Discovery2009 - Science, Engineering, Technology & Maths
Donal Casey & Gerry Murphy in Farmgate English Market - with John Minihan in background
Two Poems from London: Harrods World & Abercrombie & Fitch
Harrods World
October winds unloose the trees
around the store we wheel bags
to the gentleman Jeeves who minds…
Escalate to the Fourth Floor,
settle in to croissants from Food Hall.
Tis Mohamad in Ramses court you know…
Flowing strands of auburn hair,
eyes agog at pussy cat’s dressing room
- how could she begrudge her pet?
Chocolates here in silver coats,
diamonds cast to whet the purse,
fingers deep in pocket now…
Pagliacci thrown into the aire,
a pizza here, mozzarella there
- I fancy the lady with the salt from Majorca.
That ice cream is much too heavy
for a man of my age
- let’s eat a photograph instead.
An elephant of glass,
a well-fired Ghandi
committed to memory.
We better leave, go get fresh air,
the smell of taste, the touch of waste.
The child in blue winked at you.
Friday 30 October 2009
dedicated as gift to Tim Nelligan
NSUE Meeting Cork on Saturday 31 October
National Service Users Executive - represents all users of mental health services in Ireland
"…Regional meetings … to give the newly elected executive members from the Southern Region an opportunity to meet with members and get their views on their mental health services."
Waterford : Friday 30 October @ 5pm - Granville Hotel, Meagher’s Quay, 3 mins walk from Train/Bus Station
Cork : Saturday 31 October @ 2pm - La Verna Hall, Grattan Street, near Washington Street.
It’s good to see the NSUE holding meetings for members to meet their representatives. Unfortunately NSUE hasn’t yet found a way to link members with reps via internet. I don’t feel in touch with the people I voted for. I have no idea what they’ve been doing since the election back in June.
Unfortunately I’m going to miss both meetings. Off to London on Friday morning to see Benjamin O’Mahony, Drama Centre, perform (act) in "Figaro Gets Divorced". Travelling with one of my nieces. Not back until Sunday.
This was bound to happen. Of course, face-to-face meetings are best, but we live in a world in which people travel and make arrangements all the time. I hate missing the NSUE meeting.
ps: Benjamin O’Mahony is my son - in case you think I’m failing to declare my interest in the Drama Centre production.
pps: phone +353 851212418 for more info on NSUE meetings.
Social Media for Music Graduates
I’ve promised to jot down a few notes for a friend who going to lecture students.
He’s got an opportunity to help students of music face the business world. So I guess they’re all about 21-23 years old. But there may be a few old crusties too.
The students are incredibly talented. If not, they wouldn’t be about to graduate from university. They are certainly artists, and I barely know one end of a piano from another.
Before I’d ever advise anyone, I feel the need to know them.
Musicians know about MySpace. I don’t. How many students have their own MySpace? Ah, when was the last time you put up one of your own compositions? Even photos of you performing on Flickr? As for your YouTube?
What’s going on?
The audience of the future is different: it has new habits. It isn’t satisfied with attending the performance. It wants to engage with the artists. Follow them. Register they they’re a fan. Just as football spectators now see it as an insult to be labelled "spectators", the audience wants to become "fans".
There’s a revolution going on: young people want to interact with everyone, including musicians.
The internet is mobile now. iPhone generation. "If you’re out there performing, you’ll bring yourself to my attention. I certainly won’t look for you. If my friends aren’t gossiping about you, why should I go see you? "
Anyone looking for a music teacher will look you up on the internet. Your profile isn’t only the few words you cobble together to advertise your services. It’s the presence you have on-line.
I know the students will value hyperlinks - things they can follow up. I need to offer a few good ones from my collection. (Because I have folders of hyperlinks on many topics - all waiting to be shared.) There are even software apps that will go through my folders and let you see them all - if you know how to ask.
Enough writing for now.
Better see whether my notes are any use to my friend.
Which brings me to the question of "friends": what a huge change there’s been in the meaning of that term, eh.
Ghandi on Value of being Positive
Keep my word positive. Words become my behaviors. Keep my behaviors
positive. Behaviors become my habits. Keep my habits positive. Habits
become my values. Keep my values positive. Values become my destiny.
