How to paste

As you may have gathered, I really enjoy wheatpasting pictures around town. It's so much fun to be up town at night, with a friend or solo, and doing something that makes the urban environment a more interesting place. I'd like to think that most things I paste beautify the city, and perhaps to that end, I've never had anyone try and stop me or get upset. Most encounters have been complimentary or curious, though generally ignored. I usually paste around 10pm in normal clothes, and without spray paint, people don't seem to consider it vandalism.
It's such a thrill to see something you've pasted still up months later, and to know that countless people must've seen it. Pasting is a fun, cheap and easy way to interact with your environment. Here are some tips:
-Paste is very easy to make, and essentially free. I use this recipe, but play around. I sift the flour first, and add a bit of cornflour for added stickiness.
-Use a paint brush to apply the paste. T'nealle came up with this incredible idea to keep things tidy - cut the corner of a zip-lock bag and tape the brush in.
-You can put the paste in a tight closing container, or a drink bottle with a sipper lid. Apply the paste to the surface, and place the picture, smoothing as you go (no one likes air bubbles). Put another layer of paste on top, and smooth around the edges.
-Lately I've been taking a damp cloth in a plastic cup. You can clean your hands, and also wipe away any excess paste surrounding the picture (which can look messy on glass/metal/plastic).
-Use your discretion. I tend to paste on to things like bins, street lights, seats, and tend to avoid personal and business property, though chain stores are probably a more valid target than the local dairy.
Get creative - you can paste anything on to anything! I don't think I'm a very good artist, but practice makes perfect. Or you can find cool pictures online, make stencils, write messages. There's plenty to keep you occupied. Be warned though: it's pretty addictive.

Streets

I went out pasting for the first time in a while (well, maybe two weeks). I'd been a bit bummed out at failed attempts, and windy evenings, and really needed to get out and get some stuff done. It feels like I need to do something grand and definitive, I'm just not sure what that something might be yet. I've nearly finished a large project, which I'm quite excited about, but tonight I stuck up a bunch of leftover cupcakes (I'd made ~40).
It was such a warm evening, and felt so peaceful. I made some paste and biked in to town. There were plenty of amazing night smells, and people were walking about. Some tourists were pointed in the right direction, which made me smile. Simon was cycling to work, and I bumped in to him in Victoria Square.
Down Cashel Mall, some people came and talked to me. They were really friendly, and we did a bit of pasting together. It's really great meeting people under such nice circumstances.
I felt in a pretty good mood about things.

Message

Saturday nights up town in Christchurch are generally pretty unbearable. Loud, awful people everywhere, and that smell which always seems to be present outside clubs. T'nealle, Rose and I met up for some wheat-pasting, which meant the night would be great. I like being up town, but not a part of Town.
I made a long banner at work. It was quite motivational I guess; an amalgamation of a few ideas. We put it down Woolsack Lane, home to some amazing graffiti, and a lot of lighting

'You are the only example of you there'll ever be. Therefore, you are a piece of art, making history. You can do anything you want.'

Night pictures

Tonight

I went to work tonight. It was Good Friday, and town was very quiet. Before I left home, I was feeling confused and overwhelmed about a bunch of things, and lonely. On the way there, I got a flat tire on my bike, which always feels like one of the worst things that can happen. I didn't feel like serving customers, but made some pretty good coffees.

It was strange, I guess I realised that in spite of myself, I really rely on human contact a lot. I probably didn't provide the chirpiest customer service tonight, but it was way better than just feeling glum about myself, alone.

I was looking forward to walking home - it would give me some nice time to think. I had been texting Rose about different things, and Beth gave me a call as I walked. She was sitting in a digger, in Wellington. I was walking through central Christchurch.

The most amazing fog descended as I walked. It seemed to add 'lens flares' to all the lights around me. It obscured the moon in a most sublime way. It smelt amazing. I've always been a big fan of night smells.

On the last part of my walk home, two women walked past me. They were heading to town, and were drunk. One of them gave me a hug, and said I looked nice.

Getting a flat tire wasn't so bad.