Today's the last day of 2008. I know it's clichè to say so, but I can't believe how fast the year went. At the same time, I know that I am a completely different person today than I was one year ago.
This year my entire life changed. I lost a boyfriend, and in doing so found that I had more love around me than I knew. I went across the ocean and gained perspective and energy, and renewed friendships with some and lost friendship with others. I learned Krav Maga. I moved, and made my new home a place I love to be. I got a new cell phone. I started volunteering. I went to a tropical place for the first time. I bought a new computer. I helped get a human being I deeply admire elected president. I sold my first (five) paintings. I reached my highest recapping goal. I edited my first full video of my own.
I began the year on a thread and am ending it as an unstoppable force. I guessI was right - 2008 was destined to be my year - for hurting, for regenerating, for thriving.
Here's to a new year and more growth and more creation and more happiness and more wealth inside our hearts. love, *jenna*
I love the last few days before Christmas vacation. Everyone at work is more relaxed and loving toward each other. The anticipation of break and holiday puts everyone in a happier state of mind, and very little work gets done.
Today is Friday, the day of our office Christmas party (where we get to dress up!) and my last day before I leave for AZ. All I've been doing all day is thinking about my outfit for tonight, handing out Christmas cards to everyone at PS260, and listening to a Sufjan Stevens Christmas album.
In honor of our holiday festivities, Mother Nature bestowed upon us the most wintry of landscapes. Our usually crystal-clear view of the Empire State Building was shrouded in blizzarding snow.
Rooftops = snow-covered. It surely delights this Arizona heart.
Our office is filled with many a wintry sight, like our fireplace (with bubbling homemade scent diffuser made from cinnamon, nutmeg, and oranges).
And of course, our gorgeous-smelling tree, replete with Secret Santa gifts.
A creative bunch, we all find unique ways to label packages without giving away penmanship.
(I think this says "girlie girl techy Katie")
This clever one is for Teel, who goes by his middle name Rex, so sometimes we call him T-Rex.
And tomorrow I'm off to AZ for a week! May or may not blog about tonight's crazy party at some point. For now I'll leave you with the sight of a lovely gift Sarra gave me, sitting atop my desk and looking out to the snow globe known as New York City.
Can't you just smell it? My second favorite sight is the moment you realize it's snowing for the first time all winter. The rest of winter is annoying, but that first moment holds such a quiet beauty.
My coworkers and I experienced this moment together on Tuesday, when we were gathered around the kitchen table for lunch and looked outside to see the biggest, fattest snowflakes I've ever seen falling down around the city. I mean, they were HUGE. Then a very rare thing for winter happened: we all decided to run up to the roof and try to catch the flakes on our tongue (which I've never done).
And twirl, of course.
It was beautiful moment to enjoy for its simplicity.
And I was so excited that I actually frolicked. Coworker Rex snagged one of the dorkiest photos of me ever taken.
Whee! The rest of the day all I had in my head was, "Snow... snow... snow!" from "White Christmas."
This weekend Momo and I went a-Christmas shoppin' in Williamsburg. On the way to the L-train, we cut through Madison Square Park and I fawned over the lovely Christmas tree.
Also, an artist had installed several "tree houses" in the park, which I rather enjoy.
Ahhh... as they say, "It's Christmastime in the city."
Well, I didn't get any Christmas shopping accomplished. However, I did get a fabulous new hat. (what? I need it. It's like 20 degrees out.) Momo said I looked like Amelia Earheart, so here I am guiding an imaginary plane into the Bermuda Triangle.
The next day, Shannon and I met up at the MoMA, itchin' for an art fix. There was a Van Gogh exhibit up, but it was by timed entry only and the next available viewing wasn't for three more hours. So we decided to just kick it and enjoy everything else. There was this beautiful set of drapes hung, enclosing the main atrium in darkness.
Which was necessary, because the atrium was the venue for a video art project by Pipilotti Rist called Pour Your Body Out.
Everyone was captivated by the swirling/slomo images and ambient music.
I was captivated by our shadows.
It was trippy!!!
But gorgeous.
We wandered around the museum for several hours and loved approximately half of all modern art items exhibited.
LOVE:
Don't love:
Shews!
In the permanent collection, we saw a Rauschenberg, which always makes me feel inspired. Robert R. is one of my favorite artists of all time.
BIG collage.
Jasper Johns made an appearance. What's that you say, Mr. Johns?
Miss New York? Why of course! That's me! You can also call me Miss Scarlett.
Shannon snapped a photo of me as art.
I must say, however, that there is a very pronounced section of the MoMA that makes me detest modern art. In this photo, I do like the green sculpture in the back, but just to the right of my head is a giant canvas with white paint. That's it. That's it! I don't call that art; I call that lazy.
One piece I always enjoy seeing, however, is Marcel Duchamp's To Be Looked at (from the Other Side of the Glass) with One Eye, Close to, for Almost an Hour.
Shannon and I tried our best.
We made it about three seconds. I wonder if I would find the meaning of life upon staring during the 58th minute.
I looooove this painting.
It's not often you get to see an exhibit being set up.
After we'd been through the whole museum, we went downstairs and were going to leave but decided to take a sit at the atrium. Everybody else was relaxing down there, some people even sleeping.
It was beautiful.
This is from my viewpoint laying down against a wall and looking up.
Before we knew it, it was 4:30 and we were able to see the Van Gogh exhibit. I snagged exactly two photos (not allowed).
Sure, this is blurry, but it's Starry Night! The exhibit was short, but overall good. I love Van Gogh's thick brush strokes and use of color, particularly in night scenes. He shows the night alive.
I was so inspired I went home and painted for about four hours.
Yes, it's the holiday season, and the whole city is lit up.
But really, what else could you expect from the city with a heart of neon?
A lovely day, a lovely weekend. Thanks to Shannon for supplementing my photos. Happy December y'all!
And all of a sudden one Saturday you look like this.
Boy I love your doorsteps.
Oh my golly. Have you ever seen anything so lovely?
All that was a couple of weeks ago. By today you've changed again, you're cold and barren and gettin' all Christmas-y... beginning with the winterberries outside my window.
