Home Again, Home Again

Just got back from an amazing week in New York City. I forgot a number of things until my visit:

1. Man, that city is dirty. It's a tricky kind of dirty...the kind of dirty that is invisible on your skin, but reveals itself under your fingernails. I discovered this about every ten minutes, as I was scratching my 500 mosquito bites.

2. Walking in that city is no big thing. Even in heels. Even in the hot, hot summer heat. I walked miles everyday and didn't even notice. Until I found a hole in my favorite shoes.

3. Central Park is fancy.

4. Art! So much art everywhere! I woke up everyday and looked at art until the sunset. Then I hung around with buddies.

5. Buddies! So many of them in New York! Saw lots of old faces and some ancient ones. Faces I hadn't seen since 8th grade, faces I hadn't seen since last summer.

6. Men! Patting butts and being racist. Thanks for the welcome, New York!

It was a great trip. I got so much looking done, and made lots of great jokes. Note: Blade II makes for a great drinking game; take a sip each time there is a hole in the plot. There are lots of holes (that's what she said).

Some highlights: The Guggenheim. Thanks again, Frank. Sally Mann. Emile-Jacques Ruhlmann. Deco fans! Charles Sheeler. The Brooklyn Flea Market! Reggie Watts (thanks, Cavin!) PS1. Projectile barfing! (Tobin made me eat a fancy dinner). Waking up everyday and seeing Will's face. Juda the ghost-cat. Seeing Lars Thorwald on the subway. Brooklyn Fireproof and their courtyard and internet access.

I have to say, though, I got a little homesick. I missed my man. I don't think I'll go away that long without him if I can avoid it.

Love,

E.

I decided to spend this summer doing some kind of structured pursuit. So far, I've been working on a secret project for my sister and her betrothed, and have started a book group. I'm very close to finishing The Brothers Karamazov and I could go on about it for days. I had no idea that reading a Russian classic was going to be so enjoyable. Next, I plan to read A Room With a View. I bought a lot of records last week and have begun my education in classical music. Up to this point, my musical study has been limited to learning Poupee de Son on my ukulele. I don't know what Gainsbourg would think of my version, but I'm pretty sure my cat loves it. The classical records have so far been good...I've been practicing ballet to, appropriately enough, The Nutcracker, but I was in for an unpleasant surprise when Sir Edward Elgar's military marches started blasting through the stereo. There is nothing graceful about Pomp and Circumstance, and a girl needs all the help she can get.

In the film front, I've been thinking a lot about Brakhage's Wonder Ring as I approach my trip to New York...and I've been working on learning the dance sequence from Bande a Parte. Why is Anna Karina so foxy all over the place? Also, I like that she uses hand signals on her bicycle. It makes me feel less nerdy despite the fact that she does not wear a helmet.

One Thing I Love

http://ubu.com/film/frampton_nostalgia.html

And then I don't even mind writing essays.

Jackson. Kuchar.

Michael Jackson Crossing Ahead

I've been spending a lot of time on Ubu...catching up on some of the films I missed in class, but mostly watching the Kuchar brothers over and over and over. I can't get enough of them.

Mostly I like their incessant babble. And the way that Mike talks with his eyes closed. I would add a video, but I don't know how. So here's a link: http://www.ubu.com/film/kuchar_actress.html

Also, Kevin saw a dog for the first time yesterday and it blew his mind. His tail is still as big as a raccoon's. Sally hates pests but she loves raccoons.