Peter Howard is Wintermute, mythologist

Appreciations in Two Parts; or, Things I Miss, Or Don't

28January2006 [directLink] [personal]

Having been back in Australia just over a week, I’ve been thinking about the differences between there and here, before and after, Australia and France… My old life and my new (old) life.

There are things I already miss, and there are things I like about being back. In the balance, I do feel that I’d rather be over in Europe, but I certainly needed to move on from what I was doing hanging around Reims. Plus, I came back to Aus to finish my film degree, and that’s definitely something I want to be doing… though maybe not just yet

So, I’m writing two lists, one pro-France, one pro-Australia… Though really, they’re not just about France and Australia, they’re about two different lives. And in no particular order:

Appreciations the First: France

• I loved the way of life and the café culture
• loved living so close the the city centre; being able to walk out for a drink whenever and being there in five minutes
• that alcohol was available in supermarkets
• that alcohol was available in cafés
• living on my own, having my own space; sleeping when and if I felt like it
• high speed internet with all the bells and whistles
• public transport systems that worked, wherever I went in Europe; not looking forward to travelling to uni again
• being so close to completely different cultural settings
• falling in love with Paris

Appreciations the Second: Australia

• shops being open Sundays
• though the heat is a shock, love that winter isn’t so extreme
• institutions being not so difficult to deal with
• a government and education system that isn’t quite so brainwashing
• the colour of the light

Updates: Everything Has To End

08January2006 [directLink] [personal]

Have just finished editing my filmic flânerie and written the piece to accompany it. Am going to render the video this evening and send the whole project off express tomorrow. It took a lot more work than I expected, but it’s also turned out much better than I expected. I have absolutely no idea how it will be marked; I hope at the least I get a Pass just for handing something in. I can’t think of anything glaringly obvious missing so that shouldn’t be a problem… The video ended up at 15 minutes, which I was secretly aiming for, but hadn’t wanted to commit to anything so that a 5 minute film wouldn’t seem short. I’ll get a copy of it online, but can’t commit to a timeframe; see next paragraph.

Am heading to Bruxelles from Tuesday to see James Blunt and stay a couple nights, having not been there before. We get back to Paris on Thursday and are staying there another couple nights, one last Aussie hurrah… We’ll be back in Reims on Saturday, Sunday for lunch with a local couple, then two days left to close everything down (am expecting to skip the country on a couple bills). Am back in Australia in under two weeks!

Further, I’m returning my Freebox tomorrow, meaning no more high speed internet! I should have basic dailup access for a little longer, so will be able to check emails. But I’ll be cutting off the home phone soon too and just using the mobile for the last couple days.

Have gotten over most of the trepidation and am now somewhat excited. The break in England was exactly what I needed. It was really restful, let me take a break from the old routines. Now that I’ve returned I’ve deliberately avoided going back to my old habits (mainly cos I’ve gotta wean myself off the internet!). And it let me think about things differently, so having returned I was ready to get this project done (having lost all semblence of inspiration and creativity in the last few days alone in Reims), and I am, finally, ready to go home.

The Vampire's Story

04January2006 [directLink] [film]

The story of the Vampires cannot be told. Their history cannot be contained in any single tale.
Instead, I shall tell you something of my story, of the night I was turned.

She was a mystery, the one who turned me. She was the one I loved.

Love. There is no such thing. Passion… The emotions of the weak, of mere animals.

But that night:

Even then I knew, I would not see her again, after that night. But by then it did not matter. I just needed her once more. I used her, that night.

Places of Departure

04January2006 [directLink] [myth]

I love ports: airports, stations, places of departure; the promise of the journey to come. The departure lounge acts as a microcosm of our Earth. We are all on a journey. People of all races, walks of life.

Some are Going Away, some are Going Home. Some on business, some on holiday. With Family, With Friends, Alone. All will learn a little more about someone: whether a lifelong partner, a new friend, or simply themselves.

But for now, time stands still, and we wait.