July Reading Excerpt; "How To Not Always Be Working"
Added 2024-08-03 14:07:20 +0000 UTCAfter spending an unexpected amount of time either on the road or in a train terminal without wifi, I am finally getting around to sharing excerpts from “How To Not Always Be Working” by Marlee Grace. Now prior to reading this book, I’d have been tempted to say it took so long because I was too busy working—but now I’m much more inclined to view these readings as falling in what Grace calls the “Gray Area” between Working and Not Working.
For more tangentially related to that, have a listen!
Comments
I also think it's an interesting choice that the Fischli/Weiss "HOW TO WORK BETTER" list at the end of that chapter is rendered using the same format as the Nafis poem, given that the F/W list is most commonly rendered in straightforward block capital letters... P.P.S. a further American phenomenon - I didn't even include the (hilariously inadequate) "public transportation" option, which, depending on the day I deigned to wish to visit the venerable Tewksbury Cracker Barrel, would take anywhere from a mere seven hours (including 6 transport changes and 52 minutes of walking...as long as I'm willing to wait to Monday to attempt this) to *sixteen* hours (if I had the temerity to actually want to go *now* - and though that version would only involve 3 transport changes and 41 minutes of walking, it would also take me 100 miles out of my way in the process...) American efficiency at its finest! Though a great testament to the power of community rideshare/carpooling options, when and where those exist.
Kristen
2024-12-13 20:51:31 +0000 UTCSuch particular formatting - I haven't managed to track down an original copy of the poem, but I'm so curious - more of her work for anyone who wants it! https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/angel-nafis P.S. such an American phenomena, to be 15 times further without a car than with. I remember being in Providence and finding the bus station was a 1 hr walk or an 8 minute drive.
Yannick Trapman-O'Brien
2024-12-13 19:29:41 +0000 UTCI've been enjoying slowly working my way back through older posts, and upon hearing this one, I wanted to seek out the referenced poem (especially since I live sort of close* to the place mentioned). I noticed that my local library networks did not have the e-book or audiobook of "HTNABW," alas. Happily, Hoopla did, but I know that not all have access to this additional service, so I thought I'd post the poem here for any others who were interested but could not easily access a copy of the book: At tHe CRACkeR BARReL iN tewKsbuRy, MASSACHUsetts * (exceRPts) eAcH ALARm A voice SAyiNg, if you HeRe, i’m HeRe. BACK Home, tHe BLue-BLACK tRAiN CONDUCtOR WHO WiNks At me AND HOLDS tHe DOORS AN extRA tweNty secoNDS. tHe CHestNut BANkeR, wHo DesPite HeR PinstRiPes SNickeRS At my Jokes, ciRcles HeR NAMe ON tHe CARD SHe HANDS me. tHAt mAiLMAN witH tHe LocKs, wHo mADe Room foR me ON tHe siDeWALK AND SAiD I’m Not tRyNA BotHeR you, i DON’t WANt to SCARe you, but you ARe ReALLy SometHiNg. tHese RAMsHACKLe ANgeLS, SPRAwLiNg, ANONymous, Woo-Woo, RigHt oN time. -Angel Nafis [formatting as presented in HTNABW] * "close" being a relative term, in that it would probably take me a cool 15 hours to walk - or, more mundanely, an hour to drive - there 📚
Kristen
2024-12-12 02:27:36 +0000 UTC
