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Monthly
Statement:
November 2005
November was hard times for my accumulation project. For most
of the month I was broke and couldn't afford a metrocard.
At first I thought this would keep me from recording, but
then I decided to try and get people to swipe me in. I would
stand next to the turnstiles and wait for a train to come
and people to go out of the station. As they passed by, I
would ask them "Do you have an unlimited card?"
If they answered yes, I would ask if they could swipe me in.
After a couple of days of this, I started avoiding people
with headphones, people carrying more than one package, and
the typical frantic business guy rushing out of the station
who wouldn't even bother to look at me. After a week, I had
mastered the art of getting swiped in for free. Now it only
takes me a couple of attempts to get in. From the distance
of a few feet, I already know if a person will help me. I
remember, in particular, this (french?) tourist, who insisted
on swiping me in even though he didn't have an unlimited.
"Why would I make you spend 2 dollars," I asked,
"when I can get in for free?" After a good five
minutes, two trains and several potential swipers, I convinced
him. He walked away with a huge smile, unable to understand
this guy asking him for a favor and then refusing to take
it. I got in the station after half an hour had passed.
This month I captured people asking me about my recordings
for the first -and second- time. In one case this group of
three girls on the L train, were looking at me and sharing
something between themselves, laughing all the time. I had
my big headphones on and my mic pointed at them. There was
a lot of noise. I could not listen to what they were saying.
So, one stop before reaching my destination, I approached
them and asked them what was all the giggling about. Click
here for the conversation that followed. And here is a
transcription for the hearing impaired:
- What are you listening to?
- Ah... I'm recording... sound...
- Us?
- Ah... yeah...
- Can you hear what you are recording?
- Ah.... Not what you were saying, but I think I'll be
able to hear it at home
- Good, good!
- Yeah?
- Yeah, you got some good stuff there...
Unfortunately, so far I haven't been able to decipher whatever
it was they were saying about me, but I'm still trying as
many filters as possible.
Process:
I'm accumulating sounds from public transportation systems
in New York City (6 months) and Lima-Peru (6 months) with
a minidisc digital recorder.
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