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Nathaniel Roy's avatar

Reminds me of the concept of “flow.” Intuition takes hold, and the excess perception falls away.

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Duane Toops's avatar

Yeah, I think that definitely works as a corollary. A kind of anonymity through hyper-nymity.

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Kevin Davis's avatar

Love these. They are visceral in the most unassuming way somehow…. Like an “expensive” jazz chord. Keep playing!!

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Duane Toops's avatar

“an expensive jazz chord” - I’m not sure I’m worthy of such a fantastic description, but I love it! Thanks so much!

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Zivah Avraham's avatar

Inspiring words AND collages, Duane. I love to forget myself, either when I’m writing or creating. Or, as I was doing today, gardening. Getting my hands in the soil, touching leaves, pressing bulbs into place, rescuing, seriously, the biggest worm I have ever seen. Using my instinct. And then listening to the birds.

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Duane Toops's avatar

Thank you Zivah! It’s the loss of self that I find so addicted, that I crave endlessly. I’ve never done any gardening, but you’re really making me want to.

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Zivah Avraham's avatar

Oh, it totally absorbs me, makes me disappear for a while. Today’s venture - building bug hotels out of all the branches and twigs that have fallen from the hedges over the winter. Sliding them inside some decorative concrete tubes the former owner of our house had left in the undergrowth.

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Duane Toops's avatar

Sounds amazing! I hope you'll share pictures! Something i never would have even thought of going!

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Zivah Avraham's avatar

It’s partly out of an unwillingness to splurge cash when I have resources right here! I’ll get some photos sorted once finished (I predict more stick poking wil happen tomorrow! We have old chimney pots to use as planters too.

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Duane Toops's avatar

Sounds very technical 🤣. Looking forward to it!

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Richard's avatar

Many thanks for the mention - much appreciated. Your work is a great inspiration!

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Duane Toops's avatar

My Pleasure Richard! Thank you so much for sharing your work with me! Definitely inspired me!

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Kimberly Warner's avatar

Beautiful writing! Beautiful art!

“A strange and beautiful stupidity that makes it all worth living.” 💜

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Duane Toops's avatar

Thanks Kimberly! I backspaced that line a few time because thought surely there must be a better way to phrase, but I sure couldn’t come up with one, haha! Thanks again!

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Kimberly Warner's avatar

It's perfect the way it is. ;)

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Duane Toops's avatar

Too kind Kimberly! Thank you!

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Dan Jandl's avatar

I really like your work, Duane. Super cool.

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Duane Toops's avatar

Thanks so much Dan! I really appreciate it!

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Ann Collins's avatar

"perceiving and activity achieve such an at-one-ment, such an equilibrium, such a simultaneity, that they become the same thing. Such a rich and dense access to the present-tense that there isn't enough distance to separate the two."

It sounds exactly like what children do when they are deeply enjoying a time of imaginary play.

I think, on some level, we all yearn to return to the pleasure of those experiences. We become "lost" in the character we are playing. It's bliss.

Did you have a favorite game when you were little?

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Duane Toops's avatar

Thanks Ann! That’s a connection I hadn’t really thought of. I don’t recall any particular games. But I was an only child and the vast majority of my time was spent alone. So I think every activity had to be brought alive by whatever I could conjure from inside me.

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Neil Barker's avatar

Excellent point on contented oblivion, Duane. I like that experience in walking in Nature and writing poetry. Interesting playing with the words "at-one-ment" and "atonement." Thanks for sharing.

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Duane Toops's avatar

Thanks Neil! The at-one-ment, I completely stole, and I think it may have been Joseph Campbell I stole it from.

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