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Monday, April 30, 2007

links tikken, pols verzwikken


Terwijl de koningin door Woudrichem rende zat ik hier te mijmeren boven een koffie, oude bladen op schoot. Kwam een interview met Adriaan van Dis tegen. Zijn laatste boek (De Wandelaar) beviel me erg goed. Hij zegt ook een aantal dingen die raakten aan waar ik zelf mee bezig ben:

“[mensen] hebben vaak een beeld van elkaar dat ze opslaan en meenemen. Aan die indruk moet je jaren later nog steeds voldoen terwijl je zelf allang bent gegroeid en voortgegaan. En zo word je dus een cliché van jezelf.”

In die zin is van Dis wel een mooi voorbeeld. Begin jaren zeventig rende hij in een leren jockstrap het podium op om aardbeien onder zijn voorhuid uit te drukken: “ze zijn er weer, de zomerkoninkjes!” Anderen kennen hem als cultuursnob, terwijl zijn laatste boek een mooi en menselijk beeld geeft van de illegalen in Parijs en hijzelf vertelt dat hij ‘n vriendin heeft die hij helaas moet delen met een ander. Hij heeft zich in een ander leven gegooid in Parijs en dat levert een ander beeld van zichzelf op.
Omstandigheden maken de man en mensen hebben niet maar één identiteit. Als ik dat zeg, beaamt iedereen dat. Toch passen ze het weinig toe: “da’s toch niks voor jou/dat kan jij toch helemaal niet?” Heb altijd geroepen dat je jezelf af en toe in andere omstandigheden moet gooien. Dan blijk je ineens een leuke verborgen kant (of juist een erg onaangename..) te hebben. Ook mensen moeten zich openen en sluiten in hun eigen ontwikkeling. Ja, mijn boek komt overal in terug. Een (heel) klein beetje Freudiaanse identiteitszoekerij en een heleboel gedragstherapie, dat komt wel in de buurt van mijn levensvisie. Je hebt vast een vaste basis, maar verwonder je wat meer over jezelf, in een situatie die je nog nooit hebt meegemaakt.. En zo nog veel meer gedachten, maar die komen weer een andere keer.

Sunday, April 29, 2007

Polsstoring, film boring


Doe maar weer eens Nederlands. Moet soms al naar woorden zoeken, die spier wordt blijkbaar snel lui. Mijn pols en duim spelen ook nog steeds op. Dus nog steeds niet veel getikt, wel stukken aangepast. Kun je toch altijd eindeloos blijven doen, teksten bijslijpen. Verder oude Volkskrant Magazines en VN doorgenomen die Marcel had meegenomen. Paar keer moeten schateren om stukjes van Sylvia Witteman over haar moderne leven en gezin. Ging me soms tegenstaan vanwege het eindeloos opeenstapelen van hysterische termen, maar nu na een tijdje wel weer erg grappig om te lezen, zeker in een voorjaarszonnetje met een medium cappuchino.


Links Top 1 Boring.. Rechts: ?

Las ook dat Steel Magnolias nu als toneelstuk draait in Nederland. Dat vind ik op zich al hysterisch grappig. De film staat nog steeds met stip op 1 in onze familie top 3 van de meest saaie allertijden. Elkaar met een potlood in de enkels prikken was nog boeiender. Maar nu regisseert Frans Weisz Karin Bloemen, Renée Soutendijk en Nelly Frijda. Toch niet de minsten bij elkaar. Ken Frans nog van een filmpje voor Tolerance Unlimited (kunnen jullie het nog herinneren, ooit was er een tijd dat je het niet had over Zero Tolerance, maar juist over Tolerance Unlimited: tegen racisme en intolerantie; helaas heeft T.U. zich moeten opheffen vanwege de vermoeide tijdgeest begin deze eeuw. Eeuwig zonde). Aardige man, die Frans Weisz, wel moeilijk ook, denk ik. Noemt zichzelf een perfectionist. Lijkt me niks mis mee, maar dat hij 145 takes heeft gedaan met Carry Tefsen om een Page toiletpapier regel goed te krijgen, lijkt me weer wel wat overdreven. Maar goed, je kunt je nu zelf overtuigen of de Nederlandse toneelversie van de saaiste film allertijden toch niet iets heeft. Ik las in ieder geval een licht positieve recensie op http://www.dejongejournalist.nl/news.php?nid=3172. Een beetje langdradig was de negatieve kant van de recensie, dat herkennen de Kniesmeijertjes wel. Maar Nelly en Karin maken veel goed. Nelly heb ik nog eens in een talkshow gehad die ik ooit deed voor een COC jubileum (leuk hoor, even name-droppen). En Nederlandse theaterkoning Albert Verlinde zit er ook achter lees ik nu. Dan komt het vast wel goed. Roel Vente, zijn partner in zaken, werkte vroeger nog bij FHV BBDO. Leuke vent die wel wat organiseren kan. Zo zie je maar weer. Blijkt het toch weer een feest der herkenning.. Maar dat heb je snel in Nederland.
En oh ja, er is wel een voorzichtig nieuw initiatief op tolerantie gebied. Ik heb ze nog geadviseerd over de eerste acties en de beschrijving van hun essentie en opdracht: www.unitedsmile.nl. Een soort positieve guerrilla actie van ze 'gedichten gedachten' moet nu lopen.

Saturday, April 28, 2007

Bye 1072 Hamilton and Michael's horror life-movie

Took a day off from writing, since my wrist still plays up. Have been cleaning a little, since I will be moving tuesday and they want to show the place to some other renters tomorrow. Oops. Well, it almost looks presentable now. So from next tuesday I will not be living amongst the serenading fridges at 1072 Hamilton Street suite 303 anymore. Actually the biggest noise turned out to be a generator from the bar downstairs, that has been starting his disco up the last week. Time to move..
Took a walk to the swimming pool with Love Like Blood (Killing Joke) accompanying me. Great song. Always wonder why so little music can get to that intensity level. Goose bumps. Felt completely happy walking in the sun. Writing and music, writing about music. Could live like this. Practiced so hard in the pool that I felt like hamburgers and fries. Bought them from a nice Dutch lady that had moved here last year. She did not sound that happy about moving, but the burger was great. Regret it a little now, one hour later.

The eighties have brought us a lot of good music. Am almost through with the biography (unauthorized..) of Michael Jackson. Knew he was strange, to say the least. But that family just about beats everything I have read about other stars. I mean, past the mental and physical abuse his father used to 'discipline' his kids (he whipped and kicked them and he sometimes put a gun to their head and pulled the trigger, laughing through their terror, but he also kept a loaded Uzi under his bed). They were not allowed to see other kids. Michael must be schizophrenic at least, reading all the stories about his behaviour. It has been claimed he went through all his plastic surgery to erase any features connecting him to his father. But they still lived in one house until he was thirty, just like Janet and Latoya, who only married because she was afraid her parents would place her in a mental institution if she would just move out. And the rest of the family neglected to inform her that her Granny had died, just because she was the only one questioning if a run-down welfare home was the right choice for a grandmother of a bunch of millionaires. Many anecdotes, also about the way Michael invented his own PR: the stories about oxygen tanks and Elephant Man remains he wanted to buy, he thought up himself, and then made a deal with the Enquirer: they could publicize, but only if they would use the word 'bizarre' at least 3 times during the first three sentences.. Bizarre. But in the eighties, with all it's longing for heroes and legends, nobody questioned all the 'young friends' that stayed in his bedroom. Interesting, because the press already knew about it in 1985..

