| New School shows solidarity with UC Occupations |
[Nov. 20th, 2009|05:50 pm] |
You know… I love the New School when it mobilizes. There is honestly nothing quite as thrilling as a protest. In defense and solidarity of the students occupying UCLA and UC Santa Cruz right now, a large group of New School and NYU students decided to rally What started out as a dance party in Union Square became a riot, in several different senses of the word. The banners were unfurled, the hoods were up, and students set a steady, determined pace down the middle of 14th street. We blocked a tour bus yelling, “Welcome to New York!” We also blocked all of 5th Avenue, then met with 2 W 13th Street, AKA Parsons School of Design (Red-Headed Stepchild of the New School). We marched through the turnstiles yelling “OC-CU-PY! EVE-RY-THING!” Conveniently, there was a bougie art gallery for us to crash— taking their food, we started yelling “OC-CU-PY! WINE-AND-CHEESE!”Upon returning to the streets, students began turning over trash cans and kicking them around until we turned the corner on 8th Street— two students were tackled by cops on MacDougal street… Tell me why somebody thought it was okay to give Officer Tubby a nightstick to beat students with?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KPA3N7josQ
We followed them to the 6th precinct in the hoity-toity West Village, where we taunted the wall of police blocking the doors. Some chanted “From New York, to Greece, FUCK THE POLICE!” Meanwhile, many of us grabbed glow sticks and danced to some Le Tigre, and even had a good chorus of “Total Eclipse of the Heart” going. I offered to play some of The Boss for the pigs, but instead they turned the boom box off— for the convenience of people who have $10 million to spend on peace and quiet in downtown Manhattan. Eventually, after a couple of hours, our friends were set free, and all was well. Sort of. I hope they make it out of the court drama unscathed.
Nevertheless, we all believe in practicing our rights to dissent, as well as the right to a fair[ly-priced] education… ehhh, don’t get me started on the latter. But we’re with you, UC students!
(In the meantime, check out http://reoccupied.wordpress.com/) |
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| Concerts! |
[Oct. 11th, 2009|04:40 pm] |
| [ | Tags | | | music | ] |
| [ | Feelin' |
| |  blank | ] |
Mike Kinsella: what a sweetheart.
He played at the Mercury Louge on Friday night— as Owen, his solo project— and it was heartwarming. Opening for him was a fun, adorable trio with clean indie jams called One AM Radio. Mike cracked some jokes, sang about his wife, and successfully evaded all the jerks who kept requesting really sad songs from American Football and his first EP. Of course, while it was some of his best work, any fan of his MUST know he worked really hard to get over the drama of being seventeen and heartbroken. Sure, I would have loved to hear “Gazebo,” but I knew better than to provoke his past; so when those assholes kept asking him to play “Never Meant” I had to shout, “PLAY WHATEVER YOU WANT!” I know what it’s like, I’ve been there before. Mike, I’m totally there with you.
Anyway, I saw Hope Sandoval & The Warm Inventions the next evening with Patrick, who gave me an extra ticket. It was good-- no, impeccable even-- but man is she a fun nazi. No pictures or recordings were allowed, and her long dark hair made curtains over her face. A psychedelic slideshow was projected onto the stage, and added a trippy effect to what was already some trippy music. She played "Suzanne" and I almost cried, I was so happy. Too bad the dickwads at the show kept talking, and she stopped in the middle. I even elbowed a woman who wouldn't stop talking to her boyfriend in front of me throughout the WHOLE damn show. The couple eventually left, and Hope Sandoval emerged back on stage. "I LOVE YOU!" Somebody yelled from the audience. "If you love me so much then get these people to stop talking," she mumbled. The show went on. And it was a great show.
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| Vermont |
[Oct. 1st, 2009|04:19 pm] |
Last weekend was the debate tournament at the University of Vermont, in Burlington.
