LINDA'S BLOG
ODE TO INSURRECTION by Mussmann Feb. 24, 2021
February 24th, 2021
Nothing is the like something else
and nothing repeats exactly the same.
We can say what goes around comes
around and the past is never past
but now we are in a time like no
other time—this is the last time
we have to correct the course
our path is the last one up the mountain.
We have been given many opportunities
to learn from history and to read and learn
and grow from knowledge…..
but some how we have gained stupid.
We prefer to ego driven celebrity worshiping
fanatics with out ideology. No real dreams for
change are offered—we are locked into a battle with
Disneyland dreamers who have cotton candy for brains and
hearts made of stone…frozen veins filled with corn oil residue.
What next??? after we destroy the Capitol??? do
we shop around for another Capitol— one that
suits the insurgents of the 21st century—
Does Trump stand on the dome with golden hair
and a red tie or is the dome a figure of Melania in high heels and a
tight skirt and 6 in heels spinning round and round
—She the new Columbia the neo-liberal gal from Slovenia
who twists and turns celebrating the real men of America
hmmm? what next?? cruel world…hang on the best is yet to come
and where is Mike Pence now?
Some say in a cave with mother looking for the bible so
he can thump out the code for a trip to heaven—
Some say he fears for his life—
Now we wonder who will fear for our
life??? …
as covid-19 lurks around the every corner
hmmmm???
A. Lincoln’s Birthday by Mussmann
February 12th, 2021
A. Lincoln’s Birthday
Feb. 12th marks the day of A. Lincoln
one of the great leaders of the nation.
Now as we watch the nation unravel post-
Trump — the impeachment trial
proceeds—the daily cycle of news
keeps the focus on the nations flaws
and failures. The voices of insurrection
have reared their ugly heads and to
put them back in the dust bin of history
will be a challenge for the next
generation. So for some hope
I quote the last paragraph of
Lincoln’s second inaugrual address:
“With malice toward none; with charity for all;
with firmness in the right,
as God gives us to see the right,
let us strive on to finish the work we are in;
to bind up the nation’s wounds;
to care for him who shall have borne the battle,
and for his widow, and his orphan—
to do all which may achieve and cherish a just,
and a lasting peace,
among ourselves,
and with all nations.”
ATLANTIS a movie—by dir. VASANOVYCH
February 6th, 2021
Atlantis is a movie by Ukrainian director Valentyn Vasanovych. The movie takes place in 2025 a year after the victory over Russia. We see the grim view of Ukraine–economically, environmentally, and morally devistated by the battles. The work is dystopian — however the work reveals a reality of war that as Americans we rarely want to recognize. I was impressed by the visual depth and breadth of the movie—it is about men and war and the women in the movie give hope if there is little to be had—to stay or go –to abandon the already abandoned— is the question—check it out–it is on our virtual movie space now at TSL check it www.timeandspace.org
Mrs. Dalloway (1-23-21) discussion by Mussmann
January 26th, 2021
Virginia Woolf was born 1882
and died 1941.
Nearly 5 decades have passed since my
first reading of Virginia Woolf—
then I was stuck and awed by her genius
and innovation.
She liberated me from so many things.
BUT As I look
back today
so much has changed
including me.
—Now I am more aware
of the history and the place
of this great writers work.
Having been visited in the night
by many many thoughts
it has occurred to me that today
it is impossible to say all that needs
to be said about Virginia Woolf and
her importance to many of our lives.
Literature is key to living…
Words last.
Now to proceed.
Mrs. Dalloway published in 1925— signaled the
birth of “stream of consciousness”—
Virginia Woolf broke the rules of the narrative with this book—
and this interior journey which takes place on a day in June
with Clarissa Dalloway has become a major literary work.
—as we near the 100 year
celebration of the publishing of MRS. DALLOWAY
—I want to place the work in time and space.
Here goes:
1914-1918 World War 1 a war that used — small arms, machine guns, poison gas. & trench warfare as the tools of war
—killing and wounding over a million British soldiers.
1915 GANDHI returns to India —marking the beginning of the end of British colonial rule.
1917 The Russian Revolution
1916 the birth of DADA—a movement in art that brought radical changes to music, dance, literature, theater, and art names such as Duchamp,, Schwitters, Satie, Nijinsky, Ball, Breton, Arp, Dali and more emerge—these creative people are seeing a world through another lens—often fractured—and non-narrative—music of Schoenberg developed the twelve-tone technique for example and Eric Satie’s music was the dawn of minimalism — Ballet was liberated by Nijinsky,
theater was assaulted by Alfred Jarry’s Ubu ROI,
and the visual arts looked more like the casualties of WWI— artist’s images were busted, shredded. grotesque—and abstract.
1918-1920 The Spanish Flu epidemic killed millions
Well Into the 1900s, homosexual activity remained illegal and punishable by imprisonment.
1921 Wittgenstein wrote the Tractatus Logico Philosophus
saying language is vague
and what we mean is never certain
and the essential work of words
is to assert or deny facts.
The World of Philosophy was up-ended by this work.
The early 1900’s John Maynard Keynes —Virginia’s friend and member of Bloomsbury circle brought major changes to economics—Keynes radical idea said government should spend money to mitigate recessions and depressions of post WW 1—giving birth to ides such as FDR’s New Deal here in America.
Now to begin again….
_____________________________________________
—for many Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway
by far exceeds James Joyces’ Ulysses—
Joyce takes us on a journey too—
a day in the life of Leopold Bloom.
