Esprit de L'Escalier

A little blurry

This polaroid turned out a little blurry.  I didn't mean it to, and would have taken another if it wasn't my last shot in the pack.  But it's very fitting for my current state of being: blurry.  School's out people.  I just turned in my final paper.  Thank god.  I'm worn out and am so happy this quarter is done. 

My brother has been in town (he actually just left this evening).  While I don't enjoy sharing a bathroom with him, it's always fun to have him around.  He collaborated in an art project with his old roommate from art school and some other friends, and there was a big show for it Saturday.  (It even scored a write-up in the paper - including a mention of the brother!)  It was a really cool video collaboration that was projected onto the windows of a building.  About a hundred or so people were sitting on the sidewalk outside watching.

Anyhow, tomorrow I will be running around getting things together as I leave in the evening.  Thanks for all of the book suggestions.  I have tried to find some used copies and have come up short.  I deeply miss the used book stores of Chicago.  There are no good ones here.  Boo.  I will probably pick up one or two, though.

I don't know if I will be blogging while I'm in Europe.  At this moment I'm leaning to no, as I think I'd like a break, but I'm currently exhausted and that might be factoring in to that.  Ten to one, I'll want to write.  Either way, I hope you all enjoy your June.

I do not feel a scream coming on

Today started foggy - I was exhausted.  I was pretty focused in the afternoon and somehow got a lot of research done for a paper I'm writing on shrinking cities.  My studious behavior made me late to a reception my department was having, and (much to my surprise) I found out I won an honorable mention in a poster competition!  I really thought the person who told me confused me with someone else or was kidding.  I'm fairly tickled about it.

This weekend I went to a reunion for a place that was really important to me, and I will post about it tomorrow.  I planned on posting on it tonight, but I got a little distracted.  The Self-Styled Siren inspired me to watch The Shop on the Corner.  My mother hates Jimmy Stewart, but there are things that I love him in.  Particularly this scene (from a different movie, but so good).

Did anyone else catch the lame-o finale to Gossip Girl?  I'm assuming the floppiness of the last couple of episodes can be blamed on the strike, right?  How else to explain what was building to be a juicy arch fall flat, right?  In my head I had written a much more salacious ending.

I also watched the Reaper finale and was pleasantly surprised.  That show has been a pleasant surprise its entire season.  It's not going to change your world,and it's weekly storyline can be a little repetitive, but it's consistently entertaining, and actually liked the twist at the end this season (unlike GG).  I also think Ken Marino and Michael Ian Black have been perfect as demons plotting against the Devil.

Twenty-three days and counting

I have two weeks and three days until I leave the country for three weeks to ping pong around Western Europe. I have less than that time to prepare for/finish any number of group projects, homeworks, 20 page papers (only one thankfully), final exams, other detrius that school throws in my path.

I need to start planning what I'm packing. A rough list is sketching itself in my brain, but I need to write it down. I have to pack in a some-what smart way, seeing as I'll be gone long and will be hauling my crap on my back for three weeks. Luckily I don't have to pack the bridesmaid's dress I'm wearing for the wedding in Ireland in week 2 of my trip (thank you bride!). I'm just going to try and pack as minimally as possible, assuming at least once I will hit a laudromat. (I believe the key to this is packing a LOT of changes of underwear.)

I have my first two-ish weeks planned, but have about 4 or 5 days between my Germany school-related program ending and my return flight in London that are wide open. I would like to spend a couple days in London, but am worried about the cost. I am already planning on bothering a friend of a friend who just moved there, because once he slept on my futon, and maybe now he has a futon that can reciprocate. If anyone has any lost-cost solutions, or suggestions of how to spend my time, I'd love to hear them!

I am ready for the adventure and both wish I could play it totally by ear and simultaneously have all of my nights booked in some hostel or another. I plan on taking copious photos to share when I return, but don't be too jealous of me, because have you seen the exchange rates recently? Ouch.

In other news, my awesome friend Eliza is working on the new version of The Electric Company and it got written up in the NYT. I hope it succeeds!

Quick note on school and reading

I don't have a lot of time to write right now, but wanted to a) drop down the creepy picture of baby rats and b) link quickly to something.

I don't have time to write NOT because I'm crazy busy (thank god), but have a couple hours and want to get the hell out of my academic building, where I spend too much time as it is. I fanagled my schedule this quarter so that I will have two afternoons a week to myself (and my studies). Two spring afternoons to loll in the quad reading, or spend in a sunny window seat at a coffee shop, studiously working. Best decision I've made in a while, which involved dropping a required class (that I'll have to take next spring) and picking up a class I'm very interested in (a super small seminar on sustainability and the urban form).

So anyway, my thoughts go out to Natasha and her continuing pest problem. My congratulations also go to my old work team, who just got the contract for the project I worked on for 2+ years renewed! GO TEAM!

