An abyss on Elm Street

Interactive garden attempts to change lives

By Jack Nicas

For close to a month now, pedestrians wandering down Elm Street have noticed a mysterious garden beckoning them to enter. It is a daring task to walk into a stranger’s yard, but that’s exactly what the owner wants. It is a challenge to participants in hopes of inspiring change in their lives.

After following the tiki torch-lined stone path and crossing the spiral marbled “abyss,” risk-takers come to what appears to be a colorful punching bag. Upon further inspection, it is revealed the color comes from countless multi-colored notes marked with part participants’ deepest questions.  As the hanging cards twirl in the wind, one can see each question is thoughtfully answered on the back. To one’s left a sign reads: “Confess a fear, a secret, a question. Leave it in the box. Return in two days and the back will speak.” Completing this task is the first step to “crossing into the abyss.” 

Although erecting such an experiment in one’s front yard may sound absurd to most, it is just another project on the extensive resume of Johnny Monsarrat. The former MIT mascot beaver said, “My entire life history is full of crazy projects, it’s not enough to just have a birthday party; I’ve got to have a prank and a guy in a costume.”

This ambition is on display from Harvard Square to his home on Elm Street. After watching Shakespeare’s “As You Like It” with his girlfriend recently, Monsarrat was inspired by the main character Orlando’s act of love, in which he tacked up poems in the Forest of Arden for his lover Rosalind. Monsarrat attached flowers to 15 original poems and posted them along his partner’s walk from her house to his. “She was of course flattered,” he said, “I earned some brownie points for it.”

“Crossing into the Abyss” also owes its inspiration to a movie, although less critically acclaimed.

Monsarrat said “The Love Guru” sparked the idea for the garden because comedian Mike Myers clearly inserts his life philosophy into the film. “I thought ‘Gee, I’ve got a life philosophy too,’” Monsarrat said. The garden took off from there.

“I really believe that most people know what they have to do—if you’re jobless, get a job; if you’re loveless, go date—but they block it out because they choke,” he said. “Life is a big deal, it’s so big that people choke and they don’t move forward.”

“Well the path represents your past and present; the abyss—the spiral, the shrine—is your future,” he said. “And like your future it’s strange and unknown. But if you dare to walk into the circle and put a card up, then why not face your future. It’s symbolic that you’re ready to move on.”

Monsarrat faced his own abyss at one point in his life. “In 2002, I was 327 pounds and in an unhappy marriage.” He said he felt things were always his fault, until he decided to finally make himself one of his famous projects. He said he created three lists: all the things that made him happy, all the things that made him sad, and all the things that he thought made him happy, but really didn’t, “like binge eating.” One by one he began fixing things in his life and gained momentum along the way. “Now I’m in a very good place and have been for three years,” he said. “I recommend it.”

As his life improved, so did his projects. They morphed into companies, including his first venture, Turbine, which he said is now the largest computer game company in the world. He said he sold his stock in Turbine to start up his next project, Hard Data Factory, a company that provides detailed information to help other companies grow, such as competitive pricing information or names and addresses for sales leads.

On top of serving as CEO to Hard Data, he maintains his pride and joy, www.johnnylist.blogspot.com, an extensive listing of every New England event for the next year. And in between all that, Monsarrat said he puts aside “an hour and a half everyday” to answer 10 questions for his front-yard advice column.

However, answering every comment, question or confession is not as easy as it sounds, especially when it requires a translator. Monsarrat has received one question in Spanish and one in Chinese, both of which he managed to respond to, in the original language of course.

He said his goal when answering is to be supportive and direct. “One person wrote, ‘Why don’t boys like me?’ The generic ‘Dear Abby’ advice would be, ‘Don’t worry, it’ll happen,’” he said. “What that means is, ‘Don’t worry and gain some self-confidence; that’ll tend to attract people.’ So I just prefer to write that instead.”

Monsarrat said people are often afraid to ask for help, so he’s combating that with his garden. “If you needed someone to come up and ask you what’s going on in your life, how can you be helped, consider it done,” he said. “No more waiting.”

Comments

[Somerville n00b]

Most people don't know what they should do. They know what society wants them to do. It starts with the definition of what society tells them they lack. Part of the solution is to realize that they don't actually need what society tells them they need. Of course, such a realization would make them questionable and unpredictable consumers, the unpatriotic type.

[The Neighbor]

With all due respect, as a homeowner who also lives on the same street as "the abyss," I have to say that while the owner believes he's doing a beautiful community service, it would have been nice if he had consulted *with the community* before he decided to erect a rather large art installation on his front lawn.

I, for one (and there are others), find the "the abyss" to be quite an eyesore and can feel my stomach plummet along with my property value every time I walk by.

