seeks
To fill his own mouth with.

th IMAGE

At th foot of th mountain, thunder:
Th image of providing nourishment.
Thus th superior man is careful of his words
And temperate in eating & drinking.

Nine at th beginning means:
You let your magic tortoise go,
And look at me with th corners of your mouth drooping.
Misfortune.

Nine at th top means:
Th source of nourishment.
Awareness of danger brings good fortune.
It furthers one to cross th great water.



2. th Receptive

th JUDGMENT
Th receptive brings about sublime success,
Furthering through th perseverance of a mare.
If th superior man undertakes something & tries to lead,
He goes astray;
But if he follows, he finds guidance.
It is favorable to find friends in th west & south,
To forego friends in th east & north.
Quiet perseverance brings good fortune.

th IMAGE
Th earth's condition is receptive devotion.
Thus th superior man who has breadth of character
Carries th outer world.

Six at th beginning means:
When there is hoarfrost underfoot,
Solid ice is not far off.

Six at th top means:
Dragons fight in th meadow.
Their blood is black & yellow.

So reads my I Ching for today. A reminder of nourishment seems helpful today. I slept well, worked out (yes, I do that sometimes), & played lots of nourishing music(k). However, my house lacks healthy foods; I will take th advice of th I Ching & pick up some groovy groceries after this.

I hope to get my magic tortoise back real soon.

How th Receptive will affect me after th Nourishment fully manifests, I cannot yet know. However, if I can fully manifest receptivity & follow (rather than lead), I will experience sublime success.

That sounds pleasant.

retreat & stagnation

33. Retreat

th JUDGMENT:
Retreat. Success.
In what is small, perseverance furthers.

th IMAGE:
Mountain under heaven: th image of retreat.
Thus th superior man keeps th inferior man at a distance,
Not angrily but with reserve.

Nine in th third place means:
A halted retreat
Is nerve-wracking & dangerous.
To retain people as men- & maidservants
Brings good fortune.


12. Standstill (Stagnation)

th JUDGMENT:
Standstill. Evil people do not further
Th perseverance of th superior man.
Th great departs; th small approaches.

th IMAGE:
Heaven & earth do not unite:
Th image of standstill.
Thus th superior man falls back upon his inner worth
In order to escape th difficulties.
He does not permit himself to be honored with revenue.

Six in th third place means:
They bear shame.

Thus will my day unfold. Not surprising. I've got some interpersonal conflict going on with a 10-year-old right now. Not wanting to make things worse, & having done enough, I have already chosen to retreat (from conflict, but stand firm in convictions). I'd like a resolution soon, but knowing th stubbornness of th parties involved, standstill & stagnation seems more likely. Oy vey.

No news on a job. Started (re)reading Ulysses for Eric's & my two-man long-distance book club this morn.

~a

I Ching for Confusion 6

In case you wonder with utter wonderment, my I Ching fortune for today reads as 39. Obstruction changing to 45. Gathering Together [Massing].

Hexagram 39. Obstruction

th JUDGMENT:
Obstruction. Th southwest furthers.
Th northeast does not further.
It furthers one to see th great man.
Perseverence brings good fortune.

th IMAGE:
Water on th mountain:
Th image of obstruction.
Thus th superior man turns his attention to himself
And molds his character.

Nine in th third place means:
Going leads to obstructions;
Hence he comes back.

Six in th fourth place means:
Going leads to obstructions,
Coming leads to union.


Hexagram 45. Gathering Together [Massing]

th JUDGMENT:
Gathering together. Success.
Th king approaches his temple.
It furthers one to see th great man.
This brings success. Perseverence furthers.
To bring great offerings creates good fortune.
It furthers one to undertake something.

th IMAGE:
Over th earth, th lake:
Th image of gathering together.
Thus th superior man renews his weapons
In order to meet th unforeseen.

Six in th third place means:
Gathering together amid sighs.
Nothing that would further.
Going is without blame.
Slight humiliation.

Nine in th fourth place means:
Great good fortune. No blame.

I can think of no more appropriate hexagrams to receive on this day, th day of my Great Decision to stop subbing & find something that doesn't drain my spirit. Maybe professional dog-walking!!

hex 53, 52

As Part 2 in my esoteric divination experiment, I did an I Ching reading this afternoon & received hexagram 53. . . .

53. Development (Gradual Progress)



th JUDGMENT

Development. Th maiden
Is given in marriage.
Good fortune.
Perseverence furthers.

th IMAGE

On th mountain, a tree:
Th image of development.
Thus th superior man abides in dignity & virtue,
In order to improve th mores.

Nine in th fifth place means:

Th wild goose gradually draws near th summit.
For three years th woman has no child.
In th end nothing can hinder her.
Good fortune.

. . . changing into hexagram 52. . . .

52. Keeping Still, Mountain



th JUDGMENT

Keeping still. Keeping his back still
So that he no longer feels his body.
He goes into his courtyard
& does not see his people.
No blame.

th IMAGE

Mountains standing close together:
Th image of keeping still.
Thus th superior man
Does not permit his thoughts
To go beyond his situation.

Six in th fifth place means:

Keeping his jaws still.
Th words have order.
Remorse disappears.

An interpretation: I will do things today: make PROGRESS. I will work to improve. Th results will not immediately come, but ultimately, in time, Good fortune!

Then tonight, I will STOP. I will keep my back still: meditate, breathe deeply. I will not talk (keeping his jaws still). I will forgive myself (remorse disappears).

This seems a magnificent plan for th day.

---

So far, I have brought hexagram 53 into fruition pretty well by cleaning & organizing my room & things. I threw out lots of clutter, moved some homeless books to my windowsill, created an organization system for my various papers, & swept up a nasty pile of dust. I have not only th I Ching to thank for this, but also Eric, who inspired me in conversation.