Moira Fatigue, Scourge of the Skies!

I bought a new coat at Target (of all places), which was the last item needed for my perfect early winter pilot themed outfit. I am now happily imagining the exploits of the fictional character I seem to have dressed up as.

2008 has not been a big year for me and my LJ. One of the main causes of this is that I'm in an environment where I can have both the personal and theoretical conversations I want when I want them with people who feel the same (or, better yet, disagree with me in exciting new ways). I greatly prefer working things out with other human beings face to face, so blogging or whatever has really become an outlet of last resort. Also, I had to write my thesis proposal. It was a pretty big challenge, considering how long it's been since I had to write a 20+ page academic research paper. Oh, and the pressure to come up with something meaningful and original that will change the world was no small feat, either. I managed to rise to the challenge, I think . . . but now the real work starts. This brings me back full circle, because I am planning to document my research process in a multimedia blog. I'm eager to record my experiences and interviews and to share the visual art resulting from my collaborations. I'll link it here when it gets going, of course. Oh, and don't ask me about my thesis -- I've been presenting it OVER and OVER for months, and my adviser said I was allowed to take two weeks off. ;) Short story is I'm doing collaborations with recent combat vets using their personal photography as source material. This process includes analyzing their own images through different lenses and exploring how they fit (or fail to fit) into traditional war photography or mainstream photo-journalistic practice. It's pretty much the best thing ever, but it's easily the most challenging project I've ever undertaken. I was invited to speak about it all on a panel at the opening of a new community arts space last Saturday, as well as show work in their gallery and do some 'live art' during the reception. Fun stuff, and very flattering to be invited to.

Anyway, the semester is over and I'm left with my 9-5 campus job, answering phones and catering to the needs of anxious faculty members.

In addition to the work I've been through my school, I've allowed myself to get sucked back into explicitly anarchist organizing, again. It started with the Finding Our Roots conference, which I assisted in organizing starting early this year. It finally went down mid-April and I was pleased with the turn-out as well as what we offered in terms of speakers and workshops. I also hosted Andrew Flood for the weekend of the conference. He gave an incredibly popular talk and helped out with all sorts of last minute catastrophes. Politics aside, he was an excellent houseguest and kept me laughing and relaxed through all the stress and craziness. I took a lot of video over that weekend, but I've been too busy to compile it into something I can upload to youtube. Oh well.

My current project is the embryo of an anarchist collective that grew out of one of the conference workshops I helped to organize with two of my buddies on the planning committee. We're still forming our identity, so I'm not going to jinx it by trying to talk about it too much. On more solid ground is my new position of Art Editor of the Northeastern Anarchist, NEFAC's US mag. The position was offered to me basically out of nowhere, but I was happy to accept and now have all sorts of evil, creative plans.

I think that's the bare bones of the past 5 months of my life. I suppose I'll try to expand on it all later. I will learn to write again! And post photos! Just you wait and see . . .

OMG WATCH THIS!!!111

Craigslist guy, now officially known as Justin, and I have been hanging out every other day since out first date. On the second date, he brought me a book on poststructuralist anarchism (!!!) and we went to a lecture at my school. Last night, we went to the movies (hence my current Resident Evil fixation) and spent some 'quality time' back at my place. It's all been so good I'm terrified I'll find a way to mess it up.

Digging up stuff on eBay. So far, I've got a mess of military straps and belts, some chocolate brown leggings, and the coat. Eliza, if you have any tips as to where to find this stuff, help a sister out.

Once upon a time, I decided that a truly excellent way to distract myself from my large pile of reading was to post an ad on craigslist, requesting both intellectual discourse and making out. Little did I know how swiftly my wish would be granted! A few hours later, I was discussing the possibility of universal morals over a pair of vodkacrans with an unbelievably attractive phd student. Philosophy, even, which is positively hot when the philosopher in question is critically engaged with some sort of social resistance. Three drinks deep, he confessed to being a "libertarian socialist." Needless to say, there was a great deal of making out.


WTF craigslist, I will never doubt you again.

Jayne, Erik, and I have found a way to replicate the activities we shared back when we all lived in the same city! I'm the one in the fur bikini, haha.

I think there are many more pictures taken by complete strangers of Flint/flintultrasparc and me at protests than ones of us hanging out together in social settings. I bet the feds think we're dating.



True story: I actually have no clue what event this was taken at.

I am stupid-happy to be in grad school. Like, if I wasn't starving to death and about to pass out, I'd be in danger of becoming completely engulfed by a wave of joy that comes with the discovery of something 'right.'

Highlights:

* I have the TA position I was chasing. I get to actually plan and teach the course alongside the professor (my academic adviser, Andres), not just make copies and staple syllabi. It's 'Collaboration: Art as a Social Force.' Apparently all my organizing experience (such as it is) has suddenly become academically viable. This is going to be my first time getting paid to teach and organize. It's nuts.

* I had my first class tonight (Social Theory for Artists and Cultural Workers) and the level of conversation was so high I almost didn't know what to do with myself. That's not enough to describe it -- I was expecting something less, something more like all those unflattering stereotypes about emotionally distance academicians who have never even met the people they talk about helping. But goddammit, everything was right from the very beginning and I'm going to have to work my ass off to keep up with it all. So yay.

I was spirited away by Mary, instead of Holly, today. They are both awesome company in different ways, and not exclusionary in their couple-dom together. Since Holly had to work until 6pm, I was awarded the midday tickets for this Bicycle Film Festival. It was about 15-20 minutes away by bike, and I got a little high from being back on two wheels. We had to bike through a few neighborhoods I know, so I got some extra knowledge about how the city is laid out. The fest itself was pretty good. All the attendees seemed to be cloned off the same hipster, but I had Mary for company and all but a few of the films were fab. Even some of the not-so-fab ones would have been great, if they cut them down by 20 minutes. Heh. On the way back, it started dumping rain on us and we had a major headwind. It's the first cold rain I've felt since moving here, so I was more nostalgic than annoyed.

Now, I'm drying out at home and planning various lazy indoor activities for the rest of the day. I will most likely make snacks first, then put on Firefly (I bought the DVD set) and finish it all off with some Warcraft. That, my friends, is the good life.