Rhiannon was my debate partner this time; for our first go at Junior Varsity, I admit that we were both pretty apprehensive about it, especially Rhi. By the end of the tournament, we went 2-4. We lost on stupid topicality arguments, and I even dropped the perm in a round against NYU... Idiot. It wasn't that great, but at least I got some practice.
Rhiannon and I were both considering how much of a commitment we've been making to debate, and how we seem to have neglected our original activist goals. How much change can one really make when preaching to the elitist (albeit colorful) policy debate community? I should be out in the field talking about feminism and socioeconomic inequality, you know?
I seem to have lost my focus this past year, and I want it back.
Anyway, Vermont was still fun. After everybody epic failed their rounds-- except for Josh and Hong-Mei, of course-- we all went out on the town, and explored the waterfront of Lake Champlain, which borders Quebec. I went to the got a postcard for David, unsure as to what to write. By the ride home, we had all grown sick of each other-- Tamar kept threatening to quit debate, Jim was already scouting for a new partner. Haha. Needless to say, I got some good sleep that night. I've decided that I'm taking the next couple weekends off from Debateland to rethink my priorities... And maybe grab some coffee with potential collaborators for the next youth revolution.
*** PS: the greatest product of this trip was the debate team's new twitter. Check it! twitter.com/newschooldebate
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| ! |
[Aug. 31st, 2009|09:56 pm] |
| [ | Tags | | | college | ] |
| [ | Feelin' |
| |  content | ] |
| [ | Listening to |
| | The Brian Jonestown Massacre - Infinite Wisdom Tooth / My Last Night in Bed With You | Powered by La | ] |
This is my last post as a teenager. Does that mean I should get rid of my livejournal that has accompanied me ever since my first days of high school?
This decision is pending |
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| FUCK |
[Aug. 27th, 2009|04:26 am] |
Freshmen have started SIX fires in three days alone. We had THREE yesterday. THREE. In ONE DAY. And today? Two fires, within four hours of eachother.
Stuy Park might've been a bad, bad idea. I'm a celebrity, get me out of here! |
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| Why SHE doesn't give a FUCK about your INSURRECTION |
[Jul. 19th, 2009|02:03 am] |
“Don`t allow someone to be your priority while allowing yourself to be their option.”
Exactly.
Jon is back in the states. He messaged me last night to tell him about his escapades in Euroland-- and the promptly had to sign off and prepare to teach at debate camp in Washington. This was rather inconvenient on my end, but what the hell I might as well wait a while before I break it to him. I've said it before, but I'll say it again. I can be a good friend, but I'm nobody's trendy accessory.
As the for the final rock camp showcase, I had a BLAST. Check it, one of the wildest grrrl bands this week, The Oxymorons:
The after party was kickin', too, in the camp director's backyard in Park Slope. I got suckered into reading Tarot cards by Sonny, and suddenly a solid line formed for my readings; they even suggested a tip jar, and I made about $7. Nice! All the staff wanted to hit up the Cake Shop so we could see my friend Anna's band (Fatal Erection) play... But it was 21 and up. What a bummer. Nearly everything these women have invited me to require me to get a fake ID. I'm considering this. And I'm also considering whether they think I'm a lesbian or not. Maybe even considering all the reasons I'm NOT.
Speaking of loving women, I've been reading The Coming Insurrection on the trains for a while now. It's a French Anarchist's guide to a new revolution against capitalism, one that requires less organization and more personal agency to remove all participation in capitalism. It's a little nihilist. In fact, it kind of reeks of that (and I'm going out on a limb here) general male ambivalence that has become so prevalent in our generation... Even though they really, sincerely try not to come off that way. (And-- where do they factor in identity politics? Wait, you mean to tell me those don't MATTER?)
It tickles my brain some, but there was definitely something missing. Something that made me think back to the last couple of occupations at The New School. And then, came THIS
http://www.scribd.com/doc/17465339/why-she-doesnt-give-a-fuck-about-your-insurrection
Written by someone at NYU. And really, I couldn't have said it better myself.
