The Best Kind of Distraction
After a disastrous Tuesday in which I felt sluggish, lethargic, and got very little done, I resolved on Wednesday to drag myself to the library at York and force myself to complete some more of my freelance work.
I arrived just shortly after 11, and had been there only about 45 minutes when I noticed a small stage being set up in the corner of the periodical reading room (a large open room with lots of comfy chairs and places to put your laptop). Noticing the sound system and the decorative York banners, I assumed it was some boring academic presentation and went back to my work. A few minutes later, I noticed that the people setting up the sound system were not just the usual AV techs- they had longish hair and beards (for the most part), and struck me as kind of 'hippy' looking. My suspicions about who they were, were immediately confirmed, when one of them pulled out an accoustic guitar. Yup. These were folk musicians!
Two of them got up on stage and play a few songs. Soon the room had catered lunch table and there was a healthy mix of York administrative professionals and obvious folkies milling around.
Not being one to turn down a free lunch, I asked the closest organizer if anyone could take a sandwich. She looked rather embarrassed and said "The food is for attendees of the event." Fancying myself a attendee (since I certainly didn't intend to leave), I helped myself to a smoked salmon wrap.
(Free food nothwithstanding, I was soon the only library patron left within about 30 feet, as the others had picked up their homework and moved on.)
The banter of the two musicians, who turned out to be David Woodhead and David Bradstreet, soon revealed that this was a special occasion- York had just aquired the entire archive of material relating to the history of the Mariposa Folk Festival.
Realizing I had my digital camera with me, I pulled it out and snapped a few pictures, and immediately tore out a note sheet and started writing some of this stuff down.
The archive includes posters, programs, photos, video tapes and more spanning the entire history of the festival, and all of which until recently had been stored in the basement of a Parkdale Art Studio. The Mariposa Folk Foundation had spent several years looking for a place to store the material properly, finally settling on the York archives.
There were several speakers, including the Dean, and the President of the Mariposa Folk Foundation. Don Cullen spoke on the festival's history, and read a poem from his book "Bohemian Embassy: Memories and Poems". He donated an 8mm clip of the very first Mariposa Folk Festival from 1961, to the archive.
Although it was a pretty standard affair, (York has receptions for every occasion) I found it very touching that my own alma mater, an often overtly 'academic' arts institution, was taking on such a wonderful opportunity. It made me feel proud to be a Yorkie, to be a folk music fan, and to be a Canadian. Afterwards, I made an awkward attempt to bone up my social skills by chatting it up with Dave Woodhead and hearing some anecdotes from Don Cullen.
Needless to say, for about an hour or so, I got very little done in the way of official work (I'm even typing this when I should be 'working'). But somehow being full of good food and good music, and seeing all these good people cheered me up immensely, and I still did get a great deal done. Possibly more than I would have otherwise.
I arrived just shortly after 11, and had been there only about 45 minutes when I noticed a small stage being set up in the corner of the periodical reading room (a large open room with lots of comfy chairs and places to put your laptop). Noticing the sound system and the decorative York banners, I assumed it was some boring academic presentation and went back to my work. A few minutes later, I noticed that the people setting up the sound system were not just the usual AV techs- they had longish hair and beards (for the most part), and struck me as kind of 'hippy' looking. My suspicions about who they were, were immediately confirmed, when one of them pulled out an accoustic guitar. Yup. These were folk musicians!
Two of them got up on stage and play a few songs. Soon the room had catered lunch table and there was a healthy mix of York administrative professionals and obvious folkies milling around.
Not being one to turn down a free lunch, I asked the closest organizer if anyone could take a sandwich. She looked rather embarrassed and said "The food is for attendees of the event." Fancying myself a attendee (since I certainly didn't intend to leave), I helped myself to a smoked salmon wrap.
(Free food nothwithstanding, I was soon the only library patron left within about 30 feet, as the others had picked up their homework and moved on.)
The banter of the two musicians, who turned out to be David Woodhead and David Bradstreet, soon revealed that this was a special occasion- York had just aquired the entire archive of material relating to the history of the Mariposa Folk Festival.
Realizing I had my digital camera with me, I pulled it out and snapped a few pictures, and immediately tore out a note sheet and started writing some of this stuff down.
The archive includes posters, programs, photos, video tapes and more spanning the entire history of the festival, and all of which until recently had been stored in the basement of a Parkdale Art Studio. The Mariposa Folk Foundation had spent several years looking for a place to store the material properly, finally settling on the York archives.
There were several speakers, including the Dean, and the President of the Mariposa Folk Foundation. Don Cullen spoke on the festival's history, and read a poem from his book "Bohemian Embassy: Memories and Poems". He donated an 8mm clip of the very first Mariposa Folk Festival from 1961, to the archive.
Although it was a pretty standard affair, (York has receptions for every occasion) I found it very touching that my own alma mater, an often overtly 'academic' arts institution, was taking on such a wonderful opportunity. It made me feel proud to be a Yorkie, to be a folk music fan, and to be a Canadian. Afterwards, I made an awkward attempt to bone up my social skills by chatting it up with Dave Woodhead and hearing some anecdotes from Don Cullen.
Needless to say, for about an hour or so, I got very little done in the way of official work (I'm even typing this when I should be 'working'). But somehow being full of good food and good music, and seeing all these good people cheered me up immensely, and I still did get a great deal done. Possibly more than I would have otherwise.
posted by Phinux at 9:50 AM
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