I finally got some studio time today, and knitted paper. I'm really bored by the things that I've been producing lately but it is easier right now to just chug along instead of try to figure out what is next, just b/c the rest of my life is so all over the place.
I ended up doing nothing yesterday in the studio b/c JL, another Fulbrighter researching traditional masked dance, and I ended up spending EIGHT hours together. Lunch, tea, and dinner. Obviously we had lots of catching up to do - we've both been screwed by Fulbright housing situations in different ways, and were comparing notes on our language programs (she is in the one I did) and our research. It was good to feel like I wasn't the only one struggling, or that I wasn't just crazy for thinking certain things. Hanging out w/other researchers takes a lot of effort - we still don't really know each other, have totally different schedules, etc. But it's nice to know I'm not alone. Often I feel like the defunct researcher amongst super motivated and successful ones.
I had to push through this to get some paper today - I realized it was safest to cover my working surface since I started with some waterproof ink and it just gets everywhere. I still don't know where to go exactly for specific art supplies and forget that I can't just get off the 6 at Canal and hit Pearl Paint. I had a fun dinner tonight w/Hyesun and we are planning our first group dinner of random friends. It's nice to feel like we have enough friends to even do this in the first place (they're mostly hers!). But it's already almost Monday, which means back to the grind. I have a new plan - if people don't answer the phone, I'm just going to show up at their doorstep, even if it means traveling 4 hours to get there. I have nothing to lose.
I finally got some studio time today, and knitted paper. I'm really bored by the things that I've been producing lately but it is easier right now to just chug along instead of try to figure out what is next, just b/c the rest of my life is so all over the place.
I ended up doing nothing yesterday in the studio b/c JL, another Fulbrighter researching traditional masked dance, and I ended up spending EIGHT hours together. Lunch, tea, and dinner. Obviously we had lots of catching up to do - we've both been screwed by Fulbright housing situations in different ways, and were comparing notes on our language programs (she is in the one I did) and our research. It was good to feel like I wasn't the only one struggling, or that I wasn't just crazy for thinking certain things. Hanging out w/other researchers takes a lot of effort - we still don't really know each other, have totally different schedules, etc. But it's nice to know I'm not alone. Often I feel like the defunct researcher amongst super motivated and successful ones.
I had to push through this to get some paper today - I realized it was safest to cover my working surface since I started with some waterproof ink and it just gets everywhere. I still don't know where to go exactly for specific art supplies and forget that I can't just get off the 6 at Canal and hit Pearl Paint. I had a fun dinner tonight w/Hyesun and we are planning our first group dinner of random friends. It's nice to feel like we have enough friends to even do this in the first place (they're mostly hers!). But it's already almost Monday, which means back to the grind. I have a new plan - if people don't answer the phone, I'm just going to show up at their doorstep, even if it means traveling 4 hours to get there. I have nothing to lose.
1 comment:
So glad you had some time to hang out with your fellow Fullbrighter and get some support on what you've been going through! I think that's really important and valuable time.
I opened up your blog today thinking wouldn't it be nice if I found out Aimee has become a total slacker?! Well, it hasn't happened but I'm glad you're not beating yourself up for not being in constant overdrive.
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