Final video mockup

A message, since Jonathan's flight has been delayed...

Sent:
21:11:56
10/17/2008
Where you at?
Sender:
JackieRcell
+1909...

[Voice mail mssg received and translated by SpinVox]

[Voice mail mssg received and translated by SpinVox]
Sent:18:56:02
10/16/2008
"Hey Jonathan, it's Jackie and I'm getting ready to go to the opening reception which should be co opening regional be close that I'm doing some major chatting up with the northern people but wow you should be here. Our installation looks quite fabulous, you can't reach out the pictures and video just it because sell some campuses close. I couldn't bring my really good charmers (?) with me but I'm gonna try the remedies some of that tomorrow..." --SpinVox
Sender:
JackieRcell
+1909...

cellphone chat from Louisville (4)

Sent:
17:20:34
10/16/2008
Wish you were here!!!!!
Sender:
JackieRcell
+1909...

setting up took 3 hours

cellphone chat from Louisville (3)

Sent:
14:35:49
10/16/2008
And of course plz post this entire conversation to the blog. ") just saw wysocki btw
Sender:
JackieRcell
+1909...

cellphone chat from Louisville (2)

14:27:53
10/16/2008
Okay it's up and VERY cool
Sender:
JackieRcell
+1909...

cellphone chat from Louisville (1)

11:51:09
10/16/2008
Good news and bad--space is really good, equip is all here. Bad news is that spycam w/9v batteries won't work--connection is so hot I burned my fingers. Hazard!
Sender:
JackieRcell
+1909...

In Louisville (Jackie)

I'm staying at The Brown Hotel, one of the conference hotels. Jonathan gets in late Friday; that means that I'm setting up the installation solo tomorrow morning (but fair's fair--he will set it up solo next month in Irvine). This sort of piece takes a lot more travel planning than my usual conference presentations; with those, I just need to make sure to bring extra copies of the paper in case I lose one. For this installation, however, I'm traveling pretty heavy: an Epson digital projector, two 9" DVD players, a spy cam and a radio receiver for that, an 8-pack of 9-volt batteries (for the spy cam), assorted cords, assorted bits of velcro and double-sided tape, a surge protector, and an extension cord. Oh yeah, and my laptop and a dozen blank CDs and DVDs. That was all carry-on, and I was surprised that I didn't get searched by the TSA people. It's a bit disturbing to me how much space (mental and physical) this sort of work takes on the part of its designers/authors. It definitely encourages collaboration and studio approaches to creation.

A clip from one of the projectors (greetings!)

Thoughts on the teacher's body

...a good deal of what is fascinating about the “savage other” is its existence as our alter ego, as an idealized abstraction of what lurks beneath our veneer of civilization. It is crucial to remember this point, for it is the queer subject’s own “savageness” in the classroom that both licenses her to speak (by giving inside/emic knowledge) and makes her suspect. The automatic and presumptive sexualizing/fetishizing of the queer body constructs us as Other, destabilizes our Be-ing, forces an intimacy with anyone in our orbit. The body of the queer becomes the “public sphere” of the multicultural classroom, mediating private self and state authority (as expressed in the narratives of inclusion underlying multicultural classrooms).

It is alarming to realize that one’s body is not one’s own, particularly if one is in a context (the classroom) in which “bodies” and “passions” and “emotions” are not supposed to exist at all. To be “embodied” by others and then filled with meaning is disconcerting, and it is threatening. How are we to “compose ourselves” in such a system? Such composition comes at unacknowledged personal cost—moral, social, religious, sometimes legal cost. Sometimes it comes at great physical cost. Is it worth it? Maybe. There’s not a right answer to that question.

Jacqueline and Jonathan,

I just wanted to send a last note updating you regarding the exhibition space for your installation. After considering some recent security issues regarding the room where we had your installation located, and given the distance it was located from the other installations, we decided that it will be best to include you in the same large room as the other installations. We will be blacking out the windows, providing plenty of power, laptops, projectors, and screens as you originally requested. We will also make sure that your installation is curtained off from the other installations. This way, your equipment will be secure throughout the day, as we will have attendants present throughout the duration of the conference. We will be leaving our own rented equipment for other installations (several huge display monitors, as well as computers, etc) over night in the room, and you will be free to do so as well. Not only will this space be bigger and more flexible for you to work within, but you should she additional traffic because of the new location (Humanities 300).

I realize that we all thought that the previous setup and location was settled, but as we have several people involved on our end, and new information is coming in each day, we felt that this was the most responsible decision. I truly aplologize if it's cause the two of you any trouble.

If you have any questions, or you see any trouble with this plan. Please let us know ASAP.

Otherwise, Jacqueline, you can visit Humanities 300 when you arrive on Thursday morning. I'm sure I'll be running around checking room setups, etc. So please call me when you get here, and I'll help get you started in the space. I already have your mobile number, so I wanted to make sure you both have mine: 502-***-****

Jonathan, when you have a second, could you send me your mobile number? (I promise not to call unless absolutely necessary.)

Thanks so much, you two. We're so looking forward to experiencing your installation.

Wordle.net

setup, part 2a

Hey, Ryan. Wednesday eve. and early Thursday a.m. isn't going to work. I can actually do the setup myself (as long as I know where I'm supposed to be and where the plug-ins are). As Jonathan had said before, we don't actually need a screen--in fact it'll be better without one--but something that divides us from the next presenter (room dividers) somewhat would be helpful, and we need a small table. So in short, point me in the right direction, I'll get started around 8 or 8:30 a.m., and maybe you could just check in with me that morning to make sure I'm not, I don't know, frying the University's circuits? :) Let me know--I'll have my cell phone w/me (909-***-****). --jrr

setup, part 2

Good god, no. With the time difference, 6 a.m. is 3 a.m. my time. :)

Let me check my flight--can't remember offhand when I get in on Wed., and just rolled into my office. --jrr

setup

Hello, Jacqueline.
Things will be pretty hectic on Thursday, with registrations and the inevitable tech scrambling, so I was hoping you might be available very early on Thursday morning (6:00? 7:00? Maybe you could catch the first bus?) or even Wednesday evening would be good, depending on when your flight arrives. If it can't be until after 8:00am on Thursday, then we'll have to meet during one of the concurrent sessions to get everything set up. Hopefully, I can have most of what your need ready to go before you get here.
Just let me know when you're flight arrives, and when you'd prefer to meet up. Thanks.

Ryan

The diagram

emails...and plotting and planning... (Jonathan to Jackie)

Hey, let me know if you got the email I sent to Ryan and cc'd you on re: our tech needs.
We'll need to coordinate when you arrive so he can help you set up, so let us know your travel plans.
Also, what's our timeline now for *Writing Against Composition*? I need a couple of more weeks for more chapter stuff. You?
j.

Re: Watson Installation (Jonathan)

Ryan!
Thanks for calling. Sorry that things have been hurricane crazy in Louisville. Hope you all are recovering...and hope your exams are going well! Best of luck.
As for our installation, I think we're on the same page.
Jackie and I met this past week, and we decided that we need the following:
2 laptops (capable of playing PowerPoint and QuickTime files)
2 projectors (to go with the laptops)
room dividers, if possible.
a large chunk of wall (12x12 would be great, concrete fine) upon which to project various images.
Jackie, am I missing anything?
Ryan, any questions?
Thanks so much, you guys :-)
j.