#memoryscape

My friend, the forest, is quiet and respectful.

Teeming with life and dignified growth.

Photosynthesis is my companion now.

The world enters through leaves, breaks apart in silence, and returns as something I can almost live with.

(Photo: d.)

okay so, adam and micheal are together in the memoryscape. (this is a while into their imprisonment so they’re comfortable with eachother and have certain routines.) adams like “babe, wanna take a nap?”

obviously, micheal doesn’t sleep. he understands that this will just be stationary prolonged cuddling for him but he obliges to adams request.

now, micheal’s apparition is always clothed in the hand-me-downs from dean that adam was wearing when he first got possessed. adam doesn’t really mind that micheal wears them, but he was feeling like he wanted to tease micheal so he got an idea:

they’re about to lay down and adam puts his hand on micheal’s chest, pushing him back from the bed and he says, “you should put on pajamas, i have my comfy clothes on we should make you some pajamas.”

micheal reassures adam he has no use for differing garments and is fine laying down in the clothes he’s wearing now. adam knows if he begs micheal and tells him it’s a human custom, micheal will ALWAYS fold.

so he continues his speech, “yeah, yeah. i know you don’t need them, but it’s important to me, you know? humans always wear pajamas to sleep and it’ll remind me of home.” he flashes a pleading face at micheal to amplify the requests effectiveness.

micheal stares at him with that cute hopelessly clueless look on his face and he’s like, “i was not aware, of course i will adorn a pajama set if it’s important to you, adam.”

adam smiles realllyyyy wide and almost starts laughing. micheal smirks a little to himself, so proud, thinking he’s made adam very happy, but in reality it’s adams shit eating i’m-about-to-be-a-jackass grin.

in the mindscape adam and micheal have the ability to materialize objects, so basically anything (which for micheal is literally anything) they can think of can be willed into the space they’re occupying. for example if adam wanted a succulent he could just think of it and make it pop into existence. okay continuing on…

so adam gets all cheery and he’s like, “oh, micheal! im so glad. here let me make you a pair of pajamas :)”

micheal’s pleased with adams happy response and is like, “thank you adam, my love.”

now the pair of pjs adam has in mind is a pair of sonic pajamas from when he was 7, obviously resizing them to fit adams (micheal’s) 19 year old body.

he poofs them in and presents them to micheal, micheal is extremely confused but undresses and puts the pajamas on. they aren’t like anything he’s ever seen adam wear.

he’s wearing the pajamas and adam is laughing his ass off, he’s clutching his stomach and almost crying. the view of micheal, the stoic archangel, the prince of the heavenly host, commander and viceroy of heaven wearing SONIC PAJAMAS is truly just too much for adam and it’s funnier than he orginally thought it would be.

micheal’s been around adam enough to sense somethings a little off, because adam only laughs like that when somethings funny. and what could be funny? was he wearing them wrong? so he asks, “adam? is something the matter? have i put the pajamas on incorrectly?” micheal finishes, blushing just a bit.

adam breathes in deeply trying to control his laughter before he answers his angel, “no, micheal! no, you’re wearing them right! you look great!” he cracks a smile and stifles a laugh at the end.

micheal shifts uncomfortably, still feeling embarrassed and responds, “are you positive?”

“yes! those are classic pajamas, psh all humans have a pair! didn’t you know that?”

micheal is now embarrassed for a different reason, he’s embarrassed that he doesn’t know. he isn’t entirely sure about human culture and is sometimes bashful when adam talks about things micheal never knew before. so he responds accordingly, trying to save his pride, “well… i, of course. yes, adam thank you for making me these.”

once adam can compose himself enough, he leads micheal to the bed and they situate themselves, he was being serious about the nap and he fully intends to take his nap, even with his angelic boyfriend wearing a seven year olds sonic pajama set. once adams ready he wakes up feeling well rested, almost forgetting what micheal is wearing.

