Great chapter, Jenn - I really like the way you build toward that loss of mementos that haven’t been digitized, because that is a real loss. It’s not just “things, “ especially if there are memory gaps.
The documentary is very much about the questions about art that is inherently physically dangerous. I don't have much perspective of how high the level of danger is. I found the documentary fascinating. I shared it with someone who I knew had a lot of Martial Arts experience and was surprised how strongly negatively he reacted -- he had an immediate response of, "I don't think it's possible to do that safely, and I think it's almost immoral that she's trying. "
I say that just as full disclosure, I appreciated the story of her trying to invent art that engaged her both creatively and athletically.
If you do watch it, I would be curious what you make of it -- I think it connects to multiple elements of this post.
I realized, after I wrote my previous comment, that my tangent about safety was a little confused (in the sense that I knew it was worth mentioning, but I didn't have clarity about how it fit it). Thinking about it, I would say that the idea of "safety" is a clear theme of this post (and some of your other posts as well) -- both the sense of why people are attracted to unsafe things (which you foreground) but also why it can be hard to compare different types of risks -- as it turns out ninjaboy was more dangerous that the trapeze, but the latter is the one that causes you to freeze in the opening paragraphs.
I would say the documentary picks up on that theme in interesting ways.
I love it when a reader finds a theme in my work. It’s exciting, in that obviously I don’t think about that sort of thing when constructing the narrative—it makes me kinda giddy when it’s my own work that gets the English professor treatment. 😊
Great chapter, Jenn - I really like the way you build toward that loss of mementos that haven’t been digitized, because that is a real loss. It’s not just “things, “ especially if there are memory gaps.
Thank you. Yeah, it’s a strange sorrow.
Wow, that's a bunch of intense stories tied together.
Just thinking about the arial dance, I'm curious if you've seen "Born To Fly" about Elizabeth Streb: https://www.pbs.org/independentlens/documentaries/born-to-fly/
The documentary is very much about the questions about art that is inherently physically dangerous. I don't have much perspective of how high the level of danger is. I found the documentary fascinating. I shared it with someone who I knew had a lot of Martial Arts experience and was surprised how strongly negatively he reacted -- he had an immediate response of, "I don't think it's possible to do that safely, and I think it's almost immoral that she's trying. "
I say that just as full disclosure, I appreciated the story of her trying to invent art that engaged her both creatively and athletically.
It depends on what he means by ‘safe,’ methinks: you could argue that you can’t do martial arts perfectly safely either.
I haven’t seen that doc, no. Thanks! I’ll have to check it out.
If you do watch it, I would be curious what you make of it -- I think it connects to multiple elements of this post.
I realized, after I wrote my previous comment, that my tangent about safety was a little confused (in the sense that I knew it was worth mentioning, but I didn't have clarity about how it fit it). Thinking about it, I would say that the idea of "safety" is a clear theme of this post (and some of your other posts as well) -- both the sense of why people are attracted to unsafe things (which you foreground) but also why it can be hard to compare different types of risks -- as it turns out ninjaboy was more dangerous that the trapeze, but the latter is the one that causes you to freeze in the opening paragraphs.
I would say the documentary picks up on that theme in interesting ways.
I love it when a reader finds a theme in my work. It’s exciting, in that obviously I don’t think about that sort of thing when constructing the narrative—it makes me kinda giddy when it’s my own work that gets the English professor treatment. 😊
What a fascinating way to put it. Thanks!
Love the vulnerability here, in this piece.
Thank you JJ.