Lux Lotus

The Hierarchy of Material Needs

A peek into the inner lives of homeless people, via their bags [originally spotted at Boing Boing.]

The project is an intriguing concept, a valuable social record, and an interesting exercise in contemporary photography, but I disagree with the following statement that accompanies the online exhibition: "The photographs' contents become the vehicle through which the viewer can attempt to understand the bleakness of a human existence deprived of material objects and possessions."

While living on the street is generally indicative of a lack of having achieved many basic objectives conducive to survival, there really are people all over the world whose quality of life is not governed by material objects.

Related links:

Artist Nathalie Lecroc's "Anthologie des Sacs" project

The Wikipedia entry for "materialism"

Leap Artist Vision Group "What's In Your Purse?" exhibition

Statelessness: The Case For a Buddhist Anarchism

Worth1000.com "What's In Your Wallet?" contest

Ask a Catholic: What Vows Does a Nun Take?

NYC: Free Screening of Late Bloomer

My good friend Craig is on a roll this week: After showing his new film to an adoring public at last night's Starving Artists Ball, he has another screening tomorrow night in Brooklyn. You can watch a preview of Late Bloomer at North Lake Films.

News From Our Roving Correspondent

Weird facts:
Australian election day is saturday. If you don't vote here you are fined 150 dollars.  The labor party candidate just beat up a taxi driver who short-changed him.
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Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Handheld

He Prefers Organic Tobacco

Today I sat in a cafe for a few minutes and drank a cup of coffee. The following is a near verbatim, absolutely non-embellished transcript of a conversation between the Female Counter Attendant (FCA) and her Slacker Dude Friend (SDF) that I overheard during that brief period.

SDF: I just got back into the city... I went on a vision quest. Do you know what that is?

FCA: Yeah...

SDF: It's Native American. You go out into the woods and think about things... [I started reading Conde Nast Traveler]... I just want to you know, figure out what to do... with my life. [pause] I'm still working on it.

FCA: Wow. That's really cool. I just got married. For my green card.

SDF: Congratulations.

FCA: Thanks. It's not a big deal. It's for my green card. But yeah, I totally wanna be with him...

[boring interlude about visa requirements...I picked up the magazine again]

SDF: Hey... do you have any tobacco?

FCA: Sure, like cigarettes?

SDF: Well, like, I don't know, hand-rolled, or something -- biedies?

FCA: I have some Camels?

SDF: Usually I try to just smoke organic tobacco, but sure, that's fine. Whatever.

The conversation went on for a while, as he explained that French was his first language, etc. but the best part was over. And then I had to go.

Whistler's Blogger

The Village Voice has named my esteemed fellow Cupcake blogger, Elizabeth Merrick, and me, the "best feminist literary whistle-blowers" in its "Best of New York" 2004 issue.

Best Western

I am so excited to see this exhibition in two weeks!

The Little Bookroom

What a lovely thing it is to discover that nearly all of the books you've gazed at adoringly in a bookstore, or deeply coveted in someone else's hands, come from the same wonderful, brilliant place!

Nobody's Lunch

I saw the new production by the Obie-winning theater company, The Civilians, this evening at P.S. 122. Deliriously smart and kooky, it was a giddily entertaining look at how we get our information from the maelstrom of American popular culture swirling around us.

Consider it highly recommended, with terrific performances by an upbeat and talented cast that belts out poppy, cynical show tunes, not to mention appealing stagecraft and deft choreography. Besides, how can you not love a play narrated by a male actor playing a medium who is channeling an opinionated spirit, and who also happens to wear pink Ugg boots?

Update: Culturebot has an illuminating interview with Steven Cosson, director of The Civilians.