Like skiff and slips. I often find myself in the feather light step in the frame of the flaneur, or possibly it is simply my disillusion with reality and the possibility of a real world or an entirely un real… world.

Note, on Tuesday I happened upon the Chair of the philosophy dept at Lakehead who entertained a conversation with me about, the subject. I asked him about the possibility of any sort of connection to film and video and media in the school or Thunder Bay itself that I could plug into, to help me with the image work of my project.

What I’m really looking for is a good digital camera that I can borrow or use for some short periods. The UofA kindly afforded such opportunities thanks to the intermedia research center in the Tory building. Nicely stocked with multiple cameras of digital and non-digital format for shooting either still or video. They also had multiple computers to work on any kind of imaging or web design or video work. But alas I must stop living vicariously through my memories and face the fact that I am working in an environment that is designed to accommodate about 1/8 of the student population.

Anyways from the Philosophy dept I was routed with good cause over to the History dept. In this dept I was to meet a man, highly involved with film and media in town. So much so, that the local “Bay street film festival” is taking place this weekend, and as always with these sorts of things, volunteers are the bread and butter.

7pm this evening my lovely partner in kryme made our way down the hall to the old Finlandia hall on Bay Street (the socialist hall, apparently the communist hall next door has been closed for a few years). Inside we, volunteers, met the fantastic staff of volunteers who organize the festival. One, the university professor and another, a prominent film maker in the thunder bay area who has a film in the festival and also a cameo in another.

That was it, the deal was sealed, as soon as the red t-shirts were handed out, we were as good a committed, contract signed, no chance for escape.

What really caught my attention was the fact that, during the short information shpeel, it was mentioned that there is “No access for ‘handi-capped’ people,” we have stairs only that lead up to (about 8 steep stairs) the hall door. We need “able bodied, young people who can assist people into the hall.” It was mentioned that the able bodied needed to be ‘quick on their feet to assist ‘them.’’

Now, since the subject of my thesis is planned as having much to do with architecture and access points, this previous selection of phrases peaked my interest so much so that I immediately took out a pen and paper to document the lingua franca the parlance in which these words told so many stories.

In my understanding it was to be clear that, those who physically are not capable of ascending the stairs, need to rely on the help of other ‘able’ bodies, in which, firstly the person must first be faced with the rejection by the structure of the building for not being designed with said person in mind or in foresight. And secondly the person must succumb to the fact that those doing the ‘able bodied’ work of assisting, may feel that by performing these acts of ‘goodness’ they now reaffirm their position as able and the ‘disabled’ or ‘handicapped’ person is once again caught in the cultural suppositions of negative stigma and marginality.

In reference to this talk of ‘dis-ability I just read an article titled, “Reassigning Meaning,” Simi Linton. Claiming Disability: Knowledge and Identity (NY: New York University Press, 1998)

In which the language of disability studies takes on a position that echoes familiarity with certain feminist theories I have been previously exposed to. Names to me are irrelevant when my mind is ‘logging off’ for the evening.