urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:morethings5Despite LifeRileyRiley2009-05-10T02:52:40Zurn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:morethings5:110609morethings5 @ 2009-05-09T22:47:002009-05-10T02:52:40Z2009-05-10T02:52:40ZWe must always remember that it is not only death that matters, but every life that responds to what was lost. We all feel the scales shift as your weight is lifted from our lives, and we will never forget what you meant, and will always mean, to us. Goodbye.urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:morethings5:110485Living Situation 20092009-05-05T00:10:33Z2009-05-05T00:10:33ZConsidering this actually got me a place last summer, I figured I might as well get the word out there that I'm looking for a place to live for this summer and next year, preferably in Waltham but around here/Boston works OK too. This year Matt Kamm is also involved in the search. We want a 2-bedroom place, and would not like to pay too much more than $500/month each in rent. As I have already found one very real 3-bedroom prospect, we are also entertaining the possibility of bringing in a third roommate, preferably but not necessarily someone we know. If you know of any habitation opportunities around here, please let me know. We are getting kicked out of our dorms on May 18, so being able to move in on June 1st would be ideal. I at least am staying around for the whole year, though, and my parents live only 40 minutes from Waltham, so I'm thinking long-term and will definitely consider July and even August move-ins. If you might know a guy who knows a guy, pass the message along. If you want to contact me directly, my number is 508-733-5559. Thanks everyone!urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:morethings5:110297Stupid Cartoon Meme2009-04-24T22:41:38Z2009-04-24T22:45:14ZI haven't done one of these dumb memes in a long time, but here you go. I probably haven't seen many of these.<br /><br />CLASSIC DISNEY<br />-------------------------------<br />[X] 101 Dalmatians (1961) <br />[ ] Alice in Wonderland (1951) (I feel like maybe I've seen this, but I am not entirely sure.)<br />[X] Bambi (1942)<br />[X] Cinderella (1950) <br />[X] Dumbo (1941) <br />[X] Fantasia (1940) <br />[ ] Lady and the Tramp (1955) (This one I am even less sure about, but...)<br />[X] Mary Poppins (1964) <br />[X] Peter Pan (1953)<br />[X] Pinocchio (1940) <br />[ ] Sleeping Beauty (1959) (I don't remember my childhood very well.)<br />[X] Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)<br />[ ] Song of the South (1946)<br />9/13<br /><br />DISNEY'S DARK AGE<br />-------------------------------<br />[ ] The Aristocats (1970)<br />[ ] The Black Cauldron (1985) (I have it on my Netflix queue)<br />[X] The Fox and the Hound (1981) (I think I've seen this. Not sure why.)<br />[ ] The Great Mouse Detective (1986) <br />[X] The Jungle Book (1967)<br />[ ] The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977)<br />[ ] Oliver and Company (1986)<br />[ ] Pete's Dragon (1977)<br />[ ] The Rescuers (1977)<br />[X] Robin Hood (1973) (I own this on VHS somewhere. It was one of my favorite movies.)<br />[ ] The Sword In The Stone (1963) (This is another maybe. I feel like I've seen it...)<br />3/11<br /><br />THE DISNEY RENAISSANCE<br />-------------------------------<br />[X] Aladdin (1992)<br />[X] Beauty and the Beast (1991)<br />[X] A Goofy Movie (1995)<br />[ ] Hercules (1997)<br />[ ] The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996) (Also in my queue)<br />[X] The Lion King (1994) <br />[X] The Little Mermaid (1989)<br />[ ] Mulan (1998)<br />[ ] Pocahontas (1995)<br />[ ] The Rescuers Down Under (1990)<br />[ ] Tarzan (1999)<br />5/11<br /><br />DISNEY'S MODERN AGE<br />-------------------------------<br />[ ] Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001) le!)<br />[ ] Bolt (2008)<br />[ ] Brother Bear (2003) <br />[ ] Chicken Little (2005)<br />[ ] Dinosaur (2000) <br />[ ] The Emperor's New Groove (2000)<br />[ ] Fantasia 2000 (2000)<br />[ ] Home on the Range (2004)<br />[ ] Lilo & Stitch (2002)<br />[ ] Meet the Robinsons (2007)<br />[ ] Treasure Planet (2002)<br />0/11 (I have no desire to see any of these movies)<br /><br />PIXAR<br />-------------------------------<br />[X] A Bug's Life (1998) <br />[ ] Cars (2006)<br />[X] Finding Nemo (2003)<br />[ ] The Incredibles (2004)<br />[ ] Monsters Inc. (2001)<br />[ ] Ratatouille (2007)<br />[X] Toy Story (1995) <br />[X] Toy Story 2 (1999)<br />[X] Wall-E (2008)<br />5/9<br /><br />DON BLUTH<br />-------------------------------<br />[X] All Dogs Go to Heaven (1989)<br />[X] An American Tail (1986)<br />[X] An American Tail: Fieval Goes West (1991) (Something tells me I have seen these three movies, I don't know when or where)<br />[ ] Anastasia (1997)<br />[ ] The Land Before Time (1988) <br />[ ] The Pebble and the Penguin (1995)<br />[ ] Rock-a-Doodle (1991) e)<br />[ ] The Secret of NIMH (1982) (Why did someone make a movie about the National Institute of Mental Health?)