(Ersatz)
I’ve been in York, as some will be aware. A break away to mark my “annual solar orbit” – as a collegue likes to put it.
There was cake, and some wine, and lots and lots of steps – that tiny figure waving from the top of Yorkminster – it’s probably me, signaling that my knees won’t make it back down (spoiler, they did, though they have not yet forgiven me).
Aside this perilous ascent we were at liberty to walk the walls, shambles and markets, taking in the medieval achitecture and craft inns with Est. 1400 hanging from ancient wooden signs.
If I may hark back to my previous post, York is possessed of a great deal of “Echt”.
This ran into the food consumed, with much artisan baking and local sourced produce. And while the signature coacoa came from Bouganville (oh for god sake! In the Solomon islands… ), it was hand rendered into chocolate in small workshops by local chocolatiers.
I am a child of the 1970’s where “authentic food” was a Vesta Curry, and loaves were either bought from the Spar, or, on a high day, the City Bakeries. Coffee is made by Nescafe (ok I don’t actually like Nescafe, but the idea remains). In short, I am very much an Ersatz consumer (not at all like the lovely Chris, who demands organic handmade fairtrade authenticity from all purchases).
I have found that the Echt/Ersatz conversation has rather stayed with me as I continue to look at (various) aspects of my life.
Dalmallyfest, from concept to execution, was (for me at least) about as authentic as it gets. I write with a fountain pen, not out of some pose, but because I “connect” better with that instrument. Ditto I play acoustic guitar, and spent a long time waiting for the amp which has no (unnecessary) electrickery (I did’t quite get it down to “on and off” buttons only). This is not to say that anyone who writes with a bic or plays electric is somehow “less authentic”, but I offer these as examples of small things that FOR ME personally, offer an important connection to…I guess “the authentic me”.
York brought a surprisingly large amount of opprtunity to make that kind of connection, and in doing so caused me to reflect more about the connections I make in daily life. Of course it may be simply the well document need to use distance to gain perspective, although I think that the “where” is also important.
I’m home, and back to work soon enough, but I find I’m still reviewing what is fake and what is authentic in life. I’m happy to say that these “Dog’s lives” feel very real.
Next week on IaDL. “War with the Rats….” (2-0 to them)
Dalmallyfest the Asylum 