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Saturday, August 30, 2008
Despite going to bed at 7am (GMT) Jet lag wasn't apparent - apart from a weird 3.30 am compulsion to call the front desk in a mid dream interruption and a flashing red bedside telephone. After a relaxing morning of the "This American Life" podcast and room service breakfast, Mike picked me up to go down town. After a brief visit to an enormous deli - the women at the checkout were gossiping about John McCain's controversial choice of a female running mate - "does he think we're stupid, that a woman, any woman will just do?" - and we drove down to the museum.
This place is hatstand crazy -, like being punched in the mind. Imagine if Terry Gilliam has just back from Park Guell (Barcelona) with a welding qualification and you're not even half way there.
Mike snuck us onto the (not open to the public yet) roof terrace which was littered with construction workers and amongst others - a huge copper praying mantis, a runaway school bus and an elephant water feature. The building has no insurance and feels genuinely dangerous, which of course is much of it's charm. I, unlike Crispin Glover, declined the huge outdoor metal slide.
An obligitary trip to the HUGE arch of St Louis meant that I got to eat my sushi lunch with he archway in front of me and Tom Sawyer river boat, with Dixie band behind me. This city is completely different to what i expected. I'm not sure exactly what I expected - maybe something along the lines of Portland where you can walk around, but St Louis is much, much bigger. It feels like somewhere that would be incredibly difficult to navigate without a car, and makes Nottingham feel like a small place, far, far away.
Coffee in a bank vault
A quick detour to Borders for obligatory dvd purchases, including - This American Life, Heavy Metal in Bagdhad and the best of the best of The Electric Company. for Betsy.... obviously.
The Electric Company
Before I knew it, it was then time to quickly get changed and hot foot it over to Webster for the Goth Cruise screening. The hullaballoo of the day meant that I had, had little time to compose myself and actually prepare for the screening. Before I knew it, I was being called up to a miked lecturn to introduce the film to a busy theatre. I was, in spite of my good intentions incredibly nervous. This was the second public screening of the film ( a "sneak preview" in fact) that I have attended and I know I should be cooler and take it more in my stride, but there is something very exposing about showing your work to an audience. Obviously this feeling doesn't last and the film goes out into the world, but the transition from private to public can be very daunting.
The film was received incredibly warmly by the 100 strong audience (they usually get about 60) and really great, astute questions from a film literate crowd and a good smattering of Goths. There felt like there was a good buzz (believe me, if there isn't, you know!) and I even signed some autographs - eat your heart out Sheil. The evening was then topped off with cocktails in a local bar along with Kate Berman (Chicago) who worked on the Goth Cruise pilot and taught us the ways of the world in America, Stewart (who I met at Big Sky a couple of years ago) and Virginia Hunter who made a lovely documentary - Carny which I recently saw on More 4. My fate for the rest of the evening was sealed when I ordered a vodka and tonic and it arrived in a pint glass.
posted by Jeanie Saturday, August 30, 2008
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