wishlist

Leah posted this in her tumblr the other day, and I am in love with it.

Gala

So we have this thing here, a fancy dress up Gala, where we all show up and act like we know how to dress well, talk to strangers and drink wine. We also make money. It is a fundraiser. We have a silent auction, a live auction, an fancy woman artist from the area to honor, and in the near future we will have a follow up online auction.

So this Gala was last night. It was pretty amazing. This past week has been a whirlwind of getting readies: printing, folding, stapling, programs, organizing art, wine, vacation, and dinner donations for the auctions, trying to figure out what someone like me wears to something like that, and then sewing like a fiend to try and make it happen. It was all a hullabaloo and a lot of fun. I love the crazy amount of energy and focus it takes to pull something like this off, this weekend was so much fun. Yes, I consider being locked in a dark room with an artist during a party trying to color correct a digital projector a fun time. The only time I was at all unhappy was when I went to the bar to maybe get a drink and the waitstaff took my soup away. I got really upset, in fact I almost cried, it was good soup. I got over it though and went on to enjoy the evening running around like a mad woman recording people's bidder #'s during the live auction, helping wrap up the artwork at the end of the evening, helping drink the untouched "champagne" that one staff member was smart enough to collect before the waitstaff got it at the end of the evening.

Now I am just plain pooped, exhausted, tuckered out. Let the recuperation begin.

Here we are

I've been very cerebral this last week or so. I've gone from being terribly homesick and ready to move back to Philly (before I miss another moment) to feeling like I've finally hit a groove.

I am finally making work here.

In a way this is not a huge deal. I told myself that I was going to enjoy my summer in the mountains, not stress about squeezing in studio time and setting goals for myself and just let it all happen. Most of the time I did just that, the other most of the time I felt like I was losing my mind. I mean what was wrong with me, I had the access and the environment, where the hell was inspiration, my motivation, my brain for that matter, why wasn't I making anything yet?

But now fall is here, and my brain has returned after about 2 years and hopefully it decides to stick around. I like feeling like I can focus again, really digest things and respond to them in a coherent way. I am looking forward to huddling away for the next few months and really making something happen. I am ready, so ready to really get this started.

News Flash

I'm a big baby. About everything.

In case you were wondering.

Canoeing

So I don't have as many pictures from the canoe trip as I remember stopping to take, but here is what I have. I await Kevin scanning the negatives from his camera and sending them to me (hint hint) so that I can provide you with more beautiful sunny river pictures.

So this is us with the canoe loaded down by the "furnace". In other words down a dirt road in the middle of the Pine Barrens, near some ruins, fingers crossed that this is the right spot.

We stupidly packed the canoe before carrying it to the water. Apparently you are not supposed to do this. It also makes carrying a canoe through the trees and brush really difficult. We had to unpack it. And re-pack it at the water.

Here is a visual of where we put in

The "river" here was really narrow, about the size of a creek. This added to the fear that we weren't at the right place, but we were here for adventure so why not, right?

This is where we stopped for lunch. Kevin thought he may recognize this place, but wasn't sure. It was pretty amazing. We ate and adventured for a few minutes, but we needed to find camp before dark and we, meaning me, still weren't sure we were on the right river.

More pictures of lunch times.

Ahh, finally camp! We found this maybe an hour or two before anticipated too. Which was perfect timing to have enough light to set up camp and gather firewood.

A little achey, a little relieved, but finally ashore. I'm leaving you here for tonight, there will be more soon, and then I will get back to posting about what's going on in NY for a change, since that's what this blag is supposed to be about anyway.

Teaser

My camera bag has returned! and with it the means to get my pictures to you. Well the technological means anyway. Currently I am sleepy, so here is a taste.

From wizzwah photos

Aren't you excited?

That's right NEW JERSEY

I just wanted to highlight this post, by my friend Phu all about how New Jersey is pretty rad. That's right, I said New Jersey.

* this entire post is a link. Click away!