Wake in Progress

If you've been wondering about the absence of mindmaps, you might also wonder how the artist manages to mindmap at all, being based in Kyiv, a city constantly bombed by Russian orcs. Now the blackouts are back, too. And yet, here they are, the missing mindmaps in their glory. Art by Linda Lotiel

In spite of the nightmare of war, the Ukrainian journey with Joyce continues, oscillating between horrible histories and terrible futures, being occasionally surprised by the Spanish inquisition and taking a short pause for Irish stew. Matrix as ever by @augustinealoysius.bsky.social

We had another reading from 1.7 yesterday, with a cherished guest @kenjihayakawa.com. Two matrices this time: one by Igor and one by Iana. The former made us all yearn for that album, the latter turned our session into a Zoom pub quiz. Can you guess all the Dubliners stories in it, gentle Joyceans?

Kyiv has been under constant attack for 5 days. Nonstop sirens, day and night, the long-suffering city shaking with explosions. And then in FW: "a nightlong a shaking betwixtween white or reddr hawrors, noondayterrorised to skin and bone by an ineluctable phantom". At least the matrix is medicinal.

Yesterday we discussed another side of Shem's lowness - his epic forgeries, created (we assume) in the smithy of his soul. The matrix is a riddle that hides something in plain sight (the best hiding-place ever). Can you spot it? Forged by our Master Matrix Builder @augustinealoysius.bsky.social

You've already seen the matrix for this one, the Daily Maily style. And now behold our very low Shem barricading himself in his inkbattle house, hiding from wars and probably from the news of wars. But one can only hide for so long. Whatever you're running from is coming for you. Art by Linda Lotiel

The matrix for our current fragment has transformed into a newspaper, Daily Maily, which reports disturbing news, forecasts unpleasant weather and advertises, among other things, the premiere of Wine, Woman and Waterclocks. Time to get out of your inkwell and take a chance on this day in the life.

All the missed understandings and other truffles that Joyce brings us! Art by Linda Lotiel (with a little help from from French Post-impressionism)

Imagine that Finnegans Wake is a streaming platform. So much to choose from, and yet it feels like you've seen all of this before: all has been played and replayed on this viciously viconian cycle of bitten apples and broken eggs. Or, perhaps not yet? The matrix by @augustinealoysius.bsky.social

The language of posing, do you speak it? Any camera-shyness on you? Brace yourself, Mr Himmyshimmy, the kodak girl is out to get you. Make sure your tumbletantaliser doesn't overflow! Art by Linda Lotiel

If Joyce is not quizzing you, he is riddling you. But whatever rabbit hole he'll be pulling out of his hat next, let's just agree it's all about withswilling - together-drinking (also known as a symposium). A perfect pastime for those whose tongues have a natural curl. Art by Linda Lotiel

Back from Krakòw, back to business: Shem's chapter won't read itself. Or will it? Perhaps it might, after saffrocaking itself. Anyway, we want to be part of the picture, so get your coldblood kodaks ready, ladies, foreign devils are on the job! Matrix as always by @augustinealoysius.bsky.social

During the James Joyce symposium in Kraków, Iana from Wake in Progress presented a paper on Ukrainian insights into chapters 1-6 of FW. It was a great talk. Many more insights to come as we keep reading, as long as Russian generals are shot over and over again.

Linda's paper on social dance and James Joyce, or the mysteries of the Quadrille Mind.

Happy Bloomsday from James Joyce Symposium in Kraków! Ukrainians from Wake in Progress give papers, paper readings, read dancing and dance drinking. And they drink free (but it comes with a price). More fun to come!

Before setting off to Krakow to have lots-of-fun at the JJ symposium, we started chapter I.7, about His Lowness, Shem. We ended up talking about current Crimean events and whether you can wrap the salmon of wisdom in a paper called "Lotta comunista". Matrix as ever by @augustinealoysius.bsky.social

"Wake in Progress" is getting ready to attend JJ Symposium in Kraków next week! We'll be happy to share our slightly unorthodox reading strategies during FW Reading Group. If you're going to the Symposium too, drop by! The forecast is for matrices, mindmaps and drinking games! Art by Linda Lotiel

Vicious massive attacks - that's Kyiv's reality. Russian orcs attempt to destroy what they can't stand: freedom and dignity. Still, Ukrainians carry on. Our group finished I.6 and we were happy to discuss its finale with friends: Sam Slote, Peter Quadrino and Bobby Campbell. Behold the latest matrix

As we are getting closer to the finale of the Quiz, the buttery cheesiness of time-space is becoming erotically charged. Sweet lady Margareena is about to do a double pole dance, in her quest to reconcile the opposites, and boy, do we cream for thee. Art by Linda Lotiel

Today we went on romping and rhombing with Burrus and Caseous, with lady Margareen melting into chat. If you start with discussing cheese flavours and margarine colours, you are bound to end up talking about the strange and downright cheesy flavours of quarks. Well, well, tops down and bottoms up!

When Burrus and Caseous entered the chat, we started sharing our own butter and cheese stories. They were full of adventure, love and chthonic horror. The drinks to wash down these tales happened to be tea, pet-nat, barolo and gazpacho. Oh, fermentation with a thousand faces! Art by Linda Lotiel

Still doing the Quiz, we've reached the land of Butter and Cheese, doubles doubling all the time. Somehow Joyce knew that Hormuz and Hungary would be in the news at the time of our reading. The current matrix is infinitely entertaining in its puzzling doubles. Not only Joyce can plays these games!