Acknowledging that an owner can do what he/she pleases with his/her property, I certainly would have spoken to my neighbors before, I say, put 20 plastic flamingos on my front lawn as an expression of myself and as a gesture of light-hearted good will.

[yuppie buppie]

Yuppies are ruining the Somerville I knew as a child. Their strange dietary habits (a sushi joint replaces La Contessa? Please) are abysmal and they continue to outbid my friends for places to live. They elect yahoos who hold court on international policy but can't fix a damn pothole and their frigging bikes crowd traffic and make right turns impossible. Go back to Cambridge!

[JPM]

I'm sorry but the pastries at La Contessa were abysmal...even my aunts and grandmother who are old time Somerville for the past 50 years thought the same.

I do find the new bike lanes anoying though. I always thought the problem with bicylists is that they often cause the accidents by failing to obey traffic laws like cars do. They fail to yeild, fail to stop at stop signs, go the wrong way down streets, weave in and out of traffic etc.....If they just exercised some caution we wouldn't have all these accidents.

And yes this is an eyesore.

[Somerville n00b]

Regarding yuppies ruining Somerville with art installations... I see plenty of cheesy Madonna, Baby Jesus and Saints fountains around... All in the yards of Somerville old timers... Come on guys, let's not judge these things... If there is a condo association, complain through them.

[Somerville n00b]

I agree, bikers should be fined like cars, if they don't follow the rules. I see bikers zoom through red lights all the time. A freaking red light means you stop, morons!

[my two cents]

To JPM and Noob, I agree with your comments about bicyclists. You know which behavior galls me the most? When I have stopped for a pedestrian to cross the street, but as they step off the curb they are almost mowed down by a bicyclist speeding down the street, with no regard for anyone but him/herself. The bicyclist activists are like the dog owner activists who are very vocal and organized and unfortunately are being listened to - I suppose it is assumed that they are voters. The will get my respect when they earn it. And bicyclists will have to go very far to reeive my respect after I happened upon a radical bike event in Harvard Square several years ago. They intentionally blocked traffic and scared me to death by approaching cars and yelling at people. If this is how they continue to act, then I can only say 2 words: GO AWAY!

[The Neighbor]

I'm not religious, but Madonna, baby Jesus and all the saint statues are small compared to this thing. You need to see it in person to really gauge how big and obtrusive this wooden shed is. It's not like their front yard is recessed or fenced off from the sidewalk; it's pretty in your face, when you pass it.

And yes, bikers need to obey traffic laws -- and get ticketed like everyone else, when they don't.

[BoredInSomerville]

To heap all of the criticisms of gentrification upon yuppies is plain ridiculous and evidences a general tendency toward prejudice.

Second, the "abyss" (or eyesore, for some) is interesting. It's brought a new visual dimension to a neighborhood that could be any New England town (yawn). I don't think it's particularly appealing from an aesthetic perspective but I'm guessing that it doesn't hurt property values on that block of Somerville anymore than the proximity to a big parking lot (the Porter Square Market) or the many ugly storefronts that litter Porter and Davis.

You want "beautiful" properties, according to your sense of beauty? Form a neighborhood association or lobby the local government and stop sniping at someone who has chosen something a little different than what you expected.

[The Neighbor]

Yeah, I don't know how all this yuppie slamming started -- I'm a yuppie myself, I suppose. I don't have anything against the owner of "the abyss" being a yuppie.

AND I never said "the abyss" wasn't interesting, but there's a place for this kind of stuff, maybe in the middle of a city square, like Porter Station island, or Davis Square where the statue of the old people is, but probably not on a residential street -- or if it's "art" then maybe in a museum.

And btw, living down the street from the "parking lot" does the exact opposite of lowering the surrounding property value, as that "parking lot" is attached to a rather convenient shopping plaza for commuters.

I'm not trying to qualify beauty (although it is my personal opinion that "the abyss" is tacky and ugly); what I'm trying to say is that if I were doing a "community service" I'd have gotten the input of my community first -- i.e. by talking to the neighbors. That's just due respect. If I had put out 3 life-size statues of Jesus' three wise men, I would have consulted the neighbors just the same! (not that I'm religious) (the example works similarly whether I use plastic flamingos or 3 wise men)

[yuppiescum]

This isn't yuppie doing, it's HIPPIE doing. I side with the townies on this particular matter. This thing looks like the arena that bill shatner had to fight someone to the death in on the original star trek.

