Seriously weird.

Still trying to figure Minnesota out. This weekend has been our first weekend of legitimate snow. It's been coming down in flurries all weekend. Yet I look up in the sky, and what do I see? Seagulls. What??? I know.

Dude.

(Yes, I put my "I voted" sticker on my official registration card. It's sentimental.)

The title of this post says it all. I don't even know where to begin. I have this overwhelming feeling that compels me to write something here, but I'm left speechless by the magnitude of the event that I have just witnessed. I think I'm making sense, but you might need an interpreter. You know that by now, though. :)

I voted yesterday. My location was actually right across the street from me, so it felt like I was in college again, rolling out of bed and walking across the street at 8:00 in the morning (ahhh, Coleman). Except this time I was awake. Extremely awake. And if you have ever known me at 8:00 in the morning, that really says something.

I can't describe to you what I felt, how important this process was to me. I have never been so sure of a decision in my entire life, so fully behind one candidate. I knew exactly what I had to do, and it felt so good to use the Constitution-given right to make a difference in a world that recently feels like it's spiraling out of control. I felt so proud. Literally (and I have to admit, this is the first time I am saying this in all seriousness, partially because it sounds kind of cheesy most of the time) proud to be an American.

After casting my ballot, it was as if a tremendous weight had been lifted off of my shoulders. No matter who won, the stress of the election was finally over. I felt like we were finally able to get on with our lives and actually stepping toward change, no matter who was leading us. For the rest of the day, it was as if I was light as a feather. I was extremely giddy, yet at peace with the world, as I knew it was moving forward.


(I know, I was loving the overhead, too.)

Even today, I am unable to get a grip on my emotions. Last night was phenomenal. When I showed up at the event I was attending, Obama was already over two-thirds of the way there. It was like a football game. I almost wanted to go home because I knew we'd won. (But then you never know if McCain had some of that Texas Tech miracle power, and might have come back in the last second.) The moment they declared Barack president felt almost surreal. I blinked and it was true. And all of a sudden, I couldn't believe that America had come this far. That was the moment I was rendered speechless.

The speeches from both candidates were extremely moving. I was thrilled to witness such a historical moment, Obama walking out on stage to accept the presidency. After growing up hearing about the terrors that African Americans have endured, and still do, I am beyond myself that such a positive change has happened in the first quarter of my life. And his slogan, "Yes we can," is so powerful. It is that attitude that will carry Americans through to a bright new world.

This election process reminds me of A Bug's Life, when the ants rally together and create the change they need. It feels good to belong to a colony. :) Seriously, though, I have never felt such a strong sense of community in such a big way. I am so excited about the following four years. I truly feel that Barack Obama will be the change we need.

Happy Halloween to All!

Isn't Halloween amazing?? I mean, it's one big night of performance art. I love seeing what people come up with to dress up as. I, myself, have come up with some doozies in the past. I'm sure many of you remember the old bachelor cake costume (girl-popping-out-of-cake thing). I've also been a Sanderson sister, a Moulin Rouge dancer, and a big baby in recent years.

This year was a bit last-minute, but I was still pretty proud of my costume. I went as (drum roll, please) Minnie Mouse. And I was freaking adorable, thank you. :) I made about half of the costume, and put bits and pieces together. I never like buying the store-made costumes, I feel like they're never done quite right. This way's much better. I mean look at those hands!!


I saw quite a few amazing costumes this weekend. One kid was one of those awesome home-made robots with boxes spray-painted silver and foil and pipes and weird buttons to push. (I don't think my run-on description quite does it justice.) When I went out later on, I also saw Thing One and Thing Two, Sushi, Peter Griffin, the Pope, Beeker (sp?) and his partner, the entire Simpson family, and a Walrus. Kind of amazing. And one of my friends had the brilliant idea to rent her costume from the Guthrie! It was one of those goth Victorian dresses with a corset on top and tons of velvet fabric and lace. Absolutely gorgeous! And what a good idea.

What about you guys? What did you go as? And what were the top 5 costumes you were so fortunate to witness? I'd love to hear!

BTW: If you're looking for a good laugh, read this personal ad on Craigslist. What can I say, I get a kick out of going through these things every now and then. There are some pretty freaking hilarious entries. Once I found one where the guy's pic was a professional photo of him and a girl (I'm guessing his ex) with her head cut out. LOL! Bitter much? This is a personal ad, remember.

It Was Fate!

Great news! I am related to Grim Natwick!! You know, the guy who illustrated Betty Boop, Snow White, and many other Disney characters? He's related to my uncle somehow. Ironic, isn't it??