I also want to link to this essay on the NYTimes about women, reading and dating. It's hilarious and oh-so-true.

Later. I'm off to soak up as much sun as I can. (And to of course finish my homework.)

(Update: Oh, I just read this post about "faux female empowerment" icons and have to agree. Partially because SatC bugs the hell out of me. And for the last two grafs:

The bottom line: If you were going to choose a gender-specific role model, why one of these four cardboard characters? As American women have won more and more rights, the feminist movement has had the luxury of branching off in many, even contradictory, directions. Feminist icons run the gamut from activist Gloria Steinem to porn star Jenna Jamison…not to mention our first viable female Presidential candidate in Hillary Clinton.

One friend suggested we organize a boycott of the Sex and the City movie. But it's just not that important. In an ideal world, former fans wouldn't show up because they've moved on. The movie—neither a hit nor a stinker—would simply go out with a whimper, just like any idea whose time had come and gone.

Amen to that, "like any idea whose time had come and gone." Later for real this time.

Updated, once again, several hours later:
Apparently, blog, I just can't get enough today. I did an errand, went to a coffee shop, read my homework for my class and scribbled on a big post-it something I was planning on appending to this post. Now, though, I think I'll append something slightly different.

Recently my mind has been taken up almost entirely in the things that I am studying, although (to me) this isn't really translating to this space. I think that's sort of a time issue. My posts since starting up school again full time have been more rushed and less thought out; more reactionary than anything else. In general I feel rushed and jumbled and worn out. I can't say I like that. I read a couple of articles recently about how meditation is supposed to be good for your health in the long run, and I'm thinking of trying it out to help me clear my head. (Are there books where you can learn that? No idea.) I want to take the time to write about the bigger issues I deal with in my classes that have me excited. Here's a pledge to try and make time and brain cells available to do so in this space. I think writing about it regularly and in a more measured way will help me de-jumble my ideas and reactions to the things I read and discuss in my classes.

Okay, that's seriously it for the day.

Soggy thoughts on what I want to be when I grow up

Today started off a bit soggy. It started raining yesterday evening and did not stop until this evening. Thus my trip to the polls early this morning was fairly wet, and my galoshes got a work out. I found something amusing with voting today. It must be that Ohioans aren't used to voting in primary elections, because I saw two people have mini tantrums about having to choose one ballot over another. I think it's because they were Republican and only wanted to vote on the Democratic ticket for president. Frankly I didn't have a lot of sympathy.

I am currently coming off the giddiness that follows public speaking. I just gave my final presentation for my "Where Do I Fit?" class, in which I had to describe what kind of planner I want to be when I get done with my master's program. We had to have one slide with an image that would serve as our inspiration. I chose this photo of the Urban Planning Exhibition Hall in Shanghai. When I saw it, I thought about the mass of humanity that would be living in such a dense urban area, and how nature and community could possibly be balanced. My interests in planning are related to design, community and sustainable living. In a perfect world I'd be able combine these three interests in a job to make urban living better in America in places like Columbus, Ohio. I'd also like to be able to write about it. (Have I told you how Dwell magazine influenced two major life decisions last year, including getting a master's in urban planning? I'd love to be published by them one day.)

I'm writing about this now partially to start forming more coherent thoughts for myself (and my final paper for that class). It's funny how this assignment has been both difficult and easy. I know what sparks my interests and passions, but it's hard to consolidate those interests into goals. Part of the assignment entails writing a "perfect future resume" - which I haven't yet started. It's exciting and scary to dream, especially when there are real life implications (even if they are good implications).

Anyhow, sorry for the navel gazing, though that's what this space is often for. I just got two rolls of film back today and have some great photos to share this week. Stay tuned! (Below is a shot of the main drag in town, taken Sunday during our short bit of beautiful weather.)

Freedom and some snow

As of about 1:18 this afternoon I was a free woman. Free of classes, stress-induced paranoia and long commutes. Until January that is. And I'm not entirely free, as I'll be working four days a week, but I'm looking forward to my break.

I was not so excited to have to make the trek into town today, what with snow steadily falling and none of the roads or highways properly plowed. But I went in and took that exam and now I continue to hope that the class is curved and that it will positively affect me. At this very moment I've got a cat curled up beside me, begging for attention, a roaring fire and an inclination to fix myself a drink. See below for photos of Frank's first snow.

I'm cruise directing tonight's bloggage of Project Runway. Join us at New Critics for some fun in the comments section, starting around 10pm (eastern).

My eyelid is twitching

I messed up on the self-portrait above the other night. I was supposed to be in it. My life is a bit hectic right now. I'm trying to finish about eight things for school, go to work, go to sleep, etc. I'll have one big project done tomorrow. Another Monday, tests Tuesday and Wednesday. Wish me luck. Then I'll be able to return emails and phone calls.