<br />[ ] Thumbelina (1994)<br />[ ] Titan AE (2000)<br />[ ] A Troll in Central Park (1994) <br />3/11<br /><br />CLAYMATION<br />-------------------------------<br />[ ] The Adventures of Mark Twain (1986) <br />[X] Chicken Run (2000)<br />[ ] Corpse Bride (2005)<br />[X] James and the Giant Peach (1996)<br />[X] The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) <br />[ ] Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005) (I have seen other W&G movies... why is this the only one on the list?)<br />[ ] Coraline (2009)<br />3/7<br /><br />CGI GLUT<br />-------------------------------<br />[X] Antz (1998)<br />[ ] Happy Feet (2006)<br />[ ] Kung Fu Panda (2008) <br />[X] Madagascar (2005) (I saw it on a plane. Ugh.)<br />[ ] Monster House (2006)<br />[ ] Over the Hedge (2006)<br />[ ] The Polar Express (2004)<br />[ ] Shrek (2001)<br />[ ] Shrek 2 (2004)<br />[ ] Shrek The Third (2007) <br />2/10<br /><br />IMPORTS<br />-------------------------------<br />[ ] Arabian Knight (aka The Thief and the Cobbler) (1995)<br />[ ] The Last Unicorn (1982) <br />[ ] Light Years (1988)<br />[ ] The Triplets of Belleville (2003)<br />[ ] Persepolis (2007)<br />[ ] Waltz With Bashir (2008)<br />[ ] Watership Down (1978)<br />[ ] When the Wind Blows (1988)<br />[ ] Yellow Submarine (1968)<br />0/9<br /><br />STUDIO GHIBLI/MIYAZAKI<br />-------------------------------<br />[X] Grave of the Fireflies (1988)<br />[X] Howl's Moving Castle (2004) .)<br />[ ] Kiki's Delivery Service (1989)<br />[X] Laputa: Castle in the Sky (1986)<br />[ ] Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro (1979)<br />[ ] My Neighbors The Yamadas (1999)<br />[X] My Neighbor Totoro (1993) <br />[X] Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)<br />[ ] Only Yesterday (1991)<br />[ ] Pom Poko (Tanuki War) (1994)<br />[ ] Porco Rosso (1992)<br />[X] Princess Mononoke (1999)<br />[X] Spirited Away (2002)<br />[ ] Whisper of the Heart (1995)<br />7/14 (Finally, the categories where I beat Phoebe!)<br /><br />SATOSHI KON<br />-------------------------------<br />[X] Millennium Actress (2001)<br />[X] Paprika (2006)<br />[X] Perfect Blue (1999)<br />[X] Tokyo Godfathers (2003)<br />[ ] Memories - "Magnetic Rose" part (1995)<br />4/5 (Almost a clean sweep. Darn)<br /><br />SHINKAI MAKOTO<br />-------------------------------<br />[ ] She and Her Cat (1999)<br />[X] Voices of a Distant Star (2001)<br />[X] The Place Promised in Our Early Days (2004)<br />[ ] 5 Centimeters per Second (2007)<br />2/4 (I am excited that someone else has heard of this director. Place Promised is one of my favorite movies. Voices is just really bizarre.<br /><br />OTHER ANIME FILMS<br />-------------------------------<br />[ ] Akira (1989)<br />[ ] Appleseed (2004)<br />[ ] Appleseed: Ex Machina (2007)<br />[ ] Arcadia of My Youth (U.S. Title - Vengeance of the Space Pirate) (1982)<br />[ ] Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (2003)<br />[ ] The Dagger of Kamui (U.S. Title - Revenge of the Ninja Warrior) (1985)<br />[ ] Dirty Pair: Project Eden (1987)<br />[ ] End of Evangelion (1997)<br />[ ] Fist of the North Star (1986)<br />[ ] Galaxy Express 999 (1979)<br />[X] Ghost in the Shell (1996)<br />[ ] The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2006)<br />[ ] Lensman (1984)<br />[X] Macross: Do You Remember Love (U.S. Title - Clash of the Bionoids) (1984) <br /> (UH Holy crap a VHS copy of this was in my house for some reason when I was a child. Have I seen it? This is so bizarre.)<br />[X] Metropolis (2001)<br />[ ] Neo-Tokyo (1986)<br />[ ] Ninja Scroll (1993)<br />[ ] Patlabor the Movie (1989)<br />[ ] The Professional: Golgo 13 (1983)<br />[ ] Project A-ko (1986)<br />[ ] Robot Carnival (1987)<br />[ ] Robotech: The Shadow Chronicle (2006)<br />[ ] Silent Möbius (1991)<br />[ ] Space Adventure Cobra (1982)<br />[X] Steamboy (2004)<br />[ ] Sword of the Stranger (2007)<br />[ ] Unico and the Island of Magic (1983) (Technically I don't think I ever saw it.)