Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Last Chapter as Simulation of Reality

I stayed over at a rooming house in Hackney where I hoped to finish Blood Rites of the Bourgeoisie. I was grooving to the story until page 94. That was where I saw my name in the book and my third eye opened and I understood. I was merely a very minor character in a story. Everything - my trip, my blog, my Self - all this, was a subplot in an extended narrative that existed beyond the book.


And now, I realize my role in this narrative is finished, and it is time for me to go. And I am gone.


Monday, June 28, 2010

Up Around Camden Town


Vacation Daze 11
In Camden Town

I bought a copy of The Seventh Song Of Maldoror at a boot sale in Camden Town. I chatted up the dolly bird who sold me the book and the conversation eventually turned to my travels around England.

She told me that the whole trip was just in my head. I took this to be a polite way to tell me to sod off.


Friday, June 25, 2010

Taking it to the beach


Vacation Daze 7

Here I am taking in the rave scene in Ibiza. Or is it Brighton? I really cannot tell the difference anymore.

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Salisbury Stake Out


Vacation Daze 6

The B&B I'm staying at in Salisbury has a very lovely garden (see picture).


Road Trip Day 20

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Lost in Wales


Vacation Daze 5
Relaxing on the train

I'm stuck on a train somewhere between Machynlleth and Caersws. Fortunately, this is giving me some time to read more of Blood Rites.

Right now, I'm 1/3 of the way through the book. I'll leave my thoughts on it until a future time as I will not discuss any book until I have read the whole thing. However, to date, I have yet to finish a single book ...


Road Trip Day 19

Paraphilia VIII

I got this message during my trek through the Black Mountain.

The new issue of Paraphilia Magazine, now available. Check it out at www.paraphiliamagazine.com.

Always filled with interesting and crazy sh*t!

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

York Time

Vacation Daze 4


Here I am taking a break at Bootham Bar after walking along city walls. I will find out later tonight whether York is in fact the most haunted city in England.

Road Trip Day 18

Monday, June 21, 2010

Wasn't E.K. just here?


Vacation Daze 3

Walking the ruins

Fresh off a hike at the Tor, I decide to have a relaxing tour of the ruins of Glastonbury Abbey. I plan to go to Northwick Hill as well, if I can find the bus to Blockley.

Road Trip Day 17

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Rambling around Glasgow


Vacation Daze 2 *


Here I am on Sauchiehall Street in Glasgow. I'm on my way to the Necropolis for a picnic and to take in the lovely view.


*Road Trip Day 16

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Vacation Time


Road Trip Day 15

I'm taking the scenic route back home. It will give me time to read Blood Rites. Here I am relaxing at the Avebury Stone Circle.



Thursday, June 17, 2010

I've got it, now I'm off


Road Trip Day 14


I dropped by the Book Works office to pick up my copy of Blood Rites of the Bourgeoisie. Every one wished me well on the rest of my trip.


(Photo by Sage)(c)




FYI, you do not need to travel to England as I have to get Blood Rites of the Bourgeoisie. If you do not live in the UK, the easiest way to get a copy is to order directly from Book Works. As noted in an earlier post, bookstores should also be able to order from the North American supplier (for those who do not wish to order online).

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

A Tourist in Someone Else's Town


Road Trip Day 13



Today, I toured London in a taxi. I saw all of the sights - Granville Island, Stanley Park and the Sea Wall. With all of the sightseeing, I lost track of time. By the time I made it to Hackney, the office had closed. Here's a picture I took through the window. I can see my book sitting on a table inside.


Sunday, June 13, 2010

Crude Awakening


Road Trip Day 12


I woke up to the noise of this flyer being stuffed under my door. I'm not sure if it's for a swinger's party, or a book launch , or a summer camp of some sort. Perhaps it's just the front page of the Telegraph or Guardian. I'll enquire at the front desk later.


London Found


Road Trip Day 11


Today, I arrived in London and settled into a rooming house on Gower. It seems like a nice place.


Saturday, June 12, 2010

Beat the Boots


Road Trip Day 10


World Exclusive!