Tomorrow, Jennifer is the cruise director for our Project Runway blogging. Join us! I'll most likely be light-headed and a little late...

Update: Natasha sent me a link to the video below. Spoon + dancing Japanese robots = excellence.

School and some tunes

Sorry for the lack of posts! Things are going well. School is going well so far. I like my classes and classmates. Even the stats class seems like it will be fun. (I think working with number crunching nerds for so long rubbed off on me. Heehee, love you guys.) I only have classes Monday and Wednesday (with the hopes I'll be working part-time), so my days on campus are LONG.

I packed my lunch and dinner today, but my PB&J dinner melted quite a bit in my car today. I'm done with this 90 degree heat. Plus my building is freezing, so there is no happy medium. The building is all exposed concrete on the inside (here's an inside peek). It's not to my taste, plus it's drafty and has poor acoustics. It's like the architects tried to be too edgy and missed the mark. I like my buildings to be a bit more functional (not to mention pretty). The library is divine, though, and has a collection of designer chairs. My first day of school I didn't have anything to do and sat in an Eames rocker reading a book on Louis Sullivan. It was fairly divine. (I'm completely in love with the book, and John Szarkowski's photography.)

My commute to school begins early and I've becoming used to watching the sun rise. Below are some songs that I am currently loving on my (long) commute.

I'm totally obsessed with this new song from Spoon, "You Got Yr Cherry Bomb" and am very sad that a good video does not exist. The live vids are kind of terrible. Here's a link to where it's streaming elsewhere... Turn up the speakers.

Below is a video for John Doe's song the "The Golden State." On the album version, he sings with Kathleen Edwards, whom I love. Here the song is a little slower and is sung with Cindy Wasserman. It's still good.

And here's a video of a new Josh song, "Mind's Eye." The new album has firmly nestled itself into my brain.

Big changes afoot

I have very good news that I meet with mixed emotions.

Tuesday morning I found out that I got into an urban planning Master's program I had applied to, which starts September 19! Come the end of August I'll find myself moving back to Ohio, ensconced in my parents' basement (until alternate housing can be arranged). I'll be a Buckeye again, back in the heart of it all.

Obviously this is something that has been cooking for awhile, but I've been a little cagey about it, not wanting to discuss it too much, in case it fell through, so I haven't put much actual thought about leaving Chicago. This has been my home for four years. My job has been my only real job, and I will have been there almost four years. I've lived in this city long enough that it seems small, and I run into friends and acquaintances all over in random places. I love my friends here, I love my co-workers, I love my roommate, I love this city. And yet I'm leaving.

I got a little emotional on Wednesday coming back from lunch, the immediate elation of the acceptance letter wearing thin. I walked past Millennium Park and the gorgeous buildings on Michigan Avenue, thinking that when I spend time here next it'll be as an ex-Chicagoan, a tourist. (Are cities like Narnia, once a king or queen, always?)

While I'll miss public transportation (Columbus has a bus line that isn't horrible, or maybe it is, it's been awhile), I won't miss the CTA and it's continuing implosion. I won't miss the scandals from the Mayor's office, either.

For awhile I've felt that Chicago is a little too big for me, so Columbus fits the bill in that regard. I'm excited to rediscover it. There are excellent restaurants and shops, and I'll be closer to my parents and grandparents. There are also semi-dormant friendships to reawaken and new ones to be made.

I am most excited about this program. I'm excited to dive into city planning and to truly carve out a niche for myself. But I haven't given myself enough time to truly get used to the idea of moving. In a month! So much organizing to do, and packing and cleaning. The last of this summer will fly as fast as the first.

The Cosmic Infinite

I missed my graphic design class last week because I was in Ohio. I missed viewing everyone's posters for an art movement. The professor had printed them out and everyone got a chance to look and critique each other's work. That's mine up above (click on it if you want to see it larger) on Suprematism. Apparently people liked it, which is fun to know. I wish I could have seen everyone else's work.

I also missed beginning our final project. Six pages dedicated to your art movement. I showed up in class tonight armed with two heavy art books. I spent the first half an hour scanning paintings I might want to use. And then spent a half an hour or so staring at a blank Illustrator page, completely blocked. My brain was full of my day of Excel spreadsheets and a raging headache that was finally tapering off. I flipped through our text book and then through one of the art books and started messing around.

Slowly an intro page emerged, and then the second page. I looked at some other people's work and got an idea about how to tie everything together. The professor seemed to like the direction in which I was moving. All was going well until Illustrator suddenly closed. Then I realized that I had been pressing Control-S instead of open-apple-S to save. Because part of my brain was still in the PC world. Argh. I was able to gin up a pretty good approximation of where I had left it, but it was pretty frustrating. Even with the setback, it was nice to work through a mental block and to get the creativity going.