So, there should be a completely different term for the act of taking all of your personal posessions from one location to another. Perhaps "bad idea" or "fiasco" or "torture" would be better terms. Does anyone know if I plan to write my memoirs someday? Cause I'm not sure if I should keep this box of notebooks from middle school. What about art made by a dead ex? Is that a "keeper"?
I think I need help. Or maybe just a dumpster.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Gifts
I have a week and a half to get rid of everything I own. Who needs winter coats? How about a gold velour couch? It is cat proof and super comfortable to sleep on. House plants? Anybody need to fill that hole with green lovin'? Who needs a set of Tea Sugar Flour canisters? I've got two very awesome art deco-ish pale wood veneer bedside tables with three drawers each for your naughty literature and your unmentionables. I have one mint green vinyl chair with a brass frame, total '70's waiting room style, one turquoise arm chair with wood legs and brass brads, also vinyl. If I had any real money these chairs would be leather, but alas, they are all vintage thrift treasures. To go with those, I have a white pleather bench with wooden legs, perfect for the front hall or the foot of the bed. I have one folding screen with beige and gold paper framed in black painted wood. It is falling apart, but a few strategically placed staples and you are good to go. I have two lamps: one is brushed stainless vintage 'inspired' and the other is black and bronze vintage for real. I also have two black 5 shelf target metro shelf units. I have two Ikea bar stools, white with silver legs, a Bulova wall clock which is super awesome but gently cracked at the edge. This has never bothered me because the clock is awesome enough to make up for it's flaws. I have a couple of wool blankets and a ton of books on all kinds of random topics. I have a small folding drafting table that is ready to go home with you. There are CDs that Reckless Records won't take, but I know you will.
These are all gifts for YOU!
Please come pick them up now, thank you.
These are all gifts for YOU!
Please come pick them up now, thank you.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Warm Up
As if Portugal and India were not exciting enough, I'd like to warm up my International Travel Extravaganza with a quick trip to Mexico City. Why you ask? Because I was invited.
I am learning about all the things there are to see and reading my Spanish dictionary on the train in the mornings. Hot cha. I will tell you all about it when I return.
In the mean time, can someone tell me why I thought it was a good idea to sell my car BEFORE I move?
I am learning about all the things there are to see and reading my Spanish dictionary on the train in the mornings. Hot cha. I will tell you all about it when I return.
In the mean time, can someone tell me why I thought it was a good idea to sell my car BEFORE I move?
Monday, May 4, 2009
Housekeeping
There are some well put together blogs out there, people. Have you been reading these? It is amazing how many people are capable of putting together their thoughts and experiences verbally, and in print, digitally (sometimes with photos) and putting it out there for the world to read and learn from. I am so impressed.
And I am daunted. I could go so many directions and do so many things now that my rubbermaid tub of composting red worms has been opened up. Well, I mean I could say so many things in so many ways. (None of these things would make up for the fact that I just confessed to a little bit of dirty hippy deep down inside of me somewhere underneath my stack of really heavy design magazines). So, with no further ado, I would like to set forth some parameters for this textual adventure.
The title of this blog is "It's Better When You're Moving" (I think I need to consult my most updated version of the MLA to know how to punctuate the title of a blog, gimme a sec...) M'kay, it looks like the rule of thumb is quotations for short works and parts of long works, and italics or underlining for long works or series of short works. Blogs seem to fit well in the category of series of short works so, since I like dynamism, italics it is!
The title of this blog is It's Better When You're Moving and my intention is to document my world travels for my friends and family. I would also like to add two more things (which may actually lead to multitudes of things, but we can cross said bridge upon arrival). One would be observations of other movers and the second would be food. Because ultimately I like to rejoice in the movements of those around me and food, or nourishment, is the fuel for motion, dontcha.
So look forward to future posts with odd observations and tasty snack descriptions and/or photos. Thank you.
P.S. Further research suggests that the MLA actually prefers quotes as the appropriate punctuation for blog titles. I think they are not only misguided, but also missing out. GRIN.
And I am daunted. I could go so many directions and do so many things now that my rubbermaid tub of composting red worms has been opened up. Well, I mean I could say so many things in so many ways. (None of these things would make up for the fact that I just confessed to a little bit of dirty hippy deep down inside of me somewhere underneath my stack of really heavy design magazines). So, with no further ado, I would like to set forth some parameters for this textual adventure.
The title of this blog is "It's Better When You're Moving" (I think I need to consult my most updated version of the MLA to know how to punctuate the title of a blog, gimme a sec...) M'kay, it looks like the rule of thumb is quotations for short works and parts of long works, and italics or underlining for long works or series of short works. Blogs seem to fit well in the category of series of short works so, since I like dynamism, italics it is!
The title of this blog is It's Better When You're Moving and my intention is to document my world travels for my friends and family. I would also like to add two more things (which may actually lead to multitudes of things, but we can cross said bridge upon arrival). One would be observations of other movers and the second would be food. Because ultimately I like to rejoice in the movements of those around me and food, or nourishment, is the fuel for motion, dontcha.
So look forward to future posts with odd observations and tasty snack descriptions and/or photos. Thank you.
P.S. Further research suggests that the MLA actually prefers quotes as the appropriate punctuation for blog titles. I think they are not only misguided, but also missing out. GRIN.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Reaching Out for the Equator -or- Can I Swim to the Maldives From Here?
View Larger Map
Finally pinpointed the area of India where the school I am volunteering with is located. They have facilities in Tenkasi, Tirunelveli, and (as pictured above) Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu, India. Hot cha.
