Valentine's has never actually been an event in the year that I have always looked forwards to. Ever since I was young (I'm not that old anyway), I clearly remember the pressure that everyone exerted into each other to express their feelings of love and compassion to other people. And whenever I was targeted, I would always lose.
However, this year it's different. Even though it is still the consumerist, money-spending-oriented day it is and has always been, this time I just see it as a day to give. And it is just that simple action, to give, that has really made me feel, probably for the first time, better and more positive about that day. Fourteenths of February are no longer days of social pressure.
Back at school, not too long ago, I was selling items for St. Valentine's, writing peoples' names down and that overused phrase the whole time. It was busy as hell, with teenagers taking the place of every observable space in front of me. To make it worse, I had only slept about 5 hours the night before, so my listening and writing skills were in someway impaired. But then this year 7 kid appeared out of nowhere behind me and hugged me. My state of exhaustion did not allow me to react to the kid, who was already running away as I took a quick glance at him. Never seen that kid before, must be new.
I wonder if he stole anything and hugged me to distract me
Last week I checked out an artistic experiment/experience in the CBD, namely at The Rocks. The Museum of Contemporary Arts (MCA) is hosting a project called Rider Spoke, made by the British art label/company Blast Theory.
The museum provides you a bike and a Nokia internet gadget and lets you lose on the city. You can go anywhere you want (can). The gadget then starts to "talk" to you, giving you instructions on how to play the game. The concept behind Rider Spoke is that bikers make recordings of their answers to the questions from the gadget in hiding places in the city. They can later hear other people's responses as they go through the city streets and alleyways. The questions given are quite personal, yet reflect the entire purpose of the game: build connections with other people in a wireless environment in the city. It is weird at first, but it becomes a rather inspiring and relaxing activity. Sydney CBD is such a good place to go bike riding. It's a shame that bike lanes abruptly finish everywhere you go.
I remember listening to a woman who promised (you promise to do something, anything, at the end of the session) to be less fearful in her life. I listened to another lady saying that she has a friend overseas that she talks to all the time about her daily doings and things (that made me contemplate about my own friends and networks as I approached the QVB..), and how strong their bonding is despite the great distance between them. It is warming to listen to other people about their own lives. This game has its confessional side as well, you are exposing more about your inner self to total strangers in the middle of a city. You remain anonymous, but nevertheless at least someone heard about your feelings, your thoughts.
You finish the session with such a feeling of relief and peace. Plus, you have just done about an hour of exercise!
For now,
happy St. Valentine's day
Take it easy
