Today I listened to an Allen Ginsberg lecture on William Blake from January 8th, 1979. I was (would be?) born three years later - to the day. I've been listening to things that have literally been sitting in a box collecting dust for the last thirty-five years until they were turned digital a few months ago. Thirty-five years. It boggles my mind.
I find I have a lot more enthusiasm for this job when I work with the really early materials. I started listening to things from 2010 but handed it over to the workstudy. I sat through that in person. I don't need to hear (most of) it again. When someone listens to 2009, I'll be run across - a five minute reading during week one of SWP. Listening to all this stuff, some crap, some awesome takes a different flavor when you realize that many of these people are dead. Some before I was born. These tapes have been sitting around longer than I've been alive. I will sit and listen to Allen Ginsberg lecture on Blake for the next couple week. (ugh.)
From what I've heard so far: Gregory Corso is crazy, crass, hilarious and mean all at the same time. Diane di Prima is strong but too rough for my liking. Bill Berkson is great. Rochelle Kraut has some really great poems. Timothy Leary was pretty hilarious. Allen Ginsberg knows a whole lot and sings often. Anne Waldman is fun to listen to (but she tends to scare a lot of people in real life). I could listen to Anselm Hollo read a phone book. Also, Neil Gaiman. [I think Naropa should invite Neil Gaiman to teach a class. Or just do a reading. I refuse in advance to house manage that event. We will have to beat people off with sticks. Figuratively speaking. PVC pipe or dowels, to be more literal.] Ted Berrigan isn't the greatest teacher. [Did he know he was going to drink himself to death three years after he taught this class? What would he say if he was told that thirty-three years later a nun was going to be listening to his class and judging his personality entirely on a ninety minute lecture? What do you say to the future?] Things like this cross my mind frequently. In a class from 1979, Ginsberg referred to 'a computer-machine,' and discussed about either air mailing books to the school or 'putting them on a Greyhound.' I like listening to these and hearing quips like that which constantly force me back to that generation and think in terms of that time.
Unlike the history lecture Amiri Barak gave in '78 which could have been given yesterday. The information hasn't changed. (And that fact scares me).
In other news, I went to the dentist on [Chotrul Duchen no less, which, someone pointed out to me, is a miracle in itself.] I had to go back. Irritated by that. A few stitches later and all is well. Until a few hours later I had a few stitches rip out (while my mouth was still mostly numb, thankfully) because I needed the bear hug more than I needed stitches. Apparently I will sacrifice a whole lot for a hug. My mouth is still a bit tender. No complaints. Not many, anyways.
