Ctrl-Alt-Delete

Last week's purgative episode provided some insight into the belief in demons: the expulsions, being rendered a husk, certain that I was being called to take heed and change. It was certainly a hard reboot, a bit of an ass-kicking requiring me to lay low, take stock, and get my shit together.

The laying low has proceeded as directed by my body, and I am happy to say I have been a mostly-model patient and am in much-improved health.

The taking stock was facilitated by a broken body, fevered mind, and nothing but time to ruminate on the fact that January had not gone at all as I'd hoped.

The getting my shit together began with needed appointment with my therapist, and the rest now lies with a Me that is feeling much more up to the task. I'm told that the current cycles of the moon are auspiciously aligned for change, so I've got that going for me too.

I spent the weekend re-establishing my routine and helping out with a community event. We got out for some music on Sunday evening, and I navigated the surreal icescape to the office for the first time in days this morning. I've entered February with a bit more intent and grounding than I did January. Hopefully any demons purged over the last week will keep their distance while I work to fortify my own defenses.

Supporting the humanities

January 18 marked the 100th anniversary of the first public screening of Sergei Eisenstein's Battleship Potemkin. I first saw Potemkin in a Russian film class in college. I probably first enjoyed it more for its historical significance and deliciously naked propaganda than its craft. Since then, I've been prompted a handful of times to rewatch and left each viewing with a renewed and refined appreciation.

All of which to say I was primed to read this piece about the soundtracks of Potemkin. The movie never had an official score, but its production was heavily influenced by the music of the era. Eisenstein hoped that new generations would update the score to their needs, and notable soundtracks exist from the film's earliest showings, including music for inter-war German audiences whose incendiary contributions to the film's mood caught the notice of the fascist right.

More to my point, I also learned that the Pet Shop Boys were commissioned to write a score for Battleship Potemkin that was performed live a few times in 2004. It is, of course, on the Internet, so please enjoy responsibly:

Incidentally, if you're a fan of cinema history, Wikiflix has you covered with an impressive range of well-mastered films that are available in the public domain for free streaming.

In conclusion... cat

A week of malady and cabin fever isn't a lot to go on for inspiration to write, but I got something down AND survived Monday! And YOU made it to the end! To celebrate: