2 days until new year new you

Today I went from (whoops...there will be a slight interval while my nose bleeds over the kitchen table) having keys to four properties to my normal overlarge bunch of flat, house and ridiculous keyrings. I no longer feel like a gaoler as I pull my keys from my pocket but I lose the satisfaction of having 4 choices for shelter and sleep and knowing each set of keys (with their duplicates, duff ones and different metals). Each house has a particular ritual and a particular way of remembering which key is for which lock. I'll miss that.

9 Striven Gardens is the only property in Glasgow that I have never fumbled entry. It's like it's my home. I know the keys, I'm supposed to enter. I always feel very happy here. Natalie and Julia are the best, but the house itself has a good feeling. I don't feel lonely here.

Kevin sent me his thoughts on my initial area of research...they are quite helpful for perspective. Here is the relevant part of his myspace message:

I think it was you that I was talking to about "home" being a psychological thing rather than a physical thing. I had to sleep over at Max and Fiona's again last night, and had a terrible sleep because I wasn't in my own bed. But what if MY bed was in the flat, would that have affected my sleep? I suppose it's a mere hypothetical, but it does make me think! Different living conditions sounds exciting, and challenging to represent/simulate/explain in a performance space. Can a performance space ever be homely, and would you want it to be?
Just some thoughts.

Kevin Wratten, 30th December 2006

I forgot to capture my idea at IKEA (for IKEA, I haven't been to IKEA Glasgow since Alison and I went. She drove us round the one way car park at Braehead the wrong way. I had to duck in my seat to avoid murderous glances from motoring OAPs)

• I would like to approach IKEA about performing living in their shop floor displays. In particular I would like to sleep, really sleep in one of their show beds and mix a cake mix in their kitchens. Perhaps they could rig up a TV for me to lounge in front of. I think one of the things I might be interested in are the domestic objects of the home and how we covet nice things in our homes...do we need these things? I really desire nice things, I think it might be partly tied up in my idea of home and my space. Is consumerism covering up our inability to create or to understand what we mean as Home?
• Wearing my home on my back - a rucsac with a home survival kit.
• Or physically carrying a shelter on my back (like Barabara Dean's snail image, artist in Residence at Moda). See http://www.moda.mdx.ac.uk/, http://www.kitchenanticsandappliances.com/, http://www.kitchenanticsandappliances.com/download/4520264578/a060a0c1494542793458c304ec447189906050b05020007040707041/guest/4005566124/4515446414/HomesickBADDAno.sre-edited.pdf
• Or wearing a house hat on my head (this has great potential for comedy value in the actual show) I imagine it to look like one of those umbrella hats, a round head band holding

An Aside: The phrase, a broken home...pertaining to families whose married partners seperate and a child is reared by only one parent. Is this a fifties phenomenon? It is talking home in the metaphorical people sense. It also implies that a home can be whole, and that nuclear families are good. I come from a functional home and my family is the 2.4 children normal variety. Hmmmm

The Times magazine supplement which I found on the floor of the third tube carriage on my way in to meet Sadah, is most inspiring on matters of domesticity. Who can afford the items advertised in this magazine...i'm sure that half its readership can't. They have a small domestic agony aunt column which is written by Aggie MacKenzie of How Clean Is Your House? Arrrgh

An aside

I'm looking for inspiration today...I feel a little wierd, maybe I'm frustrated (?) but I know I'm avoiding reality by being alone... I have really latched on to the idea that I will live alone for the next 6 months. I'm keen to embark on this challenge (I largely feel that I have been on my own for 3 and and half years in Glasgow so I want to make a conscious choice to seperate myself. I think it will make me a more social person.)