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| ROCK CAMP! clapclap |
[Jul. 9th, 2009|12:18 am] |
| [ | Tags | | | camp, feminism, music | ] |
| [ | Feelin' |
| |  ecstatic | ] |
| [ | Listening to |
| | The Zombies "Tell Her No" | ] |
OMIGOD ROCK CAMP IS FUCKING AWESOME.
I now am a proud counselor of the 10 year olds of the Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls. They like following me around and calling me Lady Gaga. (Although I can't stand that woman I've become accustomed to it. Sonny, my co-counselor/fellow Langer, is also known as Taylor Swift.) Hey, maybe it's better than being Snow White... "You look like Snow White," they said, "except you're CRAZY!"
Well, I try.
We have feminist dance parties to music like LE TIGRE. Therefore, it is only imperative that I tear up the dance floor with moves like the Funky Chicken and the Running Man. I get so silly around kids, you wouldn't believe I was the same person. We also have workshops about self-defense, body image and gender, and silkscreening band merch. The bands my girls are part of have names like Dracula's Dollhouse (a Halloweeny dance punk band) or the Lemondrops of Death (60's pop rock). And the women who work there? EVERYTHING I always wanted to be when I grew up. Spunky, punk rocker chicks with tattooed arms and hearts of gold.
I can't believe it, it's so inspiring. Basically-- put everything I love dearly into a little school cafeteria and you get rock camp. I'm SO proud of these girls that I hardly know, and I'm living vicariously through them when they bang on their drums or shout into their mikes. (Although I manage to play some Zombies songs on the Yamaha keyboard on my breaks.) I wish I had this when I was their age. Their final showcase is on Saturday; but gawwwwd, I never want this to end.
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| A family portrait |
[Jun. 5th, 2009|05:16 am] |
This summer is going to be long without them. <3 |
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| How these things happen |
[Apr. 22nd, 2009|12:58 am] |
I don't know.
But the Drag Ball this weekend is going to be the best date ever.
So, Kim Deitch came to sub for my Visual Narrative class; although I totally amped up the Dr. Hott idea (read: New Year's '09), he actually felt that my Parsons Paris story was a more intriguing idea. I still can't believe he actually liked my ideas. So now we're looking at a full-length comic book.
It took me so fucking long to draw that Lourve in the background-- I better get an A on this next week!
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| Again |
[Apr. 10th, 2009|03:37 pm] |
New School Occupation Part II
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/10/students-occupy-new-school-building-again/
http://www.ny1.com/content/top_stories/97182/new-school-students-protest-university-s-president/Default.aspx
I agree with their cause. But,
Many of us said specifically at one of the RSU/NSIE planning meetings two weeks ago-- occupations are BAD, elitist, inaccessible, and ineffective. I mean, no kidding. They got fucking ambushed by the NYPD.
Anyway.
I don't think I like working at Planned Parenthood. I hate feeling apologetic for not doing my best at a place where I'm not getting paid. And I feel twice as bad about not getting credits for this, because my school requires that I take an extra four credit class to have an internship count for credit. Everyone's really sweet here and all, but this is really, really shitty and I hate being in a cubicle for hours on end.
I'm also quitting my job at the Illustration Dept. That job is pointless and I get paid next to nothing to be a personal assistant, and doing all the dirty work for illustrators that make ten times more than I do. They go on these lavish vacations-- and meanwhile I drop off personal mail and do the photoshop work for the illustrations that make them thousands of dollars? I'm really fed up with this.
I can't wait for this semester to be done. Maybe I'll feel more like a human being when this is all over. |
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| Nationals |
[Mar. 11th, 2009|01:03 am] |
| [ | Tags | | | debate | ] |
| [ | Listening to |
| | Harlem "Psychedelic Tits" | ] |
Was ridiculous.
