I Just Can't Decide

The National Design Awards are going to be held Thursday night in New York City and you can vote for the People's Design Award here. I love love love design. I am amazed by the creativity and ingenuity of so many people, and looking at these nominations makes that amazement even larger.
Tomorrow morning I'm going to introduce my Graphic Design students to the nominees and have them vote. As for now, I think my vote is for the LifeStraw. But there's so many things here that I might change my mind 100 more times before placing my vote along with my students tomorrow.

Let It Rain (Let It Pour)

In the midst of today's nor'easter I decided to trek to the Met to meet an equally-crazy friend. I arrived a little damp, but decided it was well worth the trip to revisit my favorite painting and see the exhibits "Barcelona and Modernity" and "Venice and the Islamic World." Two hours later I headed back into the deluge. I got back home completely drenched: my winter coat did not withstand the downpour, my jeans were soaked from my knees to my ankles, and each shoe could be categorized as a swamp.

Now I'm back where you're supposed to be on a rainy day--inside on the couch with my book, my mindless magazine, my computer, and the tv. I even ordered in food, forcing some poor man to deliver it on a bicycle. (I tipped him well, though.) And this Ok go song is stuck in my head. All this rain can't stop Sunday from being my favorite day.

Jumble in My Mind

It's my lunch break and I'm researching articles to include in my students' Spring Break Homework Packet. I just came across this article about a glass walkway jutting out of the west rim of the Grand Canyon.

My first thought upon seeing that small bit of glass and steel hanging over that endless canyon was pure awe. My second thought was that this cost $30 million, and while I find it incredibly important to support art, I'm also in the midst of dealing with situations of my students who are homeless and/or hungry. Thirty million dollars seems more than a little excessive in the face of such need. My third thought was a simultaneous feeling of Omigod, why have they altered such natural beauty and Maybe it will create jobs for Hualapai Indian tribe. Now, I'm stuck on the $30 million again.

In the end, I guess my main question is about balance. I do believe that art and sports and music are all extremely important and a necessary part of our society. And I know that the people who funded this Grand Canyon project would not take that $30 million to improve the living conditions of my students. But as a society, our priorities tend to be mixed up. And it trickles down to my students in some pretty strange ways; such as my student last year who lived in some of the worst projects in Far Rockaway, but had two little dogs named Gucci and Prada.

I'm thinking in circles now, and won't submit any of you reading to it. But I'm curious to hear any thoughts.

No Dada, No MoMA

I woke up early this morning, went for a swim, then cleaned up around the house anxiously awaiting the time I had set to leave the house and head to the Museum of Modern Art. I haven't been in well over a year, and with their huge advertising campaign about their new Dada exhibit, I was excited to visit again.

It wasn't until I arrived that I remembered that the MoMA is one of the few New York museums that is open on Monday, instead it closes on TUESDAYs! Remembered isn't really the right word. I was told while standing in front of the museum, my pass to see the exhibit placed in a special pocket of my purse for easy reach. So I lazed around Central Park, window shopped on 5th Avenue, and then headed back home.

I was a bit dejected, but things have started to look up a bit. First, I had a strange celebrity siting. I didn't recognize him until he talked, but then I knew instantly it was Gordon Clune from PBS's reality show Frontier House. I called my roommate, the only one would truly appreciate the siting and left her voicemail, then sent her a text message telling her to check her voicemail because she never does and I knew my excitement over spotting Gordon Clune would be shortlived. I wanted her to hear it in it's original form. Then, craving a bit of chocolate, I stopped into CVS to find that Kit Kat's were on sale, buy one get one for one cent. And I'm about to make the walk back home, which I also love.

If only the MoMA knew how easy I am to please, maybe they would've opened the doors for me on a Tuesday...or I'll just have to try again tomorrow.

Divorce, David Smith, and Dog-sitting

I've learned a few lessons over the past few days that I feel the need to share.

• Divorce: Friday night I went to a Divorce Party. Really, it was more like a shower. One of the men I work with is getting divorced and has moved into an apartment. He owns almost nothing right now, so we all got together and got him those much-needed items such as towels, cleaning supplies, and glassware. What I learned: In the midst of a sad event such as a divorce, it is surprisingly easy to bring people together and spread a little love.
• David Smith: Yesterday I went to the Guggenheim with my friend Paddy. I was excited to go because I loved it the last time I went, Paddy had never been, and Paddy is one of my favorite friends to go to museums with. The exhibit was for an artist named David Smith. I think this was the fastest either Paddy or myself had ever gone through a museum before. What I learned: I don't much care for abstract sculpture, and the bakery a few blocks away serves excellent cheesecake.
• Dog-sitting: Since Thursday night I have been crashing at my friends' house and taking care of their dog, Rudy. I have always loved dogs, so I was excited to pretend I had one for a few days. Being with Rudy has given me a new sense of my neighborhood. For example, I talked to many more people than I usually would on a ten-minute walk because they wanted to pet the dog or their dog knew Rudy. I also never realized how much trash there was laying around until Rudy tried to pick up every tissue, soda can, spit-out piece of gum, or unidentifiable disgusting object he came across. What I learned: I still love dogs but I don't want to own a dog in New York, which is perhaps the most valuable lesson of the past few days.