Busytown by Jolisa Gracewood

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Busytown: If you build it...

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  • Steve Barnes,

    Tried that and disabled my hosts file just in case. Seems odd, what browser are you using? I've tried Opera and IE6.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes,

    Weird. Network solutions whois shows the domain for sale but a thumbnail of the front page.
    Domain Tools whois shows;
    thumbnail of the front page and
    IP Address: 63.247.141.23
    IP Location - Florida - Jacksonville - Dns Services
    Response Code:
    Blacklist Status: Clear
    Domain Status: Registered And Active Website
    I'm going to get to the bottom of this.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Kerry Weston,

    the "brain of the head" versus the "brain of the hands."

    Yep, I'm right with that man. It bothers me that we are losing manual skills, building things by hand, and the appreciation of materials like wood, clay, stone, bone. It's the time one has to put in to using handtools well, and a few power tools (not a complete Luddite) and discovering the character of materials, before you even get to make something good that is being lost. Simply through not enough time to be economic. There is a real mindless, sensual joy in making something yourself, whether it is a piece of furniture, a carving, a painting, a piece of jewellery. Once you have the skills down, your hands know what to do and your imagination/subconscious can propel them anywhere you want to go.
    Sigh. i was born in the wrong age.

    Manawatu • Since Jan 2008 • 494 posts Report Reply

  • Islander,

    One of the things I think all poets - and more especially all fiction writers- should do is, build a house, plant a garden, or remake bush.
    I've done that, twice over, and look forward to doing it a 3rd, maybe last, time...

    you see, you can charm and engage with words, quite easily if you're that way inclined. But they dont ring -solid/right/sing- unless they have something substantial behind them.

    The other substantials are: pain, grief, and children:they are almost always hands on too.

    It is that, hands and head, that makes for a wholeness. I am right-handed, so my right hand is my hammer hand: it is fully a centimetre & a half wider/broader, more muscular & developed than my left hand.

    I find though, that fishing is my manual joy- and like all the manual joys I know, it certainly isnt senseless (sorry Kerry Weston) but a mind fully engaged with what the hands are doing so neither predominates-

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report Reply

  • Kerry Weston,

    Ah, but I said "mindless" as in conscious, controlling part of brain diverted somewhat. Don't get much opportunity now, but used to be a painter & sometime sculptor and always did my best work when the nit-picky, controlling bit was diverted into singing or something....maybe it's a painterly/messy artist thing.
    I agree about your 'substantials'. Suspect it might work a bit differently with writing as opposed to visual arts. Words tie you down a bit more or something - had a crack at fiction & poetry as part of my degree, thought it would be interesting to compare creative processes. Found it quite disturbing to draw on my own substantials in writing, whereas i don't with painting, maybe it gets transformed more, or functions as a powerful undertow. Painting is a kind of fishing - never know what will turn up in the net.

    Manawatu • Since Jan 2008 • 494 posts Report Reply

  • Matthew Poole,

    Tried that and disabled my hosts file just in case. Seems odd, what browser are you using? I've tried Opera and IE6.

    Very bizarre. Firefox from Mac and FreeBSD, and I stooped to using Safari and it works there too. But, if I try it from a box other than at home or work, and people in other cities trying it for me, 403's appear.
    Something funky with DNS, methinks, coz I get the same IP address from boxes on which it works.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report Reply

  • Kerry Weston,

    Steven, it would be fascinating to experience words & the creative process through your eyes/brain. I believe Jeff Thompson, of corrugated iron animals fame, is dyslexic also.

    I play around with monoprints quite a bit, inking up sheets of glass and printing off them - it helps to nut out ideas and composition - and the prints (being reverse images) are usually better compositions, in weight & balance than my original drawings. Discovered the same thing with photographs once, when the developers printed the wrong side of the negatives. It reminds me to keep putting that step in the process.

    Checked out yr work - I particularly like the time & film machines and that's a stunning glaze on those fish bowls.

    Manawatu • Since Jan 2008 • 494 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes,

    Something funky with DNS, methinks, coz I get the same IP address from boxes on which it works.