<br />[ ] Urotsukidoji: The Movie (1987)<br />[ ] Vampire Hunter D (1985)<br />[ ] Vampire Hunter D Bloodlust (2000)<br />[ ] Wings of Honneamise: Royal Space Force (1987)<br />4/31<br /><br />CARTOONS FOR GROWN-UPS<br />-------------------------------<br />[ ] American Pop (1981)<br />[X] The Animatrix (2003)<br />[ ] Beavis & Butthead Do America (1996)<br />[ ] Cool World (1992) <br />[X] Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (2001)<br />[ ] Final Fantasy: Advent Children (2005)<br />[ ] Fire & Ice (1983)<br />[ ] Fritz the Cat (1972)<br />[ ] Heavy Metal (1981)<br />[ ] Heavy Metal 2000 (2000)<br />[ ] Hey Good Lookin' (1982)<br />[ ] Lady Death (2004)<br />[ ] A Scanner Darkly (2006)<br />[X] South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (1999)<br />[ ] Street Fight (Coonskin) (1975)<br />[X] Waking Life (2001) (Amazing movie)<br />4/16<br /><br />OTHER ANIMATED MOVIES<br />-------------------------------<br />[ ] Animal Farm (1954)<br />[ ] Animalympics (1980)<br />[ ] Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon The Movie (2007)<br />[ ] Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker<br />[X] The Brave Little Toaster (1988) (YES. Another one of my favorites)<br />[ ] Bravestarr: The Movie (1988)<br />[ ] Cats Don't Dance (1997)<br />[ ] Care Bears: The Movie (1985) <br />[ ] Charlotte's Web (1973) <br />[X] Fern Gully (1992) <br />[ ] G.I. Joe: The Movie (1987)<br />[ ] Gobots: Battle of the Rock Lords (1986)<br />[ ] He-Man & She-Ra: The Secret of the Sword (1985)<br />[X] The Hobbit (1977) <br />[ ] The Iron Giant (1999)<br />[ ] Justice League: The New Frontier (2008) <br />[ ] Lord of the Rings (1978)<br />[ ] Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland (1992) <br />[ ] My Little Pony: The Movie (1986)<br />[ ] Pink Floyd's The Wall (1982)<br />[ ] The Prince of Egypt (1998)<br />[ ] Powerpuff Girls: The Movie (2002)<br />[ ] Quest For Camelot (1999)<br />[ ] Ringing Bell (1978)<br />[X] The Road to El Dorado (2000)<br />[ ] Rock & Rule (1983)<br />[ ] Space Jam (1996)<br />[ ] Starchaser: The Legend of Orin (1985)<br />[ ] Superman: Doomsday (2007) <br />[ ] The Swan Princess (1994)<br />[ ] Transformers: The Movie (1986)<br />[ ] Wizards (1977)<br />[X] Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) <br />[ ] Wonder Woman (2009)<br />[ ] Balto (1995)<br />[ ] Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (2002)<br />5/36<br /><br />OBSCURE SURREAL MOVIES STARRING CATS THAT I FELT SHOULD BE ON THIS LIST SOMEWHERE<br />------------------------------------------------------------<br />[X] Felix the Cat: The Movie (1991)<br />[X] Cat Soup (2001)<br />2/2urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:morethings5:109896Open Letter to the Brandeis LARP Community2009-03-12T02:23:21Z2009-03-12T02:37:55ZDear Everyone,<br /><br /> Damnit, people. Why didn't anyone tell me game signups were open for Festival already? I mean, granted, I've been meaning to go to the website for a while, but I'm now number TWELVE on the wait-list for Oz, the only reason I really wanted to sign up in the first place. /sigh. I repeatedly fail at registering for LARPs. Maybe it is just not meant to be.<br /><br /> -Love, Kindness<br /><br />EDIT: OK, apparently sign-ups have only been open for three hours, and Oz is just absurdly popular. Way to run the hype machine, Phoebe! <3urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:morethings5:109178CROSSPLUG!2009-01-03T02:38:31Z2009-01-03T02:38:31ZHave you looked at <a href="http://sylentsage.deviantart.com">my deviantArt site</a> lately?<br />urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:morethings5:108960Might As Well2009-01-01T06:03:00Z2009-05-01T17:56:01ZHappy New Year!<br /><br />In 2009 I...<br /><br />Did community service to clear my criminal record<br />Passed all my classes<br />Learned how to Contra Dance<br />Made 22 paintings in one month<br />Made one painting in three months<br />Jumped off a stage in high heels<br />Fell off a stage in a blindfold<br />Quit my job<br />Started three new jobs (ok, I am only getting paid for one of them)<br />Discovered that I really like Fairy Tales<br />Lived on my own for the whole summer, paying for food and rent with my own money and working for it<br />Said goodbye forever (ostensibly) to the first girl I ever fell in love with<br />Met at least two of the most important people I'll ever know<br />Cried harder than I've ever cried before (I know, I'm a sensitive guy)<br />Lived<br />Loved<br />Learned<br />Taught<br />Created<br />Grieved<br />Feared<br />Desired<br />Dreamt<br /><br />And in 2009, what will I do?<br /><br />Live,<br />Love,<br />Learn,<br />Teach,<br />Create,<br />Grieve,<br />Fear,<br />Desire,<br />Dream.<br /><br />Love never dies. Fear never dies. Hope never dies.<br />Dreams never die.