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

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Three Weeks Completed in MD

And it still feels like I'm in a dream, not quite real Inside the House I'm living in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. The reading and writing and thinking. The house itself ... I feel so at home here, which I think comes from having 'lived' so long, so to speak, in another structure from this era, very much like this one, the Fraunces Tavern Museum. I just instinctively know how buildings like this are arranged. That was interesting. And then, when I venture out, it's still the past.

His Vaqueroness should be close to Harrisburg, PA by now, for his reading and signing at the book festival (he's doing several of these Capitol Books, which is an African American book festival series held in the region around D.C., which includes as far down as Charleston.  We're going to fly in for that quickly in November as there's also another event associated with it that he's been asked to do.  We were up at 6 and he left a little before 9.  He'll be back Monday night.  Why yes, from Harrisburg he is going up to NYC.

I've been to the Farmer's Market.  Twice ....  Also to the public library.

Now I'm listening to Celtic music on WWOZ streaming, via my new external speakers.  The sun is also streaming, into my study, where I'm eating some of the Pineapple-Carrot bread brought back from the market.  It goes as well with my coffee, as I expected.

ETA: Phone com with the V. Though not well attended (meaning the festival as a whole -- it's kind of new to Harrisburg), things went very well, and he enjoyed himself. How could he not? A tech came to fiddle with his microphone, did a double take -- "I saw you on Spike Lee's HBO thing last week!" V goes, "I haven't seen it. How'd I do?" "Awesome, man, you were great!" Now he's just about in NYC.

He'd never been in Harrisburg before and thought it was just gorgeous. The architecture, constructed out of that stone -- beautiful and graceful. He liked what he saw a lot. Not to mention the drive there, through all that wonderful landscape. PA is, let us not forget, one of the most beautiful places on the planet.  (I've been to Harrisburg.)

2 comments:

K. said...

Whew! I was afraid from the head that this had become a prison sentence! Great to hear that you are settling in. I can confirm that V was great in the "Spike Lee movie"

Foxessa said...

Thanks for passing on that judgment. I hope we get to see it soon.

Last night worked just great. But we're no longer anonymous in this small town. Which is not so great in some ways.

It was one of the most exhausting public performances he's ever pulled together. We've been a lot more relaxed for much bigger venues than this little thing at this small college, since it was about making a lot of other people, whose careers are definitely tied up in this, look good too.

Love, c.