(For those of you who don't know, in high school I was known as Snow White. The name was even on my letter jacket. I used to get that I looked like her all of the time. You know, skin as white as snow, black hair, absolutely gorgeous. :) It must have been fate that I turned out this way!)**

This guy is amazing. I googled him today, curious to learn more about the man, and the search results were full of pages that hailed him as the greatest animator that ever lived. He's a real animator's animator. People kind of worship him. He's kind of a big deal.

Honestly, I can see why, he was one of the most influential cartoonists that lived. I mean, just look at the pieces he's worked on. All new and exciting in their time, and most still out-do cartoons today, if you ask me. But I'm not biased :). Seriously, even before I knew of this relation, I really admired the style and simplicity of the cartoons back that I now know he was responsible for.

The great thing about this man and his cartoons is that, before simplifying the human body so drastically, he studied it hardcore for years. I've found some of his sketches from his studies in Europe online, very detailed and realistic. His cartoons work so well because of this intense knowledge of the body and the way it works, even though they are portrayed in the most simple forms possible. It is so easy to want to jump ahead in art without really studying and learning to draw things "correctly" first. But it pays off.


It is really inspiring to look at Grim's work, whether you are related or not. To see a few more images from Grim Natwick's drawings, try Boing Boing, a blog with a collection of his drawings. Or you could just Google the name. Do it.

**For anyone reading this who doesn't know me, the answer is no. I am not actually that full of myself.

Inspiration from the East

Today, I thought I might do what I said I would in my first entry, share what inspires me. As of late, I have become increasingly interested in Eastern cultures. It all began with a little girl who resembled the goddess Lakshmi.

For those of you who have not seen this phenomenon, a little girl was born in India with a striking resemblance to the Hindu goddess of luck and beauty, Lakshmi. Why a phenomenon, you ask? The Goddess Lakshmi is generally portrayed with eight limbs, four arms and four legs. The mother had prayed to that particular goddess on the day Lakshmi (the baby girl) was born and had seen a sign, so thought the resemblance no coincidence. People would travel to come see the young goddess, to offer gifts and lay hands on her.


**Photo from website www.dailymail.co.uk

For those of you who are skeptical, this is not just a doctored photo. I saw this story on a TV show, where she was picked up, held and put down, and shown from all angles. Of course, there was a medical explanation for the extra limbs. Lakshmi's identical sister had been joined to her at the pelvis in the womb. The condition would have been life-threatening later on, so the child underwent surgery and is believed to be doing well.

My interest was really sparked by this goddess with eight limbs. What imagination! I began recalling stories I had been told from India, and remembering the beautiful artwork that accompanies most of them. I thought this would be wonderful inspiration, so I bought a book on the culture, rented movies based in the area, and have been googling related topics ever since.

Everything that I have seen so far has been amazing. I'm positive that you've heard of The Namesake, and if you have not seen it I do recommend it. Another film that I stumbled across and cannot wait until it reaches me from Netflix is called Water. It's about an eight-year-old girl whose husband (arranged marriage) died, and she is forced to spend the rest of her days in a Hindu temple for widows. Quite negative, but when you go to research a culture, you are bound to find faults.

The imagery that I have has all shown incredible intricacy and beauty, and the patterns involved really add a great touch. I like looking at the patterns used in Henna designs, and anything spiritual will always give inspiration. One type of image that I discovered that I had not known before is called Rangoli. Rangoli is one of the most popular artforms in India, made of colored sand/rice powder and often found outside homes or religious places. It is sort of a blessing, and patterns are often passed down through families. This particular Rangoli design really stopped me. It is for a festival called Diwali, and is much more extravagant than the everyday Rangoli.


**Photo from buckofive Flickr photostream

Anyway, for those of you seeking new inspiration, I'm telling you, this is the answer. The color usage, patterns, and style of illustrations from India and other Eastern countries are sure to inspire you. Google Rangoli, Henna designs, and Hindu gods/goddesses, and just see where it takes you. Best of luck!

Lovin' The Walker

So I don't know how much I've told you about the arts here in the Twin Cities. For instance, did you know that famous sculpture of the big spoon and cherry is here? Yeah. I had forgotten, too. And the museum where it's located, the Walker Art Center, is pretty freaking amazing.


One of my favorite things about the Walker is that there is a huge outdoor sculpture garden (where the spoon is), which is always open, and always free. There are all kinds of sculptures there, abstract, surreal, realistic, and some that maybe don't really make sense. But that's art. One is really pretty amazing. It's an arrangement of bushes and mirrors that created a very weird effect to where you aren't quite sure where you actually are in the space. The one shown below drew me to it because of the amazing detail in the fabric and position of the jacket, and the interesting composition of the three pieces. There is also a lovely little garden. A perfect place for a nice little picnic, or just to take a walk and get inspired.