<br />Live your life.urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:morethings5:108597Hey That was a Pretty Good Semester2008-12-19T20:35:45Z2008-12-19T20:35:45ZDisasterpeaceHey everyone. I am 7/8 done with college. Ho hum. My midyear art show went great. I feel like a lot of people really got my work, in that they were confused or bothered by the things that were supposed to confuse or bother them, and in general just intrigued by the stuff that was meant to intrigue them. My work at the Arlington School is going very well. The funny thing is I really have no idea how I'll do in my classes. My Practicum class grade has nothing to do with how well I'm doing at my site, and my Senior Studio grade has nothing to do with how the show went. My journals and exams in Psych have received lukewarm reception, and I didn't do nearly as much work in Studio as I should have. Also I didn't complete most of the assignments in Drawing. Oh well! Next semester will be interesting.<br /><br />For the break I am working at Lemberg and at Arlington, and living in Matt's grad suite, and hopefully making some art. I am going to visit Jennifer in New York. There is not enough time. Peace.urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:morethings5:108394Little Homes2008-12-08T11:27:27Z2008-12-08T11:27:27ZnnnnnnnnnnnnIt's funny these little homes we create for ourselves.<br />Second time this semester again, I'm snowed in with a little home, a little family<br />Building, building, building something out of something<br /><br />I've been at the Prospect Street Studios for 31 hours the past three days, mmmhmm. I don't even think I've painted that much. I've been struggling through shitty final exam papers and unfinished drawings. But I finished my biggest painting this semester. And I have three little ones that will be good to go for the show. Please please please make my time worth it. My art means nothing without viewers. It reminds me of working on King Lear. Will we tear down what we built in this little cave-in family home these past few days? Which is the worth, the time, the product, the pain, the pleasure? I'm so exhausted. I am going to work in an hour.<br /><br />Then I'm coming back to the studio for the rest of the day. It's Monday now, long since Monday. How does this keep happening? I'm so exhausted.urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:morethings5:108063Accidentally Art2008-11-30T05:56:11Z2008-11-30T05:56:11Zof MontrealI somehow managed to lose track of time (and my cell phone was out of batteries) and stayed at the studio until 12:30 AM painting today! 7 hours, man. Anyway, I got a lot done. I am working on three pieces that should be done for my midyear senior show (Opening Reception Tuesday December 9 at 5PM I think, in the Dreitzer Gallery), and if Fenreisa smiles on me I can crank out a fourth too. I painted a silver hand and some mutilated pears. I'm beginning to think I'm a pretty decent artist. Please come see my show!<br /><br />Progress elsewhere is slow. Grant Proposal is still a maybe. I emailed the lady in charge with some questions. Once those are answered and I figure out a budget I think I can make this happen. I have not gotten any reading done for classes at all this weekend, but on the plus side I've managed to do a lot of pleasure reading instead: <em>Surfacing </em>by Margaret Atwood. It is very good. I don't have either of the books I need for class, so I have to go to the library to get anything done. Oh well!<br /><br />urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:morethings5:108026ohgodohgodohgodohgod2008-11-27T03:29:53Z2008-11-27T03:29:53ZI have so much nonsense that needs to be done soon. Listen:<br /><br />December 2: Reaction paper for Reading, Writing, and Teaching Across Cultures<br />December 3: Grant proposal for Festival of the Arts?<br />December 9: Senior Show goes up (aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah)<br />December ?: Take-home final for Clinical Psych Practicum<br />December 12?: Take-home final for RWTAC<br /><br />Other things that need to happen ASAP:<br />Figure out courses for next semester<br />Get my AP scores submitted to Brandeis (shouldn't this have happened 4 years ago?)<br />Figure out housing for Winter Break<br />Figure out my life after college<br /><br />Easy.urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:morethings5:107709Writer's Block: Ten for the Tenth2008-11-11T03:21:21Z2008-11-11T03:21:21ZRadiohead, strangely enough.<div class='appwidget appwidget-qotd' id='LJWidget_3'>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div style='border: 1px solid #000; padding: 6px;'><p>Some people spend their whole lives preparing the answer to this question: What albums are on your personal all-time Top 10 list?</p><p style='font-size: 0.8em;'></p><br /><p><input type="button" value="Answer" onclick="document.location.href='http://www.livejournal.com/update.bml?qotd=654'" /> <a href="http://www.livejournal.com/misc/latestqotd.bml?qid=654">View 501 Answers</a></p></div></td></tr></table></div><!-- end .appwidget-qotd -->
