A blog about making art education more accessible and my own creative pursuits.
Who goes to book readings anymore? Everyone who lives in Fort Greene. The Greenlight Bookstore is regarded by The Village Voice as one of the best independent bookstores in New York City. Whenever I walk in I always end up taking a book or two home with me. If they keep having more events like they did last night, they’re going to need to expand their space further. Continue reading “Jeffrey Eugenides Reads “The Marriage Plot” At Greenlight Bookstore Brooklyn”
A few months ago I read the The Happiness Project by Gretchin Rubin and there was one takeaway from the book that I apply to life, brainstorms at work, and justifying why I wake up before 6 am most days. The key to knowing what will make you happy is to do what you enjoyed as a child.
I wrote. I have shelves full of notebooks binders of journals, poetry and short stories. One of my favorite memories from when I was a child was when my sisters and I made our own daily paper: The Carlson Girls Gazette. I loved writing essays in class and never had to think about writing well – I just did it. I also always was jealous when someone else was praised for their writing.
College through me for a loop. Originally wanting to study journalism, I already knew that the publishing industry was dying and focused more on studying the business that requires writing well. Thankfully, social media started emerging right when I was considering options for a career. Essentially a communication medium, my interest in social media had led me to getting a job after graduating in 2010. Working at an advertising agency requires my thinking to be geared to business, how to make money, and thinking of the objectives of my clients; no Carlson Girls Gazette. Continue reading “Ernest Hemingway Was Only a Little Bit Crazy”
Tonight I went to Strand Bookstore near Union Square to see Rainn Wilson (The Office) talk about his new book SoulPancake, inspired by the online site/forum Wilson created allowing modern folks to discuss life, creativity, philosophy, spirituality, and many questions “to chew on.” It’s strange to see Rainn Wilson in person and not in the character of Dwight Schrute, but what’s even stranger is that I expected him to really prepare some groundbreaking and insightful monologue about the philosophy of life. He told fart jokes, made fun of his own status as a mini-celebrity and said it felt great to say s@#& in a bookstore. Rainn also made sure to rub his mouth all over the same microphone he hoped Margaret Atwood used. Yet in all his absurdity, he spoke as a man with honesty and true depth. Continue reading “Rainn Wilson at Strand Bookstore Talking About SoulPancake”
You always see one book that everyone reads on the train. Super Sad True Love Story by Gary Shteyngart was the most buzzed about book in the late summer/early fall of this year. Since I have read Absurdistan, I caved in and bought the book. I LOVED THIS BOOK. Besides the fact Shteyngart has a humor that is unmatchable and talent for crafting stories, his characters are so HUMAN. The premise of Super Sad is the characters live in the future where our hyper-over-connectedness has changed the function of society. People no longer read books; in fact the main character, Lenny, is an anomaly for reading War and Peace. Continue reading “Social Media – A “Super Sad True Love Story””
I started listening to Bear Hands in anticipation of last fall’s CMJ Music Marathon. “Golden” and “What a Drag” are my favorites. Bear Hands is definitely an example where the lyrics matter more than over-complicated musical stylings. I can’t go further into explaining why I like them, I just do. That’s the way music is. It’s something you just “like”, without having to write a long analytical essay defending its merits. I am also a big fan of how one can download Bear Hands tracks *FOR FREE* by going on BearHandsBand and sharing your email. You then receive a message with a free download link and info about news and their upcoming shows. Bear Hands also has available through their site a white 7″ vinyl for purchase, because we all know that vinyl is making a comeback.
This image of Noisette alone along with a recommendation to examine the “wall paper” on the third floor makes me desperately want to see this Urs Fischer exhibit at the New Museum on 235 Bowery, New York, NY. “Urs Fischer: Marguerite de Ponty” is Fischer’s first solo show and is the culmination of four years work. The wall paper “turns the Museum’s architecture into an image of itself—a site-specific trompe l’oeil environment. Each square inch of the Museum architecture has been photographed and reprinted as a wallpaper that covers the very same walls and ceiling, in a maddening exercise in simulation.” (New Museum) The exhibit is finished on February 7th so I need someone to commit to seeing it with me NOW! The New Museum knows you are a broke college student, that’s why we will pay $8.
Author of The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test Tom Wolfe writes glimpses into lesser known American lives. The first chapter, “Las Vegas (What?) Las Vegas (Can’t Hear You! Too Noisy)” makes one think of the infamous Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. My favorite are the chapters about life in New York along with sketches of New Yorkers in the chapter titled “A Metropolitan Sketchbook”. If you find yourself rolling your eyes at the élite high society of New York, or you simply are not one of the natives and enjoy being cynical, this book is for you. I’ve becoming a fan of anthologies that you can pick up every once in a while for a second read and not feel guilty about reading some stories more than others. And just because it’s a recession is no excuse to stop reading. Be good to the Earth and buy a used copy.