he and micheal go on about their day for about 30 minutes more, micheal obviously isn’t sure when he’s meant to remove the pajamas so he keeps them on. adam leads them to the living room where he intends to read while micheal sits beside him. they sit down on the couch and adam cracks, he HAS to tell micheal the joke. he seriously can’t look at him anymore. obviously, micheal is completely oblivious to the joke and no matter how many times adam tells him “it’s just funny because you’re some powerful big shot archangel wearing sonic pajamas.” micheal still doesn’t understand.

it gets even funnier when adam gets sick of explaining and gives up, micheal is not pleased by this and longs to understand. he’s need-ily asking adam to elaborate, and this sends adam over the edge again, his all powerful boyfriend begging him for answers in his sonic outfit. adam laugh cries a little more and micheal pouts for the rest of the day. (after changing back into his regular attire ofc)

and for the reveal, THIS IS THE ABSOLUTE DRIPPED OUT FIT, ADAM PUTS MICHEAL IN

and yes, this probably isn’t as funny to you guys as it is to me, and yes this is insanely random i’m sorry.

Memory

April 26, 2017

"Sally Mann: Remembered Light: Cy Twombly in Lexington" closes this week on Saturday, April 29 at Gagosian Paris.

First proper instalment, The Chronicle Of Me: Country Bumpkin #2

Since studying in Liverpool I have begun to identify myself as this ‘country bumpkin’. While I’m not 100% farmer it’s become part of my identify [my severe fear of cows would make me a awful farmer – just for the record]. I used to think growing up and living in Norfolk was boring and I never really appreciated what was here. It was the countryside. The less thought of English countryside. When…

Today I tried out the ‘Dockers’ Memoryscape Audio Trail. Here are my journey notes:

Easy starting point – you can’t miss the Cutty Sark.

Usual warnings about safety – which I always listen to, especially because I am not sure how deserted this route will be. I have never walked it before.

Toby Butler who narrates tells you not do it at home but to be on there and walk

I am told that we will not be looking at London landmarks but rather the hidden histories...

I’ve been here before. I remember taking my bike through it. The tunnel is smelly and cold and cramped and claustrophobic and its hard to hear the recording with the loud voices in the tunnel and the lift is out of service... I didn't know though that dockers used that tunnel – and it is certainly a place where you feel there is history there though!

 I notice again that it is hard to analyse and experience at same time. It is always the same when you are studying something.

The narration reassures you that you can play things back again if you need to and that sometimes we will be simply stopping and looking.

It feels like I am in tourist territory - completely the opposite of Dockers time? Or not?

It’s a high tide – the tide is lapping loudly and the bells of naval college are heard and the somewhat unexpected smell of the sea strikes me. I am already much more aware of my senses.

As on previous trails I have tried out, again I notice that I am not listening to everything they are saying - it's key words that I pick up – and now the smell of blossom.

There is also the smell of new building ... New buildings are going up.

I think about what a strong and important word community is to me – and is something that I have always valued and been lucky to experience.

I think about my definition of community, of which I mean individuals and groups, bound together by a connection with the local park in my case – even as a visitor to the park.

I see it as a trail made with the voices of or in consultation with the local community

I always forget what side of the river I am on, or more don’t realise.

I have walked too far at this point – it is hard to follow some of the instructions and I am not sure which pier I am near, but may have been that I didn’t listen well.

I find it a mostly deserted route, but in some places a wildlife paradise with butterflies and bees and I am sure much more; but mostly a deserted string of old wharfs.

At first, I couldn't see how to get into the areas he spoke of and didn't notice all of the places, but that doesn’t matter. I am out of sync but don't want to go back! I can't go onto jetties?

The trees by the water at this point of the Thames are a surprise to me too. The sound of the water and the sun beating down. I wouldn't want to be here alone later in the day. But I'm discovering a new part of my city!

Distances are hard to judge as I have not found the public jetty that is mentioned.

