Moving in Day

I am sat here with my red polka dot suitcase and a very large other one (that I cannot possibly move) and various other bags and boxes... waiting for mon amour and we will go to the new flat!!! Yes, it is Moving In Day.. finally!!! I am excited and also a bit nervous and thinking about the things I have to buy to prepare the place for guests and to beautify it.. oh I love ambience and aesthetics.. my Venusian leanings.. The long awaited one week lie in however looks set to be interrupted here and there.. the telephone man comes tomorrow (possibly in the morning which could be tricky as I don't 'do' mornings so much anymore and also the doorbell is a very lovely rush of light bird song.. not so audible me thinks!) and the first guest arrives at ARC on Tuesday!!! Amira Hanafi, an American Egyptian poet/photographer/artist: www.amirahanafi.com So.. I need to at least get bedsheets and towels for one!!! (and then of course do a 'big shop' soon). Other than this I will be starting two new creative writing classes as from week beginning March 7th.. so it's all go go go!!! Inshallah :-))

Creative Writing Classes in Cairo

The Creative Writing course consists of one 3 hour session a week for 10 weeks.

Maximum 10 people per course.

For booking your place & more information: email: lindawildfire@hotmail.com

10 week courses with set tasks designed to trigger & expand the writing process. As well as ongoing writing expansion work we explore various genres and work towards an end task of writing a 1000 word short story.

The aim of the course is to foster enjoyment, build skills, stretch ways of working, set challenges & learn techniques whilst introducing the writer to several areas of writing practice.

Alternative courses in:
writing plays, poetry, review & critique, performance, oration, delivery and drafting texts towards presentation as well as further writing practice are available.

There is no criteria other than a willingness to open up one's writing; the course is designed that people of varying writing experience can participate and each draw their individual benefits.

Linda Cleary – Artist Biography
Linda Cleary is a poet - writer – performer, originally from Manchester and seen as being in the vanguard of young female performance poets and emerging as a radical nouvelle vague Romantic Poet; presenting a different type of work for the UK. Her former drama training lends her performance a certain theatricality and she has performed in a variety of bands, theatre & performance groups.

Linda works across disciplines; creating non traditional, diverse work of spoken & written word at times fusing performance, music and image. Her work often carries an urban and contemporary thrust ; some themes may be timeless, universal, but carry a modern twist and juxtaposition in delivering the tale whilst carrying a definite honouring to classic influences. Her performance poetry and style has been seen as unique, strong, raw and challenging; 'Powerful, uncompromising, rhythmic verse. Tough, lyrical beauty. Packs poetic punches with aching sensitivity. A unique new voice. If you need a comparison, think; a young Joolz Denby, laced with Patti Smith overtones.' (Apples&Snakes)

Education Biography
Linda has experience of working with children, young adults and adults with differing needs and delivers workshops in creative writing & poetry for schools, colleges and community groups; those from isolated or rural areas as well as regeneration or urban.

Having left school and becoming immediately involved with theatre her community work began with a placement with NACRO in '89 where she assisted with facilitating a creative writing and psycho-drama course. She then went on to train in '91 at Manchester Polytechnic in Recreational Arts in the Community. This enabled her to successfully set up and run a variety of community courses in creative writing and also theatre; working in Holland, Czech and Australia as well as the UK. Between 93 – 94 she was invited to Czech Republic to work at the prestigious JAMU Academy of Performing Arts & Music in Brno where she delivered theatre workshops to two adult actor groups; one an audibly impaired group. She runs creative writing courses and a script development for presentation course and teaches general literacy as well as her poetry, writing and performance work.

NB for details, audio, video, written work, news and more please go to

www.lindacleary.co.uk

Creative Writing Contentment

I love my writing class!! The students have just left and as I put away the cups, the glasses, the biscuits, the chairs to their resumed positions; the accoutrements that support writing; I reflected on what a joy it is to sit for 3 hours every Saturday with this group and to explore the paths of creativity and to see their work gathering strength and power. Thank you Nadia, Nazly, Sherif, Gehane, Hind, Sondos, May and Ghada.