Kurt Vonnegut was a fan, saying it was an “excellent book by a genius who will do anything to get attention.”
Gilbert John, the actor playing the main character Seth Silver in Getting Away With Murder, is cute and delightfully awkward as he works as a cold-blooded hitman but still lives with his mom. The series itself is a hilarious take on the blood and gore plots that are gaining popularity (Dexter, Law & Order, CSI). Getting Away With Murder also has the well-known theme of one of life’s ever eternal conflicts: keeping your personal life and your career separate. Besides that, the characters are outrageous and the dialogue smirk-worthy. It reminds me of the independent films (cough student films cough) that my friends and I have been involved with the past few years at Hofstra. I may be biased (I’m a public relations intern for IFC), but all the IFC Web Series are gems. I spent an entire night during Christmas vacation watching the entire series and sincerely feel I am a better person for it.
There you go. You now have a new band (Bear Hands) to talk about with the cute whatever at the bar this weekend, where you will also talk about the new book you are reading (The Kandy-Kolored Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby by Tom Wolfe), take said cute whatever to that cool new art exhibit (Urs Fischer at New Museum), and then snuggle up on the couch with the cute whatever watching the awkwardly cute Gilbert John (Getting Away with Murder). Ta da!
Now turning off Belle & Sebastian and going to Paddy’s Power Pub in Merrick to watch co-workers sing karaoke. Have fun this weekend and I promise to have more entries soon.
Here you are family and friends, My Christmas List. Or a list of items that define my personality so much so that if having never met me and saw all these things thrown into a drawer, you would understand me to my inner core – or at least have a good guess of my interests. Some you should take more seriously than others.
I think it’s safe to say I will never look at Jell-o the same way again. Thank you Bedford House for giving me the experience last night of having jello sprayed on me due to my front row seat for one of the most ridiculous spectacles I’ve seen at any Hofstra party for a while.
I have to admit it: Jell-o wrestling + “Pride” colored jungle juice = a glorious time.
Yay college.
A random blog I stumbled upon this morning: “Marc and Angel Hack Life” lists 30 books everyone should read. The blog gives the author and plot of each book. The titles enlarged are ones I have read, the italicized are ones I actually own but haven’t gotten around to reading.
1. Siddhartha 2. 1984 3. To Kill a Mockingbird 4. A Clockwork Orange 5. For Whom the Bell Tolls 6. War and Peace 7. The Rights of Man 8. The Social Contract 9. One Hundred Years of Solitude 10. The Origin of Species 11. The Wisdom of the Desert 12. The Tipping Point 13. The Wind in the Willows 14. The Art of War 15. The Lord of the Rings 16. David Copperfield 17. Four Quartets 18. Catch-22 19. The Great Gatsby 20. The Catcher in the Rye 21. Crime and Punishment 22. The Prince 23. Walden 24. The Republic 25. Lolita 26. Getting Things Done 27. How To Win Friends and Influence People 28. Lord of the Flies 29. The Grapes of Wrath 30. The Master and Margarita
six books….wow that’s lame.
I’m working on this little number for Chinese Lit.
yes that is a toy wooden train.
I had to make mixes for evergreens yesterday for “Sidetrack” (little project Sara is putting together for WRHU)
and so I have two random cds if anyone wants one. Each evergreen had a theme, so one cd is “shuffle” with random but really good songs. The other is “shame”: if you feel a need to make me feel humiliated, def pick that one.
I’m forcing myself to run away to the city a few times this week before Debate ’08 takes over my life; hopefully there will be something more interesting to write about.
gasps : museums!!!
Today was another Wednesday where I was too tired to shower. I overcompensated by thinking “what would a french anime character wear?” I even wore leggings, which despite the fact it is a popular article worn by many LI girls, when worn correctly I think they might overshadow the existence of the obvious bags under my blue peepers.
This morning I had to attend a PR Majors meeting during CH. Supposedly it was mandatory, which is why about 75 of the 200 odd majors showed up. Simply put, more Cosco oatmeal raisin cookies and Strawberry Flavored H2O for me. The majority of the meeting was about how the requirements for the major changed AGAIN and how the Holy Trinity of PR (Prof. Geyer, Berman, and Frisina) deserve pats on the back for having our courses renamed to “PR” instead of “JRNL”. It matters, indeed. As PR majors, we should also be proud to say we are from Hofstra. I already feel proud that despite my ridiculous accent (NY/DE/Midwest/Proper English Pronunciation), “Hofstra University” rolls so easily off my tongue.