Friday, April 27, 2007

Goji incentives


Have been so busy typing on my theory part that I feel a slight pain in my wrist. Oops, have you heard the story of the aspired writer who got struck with RSI, the infamous mouse-illness (do they even know RSI in other countries than Holland..?).
But a succesful day, and I immediately treated myself to 3 books and 5 CD's. Was looking for Kraftwerk, but found another Bowie- and a Nine Inch Nails remix (and Salt'nPepa for sentimental reasons, "ooh-baby-baby"). For less than 7 euro's, who's complaining? I needed an incentive, because another plan fell through: a performance of LCD Soundsystem was sold out, just like Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. It's not easy keeping up with the hipsters.
In the papers today: 1 in 5 Canadians have Herpes Genitalis. No cure for that. More hope for the treatment of cancer: a berry (the fruit), named Goji, has been found in the Himalayas, China and Tibet. It looks like a cranberry, but has been labelled as "the most nutritionally dense food ever discovered on the planet". It contains all 8 amino acids essential for life, 21 minerals, including germanium (anti-cancer, rarely found in food), a complete spectrum of antioxydants and more protein than whole wheat. Eat a handful each day and you'll never be able to die. Would it grow in a pot on my roofterrace?
Enthusiasts can order their seeds at http://www.gojiberries.us/

Thursday, April 26, 2007

Dreaming of Scott Bowie?

Not done too much work today. Had a very strange night. Could hardly get to sleep and then had some sort of speedy dreams, very short, hectic periods.. Woke up about twenty times, remembering bits and pieces. I practically never remember a dream, so they must have been strong ones. One dream was interesting because I had it once before. The only thing I can still recollect is that it features an ex-colleague and a pencil sharpener and I know she should not accept it because it will kill her somehow. I try to save her frantically, but when I woke it didn’t feel like I succeeded. So please, all ex-colleagues, be careful with pencil sharpeners, especially when offered by strange men that may be after your life! Is it full moon out there or did I drink too much coffee? Dream analysis anyone?


Wrote a few lines, finishing a book about my favorite star: David Bowie. His albums were ahead of the times in both the seventies and the nineties, his peak periods. If we’re talking about artistic value, of course. His monetary value rocketed in his boring eighties.. Have been downloading a few Bowie remixes (one 10 minute remix of Bowie singing a Scott Walker song: Nite Flights. Two of my favorite singers. They should duet sometime). Eargasms. And have been searching for Orrin E. Klapp in the meantime, the professor of sociology that wrote down the theory that inspired my book. He’s probably dead, since he was born in 1914. But I cannot find a biography anywhere. I only found out he was still alive in 1992.. Have mailed his old university of San Diego. Hoping for some news..

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Hope for the planet?


1. In the Vancouver paper: they have discovered a planet with water. Everybody excited. I never get the egocentric idea behind the excitement: “if there is water there might be life..!”. Thinking out of the box as well as the earth, we might start to contemplate life forms that don’t need water..
2. Also in the paper: a Canadian professor was denied entrance to the USA, because he has experimented with LSD somewhere before 1974. He never got arrested for that though. How did they know at the border: they checked him on the net. Amazing but true: he once wrote about his LSD experiment on a site. Beware travelers.. This man will not be allowed into the States ever again for.. writing on the net, basically. Just to let you know: I don’t do drugs.
3. The better side of America is American Idols. They had a fund raiser tonight. Moving clips on the hunger in Africa. Great performances. Mostly. I’m not really into Josh Groban and Il Divo. But Earth Wind & Fire and Annie Lennox were nice (there is a good EWF tribute CD out, by the way, with Chaka Khan and Angie Stone). Amazing live performance of Celine Dion with.... Elvis Presley. 3D technology is really getting out of hand.. How many Americans will now strongly believe Elvis is truly alive and well and living in Vegas..? Slight comment: they raised 30 million until now. Didn’t we raise 200 million for Tsunami relieve in Holland alone two years ago? C’mon America, you can do better than that! Perhaps we can find a way to move water from the new planet to Africa?
4. Yes I have written bits on theory today. But they will not go onto this log. Too long, but you can always buy the book!
5. Rosie O’Donnel is leaving her daytime show. Have watched it a few times. Barbara Walters is also one of the hosts. Basically it’s four women commenting on the news. But well done, not in a Talpa sort of way, I mean. Rosie is funny and real. Tonight on the news I will hear why she’s leaving. She was a bit on the sharp side for America the last few days..

Tuesday, April 24, 2007

humongous fungus meal


News from the Vancouver Front Pages: a fossil that has been found 150 years ago cannot be a tree. There were no trees then: the fossil must be around 400 million years old (that's even before Dinosaurs). After genetic research, the conclusion was that it must be a humongous fungus. As the fossil was 20 feet long, we’re talking about a mushroom of just over 6 meters long here. "A 20-foot-fungus doesn't make any sense ... but here's the fossil," Kevin Boyce of the Chicago University said. The wonders of the old world..
The current world tries to get things smaller, so they last longer. Singer Sheryl Crow (mostly known in Holland for her nineties song “All I Wanna Do Is Have Some Fun”, but a superstar in America) has announced a plan to help save our planet: “I propose a limitation be put on how many squares of toilet paper can be used in any one sitting. Now, I don't want to rob any law-abiding American of his or her God-given rights, but I think we are an industrious enough people that we can make it work with only one square per restroom visit, except, of course, on those pesky occasions where 2 to 3 could be required.”
She has announced today it was a joke (http://www.sherylcrow.com/news.aspx?nid=7813). But she made the papers.. Has anybody been reading about these important news items in Holland?
I am still wondering about the mushroom. Even more so after reading about still existing fungi: Crystal Falls is "Home of the Humungous Fungus", perhaps the world's largest and oldest living organism.  It covers 38 acres beneath an Iron County forest near the Wisconsin border.  It is believed to be 1,500 to 10,000 years old and weigh about 100 tons - about the same as an adult blue whale. Can we still call it a vegetarian meal if we bake that?

Monday, April 23, 2007

Icehockey is like religion, so Elly and Rikkert fit in


Alone again.. Marcel is somewhere in the air tonight and I will have to try and tune into writing again. Tonight that's difficult (a bit melancholy/missing, yep I am able to miss someone) and parties on every streetcorner: the Canucks have made it to the second level of the play offs. Who cares? Just about the whole of Vancouver. They are hooting their way through traffic tonight out of sheer delight. We're talking Ice Hockey here. Not soccer, of course. Somebody told me one of the reasons for not buying small cars here is that Ice hockey material does NOT fit into a Smart car. Sounds reasonable. I just can't picture men getting out of a Smart and into the heavy protection gear they need to survive the terrorism on ice that basically makes up ice hockey. It would change the game from deadly serious to ironic, I think. They're not ready for that. I can tell. Keep it big and serious, boys!