I've managed to get my hands on an authentic Blood Rites of the Bourgeoisie bootleg. I was browsing in a used book and record shop in Wells when I came across this find behind the glass case at the front counter. The clerk was rather cagey when I asked how he had obtained this before the official on-street date, only saying that he knew people who knew other people. It was something I had to have!


Here's a scan of the cover. I might do excerpts as well in the next couple of days, depending on how my trip to London goes.


Friday, June 11, 2010

Down by the Lake


Road Trip Day 9
This is the main road running straight through town in the Lake District. I haven't seen any actual lakes yet but there is still tomorrow. It's gorgeous and walking along I am reminded of the poem by Woolworths - "I wondered lonely as a cloud..."

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Come To Milton Keynes

Road Trip Day 8


While digital books have been getting all of the attention lately, I have found a wonderful new book format being sold in a quaint bookstore in Milton Keynes - shredded books. The book is sent through an industrial shredder and voila - the book has been transferred into this new shredded format.


While this store sells the shredded books for list price, some art galleries have been selling them as "artist editions", fetching upwards of $1000 per book. The clerk disapproved of this practice and felt, in the end, it may kill this format from being embraced by the populace. And this would really be a shame.


Here is a picture of the copy of Gravity's Rainbow I purchased.



Hopefully, I'll be able to pick up Infinite Jest tomorrow. Unfortunately, there were no Stewart Home books in stock, as they had all been bought up by local nuns.

Wednesday, June 09, 2010

A quick stop at a bookstore


Road Trip Day 7

As I strolled through Nottingham, I happened across one of the three remaining bookstores in England. I walked in to see if they had Stewart's latest book, Blood Rites of the Bourgeoisie. While my copy was waiting for me somewhere in London, I thought I'd take a quick peek at the work. I asked the clerk and she laughed.


"Oh, don't you know the joke? It's really an open secret in the industry. Stewart Home does not exist. "He" [air quotes] is actually a computer program that randomizes text and spits the results out as a novel. In any case, I heard that this latest work has been declared out of print. And this is before it has actually been printed! Which is quite an achievement."


She gave me directions to a bookstore in Milton Keynes, and suggested I try there. I thanked her, although I thought her theory about Mr. Home to be ludicrous. How could someone with a webpage not be real?


My webpage exists, therefore I am.


Tuesday, June 08, 2010

The map is not the territory


Road Trip Day 6

I am using a map of Vancouver Island to guide me around England. I felt that this would be the most logical way to navigate the English countryside. By my estimation, I should be in London at some point, eventually.



Monday, June 07, 2010

Wrong Train Again

Road Trip Day #5


I was on my way to Staines to meet up with the guys from Descending Light Explosion. I was to join them for their rave gig in the Tesco parking lot there. Unfortunately, I got on the wrong train and ended up in Stratford-upon-Avon.


Since I had some time to kill before the next train, I took in a performance of a recently discovered play by Shakespeare - The Brother Called Trouble. "Big Money, Big Pimpin', Big Knuckin' and Buckin' equals Big Trouble on the Thames!" Which, I might add, equals AWESOME! His best play so far.

Sunday, June 06, 2010

Climbing The Tower

Road Trip Day 4


I made a little detour to Durham. I wanted to make my way to the top of the tower at the Cathedral. Here's some graffiti I found scrawled in the stairwell leading to the tower roof.


"A.O.S. was never here"

Saturday, June 05, 2010

Third Train from Gloucester

Road Trip Day 3

The 8:13 South Eastern to London was late. While standing on the platform, a man stood beside me and said something to me I did not catch.


"Pardon me?" I said.


"That's your first mistake." He said.


"What?"


"You spoke to me. That was your first mistake."


"You know, I expect this sort of crazy shit back in Vancouver, not here in the Cotswolds!"



Fortunately, just then, the train rolled in.


My Train ticket


Thursday, June 03, 2010

Road Trip


I’m setting out to pick up my copy of Blood Rites of the Bourgeoisie by Stewart Home. It should be waiting for me at 19 Holywell Row, second room on the left, bottom shelf of the book case beside the window. I think. I’ve lost the directions. However, I have a vague recollection that this is where the book is waiting for me.


No problem. I can work things out on the fly. Now, it’s time to head off. You know what they say – even a 1000 mile trip begins with a single tab of acid.