McSweeney’s List (3 May, 2023)
This week’s McSweeney’s (Play)List is inspired by shapes!
The world fascinates me.
When I first heard the Einstein quote "There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle", I thought of course. Doesn't everyone think about how improbable it is that we exist? And that we can realize we exist? Or that cats always grow whiskers in the right spots...Or how the shape of flower petals is repeated perfectly every time? Across bazillions of different plants?! And if you take a seed apart, there's nothing to see there, so what kind of beautiful mind fuck is this?!
Ahem. Which brings me to another quote that sticks in my brain, but bastardized, and source forgotten (please let me know if you know what I'm talking about). It's something to the effect of: if we ever realized how amazing everything is we'd fall to our knees, and wouldn't get anything done. It's hard to imagine going to stand in line for a new phone after you've realized how very cool existence is. As such, I try to walk a careful line between incessant awe and societal (*cough* capitalist) participation.
Still, there are things that can stun us into silence, startle us out of our dazed routines. Birth, Northern Lights, the power of the ocean, and for the first time in my life (and lifetime), a new shape!
Yes, while I was probably napping, and others were doing lip sync videos, a nerdy "hobbyist" in England by the name of David Smith, invented a new shape. I'm inclined to say "discovered", because contemplating the invention of shapes is mind boggling, but I guess he really created the damn thing.
The mathematical question was: is there a shape that can be arranged in tile formation that never repeats? My brain doesn't math as well as it words, so trying to visualize this tickles me. Any shape that fits the bill would be called an "aperiodic monotile" (ah, that's something I can dissect and understand!). In other words, it would be an "einstein" shape, a translation of German meaning "one stone". With no gaps and no repetition, it fits together ad infinitum.
So David Smith, a retired print technician and "recreational mathematician" who designs tiles in his free time, simply following his inclinations and doing the thing he enjoys doing, solved the damn thing. He invented a 13 sided shape, technically an einstein, it's affectionately referred to as "the hat" -- a fedora, to be specific, which I can't see. It was also compared to a T-shirt, which I can see.
From a nerdy perspective, the dude solved a super cool thing, and he gets mad bragging rights. From a design perspective, this shape has the potential to revolutionize more things than I can imagine. From my point of view, it's a chance to be amazed. It's a reminder that sometimes there are new things under the sun. It's a display of what the human mind is capable of, and not some highly specialized mind sitting in some laboratory: a hobbyist, hobbying. How many people over the years rolled their eyes at his personal mission? How many days and nights did his brain rage against him, yelling that it was futile? That he wasn't getting anywhere and never would, and if he did, who would care anyway? How much time did he spend questioning the validity of his path?
And as cool as the outcome is, I would argue that the path was valid even if he never found it. Imagine how much he learned along the way? About math, shapes, patterns, and yeah, also himself. Because you don't follow your heart without having to face yourself every day and actively choose the path less traveled. You don't keep forging ahead in search of something you might never find without having to swim through your own darkest shadows.
So this one's for the artists, the creators, the inventors, all those chasing their one stone against all odds.
I am awed by you.
Keep going.
A Little Bit Country
Bust out your biggest belt buckle and saddle up, 'cuz acoustic country's in town. Montreal artists Caught In The Rye are playing their first original live show (their first single drops this fall, so if being the first to know tickles your hay bale, this one's for you). Joined by Ben Vallee and Erik Fines (who puts on a helluva show), you'll be tapping your toes and tipping your hat in no time.
WHAT: Caught In The Rye with Erik Fines and Ben Vallee
WHERE: Le Basement, 3716 Notre Dame W., Montreal, H4C1P7
WHEN: Thursday, May 4 Doors @ 7 PM, Show @ 8 PM
METRO: St. Henri (Orange)
TICKETS: Eventbrite
Is Archie Still A Thing?
Who doesn't love freebies?!
Free Comic Book Day was started in 2001 as a promotion to get people out of their houses, and into indie comic book shops. Not only do you score a free comic (one per person, so bring your friends), but there are tons of sales too! If you're looking to try out a new comic series or graphic novel, now's the perfect time.
WHAT: Free Comic Book Day
WHERE: North America
WHEN: Saturday, May 6, All Day
DETAILS: Participating Store Locator
Book Friends Are The Best
I caught novelist and Montrealer Christopher DiRaddo hosting a talk at Blue Metropolis this past weekend, and learned about the Violet Hour Book Club. It's a reading group started by DiRaddo 2018, dedicated to classic and contemporary works of LGBTQ literature.
The book they'll be discussing this time around is To Be Taught, If Fortunate by Becky Chambers. Go out and meet some bookworms, or Zoom in from the comfort of your couch.
WHAT: Violet Hour Book Club
WHERE: Saga Bookstore, 5574 Upper Lachine Rd., Montreal, H4A 2A7
WHEN: Saturday, May 6, 3 PM - 430 PM
METRO: Vendome (Orange)
DETAILS: Facebook
Laughter For A Cause
Some days all you can do is laugh…more and more days, it seems. Luckily, we live in a city filled with funny people, and you never have to wait long for a reason to get your giggle on.
This Saturday, Jesse Minna, Jorge Humberto
Jack Trepanier, Alex Hamel, Elspeth Wright, A-M Papillon, Claudio Capri, and Hassan "le mack" Mackbouba are taking the stage for a good cause.
Profits are going to LOVE (QC), a grassroots group dedicated to stopping the cycle of violence, as well as providing workshops and drop-in centres for youth. The project is coming up on its 30th anniversary.
WHAT: Rire 4 Life
WHERE: L'Option Musique, 4671 St Laurent Blvd., Montreal, H2T 1R2
WHEN: Saturday, May 6, 8 PM
METRO: Laurier (Orange)
TICKETS: Eventbrite
You Spin Me Right Round, Baby
Vinyl heads and vinyl newbs, break your piggy bank and bring your tote bags, 'cuz there's a pop-up this Sunday just for you.
Vinyl Caravan's bringing their wares -- and a party -- to St. Henri. Shop till you drop while live DJs mix things up.
WHAT: Pop-Up Record Market
WHERE: Bar Courcelle, 4685 Notre Dame St. W., Montreal, H4C 1S7
WHEN: Sunday, May 7, 12 PM - 5 PM
METRO: St. Henri (Orange)
DETAILS: Facebook
What’s on at The Diving Bell Social Club
Check out The Diving Bell Social Club for more details!
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