|
||
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
||
An artist is a creature driven by demons. He don't know why they choose him and he's usually too busy to wonder why. He is completely amoral in that he will rob, borrow, beg, or steal from anybody and everybody to get the work done. |
Friday, June 12, 1998
One year ago: Names are Everything
I had coffee today with someone new, Jack. He is a VB programmer and single father, currently on contract at Boeing. When Dave Winer got all upset about something a columnist wrote about geek guys, I wrote Dave and allowed as how I was looking for one (scroll to the foot of the page to see my mail). Jack saw this, followed some links, and wrote me, and we've been corresponding since.
The coffee was a last minute thing, though I had suggested it as a general idea because Jack lives near campus and is working at Eastgate, not too far away. We wanted to meet, and my evenings are tied up at the film festival until after this weekend, so I was surprised and pleased when I got his call this afternoon.
We walked over to the cafeteria and I got a mocha, and he got a double short cappucino. We sat outside (it was a gorgeous afternoon!) and chatted about work, family, motorcycles, and journaling. Fun!
* * * * * * * *
Traffic was really bad when I hit the highway, and my car's temperature gauge has been creeping up when standing at idle in a way that I don't like at all. I bailed from my regular route at the very next exit and drove down to another bridge, taking a route that I hoped would have a steady flow and not be all stop-and-go. This took longer than normal, so I figured I wouldn't get to the five PM movie. Instead I drove to my neighborhood service station and left my car there, asking them to diagnose the temp problem. I won't need the car for the rest of the weekend, anyway, and I could even take the bus to work on Monday evening, if need be.
My movie buddies said I didn't miss anything by missing the first show, since it was really bad. We were in the Broadway performance hall for the second show.
Mothertime
This was a BBC production, originally a TV movie, that far exceeded my expectations. It was really good! The situation was contrived, but the performances were all excellent and the emotional truth was there. Some kids decide to lock their alcoholic mother in the sauna for a detox and intervention. The oldest daughter learns some things about her father's true nature as well. Recommended!
I was really sorry we weren't able to stay for the director's Q and A session afterwards, but we needed to get across the street and get our seats for the next show, which was a Sneak preview. No one knew what it would be, but we had hints: not an American movie, it had played at Cannes, there was a gay theme. Some folks thought it would be a French movie. I think we were all surprised by what it turned out to be! (It's ok for me to reveal this; it wasn't part of the Secret Festival.)
Love is the Devil
The subtitle of this movie was "A study for a portrait of Francis Bacon." It could have been called "Portrait of the artist as a Complete Jerk"! The movie is indeed a study, rather than a detailed biography. The artist and his circle are shown in disconnected snippets that dissolve in and out, or fade to black. It wasn't a pleasant movie to see, but it was powerful! I think it did give an interesting viewpoint into his dark, horrifying vision. Derek Jacobi is fantastic! The pain, horror, and grotesquerie of Francis Bacon's paintings that make them fascinating, but hard to look at, are also in this movie. I was reminded of a book by cartoonist Gahan Wilson (or was it Charles Addams?), titled I Paint What I See.
My former boyfriend Jason is coming to grips with some perennial issues about personal writing on the web, in his latest rant. Check it out, and give him advice if you have any!
|