God, I am so one of those people. Here, in no particular order, with raving subtracted:<br /><br />Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea<br />Built to Spill - There's Nothing Wrong With Love<br />Built to Spill - Perfect From Now On<br />The Postal Service - Give Up<br />Joanna Newsom - Ys<br />Belle & Sebastian - If You're Feeling Sinister<br />Iron & Wine - Our Endless Numbered Days<br />Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?<br />Minus The Bear - Planet of Ice<br />The Shins - Oh, Inverted World<br /><br />For those paying too much attention to my taste in music, this list may disagree with previous yearly top 10s I've posted for various reasons. I think these 10 stand the test of time pretty well. I was going to play fair and only list one album for each band, but Built to Spill are godly and I pretty much thought PFNO was the best thing ever made until I heard TNWWL.<br /><br />urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:morethings5:107509Playing the Part2008-10-21T02:23:51Z2008-10-21T17:46:07ZFiery Furnaces - Bright Blue TieToday was not a very good day for me. This weekend I played in TMA. I can't tell you anything about my character due to the nature of the LARP, b<span style="font-size: small;">ut those who've</span><span style="font-size: small;"></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> spoken to me about it </span></span>will un</span>derstand that this is a very satisfying and enjoyable character to play. I enjoyed the weekend very much, but it took a lot out of me, and I was left wandering around my life today without a very good sense of what I was doing.<br /><br />I've come to understand a little better what it means to be an actor. What it means to take on roles: the satisfying roles, the thrilling roles, the disturbing roles, and the stressful roles. What I've come to understand is that I never feel very good afterward. The worst I've ever felt after a LARP is after finishing Alice. Now, bear in mind, Alice is a fantastic game, and I played a great character. But it was also a very depressing character, and I play roles very wholeheartedly. So when the game was over, my character felt absolutely hopeless, and so did I. I saw in his failures all of mine, not because I had "lost the game" or played the character poorly, but because I had played him so well and come to feel the dire weight of his situation so profoundly that I got dragged down in his struggles. This took some recovery.<br /><br />Now, my most recent character was a very successful one, but this unfortunately did not make me much happier in the aftermath. Certainly, there was the thrill of becoming the character for a weekend. But this wore off overnight, and I woke to the grim realities of life. All of my character's successes were absent in my own life, it seemed, and I could only strive for and fail to achieve the singular joy of that kind of victory over life.<br /><br />I have to ask myself: what role am I playing? What hole in the universe am I supposed to fill? I often feel as though my life can most easily be summarized as a vast potential that remains unrealized. Whether realizing my potential is an impossibility or merely a matter of time, I'm not certain, but I can't help but feel this constant tugging towards a seemingly impossibly distant future. I can't help but feel, with every false step forward and every frustration, that I'm failing in my ultimate goal. That I'm failing to reach my true potential. And what would be my reward even if I do everything I'm meant to do in my life? Will filling my hole in the universe fill a hole in me? I can and will rely solely on faith, as always. urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:morethings5:106591Revisitation Rights2008-09-09T03:04:55Z2008-09-09T03:04:55ZListen, darling, dear<br />I'm in a rut<br />My wheels are stuck<br />Produce I nothing valued from my pen<br />Nor graphite smear I but<br />That it returns to you again.