Miso Quest

I am exhausted!

Today I had to get up early (for Cairo) and be out of the house by 11am as I had a meeting about a forthcoming performance poetry show and workshops at Darb 1718. I walked in the heat desiring water but never stopping to buy any; I just went through the whole procedure in my head but didn't seem able to stop and do it in reality. Then on arrival at Darb, after two metro journeys, I needed things.. 'I need fool' I said, 'and tameya' and then I glugged a load of water which is supposed to be the wrong thing to do when you are dehydrated but I'm not really a sipper. Anyway, all was well and the performance will be soon; dates to be decided. Then I went downtown and did a few more posters (for my Creative Writing course); taking advantage of an emergency situation at Diwan which required the guard to help a man with a bad leg; I put my poster up quicksharp then left (sometimes they dont like people putting posters up). Then hurray hurray halleluijah.. Alfa Market were stocking tofu today!!!! It shone on its shelf; a divine message of vegan love. Then one of my friends told me about miso being available in Mohandeseen in a MACROBIOTIC shop... 'What???' I said, 'There is a macrobiotic shop in Mohandeseen?' 'Yes,' she said. Soooo... I am just back now from a sweaty quest to get miso.. it involved quite a hunt, but then there it was, the shop of delight.. and it was closed..

Following footsteps

I'm still not arriving at the beginning. Can one arrive at the beginning? Anyway today I have felt somewhat complicated and couldn't focus on my Arabic lesson other than trance out at various poetic sounding and meaning words. Then on the way to the metro I found myself following a man. He felt simple and safe. I liked his brown jacket and his ironed trousers, I liked the balding spot on the back of his head where he had combed down his hair, I liked knowing what he had in his kitchen cupboards and how he liked his morning rituals to be. I followed him for 15 minutes and in that 15 minutes my world was simple.

I am Beinning to Hate White Taxis

Yes.. I am. Maybe something has suddenly changed with white taxis in this city or my perception of money has altered but every white cab I get recently goes a stupid and very long way round in a way that baffles me.. it's like they throw the blanket of illusion over my eshta face and then suddenly I wake up and realise the road I want to be on is henak!! And I am hena!! For those not in the know; white and yellow cabs here have meters whilst in black and white ones you just give them what you know the fare is supposed to be.. you give it through the window and walk away.. before they have chance to start pretending it's meant to be more. Oh, the charades are many!!

Anyway.. I settled myself with some tameya after that irritating ride and am now ready to start smoking again.. I am trying to stop.. but in Cairo it feels almost homoeopathic and a duty.

This isn't starting at the beginning.. I will begin very soon..

And should I provide a translation of those limited Egyptian words or let you find them out for yourself?

Ithaca by Constantine P Cavafy

When you set out on your journey to Ithaca,
pray that the road is long,
full of adventure, full of knowledge.
The Lestrygonians and the Cyclops,
the angry Poseidon -- do not fear them:
You will never find such as these on your path,
if your thoughts remain lofty, if a fine
emotion touches your spirit and your body.
The Lestrygonians and the Cyclops,
the fierce Poseidon you will never encounter,
if you do not carry them within your soul,
if your soul does not set them up before you.

Pray that the road is long.
That the summer mornings are many, when,
with such pleasure, with such joy
you will enter ports seen for the first time;
stop at Phoenician markets,
and purchase fine merchandise,
mother-of-pearl and coral, amber and ebony,
and sensual perfumes of all kinds,
as many sensual perfumes as you can;
visit many Egyptian cities,
to learn and learn from scholars.

Always keep Ithaca in your mind.
To arrive there is your ultimate goal.
But do not hurry the voyage at all.
It is better to let it last for many years;
and to anchor at the island when you are old,
rich with all you have gained on the way,
not expecting that Ithaca will offer you riches.

Ithaca has given you the beautiful voyage.
Without her you would have never set out on the road.
She has nothing more to give you.

And if you find her poor, Ithaca has not deceived you.
Wise as you have become, with so much experience,
you must already have understood what Ithacas mean.

Constantine P Cavafy (1911)