Has gone. I was sitting out in the balcony, when a storm of flying rats began ha-rass-ing each other in the airspace above my head. Unforgivable.
So I’m in Roma, still. The land of muscular jaws, Armani-Exchange stubble, and proud tans. Of surprisingly short men, who are all talk…but really, this city isn’t all about the male specimen. I’m not obsessing. Or complaining…I might be complaining, I miss Seattle boys. They might not smell as nice, but I’ve never complained about that…
TWO WEEKS ’til I come back! I know I shouldn’t already be reminiscing about Seattle, or Roma, and I should just rejoice in the moment (arms of joy! flail those arms of joy!) but what’s life without the spice of angst? It’s nothing; no, it’s an episode of Friends. It’s fettuccine from Maggiano’s– bland butter in a swamp of noodles.Yeeeck.
So here’s to the cusp of spring; of the beautiful happy, the gorgeous sad, the silent contentedness of cool evenings. I can’t wait to see you, Sir Tomorrow. Because you’ll probably have a nice coni of gelato waiting for me…
I’m not complaining, per se– it’s a beautiful part of the city. We are so lucky to live near the Tiber; I walk across it every day and it’s always breathtaking. In a different way than Seattle; Seattle is strangely sobering as you walk through rivers of rain water and gutters (ok, maybe not so strangely sobering), but the Tiber, wet or dry, has a way of haunting you with thousands of histories…
I have found a cute boy named Francesco who works at an overpriced restaurant down in the campo. We will be married within the week, and he will spoon feed me gelato with lactaid in the mornings. Our ten children will be jumping joyously around us before self-administrating time-outs to write delicate haikus about our undying love. Ok, so I’ve only talked to him once. He’s a cutie.
but seriously, although Rome has its share of arrogant, self-righteous and narrow-minded men, the cliche romance of the city never ceases to haunt you. The histories are violent, sensual, gory; you can’t stop thinking about history when the cobblestones stubbing and wrestling with your toes are a constant reminder, when the fountains and saintly statues loom, gorgeous and mystical, where things are truly carved in a stone for all to remember… there are shocks of culture where you don’t expect it. The tiniest things expand to engulf your understanding of the norms, and it feels like nothing is the same… standing in line awkwardly juggling your valuables and dropping your dignity as the coins seriously don’t make sense or easily add up… you can feel the flush of ignorance seep into the confidence you used to have, and the comfort of your own country’s culture…
I’m so lucky to have had this opportunity; with the people I am with, in the place that I am. And it’s also made me more aware of what I miss about American and dear Seattle. Spongebob being one of them.
I should post more pictures. And I’m sorry I don’t update as often as I should. But my apartment doesn’t have internet, and it’s actually quite liberating… !
To my dear loved ones, who know who they are– I miss you!
And the following post is for class.
To my dear family and roommates: do not fear, for I have tattooed my face into the insides of your eyelids. You will never forget the asymmetry of my face.
To my dear friends and/or co-workers: I will return 100 fold stronger and greater than ever before; but also 100 times as merciful. Be excited. Be wary. But be excited.
To my facebook friends: I will be deleting some of you soon. 2010 calls for a purge.
To Elliott Smith, Michael Cera, endearingly awkward darlings, and Seattle: I love you–! Marry me!
For one of my communication courses: we had to film a 5 shot sequence, each shot lasting 10 seconds. The film had to tell a short story. Mine– what it’s like to be the troll under the bridge.
TROLL AVE.
When I was thinking of people to profile in our video assignment, no one specifically appealed to me: I was thinking about service/hospitality jobs (i.e. barista, waitress, bartender), because of how the shots would require a natural action that illustrated an action-centered story line (because of our 5 shot, no-edit constraint) and also because that felt like the general idea in our class.
I started thinking about unusual things I could make a story out of, instead of following that common thread of convenience. I decided on the Fremont Troll because of how artistically iconic it is for Seattle, not to mention Fremont’s own eclectic identity. I was actually surprised at the coherence of the story line created.
