Some recent chronicles of my album Lou étendue on justaddnoise and textura.

Yesterday, John Giorno made a signature of the french version of his book You got to burn to shine in our street (93 rue des Martyrs at L'Oeil du Silence). He looks good. Gay men and playboys usually look good, even when they get older (Giorno is born in 1936). In fact they had 3 books of him by 2 young publishers (Derrière la Salle de Bains and Al Dante). I asked him what should I read first. He answered immediatly you got to burn to shine.

I went to see a movie shot by Delphine Seyrig in 1976, "Sois belle et tais-toi". Seyrig is asking about 20 actresses the same questions about cinema: have you ever played a scene in which you're expressing friendship to an other woman? Are you satisfied by the roles you're proposed? The actresses have many things to complain about because all the cinema is a male fantasm, especially in the 70's. Jane Fonda is very smart, Rita Renoir is very funny while not willing to be funny. The movie is a gem. It belongs to the Centre audiovisuel Simone de Beauvoir, which was co-fonded by Seyrig in 1982. It will re-open near my house, Place Saint Georges (9th arrondissement).

I'm reading Gertrude Stein, Autobiography of Alice Toklas. Joining the American Fund for French Wounded, Stein & Toklas were assigned to Mulhouse, in liberated Alsace, where they distributed supplies to the shelled cities & burned-out villages throughout the 1918-19 winter... As an architect, my grand-father had a lot of work in these villages. I can imagine him speaking with Gertrude and Alice sitting in their Ford truck. Two american women driving in 1918, that was a curious spectacle. My grand-father rebuilt many houses in a village called Burnhaupt. He did it two times, in 1918 and 1945, as an alsatian Sysiphe.

I have just finished one song for Yvan Améry's soundtrack. Since I will name every song from quotes I did in the manuscript of his book, the title will be: "Elle retire sa culotte". It is a song about a woman who's taking her panties of. I love the french words that end with otte: biscotte, culotte. Maybe I will write "Elle retire sa biscotte" next.

Went to see Pinocchio by Comencini (1972). A film director who did know how to film and how to move the children. The music by Fiorenzo Carpi also helps a lot. As a kid, the theme made me cry. It was still moving, 30 years later. I thought that the cinema place would be filled with children, it wasn't. Is Pinocchio an adult tale? He has this very special nose...

After Pinocchio, Peau d'Ane by Jacques Demy (1970). Watching Jean Marais as a king in his ladybird dress, sitting on a giant cat shrine, is a funny moment. But the true revelation is the beauty and the spirit of Delphine Seyrig. L'essence de la femme francaise, more than Catherine Deneuve, Jeanne Moreau and Brigitte Bardot. She's got everything.

Tarnation was a nice movie, but I felt like I've already seen it. Some of it in Julian Donkey Boy, the fabulous Harmony Korine's movie. And also in a 1998 french movie by a very young filmmaker: Remi Lange did a long movie (originally shot in super 8) about his coming out as a gay in his family. He tells his grand-mother that he is a gay since he was a kid, while filming her reaction. She is ok and sad. She regrets that she won't have grand children. Tarnation has the same taste, but it is full of self-pity and pathos. Remi Lange did a very courageous movie recently. It's called Tarik El Hob. It's a movie about homosexuality in the young french-arabian generation. We call them les beurs.

Fire proof flags with fire proof certificates by Stephane Berard, 2003, (Frac Paca)

Stephane Berard: retrospective de ses films
1/2/3 decembre 2004
at Laboratoires d'Aubervilliers
A very funny artisan du non sens.

Carte blanche aux Editions Al Dante
(one of the biggest french avant-garde publisher).
27 nov: John Giorno
01 dec: Bernard Heidsieck, Jean-Jacques Lebel +...
03 dec: Christophe Fiat
04 dec: Charles Pennequin / Anne-James Chaton
at Point Ephemere

John Giorno signs a book in my street:
28 nov. 16h
L'oeil du silence - 91 rue des martyrs.
Excellent bookshop near the metro Abbesses.

If it's cold outside I may stay home.
It will probably be cold.
Sure, it will.

I am glad to have one recent poem on sitaudis.com, an excellent french contemporary poetry website, launched by the poet Pierre Le Pillouer.

Check it: Ou est le simple? (G.Toog)

I also have an interview in the new issue of D-Side (France); they included "Side love project" with Asia Argento singing, on the sampler CD.

Chimps or gorillas? Jane Goodall is 70 years old and proves that chimps keep you active and beautiful.

Beck is a cute man. Here is a picture of him at work, this summer, from his website.

SCIENCE-FICTION du 28 novembre 1967 au 26 fevrier 1968 (Musee des Arts Decoratifs, Paris). Here is the cover of the catalogue I bought today.

GWB went to see the divine poet Saadi, in Shiraz. He asked him: what prayer would provide salvation to me? Saadi answered du tac au tac: the best prayer you could make is siesta, since you won't hurt anyone while taking a nap.

(inspired by Saadi, Gulistan)

The last night Florence didn't sleep very well. In fact she couldn't sleep at all until the morning came. All night long she was thinking of the President of the United States. Yes, that is true, all night long. I don't think there were many french people thinking of the President of the United States all night long on 02th november 2004. She was wondering what will happen next. What shape will have the new thread. Who will be the new ennemy... It's always the same: I know we shouldn't watch 24 Hours before going to bed.

Today, history wrote a very bad poem, too long and too repetitive (the shorter the better).