Would you rather turn to stone and stop caring or become a tree and keep growing, feeling the pain of the world? Will Nuvoletta's tears wash away the pain? Will the dusk descend upon you bringing a sense of peace? To sleep, perchance to dream, in the irony of the stars. Art by Linda Lotiel

As the tale of the Mookse and the Gripes was coming to an end, the ebb and flow of watery associations brought Virginia Woolf. Sadly, she ended her life in a river, with stones in her pockets. Now, thanks to our Matrix Builder @augustinealoysius.bsky.social, we hear her voice in the waves of words.

Arguments, disputes, quarrels never end. Dogmas clash, theories slash, ideas fight to cancel one another. Schisms ripen, chasms deepen. Meanwhile, up there, Nuvoletta is trying to breathe some sense into the world. But of course, the Mookse and the Gripes don't look up. Art by Linda Lotiel

Today the enemy launched a thousand missiles upon Ukraine. Think about it. In the world, where beauty is fragile and life struggles to survive, there are those who sow destruction. Well, they'll reap the harvest they deserve, wouldn't you say, Dr Faustus? Observe the matrix of our last meeting.

Habemus papas - so many popes - more popes than we know what to do with. Good thing they come with their own wine press. Let's get spiritual! More Mookse-and-Gripes fermentation to come. Art by Linda Lotiel

The eagles are coming, he cried. No, wait. Wrong book, these are hegels. Their season is upon us. My sincere Mitleid. Art by Linda Lotiel

Question 11 is poetic, but the answer is transmitted on the academic wavelength - until other stations interrupt it. Every Talis seeks its Qualis, while Joyce meets Proust, and Time drinks Space, wiping its whistle afterwards. Our guest was once again @kenjihayakawa.com, bringing Hegelian gifts.

How many times in Question&Answer 10 of the Quiz does Joyce use the word "love" and its equivalents, derivatives and other loveribboned coinages? What is all this sudden textual love-making about? Is there a method in his love madness? Answer: In th' amourlight, O my darling. Art by Linda Lotiel

The language of flowers, do you speak it? And the langue of fairy-tales? How about a female lingua? Or the lingo of soulful chocolates and Turkish delights? We've had an amazing session on Quiz Question 10, with a new member, Leonie, and a very special guest, Peter Quadrino. Observe the matrices!

Frosts and snows in Ukraine may feel like Biblical climate, not in terms of temperature but in terms of divine wrath. And yet narratives will be overridden and the snow will melt. With a little lore of love to live. Art by Linda Lotiel

On Joyce's birthday, one can ponder improbable things, like ineluctable modalities or sighs in shockings. Or one might grab a Guinness and watch an interview that Igor, our very own Master Matrix Builder, gave to @laughtears.bsky.social, talking Joyce and beyond: www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJul...

Those Shandon bells were fun to put on the mindmap. The echoes of their chimes are all over the place, and the place is all over the map, and the map is all about the bells. Art by Linda Lotiel

We've covered 5 questions of the Quiz today - and what intriguing questions they were, not to mention the answers. And our matrix this time is a... Calendar! A real Wakean calendar - feel free to put it on your own wall, dear fellow-wake-reader. All thanks to @augustinealoysius.bsky.social

After 4 sessions spent on Question 1 of the Quiz, it feels weird to cover three questions in one go. But we did so today! Among other things, we debated beer possibilities for the 4 Irish capitol cities. So here is a matrix by Igor and an alternative beer vision by Yana.

It's been quite a year for the Ukrainian FW group! This year we held 22 sessions and read 73 pages. We've become international and gave interviews. Many Russian generals shot, rivers of whiskey set on intellectual fire. The rest is poetry. Text by @augustinealoysius.bsky.social, art by Linda Lotiel

Last meeting this year - the Question 1 of the Quiz is done! Perhaps no new heads have grown on old shoulders, but definitely new light bulbs have lit up in old heads. Thanks @kenjihayakawa.com for joining us again and kudos to our Matrix Builder @augustinealoysius.bsky.social for the crossword.

One more mindmap. Does it have a Christmas vibe? It must, since it contains a bubbling place of alcohol. And a bit of fairy-tale logic. Once upon a time... there was a Viconian cycle. Once, twice, thrice upon a time, and counting. Happy Christmas, everyone! (HCE, you again?) Art by Linda Lotiel

HAPPY MAYBE NIGHT! Our Winter Solstice celebration of Finnegans Wake has begun :))) www.maybeday.net/night/

During this session, we discovered that once you mention about The Magic Mountain, you keep seeing it everywhere, like a pertinacious mirage. It seems to feel rather cosy in the Wakean landscape, that mountain. Art by Linda Lotiel

Opposites, binaries, dichotomies, syntagms, lists within lists, fractals within fractals, rhythms upon rhythms and occasional demons in tartans - we are still reading the first question of the Quiz. The matrices of our recent meetings by our own Matrix Builder, @augustinealoysius.bsky.social

And now the mindmap of our Sisyphean meeting with Bobby Campbell that kicked off Chapter 6. The salmon that keeps swimming upstream has been very keen lately. We wonder when we are to expect baby salmons in the streams of time. Art by Linda Lotiel

Mindmaps have been slow in coming, but now the process is accelerating. This one is from our October meeting with brilliant Sam Slote - you should have heard him reading the perforated part of the letter! Yes, lots of pecked punctuation in this one: it was one busy hen. Art by Linda Lotiel