I didn’t realize how many people passed the troll every day, and started realizing how the Troll might be personified—patient; a rock of creative expression that has become the watchdog under the bridge, rather than a mythically menacing troll. Busses full of tourists were constantly pulling up to the troll, pausing, and driving away; cars full of families stopped by to take pictures. People were posing with the Troll in different ways—climbing him, walking around him, sticking their heads under his nose, etc. Perhaps it’s a little presumptuous stretch to say this rock sculpture displayed a magnanimously patient aura as it became a spectacle—maybe I’m giving inanimate objects too much credit. But the history of the Troll resurfaces and implicates itself in the admiration of its many visitors.
I do think this has to do with Identity; especially being an iconic Seattle piece of art (… it was in 10 things I Hate About You), it seems like Seattleites are of course aware that the Troll is there, but doesn’t receive any overt “public relations” or community appreciation. Perhaps if people realized how personable and endearing the Troll has become through its historical presence, they’d take better care of it in order to preserve him (as well as keep the area safe).
I fully surrender myself to obsession with Simon and Garfunkel. Yes, everyone likes them. Well: I *LOVE* them.
….So, I don’t get out much. I get it, I’m what they call a loser. I have a 9-5 type of job, and other than class and homework, my extracurricular activities tend to be classified as introverted (i.e. blogging… ). But guys: I have an event to promote. This is big. This means I’m getting out of the apartment/office/bed. We should celebrate together. Rejoice. It might be freakish to see me out of my natural setting. Sort of like, I don’t know, Michael Moore shaking hands with Bush. Maybe not as interesting as that.
Sunset Tavern, 11/22
MOSTLY DIMES will be playing with WILDCAT CHOIR and SCRIPTURES at the Sunset Tavern over in Ballard– the other B-town– on November 22nd. I generally don’t like introducing/reviewing bands (Oh, I wouldn’t want to *impose* my opinions on others, which is totally a lie because I have a blog. Eh, internal conflict ensues) and I might be slightly biased because my friend’s in it, but c’mon. I’m not that much of a fake. I do like them, my elitist music friend/roommate likes them (see tarazak.blogspot.com), so I’m pretty sure they’re an awesome band. Roots in folksy tunes, and melodic harmonies. Check their album “Double Nickels” out at their website, http://www.mostlydimes.com. They’ve made it available to the general public and the general public’s moms.
The other bands can be found at their respective Myspace Music sites:
I’m SORRY that I haven’t updated in awhile. Shame on me, shame on me– it’s just been so crazy crazy lately, what with autumn quarter starting and my impromptu vacation to LA during the first week of school… shame shame shame.
Tara, Me, and Sarah
Azn Zombie
I was originally planning to be: Geisha Zombie, but I wasn’t geisha enough, so I stuck with the dramatic asian zombie type.
It was great fun; people got super into it, which was awesome. There was a brain on a stick flying around the air at some point…
I’ve decided to self-promote my blog, and learn some new stuff independently rather than pursue another internship– planning for Rome, classes, and work has got my schedule jammed. So you will be hearing from me… hopefully every day. <3
And last note: my new inspiration for future art projects!!!!!
The last weekends of freedom are always heavily laden with nostalgia, apprehension… but a tiny dose of relief. Of direction.
This weekend, I enjoyed a bit of reading, hiked up to Bald Spot (somewhere in Issaquah, I believe) for a lovely sunset, and visited the Sandpoint Seattle Public Library booksale, where I proceeded to loot the rest of the treasures for anything and everything:
I bought an Illustrated Physiology book, describing each aspect of the body (chapters associate with different systems within the body– respiratory, circulatory, etc.) which was apparently used to assist physiology students with visualizing the body in its basic functions;
a semi-scientific/historical dinosaur book that comes with illustrations of dinos eating other dinos (yezzz!);
my friend bought a book depicting Hitler and his public life as the Nazi leader;
andI had purchased a large amount of sci-fi/fantasy (see: Piers Anthony, his Xanth series, David Eddings, his Belgariad/Mallorean series)… including the Illustrated Guide to Xanth.