Anyway we went to Derek de Lint's favorite restaurant in Vancouver (Rodney's Oyster House) for a second time, to have our farewell lunch. We liked the Stellar Bay oysters the best.
But now the good times are over and work is waiting. Have even installed new software so I can finally look at some videos on the Dutch VPRO website, where they have such favorite programs on sixties, seventies and eighties phenomena. Have watched an item on Elly and Rikkert. Two hippies who sang Dutch folksongs at the end of the sixties, before starting a commune which disintegrated during the seventies (another example of 'sixties freedom' turning sour in the seventies). Elly and Rikkert followed the stream of time and fell into Jesus in 1975, singing gospelfolk for the Dutch Evangelical Broadcasters. Reminded me to also look into Lucas and Jenny Goeree, two radical evangelists from the eighties. One lead leads to another.

Sunday, April 22, 2007

From oysters to Bette Midler, seems natural?


Tomorrow Marcel is leaving, so we're on an oyster craze, the last days. Yesterday we had an amazing dinner at Omakase, a tip from my hairstylist (well, she cut my hair)..10 small courses, as is fashionable in better restaurants these days. And tricks like searing mackerell live at our table work well. Amazing staff, bursting into a sort of yell everytime some party arrived or left. They looked like they still loved their job. And we loved eating there.
Today we made our choice out of 21 varieties of oysters at Joe's. How many different oysters would there be? I can remember being shocked when someone told me there were over 30 different types of strawberries. In the average Dutch supermarket you just find one. Strawberries are strawberries seems to be the Ahold view on things. After eating bags full of at least six different types of strawberries at Edith's organic farm in Belgium, the average strawberry doesn't do much any more for me. Will the same now happen with oysters?
In the meantime I have done a little work to get into the mood again. Next week I will dive into theory, now I have done some work on the clothing styles of the sixties and more for fun than anything else, have read the biography of Bette Midler.
One of the wild freedom acts of the seventies, turned family entertainment in the eighties. Of course Live At Last was her killer-album for me. I can still remember seeing her live show on Dutch television. Must have been 1976. I did not get most of the steamy jokes, but I was an immediate fan. Even though our television set was turned off halfway through (unfortunately parents did try and exert some control over teenage viewings then..), I was wearing three badges with her image the next day at school (badges were all the rage back then). After my older brother visited a friend in America, he brought back the double live album, and I tricked him into donating that to me. Still one of my favorite listening experiences. It is incredible that one person can switch from emotionally moving, tearinducing ballads to sexual innuendo and banal jokes within five minutes.
Must say I also enjoyed her family entertainment movies like Ruthless People and Down And Out in Beverly Hills.. Great fun, though her lifestory has not been all Roses..

Saturday, April 21, 2007

The romance of a jacuzzi

What is it with Jacuzzis? We had a private one in our B&B. Looked at it and each other for two days (nod nod, wink wink): “we have to get in there at least once”. And so, the last evening, we got a ‘bath ball’ at Lush (the innovative Canadian company with all the soap displayed like groceries and sweets: www.lush.ca) and decided to step into the fun. Took about half an hour to fill up the bath, and then the water was too hot to get in. After ten more minutes of adding cold water, we endorsed ourselves in the total romantic package: bath ball, candles, music, each other.
And were out of there ten minutes later. Just can’t find the romance in it.. It’s to hot to even think about sex, so you just sit there, sweating, getting more and more red in the face, trying to keep up the romantic pretense as long as possible. Even the water jets were disappointingly weak. Marcel, always the more romantic type, even quit before me. Your skin dries out in the water and you have to take a shower to get rid of the soap (and the awful smell of the bath ball). Is it a male thing? Can only women enjoy the process of sitting in a bath? Are men to result oriented to indulge in the romance? I have the most beautiful bath at home, but I must admit my average yearly usage of it does not rise above 0,75.
I’d rather do a great B&B breakfast any time than a Jacuzzi. Had great conversations with complete strangers that always turn out to be much nicer than you would expect. We discussed cultural differences (always my hobby horse) with Israelis, Americans and Canadians. And left almost sorry for not having more time to spend. Would that be an idea for a better world? Just having people meet over breakfast for an hour and talk about the pleasant side of life?
Only if the conversation between people goes stale, we will then put them in a Jacuzzi together. That’s one positive point: a hot bath will drain every macho’s energy.

Thursday, April 19, 2007

NO Orcas today, they all have gone away..



No Orcas today. Took a Zodiac out to sea, because rumour had it the Orcas were back. But not today. Nice trip though, I love boats and being on the water. Our guide was one of those guys you immediately associate with guides on zodiacs.. There seems to be a personality that fits every guiding job all over the world: joke here, story there, little goatee. Funny. Reminded us of all the guides we had during our trip through New Zealand. As we were musing about that, this guy told us he was from NZ... Saw a lot of sealions even one that had just caught a huge fish and was throwing it up into the air and tearing bits off. Had to console Marcel, he was very intent on seeing Orcas. Better luck next time. Had a nice birthday yesterday, after the champagne, flowers and chocolates I ordered had arrived. Already slightly swaggering we went for diner in a nice bistro in the neighbourhood the owners of our B&B had booked for us. And we bought a lot of books. Loads of second hand bookstores in Victoria. Which is, we must conclude, a pretty, healthy but rather boring city. After you've walked along the harbour and taken your boat trip and had something to eat on one of the small patios, there really isn't that much to do. But our B&B is beautiful. One of the owners is an artist and he makes huge ceramics. Marcel immediately compared them to the cakes the famous Dutch Siemon de Jong makes in his shop 'De Taart van Mijn Tante' (the Tart of my Aunt). He was right, they had something campy and cakelike. But don't know whether Fernando, the artist/owner liked his comments (the piece Marcel was comparing to a cake had a pricetag of 6000 dollars). It is a nice piece of work. Tomorrow back to Vancouver and back to work. Will work harder on the theory behind my book, not only on the little pieces on culture that illustrate the main theme..

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

from Orca to ABN AMRO, all of nature is acting strange


Yesterday, during a great lunch at PointNoPoint, we got shocking news: this year, it seems the Orcas are NOT returning from San Francisco! There is more salmon there, it was mentioned. Another example of nature changing, I guess? But very unfair. Yesterday I wrote about this beautiful place and how it would be great living here as Orca. Now they have emigrated! And to America, of all countries. Don't they know there that each Orca might be involved in terrorist activities? Has anyone checked their visa? And you there, Orcas: Spoiled brats! Get back here now! Marcel traveled all the way from Holland to look at you! We want our Orca and we want it now!

Well other 'natural' things are getting out of hand too, I read on the net. A group of people wanting to 'save' the HEMA, by collectively buying stock. What a creative idea, and such a sign of the times! Can I still join? We're in a closing mindframe right now in the Netherlands, trying to keep things as they are and having more collective identity. Buying the HEMA together would fit perfectly. But unfortunately it will probably go wrong, not reaching the level of collective action. A little more pressure is needed to get the Dutch 'sheep' crossing the line of action. If I were an advertising agency, though, I would offer my resources. Guaranteed PR value, the story of a country fighting for it's collective symbols. It would be a worldwide revolution..

And now also the ABN AMRO... The thought of the biggest bank of Holland being sold (imaginable) or even being split up between three banks (unimaginable!). Even for me, this reaches a point where I feel threatened a little. I am closing too, finding this sort of opportunistic economic ruling out of bounds. And probably it will all end in tears in a few years.

