Tracy Cochran

Responses

1. 

   Bob Dixon-Kolar

   August 2, 2013 at 4:06 am

   –A grammarian fell into a well one day and had difficulty climbing up the slippery sides.
   A little later, a Sufi chanced by and heard the man’s cries for succor. In the casual language of everyday life, the Sufi offered aid.

   The grammarian replied, “I would certainly appreciate your help. But by the way, you have committed an error in your speech,” which the grammarian proceeded to specify.

   “A good point,” acknowledged the Sufi. “I had best go off awhile and try to improve my skills.” And so he did, leaving the grammarian at the bottom of the well.

   _________________________

   I offer that Sufi story fully aware that in what follows I may end up sounding very much like the stranded grammarian.

   Tracy, in your most recent blog entry, you liken Michael Harner’s descent into a cave to your editorial team’s quest to make Parabola “a resource and refuge for seekers of all ages and traditions.” As a Parabola reader since the 1990’s, I have been—and continue to be–impressed by your magazine’s commitment to the deep and adventurous search for meaning. Indeed, I do not know another magazine quite like Parabola. As you say, “If not through vessels (caves?) like Parabola, where?”

   Nevertheless, after reading Cave Quest, I find myself sharing the view that fellow Parabola reader Margaret expressed about your essay Throwing Fish: “[T]he editing errors distract from an otherwise insightful and beautifully imagined essay.” There are a number of errors in Cave Quest, and one error (it would seem) has made it into Harner’s published article.

   You write: “Harner describes afraid of dying in the dark, a victim of his own ‘presumptiveness.’” The word “presumptiveness” does not carry the suggestion of over-reaching, of arrogance. It seems clear that what he intended was the word “presumptuousness.”

   Have I, like the grammarian, fallen into the well and am here to stay? Are such matters of grammar and clarity trivial—the husk and not the substance of meaning?

   Or is a continual commitment to using precise and nuanced language—even in the informal venue of a blog—essential to a writer’s “search for something impossible…to quantify or describe.”?

   Reply
2. 

   Mara Thompson

   August 5, 2013 at 10:34 pm

   I’ve been aware of Parabola for decades, and have subscribed from time to time. The intent of this publication still presents to me a mirror for many of my own feelings and perceptions. Thank you for that. My fav book of all time is Rene Daumal’s, Mount Analouge. Being able to order back issues with mentions of that adventure is priceless!!!!! (PS I belong to a group of artists, connected for the most part via the internet, who are continuing Mr Daumal’s unfinished story. It’s an adventure of the finest kind! Lot’s of illustrations– anyway it’s posted on a blog which has been in existence since 2010. Life is what you make of it. http://metaclimb.blogspot.com

   Reply
   1. 

      Tracy

      August 5, 2013 at 11:42 pm

      Thank you, Mara. Yes, all of our back issues, even those long out of print, are now back in print! You can order them via our online store.

      Reply
   2. 

      Bob Dixon-Kolar

      August 6, 2013 at 11:46 pm

      What an amazing artistic project, Mara. Your blog helps to fill a real gap in my knowledge. I had never heard of Rene Damaul’s unfinished book, let alone the “exquisite corpse” technique for creative collaboration. I will return to the blog again for a deeper look in the days ahead. Are your contributions to the project easy to locate? I’ve only scratched the surface of what is there to see!

      Reply
      1. 

         Mara Thompson

         August 6, 2013 at 11:53 pm

         Thanks for the comments! Just scroll through the chapters and look at the images.. each image is credited to the artist. To follow the story… well…. I think it was more the fun of adding to it and the interactions between the climbers that a story line to be followed. It’s dreamlike. Cheers!

      2. 

         Bob Dixon-Kolar

         August 7, 2013 at 5:43 am

         Mara, your collaborative project at metaclimb is starting to take shape for me, and, of course, I now see each artist’s contributions and the dervish dance of your interactions with each other. Each artist you work with brings such a distinct style to the climb! Might there be any chance you know the artist Larkin Higgins? She’s a friend of mine who lives and works not far from places where your bio says that you exhibit. She teaches at Cal Lutheran and once studied at Otis. And as you do in some of your works, she too finds interesting ways to integrate words and imagery.

      3. 

         Mara

         August 7, 2013 at 1:41 pm

         I do not know Larkin.. Are you and/or she face bookers?

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