Spark

This happens a lot. Every now and then I'm struck with wonder at the way the world works. In every form. Mostly, though, when it involves technology. At least three times a week, when I sit down to e-mail or instant message, I'm lost in awe at what's actually happening. When you break it down, it's pretty incredible. To think of how easy it is to communicate with people worlds away. That alone is a triumph of the modern world and food for thought for another post. The other thought concerns the system underlying these wonders.

It's the structures behind structures that I'm always interested in. People are more interesting and mysterious than usual in this context. Say with strangers, superficially, they're just talking heads. But of course they're more than that. They're stories layered upon stories; experiences. Neuroses upon neuroses. The talking is informed by this rich, grand structure... their lives. What's motivating people? What's the meaning behind the talk? Everything is more than it is. Meeting someone new opens up my mind in this way. And it's not meant to be an objectification by any means. It's the fact that they're new that calls to mind the structures, because there's so much there to fill in. When you're in the dark the mind begins to conjure. Getting to know people, filling in the gaps, makes them more... I don't know. I'm at a loss. I'm not a writer. :P Words aren't my medium. ;)

The point is that I'm fascinated by systems, complexes and structures. And the reason I bring this up is that the thought is more... again, my vocabulary is lacking. I would much rather draw what I mean. :P Lemme try this again. Having had the iPod touch for a while now, the thought is at the forefront of my mind. I would say the greatest gift I ever received was a Panasonic discman. It wasn't so much the device that touched me, it was more about what it allowed. Which was a way to develop a more intimate relationship with music. Everyone around the world can relate to the power of music, though our relationships are all varied, unique and personal. For me, it's a way to strengthen, refine and accentuate certain thoughts, feelings and visions. It also helps to weaken, bludgeon and mute them. It shapes and molds. This helps to better express myself through my art. Music is very inspiring. I've heard of many musicians being inspired by the visual arts. Interesting that the sonic inspires the visual as well. A thought for another post.

The discman was the first in a long line of... gee, I don't know what I would call them. Gatekeepers. Conduits. Doorways. etc (again, everything is more than it is). I received the iPod Shuffle as a gift some years back... the first generation model that I christened Joey-Bot. Then came the second generation iPod Nano I named The Thin Man. And if you've been a reader of this blog in the last few days you've probably heard of my new baby, Narcissus (first generation iPod Touch). Each of these (insert term here) have become integral parts of my life. In so many ways. I won't go into them now. For now, it's enough to know that because I love them so much I spend a lot of time with them. I always have one of 'em on hand. There's a constant interaction going on. With Narcissus though, it's... so amazing because of what the interaction inspires. It's sparks all of these ideas. The wonders of technology and the modern age. The architecture of systems and structures. But more so than any other (insert term here :P ), it illuminates the way in which all these wonders work in concert.

It was the idea of spark that got me brewing tonight. I've being going off on tangents I know, but that's just the way my mind works (or wanders :P ). Being with Narcissus, holding it, touching it, interacting with it... I couldn't help but think about the electric interplay going on. There's the spark in my brain which informs the body to move my arms, eyes and hands to touch. This spark travels through my fingers and into Narcissus which fires off a flurry of activity within his own body. The media itself is all spark... all digital; 1's and 0's. This is summoned and the spark travels through his face for me to view; that spark burns and dances across his face in the form of light which my eyes interpret as signals, electric. The spark travels back to my brain and feeds the soul. But the spark not only finds it's way to his face, but to his mouths as well, in the form of headphones. The spark travels a metal highway encased in a plastic tunnel and explodes in an electric cacophony interpreted as a symphony of sound by my ears which again relay the spark to the brain and to the soul. It's astounding. There's so much to digest. There's the cyclical nature of it all to ponder. The transmutation. The interaction. The fluidity of complex systems working is perfect harmony. But more than anything, the wonder and mystery of it all.

DS333, electrified.