Well, no tears here today. Weather's not too bad, driving down to Victoria today where we will celebrate Marcel's birthday tomorrow. Were planning on taking an Orca trip, have to find something else to do now..!

Monday, April 16, 2007

Perfection inbetween





Found the most amazing B&B at the shore of Sooke, Vancouver Island. Two balconies, private beach, and still affordable.. (www.eaglecove.ca). Perfect view on the ocean and even some snow covered mountains in the distance: Mount Washington, USA. Total perfection. We told the owner so, but she looked a bit shy. Now we know why: after the perfect day yesterday, this morning it's rain rain rain again. Never mind, ultimate perfection would perhaps be too much. But this is one great place to stay. Perhaps I should move here to write..?
Yesterday was perfect in every sense. If I were an Orca, and New Zealand would be a bit too far for swimming, I wouldn't mind living here. We took the slow ferry from Galiano, first to Mayne and Pender, finally arriving at Vancouver Island. What a great trip. Total happiness for me seems to be being on a boat between beautiful islands, mountains everywhere, some filled with trees, others with snow caps. Being underway on a boat, it's a sort of dreamstate, where you can really be in the moment. Nothing to do but enjoy the sights, the serenity of water and mountains. For me it's sort of positive melancholy, a longing for perfection. Emotionally and visually totally perfect. Could go on, but would have to think of the right decription to make the pictures come alive. Perhaps in a novel, some time in the future. But that was one great morning.
While writing I notice the rain is withdrawing a little. Good! We will enjoy some more sights today.

Sunday, April 15, 2007

Galiano Island




The Serenity (left) with ocean view and the ferry (right)

A few days later.. No internet for two days and barely any phone connection. Even had two try a couple of times before I could get a short connection to congratulate my brother Rob on his birthday. But Nice! Very laid-back.. We made the ferry (about an hour early, thanks to Marcel..) and it took us to Galiano. Lovely island. The Serenity lodge was left to temporary caretakers so even Marcel could be persuaded to drink tea with them. "If it had been tree-huggers I would have left the tea ceremony to you" he said. Well well. Our cottage was great. Lovely room, high ceilings with a lot of glass looking out over the ocean. There were teddybears everywhere, and no, Anke that's not a selling point for a man my age. (But little travel bear liked the company.)
Next day was full of rain. We just stayed in the big bed or behind the computer. Did some work on the Dutch 'action Tomato' in the sixties (throwing tomatoes at oldfashioned plays on stage) and on Rob De Nijs. The famous singer had his first hitsingle in 1963 and immediately was Holland's favorite. But three years later, he was boo-ed at concerts and teenagers shouted behind him: "Hey, fool, we hate your slimy songs..!!" Another victim of a suddenly changing cultural climate.
Did some driving around the next day, suddenly beautiful weather..



Marcel in front of the Serenity lodge and travel bear enjoying himself on the beach.

Walked up to some beaches, very quiet, very laid-back. The total population arresting at 1100 people, they still love the multicultural society here. And so we had diner with a Thai lady having her own shop on the little island the first night, went over to a fine French cuisine restaurant the following night (where Huguette, with heavy French accent, ruled tables and kitchen). Great diner. And the last night we ate at an Indonesian 'cantine' where a woman from Indonesia with a heavy German accent (she had lived there in her youth) served both Indonesian food and hamburgers. Canadians are fun, friendly and open. More later.

Thursday, April 12, 2007

waiting a quickie

It's before 7.00 AM and I'm waiting. Anyone in a relationship with a neurotic early leaver will understand what I'm going through. It's my own fault. Forgot to check the alarm clock. Usually I try to push it bak half an hour or 40 minutes, without him knowing. Now, I'm waiting.. After almost ten years, you get to know each other. I am more of a neurotic latecomer. And that doesn't help. The stories how I ran for life through airports. But I never missed a plane! Nice stories though, can tell you a trick on keeping a flight to London on the ground for half an hour while you're getting an emergency passport.
Well, we'll be leaving on time now. See if we will make the ferry, after waiting at the car rental agency until it opens at eight...

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

serenity after panic

Had a small moment of panic after returning from lunch at the Vancouver Public Library: my books gone.. But they have the most friendly staff there in the world, be it a little too overanxious in cleaning out working booths. Even one of my own books was gone. But a very friendly man ran downstairs, came up with my book while another searched the whole library for two others and found them, packed already in a box destined to be FedEx'd to the library branch they came from when I ordered them.. MY, they are efficient! Cleaning the booth out, checking the books out and packing them into boxes within an hour!
And then going through all the trouble getting them back for me. Love the people at the VPL!

Marcel and I booked a hotel on the Gulf Islands. Check it out; we love the view. And hey, it was open in April. Don't know if Marcel will love the atmosphere, being more level headed than me. Perhaps we'll start the day greeting the sun and doing some yoga, before doing a healing session? We'll see. Go see for youself: www.serenitybythesea.com/accomm.html. So we'll be on the Galiano island a few days before hitting Victoria to celebrate Marcel's birthday.
If we get to the ferry in time, that is. Seems to be leaving only once a day, at 10.00 AM.
Staying for a week. My last holiday. After that it's work work work.

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Eating match lost already..??

There are two restaurants fighting for the honor of being the best restaurant in Vancouver. Since I got a diner at West Restaurant as a gift from my old colleagues at PPGH, we will eat there the 21st. Let the games begin!, we thought. So tonight, we went over to West Broadway and had diner at La Lumiere, voted best restaurant in 2006: "a diner here will surely be the eating experience of a lifetime". And now I'm beginning to wonder about the sort of life they're living here.. Let's suffice to say that La Lumiere failed to really score and so West should have an easy job next week.
The signature menu looked promising enough:
1. la salade de homard: lobster salsa with olive oil sorbet and nicoise olive salpicon
2. l’émincé de noix de saint-jacques et le travers de boeuf effiloché: scallop carpaccio and braised shortribs with a truffle red wine jus
3. le riz arborio crémeux au saffran: creamy saffron arborio rice, bay scallop, shrimp, lobster and calamari with a shellfish émulsion
4. le consommé de queue de boeuf: oxtail consommé with oxtail pressé, black summer truffle and horseradish oil
5. le filet mignon de porc: berkshire pork tenderloin with apple and parsnip purée agnolotti
6. le duo d’agneau: duo of lamb tenderloin and lamb shank with quinoa grain and lamb jus
7. la terrine aux agrumes: citrus terrine with lemongrass & ginger jelly with blood orange coulis
8. le carpaccio d’ananas: pineapple carpaccio with mango & ginger frozen yogurt
9. le chausson de rhubarbe rôtie: roasted rhubarb turnover with rose petal parfait, strawberry & rose confiture
finished by les migniardises

Everything was well done. Not much was special. Nothing wild, nothing explosive. My palates just dozed off.. Low risc and solid. Not special enough to hide behind 'subtle'. Basically, only two courses were truly satisfying. But we enjoyed the amuse! We got a very good creme brulee of foie gras. They should put that on the card right away. Smooth, creamy, intensely subtile. Very good. And we loved the main, lamb on a bed of Eggplant caviar. But in the end, we felt hurried when the sweets were presented in a running fashion, it seems. Perhaps they suddenly came to the conclusion they were not good enough to focus on anyway? Well, what can one say? Hugely overrated? They have a low threshold for quality in Vancouver? We picked the wrong menu? The wrong night? Have had so many better diners in other cities, in other countries.