<br /><br />Cannot escape -<br /> Familiar Face<br /> Familiar Lines<br />I live through these <br /> familiar times<br />I read my life <br /> between the grinds<br />And find <br /> that I return to you<br />Inevitably so, it's true<br />You're inescapable -<br /> But know you I <br /> Would never try<br /> I simply mean<br />I never could escape to you.urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:morethings5:1063824/42008-09-03T21:28:52Z2009-05-01T17:59:16ZMinus the Bear - "When We Escape"Oh, hello. My senior year at Brandeis has just begun. How is it going, you ask. It is looking up. It looks like I might still be able to work at Lemberg about once or twice a week (~10 hours?). So much for needing to have work study! I guess when you make a good impression and get yourself into the system, formality doesn't matter so much. In any case, I've learned that once I've started spending a lot of time around kids I just miss them a whole lot the rest of the time, so I'm really happy to stay on.<br /><br />My most significant class will be, of course my Clinical Psychology Practicum. I'll be spending about 8 hours a week doing volunteer work, and countless more keeping a journal of my experiences, as well as keeping up with the volumes of reading (textbook, novels and other writings) required for the course. It's kind of a big deal. Fortunately, my professor seems to be on board with me working at a program called BRIK (Building Resiliency In Kids) that works with school-age kids in Lowell developing communication skills and other stuff, and happens to be run by Tai's mom. Also, I'd very likely be able to put into practice some Art Therapy sorts of techniques. Very Exciting.<br /><br />Speaking of art, my other Huge Class this semester is Senior Studio. This means that I am going to be spending Mondays and Wednesdays and plenty more time I'm sure sequestered in the Prospect Street Studios in Waltham with the rest of the senior painting class (and the Post-Bac students). I'll be working on some Big Picture art stuff, hopefully taking my work in a more focused direction than just "paint whatever." I think I am going to be exploring fairy tales and how they relate to the passing of information and morals between generations. Sounds like a Literature thesis more than a Painting thesis, right? We'll see what happens. Ah, and by thesis I mean I might be taking Honors. Apparently I have this semester to sign up for pre-honors or whatever and find out how the department feels about me.<br /><br />My other classes are Advanced Drawing, which is also happening in the Prospect Street Studios, Beginning Social Dance, and hopefully Reading, Writing, and Teaching Across Cultures. The last one is a bit iffy. I was taking a different Writing Intensive course, but it got cancelled, so I did a quick scramble and e-mailed the professor from Teaching Across Cultures. It's a Comparative Literature course, which I've never taken before, but the professor said it's mainly a combination of social science and literature, and should be fine for someone like me who's interested in child psychology and possibly education. So, it's full, but she said some people haven't showed up and if I catch up with the work I think she'll let me in. All in all, I am incredibly excited. It's going to be an amazing semester.urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:morethings5:106119ism2008-08-20T05:05:46Z2009-05-01T18:03:48ZPortisheadHello all I am back from New York City. It was a nice trip. I got to spend time with Connor and go to museums and eat very very good sushi. On Sunday we went to MoMA and saw an exhibit on Dalí that featured many paintings and a few of his films, including a finished version of Destino, the collaboration with Walt Disney for which he drew up some sketches back in the day but never completed. I spent most of my time in the permanent collection, though, going "Oh, oh, oh my gosh, it's that thing I looked at in class but here it is for real in front of me!" It was a great experience, and I wish I could have spent a lot more time there. In the shop I bought some picture books to bring back to Lemberg, along with a book of illustrations by Henry Darger for myself, and earlier today we went to the American Folk Art Museum to see an exhibit of works by and inspired by Darger. He was a fantastic artist, and you should look him up if you don't know about him. I really hope someday I can tell a story as captivating as his. In other news, I spent some time in Chinatown, which was nice but mostly just overpriced cutesy gifty items to look at. I've realized how little appeal these things have for me nowadays. I'd rather spend money to decorate my mind than my space. So, all in all, New York was a fine experience. I am not sure if it was enough to lift my spirits, but I imagine if I had just been sitting at home they would only have sunk lower. If you'd like to find out why my spirits were low in the first place, feel free to ask.urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:morethings5:105952morethings5 @ 2008-08-18T00:08:002008-08-18T04:09:34Z2008-08-18T04:09:34ZDear _____________<br /><br /> I will <i>always </i>remember you.