Glamorama, Beats, New Shiz

Relocating to vivrant-thing.tumblr.com.

Same name, new game.

(I can use Logic now!!)

Change of Story

"Wanna get like this? Start training!"

Changed my thesis. Now it's a study of Soviet poster art. FUCK YES.

Take it all off!

Nuni and I finally finished Hunid!! Peep it on Myspace, the link to which is on the left. I just need to fix the volume and danken the beat, and we've got a romaaaaaance!

Making It Happen

So I won't hire anyone as it turns out I'm going to probably get my summer job back, except this time I'll be

working from home.

It's the 90s and ABOUT DAMN TIME.

I'm hyped to make luchini again.

I've finally sorted my thesis--a book of poems in Russian.

And my environmental rhetoric research projects--the usefulness of and assumptions apparent in conservation programs for inner-city and low-income youth. My client is going to be the Pittsburgh Urban Forest. I'm going to interview leadership at SCA and Grow Pittsburgh to gather a scope of how these programs are conceived, by whom, and with what mission. In order to gain a general knowledge of conservation in Western Pennsylvania, to see where conservation efforts are directed in the region, and to subsequently determine what the greater conservation issues are in this area, I will seek information from the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy. 

I wrote like that because that's my homework for tomorrow. Being excited about my work makes life far more meaningful. From here motivation is born.

Pass The Torchie

What just occured to me:

When Ryan interviewed me and hired me 2 summers ago, he chose someone least like himself. He chose someone who could do well what he could not do as well. Then he taught me the rest and left.

Now I find myself on the last day of my job with the same responsibility. I've written the Craigslist ad and the how-to guide for my job, which I created.

Then I have to interview people and hire someone--me! Hiring. I'm 7 years old.

The other day Kim's niece came in and I got that weird aged feeling. I was giving her advice, taking her advice, and getting hyped at how well she's going to do at college.

The transfer of wisdom, proof of experience. Such a weird feeling. So important and huge a feeling.

Drank absinthe at a bar called Absinthe

watched this &cried:

Jeremy Scott. Are You Blind?

WANNA DATE?

Mechanical Wooden Leg

Koko provided me with a potential life plan the other day. Could be huge.

Weekending hard after hellweek was exhilarating. Redid vocals on Nuni and my song and it sounds phenomenal. Radio-ready.

Then we see THIS:




And that's a gigantic vote of confidence.

I don't know why I spent the last 6 months living in London, reading about Gaga in the paper every day, and just got around to listening to her music (sincerely).

Baby girl, you the shit. That makes me your equivalent.

First Friday

Tripping out to David Pohl (a local artist) lately...

Unblurred tonight on Penn. Last time I hit this...well, never us mind!

Def hitting Envy (omnomnomnom) and Pandemic (skeet skeet).

Gotta re-up on Slavic culture.
Gotta shake dat ass.

"Hunid" will be finished within the next few hours and the world will pale.

T minus 20 minutes.

Beat Steady Knockin

Nuni, Mike, and I make music. We've all been having writer's block. My keyboard was collecting dust on Nuni's bed, wrapped up in his clothes.

Yesterday just got better and better. I had post-work SK time in my new place for the first time. It was exactly what I needed to stay intact.

Drew & Chad came to my rescue then we went to my dear neighbor Nuni's house.

The gates swung open.

Beautiful music came to life. O, what music! Nuni sounded like Michael Jackson. I will be posting this song, tentatively titled "Hunid" very soon. I sing in it!

We raged on the keyboard and the mic then invited over Koko, Mike, Ryan, and Mike to hear it. I feel renewed. We put on wigs and sunglasses and went to Mike's where I knocked over a glass of red wine. So much excitement, screaming (mainly me). Mike gets on his piano and lays down illllllll jazz. Ah!

EVOLUTION IS A FACT.

Never Forget

Don't start the day in tears, and if you do, don't let it ruin your day.

I control my outlook and my attitude.

I choose to have a good day today.

I'm going to walk along the Allegheny River during lunch.
WALK IT OUT.

Home Alone

WHENEVER I FUCKING WANT!

Movin' Out

an Andrea Meythaler original

Moving to my new apartment tomorrow! But first, recent escapades:

Sunday, Lazy Sunday done right. Went shopping on Walnut like a bougie little whore then Koko and I chilled ALL DAY. Estrogen party, boy gossip, dish, dish, quiche, feminine hygiene, SEX SEX, treating a girl RIGHT. Throw some yinzer beer on it, and It was almost too Roseanne to bear.

In the evening we went to Doc's as per our Sunday ritual and ate on the roof terrace! which is ALWAYS closed, until I went to London and spring happened and now it's open. Lovely.
"There was a bee."