For more photographs of the Walker Sculpture Garden, visit my Flickr photostream.

Something that is really inspiring to me is what was shown in the latest exhibition at the Walker, Design for the Other 90%. It was an exhibition with projects showing what engineers/designers have been doing to help those in need. Every single piece cut back on energy, cost, or back-breaking effort on the part of the people using it. And a lot of them seem like such simple solutions that had just been overlooked.

For instance, one invention was this doughnut-shaped barrel that holds water. A worker can tie a rope through the hole in the container, and easily wheel it to the rest of the workers who need water. This is so much easier than alternative forms of transporting water, and so simple!

There were also a few brilliant housing solutions for those in need. One required no tools to assemble, and is made out of weather-resistant materials. It would be easy to ship, easy to assemble, and quite comfortable for a relatively small family. There was also some solar energy kitchen equipment. One of them was basically a huge satellite dish with mirrors all around, and a place for a pot to sit in the middle.


The invention that I was most touched by (shown above) was a straw-like thing that made it safe for people without clean water to sip on any surface water without contracting diseases. Sort of a pocket Brita filter, if you will. Something extremely necessary in some areas of the world.

It is so inspiring to see what is being done for the less fortunate, and it really makes you want to be a part of it all. If this exhibition comes to a museum near you, I highly recommend visiting it. Or you could always come visit and get the full effect of the Walker, the spoon, and the rest of the exhibitions here.

(P.S. To friends and family in H-town, my thoughts are with you this weekend. I hope you remain safe and unharmed by Mr. Ike.)

REPUBLICAN INVASION!

So for those of you who didn't watch the news, the Republican National Convention was last week. And it was held (guess where) right down the street from me! Scary? Yes. Eventful? Mmmm yes and no.

So my first strategy was to hibernate. Who wants to get stuck in that kind of traffic? But when McCain nominated Palin as his VP, I realized I had to be a part of this. No matter who wins, this election is making history, and I would hate to tell my grandchildren that I was there, but hid in my apartment. It was also enticing to learn about the celebs in town - Susan Sarandon, Maggie Gyllenhal, Jon Stewart, and more! So I went outside.

To my disappointment, I ran into none of the above. If only I had better stalker skills! I did run into policemen, more policemen than I have seen in my entire life! There was one on every corner in downtown Saint Paul and Minneapolis, there was one waiting under every single bridge on 94 (and other roads, I'm sure), there were groups of them waiting in random areas, armed with bullet-proof suits and plastic handcuffs. I have never seen such anticipation in my life! And not once did I see any of them have a reason to be armed. It was kind of ridiculous.


I did see some interesting forms of protests - groups of bikers, concerts, signs. One blanket-sign in my neighborhood said, "More trees, less bush." And I saw one group of bikers who had paper-mached their bikes to be an elephant and a donkey, and on the elephant was written, "Forever in your debt." Probably the most extreme thing that I saw was a guy walking over the freeway dressed in a grim reaper costume, holding a black and white American flag. And there was a video outside of the Cathedral pointing out each Republican's flaws. People were rather creative!

Supposedly, close to 800* people were arrested this week. Some of them were even tear-gassed. I'm not sure there was always just cause. As I said before, there was a bit too much anticipation by the cops. For instance, I was walking in downtown Minneapolis on night, and ran into fleets of cops, cop cars and vans (and some News teams), waiting for a Rage Against the Machine concert to end. I waited there for 45 minutes while people streamed out, and I have to say I never saw a reason for the cops to be there (other than to direct traffic). In another instance, somebody had left a backpack on a bridge. They had barricaded the bridge with 40+ cops, and a few trucks and Hummers. People were standing all around the area, waiting for something to happen, but as in the earlier scenario, it was very anti-climactic.


(Only a small part of the pandemonium shown here. Imagine this times 5 on each side of the bridge. Quite an event.)

So my RNC experience probably isn't anything to write home about. Of course being here was pretty exciting, but I'm sure reading about it is a drag, as nothing ever did happen. The bars were all reserved for private parties, so it was hard to get in on most of the action. I did get interviewed by a German TV station! But besides all of the above, I saw what you all did on TV, and still haven't made my mind up about Palin. What do you guys think?

(P.S. Sorry for the lack of photos. I didn't exactly take my camera with me on my adventures. Smart, eh?)