LINES OF THE DAY

". . . But the past does not exist independently from the present. Indeed, the past is only past because there is a present, just as I can point to something over there only because I am here. But nothing is inherently over there or here. In that sense, the past has no content. The past -- or more accurately, pastness -- is a position. Thus, in no way can we identify the past as past." p. 15

". . . But we may want to keep in mind that deeds and words are not as distinguishable as often we presume. History does not belong only to its narrators, professional or amateur. While some of us debate what history is or was, others take it into their own hands." p. 153

Silencing the Past: Power and the Production of History (1995) by Michel-Rolph Trouillot

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

"All On A Mardi Gras Day ..."






. . . is there an election today or something?

It's Mardi Gras -- Zulu's rolled by now. Been a while now since I haven't waked at ungodly hours on Fat Tuesday to go Indian chasin'.

Soundtrack for the day is at WWOZ.

Though we're not there this year, we represent. Passed out Mardi Gras beads to all the people working at our polling spot. Mardi Gras beads always bring bright smiles and cheers from those you give them to, no matter where and when you do it. Which is why we do like we do.

We've got an enormous carton of beads collected from our Mardi Gras celebrations over the years. What better thing to do with them than to pass them along?

Vaquero's all tricked out with hat, cane and beads, stylin' down the streets today. He looks -- just right. He's white guy, but still, da man be kool. We have that judgment from the most sacrosanct authority, the Indians themselves.

5 comments:

K. said...

Thanks for turning me on to WWOZ. It's going to take me the rest of 2008 to get through the 2007 music recommendations. Have you heard Chingon's "Mexican Spaghetti Western"?

Foxessa said...

Alas, not really, not so much in the balliwick of these last years' study, etc.

However, I can vouch that amigo, Elijah Wald, knows Chingnon's Mexican Spaghetti Western well. Probably my Austin friends do too.

Glad you found WWOZ!

Love, C.

K. said...

Elijah's web site looks great. I look forward to exploring it. I went to graduate school in Austin in the 80's (Library Science) and both my sons were born there. Undergraduate school in San Antonio after growing up in Kingsville (40 miles southwest of Corpus Christi). I come by my appreciation of Chingon honestly!

Foxessa said...

Library Science?

Me too -- grad degree in Libary and Information Sciences, that is.

Lots and lots of friends in Austin, but they're all musicians, not librarians, I'm sorry to say. I would love to work in the LBJ library ....

Love, C.

K. said...

Where did you go to Library School? I actually spent my career in technical publications, not libraries. Austin is such a great town for music. Someday, I'd like to spend the fall there with the idea of hitting as many clubs as possible. Some of my Austin fave bands/singers: Patty Griffin, Jimmy LaFave, Slaid Cleaves, Elizabeth McQueen, Rex Moroux, The Cornell Hurd Band, and Reckless Kelly. I like Mary Gauthier, although she's from Baton Rouge.