#GreenSurge and Graphic Design for the Manchester Green Party April 11, 2015
Posted by astridjohnson in Current Affairs, Graphic Design, Politics, Portfolio.Tags: #GreenSurge, 2015, artwork, creative artwork, Design, elections, Graphic Design, Green Party, Manchester Green Party, Politics, portfolio
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A whimsical call to vote for the student population in Manchester Fallowfield.
Yes, I am part of the #GreenSurge. I joined in December 2014 and am an active member for the Manchester Green Party. Apart from the many policies I agree with, I feel I actually have a voice within the party, find that it is democratically run and meet many very engaged, awake and politically astute people.
The fact that smaller parties, a number of them leaning to the left, are shaking up this election in the UK is a good thing and locally it would be good to have a different voice in the Labour run Manchester Council.
Currently my daily physical exercise is leafleting for an hour or so in Rusholme and I must say, responses from people I meet on the street are mostly very encouraging. A lot of my time is spent with fellow activists planning leaflets and other publications and then offering my design skills. Enclosed some work I have done.
Happy Birthday, Annette… and In Praise of Love March 2, 2013
Posted by astridjohnson in Books, Love, Philosophy, Politics.Tags: Alain Badiou, Badiou, birthday, birthday present, books, communism, communist, Foyles, In Praise of Love, Love, Mallarmeé, maoist, Nicolas Truong, philosophy, Politics, sister love, Truong
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And another birthday blog.
Happy Birthday, my dear sister. You got this photo we took at the MOSI on canvas and a box with some more goodies is unfortunately still on it’s way. Never mind. I hope you have a lovely day with your beloveds in Cologne.
On the subject of love. I am reading Alain Badiou’s “In Praise of Love”, which my husband brought me from Foyles yesterday. and there is much this elderly French communist illuminates about the perennial question mark in “What is Love?”. The book is the script of an interview between Nicolas Truong and Badiou and covers politics, creativity and relationships.
The last paragraph here is about love for the world through relationship and wakes me up to review all of them:
…To love is to struggle, beyond solitude, with everything in the world that can animate existence. This world where I see for myself the fount of happiness my being with someone else brings. “I love you” becomes: in this world there is the fount you are for my life. In the water from this fount, I see our bliss, yours first. As in Mallarmeé’s poem, I see:
In the wave you become
Your naked ecstasy.
The bond with my sister is very deep and the abiding love I have for her took time to be seen and mature.
An International Game June 23, 2010
Posted by astridjohnson in Books, Current Affairs.Tags: England, football, Fyfe, Germany, Hamilton Fyfe, Lego, Lego football, Politics, World Cup
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Germany v. Australia: 4-1
World Cup, this is always an awkward time for me. It is the time when national feelings and stereotypes come to the fore. I am not wholly immune, but I am a German in a foreign European – yes, the UK is part of Europe – country. For the English ’66 comes up and for me, well a whole mix, everything from the shame of ’33 to the Football Lovefest of 2006.
Recently I discovered this little lovely book by Hamilton Fyfe, a journalist and playwright, The Illusion of National Character. It was published in 1940 and he rejects the notion that national characters are distinct, homogeneous and well-defined and that we just somewhat blindly assume they are. An interesting sociological argument. In terms of Germany he gives political and social reasons, amongst them the failure of Rathenau to put his thoughts across successfully, for the rise of Hitler rather than pinning it down to an intrinsically German character trait. Generally I think he goes too far in his argument, but still, at the time it gave a considered and complex view.
Nevertheless, if Germany beats Ghana tonight I’ll probably go for a long and nice walk in the Peak District on Sunday.
P.S. Germany will win!
Very Topical May 8, 2010
Posted by astridjohnson in Current Affairs, Politics.Tags: Clegg, dontdoitnick, Liberal Democrats, Long Legged Cleggy Weggy, Politics, ukelection
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A little appropriate icon I found on Twitter.
