Turning of the Leaves

“Janus is the Roman god of gates and doors (ianua), beginnings and endings, and hence represented with a double-faced head, each looking in opposite directions. He was worshipped at the beginning of the harvest time, planting, marriage, birth, and other types of beginnings…” – Encyclopedia Mythica

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Autumn has always been a particularly significant time for me. That my birthday coincides with the always anticipated beginning of the new school year made it a kind of personal new year for me. The reflective nature of the Jewish high holidays, from Rosh haShanah (New Year) until Yom Kippur (Day of Attonement) intensifies this feeling of the ‘turning of the leaves’.

So, this seems an appropriate time to finally set up my blog, and pay tribute to the natural tides that inspired the myth of Janus. Trying to find a descriptive recap of the last year, I’d say that overall it whet my appetite, and I’m way hungry for more…

Academics – STS @ BIU:
This was the big one – after my first year of study, I can say that BIU’s STS program (Science, Technology and Society) is turning out to be everything I had hoped.

I’ve seen how people make the place, and the fact that this program has drawn so many inquisitive, intelligent, creative and warm people is a tribute to the head of the program – Dr. Noah Efron, and his engaging and thoughtful approach to research, academia, and what creating a stimulating learning environment can be.

Secondly, I’ve been able to reconnect with my love for philosophy and theory, and while it feels as though I’ve climbed up a hill in only in order to better see the enormous mountain range, I’ve also found a few really interesting leads into those mountains.

Conferences – Speech speech!
2007 brought with it some more academic speech opportunities, and I thoroughly enjoyed them! It really is a great opportunity to share fruits of work already complete, as well as to formulate and communicate heretofore incoherent thoughts.

Art it is – The Upgrade TA
This summer brought a number of treats, one of which was opportunity knocking a second time in the form of The Upgrade TA.

This deserves its own post, but suffice it to say for now that it has reminded me how much I enjoy the people involved with Upgrade – and in particular, Ariel Malka. And in general it’s a good excuse to get nosey about what’s happening in the new media/interactive art scene (since I’ve been distracted with other things). Not that you really need an excuse, but I enjoy having a platform to channel the ideas that spring up after meeting all of the intriguing and talented people out there.

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So, I’m using this reflective time to gather myself up for the challenges in the upcoming year. One of which is a lot more writing – academic, popular and creative. Focusing the subject of my dissertation will be one of the more critical tasks – I expect I’ll be spitting blood on that one quite a bit on this blog. Be forewarned :) Keeping Upgrade moving and developing, realizing some of the ideas that Ariel and I have been brainstorming.

And there’s a lot more brewing and stewing. I’m excited, a little scared, but mostly feeling a strong and welcome directive energy to become very focused with my time and activities.

Time is a truly double-faced character.
It occurred to me that Rosh haShanah is first, and faces forward towards the new year. And then comes Yom Kippur, facing backwards.
First, we are reminded that all things, up to the angels in the heavens, are recreated anew, each day and each year. And then pushed to cut the emotional cords that tie us to the inner demons of fear, doubt and confusion from the past. We’ve already been given a new slate, now it’s our turn to pick up the pen, take a deep breath, and give bright new form to our thoughts dreams and desires.

Wishing all clear sight and focused strength,
for a happy, sweet and successful year of personal and collective growth and betterment.