<br /><br /> All my love. Always my love.urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:morethings5:105581Overwhelmed2008-08-17T03:21:33Z2008-08-17T03:21:33ZIron + WineHi I am in Manhattan. Today I had lunch with Connor and saw Battles for free in Central Park and then uh I don't know walked around for a while and ate dinner but music sounds dull and food tastes bland and light looks dull. Maybe I will write about things and pretend they were great when I am feeling better but right now I am just very very sad and it's difficult for me to be alive. Goodnight.urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:morethings5:105305Making a Living, Part 22008-08-11T22:21:40Z2008-08-11T22:21:40ZSufjanToday I cracked open my latest paycheck, representing two weeks of work.<br />It was for $450.42. A smile broke out on my face, and I might have cheered slightly.<br />My next thought was, "Haha, wow, when did a paycheck this size become exciting?"<br />And now, I realize, it's mostly because of how I earned it.urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:morethings5:105141I Dreamt of You Last Night. Every Prayer - Answered.2008-08-09T04:52:32Z2008-10-09T18:37:57ZEmily - Joanna NewsomMy favorite number is 8. I try not to get too excited about these things, and I didn't have any big plans for today, but when I woke up at 5AM it was at the tail-end of a beautiful, sorrowful, joyful dream. I woke and woke and woke, and forced myself to write it down instead of lingering in the feeling forever and drifting slowly from the memory. It was a strange sort of dream, where time doesn't really mean anything. I sat on my bed trying to put away the past, experiences tied up to sticks and damp towels and older dreams I'd dreamt before. I gave up hatred, I gave up envy, I gave up resentment. I let the past live free without punishment from the future. And my reward? Happiness. Happiness not in myself but in those I most want to see happy. Happy like two faces, bright and limitless, gazing up at me with cheer. Maybe I kissed them goodnight, maybe I just let them be, but in either case I slept myself - slept within the dream, content I'd put my life behind me. Goodnight... And up I woke, in the same moment, no doubt smiling, in the same bed, in a different light, with a different mind. There was that moment of bliss, as I woke from the happy dream, where I didn't know what the real world was. And slowly the cloud lifted, and the real world came back.<br /><br />But the happiness never faded. I was new. I was alive. I have everything I've ever wanted.urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:morethings5:104682Writer's Block: Loved Ones Afar2008-08-05T04:11:10Z2008-08-05T04:11:10Z<div class='appwidget appwidget-qotd' id='LJWidget_4'>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div style='border: 1px solid #000; padding: 6px;'><p>Do you miss anyone right now? What past experiences with this person, or these persons, make it easy for you to miss them?</p><p style='font-size: 0.8em;'>Submitted By <span class='ljuser ljuser-name_mattbcl' lj:user='mattbcl' style='white-space: nowrap;'><a href='http://mattbcl.livejournal.com/profile'><img src='http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif' alt='[info]' width='17' height='17' style='vertical-align: bottom; border: 0; padding-right: 1px;' /></a><a href='http://mattbcl.livejournal.com/'><b>mattbcl</b></a></span><br /></p><br /><p><input type="button" value="Answer" onclick="document.location.href='http://www.livejournal.com/update.bml?qotd=484'" /> <a href="http://www.livejournal.com/misc/latestqotd.bml?qid=484">View 501 Answers</a></p></div></td></tr></table></div><!-- end .appwidget-qotd -->
Every.<br />Single.<br />One of them.urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:morethings5:104370Ask Me, Do, Who Mends Me Nightly2008-08-03T03:44:38Z2008-08-03T03:44:38ZOf Montreal - Id EngagerAnd every night I see<br /> themirrorfromthisside<br />The lights reflected such<br /> toblindmywearyeyes<br />Once friendly, kind, and calm<br /> indarknessthey're<br />No Friends At All<br /><br />Tomorrow on the other side<br />I wake again complete<br /> unchangedatall<br />I slide along until<br /> ihitawall<br />And fall to pieces so<br /> preciselyplaced<br />As if to say<br /> illdoitallagain<br />I've done it all before<br /><br />My head no longer<br /> needsanameforit<br /> My body takes the reigns<br /> andrunswithit<br /> My soul survives the ride<br /> withoutascratch<br />Without a single crackurn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:morethings5:104014Space2008-07-26T22:50:31Z2008-07-26T22:50:31ZAsobi Seksu - It's Too LateSpace stands sharper in memory.