Any way, we paid far too much for a nothing more than a vaguely satisfying meal. West must be able to do better than this!
Lumiere means light.. For the moment might we suggest Claire-Obscure..? Fits this menu better.

Monday, April 9, 2007

Bowie sickness..



A bit of an off day today. Woke up sweatty with head- and stomach pains. All day drowsiness, hope it's not the flu after all. Have been flu-free for years and want to keep it that way. So strangely enough I hope it's something I ate yesterday. Have been doing some reading on Bowie and some writing on the theory part of my book, in between dozing off. Bowie is, much more and deeper so than the later Madonna, able to transform spirit of the times into song. In his biography someone put it like this:

'Bowie’s unique ability is to distil an essential ‘now-ness’; to provide us with the quintessence of what it’s like to live through one particular period. This has always given his work not so much the aura of prophecy, rather a sort of surrealist diary-maker’s take on existence. Where other pop writers (Dylan, Lou Reed, Neil Young, Elvis Costello) capture the present primarily through language, Bowie summons it up rather more abstractly with images, textures, feelings.'

That's why I've always loved his work. He's a typical hero for someone growing up in the seventies: always adding new layers to his personality and growing without letting his identity override everything he does, like the Springsteens and the 'emotional' singer songwriters like Jeff Buckley do. That's what kept him so long in the race, as another writer commented:

‘when Elvis was doing an imitation, he was doing an imitation of himself. Bowie isn’t doing an imitation of himself because it’s not clear who Bowie is, and that’s the big difference. Bowie couldn’t ... slip into self parody, because there was never an authentic original to parody in the first place.'



Well, perhaps only his 'face' in the superstar era of the 80s has cost him points. Too long he played the shrewd business Bowie, so that people came to believe that was his true identity. Shame, because some of his albums from the nineties are among his best.

Marcel and I will take a short holiday to the Gulf Islands this week, so not sure if there will be many posts. Will I have a connection? We'll see. Anyway, that will be between Thursday and Friday next week.

Saturday, April 7, 2007

Mies wat maak je me nou?


Have been in the library a few hours while Marcel went shopping. Took one of the many books (fifteen or so) he brought from Holland and dived into a very Dutch fenomenon: the uproar a TV show in 1964 created. All hell broke loose over a comical sketch in which TV addiction was ridiculed by presenting it as the new religion. Hardly offending nowadays, but in the closed mentality of the early sixties, it was enough to ignite a fire of unbelievable proportions. That's what you get if you 'open up' to early, one might comment. Two years later, exploration broke loose. But perhaps sensing the change in the air already, large groups of people hit the brakes and were even threatening to kill one of the presenters, Mies Bouwman. Which is interesting in itself because not even a year before all this hassle she acquired near-saint status after presenting a 24 hours charity show. In closed timeframes, one cannot be both good and bad. So half of the population simply denied she was responsible (a wide spread rumour had it she had protested vehemently against the sketch) and the other half wanted her burned as a witch.
Wrote a quick draft. See below. Always good to share.

Zo is het toevallig ook nog eens een keer..


Begin jaren zestig ontdekt Mies Bouwman in Engeland (in Nederland naar de BBC kijken was nog geen optie) 'That Was The Week That Was', een satirisch televisieprogramma waar ze zo enthousiast over raakt dat ze voor de AVRO een Nederlandse versie wil maken.
De AVRO vraagt Mies echter eerst om de televisieactie 'Open het dorp' te presenteren, waarin geld wordt ingezameld voor een speciaal voor gehandicapten te bouwen dorp bij Arnhem. Het programma groeit uit tot een 24-uurs televisiespektakel. In die jaren is er enorme behoefte aan bekrachtiging en ankering: een ordelijk wereldbeeld, integere helden met breed gezag en vooral ook veel gedeelde ervaringen. Mies richt zich tot geheel Nederland met haar ‘lieve, lieve mensen’ en laat ons weer even voelen dat we samen sterk zijn, een geweldig geefrecord vestigen en een mooi ideaal werkelijkheid maken: “een grote familie.. we hadden elkaar weer gevonden. Er werd een dorp geopend. En dat dorp heette Nederland.” (W. L. Brugsma). Mies Bouwman wordt direct na het programma heilig verklaard door de kijkers en de media; een icoon van warme integriteit.
Ook andere programmamakers ontdekken ondertussen het programma 'That Was The Week'. Herman Wigbold, eindredacteur van VARA's 'Achter het Nieuws', zoekt contact met Mies Bouwman en al snel beginnen de plannen een concrete vorm te krijgen. Rinus Ferdinandusse, Jan Blokker en Dimitri Frenkel Frank worden benaderd voor het schrijven van teksten. Samen met o.a. Yoka Berretty en Gerard van het Reve voeren zij de sketches uit. Fractievoorzitter van de PvdA en voorzitter van de VARA J. Burger: "we krijgen er vast moeilijkheden mee maar we moeten het maar proberen." Op 9 november 1963 verschijnt de eerste aflevering van 'Zo is het toevallig ook nog eens een keer' op de buis.

De VARA voorzitter krijgt al snel meer gelijk dan hij ooit had kunnen bedenken. De derde uitzending, op zaterdag 4 januari 1964, zet het land volledig op zijn kop. Peter Lohr leest dan een tekst voor waarin hij de televisieverslaving in bijbelse bewoordingen hekelt:"Geef ons heden ons dagelijks programma. Wees met ons, o beeld, want we weten niet wat we zonder u zouden moeten doen".
De tekst wordt bekend onder de naam ‘Beeldreligie’ en zorgt binnen twee dagen voor een nationale rel van ongekende omvang. Alle media, de politiek, maar vooral ook de rest van Nederland, bemoeit zich met de rel. In 1964 is er nog maar één televisienet en iedereen die kijkt, spreekt de volgende dag over het programma. Minister president Marijnen geeft al op zondag een verklaring uit waarin hij zegt dat verantwoordelijke minister Bot maatregelen overweegt om herhaling te voorkomen. Maandag na de uitzending opent De Telegraaf de publieke aanval: ‘het wordt nu tijd dat de VARA zich heel duidelijk realiseert, dat het Nederlandse publiek niet gediend is van schimpscheuten op het koninklijk huis, en nog minder van godslastering’. Waarna de namen van alle medewerkers genoemd worden. Het regent ingezonden brieven, de een nog feller dan de ander. Eén van de (anonieme) brieven begint zelfs met "lelijke vuile jodin ...de Duitsers hebben er toch nog een vergeten". Opvallend vaak wordt er in ‘wij-zij’ termen gesproken (altijd een duidelijke uiting van de behoefte aan ordening en overzicht): joden, heidenen, hoeren, ‘een troep homofielen’, communisten, de termen vliegen de de makers om de oren, om ze duidelijk te maken dat ze zich ‘buiten de Nederlandse maatschappij plaatsen’ met dit optreden. De gelederen worden gesloten. Van alle kanten wordt gesmeekt om ‘strenge maatregelen’ van ‘hogerhand’ (“is er dan helemaal geen censuur?” uit een ingezonden brievenschrijver zijn gemoed), de VARA moet worden beknot in zijn zendtijd, Justitie moet ingrijpen, de booswichten moeten voor de rechter gedaagd worden. In Pays Bah, een ‘polemische beschrijving’ van het gebeurde (redactie o.a. Harry Mulisch), trekt Han Lammers de volgende conclusie: ‘uit de reacties werd duidelijk dat er een bijzonder virulente en rancuneuze ergernis was gegroeid tegen het ‘andere’, het van de maatschappelijke mores afwijkende..’. Daarmee beschrijft hij treffend de tijdgeest die bij een gesloten periode hoort: hunkering naar gezag en vermijding van nieuwe impulsen. ‘Zo is het..’ is zijn tijd misschien een beetje te ver vooruit.