    Trcert takes me to "sedoparking.com" (82.98.86.174) which is not the same as yesterday, "mint.hmdnsgroup.com" (63.247.141.23) which would suggest the domain up for grabs. Maybe your getting a cached page from somewhere or there's a misplaced redirect. Who knows, maybe someone has sued them into oblivion ;-)

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Carol Stewart,

    I forgot to say, Jolisa, many thanks for this charming, thoughful and literate post. A new post from you is always a treat.

    Wellington • Since Jul 2008 • 830 posts Report Reply

  • Islander,

    Whoa steven! That site was fantastic! Run a mouse over *anywhere* and you get *anywhere*! So good-

    Jolissa - I have resisted posting Uncle Bill and us dumprats (as kids & adults) because it would be very long & personal to the max but I truly enjoyed your post.

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report Reply

  • Islander,

    Kerry Weston - I write, paint/draw, fish & cook (and build the occaisional building.) Within my whanau, there are people who can do those things too, some better,some less so, in some areas than me..what I loathe about the ANZ culture industry today is
    * the gatekeeping*
    especially about funding.
    Any hoo, giving up just now-

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report Reply

  • Kerry Weston,

    what I loathe about the ANZ culture industry today is
    * the gatekeeping*
    especially about funding.

    yep, agree. Only had one crack at the funding thing, early on, it seemed very much a case of who you know & the network of influence being the deciding factor. Not my scene. Also allergic to "isms" so i don't really fit anywhere. I make gardens as my physical manual labour & used to make stone sculpture for them. Real life responsibilities have curtailed my arty practice alot, hopefully one day I'll be free to revitalise it all.Occasionally a good cook, but often can't be arssed. Lucky you surrounded by creatives, that must help keep the engine humming. Does your whanau make collaborative work or follow yr own stars?

    Used to love scavenging in the old dumps & demo sites too. hate transfer stations.

    Manawatu • Since Jan 2008 • 494 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Williams,

    I'm not sure this fits here, but I've just seen this item about a film being made of Maurice Gee's Under the Mountain. Fantastic. I loved the book and the TV series.

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • FletcherB,

    Paul, seeing as you loved the TV series.... As you are in Sydney you may not be aware that it's just this year been released on DVD... I saw it advertised just this weekend.

    It's a TVNZ title and should be available at any good (NZ) DVD retailer, including online ones. (www.realgroovy.co.nz) for example.

    West Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 893 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Williams,

    FletcherB, thanks - I didn't know this (although it was in fact in the item I linked to, but I'd missed it) and will follow up.

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • Jolisa,

    Ooh yes, Under the Mountain. Loved the TV series, and was fortunate to talk to someone involved with the new film, which will likely be just as good. Great recommendation.

    On the question of suing and froing, I quite agree (although I haven't made a careful study) that that's how it works here - insurance companies driving the suits to cover their costs, not to mention their asses. I still don't like it. It ruins things for the rest of us.

    Overlawyered.com is an excellent eye-opener on the subject. (Funnily enough, he linked to me back in the day, when the cost of liability insurance drove my favourite birth centre out of business). (And while I'm at it, check out this extremely silly copyright infringement lawsuit).

    Auckland, NZ • Since Nov 2006 • 1472 posts Report Reply

  • Jolisa,

    Scrapheap Challenge looks fantastic, thanks for the tip. While back in NZ in May, we also got our hands on a DVD of "Let's Get Inventin'" made by an Auckland outfit, Television Spaceman, which is pretty nifty.

    Kerry, islander, Steven, so true and so beautifully written (and Steven, your own particular twist on hands-on thinking particularly appreciated). Much as I miss the big city, I can't imagine now how we managed without a garden to call our own, and earth in which to dig. Remind me to revisit Swallows and Amazons and how it led to the digging of a gold mine in our very own back yard.

    And islander, by all means post your story about Uncle Bill and the dumprats! We'd love to read it. If it's very long and wonderful we can post it in the Speaker section - it's been a while since you graced us with your presence there :-)

    Auckland, NZ • Since Nov 2006 • 1472 posts Report Reply

  • Jolisa,

    I'm in two minds about the Greenwich thing.

    At this point, I'm just kicking myself for missing the chance to use "Greenwich Mean Time" as my headline...

