My parents, who are enjoying a holiday in London at the moment, spoil me terribly. It's a tremendous burden, but I do the best I can with what I have been given. In this particular case, I have been given an armchair holiday, meaning that all I must do is sit back and enjoy their travels stories, while occasionally needing to stand up and open my front door so as to accept the latest package they send me.
Their apartment is walking distance from this shop. Needless to say, a package is on the way. Dad says it'll arrive on Friday, and I believe him. Dad loves tracking parcels and often calls me 5 minutes after I have signed for a package to tell me: "You just received the package, I know."
Another package arrived yesterday, and Mom (I write the American "O" in Mom, but only for my mom, because she's American and hates being "Mum") had already told me that "It's a book from the most wonderful exhibition, well...we liked it...but we kept saying that YOU should have been there." See what I mean, spoilt rotten. Sigh.
This is the exhibition, and this is the book. Mom and Dad were quite right, I really should have been there, I ADORE this project by Sophie Calle.
I believe that my experience of blogging is equivalent to Sophie's collection of 107 interpretations. Every time I publish a post, I receive in return interpretations of the words I have sent out to the world. Each interpretation is unique, and each has something to give and something to teach. At times, my words may be misunderstood, just as I may misunderstand my commentboxes, but the free flow of communication continues and everything is better understood in the process.
Some of the women who interpreted Sophie's break-up email:
Cartoonist
Lawyer
Teenager
Talmudic exegete
Children's writer
Schoolgirl
Composer
Ikebana master
Rifle shooter
Latinist
Philosopher
Mother
Screenwriter
Chess player
Diplomat
Sound engineer
Radio host
Translator in SMS language
Psychoanalyst
Headhunter
Nursery school teacher
French intelligence officer
If you like, tell me which one interests you and I might post a few quotes.
Oh, and out of interest, what do you think of letters which end with the phrase "Take care of yourself" ?
11 comments:
Oh boy - I have followed all the links and that book is going on my wish list - how amazing it sounds - and I would love some quotes -
take care of yourself? Implies you won't.
And Miss Eleanor - I owe you money - should we do a contra deal - 5 prints on my beautiful paper - of your choice?
xx
The thing that struck me in this post is that you have an Israeli dad, American mom and you live in Australia.
I LOVE this combination!
For me it will have to be Talmudic exegete as I have absolutely no idea what it is!
Paola
If someone were to say, take care of yourself to me, I would hear 'I wish you well but I don't ever want to hear from you again.'
What a fantastic sounding art piece.
xo
Do you know what struck me as I watched that interview? How gorgeously French women age.
Also yes please for quotes. Lots of them. From everyone.
Also 'take care of yourself' for me implies a distancing of some kind.
I think it sounds very American, but a little more formal than usual. "Take care!" is more common, at least in the South.
I vote for the French Intelligence Officer and the Talmudic exegete.
Take care of yourself.... meaning that I am not going to be around to help take care of you - putting all the emphasis back on the other.
I have never heard of this woman. This is why I love blogging. I learn new things everyday.
I owe your dad a small reward. Various organisations I deal with invite me to track my transactions with them. But until this moment I hadn't realised that the moment of reception (signalled by writing one's signature with a plastic toothpick on a glass screen - and does that not look like my writing?) is captured telecommunicationally. The point is I should have known given that I used to write about logistics when I was still sentient. A small reward, did I say? How small's a thought?
Persephone books?
You lucky thing.
Take care of yourself.
(Sorry... couldn't resist.)
Hello Eleanor!
Interesting with that exhibition of may different ways to read that break up letter.
You are so CLEAVER! Of course it is WALL-E and Eve, but I didn't see them before you told me. But from now, I have my own WALL-E and Eve, at the table. I love them even more now!
many...not may
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