UnInTel

This video does not do justice to the intensity and beauty of the interior of the Way Place. I just wanted to share it. I’m so excited for everyone to see it in person.

As the late afternoon sun filtered through the trees in a garden deep in Carmel Valley, energetic members of the Unintelligent Design Society made the first full test build of the Way Place. Since that evening in late November when Mark pulled out a scale drawing of a pyramid from his back pocket to Ellen’s focused vision of the painted panels, this build surprised us all. To stand or sit inside the Way Place, to wander around the exterior and see the flow of the symbols, the depth of the colors, the substantial feel of the space sent a ripple of excitement through us all.

The creative energy was electric during our pre-Thanksgiving soiree hosted by Ellen and Alan to celebrate Mark’s visit. Just after our delicious dinner with Kira, Karen, Chris, and Joel, we were all surprised when Mark whipped out (of this back pocket) a 4′ x 3′ sheet of his sketch ideas for the Playa way place. Mark is highly inspired and outlined his vision for a pyramid structure measuring 6′ at the base of 1 side. Joel dove right in with marker pen and logistics. By the end of the evening, the sketches had notations and extracts to rival a Defense Department proposal.

Our dessert was graciously prepared by Ellahh with her inspiring cacao drink. After a few creamy, fiery sips, the energy level elevated to sonic buzz. A revelation that the DaliAlan was in our midst. The conversation turned to tribal clothing and the expense fresh faux fur. Mark’s idea of searching out and bagging slightly tarnished teddy bears turned the talk to how to field dress a teddy bear.

The Black Rock City Homes and Gardens tour was brainstormed… as members wander around BRC, we could find camps that we think are inspired. Then one day the UDS could take a grand tour of our favorites.

As the day draws near for each of our departures, the email chatter is erupting in bursts.

Swimming Girl to Amoeba …
“Hi Robin, Trying to load up the RV but it is not easy with just me…Bringing two tables, the thin steel artifacts table, and a 24″ sq for soup service. Also images for the wall. But I am not bringing paints as it is hot here and all the way to the desert and Ellen is bringing the gel medium. Have a few small skulls and bones for display and Andy, big soup, Marilyn, and Darwin/images quotes banner. Have 7 can ready-mades. Short on solar lights as I cannot get the dang rare batteries( thank you Mindy for racing all over the Monterey area for these elusive batts! but to no avail)) but maybe Alexa can pick them up in the battery shop up in Dredford, OR as their shipment arrives on Friday, the day I leave for the other direction to HOME!!! If any one thinks of any thing else for me to toss in besides the kitshcen sink please say! Everyone have a SAFE journey. Turtle or LaLa or gone swimming”

Domain to Joy Blast and back
Christine…”Don’t forget the kazoos”…Mindy… “I left them at Robin’s the night of the 2001 movie.”

Uhoh! to everyone
“The idea for finding some calm from the frenetic names is quite brilliant i reckon
(perhaps because i’ve “uh-oh-ed” my full allotment already)….

And it also alludes to evolutionary theory and the idea of “Punctuated Equilibrium, which speculates that there are long and calm eras in the evolutionary process, where nothing much happens at all. These extended periods of evolutionary idleness are occasionally interrupted with the rapid development of a wholey new, but related species. (Possibly the Horse-Cow mix — and probably akin to Homo neanderthalensis and Homo Sapien distinctions)

One of the authors of this idea, a famous paleontologist from Ha’vard, Stephen Jay Gould, remarked that the fossil record did not show ‘gradualism’, which is the thought that big changes happen slowly and continualy over a long period of time and was the basis for earlier evolutionary theory (it’s sort of like ‘uniformitarianism’, which postulated that the earth had changed slowly and consistently during it’s entire existence — which we now see as having to be modified to fit the new evidence of continental drift and now plate tectonics and terranes and so on….)

“reunite gondwanaland” reads one bumper sticker here.
another says ‘thank god for evolution’…..

regardless, let’s all celebrate the fact that we all share the trait of being “pacific platers”, somehow calling the fringes of california our home.
by the way, when the “big one” does come, there is some conjecture that everything ‘east of california’ will fall into the ocean.”

As we all climb into our vehicles load with projects done and leaving behind the orphaned ones, just clear your mind, focus on the journey and the destination. What is left undone will be there when we return. No worse for the time delay. Travel safely…We will welcome each other home soon.