*** Mahatma Gandhi (1869 - 1948) Indian Nationalist Leader ***
Thanks to David Gurteen…
On meeting Elliott Erwitt by Roger Overall
Roger Overall is a remarkable photographer. He lives up the road from me. When he told me he was going to Austin Texas USA to hear Elliott Erwitt speak, I had the good sense to ask Roger to write a piece for this blog. Thank you Roger for writing such a personal & universal piece.
[Roger selected one photo by Erwitt, the middle one. I added two others, just to encourage you to look at Erwitt’s work.]
__________________
Inevitably, somebody fell for it.
“What’s with the egg?” a lady in the audience asked.
“What egg?” Elliott Erwitt responded.
“You have a fried egg on your lapel.”
“I have a fried egg on my lapel?!”
It’s a fake, bought in Japan, pinned to Erwitt’s dark blazer because he “likes to be interesting”.
Elliott Erwitt was born in Paris 82 years ago…
… lived in Italy, escaped from Europe to the US on one of the last boats out during World War II. Became one of the greats of modern photography. Elliott Erwitt has produced some of the world’s most famous and iconic images, including photographs of some of the most famous and iconic people in history - he’s already interesting without the egg.
Speaking at Blanton Art Museum in Austin, Texas…
… at the invitation of the newly established Austin Center for Photography. It was a rare opportunity to hear one of the greats deliver a lecture - in Erwitt’s case, possibly the only one I would ever get.
So I flew 5,000+ miles to be there, building a visit to close family in Houston around it.
The timing of the lecture was prescient.
When the talk was announced, I was going through a transition in my career - or, to be more precise, finalising the direction of that transition. The consequences of the planned change were significant for my business, my development as a photographer, & my home life.
I’d be abandoning the safety (& mediocrity) of a bland approach to corporate photography - based on tastes of my local market - in favour of a purely documentary approach - based on my own preferences.
Faced with enormity of the implications the change would bring, I was wavering…
… eager for rich insights Erwitt would provide. Each one would be a beacon, a signpost to how to produce great documentary photography - culminating in a solid blueprint for my glorious future.
Oh dear. The lecture was never going to live up to that, was it? In fact, I learned nothing I’d hoped for from the lecture. Not a single thing. However, while the lecture itself was barren ground, the experience of it produced a valuable lesson.
First, I should explain why Erwitt’s presentation was so disappointing…
I draw upon memories of another disappointment. Walking down Congress Avenue, on the way back to hotel after the lecture, “Layla” [YouTube here] started up in a bar. Electric version, not acoustic. You know, the real one, the plugged-in one… One of my all-time favourite songs.
I remembered the last time I heard it. Eric Clapton was playing it, in the flesh. Not just for me, you understand. He was playing at Cork’s annual month-long summer music festival. My wife was sent by a newspaper to review the concert. I had the extra ticket.
The concert was memorable - if only for that single song. Towards the end, Clapton & band started “Layla”, played it to the finishing note, right through the long coda. It made the entire concert worthwhile. More, it added to my life experience. I’d heard an iconic song played by the man himself, including the tail end that radio stations generally erase.
It wasn’t an event to change my outlook on the universe. But it’ll get into my "Deathbed Top250" -around 220s.
[Back to Erwitt…]
Higher than tonight’s lecture with Elliott Erwitt will reach. The lecture may not even scrape into the Top250. Odd at first glance: I’m a big Erwitt fan; much less so of Clapton. How come I’ll remember Clapton & struggle with Erwitt?
There’s something magical about hearing a musician live on stage. We all know that. Whether you’re into opera or death metal, an in-the-flesh performance is far superior experience than listening to mp3 or iPod. U2 and Springsteen don’t sell out football grounds for nothing.
Watching a photographer…
… push a button on a MacBook & bring up the next photograph on auditorium screen just isn’t the same.
There are much better ways to view & enjoy photographs fully. Exhibitions, books, your own computer screen…
In a personal slideshow, a photographer can bring stories behind the photographs…
Those he did tell were interesting - rather than insightful. Delivered with engaging & charming dry sense of humour - that mirrors his photography.