De programmamakers krijgen, met dank aan de Telegraaf, zelf veel dreigbrieven en telefoontjes. Er zijn aanwijzingen dat het oudste kind van Mies Bouwman ontvoerd zal worden. Dat vooral Bouwman slachtoffer wordt van bedreigingen is wel te begrijpen. Ze is tenslotte nog steeds de aardige, heilige Mies van 'Open het Dorp', die staat voor alles wat goed is aan Nederland: “dat dit kan gebeuren onder eindredactie van een katholiek, met medewerking van Mies Bouwman, die ooit het symbool van de naastenliefde was...het is onbegrijpelijk’, schrijft een dagblad. In een gesloten tijdgeest wordt inconsistent gedrag niet gewaardeerd. Iemand is ofwel ‘goed’ ofwel ‘slecht’. Naast de enorme agressie komt er daarom ook al vrij snel een gerucht in de wereld dat Mies zich enorm verzet zou hebben tegen het gewraakte onderdeel van het programma. De ene helft probeert haar heiligenstatus te handhaven, de andere helft haar als heks te verbranden. Alleen zo kan men de rust en de status quo voor zichzelf handhaven.
Mies Bouwman houdt het na nog een vierde uitzending voor gezien, omdat de bedreigingen haar te veel worden. Ze is daarmee het slachtoffer van twee botsende tendenzen. Er is een langzaam aanzwellende ondertoon van vernieuwing en exploratie, maar als icoon van de bovenliggende tijdgeest van orde en ankering kan Mies daar geen invulling aan geven. In 1964 wordt nog hard op de rem getrapt. Nederland is niet toe aan een villeine heilige Mies en exploraties die de orde en de rust verstoren.
Ook het programma zelf haalt de omslag in de tijdgeest niet meer, hoewel het er zeker aan bijgedragen heeft. In het derde seizoen, waarin de latere staatssecretaris Aad Kosto vieze woorden uitspreekt ("ik was de eerste in Nederland die het woord neuken op de televisie uitsprak"), valt het doek nadat de VARA-leiding een sketch over de gebeurtenissen rondom het huwelijk van Beatrix en Claus uit het programma wil hebben. De makers kunnen daar niet in mee gaan.
En Mies Bouwman presenteerde de rest van de jaren zestig een degelijk, maar vooral ook ‘gezellig’ interview programma, waarin slechts sporadisch een exploratieve toon aangeslagen werd.

Friday, April 6, 2007

walking around, disco and low


Took another day off because it's Good Friday and the Library is closed. So all the time in the world to collect my iWork and walk around another part of the city with Marcel, who always likes a walk around town. Did some second hand bookstores untill I was slowly but surely dragged outside by Marcel (only three books! But he was right, the weather was far too good to stay in shops for that long. Will go back when M's gone.. Walked around Kitsilano, see pic of downtown Vancouver from the Kits-beachfront.

One of the new books is about the disco era. Already browsed through a few pages. If you can make a job out of your hobby.. The book's got a small catalogue in the back. Home again I immediately downloaded some oldies from Emusic (www.emusic.com). Very good download site, loads of old soul and disco, and cheap. No need for illegal downloads with this kind of site. A few songs by lesser known disco divas Frances Nero (best known for 'Footsteps Following Me', but did a great record for Motown already in the sixties), Claudja Barry, Barbara Mason, Linda Clifford and long versions of the very camp Silver Convention (Fly Robin Fly was a big hit just like Get Up And Boogie and Save Me). Very German, but very disco too.

Tomorrow I will go to the Library for a few hours of work. Have read a great small book on Low, one of the many outstanding David Bowie records. Amazing to read about one of your favorite albums and getting whole new insights into the life of your hero. He really was far out there, during that period (1975-1976). Hilarious reading stuff, but will write more about that soon. Let me just quote Bowie on the album (Station To Station) he made in LA, before he escaped to Europe (France and later Berlin) to record Low. STS was made in a total coke psychosis in which Bowie even hired an exorcist for his swimming pool because actor Peter Sellers had warned him of the occult danger of 'dark stains' at the bottom of swimming pools. Anyway, he was so out of it, he later claimed "I know Station To Station was recorded in Los Angeles, because I read it was."
More on Low later. And good that I finally learned how Bowie created those revolutionary drum parts on side A of Low.

Thursday, April 5, 2007

Marcel has arrived.



Marcel has safely arrived and we walked around town today (me feeling the slightest bit guilty for taking 'a day off'..). Good he's here. Makes me work a little on my conversation abilities. We did a little shopping in Chinatown, which is rather difficult, because even here they refuse to put English signs next to the strangest of produce. Would like to try a few things, but hey: is it fruit, fish or fermented meat? Moved away from the dried squid (a form easily detectable). Did not look very appealing. Nice fruit selection, though.
Marcel, of course, wanted to stop by his favorite shop (Winners). And I got just a little moody after it seemed impossible to get a version of iWorks, the text software you have to buy separately from your Mac. My free trial period is almost over.. But they don't have it in stock. So you sell me the computer and you don't have the software? Interesting. 'but you can order easily online..' 'Hello Apple, what can we do for you today?' I want to order iWorks.. 'Sorry but we can't take orders if the billing address is outside of Canada..'
Yep, it's that easy. But in the end I found a store somewhere in Vancouver that's keeping one for me. Pffew. Imagine not being able to work because of software problems.
Tonight Marcel is cooking a great diner: salmon with spinach and green asparagus with lemon and ginger. Sounds good. Life's good. See if I can do some writing while he cooks...

Tuesday, April 3, 2007

raining cats and dogs in my bag


A few trivia. To not always write about my book. Had diner in a great place. Forgot the name, but will go there again, for sure. Yesterday I ate in the worst place in town, I guess. Ordered beef with noodles. Everytime I brought my head down and tried to get some noodles in my mouth, trying invain to seperate a string from the clinging mess in my bowl with my chopsticks, grease dripping from my chin, I smelled something faintly chlorine. First I thought it was the stuff that should have been beef, but consisted of slimy pieces of fat with some hard brown bits in it from some indiscriminate lower lifeform, judging from the taste of it. No beef to be found.. But the smell came from both the bowl and the table. Strong detergent, I suppose. Probably they clean their bowls with the same cloth they use for the tables. Have comforted myself with a big slice of banana-chocolatebread with my medium cappuchino afterwards.

