Olēka

Olēka: "The awareness of how few days are memorable."

—from the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows.

Greek ἀπολώλεκα (apolóleka), I’ve lost it. The lyric quoted at the end is from Nada Surf’s song “Là Pour Ça.” 

In the original French: “Vive la marée haute et vive la basse, / Mais surtout vive la différence.” Pronounced “oh-lee-kuh.” 

In this project, the repetition of each day is a search for sanity. The promised calm of  moving to a new place, transformed into the feeling of being in a sort of Groundhog Day. An absurd and repetitive time loop of dust, plastic wrapping and bad air. 

In desperation and solitude, I step out each day on long walks around Portsmouth. The misty ocean smell, the seagull's choking call, the authentic taste of each corner in the city filled my need for a home. The care of a warm coffee brought with affection, the flowers, the light, the colors, a good conversation. 

I found the honesty, attention, and trust that I needed in my constant stroll around the city. Outside, I was reminded of the "difference" between the highs and lows.