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Musings on a Thursday Night | October 22, 2009

Hours before my flight was set to leave Los Angeles I sat in my bed trying to think deep thoughts. I desperately wanted to make some sort of peace with the moment, to have a grand epiphany before I arrived at my new life. It seems that excitement and sadness often seem to arrive together, each trying to outshine the other.

As I flew over snow covered mountains hours later I began to push the sadness aside and tried to dive into the anticipation, as I often do. This lasted a few weeks into my stay here in Alaska until one day homesickness hit me hard. I glanced around and the absence of people,lights and, oddly enough, tall buildings, affected me more than the presence of so much foliage and the light smattering of snow. It made me think of how what isn't there can often have more of an impact that what actually is. It's the old problem of noticing what you lack but not realizing what is right in front of you.

Later, though, as I settled into Alaskan life, I realized that I never get the urge to run up here. In Los Angeles, because of all those people and all those buildings, sometimes I would look out and feel the strongest urge to run far away from everyone and everything. To just talk to the world that housed me, uninterrupted by others. Up here you're so close to the edge of nothing that you actually believe that if you start to run, you may never find your way back. It's strange, but this knowledge is comforting in a way. It's sort of like discovering the boundaries of this world and deeply respecting them.

Alex' Photos:
» Self-portrait [Above]

» Chena River that runs through Fort Wainwrigt.[Photo right]

The Deadlines Are Coming! The Deadlines Are Coming! | October 15, 2009

All is well in Alaska :) Predictably it is cold, but not unbearable (yet). I have just finished -- quite nearly finished --my college essay :). I'm lucky that my AP English teacher (who likes to call us the family of APES) made our college essay an assignment so that we would get it out of the way early on.

I heard some very exciting news from Lynn that the deli (not to be confused with it's pre-opening name "THE DELI") has opened!! I feel that some pictures are needed to commemorate this long awaited event...also some blogs on the menu, employees, etc. Also I have managed to find someone who actually lived in Venice a few years ago. We had a lively discussion about our hometown :).

But back to colleges! I have all my tests taken and now only the details remain, which I'm very excited about. Should I (hopefully/fingers crossed!) get in anywhere, expect a crazed entry full of exclamation points and typos rather than my usual intellectually stimulating, thought provoking entries (In case you missed it, yes, that was sarcasm with a hint of wit.) Hello to everyone! And especially Liz who reminded me that I was slacking on my blogging duties :).

Photos: [by Alex'mentor, Joanne Kim]

» Alex reads the info board at UC Santa Cruz, which she visited on her Grand College Tour with Joanne [Photo top]

» Alex handstands at UC Berkely [Photo left]

» Church, Stanford University [Photo right]

Scary Moons | October 10, 2009

First off, let me say that I miss L.A.!!! Something that I definitely took for granted there was the diversity and creativity (especially in Venice). I have yet to spot a gallery or hear anyone talk passionately about art. I am making up for this by running a fake gallery for my Accounting class since we had to make up fake businesses to learn how to manage expenses. I have to thank everyone at Venice Arts and the G2 Gallery (Alex' Media District internship), because, thanks to you guys, my teacher thinks I'm some business genius because I know what my expenses are and my target demographic :). FYI the gallery is called Mixed Up Media Gallery :).

The title of this blog is Scary Moons because since I've been coming home from work late I've gotten to actually see the stars *gasp* and the moon. These moons are the kind that they show in movies when the clouds go over it and some unsuspecting person turns into a werewolf. I'm by far the most bundled up person here but yet I have adjusted somewhat. At 40 degrees we are all happy because its "hot" outside. It has snowed for one day so far but it went away right after. School is going good except for one noticeable lapse of judgment on the administration's part. They seem to feel that it is a good idea to conduct a fire drill that requires us to stand outside in 20 degree weather. I am told by my peers that -40 degree weather is also acceptable weather for us to do the drill.

That's all I have to report for now...I'll be perusing BMS (Beyond MySpace, Venice Arts' online art and education community) to combat my art withdrawal :)

Cheese–Less | September 19, 2009

Alaska | September 05, 2009

So, I think it's safe to say that I've settled into Alaska now. I'm enrolled at the local (tiny) high school, I've caught my first horrible Alaskan flu, and I've witnessed the sun being out till 8PM. The most noticable difference so far has been school and the rules. There's a "what to do if the bus tips over" drill. Very educational.

I haven't posted any pictures yet (with the exception of my dearest friend smokey the bear) because, for starters, things don't look so different yet since snow is MIA and, for seconders, I haven't really had a chance to explore the wilderness yet. But when I get a chance there will be pictures galore!

Alex' Photo:

» Only you... [right]

I Told A Lie | August 13, 2009

So, I do have time to write my OFFICIAL last blog. Today is my last day of work, but I'll be back tomorrow to finish up the AKA movie that we have been working on for awhile now. If we do manage to finish that then I'll be back yet again on Monday to see it. I've had a pretty good last day, I already had ice cream and I'm only halfway through.

OH! Also, as you may have noticed, I'm obsessed with the going-ons next door a.k.a THE DELI and I'm happy to report that they are very nearly, almost done. That is what is seems like...I may be wrong though.

NOTE TO JOCELYN: I forgot to mention that as part of your intern duties you have to keep V.A. updated on THE DELI's progress via blogging. Feel free to include helpful pictures and/or diagrams. And don't forget to capitalize THE DELI.

Ok, I did my mushy post last week so this is going to have to suffice. Adieu, farewell, and bye.

It was awesome working with you (all of you)!

Alex' Collage:

» Untitled (above)

Hope Springs Eternal, August 05, 2009

So. This is the week before my last. In other words, next week is my last week of working at Venice Arts. I figure I probably won't have time to write my last blog as a Youth Art Intern (but fear not, I'll still post the occasional blog about my life as an Eskimo). Today I was "training" my replacement which reminds me of when I first became a Youth Art Intern. It was the beginning of Ninth Grade. I'm now about to go start my last year of high school. I couldn't do a handstand. Now I can (albeit with the help of a wall or other supportive wall like substance, like a tree). I feel very lucky because the best thing about Venice Arts is that for about 99% of the time it doesn't even feel like work...I managed to go through a bunch of crazy events in my personal life and yet still work here because everyone has always been super supportive and helpful and I never felt like it was too much.

The beauty of Venice Arts is that one minute we can be super intense figuring out how to have an exhibit up in time and the next we are building fake beards out of yarn.