But today had a fantastic cup of Borscht with cornbread and a ginger/orange chicken sandwich. Yummie. While reading the newspaper (what else to do?) I came across the following facts:

1. March was the wettest ever in large parts of Canada. Luckily it just didn't make it to the top spot in Vancouver city.
2. A ban is considered in Vancouver on plastic bags. I can understand the revolution that would be. Even with four items I get three bags in the local supermarket. The article mentioned that in Ireland the amount of plastic bags dropped by 90% after people had to pay 25 cents for each bag.
3. There is a petfood scare running through the country. Several cats and dogs have died of strange kidney failures. Owners cry on television. The source has now been traced to some Chinese factory, where a plastic derivate, Melamine, was found to have contaminated the pet food. Makes one wonder what is in all the other produce we gladly import, because it's so cheap (you won't believe what I paid for it! Only 2 dollars and a kidney!).
4. Several people complain about the time it takes to renew your Canadian passport. Cynical Dutch: listen and shiver!
One woman was told that producing her new passport would take one month. When she asked about it a few weeks later, she was told that the waiting time had risen to 45 days. When she asked some time later, she was informed that she hadn't understood correctly: what they meant was 45 working days. Which amounts to 63 days. After two months, she was told that the waiting period was now actually 85 days. She did not dare ask working days or calendar days anymore and cancelled her holidays, planned for April third.

That was the news that was. Tuesday, april 3.

Monday, April 2, 2007

Movies, Wonderfull



Been diving into the movies of the sixties and seventies. The beginning of the sixties gave us epic dramas like Cleopatra, Lawrence of Arabia and Spartacus. And the sweet 'sing with me, everyone, it's all going to be alright' atmosphere of The Sound Of Music (1965), the bestselling movie of the decade. Perhaps you can guess why a 'sing-a-long' rerun of this movie is such a huge success again.
Then the big change of 1966-1972 (think Barbarella, or Woodstock, for instance) followed by the insecurities of the seventies with all its paranoia horrormovies and realistic portrayals of struggling individuals against corrupt or inefficient systems (But I already spoke about them in another blog). Will take a while to write a piece on a diverse subject like movies, but patterns are already visible.


And have written a first draft on some Stevie Wonder stuff, perhaps I will post it, see the entry below if I find it publishable tonight..

Have to think hard if I miss anything from Holland, since Marcel will be on a plane within 36 hours. Can't think of anything, but I am sure some items will pop up when I am waiting for him at the airport. Well, they won't be that important, then. I Hope.
Anyway, will do some more sightseeing when he's arrived. Perhaps limit the work to mornings..

5 Wonderfull years in the seventies

Stevie Wonder, geboren op 13 mei 1950, komt als klein jongetje aanlopen bij Motown en gaat er niet meer weg. Als 12 jarige heeft hij zijn eerste nummer 1 hit al te pakken, met het instrumentale ‘Fingertips Part 2’. Het lijkt even alsof het ‘kleine, blinde negerjongetje’ een eendagsvlieg zal blijken te zijn, maar eind jaren zestig heeft hij opnieuw een aantal hits, met zoete nummers als My Cherie Amour, I Was Made To Love Her en Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day. De successen verhullen echter niet dat Stevie in de vaart van alle maatschappelijke en artistieke vernieuwing wegzakt.

Na de ‘bevrijdingsbeweging’ tussen 1966 en 1972 (met de groepsmentaliteit van de hippies en hun ‘love-ins’), komt de tijdgeest steeds meer in het teken te staan van een individuele zoektocht naar vrijheid. Met een bloem in je haar naar San Francisco of een commune in Brabant afreizen blijkt begin jaren 70 ook de oplossing niet. Iedereen moet zijn eigen individuele tocht afleggen. En dat is makkelijker gezegd dan gedaan in een wereld die nog helemaal niet gewend is aan individualiteit. Er moet heel wat existentiële twijfel verwerkt worden. Sociale structuren verdwijnen in rap tempo en veel huwelijken worden ontbonden omdat de ontwikkelingsrichting van beide sexen niet meer gelijk loopt. Daar komt nog bij dat men begin jaren zeventig wordt geconfronteerd met de nadelen van een lossere maatschappelijke orde: corruptie bij overheid en bedrijfsleven (Watergate), botsende belangen van commerciële groei en ecosysteem (rapport van de Club van Rome, 1972) en criminaliteit (ook dieven maken het beste van de afgenomen normen en waarden).

Binnen deze onzekere tijdgeest, die van 1972 loopt tot aan 1977, maakt Wonder maar liefst 5 langspeelplaten. Wanneer hij, eenmaal 21, de kans krijgt, neemt hij direct het heft in eigen handen. Hij elimineert de typische ‘Motown-sound’, de kunstmatige echo waarmee het gevoel van een grote zaal wordt nagebootst en plaatst juist zijn stem op de voorgrond. Hiermee lijkt Stevie je persoonlijk toe te zingen en krijgt zijn muziek de suggestie van intimiteit, die veel beter past bij zijn steeds emotionelere teksten. Wonder wordt daarmee een icoon van de tijdgeest van begin jaren zeventig: persoonlijke reflectie, zonder schroom op de plaat gezet en maatschappelijk bewustzijn, verwoord in sociaal bewogen songs over het ghetto en de noodzaak tot zelfverbetering.

Aan Music of My Mind (1972) moet het publiek nog wel wennen. De artiest die ‘Little’ Stevie Wonder genoemd werd, kreunt over pure lustgevoelens in Sweet Little Girl: ‘we ain’t made love in so long’ en weet in hetzelfde nummer de regel ‘don’t make me get mad and act like a nigger’ uit zijn keel te krijgen. Keep On Running is zelfs te zien als een voorbode van het latere hip-hop machodom, met Stevie in de huid van een zingende stalker: ‘keep on running, running from my love, gonna jump out of the bushes and grab you, yeah’. De harde funk is duidelijk geïnspireerd door het werk van Sly Stone en maakt één ding duidelijk: Grown Up Stevie is op zoek naar een nieuw zelf, dat in niets meer raakt aan zijn liefelijke jaren-60 personage.
Vanaf Talking Book (uitgebracht in oktober 1972), heeft hij zijn succesformule gevonden: een man die zijn waarachtige gevoelens uitspreekt. Dat klinkt nu vanzelfsprekend, in die tijd zijn persoonlijke emotionele uitbarstingen echter nog nieuw (ook Carole King is een sensatie met een vrouwelijke variant). In een CD heruitgave stelt Wonder het zelf heel eenvoudig: ‘here is my music. It is all I have to tell you how I feel.’ De liedjes volgen het ritme van de liefde. Van vervoering (You Are The Sunshine Of My Life) via achterdocht en afwijzing tot bedrogen worden (Maybe Your Baby) tot de hoop op nieuwe liefde aan toe (Looking For Another Pure Love). Zijn zoektocht wordt aangevuld met twee beschouwingen over maatschappelijke issues: bijgeloof in Superstition en zwendelende politici in Big Brother.

