four things.

I am secluded at the moment in a hotel room in a small village in German-speaking Switzerland, removed from any of the more well known cities. I am here for work, not pleasure. This evening I ate an overpriced meal at the town's only restaurant and walked the quiet, damp streets back to my room. I had a number of thoughts along the way. Here are two:

1. The Chinese video artist Yang Zhenzhong produced a piece in 2001 entitled '(I Know) I Will Die'. Over 30 minutes, it featured a series of individuals stating matter-of-factly: "I will die." I saw this a number of years ago at an exhibit on young Chinese artists. Tonight it popped up as my mind wandered. I recalled that each person in the film seemed unique; each person was of infinite interest. I spoke this aloud to myself as I walked. "I will die." It was strangely uplifting.

2. I should finally start that blog i've been thinking of starting. zero to one.

According to sources as reliable as they come on the internets, in May of 72:
- a Burundian Genocide began that resulted in the deaths of half a million Hutus.
- the Red Army Faction bombs the Springer Press building in Hamburg, Germany and barracks of the U.S. Army Supreme European Command in Heidelberg.
- Nixon and Brezhnev sign the SALT I and Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaties. (US withdrew from the latter in 2001. Yay nuclear proliferation!!)
- Nixon orders the mining of Haiphong Harbor in Vietnam.
- Watergate break-ins begin.
- Ceylon becomes the republic of Sri Lanka and the Tamil United Front is founded.
- The closing notice is posted for the Broadway musical Hair.
- Billy Preston becomes the first rock performer to headline at New York's Radio City Music Hall
- Exile on Main Street was released.
- and Ziggy Stardust was in the works...

...and I was born.