Nuni and Caitlin had a BBQ in their backyard (which is soon to become my backyard too!) and we had a flashlight and Cutro tried to make barbecuing work. I met an eco-model. A superhot eco-model. We book-flirted, traded authors for music (in this case, one person--Miranda July). Ben (whom I KEEP running into) was there. It's funny how much I know about him from Lydia and my estrogen parties in London, and from video chat.

"Well if you like them red on the inside, then you'll love these." I made out with Gabe's husky dog, Cheyanne. She and I are tight, as we both love to play.

We're all hyped for WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE. It's gonna be so0o0o indie/artsy/postmodern/Squid and the Whale/organic/ironic/neo art house meets post literaria....

And just you wait for the wave of merchandise. Maurice $endak, get yours!

I'm very excited to see a movie that I believe will be "precious", "beloved" and maybe I'll even "feel like an adult".

Monday we threw down hard at the house, didn't go to bed until 2 (WAY past my bedtime!). It was one of those uniquely yinzer moments--you and some friends are at the local pizza joint buying 40s, you turn around and another organelle of your social amoeba is right behind you, back from China, back from DC, everyone hugging and shouting like we haven't seen each other in years (really, days). And of course, I say, "come over!" because the door is always open, literally.

Today is the last day of our house, the best fucking apartment in this town! I am moving, on my own, tomorrow. So excited to decorate and to "make use of the space". Hang my pictures and posters from London and Andrea is going to paint me a snake! A coral and turquoise snake! On 3 square canvases. And she's lending me my favorite painting of hers, "At The Pond" (above).

+Just learned my account balance is $40 HIGHER than expected (&therefore,)


+Just bought this vintage gown ('70s) from Davenport & Co.

CHANELLING DITA

Tomorrow's the big day. Sleeping over at Mike's that night and he's gonna throw a party. I feel well cared for.

The Glamorous

ripped GLAM a new asshole last night...at 1/2 Price (my first)

it was mad awk because a girl my age was waiting to use the bathroom, and when I came out we had this uncomfortable I-swear-I'm-not-bulimic moment.

I just ate too much Mexican food, since I'm glamorous, and tried to brave a "Big Azz Margarita" (22 oz., ultimately not ok)

I shall apply this ambition to Happy Hour, which should begin at 10am.

Freudian Slip

When I type "kid" using T9, it comes out as "lie".

Mama's Little Lie

OHMAGOIN

It started with Happy Hour.

Friday crept by in the most vile way and I dove into a frozen Cosmo right after with Nuni. Chris and Johnny showed up from Philly. Evan and Sarah showed up from Polish Hill. Some of their friends and friends' brothers came...Who's Wild Card? Drew and Chad came. We all sat in the lounge which looked like a harem. Boys reluctantly enjoyed frozen Cosmos ($3).

We ended up back at my house and wilded out for a bit, dancing to "Single Ladies" natch. Some people went out and for some ungodly reason I woke up at 5:30 on Saturday morning and couldn't really get back to sleep. Dropped in on Koko, who was wheeling around her kitchen like a baby invalid, made plans to see LIL WAYNE NEXT WEEK. We brunched in a courtyard underneath old drooping trees. Then Chris chauffered Johnny and me around town. We went to Avalon where the Dollar Sale was happening. I got 12 things for $12, including a perfect bougie little vintage suede purse with a gold tone metal frame. And a lace nightgown/dress for pacing/lounging in my new apartment. After that we did an impromptu tour de hood, Friendship, stopped off at Paul's CDs in Bloomfield and got tea.

Table for 11! Huge round table and lots and lots of wine at Abay, food was so good as always and it was so much fun to go with 11 people. And to see Pete and Tyler again! We get so crazy together..We take the party back to my house and throw down loud and hard with about 15 people. Zack and Yooni (whom I see once a year even though we have the same friends) stumbled in wasted around 1:30. Zack has a bottle of rum in his pocket. Tyler starts trying on the clothes from Avalon, thinks he's so cute. He also tried to proposition Johnny and me, hard. We made a huge circle in the living room, Koko with her bum leg wielding a wine glass on crutches. Hobbling out of the room, "can you grab my wine?" Hahaha, everyone becomes floppy and hilarious until it's 3 and I'm retreating to my bedchamber and telling Zack to "let yourself out whenever".

Sleeping in on a Sunday when you don't have to work Monday--delicious. Doing that until 1--the way forward. Took it reeeeeeeeeeeeal easy, played dress-up with wigs and glasses at Nuni's. Screaming and dancing as always, found our alteregos. Watched The Real World with pauses for commentary (this season is scary). WHERE'S AYIIYAH? My gays whisked me off to margaritas and Mexican food so we could dish, and dish we did. Sometimes you need to kick back and rip on everything and be inappropriately loud.

