Monday, May 7, 2012

May 6th Gathering

Present and accounted for, including Hosty GC, Ger and Tahonic, El Monty in the black fedora, Gwin n Tonic and myself, Sweet Mitzybird.   

A wonderful milestone (and stem) has been reached in our reading group. Together we have reached the final pages of Book 1 of Finnegans Wake. The chapter (1,8) is a firm favourite, known simply as 'ALP' for its heroine Anna Livia Plurabelle, or 'The Washers at the Ford' for the two washerwomen who maintain the flow of dialogue about ALP.

Whilte tempting to say we have 'finished' reading Book 1, it's hard to say our joyful work on the chapter is complete. It's a piece we'll return to time and again. There may yet be a bit of a performance from it at this year's Bloomsday.

We completed reading the list of presents given by ALP to all her childer. Some were rude and some were sad, some were nude and some quite mad. An enduring favourite maong the characters for me is Frisky Shorty. A great name for a pet terrier if there ever was one.

Other group members might post their own thoughts and reflections on our humble Finnegans Wake Reading Group as time meanders on its way. Or they mightn't, such as they please.

If you like Bloomsday, use facebook, and will materially occupy your allocated dimension of space in the Sydney region on June 16th, then check out the details for Bloomsday on Bondi:
www.facebook.com/BloomsdayonBondi.
It will have details and a link to the tickets page. Two ticketed events and two free events. Readings from Ulysses by cool people, music by talented people and craic by drunk people. Guinness on tap.

Myself, I will materialise in Dublin this Bloomsday for the first time.

As for the rising moon, it shone whitely and cool all over our pages of 212 and beyond in 1,8 - a mysterious and sad whispering, the watery sluicing of crumpled laundry and the quiet flap of bat wings. All this we heard, and bucketloads more. We shall return.

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

April 1st Gathering

It seems the joke was on us this April Fool's Day. Hailstorms, daylight saving and general mayhem bewildered the gods and waylaid our troops. Nevertheless, our Finnegans Wake quest persisted.

In attendance were myself, M Arklow, Moocher the Cat, and G Tahini, and we met for the inaugural occasion in G Tahini's home, Opened Sesame.

From our the section of 'Anna Livia Oysterface' we proceeded to the distribution of the Christmas Presents, reading up to the top of page 211. The presents were not always pleasant, and sometime quite sinister. We shall return to the gift-giving gala at next session.