Xanthians, unite!!!
It was a beautiful weekend. .. my roommate TARA and me had also visited a Halloween costume store; the season has people crawling all over brains/zombies/masks alike; and it was fun to dress up. Despite the fact that yes, we are 20/21 years old.
Cold War Kids has emerged on my playlists these days. We Used To Vacation is also a fave.
In NEWS, Capitol Hill Block Party is coming up and people are getting excited. Not to mention KEXP’s free summer concerts at the Mural Ampitheatre/Seattle Center with special performance by Dinosaur Jr.. I’m not familiar with their work but my friend is, and she’s super amped… other artsts include The Dodo, Japandroids, Cymbals Eat Guitars, Throw Me the Statue…. and more.
Music is clearly not their antidrug
On pop/media news: The messy divorce between Amy Winehouse and Blake Fielder continues as they are granted civil leave, but Ex. Mr. Winehouse seeks the $$$ compensation for being Amy’s “muse”. How does that work, exactly? “I broke your heart so well that you wrote a heart-rendering single about it, so pay up”??? “You got even more famous as I dragged you through the sinking swamp of heroin addiction…”? The politics of wealth continue to overwhelm human compassion….! Like the man who committed suicide after misplacing an iPhone prototype…
I just had to get that out there. Watching the effects of recession on the psyche of the public is incredible. The satire, the stock market mob mindsets, even using the recession as a scapegoat… do these attitudes not fuel the fire? Although, I quite like the satire.
Recession bag: Hit it, punch it in the face, serve it cookies but take it back and eat the cookies in front of it... abuse the recession bag.
Unrelated, but worth a glance (or two, or three, or four), please check out photographer Christine Hahn’s work in Paris, where she is visited for part of the summer. Her portraits of Paris may feature familiar subjects (Eiffel Tower, french gardens, european statues) but her composition is flawlessly inventive.
I haven’t been updating as much as I’d like to just because I’ve been out and about! As I don’t have a digital camera at the mo (mumsy took it to Asia) my old school disposable cameras need developing, so no luck on the “lemme show you what I did” side…
So far this summer has comprised of cabining/camping at/near Sarah’s place, a fantabulous Fourth down in Oregon, and upcoming concerts and major hang out sess’s.
Tonight: Open house party featuring Liberty High’s very own The Hunting Club in this live music, college-party extravaganza. Beware of hipsters. And fun.
August 15-16th: a handful of stages and more than enough attendees, Seattle Hempfest is a-fair to remember. Granted, it’s a celebration of an illegal drug, but there are usually quite a few families there. If you’re not a fan of the MJ, go for people watching and the food!
Friday, July 17th: A prom-themed concert at the Crocodile venue in Belltown; featuring bands We Wrote the Book on Connectors, M. Bison, and Tennis Pro. Covers of nostalgic hits included!
“Im the Chiquita Banana, and I’ve come to say/ I offer good nutrition in a simple way!”
F*** the weather. After checking it several times, because my wardrobe is a garbage bag (See: bugs attack Grace), the weather has pwn’d me again. I dress for rainy and wet, of course Seattle rebels with a punch of sun in the overcast skies. Damn thy fickleness!!! Curses!!! I’d rather have reliable misery– all this undecided sun/cloud nonsense has me in menopausal hot and cold flashes.
On a better note– One of out Many programs/jobs I have applied to has found it in their grace (HA) to accept me. ROME WINTER 2010 or BUST.
All i need now is that internship, a free car, a very cute typewriter, and a cat that doesn’t shed, puke, eat, or defecate, but loves me unconditionally.
Curiouser and Curiouser!
I blog and doodle when I'm not sleeping:
http://gracie.imagekind.com
I do not use this blog for profit;
If you would like your pictures removed feel free to let me know :)
So you will be hearing from me… hopefully every day. <3