Then Johnny and I found ourselves at Howler's for the whiskey social. It was really cozy and warm and everyone was happy to be around one another, singing to bluegrass and bein a yinzer. What a robust weekend. So much love. We're all really happy to be here.

"So those are my friends."

Secretary

I look like a secretary today.

It's great being the kid in the office because my co-workers marvel at how "chic" I dress, even when I think I look like an Asian horse's little brother.

Gearing up for the shitshow that's to be this weekend. I'm taking off Monday so we can all die at Howler's. Philly thrillers are on the road now. We always have so much fun.

--------

Check him, Alex Gaidouk:

Simon Sez Get The Fuck Up!

Thanks to Jo, this is me performing Pharoahe Monch's "Simon Sez" at Hip Hop Karaoke at The Social in London.

It's sore, it's sweet, I have so much documentation it hurts, but at the same time I'm smiling so hard looking at this.

Lawless in da ville

I look like Monday, but I feel like Friday.

Everyone in the office is talking shit on the Pirates

then a baby came in! Larry’s grandson.

Then the men (boss, his son, Larry, baby’s dad) talked hunting while I rolled my godless left-wing eyes into my liberal arts-educated brain.

This weekend I started to get my act together. Cleaned my room, finally put away the suitcases which I'm going to take back out again in 2 weeks.

I think we're addicted to bowling. And screaming. Sorry, Lawrenceville. (psych!)

Drew and Chad say, "I need a stiff drink."

I like that.

Well That's Nice To Know

Whatever you decide, we will be here for you.

Lots of love,

Mom

It's The Truth

Andrew: just wait till school starts lol

me: i cant believe school is eventually going to start...im so ambiv

WHOA

Andrew: you'll be walking a lot

me: JINZ

X

Andrew: jinz x

yes!

me: and sleeping a little...better eat drink be merry now bc all we'll be doing this year is drinking and crying

Andrew: oh yeah

me: having affairs

Andrew: lots of crying

America N@

I have no voice. I should lay off the T-Pain impressions.

HOLLA DAY

It's Friday sticky icky icky (actually Thursday)

3 Day Weekend! We 9to5ers love those.

Maybe I'll throw a party tonight...or go to Lazer Crunk and throw an after-party.

Peep dis:
I love him!!

Stay Out MY MART!

Nuni, Koko, and I found ourselves rubbing elbows with the postwork gay set around 7 last night. There was a soul singer there. Only mildly uncomf but we'd already resolved to embarrass ourselves.

Doing voices over $3 Long Islands. Koko and I were Lindsay and Sam Ronson, especially her with her kitty sweatshirt!

We met so many characters on the short walk to/from PLCB loveshack. In Unimart:

"I wonder who's gonna be the next Michael Jackson."
Lady: There won't never be another.
"Miley Cyrus? WHEE HEE!"

Take a tip.

From Adam Lippes

Shaping Up

That happened this morning and now I look like a kid wearing my momma's office pants. Ha!

Alas, Pittsburgh

Finally I've made it home.

Wow, where the hell and what was I doing for 6 months?
London<-->Oxford>Amsterdam>Paris>Lyon>Nice>London>DC>
Atlanta>PITTSBURGH.

Got here Sunday, took social calls all day. My friends treat me like a princess. We went to Harris's for frozen mimosas.

on the receipt:

11 @ 7.00

There were only 4 of us...

Kicked it in Andrea and Varun's new gorgeous palace. 2 balconies. Yum.

I got an apartment! I'm moving literally 100 feet away. I have a huge front porch.

Here's to one more year of rolling out of bed and into class.

I can't believe you don't write down your music!

-----

Also, my favorite young designer's collection sucks ass but her costumes are still leginamatic.

#101 well hot damn

I'd wear these shoes.
And hate myself for it.

Or these, good for street-walking.

I bought a variant of these in Paris at Guerrisol because I'm fabulous.

MARIAH CAREY

Soo,
2 days after having met Manu Chao I'm on the train to my gate at Heathrow, on the last car. There are about 5 other people in this car.

Foremost,

MARIAH CAREY!!

We stood a few feet apart and I just listened to her talk to her handlers. It was wicked. She's tall. And pretty. And soft-spoken.

I was, hm...surprised.

Got into DC (not Atlanta, unexpected change of plans) last night and as soon as Rex and I spotted each other at arrivals there were screams and tears and bear hugs and I threw my luggage on some unsuspecting little boy.

So now we're sitting on the couch watching some Jewish movie OnDemand while the rest of our nation's capital goes to work. I'll be in Atlanta late tonight--no rush.

This has been the longest journey!

One month:
8 cities,
4 countries,
2 continents

I got culture beaming out the ass!

GO PENS!

Dear Detroit,

Aha ya burnt!

_____________

hell yeah the Pens are going to win the Stanley Cup 

I hung out with Manu Chao tonight at Island Records

Then Notting Hill Arts Club after a month-long hiatus.