Ultimately, his hour-long lecture was a slideshow of mostly familiar work - many of which were best-selling photographs he’s known for. Few were new work unfamiliar to his audience.
Paradoxically, most bands apply that formula when they perform live - if they have any sense.
We want to hear musicians play their hits, songs we all love, the oldies. Mostly, we don’t care for new stuff, particularly if the band’s trying something new. Give us “Layla” - better be electric version.
A lecture by a photographer is the opposite.
If they’re merely presenting a slideshow, it’s got to be work we haven’t seen yet. We know the old stuff. Most likely, we’ll have read the story behind it - certainly when it’s a living legend like Elliott Erwitt.
In Austin, I’d a chance to hear the man of stature, photographer of intellect & intelligence, an artist whose work is significant & beautiful, deliver a lecture. Sadly, we got a brief discussion of some of his most famous work. Ultimately it added little to what we already knew.
Certainly, it didn’t help me…
… with any grand documentary photography scheme. It gave me no insight into the place, role & merits of documentary photography for corporates. No blueprint here. An "eminence grise" of the profession simply recounting his greatest hits.
Oh well, at least I was able get a signed book in the foyer afterwards (albeit a cheap one: I’d left wallet in hotel room).
Standing in line, with a copy of Elliot Erwitt’s "Hands" (diminutive booklet compared with some of his other publications) I watched people ahead of me write their names on blue Post-It notes offered by one of ACP’s hierarchy.
"Write your name clearly & fix it to the page you want Elliott to inscribe."
An older lady in front of me wrote out a quote she wanted Erwitt to write & sign. At signing desk, Erwitt’s minder took the book, glanced at the Post-It, removed it from the book.
“He doesn’t do that,” frostily.
Older Lady had to make do with her name - just like everyone else. I thought it cheeky she’d even tried to put words into Erwitt’s mouth. Insulting even. This thought sparked another & another… Suddenly, I was richer for the experience of the lecture…
I hadn’t heard what I’d wanted to. I’d heard what Elliot Erwitt was willing to tell. Just as he wouldn’t validate anyone else’s words, he wouldn’t have the content of his lecture dictated to him. He did what he did, and if I didn’t like it, tough.
For 82 years, Elliott Erwitt had gone his own way, done his own thing. It has made him a great in photography.
There is no blueprint; there are no answers.
Success is grounded in uniqueness. Uniqueness cannot be taught.
If I’m going to make a success of corporate photojournalism, I’ll have to do it my way; find my own footing - make my own choice of lapel decoration.
Einstein on Formulating a Problem
For more information on this quotation and the author:
http://www.gurteen.com/gurteen/gurteen.nsf/id/X00001A96/
I put this up because daily life proves to me over & over the value of this way of thinking…
Let me know what you think by commenting…
Twittering, Tweeting - Twit : a day in the life of an Irishman, in 76 installments
My sister won’t be coming from Arizona for Uncle’s funeral but we’re talking webcam again. We won’t do graveside. Google Jet eh! RT @topgold:http://twitpic.com/lnsae - @Omaniblog Sergey needs some of that money for his apron fees:http://url.ie/2nfg If I take advice (consultancy) in return for giving advice (consultancy)? RT @DavidFFox:@tnteacherTim … If he catches you #barter) If I get meat from butcher in return for my service, tax implications RT @DavidFFox:@tnteacherTim @Omaniblog If he catches you . :0)) Hope so…RT @TweetDeck: Noticing few issues/delays with twitter API over past few hours, hopefully things will return to normal shortly @tomwoolway I’ve just realised you were generous enough to offer me help in future - you’re good to know. Come to Cork I love this feature:RT @inshin: @OmaniblogHootsuite - Can see what a tweet is in reply to#tweetdeck @tnteacherTim I had a strong suspicion you’d have already figured out that we don’t need to do everything thru money. #barter @DavidFFox I do barter all the time. Whenever I