I have found the jetty and the info plaque is rubbed away in places and hard to read. I do find myself looking for visual signs of industry past anyway - noticing things not necessarily mentioned on the recording.

There are mostly lone travellers and some couples. Cyclists too.

Toby is narrating the trail on the whole, with the Dockers’ voices edited in.

Something is still making a noise and looks very industrial and as I turn the corner I see lots of different sands/materials and people busy working - Victoria tunnel it says....

I notice the lichen on the wood railing... this is because I have had a small interest in lichens since a nature day a few years back.

Suddenly a new part of the walk – it is newly paved in set colours- because I am nearer the o2? The Thames path is closed off and I must follow a new smelling still tarmac path – a new part of the adventure? I hear a seagull as well as the industry building sounds - no more lapping of the waves.

It took me about an hour but had to cut it short due to the closed road, but it was enough – I might listen to the rest at home. Toby keeps repeating to stay near the river but I can't anymore in North Greenwich...

Victoria park - and the journey there…. some extracts of my thoughts….

I see an appropriately named pub, which lets me know I am at least in the right area…

I passed lots of green spaces on the way

An interesting looking church, of a style I don’t recall seeing before…

It’s muggy

It feels like another zone of London from where I live and I link it with Leytonstone, not too far away, where a friend lives, something about the open green spaces and the natural association I make.

A larger building - Victorian in style but higher than I am used to in Crystal Palace.

Wow Victoria (Park) has an impressive lead up - roundabout and impressive gates.

Trendy cake and coffee type cafe (which looks like it does proper food too) with a vibrant atmosphere - I enjoy a conversation I overhear by the people working there - it helps add to the happy atmosphere there! I also liked the fact a bottle of water cost £1 and not more as it often does in cafes!

The sun shines on the lake as if on time to see the sculptures and the pretty fountain in the lake looking splendid. It reminds me of what I think Crystal Palace Park (CPP)nneeds - a fountain as a reminder of Paxton and those he had installed in the park – I have not thought about before, which surprises me, but I hadn’t thought before that there are no fountains in CPP.

I see the long park roads – a cyclists paradise and my thought turns to Hyde park or even Prater in Vienna - which in the summer I quite often cycled through to work, as well as over the Danube – all in a half an hour cycle…

The audio trail is really enjoyable and I like the talk about the myths of the dogs and hearing the different opinions – leaving it open to interpretation with us.

The narrator is someone who has lived in the area of Victoria park for nine years I think it was – and this draws you in by knowing that the person clearly has a relationship with the park.

No one person speaking for a long time – it’s nicely broken up with different voices. It’s a good clear recording and the speaking is calm and nice to listen to.

It’s am amazingly surprising beautiful evening, having set out with it being much duller – it’s a beautiful route – and the canal an added bonus for me.

I felt a bit out of place to begin with - but now I feel at home as if I am walking near me in the evening - doesn’t feel like a Sunday evening in some ways to be so far away from home but it others it does with the calm atmosphere

I made some more sound recordings and have decided to do at least one on every project related trip out.

Background sounds create an atmosphere. It’s hard to differentiate some times between the sounds on the recording and the sounds in real life! I looked around when I heard the sound of the loud canal boat on the mp3 file while walking down the canal. I wondered if this kind of thing would annoy me, but I love the playfulness of this, I think it makes me more aware ….

I’m inspired to listen to some of my own favourite tracks in between listening to the trail mp3’s and this as well as making the sound recordings and listening to the trail really helps me listen to the sounds around me.

The trail map is easy to use and follow.

The trail encourages you to interact in the sense of inviting you go and get a drink and find somewhere to sit and listen to the trail.

Cafe owners talking on the trail too – it seems they are talking about what they wanted to achieve and also about the visitors they have.

I wonder what happens when trails get really out of date. They are still a memory of the point in time when they were made, but maybe something needs to change?

I did about half but not half of the distance. Will happily return to do the rest….