Good night London.

Go Pens!

Peace The Spork

Tonight I kicked it with my 2 aunts, uncle, and 2 cousins in South London. It was a blast, especially listening to Kerabo's endless cavalcade of schoolyard stories. 

I revealed to a chorus of laughter,

"I'm scared of teenagers."

But live in this town for 6 months, and you'd be too.

----

My room is nearly sorted back to immaculacy. Tomorrow is my last night in this dorm-issue bed. Then I head to Barking Saturday morrow, then Heathrow Sunday morning and I'm in Atlanta Sunday evening. It's 90 degrees there.

I can't believe I did it. I did it and now I'm done. 

And until I can fill my house with live snakes, I'm buying this.

In Paradise...

found a secluded beach in Villefranche
today I go see where my Daddy lived in Nice
then hopping over to Cannes to scope the plethora of beaches

oh, ocean life.

French Riviera

just got to the villa in Nice
starving but ready to throw down

missed my train of course
almost got arrested in Lyon for an honest mistake

made 1800 boyfriends my last day of Paris
ridic ass weekend in Lyon
bike rides and boat clubs
too much to tell

gotta eat
gotta scuba dive
gotta hit Monaco in a couple days

I am 21 and RAISING HELL

I got a fat chain, I got a fat whip

Today I woke up early to leave with Cédric for his interview. Of course it started raining clicks and whistles so I ducked into this video store in this market in Saint-Dénis. Found some great films by Godard and the best finds were Dave Chappelle's Block Party and Les Lois de L'Attraction (my favorite movie, book, everything).

Now it's 3 and we're heqding out again to go on a bike ride in town using Vélib, the free bike network with checkpoints all around Paris. Yay!

Last night:

Make It Rain

This was the biggest singular cloud I have ever seen in my life. Taken from Pont Neuf.

Today Cédric and I went to Versailles, rented a car, and drove it around the gardens. BREATHTAKING!

On pense que

je suis française.

Today I was approached a number of times by Francophone people asking for directions or a lighter (un feu) and I responded with the ease and finesse of a suave French woman.

I feel like a French-Dutch-British chameleon. Or a fugitive.

Frinstance, now Cédric and I are sipping Merlot and watching the Monaco Grand Prix, and the living is easy. Vintage shopping at Place de Clichy this week, meaning 5 euro dresses and bags and hopefully I won't go shoe-cray.

Today I went to Montmartre (où se trouve le Moulin Rouge) and took the funiculaire up to Sacre-Coeur where I think the best views of Paris are, and where, 5 years ago, I had French Onion soup for the first time. I love all the cobbled alleyways and the pushy as fuck African men forcing shitey bracelets onto everyone who enters the gate to Sacre-Coeur. I gave them a very sassy

<<Laissez-moi!>>

I'm good at Europe.

Paris in May

Je suis arrivee en France!

The train was so effing uncomfortable so I got wine in order to chill in the bar car aka where the party is at. I am at chez Cedric on his linux computer I cannot find the apostrophe and the A is where the freaking Q is!

I am 21, spent the birthday in Amsterdam in the Red Light District which was like
N O T H I N G I have ever seen before and I still have not found the words to explain it, but lets just say its waaaay too personal to see middle aged men paying for sex out in the open

Might be moving to Europe before California, or maybe after, I belong here.

So far the best things about Paris the 2nd time around=people think I am French, sleeping in, a selection of wine and cheese that put this entire world to shame

I amsterdam.

I am in Amsterdam. So many bikes. I-I-I-speechless for now.

Tomorrow I turn 21.

Here's a video:

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

chock full of espresso.

1 hour til I leave for the airport to Amsterdam!!

WOW

really excited. I'll get there at 8am then it's

powpowpowpow

---

ok, now that I'm getting ready to bounce, this fits:






peace&love

Byzantine Dome Face

So on Friday at 6pm I decided to blow off A-Trak and instead go to Oxford.

Good decision. It was blast-ta-ta-tastic.

I bore gifts, among them a bottle of Jack Daniels, which was consumed wholly within an hour of my arrival. We then did an impromptu late night walking tour of Oxford, all along the way people stopped Johnny to say hey, passed on bikes, drunken stumbling, boys in tuxes.

Best part was reading W.H. Auden's extremely pornographic gay sex poem before going out. I kept SCREAMING. Keep in mind, 4 boys, gay porn, me.

Before though, grocery clerk Africa man and I had this chat, which left me irate and huffing in stilettos to the Oxford Tube bus.

"Can I invite you to church?"
"I don't go to church."
"Well you could give it a try."
"I have. It wasn't for me."

Then he looked at me as if I looked like this:

UGH!!!
I AM AN ATHEIST. According to me, THERE IS NO GOD.
And I'm fine with it. In fact, I LOVE IT!!!