I put on a performance kritik-- totally abstract, but totally effective. Until this round when I made a girl cry.
(I was not happy with that)
We partied hard,
Maybe a little too hard...
But still made bank. Jim even accepted his speaker award in drag :)
Shitshow/success.
Maybe when I feel like rehashing the experience, I will. But not now. Not when I have better things to think about. |
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| Northeastern Regional Debate Tournament. |
[Mar. 1st, 2009|10:47 pm] |
Nick and I made it to octofinals by debating with an Ecofeminist Kritik.
We beat Western Connecticut, Capital, and Dartmouth.
We lost to Rochester when our coach told us to switch the strategy to debating a Capitalism K. Well, I mean, not what I would've liked to use, but at least we put up a fight. We got a trophy for making it so far, and by god I'm seriously so happy right now. I was selected for the Max Adler award in debate. Nick and I were so scared that we would suck; but now that we have a chance, he has no choice but to go to Nationals with me.
Nationals is this upcoming weekend. Towson, here we come!
I don't feel like working on anything but debate. Now that I know we have the capacity to do it, I want to win. Badly.
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| A Friday night for the archives: |
[Feb. 1st, 2009|02:44 am] |
| [ | Tags | | | friends, fun, music | ] |
| [ | Feelin' |
| |  happy | ] |
| [ | Listening to |
| | Black Tambourine "Can't Explain" | ] |
Friday night, I went out to Williamsburg, and met up with my friend Rob.
His bluegrass/folk/rockabilly band, Thy Burden, was playing that night
And because I'm not 21, the only way I could get in was by playing washboard/tambourine.
Before getting to the bar, I was walking down Broadway, when the ground started sliding from below my penny loafers. I started flailing in hopes of breaking my fall, but I fell SMACK DAB on my right wrist. Which is also my tambourine-playing wrist. Rob made me a PB&J sandwich, and gave me an ice pack before the show. How would I get in without a fake ID?
After a good amount of free beer, I managed to play tambourine for over an hour with a sprained wrist. There were three guitarists, two fiddlers, a man who played spoons, another who played harmonica, a drummer, Rob on the banjo, and I on tambourine.
Half the magic was the fog machine and the crazy rainbow lights that hit the square-dancing crowd. (Indeed, this was in Williamsburg, and as their song went-- it was a "Whiskey-Drankin' Night!") My wrist hurt, but not enough for me to stop my flow with the beat. I had so much fun I hardly even noticed. We went out for Mexican afterwards, and Rob drove me back to the dorm in his handy dandy SUV. Well how about that?
Yeah. That was basically enough weekending for me, what with Vagina Monologues rehearsal and homework. And anticipating hearing back from Planned Parenthood about my internship on Monday-- fingers crossed!
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| 08, don't hate |
[Dec. 31st, 2008|05:47 pm] |
This year
whether I was reading Tarot cards in Jacksonville
singing Johnny Cash in Gainesville
singing on the radio with friends in Connecticut
reconnecting with cousin Tanya in Warrington
rocking to Radiohead in a cricket field in Manchester
riding a stolen pink scooter down the sidewalks in Paris
rethinking my spirituality in Chartres
taking glamour shots in Versailles
debating over farm subsidies in Rochester
having too much fun in Binghamton
having too much drama in Miami
dancing all night to thrash in Brooklyn
dancing with Eve Ensler in New York City
(and wreaking havoc one way or another, wherever I went)
I figure every experience-- whether really good, or really, really bad-- was worth it.
I wouldn't change a thing about 2008. Really. Now, 2009, however,
Ha. It has some heavy competition.
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| The way things are |
[Dec. 19th, 2008|07:36 pm] |
I left the Parsons lab exhibition at 12:30 PM to occupy 65 5th avenue with the rest of the pissed off students at The New School. I didn't know it was going on until that morning, when I was going to my last lab class.
