Dear internet: if you’re able, please help.

This laptop is on it’s last legs and can no longer produce audio or video. It can barely browse the interwebs anymore. I could do with some support, if you’re able.

Hello internet.

In brief: This laptop is on it’s last legs and can no longer produce audio or video. It can barely browse the interwebs anymore. Also, my health is deteriorating. I have a degenerative condition which affects my mobility. This has been exacerbated by years of sofasurfing. I want to continue being a productive digital artivist, but could do with some support, if you’re able.

Two years ago, I was able to download, edit and reupload videos from Occupy Democracy comrades, who occupied and livestreamed from Stop The Arms Fair’s week of action against the biennial #DSEI arms fair in London.

I was able to create 27 videos that week and got my production time down to under an hour, from downloading the live broadcasts to uploading the edited clips via The Occupied Sun’s youtube channel. I created video, web banners and a brandalised film poster to promote the occupation and published a unique The Occupied Sun front page matching the theme of each day’s action. I’d like to be able to do the same but better in terms of amplifying the peace movement’s efforts for this year’s week of action, September 4th-12th.

I launched this website in January 2016, to start collecting and organising all my doings into one place and to start accepting contributions.

In January 2017 in the face of apparent ghostbanning and digital censorship, I redoubled my efforts on all fronts, creating and publishing original content each day of that month. My trusty laptop finally collapsed under the strain. This was the machine I had been using for graphics, animations, video, sound and music. It had been becoming increasingly difficult to do anything except write and make graphics as the processor began to struggle with sound and video.

Fortunately, I was gifted this laptop, which has allowed me to struggle on thus far, albeit with significantly limited software and hardware capabilities. It can’t handle DAW/audio/music software, but had been just about able to create basic, short videos.

Now however, this machine too is on the verge of collapse. It can’t handle creating video at all anymore.

Because of this, my rate of creative output has dwindled over the course of the year, to the point where the last two videos (here and here) took about a week each to make and the resolution was disappointing by the final render.

I updated everything and cleaned it up but it’s made matters worse. I think the last update made the software too heavy for the processor. Even web browsing is now becoming difficult.

I know that in perspective, it’s not an ’emergency’ at all. If Ann Narkeh stops being able to make stuff, I’ll carry on with whatever tools are available and almost certainly find other things to do. But of all the things I’ve done, Ann Narkeh’s have been the most impactful and felt the most right. I’m proud of what I’ve managed to accomplish with your support. I’ve learned a lot and I have loads of ideas for new, better content;

I want to start producing regular, alternative headline news reports again, but better.
I want to promote solution based thinking and doing.
I want to highlight the urgency of the climate crisis.
I want to produce materials to help stop international terrorism and war.

My network and platform have expanded and my skills have developed but my capacity to create quality stuff has diminished. It’s most frustrating, hence writing this letter.

I enjoy using the digital skills I’ve developed and would very much like to be able to keep creating things and stuff under these auspices. What I really want is to be able to make the best stuff I possibly can, including video and music.

To do this, I need a powerful laptop loaded with the necessary software to produce video and ideally music again.

But I’m skint.

Too skint to acquire a new laptop, let alone a powerful laptop loaded with the necessary software.

I’ve been sofasurfing and surviving hand to mouth for about 5 or 6 years now, I’ve lost count. My health is deteriorating. I could really do with raising a deposit for a place of my own and a decent #BasicIncome too, but that’s a big ask. One kind subscriber recently set up a £2 monthly contribution. If everybody put in a quid a month I could sign off the dole, get a laptop and a flat, eat well and start funding other people’s eatings and doings!

Despite my disadvantages, I’m still a relatively privileged white man in a suffering, dying world. I’m lucky to have been born in a country which still has a welfare system, as battered as it is. I’m lucky to have friends and family who love and support me by letting me share their spaces. Everybody’s struggling, so I’m uncomfortable asking for further support. For many years, I operated a strict no money, no profit rule, but it wore me down and burnt me out.

I’m infinitely grateful to the comrades who persuaded me to compromise and start accepting contributions from those who are able. I’m humbled that whenever I’ve had to ask, good people have come through for me. When the subscription for this website came up recently and I didn’t have it, you paid it for me. When I ran out of cash last month and when I was sanctioned by the DWP, you kept me fed and watered.

I wouldn’t be able to have reached so many people without all the likes, shares and comments I’ve received either. Thankyou all so much for your emotional and material contributions to my doings.

Your generosity and support so far has been humbling. I’m really chuffed that you like the stuff and things that I make and do. I’m still determined not to become a feckless, breadheaded anarcho-capitalist and will continue to limit sending the hat round for ’emergencies’ only.

If you’re skint too but want to help, please pass the hat on by sharing this letter.

If you’re able, please sling me a few quid towards refurbing or replacing this laptop, so I can get stuck into making r3VOLutionary animations, video, sound and music again.

If you’re regularly flush, setting up a monthly micro-contribution gets me closer to generating my own #BasicIncome and signing off the dole.

Love, respect, gratitude,

Ann Narkeh