Another thing I love/have been listening to lots of:

I feel so....special!

Tonight I attended my last ever Hip Hop Karaoke @ The Social. Bonded with an Indian girl who went on a road trip to the States when she was 17! Cray. And also with a Scottish-sounding summer camp counselor who loves Atlanta.

I made a point of introducing myself as from *Atlanta*, appropriate for this milieu. But what I did not expect was:

To have a song dedicated to me!

"Kryptonite", and don't play, that's a legit jam.

But it's weird for me when people either know/remember me in this metropolis London, but it's not the first time it's happened.

I'm down.

Tomorrow I gotta drink some Red Bull or something because I plan on dancing to A-Trak and Radioclit until at least 3AM
. Ye'aint'know.

JD Samson

All you need is MEN.
So what if I wanted to marry JD Samson tonight?
She is my idol!

Where My Shakers At?

Full Bloom

Now's the best time to be in London. It's warm and pulsating.

And this Monday is a Bank Holiday! Get it right. There are warehouse parties and all-night DJ shindigs all around town this weekend.

And I'm going to this next Friday (8 pounds, A-Trak!! Radicoclit!!) I love this town.

Yesterday I had the pleasure of taking in London Spring with Lydia and her mama. Made me miss my own, especially when Ms. Fine advised me to drink my orange juice and take allergy medicine that she gave me, before we went down to the lobby for drinks with Anna. We dined at Shish, and I had the most succulent lamb kebab. Like proper kebab not bloody 2am Old Street dropping chips everywhere kebab! It was so lovely.

Then we hit up Matteo's gig @ Monto Water Rats and let me tell you, Italian boys have the hair thing on lock. Seriously. Phillip, Matteo, and Manuel--cheers to you boys!

SUMMER

(This is where I go, rather WENT, to school, School of Slavonic and East European Studies @ UCL--7th best university in the world!!)

Just tamed my Russian Oral Exam. No cavities, haha!

---

Tipsy Gypsy, well, I would be if I were to attend that Russian Film Lecture that 2 of my teachers are putting on today because I have not eaten in 24 hours and almost all SSEES talks have "wine to follow". But here's the gypsy reality that's my life in London:

I'm making about 40 pounds this week participating in psychology experiments for my school.

HOLLER AT THAT DOLLAR

Also, moving to California in a year's time.

Have You Ever, Ever Felt Like This?

Oh, the miracle of globalisation that gave Joe and I a hearty laugh. On completely opposite poles of the globe we both grew up watching this show:

Don't Stop Til You Get Enough

Thursday night was my last night out with my BU compadres and we did it up rotten in Shoreditch, where by coincidence, is the first area we went out together. We hit Plastic People and it was a rager. Basement, grinding, some dude filming the whole thing.

Ended up walking Jack Kalish home. He's from Brooklyn, was lost in Shoreditch, and speaks Russian. So we hopped into and out of a van, went to a bar that was closing, and at some point he made fun of me for eating bacon. It was nice to get acquainted.

Friday was a trip. I called Jeffrey, Dogstar's resident DJ, in the early evening and he remembered me! From 2 months ago. So he said he'd put me on about midnight. I got there way too early, left, came back, then Joe met me out there. There was a serious party on, including failed salsa dancing Aussies, people on...something, lasers, and my baile funk/Peaches break!

It was a blast. We stayed mad late then today did absolutely nothing. I'm being a really bad student, considering I have to write an entire paper tomorrow and practice my Russian presentation for Monday. But it's been fun and it's been worth it. And I'll never have this kind of opportunity again, so I ain't mad at me.

A Toast

Last night was so happy/sad. My fellow Americans are leaving tomorrow.

It was our last Death Disco together at Notting Hill Arts Club and it was somehow as mind-blowing and hyphy as the first time they took me there.

All were in attendance, including this 50-person horde of maybe Australians? I got invited to a barbecue in Queen's Park this weekend, but anyway.

When I think of how we've befriended an entire bar staff and about 10 other rotating cast members at this place, I really have to laugh.

Sebastien turned 29, birthday shots and kisses. We hung around late and I learned that my new friend is friends with my old friend, rather friend's friend from Brazil.

There was a photoshoot with my name on it. Goodbyes, hugs, kisses. I can't believe one day I'm going to leave this place too. I'm going to miss walking into a bar and getting hugged and kissed hello by Frenchy, Asian-y, Julian, Neil, brown guy...I told Neil I'd be coming back with Koko, so those wacky Wednesdays aren't over just yet.

When It Occurred To Me

I went on a 3-hour walkabout yesterday afternoon. It was glorious weather and I wore these:
Needless to say, I was strutting.