I was occupying the cafeteria, alongside other protesting students, until 10:30 PM-- I had an "important" RA meeting and didn't want to piss my boss off, so I left. A crowd of 100+ students were supporting us from outside, and blocking 5th avenue. I wouldn't be let back inside. Honestly, I don't know whether I was pissed about it or relieved.
We were compared to the Columbia riots in 1968. I think the sit-in was a good first step, but it wasn't going to be entriely effective. Personally, the theatrics were exceptional, but i am a fan of diplomacy, and so were many others. We sat for hours in a circle, and (democratically!) decided to draft an official list of demands for the administration; we also provided a realistic timeline for them, and requested a letter from Bob Kerrey agreeing to meet these demands. (Find the list of demands within the first link below.) I was randomly selected amongst the circle to be one of the negotiators between the students and Bob Kerrey; because he canceled the 8 pm meeting with the Student Senate, we presented the demands to his goons later that evening. It was frustrating, however, because within the crowd of angsty kids, a certain mousy someone from one of my classes last semester kept shooting down everything I had been doing the whole day. (Meanwhile-- she wasn't doing much of anything productive. Figures, right?) In fact, plenty of us kept shooting each other down as ideologies clashes in that little cafeteria; and as an undergrad low-income student at Parsons, I kept feeling silenced and disregarded in the midst of all the grad students and Lang philosophy majors. Most kids seemed to get this sense of entitlement to be heard because of their course of study or because of all the background knowledge they acquired on the subject. They felt more important, I guess, because they diiiid do the work in starting the sit-in; but were the rest of us students just bodies, just people to be lead?
In fact, after the second round of negotiations, mousy girl and others called for a reassessment of the negotiators. They wanted people with more experience to talk to Kerrey, as opposed to people new on the scene. I felt targeted because I was unfamiliar to these entitled kids. I mean, let's get this straight: just because I never read the entire fucking Marx anthology doesn't make me less qualified to speak out. I want Kerrey ousted, I don't want my school to be affiliated with the war in any way, and I REALLY want some fucking financial disclosure and KNOW what it is to fucking struggle. If you ask me, the fact that I am a student with a level head is enough qualification to be a negotiator.
...But nevertheless, I agreed to step down and voted for some girl who had been working on the protest for months to speak for me. She was well read on the scandals and the economics, so I thought it was a good strategy for her to go. Some kids were yelling for new negotiators only in order to send somebody to yell at Bob Kerrey instead of negotiate with him. This promptly set a sour mood for those of us protesting; while some favored the more radical, IN YOUR FACE approach, others really just wanted to sit and talk to the guy, and get in his good graces. Charm him, if you will. But ultimately, it was a battle of power, narcissism, and glory-- who wants to sit around and talk diplomacy when you can say you smashed the state? It sounds better, right?
Honestly, I don't want to sound like I'm totally undermining anybody's methods of action. I was just happy to FINALLY see New School students united in that cafeteria (and other students screaming outside the building, behind the cops and the barricades for us). It's about time we got together to agree on something, and it's a step in the right direction when it comes to making it a more student-oriented university, as opposed to the corporate machine it currently is. We did good in that through grabbing insane press, making insane noise, and writing up a sane list of demands-- we set a new direction for our school, and are finally making the student body more visible than ever. THAT (and financial disclosure, of course) is what's been on my mind; and after reading Kerrey's semi-compliant letter this morning to hot cocoa and snow outside my window, well, it feels good.
newschoolinexile.com
http://www.newschoolinexileblog.blogspot.com/
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/18/nyregion/18newschool.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=new%20school&st=cse
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/19/the-columbia-and-new-school-sit-ins-compared/
http://socialistworker.org/2008/12/19/occupation-at-the-new-school
http://gawker.com/5114212/university-siege-ends-triumphantly-no-detention-for-revolutionaries
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epqGKKhdLmo
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/18/protest-at-the-new-school-turns-unruly/?scp=1&sq=new%20school&st=cse
Notice how each account differs just a bit (namely, the fact that the Socialist Worker made it sound more like an issue of unfair finances, when honestly more people were prioritizing the salvation of 65 5th. Sigh.)