Woolf was aware of James Joyce’s book
she wrote to T. S. ELIOT—
that she had read 200 pages and quit reading it
“never did any book so bore me”
she then returned to reading Proust’s
Remembrance of Things Past.
————————————————————————
So much to say so little time—JUST AN ASIDE——
Virginia Woolf was key to the feminist movement
with her book called a ROOM OF ONE”S OWN
declaring that women need their own space was
the beginning of women gaining a place in a man’s world
for my generation.
FOR ME: Virginia Woolf
has been a major influence on my work as
a director and writer for the theater. I have
produced 3 events around Woolf’s writing.
in 1974 , & 1976 & 1978 using sections from
THE WAVES and THE MOMENT
Woolf’s Language is what makes her perfect
for the stage. —————
_________________________________
Now to begin again——
Clarissa reflects past, present and future
just like now—as we now are forced
to be in her position
to reflect on our lives—
as the pandemic of the 21st century now
visits us and pushes us into our own
self exploration.
—it is a perfect
time to re-consider the importance of
this book and —Virginia Woolf—
as we change so does this revisiting
Mrs. Dalloway.
Virginia Woolf 1-25-1882 Happy Birthday!! by Mussmann
January 25th, 2021
VIrginia Woolf’s Birthday
Born in 1882 died in 1941
Woolf—one of the great writers
of the 20th Century
Mrs. Dalloway published in 1925
challenged the way we read novels
today—the stream-of consciousness
style of the lead character, Clarissa
Dalloway is a great illustration of
this new invention. Virginia Woolf
gave me a new way to view the world
of words—I celebrate her genius
and continue to be awed by her
writing. Thanks to Virginia we have
A ROOM OF ONE’S OWN—declaring
that women do need a space of their
own—1929 this book was published
and things have not been the same
since. IF you love women you will
love Virginia Woolf—she understands
passion and the struggle to reach
independence—
AN aside—last Saturday we had a
discussion on Mrs. Dalloway and
people want to read another book
by Virginia.
—next time we will discuss
TO THE LIGHT HOUSE for a virtual
meeting in March—contact
us at TSL if you are interested
www.timeandspace.org
WHAT’S NEW-WHAT’S NEXT by Mussmann
January 10th, 2021
Here we are early in the new year of 2021. TSL continues to remain open we have the TSL Gallery open, the STUFF STORE, & Virtual movies + Discussions that happen via ZOOM. Coming next is a discussion on V. Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway. The year-end contributions to TSL have been very generous. This generosity means that we continue our work here–with new ideas coming for the Spring of 2021. We will be starting an apprentice program as well as outdoor events & as the vaccines are distributed we hope to open our theaters “inside”. We miss our TSL loving audience –that is for certain. Right now the nation is reeling from the attempted coup that occurred on this past Wednesday. We hope that we can find ways to settle our differences by the ballot not by violence. Many in the nation feel cheated –the past has left many of us out. Time to tell the truth and hold people accountable.
Mrs. Dalloway a discussion w/Mussmann
January 4th, 2021
Mrs Dalloway:
A book discussion (via zoom) on Jan. 23
at 1pm join Linda Claudia & TSL
for a discussion of Virginia Woolf’s
Mrs. Dalloway—written nearly 100
years ago it is a novel about Clarissa
Dalloway a 51 year old woman who
takes us on a day’s journey —she lives in
London it is June 1923 post war- post
flu epidemic—she is preparing for
a party that evening—we journey
with her by the stream of consciousness
(style of writing)—this style born in the early
part of the 20th century—for many Woolf
by far exceeds Joyce’s- Ulysses (a book
about a day in the life) of Leopold Bloom.
Clarissa reflects past, present and future
just like us now—as we now are forced
to be in her position
to reflect on our lives—
as the pandemic of the 21st century now
visits us and pushes us into our own
self exploration. Join me—it is a perfect
time to re-consider the importance of
this great writer —Virginia Woolf—one
of the writers who definitely shaped my
life as an artist.—I first read her book
50+ years ago—and the work is always
fresh and asks me to revisit again and
again- as I change so does the reading.
2 SQUARE MILES-Redux with Mussmann, Cross, Miller, & Walthour
December 15th, 2020
A conversation held on zoom to with Quintin Cross, Sam J. Miller, Jacob Walthour and Linda Mussmann–a look at 15 years ago when Hudson was engaged in the battle of the cement war here in our community.
We discuss the issues that still linger in this small city called Hudson, NY–including but not limited to –gentrification, gig economy, drug abuse, housing, diversity, airbnb’s, lack of opportunities for young people, living wage, and more.
check the you tube to listen in and if you would like to watch 2 square miles–the movie by Barbara Ettinger you can find it as well on youtube for free.
MANIFESTO 10-10-2020 by Mussmann
November 16th, 2020
Manifesto 10-10-2020
written by Linda Mussmann
performed by Claudia Bruce
Flannery O’Connor by Mussmann
November 12th, 2020
Flannery O’Connor
A southern/Catholic writer. Born in Georgia
(March 25, 1925 – August 3, 1964)
TSL features a documentary on this
amazing writer—it is excellent if you
want to catch up on one of America’s
genius wordsmiths. I met O’Connor
in the world of movies—WISE BLOOD
a brilliant movie based on her first novel.
Check it—see it read it—O’Connor is
a person who is enchanted with “freaks”
and Jesus. What more can I say.