Through Tate Modern States of Flux exhibit, down the shore of the river, to the Japanese restaurant where I wined/dined myself, all around Westminster, and back to my home where I fell into my bed until more/less now.

Then it occurs to me,
I had 4 weeks to write 2 papers.
Now I have 4 days. And I'm smiling because it's sunny and 66 degrees outside and I'm gonna run to Hyde Park and lay in it...to brainstorm.

Mind It Races

It took me until 6am to shut off my brain last night. There are so many things I've come to realize recently and I'm stirring! For one, I still cannot grasp the reality that Koko is coming here then to Amsterdam where I will turn 21. I can't imagine a better birthday present.

Tomorrow I register for my last fall semester at Carnegie Mellon. Sad. I need to be back in yinzer land. Stomping the gravel, running across bridges, laughing while horiztonal. Now that there's only 1 week left in Easter Break, time seems to be picking up speed. In 3 weeks I'll be done with exams, packed, ready to go on my vacation. And to the beach! The freaking Cote d'Azur!! And then back to London for what I expect to be a sad week, then to Atlanta for 1.2 seconds then to Pittsburgh--my love! Drew's living at my place for the summer, so that means the roof is on fire.

And I've finally sorted my next year's apartment dilemma. I'm living in a studio in Cathdral Mansions (on the same floor as Rex!!) and Koko and Drew are living across the street in Fairfax. Let the good times roll. We're going to groove out North Oakland!

Below are some works from my sister's leading man, whom I learned of in a life update e-mail that made me smile around the face.
Courtesy of Marlon Sagana Ingram.

As for the near future, going on a picnic with BU friends tomorrow. Writing up my presentation for oral exam today.

I feel alive! I wrote my boss telling him to please give me my job back please, and applied for some freelance writing gigs in Pittsburgh. I seriously feel like the next 4 months are a love song to me. 21, Amsterdam, Koko, France, parents, Pittsburgh, summer! Senior!

So here it is, my trajectory of jetsetting:
London>Oxford>Amsterdam>Paris>Lyon>Avignon>Nice>Atlanta>Pittsburgh>San Francisco?

What's next? BRAZIL!

___

My last dream was about a baby horse (colt?) walking out of the ocean and only 2 other people saw it happen and we all looked at each other in awe. Rebirth is a trip.

???

What the WHAT??

Went to a club named after my best friend. Insulted a Brit about his lack of national cuisine in Subway. Snake eyes. It's 4:20 am and the bus diverted to my doorstep. DJing in a week. Cheers.

I Live Here:

It looks like Pittsburgh outside!

And the building I can see from my window looks exactly like, well:


On the up and up, I'm less freaking out about my Russian Oral Exam because I actually have things to say about student life in Russia compared with that in the United States.

Life's too short to pay lip service to anyone or anything. Ever.

Unwell

I have to keep reminding myself that hugely wonderful things are going to happen in a month:

1. Koko's coming.
2. We're going to Amsterdam for my birthday.
3. I'm going to France for a couple weeks.

And try not think about being:

1. anxious
2. depressed
3. tired
4. hungry
5. unprepared
__

6. homeless after July
7. unemployed until August

1-7 are very difficult to be overseas. I can't relate to people right now, I need to spend more time in the park, curled in a ball, in the dark, I dunno.

I've decided to make a tough, probably stupid decision. And I'm going to drink more coffee. Times like these I wish I smoked ciggs.

Queen Mary

Respect:


Eley Kishimoto Fall/Winter '09
I want to make (really tight) jeans out of this. I'm backpacking to Amsterdam and around France for a few weeks and for my birthday. My lady love is coming to visit and chill. There's always more Russian to be learned.

I live here:

And I dig this:

Cocadisco

Soooo, I ventured out to Shoreditch to Favela Chic to see Gringo da Parada again. That was alright. I ended up jus talking about skiing with a gorgeous businessman named Gary. I very rudely asked him if when he had to go "was his bedtime" when in fact it was his business. Anyway it was nice to have The London Paper as a conversation piece.

So then I went to The Social for CocaDisco, a night which has seen the likes of Aphex Twin and Simian Mobile Disco. Tonight Richard X was on the decks and it was SO MUCH FUN!!! It's funny meeeting the British versions of people I know in Pittsburgh, but it happened. And this one guy, Paul, managed to do an American accent that was both grating and hiariously accurate. It hurt a little. But the dancing was fab. And I made some new friends, always good. And I high-fived my bouncer friend on the way out. Holla.

££££

I got a job!

I'm going to participate in a research focus group by a vodka company with other American girls. And I will be compensated in cash and, you guessed it, vodka.

HA!