[Re: neighbors' concerns]

I don't think the owner of this 'art' should have consulted his neighbors. I drove by it once, and it did seem very large and out of place. But absent some really stringent zoning laws like some suburbs have, your property is your to do with as you will. That's why you pay taxes on it, and maintain it. One person's eyesore is another person's art, and it's a roll of the dice that every time a new neighbor moves in you'll face ugly art, a barking dog, or new friends. I once had neighbors who didn't particularly care for the Christmas lights I decorate with. I once had neighbors who had a large hound dog who liked to howl. I once had neighbors whose cat routinely used my yard for a litter box and over time killed my azalea bushes. Barring something (like excessive noise, which is illegal), your ownership gives you certain property rights and I think it's a slippery slope to start suggesting that people check everything out with their neighbors.

[Somerville n00b]

Look, bottom line is that this guy is probably trying to get some publicity. Not sure why, perhaps he's a chronic narcissist, perhaps he has a small business and that's his way of attracting attention. Why otherwise, would "Hard Data" be mentioned? If you want to do something good for the community, volunteer your time. Go, help some disadvantaged kids in the city who need a mentor or something. Even better, do it anonymously.

[Somerville n00b]

Oh, an before you go stick something there with a secret question/comment... Probably there is a webcam pointed at the site as we speak. You know, for the extra artistic twist.

[BelmontBound]

I am not sad I am leaving this neighborhood behind. I heard this was some kind of 'kink house' as well?

[Freep]

Regarding kink house, yeah I am sure it is. I was looking for rentals on Craigslist and I came across that house. The ad sounded like the landlord was subsidizing rent for "kink friendly" roommates. Aren't there laws against that? Glad I don't live around there, sounds like a sex club in a residential hood. I think there's kids on that street too.

[JPM]

1.06pm. Yeah, of course you can do it. I can out and put large inflatable Tom and Jerry figures on my front lawn without consulting anyone.....just like Fred Phelps can protest at soldiers' funerals with placards saying that the dead soldier is going to hell as punishment for America endorsing the gay lifestyle.....but you know, just have a little taste and class....AND DON'T.

[ArtAndSomervilleLover]

This art installation is fun, beautiful, and great. I saw the article in the printed Somerville News, thought it would be so. And walked over today to see it in person. WOW ! ! !

How many homeowners, invite people onto their property to see art, and include a park bench in the shade to sit on?

In our city, with way too few parks, and way too few park benches, this is a great public service. Instead of complaining about this homeowner, why don't you get City Hall to get us more parks and benches?

Thsi art also has a community support and spiritual component. It reaches out to people who are alone, or don't want to talk with friends and family about a problem. And provide them with some thoughtful advice.

It's far nicer than what was there before - a corner of barely mowed weeds, often strewn with litter. This art is a very big improvement!

And the shed is smaller than most of the covered front door entryways in our Somerville.

There are a lot of different kinds of people in Somerville, even 50 years ago before gentrification came along. It's very sad that there are many of you, who only want those like you to be welcome here. Who are intolerant of good people who are just different. You are the people I like to see leave our city. We don't need intolerant hateful people here in Somerville.

[GentrifyingHipster]

1) It's his property, so all your whining isn't doing anything anyway. May as well wipe the sand out of your diaper and deal with it.

2) It's not that obtrusive. You only make it so by focusing on how much you hate it. I walk by it a few times a week and barely notice it now.

3) Not all community service has to be economically related. He's taking time out of his life to give free advice.

4) Why this conversation has anything to do with bikes is beyond me. Way to lump several thousand people into one box.

5) Remember that these wicked outsiders who are ruining your city are also picking up a decent amount of the tab for your schools, parks, police, and other institutions. And since a lot of us are young and/or transitory, we'll never see the money from that investment.

Also.

You live in a CITY. Cities change. If you want exclusion of outsiders and control over your neighbor's business, move to a gated community in Acton.

[NewResYuppieScum]

Hello. I'm a bit late to the party - just moved in earlier this month - but I think this is wonderful. I was a bit perplexed when I first walked by it but eventually came to love it. ArtAndSomervilleLover pretty much nailed it. In a city where some people seem unashamed of their "Yankee Go Home" mentality, this is a very touching thing that makes the street stand out. Things like this and the friendly people at Ace Wheelworks make me really glad that I chose this neighborhood.

Besides, things like the abyss certainly balance out the random slurs I get weekly from drunks in Davis or cowards driving down Somerville Ave. at top speed. If I'm forced to choose between some hippies who _might_ be a bit kinky or a bunch of walking heart attacks, I'll take the hippies every time. (Granted, I'd rather not make the choice in the first place since it just promotes an "Us vs. Them" mentality, but anyway....)

[Steven]

This guy is such an attention whore. If you google varieties of his name you'll find tons of hilarious stuff about him that reveals his true colors, which are creepy and pedophile-tastic, including an article about him harassing lots of young college students. People should not take his advice. He's a 39 year old man who can't even live properly on his own or maintain steady employment.