<br />Sometimes I feel like I've lived here my entire life, and always will live here. Like my entire life fits neatly in these three months as hopes, dreams, and memories.<br />There are things about this place that I won't miss, and others I never wanted, but it's mostly made of pleasant moments, like every space. The night sky is beautiful. The land around here is flat and clear, and the lights from the surrounding suburbs is much less than overwhelming. Still, I can't help but think of the best sky I've ever seen.<br />I spent a night in rural, unoccupied southern Utah with my mother, my sister, and her boyfriend, at a small house owned by his grandparents. They were Mormons, so the house was filled with children's books about Joseph Smith and paintings of Jesus that made it difficult for my mother to sleep. We went outside to see the sky. It was perfectly clear; unobstructed by clouds, trees, buildings, or light. There were so many starts that I realized I had never really seen anything before in my entire life.<br />We were startled by the sounds of a large animal nearby, and realized that we were sharing our space with a domesticated horse. Eventually the bugs and the heat got the best of us and we went inside to sleep. For some reason, as I lay on my blue air mattress, staring at the ceiling, I began to think of my father and his inevitable death, and cried myself to sleep. It's still one of the only thoughts that makes me cry. We all slept through the night, unhindered by grief or Jesus or Joseph Smith, and the next morning the horse escaped.<br />Space stands sharper in memory. I wonder if I knew then, as I know now, that I'll always remember the time that passed in that small house. I wonder how my life since then frames the emotions and the sensations of that night, and how my life from here on will frame each moment in memory.urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:morethings5:103827Pseudonym2008-07-23T04:21:53Z2008-09-14T21:07:00ZI wish I could find one word to evoke you.<br />I feel it would be poetic.<br />Love? Lust? Rapture? Agony? Ecstasy?<br />All fine for everyday use. But for you?<br />Insufficient.<br /><br />No word could shimmer like the light in your eye<br />Or shiver like my spine when you smile.<br />No word could have weight like yours in my arms<br />Or the sweet tension of your hand in mine.<br /><br />What's more, all these words come easily to my lips.<br />Unlike your skin.<br />And I let them free with no hesitation.<br />I do not miss them when they are gone.<br /><br />No, I can't find a word to be your equal.<br />No one word is good enough.<br />So I must fill pages with hopeless searching.<br /><br />Though, I suppose, there is one last resort.<br />You do have a name.<br />But I cannot print it.<br />My secret is safe with you.<br /><br /><br />My apologies, as always. I have so many great things I could be writing about in this livejournal, but I can't seem to get my mind of this subject. Why oh why. Oh why why why.urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:morethings5:103489Let's Put a Smile on that Face2008-07-19T05:51:12Z2008-07-19T05:51:12ZHeimdalsgate Like a Promethean CurseSo, I mean, I guess my life is pretty great. I have a job I love, and I'm living with the things that I used to be dying without. I'm pretty decent at making paintings, I guess. People tell me I am pretty good sometimes. <a href="http://www.catherinekehoe.com/pages.php?content=galleryBig.php&navGallID=9&navGallIDquer=9&imageID=21&view=big&activeType=nonNestGall">Here</a> is a painting of mine that was put online de rigeur of the course I'm taking. Um. I can't really think of anything else I want to talk to you about except that I am depressed at night. It becomes harder and harder to find reasons to be sad, but I manage it. Oh well. Here is my life.urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:morethings5:102876All of them Mine2008-06-29T03:46:18Z2008-06-29T03:47:30ZblahblahblahI could write a thousand lines for you<br />And never let you read<br />I could draw your face a thousand times<br />And burn them ere you see<br />I could dream of you a thousand nights<br />And never speak a breath<br />But to be with you just once again<br />Would halt a thousand deaths<br /><br /><br /><br />I really need to stop writing these poems I am just digging myself into a deeper and deeper hole but it's so warm underground.