Today I was feeling the need for some external inspiration; even though I have some friendly coworkers around to chat with, just being here at my desk at the office just wasn’t cutting it. I have with me today part of one of my illustration / digital collages on an SD card to work on, which is OK as long as there isn’t work for the magazine that I need to do, but I just didn’t feel like getting that going. I was feeling as if my brain was tuned to a TV channel with “snow” or static. Or maybe a “blue” channel. (since digital cable, there are no “snowy” stations)
I didn’t want to go shopping during my lunch time outside but I remembered that the main NYC Library has a photography exhibit up, so off I went. The photographs and photographers were chosen based on the idea that many areas of the city are currently in danger of being developed with Eminent Domain rather than by including the community in the development and re-vitilization process. I wasn’t able to stay long since my lunch “hour” is usually only a half hour, but I looked at one photographer’s portion. Most of the photos in this section were of signage and very old store fronts that are still in operation. One of my favorites was a tiny, pink shack with a walk-up window and a hand painted sign on the side that said “ARTIST.” It was not occupied at the time the photo was taken, and it had a padlock on a door that was on the side. The funny part was that it was built out of scrap wood; lots of uneven pieces so it looked like it was just barely standing. I enjoyed the exhibit because it made me feel like I was back in time and in a very different neighborhood instead of mid-town Manhattan.
Link to a New York Times article about the exhibit: http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/05/21/library-looks-at-photography-and-the-city/
I also really enjoyed the library itself. I wasn’t in the stacks at all, mostly in the main lobby where they have their art galleries and exhibits. But still! Just the memories from spending so much of my childhood summers visiting the library—I swear I could smell that nice, comforting book smell. After I left the library, I stopped at the craft’wich ice cream stand and tried their pineapple & mint sorbet as a treat because I felt like I needed one today. It was very fresh-tasting and pineapplely! So it was a nice lunch time. It wasn’t life changing but it was, at least, thought changing and gave me something to blog about.
Here’s some old news, to me anyway, but since my theme is inspiration and I haven’t blogged for a while, I’ll include it. Once again I attended another Eddie Izzard Show: “Stripped” at Radio City Music Hall, 6/27/08. This time Liz was able to come with since she was in town. Luce & Justin also had tickets but they were in the orchestra section and our tickets were for the second mezzanine. (It was too bad Janet or Ambrose could be there this time.) I really can’t say enough good things about him or the show. As I’ve posted before, he’s inventive with the subject matter and also challenges the audience’s intelligence rather than using put-down humor, but is still playful and silly while also communicating his concern or ideas about the state of the world today, all with a sense of humor. Again, I laughed so much my face started feeling numb! Youtube him! Maybe I’ll post some of my favorite Eddie Youtube clips in another post.
In his words, he was in “boy-mode” (as far as the audience could see!) but I think he looks great either way. Another inspiring thing is that he is one of those types that just goes out there and does what he wants to do and makes me want to do the same. Not exactly the same, but I just appreciate the attitude since I’ve never endorsed doing or being a certain way just to fit in. “If you have an idea, just try it,” is what this attitude makes me think!