talk to someone for free, I give them a service - and vice versa Did you know this? I didn’t. RT @adamcoomes: Google has $22 Billion In Cashhttp://bit.ly/35UfKp @ladydotty I’ve never used g-mail. I’d be very upset if my email’s went down. Yahoo Mail has never gone down on me RT @SmarterEgg: Good question, tough answer RT @BrianTracy: What 1 skill, if U mastered it, would be most beneficial to Ur life or business? @goodwineshow If I sit at the goodwineshow, bloggingly drinking all day, will you throw me out please I can’t wait to drink/taste your goodies RT@goodwineshow: collected leaflets & posters - they look great they’ll be going out soon The best way to keep your taxbill down is to barter a lot of work? Discuss please Looks like all the papers are falling into place, and the taxman cometh for very little @ladydotty These sort of obstacles and letdowns are sent as an opportunity to practise overcoming adversity - they help us improve eh? @Dogfoodlady Tax returns are fun. It’s only thinking about them that turns people off @CityLocal_Cork Some BNI stars missing in the morning. Subs to the rescue… I put that question to website optimisers because I find my blog on page1, and I wasn’t even trying. @CityLocal_Cork Website optimisers: what would U have me do to get my blog on page1 (1-10) of Google search "Paul Durcan" - 22,800 entries? How did I do it? Return inspired RT @SmarterEgg:@CityLocal_Cork @salsatanja @rogeroverall@venue_finder Enjoy BNI Enfield conference, best to @dinahbni Not mad about the look of Hootsuite, prefer the black of their main competitor. Hootsuite took longer to update itself @tomwoolway Thanks Tom. I bet Tweetdeck works fine for people who are able to overcome obstacles Thank you all you good people who tried to help me move up to Tweetdeck V31.0. I got there but it nearly killed me. Hootsuite now Tweetdeck: There is one person out here who has run out of patience. You’re dead. Off to another deck @ladydotty Enjoy the Yoga. You have my best wishes. I’ve just lost my Tweetdeck entirely Tweetdeck saga: (6) Choose "Replace" or "Cancel" (7) I hit "replace". (8) I hit "cancel". Ahaaaah… Help this individual Tweetdeck saga: (4) Clicked Open (5) "The App. U opened already exists on this system & is currently running. You must close…" Tweetdeck: still fighting with it - (1) Closed tweetdk (TD). (2) Went http://bit.ly/le3sM (3) Got App. Install: Wd U like to open or save? Tweetdeck: thanks v much @richardbarley@jmwhittaker @inshin The problem is that I tried to exit TD as per instructions & went wrong I click to install Tweetdeck v 31. It takes me thru a routine into a dead end loop @richardbarley Welcome to the world of running before walking… RT @iia: Aha Twitterfeed is broken. .. Also no access to Twitterfeed.com. @tnteacherTim As soon as there’s a new v Tweetdeck advertised, I want it… I know I have a track record in this area Don’t leave it late again…RT @chasejarvis: Pumped to speak @Amazon today to a million+ people about #bestcamera! What should I say? Adobe: installed your latest offering without any trouble. Thank you Tweetdeck: if 2 people in my tiny circle are struggling to install you latest offering, you’ve screwed up… Help us fast, please RT @startupstudent: "If you’re interested in ‘balancing’work&pleasure, stop trying 2 balance. Instead make work morepleasurable"Donald Trump Tweetdeck: struggling to load up the new version. Am I the only person who can’t get it to work? @eoinpurcell Pure, raw anger is good. We haven’t enough of it in Ireland. But that’s different from being stupid @eoinpurcell And I bet you they hadn’t a clue how badly they presented Donegal to someone thinking about going there @eoinpurcell The people who were angry on the radio today in the prog on Donegal were mainly politicians & they were a shower RT @SmarterEgg: re Nokia & "Breaking From The Pack"- nothing lasts forever! constant calculated reinvention and still no guarantee "The business is in the room. You (simply) have to find it" said Dermot Kelly lawyer @BNImeeting where business was looking for business No longer "breaking from the pack"?