OCG II Course Day 6

[I didn't technically write this day, aside from some scribbled notes at the end of the night. Here, I'm fleshing them out, according to reason.]

10/29/2009 - Up early, like every morning, though I admit that I am cheating, as I'm still on the edge of being on East Coast time.

7:15, sitting.

8 a.m, breakfast. Some additional discussion of logistics; at dinner, the night before, the day had essentially been laid out. This morning, a further clarification of some important points, beginning with wasteful talking. This has been something of a feature for kitchen work--rather, the emphasis of useful talking. RF discusses how he knows that we may be filled with energy, and may be riding in a car next to our "chums", and may want to discuss and chatter. Better to save this for the stage.

Curt chooses to emphasize the need to be attentive, as well as to further press the need for useful talking. He also points out the absolutely unquestionable necessity to remember that we are on course, and to simply acknowledge some of the brighter, more distracting features of the "off-course" world, but not dwell on them.

Patrick discusses a breach of kitchen etiquette: willfully entering through the wrong door. He does not name names, and has no need to do so.

One of the Gnarlies asks about visual cues for moving, noting that he can't see at times. The consensus (and thus convention) is that the group moves together.

As I'm putting away my dishes, I notice a few somethings that have been placed on the board: today, 10/29/2009, is the 60th anniversary of the passing of G.I. Gurdjieff. Posted is a collection of letters sent about by some of his closest students, in the days following. This is courtesy of Christine F., and gives a little extra weight to the day. It doesn't cross my mind that this was intentional, but it seems like such good luck that it should be so.

After breakfast, I shower, and proceed to warm up my fingers. An Alexander meeting at roughly 10:30 (or maybe 11 a.m.), with more practicing and playing afterwards. I join in for Level T (this has been an unstated aim for myself, for this course).

Lunch at 1 p.m. Restoration of the kitchen following.

From about 2 to 3, I don't find myself doing a whole lot. I change into gig clothes at half past 2 (having read Curt's blog the previous weeks before I left, I knew to expect something), and find the decision between shoes to be surprisingly difficult. Eventually, I choose the soggier, but less "laundry day" shoes, and make my way up to the main hall, happy with my choice of clothing [which, incidentally, I happen to be wearing at this moment, in the future of December].

The Martin's case gets tagged with blue tape, and my name. Curt had mentioned earlier in the day about the little piece of tape that he leaves on one of his cases at home--it was placed there by Hernan Nunez in 1989 for a League tour. Naturally, it seems quite fitting to leave my own tape on my case, for the future.

Sitting in the hall at 3:00 p.m., the bell is struck for the first time. We are engaging in the 60 points, as an exercise to stay on course, while en route to the performance.

With final load-in at 3:40, we all enter our respective vehicles. Hellboy Tom is riding shotgun in ours, and asks our "advanced team" riding in this van if we may participate in a slightly more involved exercise: every ten minutes, we will ring a bell.

I am riding in the middle set of seats. Behind me, one of the Team begins to take photos with a digital camera that he brought along in his jacket pocket. I had seen him using this, earlier, but did not notice the sound that it makes: a very conspicuous "shutter" sound. At first, this doesn't bother me, though I do note that the choice to bring a camera seems odd. But, as the trip progresses (it's roughly an hour or so), the somewhat random, many-pictures-at-one-time pace begins to grate on me, and I find myself growing quite judgmental. The snapping generally goes off whenever we pass. . . anything, really, be it one of our cars, or a bridge, or a bunch of ships.

Strangely, though, the incessant and erratic photography actually heightens the surrealism of "being off-course": there is almost no talking, and no active sound, save for the bell. The sound of driving simply melts away, and all that's left is the sound of being quiet and attentive. . . until the camera goes off.

This reaches a climax, which I suppose had to happen, when we find ourselves driving past some sort of automobile accident, with a pair of ambulances (or was it just one?). The camera goes positively nuts, and I can actually hear the sound of it moving back to continue taking pictures, as we slowly move past. As detached as I am, the accident is strange, and nothing more--the only thing that really concerns me is "assuming the virtue" and being patient in regards to the camera.

Eventually, we reach the Abbey. It is 5:15 p.m.

Moving directly into the Abbey. The look of it is positively beautiful: it's hard for a converted church to not look good, especially with high white ceilings and walls. The sound is very live, as well, and everything just explodes in the acoustics. Andrew, from the June course, is assisting, tonight.

What follows after this is not terribly interesting: warming up for the fourth time today, everyone playing something different. Curt apparently committing acts of high diplomacy in the basement downstairs. Watching RF beginning to warm up with Moving Force, and thinking, "Oh, that's how it's done." Everyone moving to the basement, and further warming up, with the points continuing to be noted. Elisabeth makes a coffee run, and I cover someone else, which actually makes me feel pretty good. The cappucino is incredible.

Some of the Orchestra are working with Calliope, and I find myself wishing I could join in. At some point (I think around 6:30), I simply stop playing, and instead choose to let my hands be loose but not worn out. At 8:00 p.m., the time is noted, and roughly 3 minutes later, everyone in the room goes silent. A minute or two later, everyone upstairs in the performance space ceases movement.

8:11, we assume the formation. 8:12, we walk out, Mariana leading and RF holding up the rear. On the way into the space, which we have sufficiently protected, I see Charles C., a fellow beginner from June. He is serving as a Four Quarters Maintainer.

At 8:13, we enter the space. 8:14, we invoke the Muse, in our own fashion.

At 8:15, Point 22.

We begin.

==========================

We finish playing, at apparently a little less than an hour later. The whizz has whizzed.

This was art.

Walking out to thunderous applause, the team continues into the basement, with Tuning The Air remaining behind, and then assuming the space for an encore.

Down in the basement, the Outer Circle can just hear the music, and the audience's raucous appreciation. Some of us (myself included) keep hoping that we will be called back, but this is not to be.

King for a Day (I am not familiar with this, but most of the Seattle team is), Eye of the Needle, and then a second encore of Thrak. This is taken very fast.

The Inner Circle return to the basement, and rejoin the Whole Circle. We thank the Muse in a similar fashion to the invocation.

A cooling-down, while we wait for the crowd to fully disperse. Sandwiches are made available. Almost immediately after the call for "free dispersal", one of the Team sits down, and instantly starts to wank on his guitar--I snap at him, and tell him to leave it.

I will still regret this action, months later. I will also still wish that I had chosen a different tone, a different choice of words, though I will not necessarily regret the informing intent. He looks hurt and angry, and rightfully so, but stops playing. Walking past, I lay my guitar on the floor next to me and lie down, in hopes of getting rid of the enormous knots in my back.

A short time later, with some food consumed, and almost all the restoration of the building done, we recircle in the space for a completion of the task, and acknowledge the help from those that helped.

In the vehicles at 10:15 or so. Continuing with points for everyone, and the bell in our van. On the way home, I briefly pass out with the bell in my hand, but am thankfully awakened in time.

Arriving back on course at roughly 11:30-11:45. Small talk with tasty cakes and coffee--no decaf for this fellow.

Bed, at roughly 12:45 a.m. A good day.