Those Windows, These Eyes

Well, it's been almost six months and what have I been doing? Visiting this blog everyday and not finding that final push of inspiration to share things with you.

Granted, Fall always brings with it that thing I like to call the "artistic twilight zone." A haze that settles over my conscience, and makes it even more difficult for me to be present and not in my head. Fall also brings emotion and nostalgia and inspiration, and a craving for love much like that of summer only heavier and darker.

I've been painting a lot. Creating a lot. Changing a lot. And I've been focusing on my friends, as we have all hit that point in the cycle of reality where tough things are happening to everyone we care about, and each of us, at the same time. I feel we are in the upswing now, but the last couple of months have been trying.

Some things since I last posted-

1. Rachel Maddow.
This woman has stolen my little intellectual heart. She feeds my daily need for intellectual, witty, political information, and adds a huge side of queer. I cannot emphasize how amazing it is to sit down every night and see a lesbian hosting a prime time show, without protesters banging down the door and blacking out the channel. I know there are a lot of people out there who will say that I shouldn't care that she's gay, and I agree with them to the extent that being gay has nothing to do with her ability to do the job nor does it make her more or less of an incredibly intelligent and admirable woman. However seeing that reflection every night, that representation in the mainstream, is something so meaningful to me that I cannot explain it in words.

2. Obama.
Never have I been so elated and so heartbroken at the same time. I watched with two of my favorite people in the world, and for a couple of hours, watching the coverage after the election was called for Obama, we forgot about the negativity and fear and stress that we all carry with us everyday. Living in DC, there are a thousand things that ran through my mind when Obama won. How the city will change. How can we make it change? I never imagined that in my twenty-something years I would be witness to a transformational period in American History. If we don't think this is as huge as JFK, and Martin Luther King, Jr. and the hippy 60s, we are fooling ourselves. This is huge, and I am so excited to be alive for it!

3. New Music.
Not surprisingly, it's been a great year for music. In July I was fortunate to see Brandi Carlile and the Indigo Girls at Wolf Trap. Wolf Trap is a concert ampitheatre in a national park. It is green and beautiful, and the Filene Center where IG played is made of beautiful wood and has phenomenal sound and amazing views of the stars after dark. I sat alone, because the girl who was supposed to come with me backed out only a couple of hours before. I had great seats, and a great view, and I have no doubt that being alone made my first experience seeing Amy and Emily all the more monumental. That concert was an incredible feeling of solidarity, and of imparting wisdom, even though I listen to those songs all the time. It was a rite of passage to be sure.
In addition, I've been listening to plenty of new bands, bands new to me:
The Organ
Rachael Yamagata
Ben Lee
Kings of Leon
Ellis
CSS
Peaches
11 different version of Wonderwall by Oasis
and some new Tegan and Sara (I am in love with Give Chase)





3. Books.
I've been reading, and that's a very good thing.
Right now I'm halfway through No One Belongs Here More Than You, by Miranda July. Jury is still out on it, for now.
I've already finished:
Baby Remember My Name: An Anthology of New Queer Girl Writing, Edited by Michelle Tea
I Was Told There'd Be Cake, by Sloane Crosley - A+ and one of my new favorites
Come to Me, by Amy Bloom
The Well of Loneliness, by Radclyffe Hall - brilliant. I don't care what anyone else says.
Margaret Mead Made Me Gay, by Esther Newton
The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying, by Sogyal Rinpoche - this book changed my life.

Still to read:
The God Delusion, Richard Dawkins - I've been wanting to read this for a long time, and I've started, but haven't finished it. It is brilliant so far though.
The Omnivore's Dilemma, Michael Pollan
Their Eyes Were Watching God, Zora Neale Hurston
Cesar's Way, Cesar Millan
and a slew of other books I've started and haven't finished.




that's your update. I'll be back tomorrow.