    Kids playing wiffleball on public land? Seems entirely reasonable and wholesome.

    Kids putting up fences and "pouring concrete" on said land? Can't say I'm in favour.

    I know what you mean, Amy - and yet, how much concrete was it? Enough to hold up a post? And very quickly sledgehammered out by the town's hitmen. I think sinking a post is a very useful life skill, and wonder if the city could have been cleverer about channeling the kids' enthusiasm... were there other neglected sites in town that could have done with a clean-up? Other places where good fences (and fence-posts) could have made good neighbours? Other bored kids who might have been roped in to construct a playground or something?

    On the other hand, turning it in to an official project negates the whole point of kids generating their own fun.

    I couldn't find any recent updates on the situation in Greenwich, but the slide show Field of Dreams No More on the local paper's website tells a version of the story...

    Auckland, NZ • Since Nov 2006 • 1472 posts Report Reply

  • Amy Gale,

    I think sinking a post is a very useful life skill.

    Ah, and such a part of one's kiwi childhood. I even got to pass it along a couple of years ago when we were doing some yardwork:

    "Ok, now I hold the post and you shovel in the concrete. And I try really really hard to hold it still, but the shock of the concrete splats makes it move a little bit, and then you yell at me."

    And I did, and he did, and it did, and he did.

    Related the entire story to my dad on the phone later. He laughed for about twenty minutes.

    tha Ith • Since May 2007 • 471 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    "Ok, now I hold the post and you shovel in the concrete. And I try really really hard to hold it still, but the shock of the concrete splats makes it move a little bit, and then you yell at me."

    Hmm. Your teacher didn't teach you to use a couple of posts lying down on each side, and then a couple more on the other sides to hold it up (in a cross formation)? If the posts are thick enough then the side that they're up the in air there's easily enough room to pour the concrete underneath.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Kerry Weston,

    Maurice Gee's Under the Mountain.

    The Wilberforces.... to be called a wilberforce was thenceforth an insult after the tv series.

    My kids were lucky in having a river close by and a beach 15 minutes away - lots of hut-building, bridge-jumping, rope-swinging, mud-fighting fun! It was a rite of passage to conquer the bridge jump and the highest rope swing which, I can attest, was a blast.

    Manawatu • Since Jan 2008 • 494 posts Report Reply

  • Carol Stewart,

    Am I the only person here to have not loved Under the Mountain? (the book, that is; haven't seen the televersion).
    I adore almost all Maurice Gee's fiction, but I just couldn't muster up the the requisite suspension of belief for Under the Mountain. It just got sillier and sillier.

    Wellington • Since Jul 2008 • 830 posts Report Reply

  • Helen Searancke,

    For whimsical, philosophical children's literature (that can be read to them, then read by themselves) I can recommend Shel Silverstein (USA), especially The Giving Tree, The Missing Piece, The Missing Piece Meets the Big O, and Where the Sidewalk Ends (a collection of poems). My seven year old has had them for years and still loves them. She now reads the poetry to herself and it makes her laugh. He was another author who 'got' kids.

    And then there's Shaun Tan (Australia) - a brilliant visual artist and storyteller - try The Arrival (a textless story of emigration; good for adults too), The Lost Thing (a boy who understands what others don't) and The Red Tree (a truly haunting comment on grief and despair turning into hope).

    That's my two cents worth. Thanks, Jolisa, for a great post - I wish you did more (though this mother of two understands why not). They're always a highlight when they appear.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 24 posts Report Reply

  • Amy Gale,

    Hmm. Your teacher didn't teach you to use a couple of posts lying down on each side, and then a couple more on the other sides to hold it up (in a cross formation)?

    For the setting phase, but not for the desperately important no moving at all while I shovel or everything will be ruined forever phase. You can't send 8-by-8s to do a woman's job...

    (Who has the most overengineered raised bed in tha Ith? Us, that's who.)

    tha Ith • Since May 2007 • 471 posts Report Reply

  • Sam F,

    A primary-school teacher treated us to Under the Mountain read out loud over a couple of weeks or so. The highlight was a reading on the summit of Rangitoto to coincide with a school trip. You could say it was a formative experience. Doubt I'd bother revisiting that territory, though.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1611 posts Report Reply

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