Catharsis

Muslim children tried to feed pigeons bread their little beaks could not chew. I looked at two dogs, one sitting on the other, and when they saw me see them they both looked away. I wanted to sit on a bench next to a boy who was rubbing his face but I did not want to surprise him. A shed stood on the shore of the lake. It had no floor, just water where the floor should be. Someone left a hat on the dock but I would have had to walk on the lake to get it. This made me think of Jesus. An Asian boy in a tanktop was dancing by himself. He looked like a cricket. A bird almost flew in my face. Maybe it wanted to teach me a lesson.

_____

From my Skype chat w/ Rex

Rex Garrell
8:34 PM
when do you want to do this again

sassyjones
8:34 PM
i was kinda thinking this was a 1 night stand
8:34 PM

um...ill call you?
8:34 PM

i had fun

Heavy Boots

It's 3:25 a.m.

I have about 20 pages left in Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close.

I've shed a gallon of tears in the last 2 hours, so I have to stop. And this is the sad part of reading books, this point where you know if you keep reading you'll finish it, so you have to put it away to keep it alive and unknown for a bit longer. Maybe that's also why I was crying.

The Realest Streets

It's crazy how inspiring not having class can be.

I'm tearing through Extrememly Loud & Incredibly Close, I'm working out for hours each day, and I'm seeing so much of this sprawling madness town. I feel weirded out not having a bike, and walking on flat ground, and today I realized when I was leaving the park I was walking really fast, like being chased fast, I think in an effort to mimic a bicycle. Ha!

I should probably set some goals for myself, like get a 6-pack, but there are more important things than hot bods, like hot minds. So yeah, one goal is to expand my mind and dig deep into these streets.

Noise Annoys

I just watched the effing cutest film by Sam Taylor-Wood @ 1001 called Love You More

I don't want to give it away, let's just say boy-virginity, Buzzcocks, hilarity! It was touching, really.

But yeah, it was really quite alright to just hang around on the floor, and on couches watching short films by Brits. And it's a weekly thing which I'm so glad to have found out about. That's Monday sorted.

Sunshine Lovely

Welly welly well.

Today was my first Monday without class, and let me tell you, it was fabulous. I walked to Hyde Park then walked around the park looking for the right spot to settle in. Then I read more of Extrememly Loud & Incredibly Close, which has sucked me in. It makes me so uncomfortable but in a necessary way, and now I know I have to finish it within the next 2 days. So that's fine. Anyway, I also bought sunglasses today on the way to the park, a detour, but they're my traveling sunglasses, you know.

Traveling!! I cannot wait to execute my Amsterdam plus Tour de France plus probably Geneva. Alas. But until then, I'm just learning my Russian vocabulary and getting super excited for when Koko!!!! my love, comes to visit me. Spring is life.

And now I'm going to a short film screening on Brick Lane. This is magic.

SENIOR!

Et voila, no more class until August.

So I'm sitting here at 9 am, listening to Beat Happening and drinking OJ in my bed without pants on.

I'm a senior again...let the apathy take hold.

Working My Core

And writing my essays, and doing it to it.

Never felt more extreme, but it's good.

It builds character, and it builds abs.

Secret

Went to a record label party at a secret location in Whitechapel and danced my ass off until the apartment owners had to go to bed in the morning. I met some lovely DJs, including Jane Fitz--girl power!--who has been a resident DJ in Hong Kong for years and is so admirable and kind.

Talked about the Ottoman Empire w/ Okan, the Turk, and once the high school kids bounced everything was quite fun. Johanna left soon after we got there because it was weird with them around, but as the night wore on the crowd grew older and more chill.

I also met a girl who went to school in Pittsburgh! And the most adorable Irish girl (also suffering from babyface syndrome), 2 Russian girls and a gay? Bulgarian bartender. These people were so educated and interested, lots of engrossing convo so I was happy. Also, I don't think I've danced for so long consecutively ever. It feels good to shake it out.

Brass Tacks

Dear ______,

You're the better person, and I'm sorry.

2 Weeks Left

I can feel myself shrinking.

Where Fabulous Lives

I'm conceptualizing a line of lingerie, evening wear, and otherwise sensual fabric creations.

So for inspiration I'm going to take myself and my sketchbook on a date to Victoria and Albert Museum to check out the Magnificence of the Tsars exhibit and the jewelry and fashion and accessories galleries. I'm salivating. I will soon be in the presence of these:

Vivienne Westwood c. 1993

Knuck If You Buck

I did a brave, brave thing.

I went out by myself. All by my lonely. To Cafe 1001.

And had a gay ole time.

"You got the moves." -rando Indian dude

"I couldn't stop watching you." -Sailor, Spanish girl. (Me: Like Sailor Moon??)

Before we all get the wrong idea, let me remind you that I was flopping around, almost literally, because drum and bass promotes that kind of movement. I was soaked after less than an hour of dancing. And duh, I can Crip Walk, because I'm from Cali.

Don't get it twisted.

