hello Downtown Arts Festival, January 1999/ongoing A project by C. Dashow

STATS: DIARY:

(22000-22251) Sept. 9th YARDSALE West 17th Street 7 hours in the sun focusing on a seperate piece, which (as all other stuff does) also is a hello catcher. (see -> i am videotaping you right now T-Shirts on front page) hellos come naturally in this environment, clicking doesn't. Nice hellos in the park across the street. Though the T-shirt detracts, and paranoia sets in, why is she saying hello and videotaping me at the same time? New rule, only one piece at a time.

(22251-22529) Sept. 11th Orange T-shirt, white over shirt, navy blue pants, purple flower. I know if I walk down Bedford and get unsolicited hellos, things are OK. 11am 7th Ave and 27th St (FIT), Belgium Princess appears! . They said to me "it won't work.." I assumed they meant giving her the flower I never planned to. Couldn't get through the media crowd, though got into the gala, managed around 25 sympathetic hellos. West 26th St. (8+9th) They must have been expecting me, everyone was so friendly. 12ish, West Chelsea, Monday, draining. happy to get back to Mr. Roger's neighborhood on 9th Ave. Must remember to let it give me energy, not take it.

(22529-22707)Sept. 12th 10 am /SOHO Not too many people around, and who needs to look at me, when there are so many other Things . Wandered 1 block over the Broadway line into Chinatown, more hellos there.. relief. Do I appear suspicious? By lunchtime, hot and tired, lovely sandwich from lunch sponsor: Gourmet Garage. Though when I am stuffing my face, it's hard to look amiable and say hello! #22664, 1:30 pm, I head up 6th ave on a bus just as SOHO is beginning to mill, but lunch date in Chelsea, where it's friendlier!

(22707-22757) Sept. 13th Had to work today. 50 hellos as I ran through Greenwich Village. Those who think they know me stop and look back befuddled.

(22757-23210) Sept. 16th (morn.) Lots of endurance. In fact no time to even update this! Got to get going to Soho artstalks/walks. Some how I think I've lost a day, 2 days of work, and yesterday mostly Chelsea. .

(23210-23862) Sept. 16th, 1:30 pm - 5ish Soho arts walks area Whew! What a day! Started the day with lots of energy, had fun. Bought some pink flowers as a tiny distinguishing feature, and for all the other wonders they bring. Felt a bit forced as people were aware that i'd be there, not used to that, but it did give me some leeway to play with. Now utterly exhausted as the energy has passed through me. I flew high, confidence the reign. I drop now, no consciousness left. It may not sound like alot of people, but please dear reader, do not just watch of my endeavors, try it. Give 1 hour, feel yourself in the world, the connection. Stupified in wondering, what the world would be like if people actually did acknowledge each other.

(23862-24040) Sept. 18th, eastern edge of Chelsea. "we need not be scared of the world" Some days just don't work, this was one of them!

(24040-24531) Sept. 22th, today 8th avenue. We are the recorders of time. The truth has been buried as we are inundated with technological devices used to separate us. The act of hello acts as the first step in bridging this gap. We are the media we are so interested in capturing-sleeping until realized. Did an interview for WNYC today. Was bugged for a bit. People could feel it. Besides people are less impressed and more stand offish with microphones rather than cameras. Once I left the interview, the world opened up once more, everyone said hello, and consoled me. Sometimes you can truly believe other forces are at work. .

(24531-24797) September 23 and 24th: Elsewhere festival, Williamsburg - crossover. My streets of Williamsburg turned into Manhattan, hellos where calming and gave me space (Sat. night) Prime for hello picking. People in a new environment willing to respond and feel the friendliness of a new frontier. Working with Williamsburg micro local radio station free103point9 < www.screwmusicforever.com/interaction > doing interviews, (once again alot at once, lots of hellos dropped outside the clicker as I focused outside). 2 interviewies commented (without my prompting) on the helloing of our neighborhood and past helloing in a more dangerous Dinkins Manhattan. Another overheard conversation regarded a hello chancer giving it out to a passerby, his friends commenting on the rudeness that the passerby now was obligated. What do you think?