Normally when I'm looking for inspiration via the internet I look at artist's websites (everyone from Nic Green to Jan Fabre). But I remembered that one of the first year students (CTP) kept an Alternative Performance Journal about Inspiration. I liked it very much, it reminded me of my Corali RPJ where I wrote a list of things that I had liked that day (thereby completely avoiding critically assessing myself or the project). Ziggy wrote this:

[...)I refer to this state as "home". It is the state in which you find yourself familiar with, comfortable and trusting. The state outside of home is what I call the "void". It is a place where you see things as strange and unpredictable and few choose to dwell in that place for long because they subconciously know that if they do the void will ultimately become home and vice versa. But it is the journey between those two points that inspires me. It does so because it looks as though, when we gaze throughout the history of man, that these journeys are seamlessly interwoven with the human nature. I call it a journey even though it is often more a transition from one school of thought to another because at some point, like a journey, the decision is made to embark upon it.Why do we change jobs? Divorce? Stop eating meat?I beliveve that these decisions are always egocentrical. It is our need to venture from home to the void and back and collect information about ourselves. If you knew how you'd act in anger you would avoid it. Are there many movies you have watched twice?
http://theinspirationofziggy.blogspot.com/2006/11/day-eighteen.html

Thanks Ziggy

Day 3, early on

Glasgow Housing Association offices are closed today...moral of that story, action causes action. They were open yesterday, I would have more information now. Never mind

I called the landlord of the Hillhead bedsit, it has gone but he has another property on Radnor Street. I haven't made an appointment to see it as he is away this weekend when Mum and Dad said they would come. Perhaps they'll drive me over on Tuesday and I can check it out. Radnor street sounds nice, near the Art Galleries, probably a 20/30 minute walk from college.

The big issue website is exellent, and all their contact details are there. However, I'm going to wait untill I have firmed up my project action so that I can be clear how article space could be used to my advantage. Possible ideas might be to approach them with some sort of project diary or highlights from this blog which could take up a small amount of space. Or perhaps an appeal for answers to questions. Or one big article midway into the process articulating information about the project and findings (always a possibility of a follow up article too)

In other news, I found a link to Womanifesto on Kate Stannard's website. She was invited to participate in this year's online project No Man's Land, exploring ideas of virtual space and territory. This organisation is something I would like to keep tabs on. Varsha Nair is coordinating it out of Thailand and she was really approachable at the NRLA. Tejal Shah was also an invited artist! The website is http://www.womanifesto.com/en

Just remembered I missed the Squark deadline! Gotta keep my eyes open and consider where I'm going to be this time next year. My aim is two performances in Britain and one international. Think about the NRLA regional selectors, Merchant City Festival and definately adapting Garland for Iceland.

Day 2, tired but not going to fail

Just back from working the Simple Minds concert

Today I did my estate agent impersonation, was showing prospective renters Sumitra's flat. I'm glad I could help her out after having to renege on moving into her flat. Showing people around made me really think about the influence of the person guiding you through an experience can have on your perception of that experience. I quite enjoyed demonstrating things; it helps that it is a lovely flat. Having watched a lot of property television, I now realise that in order to maximise the journey through the house I should have plotted the highs and lows, I finished on the spare room and that is not a highlight of the property. It makes me more aware of how I will experience flat viewings in the coming weeks.

One of the viewers told me of a self contained flat on Wilton Street (with a bed up a ladder!). I'm going to call that gumtree land lord tomorrow and arrange a viewing, perhaps it is the same property. I might also call Mr Ali and see if he has somewhere or knows someone.

Things to do:

• Get the Big Issue office number, call them regarding my article (have a clearer idea of what the angle is, maybe do some sample writing/drawing)
• Call GHA or the council and enquire about housing lists, criteria etc
• Think about relevant drama exercises that I can use to make material
• Winter School app (speak to Debby about Julia Bardsley, maybe apply for Del Re)
• Stream of Consciuosness blurb writing (don't go for the easy option, work through styles to find a better way of copywriting)
• 4 or 5 designs for images

The Beginning

This is the beginning of my project, 'Helen of Glasgow'. Inspired by greek myth, the streets of Glasgow and the creative journey I am persuing on the RSAMD's Contemporary Theatre Practice, the intention of this 'blog' is to document the day to day thoughts, ideas and inspirations uncovered while engaging in this project.

Some of what I hope for the project:

• I may engage in an exploration of 'daily practice'
• It will be creative, fruitful and inspiring to others as well as myself
• That I can find multiple ways of expression, including ways I have not tried before
• That I learn from my mistakes without beating myself up over them
• That I will gain a deeper understanding of myself and the world, including theatre and why I am using theatre as my medium

Current ideas:

Creating a cross-stitch sampler of a home sweet home sign, building a simple wooden frame and posing for photo's with this sign in innappropriate places

Camping in my gift of a six man tent