SF0 / swedishglowfish / Dérive

20 + 20 points

Dérive by Queen of Diamonds

January 10th, 2010 5:20 PM

INSTRUCTIONS: Among the various situationist methods is the dérive [literally: 'drifting'], a technique of transient passage through varied ambiances. In a dérive one or more persons during a certain period drop their usual motives for movement and action, their relations, their work and leisure activities, and let themselves be drawn by the attractions of the terrain and the encounters they find there.

One can dérive alone, but all indications are that the most fruitful numerical arrangement consists of several small groups of two or three people who have reached the same awakening of consciousness, since the cross-checking of these different groups' impressions makes it possible to arrive at objective conclusions.

The full text...

Undertake a dérive, and report your objective conclusions to your fellow players.

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On Rice University campus, South side.

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I will climb this tree some day.

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I dérive into a building to escape the cold. Rayzor Hall.

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I go looking for the basement (I know it exists). However, it is surprisingly not upstairs.

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The basement is instead behind the first door on the right in this photograph. It is locked. "Stair B", says the sign. After discovering the locked door, I decide to brave the cold outside.

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There is nobody outside. I am all alone.

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Here is another academic building, with some art in front of it. For a long time, I have wanted to get into that tower. I am drawn to the quad, and the building.

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There is a strange staircase going down near the loading dock.

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It is pretty inside this building, and warm.

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But, I go back outside, and cross the street, into the land of rich urban suburbanites.

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The sign was crooked, so I took a crooked picture of it.

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Entering the urban suburbia...

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So, a Port-a-Potty. Why, you ask? To highlight poverty in affluent spaces? No, I answer. The sign says "Aztec." I was reminded of the grandeur of the Aztec empire. I wondered why a portable toilet company chose that name. It seems like an insult.

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