Mmmm... I just had an extremely tasty chicken souvlaki on pita! Even though I am surrounded by all the gryo and souvlaki I could ever want, it makes me miss the döner kebap house across the street from my ever so brief home in Schwäbisch Hall, Germany!
I have been incredibly content lately. I'm doing what I love, the weather is beautiful, and the people in my life are wonderful! Nothing seems to bug me anymore (than the occasional cranky person and of course, chronic pain). This past month has been an immense confidence booster, and I really feel like I am capable of doing anything! This year has been going swimmingly: the mosaic project has brought my parents and I closer, I traveled to the Caribbean, I have met (and even befriended) some of the most influential artists in my life, I'm having a comic published, I'm rekindling old friendships, I'm enjoying living with my best friend in the coolest apartment ever more and more... the list goes on. With this, I am revealing the URL to my new blog:
http://illicitharmony.blogspot.com/ Nothing is there quite yet, but I will have something posted tonight. This will be a place for more insightful content regarding my inspirations, research, and hopefully artwork. I will still be using lj for little updates here and there.
I am an enlightened spirit. Life is good. :)
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In other news: Baltimore '68 got some national press!
http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0424/p20s01-ussc.html?page=1This one really gets to the heart of our mosaic project, despite some factual errors.
Some powerful quotes from my workshop participants:
"I went in the door realizing I didn't know the whole story," says Terry White, who drew on his tile a scene of his Baltimore neighborhood under martial law. "I brought in one story from one guy, and I left with the heartfelt stories of 12 people."
"As I looked at the riots while they happened in my neighborhood," says Birt, "I knew the stores of white merchants were burned. But to be frank, after King was killed, I didn't give a damn. That was my attitude. But when you hear the story of Christina's mother getting burned[sic] out of her home – somebody's family – come on. And she was my neighbor, too, I realized."
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So, I get an email from Ross inviting a few friends who have been involved in UMBC's Kinetic Sculpture Club to the
KINETIC GRAND CHAMPIONSHIP in California at the end of May. Since I don't have classes during that time, and I'm almost done my Americorps hours, and I've been pretty good at managing my measly stipend, I got excited about the possibility of a cross-country road trip. More than anything, I really want to drive through the badlands of Arizona. I <3 colorful rock formations.
The following conversation ensued:
me: Are you serious about the CA race???
Ross: Well, I am always serious.
me: I can't take that comment seriously.
Ross: Well, then you are sillly.
me: Now seriously, you are willing to skip finals and finance a road trip to California from Maryland with the sculpture?
...because that's awesome
...maybe not wise, but awesome
Ross: I am awesome.
me: How long are you expecting this trip to be? Will you be taking side trips too?
Ross: A week there, a week back. Ish.
me: I would totally be into that... but only if someone else would be willing to go too, because I'm sure you would leave me on the side of the road somewhere in Texas on the way there.
Ross: Yes. I think we would kill each other.
I am highly amused... such a wonderful level of understanding between the two of us!
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