Please do browse the larger map and check out some of the pictures.
The Work
Getting closer to India is presenting a few challenges. The easy part was waking up one morning with the revelation in my mind.
You are going to India.
Now, I don't know anything about anything, but I woke up that March 14th with the most calm and doubtless knowledge, not a hunch, not a wishful thought, not a fleeting fantasy. I didn't ask why. I had no idea where or when or how.
Hm, I am going to India. Oh, OK then.
Hours later, several events coincided to provide a little more insight on what to do with this knowledge. I went to church in a state of mind one might describe as a complete and total loss. I was on my way to support my dear sweet friend on her first attempt at overcoming stage fright at 8 o'clock in the morning. She needed the support and I wouldn't have missed it for anything. One foot after the other, just get there and be present. I found myself in the pews with several women I had never met but were obviously there for our friend's speech. They all looked as if they had just rolled out of bed, but had beaming faces and bristling energy all ready to reach out for kisses and hugs, knowing eye contact and hand squeezes. Well after all of that I was scooped and brought to brunch and introduced to everyone.
These women blew my mind. Absolutely. It was as though I were invited onto cloud #347 where several angels had gathered to answer all of my questions about life and love and what to do next, with a side of bacon.
So naturally I told them I was going to India and they were all "oh that is fantastic, when are you going, where will you be staying, how long will you be there, etc." and I was all "um, I don't know. I just found out I was going there yesterday." After about a split second of processing, one of the women told me she had someone I needed to meet who was actually only in town from India for two weeks and would be leaving in about 5 days. I said yes please, distributed my contact information and said I was totally available at anytime of day or night. Brunch wrapped up and I felt ready for anything. It's a good thing, too. Because I needed to be ready for what came next. Beware the Ides...
In a nutshell, what came next was a radical re-envisioning of my life and goals that I already knew was going to happen, but was still shocked by. It is hard to have some serious intuition powers AND a blissful child-like naivete at the same time, dontcha. The important thing to focus on here is the merciful freedom that entered my life clearing up a couple of things that were blocking my vector towards India. Now, I still have only a vague idea where my destination inside an enormous country is going to be, and the vaporous knowledge of why I am going materializes only a little more everyday, but I am so glad I had that revelation early or I might have needed a stunt double for the death defying leap from the sun roof of a speeding luxury sports car about to veer left onto the side of a high-speed train about to veer right.
That was the easy part. Now I am faced with budget, schedules, plane tickets, vaccinations, visas, selling my car, moving out of my apartment, securing a storage locker or selling everything I own (jury is still out on that one), taking the GRE, researching grad schools, working on my portfolio, eating as much Indian food as I can (mutter paneer, yum), working 9-5, vacationing in Portugal, volunteering for LIFT (more on this soon), and socializing with near and dear friends and family. Oy.
Thank God the weather is holding up. Yes, I know, it will snow tomorrow because I said that.
You are going to India.
Now, I don't know anything about anything, but I woke up that March 14th with the most calm and doubtless knowledge, not a hunch, not a wishful thought, not a fleeting fantasy. I didn't ask why. I had no idea where or when or how.
Hm, I am going to India. Oh, OK then.
Hours later, several events coincided to provide a little more insight on what to do with this knowledge. I went to church in a state of mind one might describe as a complete and total loss. I was on my way to support my dear sweet friend on her first attempt at overcoming stage fright at 8 o'clock in the morning. She needed the support and I wouldn't have missed it for anything. One foot after the other, just get there and be present. I found myself in the pews with several women I had never met but were obviously there for our friend's speech. They all looked as if they had just rolled out of bed, but had beaming faces and bristling energy all ready to reach out for kisses and hugs, knowing eye contact and hand squeezes. Well after all of that I was scooped and brought to brunch and introduced to everyone.
These women blew my mind. Absolutely. It was as though I were invited onto cloud #347 where several angels had gathered to answer all of my questions about life and love and what to do next, with a side of bacon.
So naturally I told them I was going to India and they were all "oh that is fantastic, when are you going, where will you be staying, how long will you be there, etc." and I was all "um, I don't know. I just found out I was going there yesterday." After about a split second of processing, one of the women told me she had someone I needed to meet who was actually only in town from India for two weeks and would be leaving in about 5 days. I said yes please, distributed my contact information and said I was totally available at anytime of day or night. Brunch wrapped up and I felt ready for anything. It's a good thing, too. Because I needed to be ready for what came next. Beware the Ides...
In a nutshell, what came next was a radical re-envisioning of my life and goals that I already knew was going to happen, but was still shocked by. It is hard to have some serious intuition powers AND a blissful child-like naivete at the same time, dontcha. The important thing to focus on here is the merciful freedom that entered my life clearing up a couple of things that were blocking my vector towards India. Now, I still have only a vague idea where my destination inside an enormous country is going to be, and the vaporous knowledge of why I am going materializes only a little more everyday, but I am so glad I had that revelation early or I might have needed a stunt double for the death defying leap from the sun roof of a speeding luxury sports car about to veer left onto the side of a high-speed train about to veer right.
That was the easy part. Now I am faced with budget, schedules, plane tickets, vaccinations, visas, selling my car, moving out of my apartment, securing a storage locker or selling everything I own (jury is still out on that one), taking the GRE, researching grad schools, working on my portfolio, eating as much Indian food as I can (mutter paneer, yum), working 9-5, vacationing in Portugal, volunteering for LIFT (more on this soon), and socializing with near and dear friends and family. Oy.
Thank God the weather is holding up. Yes, I know, it will snow tomorrow because I said that.
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