Some PR students also talked about their summer internships, including my friend Dani from PRSSA who introduced the concept of social networking to the travel agency she was interning at and my friend Sara Knee, who I regard in my heart as a Hofstra PR super rebel. She is starting this Friday at Edelman Digital, a sect of Edelman Group (one of the top three PR agencies in the world and one of my first loves). Sara owned the meeting. While the PR courses at Hofstra were not “doing it for her”, she went out on her own to intern at a digital media agency. What I lack in tech-savyness she more than makes up for with her adorable yet badass demeanor. Sara and I enjoy ranting about how in a way we are PR outcasts who both agree that Perez is NOT our homeboy. With her standing up front, talking about her success, gave a glimmer in hope that for PR rebels like her and myself, we will be okay.
I also talked to Frisina afterward (she is writing my letter of rec for my study abroad in Venice next January) about how Sara and I rant together since we both relate to feeling like PR outcasts. Frisina gave a knowing look and a whispered it was because we are two of “the smart ones”. Frisina, thank you for making my schedule with me during Freshmen Orientation ’06 – I would probably still be a Journalism major and plague the Chronicle Office. Disclaimer – there is no offense whatsoever in that statement; I have written pieces for the Hofstra Chronicle that are currently in my portfolio. I really am not worthy.
Other news – Catholicism made the front page of NY Times.
Yet again, another instance of reassurance. Evidently, there are such things as progressive Catholics.
My favorite part of the article: “I think that one of the teachings of God is to take care of the less fortunate,” said Susan Tighe, an insurance lawyer who identified herself as “a folk Catholic, from the guitar-strumming social-justice side” of the church.
It’s true. Of anything I took away from expensive private Catholic education (the reason I sometimes had to bring peanut butter fold overs to school for lunch), is that it is more important to be an ethical and moral person who is open and caring to others than following ancient religious doctrines (often misinterpreted by those “Crazy catholics”).
Also –
I have been reading this book for the past month. At the point I’m at, the protagonist Leigh-Cheri has made her attic bedroom into a prison cell since her boo, Bernard, is in real prison for blowing stuff up with home made bombs. For shame. Not only is it smartly written, quotes such as these make me want to cuddle with it every night. This is Leigh-Cherie in “prison”:
“‘When we’re incomplete, we’re always searching for somebody to complete us. When, after a few years or a few months of a relationship, we find that we’re still unfulfilled, we blame our partners and take up with somebody more promising. This can go on…until we admit that while a partner can add sweet dimensions to our lives, we, each of us, are responsible for our own fulfillment. Nobody else can provide it for us, and to believe otherwise is to delude ourselves dangerously and to program for eventual failure every relationship we enter. Hey, that’s pretty good. If I had pencil and paper, I’d write that down.’ Alas, she had no pencil, while the roll of paper that sat by the chamber pot was destined for a different end.
the cross is a present from Nicaragua from my sister Tree and is a shoutout to Catholicism. The cymbal banging monkey is for kicks.
because when I think of blogs, I think of Perez Hilton…I hope to not go down that road…
Steve Rubel from Edelman Group spoke at Hofstra University last Wednesday to inform PR and Journalism majors alike about new media and how basically it is an unstoppable force we cannot control, but can utilize for our own benefit.
it scares me to imagine a future where people are more isolated than they already are and real personal contact is limited. I was reassured when Rubel stated that in order to reach consumers, business organizations must create relationships with their consumers. A collaboration between customers and businesses will generate the most success overall.
But still, I have always preferred interacting with people one on one and researching information independently. However, I realized that I must be more humble and come to the understanding that you have to keep up with what is already happening. My personal quest to bring about a society that values art, literature, music, and culture is not going to be successful until I adopt the habits and skills as my fellow consumers and peers. Which includes learning to appreciate blogs and those who read them.
On a personal level, my brain is fried. I spent about three hours in Calkins studio painting while listening to the new Devotchka album (thanks maggie), then I had to find the motivation to make this silly thing while waiting for my infinite amount of clothing to be washed. I’m going to attempt the crazy idea to sleep for three hours – the supposedly perfect amount in order to not be a zombie the next day. Which means if I sleep for three hours now…I’ll be up before the sun still.
Tomorrow morning is more painting, reading Gargantua and Pantagruel by Francois Rabelais before class, and attempting once again to actually read the paper on a Monday.
My Name Is Reb 