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Portrait of the Artist as a Delirious Graduate Student.
Some updates!:
1) I spent a couple wonderful hours working the Ooligan table at Wordstock this year, learning how to talk to people about what we do. Afterwards, I made a slow circle around the exhibitors, stopping periodically along the way to touch all the books at the McSweeney’s table, because touching books longingly is almost as good as working there. I also discovered a few new favorites:
2) For the second year running, I was legitimately scared by a scarecrow. My career as a grain thief is looking grim.
3) I’ve decided that my favorite neighbor is the man who walks his two Akitas from a Segway. My second favorite neighbor is the man who looks like Leland Palmer, never wears a shirt, and talks to his cats. Everyone else ties for third.
4) I didn’t see a single person from my old company at Wordstock, probably because they cared about money, not books. (insert “oh, snap” here)
5) Johnny and I are taking the ultimate romantic journey: a cramped, 52 hr train ride! Eight states, Dec 20-22nd, from Portland to Chicago to Champaign to Monticello to bed. (We fly back on the 30th, with deep dish pizzas in our bags.) I’m especially excited to see Montana and North Dakota, because I’ve never been. Expect many photos taken from a moving train, and many exclamation marks. TRAIN TIME! (!!)
Instead, there’s Book Editing, Publishing Software, Intro to Publishing, and Marketing. Grad school has begun.
Canonballing into Lake Chelan.
Wine and crossword puzzles in the park.
(August 2010, after brunch in Seattle)
Despite stiff competition from previous years, I can confidently say that this has been the Best Summer Ever.
Yesterday, Johnny and I attempted to drive to Seattle to attend a wedding on a boat; unfortunately, these plans were derailed when a 12-car pileup closed all the northbound I-5 lanes, leaving us at a standstill on the interstate. The ship sailed without us, and our drive essentially turned into a roadtrip to a Centralia gas station, a two-hour rant about how stupid I-5 is, and a chance to show our nicest clothes to everyone stuck in traffic next to us.
Returning to Portland after time away is always wonderful, but yesterday I felt like jumping out the window and petting the ground as soon as we had downtown in sight. Today I saw a video that captures this energy: it’s a commute in Portland, and there’s some kind of tender banality about it that really gets me. The neighborhood at the end is where I first lived in PDX! Make sure to watch until at the least the 2:25 mark, where it gets epic.
There’s an after-wedding party tonight in Seattle, so we get a second chance. This time we’re leaving four hours early, just in case. But the next person who gets in an accident on I-5 and blocks my path… I will find you, and I will point my finger at you. Angrily!
A new favorite comic artist, R. Kikuo Johnson. Beautiful, beautiful work.
A few things I give my approval to this week:
One:
This is a live version of “Excuses” by The Morning Benders, which I have to listen to at least twice a day. This live version lacks some of the epicness of the original recording, but it makes up for it with pure enthusiasm. I can’t decide which part I like best: is it the adorable hand positioning of the singer? The circle of people happily playing guitar? (Can you spot John Vanderslice?) The incredible harmony at the 4 minute mark? I think it might be the violin player on crutches, actually. Or the hugging, because I really like hugging. (The Morning Benders play Holocene on Wednesday, April 1. Would you like to go?)
Two:
Tom Selleck mustaches and exploding compost piles! There’s such a sweet longing to this song, and it’s accompanied by pitch-perfect stop motion animation that never strays into cute overload. I have this old journal where I made a list of all my favorite things, and one of them was “old mansions in various states of decay.” Well, here it is, skulls and all, disintegrating in the sunlight. And look, they’ve been drinking champagne! This is my kind of party. (Local Natives play Mississippi Studios May 27th. You and me, in the front row?)
Three: The Built by Wendy Spring 2010 Collection, aka the exact wardrobe I would choose if had only one wish left from a genie. I mean, LOOK! You know I would wear the hell out of this stuff.
Oh look, the perfect top for relaxing around the campfire! Except it’s $135, and made of silk. I guess we’ll have to build a construction paper fire, instead.
A couple of months ago, when I was confused and floundering, a friend shared some wisdom with me: when in doubt, try visualizing what you want. It’s simple, but it makes sense — after all, how are you supposed to start working towards something if you don’t even have a real end goal in mind? Consequently, I’ve started trying to translate my vague, restless desires into concrete things. It’s not as if you just set up an alter with some magazine cutouts and wait for things to happen, but there’s real power in asking for something. I know because I’ve been asking lately, and it’s been working.
First, I asked for help. I said, “I’m having a hard time, and I need you.” And help came, immediately, in so many surprising and exciting forms (one form: 2 for $7 Ninkasi). Then, I asked for new perspectives and experiences to help me get out of a rut. I kept my eyes open and saw that they were right in front of me. I went to the beach and looked out into the vastness, did cartwheels in the sun, and heard amazing stories from someone that I’d known, but never really known. I asked for a new path and information started finding its way to me until the path became clear. I also asked for a cookie, and a nice man handed me one in exchange for just $1.50!
Then, I was at a party last weekend, and someone asked to be my friend! I think that’s a fantastic way to do things. Just before that, I’d asked a stranger to be my in-town pen-pal, and she said yes. Why should I not ask for exactly what I want? It’s a small but revolutionary idea to give yourself permission to do the asking.
Here’s something nobody asked for, but I’ll show you anyway. New green handlebar tape!
Wrapped up tight and ready to party. Oh, yeah!
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