So in the end going out alone was hella fun. The only people I would have liked to be there were Rex and Netta because D&B is a sensitive genre and most people would be turned off right away, unless they had their own "internal groove". Ha. Good night.

2+2=4

So Vladimir Putin and Dmitri Medvedev had a late night one night, and they fell asleep in the Kremlin. The next day they woke up and Medvedev goes,

"Vladimir Vladimirovich, I want to make sure of something."

And Putin says, "What? Tell me, Dima."

And Medvedev asks, "2 plus 2, that equals 4, right?"

To which Putin responds, "Right, Dima. 3 for me, and 1 for you."

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

Freelance Gynecology

Pats on back:

I made brussel sprouts for the 1st time in my life today! They were good. And they're invited to my eat-darker-green-things diet.

Today at school a female taxi driver (the first I've ever seen) let me cross in front of her car, then she went down a one-lane road and found herself blocked by a male taxi-driver and then a line of cars. I'm not sure who got there first, but I stopped to see who would back down. She refused. It was freaking awesome to watch 5 or so cars reverse and pull over to let her by.

Gon' head girl!

I made a funny/gross (surprise):

Girl: So what do you do?
Boy: I'm a FREELANCE GYNECOLOGIST.*
Girl: Um..
Boy: And I think it's time for the breast exam!

*SLAP*



*for my gays, "freelance proctologist"

Drink More Coffee

because I took a 30-minute nap in the Junior Common Room and had a nightmare (yes, at 1:30) during which I was driving a huge van home (to my parents' house) but instead the road led to a Wal-Mart where I ran into a pyramid of blue and white crates, killing (I presume) 2 fat women in the process. One of them screamed, but not like you'd scream if you really got pinned between a huge van and Wal-Mart crates.

Point: drink more coffee.

Action!

This was a weekend of extremes.




The Le Corbusier exhibit at the Barbican Gallery was EXTREMELY thorough and inspiring and it made me miss Pittsburgh and my archie droogs so much. A lot of the pieces were on loan from Fondation Le Corbusier and they included postcards to his friends, sketches, plans, scale models, drawings, furniture, built art, paintings, and best part was that everything was in French so I had a little ticklish moment in the museum. Makes me yearn for Paris again, as does a certain message from a special friend. It was super cool to see how Le Corbusier translated his appreciation for utopian socialism into his design for the Centrosoyuz headquarters in Moscow, a design that was realized in 1928. All in all I kept making sex sounds because his works were so damn sensual and trippy and it was a mindgasm.

And the area where the Barbican Gallery is, in proper London, is SO WEIRD. It's like being in 1984, the book. Or the Soviet Union.

Then that night I shelled out 7 quid to see where the least attractive people in all of London (&maybe all of Great Britain) rub up on each other, where balding businessmen go to score poon. So gross. But I'm probably going to back there in May to see Clem Snide, so...

Anyway that was a bust, but Saturday was much better. First I met Lydia, Sarah, and Johanna at Broadway Market in Bethnal Green, a place I would not want to be alone at night. But I realized I like rundown sort of shady areas during the day because there are certain lonely elements that make for interesting images, such as:

After Broadway Market I went with Sarah and Jo to Primark at Oxford Circus. Big mistake. Worst timing ever; the place was like if H&M and Forever 21 did meth and got into a catfight. Nothing short of hell on earth. My anxious mess left after about 10 minutes.

Then in the evening we were invited to Martin/Anders's place for drinks, an outing (inning?) which inevitably finds us still at their apartment when the sun's coming up, Martin turning to me and asking, "Sooo what should we do? Should we go out? Get some bears?" This time the Norwegians were actually outnumbered! I met a Frenchman named Basil who said I had a great accent (merci) and an Italian named Mateo who actually had an American accent and was so typically Italian. As in, contentious, pompous, emotional, etc. However, he was a great singer and gave Martin a boygasm with his guitar playing. At 5 a.m. I ate a ton of egg whites and tried to make people jealous, but no one was really interested in the egg whites, just me.

Woke up at 1 to a text from Sarah so I met her on Brick Lane, where we accidentally went into a supersized opium den/coffeshop/bar. We ate burgers and lounged on the couches while the DJ played reggae and dancehall tunes from Jamaica. The event is formally called 100% Dynamite and the place, Cafe 1001.
After a while we got depressed from looking at all the gorgeous men and their slightly less gorgeous girlfriends. Makes me hate London a little bit and worry about how I'd make friends if I came back here to live/work. Oi vey.


Somehow I managed to exhaust every second of this weekend doing something enlightening or funny or just stupid, so London, cheers.

Note to self:
-Write this story
*Mistaken for something of monetary value, a suitcase full of film reels gets stolen from a departing film crew in Morocco. Filmmaker(s) return to try and get it back. Adventure!