Innervisions (1973) weerspiegelt het thema van maatschappelijke verwarring nog krachtiger en vormt in die zin bijna een vervolg op Marvin Gaye’s meesterwerk What’s Going On (1970). In Too High verspeelt een vrouw de kans op succes vanwege een drugsverslaving en aan het eind van het lied is ze overleden. De onderliggende boodschap is duidelijk: ‘het is nog niet te laat, mits..’ We kunnen onze snel uiteenvallende wereld redden, maar dan moeten we snel zijn: ‘if we don’t change, the world will soon be over.. stop giving just enough for the city’.
De tijdgeest wordt nog gedomineerd door een open mentaliteit, gericht op exploratie. Alleen zoekt ook Stevie naar (vrijwillige) inperking om de sociale samenhang te herstellen en de daarvoor noodzakelijke spiritualiteit. ‘Keep on trying until you reach the highest ground’, zingt hij in de hit Higher Ground. Steun is te vinden bij zowel Jesus als bij Transcendente Meditatie, een in de zoekende sfeer van die jaren passende combinatie (Jesus Children of America). In ‘Don’t You Worry ‘Bout A Thing’ zingt Stevie zijn verbroken relatie het allerbeste toe en moedigt hij haar aan een nieuwe liefde te zoeken. Want iedereen heeft immers zijn eigen pad te belopen. De plaat eindigt weer met een maatschappelijke noot, He’s Misstra Know-It-All, opnieuw een lied over een hypocriete politicus: “if we had less of him, don’t you know we’d have a better land’.
De critici zijn het er over eens: Innervisions behoort tot de beste platen van de jaren zeventig. Het schattige jongetje uit de jaren zestig heeft, juist door zijn persoonlijke onzekerheden, zoektochten en beschouwingen als uitgangspunt te nemen, als geen ander de snaar van de tijd weten te bespelen.

In 1976 volgt het album dat door Nederlandse critici tot hét beste album van de jaren zeventig zal worden uitgeroepen: Songs In The Key Of Life. Een totale explosie van creativiteit die aan een dubbelalbum nog niet genoeg heeft: bijgeleverd wordt ook nog een EP met vier nummers. Een caleidoscopische muzikale trip langs nostalgie, spiritualiteit en sociale bewogenheid in zijn meest emotionele vertolking, van de opener Love’s in Need of Love Today tot aan het laatste Easy Goin’ Evening (My Mama’s Call). Het publiek pikt de boodschap massaal op: het album is bijna niet uit de hitlijsten te krijgen. Wonder is nog steeds op zoek naar de ‘healing power’, die de mens in alle onderlinge angsten en onzekerheden laat overwinnen. Spiritualiteit en liefde zijn opnieuw zijn antwoord. In deze tijd van oplopende polarisatie, waarin ankers moeilijk te vinden zijn en de sociale effecten van je acties moeilijk in te schatten, is nostalgie daarnaast een welkome ontsnappingsroute. Een romantische terugblik op de verloren onschuld en de ankers in de eigen jeugd wordt verwoord in Sir Duke en I Wish, meteen ook de twee grootste hits van het album.
Het helende karakter van Songs In The Key Of Life komt misschien wel het beste tot uitdrukking in het nummer Black Man, waarin Wonder een kroniek van menselijke ontdekkingen bezingt en ze toeschrijft aan mensen van verschillende rassen. De gehele mensheid is creatief en verdient een gelijkwaardige behandeling.

Helaas worden zijn positieve gedachten een paar jaar later door een kantelende tijdgeest ingehaald en schuift de maatschappij op richting banaliteit en nihilisme (in 1976 begint punk als subcultureel verschijnsel al naam te maken). Maar innervisions en Songs In The Key Of Life geven Stevie Wonder een welverdiende plaats in de galerij van groten in de muziek. Wie het emotioneel zoekende gevoel van de jaren zeventig wil ervaren, moet maar even een van deze platen opzetten.

Sunday, April 1, 2007

HOE GAAT HET (what now, talking Dutch? Yep, for once)


Hoe het gaat, hebben een aantal mensen gevraagd. Jullie nieuwsgierigheid richt zich, zoals te verwachten, op mij en minder op het boek. Terwijl ik meer te melden heb over het boek dan over mezelf. Heb de neiging om te antwoorden ‘gaat goed hoor’. Zit er nu helemaal in (oh nee, daar ga ik weer..). Heb al eerder geschreven dat verhuizen naar een ander continent dus zó werkt: koffer inpakken, appartement zoeken en koffer uitpakken. Kan wel hoogdravende verhalen over het bevrijdende gevoel of over een eenzame afgrond verzinnen maar helaas: ik heb mijn lichaam verplaatst, niet mijn karakter. Het is wel lekker rustig. Geen bellende mensen, alhoewel, mijn telefoon is uit, zal hem eens opladen, misschien heeft iedereen wel gebeld! Kan eigenlijk alleen uitgebreide verhalen vertellen over ijskastsymfonieën, maar dat is weinig interessant.

Ik merk dat ik best een kluizenaar kan zijn. Heb dagen zonder fatsoenlijke conversatie. Twee woorden in de bieb, vijf in de Blenz (medium cappuchino please. Thank you) en op dinsdagavond American Idol op TV (wat zijn daar goede kandidaten!). Dat voelt wel als vrijheid. Ik ben als een blij kind als ik weer een leuk boek gevonden heb in de bieb hier. Zo heb ik nu een leuk boek over films in de jaren 70-NEE TOM.. Het fijne eraan is het eenduidige: slechts één ding aan mijn hoofd. En dan is zo’n dag weer zomaar voorbij.. Voel me alleen een beetje halfslachtig wanneer ik geen zin heb om te lezen. Want dan heb ik dus ineens niks te doen en voel ik me een beetje schuldig. Aan persoonlijke bespiegeling heb ik nog volkomen niets gedaan. Mijn excuses. Als er iets aan mij verschijnt zal ik niet schromen het mee te delen.

Heb ik al contacten hier en vermaak ik me -ook buiten de bieb-? Nu ja, heb afgelopen donderdag gegeten met Rawd, een aardige, kale, oudere man die me meldde dat het ‘eten voor aids-dag’ was. Dat kon ik natuurlijk niet afslaan. Ik bleek het converseren nog niet afgeleerd te zijn. Toch altijd weer fijn om te merken dat ik in een goed land ben geboren. Zijn jeugdverhalen, met veel cynisme teruggespeeld, cirkelen rondom de provinciale problemen die vele niet-ijshockeyers hier gehad moeten hebben: “oh, Rawd has Lego, let’s beat him up! Does he draw? Let’s Beat Him Up! Does he R.E.A.D.? BEAT HIM UP!”

Dat daar toch nog een vriendelijke video-editor uitgekomen is. Ik vertellen over mijn onopmerkelijke jeugd zonder dieptepunten; mijn grootste trauma bestaat uit het toegediend krijgen van Yoghurt tijdens drie dagen ziekenhuis (amandelen). Ik HAAT Yoghurt. En ze hadden me IJS beloofd! Zo kom je natuurlijk maar moeizaam aan een bestseller.

Mis ik jullie? Nee hoor. Ik kom steeds meer in een eigen wereldje van mijn boek en uit het Nederlandse. En andersom merk ik ook dat de ‘kijkcijfers’ een gestaag afnemende curve vormen. Zo gaat dat. (Zo gaat dat helemaal niet: kijken, kreng!) Over een paar maanden doe ik ook weer lekker mee. Ondertussen geniet ik van de frisse lucht, de bergen in de verte en de bieb.
Woensdag arriveert Marcel. Da’s wel menselijk contact, dus dan heb ik misschien wel meer te vertellen over Vancouver, uitzichten, walvissen, hippe restaurants en leuke boerenmarktjes. Mailtjes, comments en vragen zijn welkom.