Into June, and already it is midsummer. Latterly, some amazing Mediterranean weather turning English grass yellow. Nature is in advance of us and the baby birds have been and gone – the summer solstice is passed. Downhill now to the Winter solstice and when the sun begins its journey back to the earth – or, actually the other way around. So, there is a sense of change and maturity in the air. Nature moves into a fullness:
The schools are soon out – festivals and holidays. Already plans afoot for autumn and even next year.
I travel across to Dublin, Ireland for a few days – quite amazing, sitting outside in the grounds of my ex-college Trinity with the sun setting:
The Liffy and the Halfpenny bridge look a picture:
Then, I am back and immediately into the People’s Vote for Brexit march. I say ‘People’s Vote’ but that seems to be the main tactic at the moment and most of what I heard and saw was more that calling for a vote: more sort of calling for the whole thing to be called off. The march was good-natured. Still, there were six police officers with machines guns across the gates – behind the gates! – as we crossed Downing Street. So, an indication of the state of modern democracy and its sense of vulnerability.
I began learning Spanish.
I figured that with all these trips to South America, I needed to be more proficient than I am in Spanish. Enjoyable and, knowing French, it is interesting to note the similarities between Spanish and French/ English. Many words are the same but then others are completely different. I mean, where does ‘usted’ come from???
Things are hotting up academically as we reach the end of the university year here: students are super active. I also did a conference paper with my student friend Lisa. She has been working on using Bourdieu as a way of generating historical fiction. Pioneering stuff this!!! Anyway, a fun day in Winchester:
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A rather good performance of Macbeth at the National Theatre in London. With everything going on in the world, these plays, of power and corruption, take on a new significance. This version cast light and dark, black and red, and managed to be both period and contemporary. The main character was full of doubt, as befitting of the plot in which he had go involved. This meant one had to really concentrate on the words, which are always dense with Shakespeare, but was a welcome change from the rather bombastic style that is often adopted:
Lots of books and sounds pulling me in various directions this month. Of my reading, I particularly liked Haruki Murakami’s ‘Men Without Women’ stories – his first collection for some years. Despite its title, the stories all relate, with curiosity and humour, to facets of contemporary loneliness which, paradoxically arise from human interaction:
Of my listening, this is the time for summer sounds – exotic global music and Prom classics. However, the one CD I really enjoyed was the compilation of Willie Watson’s music. His is a country folk / blues style and, unlike most singers, he is pretty much content to record himself just on his own with instrument and little or no backing. I particularly like his use of claw hammer banjo and his clear Southern American draw of a voice.
My favourite it Dry Bones – a strange prophetic piece:
This made me think of John Fahey’s literal ‘re-visioning’ of the same piece, which kind of shows where he was at in terms of his synthesis of this music within an altogether different ontology:
See: http://www.michaelgrenfell.co.uk/music-n/john-fahey-interview/