@smarteregg RT @IrishTimesBiz: Nokia posts surprise quarterly loss http://short.ie/fvzwc6 Poem: "Is there any difference between the new poet and the poet of experience?" - omani@TheWhiteHousePoets #CUISLE Irish Limerick: "Boyne Berries" is published by Boynewriters.com. Michae Farry from Trim read @#CUISLE in The White House. Met him Limerick: remind me I gathered loads of intelligence (gossip) about the politics of poetry behind #CUISLE. Must write blog post I’m so obsessed with marketing, I want to stay stuck at the rapport stage. I have great rapport with people who can’t afford to hire me BNI marketing campaign by omani continues shortly - in fact it’s on now: hi there BNI member… Cork: sitting in JurysCorkHotel recovering after the (Donegal) drive from Limerick, relaxing into BNI meeting in a few minutes Irish: we need great coaches here RT@SmarterEgg: @Omaniblog Nov 27 - Association for Coaching, details here:http://snipurl.com/acievent Got so cross with Donegal I suppressed RT@eoinpurcell: not so sure about that Paul. I think they’re angry & often translates badly on air! Let’s take the focus off the amount of someone’s salary and keep it on whether they’ve delivered @JL_Pagano: @tnteacherTim Irish: Salaries - there is no problem paying a high salary to someone who delivers high valueRT @JL_Pagano: @tnteacherTim@Omaniblog Irish "Donegal is a Catholic county" says a woman on national radio. Sounds like a bloody bigot to me Irish Donegal: is there any chance of a decent conversation with your people? All your politicians sound Crap Irish Donegal shouting on radio is putting me off going there on hols. As for investing there, anywhere else available? Irish Donegal disgracing itself on Pat Kenny radio now What’s this about? RT @SmarterEgg:@krishnade Hoping to make it to the AC conference on Nov 27 Irish Limerick: So far I’m the only one tweeting on #CUISLE - poets & lovers of poems don’t twitter? RT @zappos: "My goal in life is to be as good of a person as my dog already thinks I am." -Author Unknown (via @S_Wash) Whatever U read 2day read RT @therichbrooks: Which users R most affluent? MySpacers, Facebookers, Tweeps or LinkedIn?http://bit.ly/31ie5y Twitter: how much do I have to pay you to follow me? RT @Desbishop: @davidmcw Follow me so I can DM you. I will be your best friend @tnteacherTim Are you being unfair to Drumm to make your point? As @jl_pagano says "just asking" Irish: Wellsaid Me hate to live in Irish c/side. RT@WriterCJ: Ireland, catch up. Finns make bdband access legal right: http://ow.ly/usLm Agreed RT @therichbrooks: I like top 10 lists. "50 best" or "101 top" lists R good for Diggs, but too overwhelming to be really helpful. Joining PetaPixel.com Hoping to go beyond snaps…RT @petapixel: Hey photogs - Join our Flickr group! http://j.mp/AgOm0 Thank you very much for your kind thoughts. When a beloved uncle passes away, it makes you think… Irish Limerick: Maurice Riordan from Glanmire, now in UK, read in The White House as part of#Cuisle: "The New Poetry 1603" Irish Limerick: Paul Muldoon went to listen to poets in The White House after operning#CUISLE last night. He didn’t do open mic Here you find a list you can learn from… RT@mediaprince: Top100 TwitterPublishingTools & Services - http://ow.ly/15V1gz After sex men Twitter & Facebook : read here RT@krishnade: Are you addicted To Facebook And Twitter? http://bit.ly/BJQMS Thanks Tony RT @tonyrobbins: "When you become a lover of what is, the war is over."Byron Katie
CUISLE International Poetry Festival starts this evening.
Paul Muldoon & Nuala NiDhomhnaill are opening it.
Nuala I know from Listowel Writers’ Week 2007. She led a poetry workshop I went to. This will be my first chance to meet her since then, though we had a little email contact. Paul Muldoon I’ve never seen.
It’s a Wednesday, so it clashes with the White House Poets - the Barney Sheehan gig in White House pub on O’Connell Street Limerick. Maybe the White House will be on after the 7pm launch. Maybe Nuala & Paul could be enticed to read with the little people. I haven’t looked up to see who’s guest in White House this evening.
I’ll keep you posted via Twitter. You can follow me on Twitter by searching for @omaniblog.
Best thing to do is sign up to Twitter and see if you like it.