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| Vagina Vagina. |
[Dec. 12th, 2008|07:00 pm] |
Today I found out from Tarnisha that I was cast for this year's Vagina Monologues.
My monologue: "Reclaiming 'Cunt'"
And not just that-- but I have to recite it in SPANISH.
I was really opposed to it at first-- to be honest, I have an anxiety about speaking Spanish, especially to native Spanish speakers. I think it's that thing I've always been given shit for all my life about never being "Latina ENOUGH." Of course, you and I know that's bullshit. But because my family has always given me flack for it-- and never even helped me practice-- naturally I avoid speaking Spanish as much as I can. It's sad, but it's true.
I suppose this could be a good excuse to start speaking in Spanish again. I know I can do this-- it's a small monologue, and shouldn't be that hard. Besides, how many times have I heard my dad yell "coño!" during a football game? I can tell him about it, and maybe he'll actually help me practice for once. Hahaha.
Oh yeah, debate party tonight. Let the drama ensue. |
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| /parsons |
[Dec. 5th, 2008|01:01 am] |
| [ | Tags | | | college, school | ] |
| [ | Feelin' |
| | good | ] |
| [ | Listening to |
| | Beat Happening "Pinebox Derby" | ] |
No, really. I have made my decision to leave the dual degree program-- and Parsons-- in favor of Eugene Lang (liberal arts school wahoo!). It has been weighing on my mind for months now, and I can finally say I'm comfortable with it.
I'm lucky that I can still work for Illustration (because I like it there). I talked to my boss Steven about it; he said it was a good idea, and that he would still allow me my little bit of Parsons classes to keep my drawing up. (He even talked about letting me do an independent study next year with one of the illustration professors!) You see, I want to leave with minimal hard feelings.
But believe me. I'm very sure of this decision I made to continue down a liberal arts track, and most others have been supportive of me as well. Design school is pretty overwhelming, and it doesn't really allow me enough time to put my heart and soul into things I care about (i.e. my comics, Moxie, debate team, my writing, my social life). I've always entertained some lofty goals and aspirations, and yet have confined myself to ART my entire life. If you know me well, you must also know I would be suffocated if I carried on this way.
So, best of luck to my fellow Parsonians. You'll have to go on without me. I'll have to go back to where I feel I belong... Even if it is the socialist-ridden, patchouli-reeking, and yet delightfully quirky Eugene Lang College.
Oh yeah, and my schedule next semester:
Monday
10 AM-11:40 AM- Intro to Non-Fiction
12 PM-1:40 PM- Intermediate Spanish
3 PM-5:40 PM- Visual Narrative
Tuesday
10 AM-11:40 AM- Public Speaking
12 PM-1:40 PM- Intro to Journalism
Wednesday
10 AM-11:40 AM- Intro to Non-Fiction
12 PM-1:40 PM- Intermediate Spanish
Thursday
10 AM-11:40 AM- Public Speaking
12 PM-1:40 PM- Intro to Journalism
6 PM-7:40 PM- Debate Studio (part 2!)
And no Friday classes, per usual. I'm looking forward to it. |
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| Thoughts of leaving |
[Nov. 16th, 2008|12:11 am] |
The Picturing Politics symposium today was really, really bad-ass.
No, really. I found some great artists that have inspired me... namely, folks like Rutu Modan, Peter Kuper, Steve Brodner, Anton Kannemeyer, were all very notable and very worldly, I think. All I wanted to do when I got back home was draw comics-- but instead, I'm sitting here making a mixtape, and painting a color wheel for homework.
:(
I've been looking into dropping out of the BFA/BA program-- and instead, getting my BA at Eugene Lang. And then, afterwards, going for an MFA in illustration. Specifically, an MFA in Illustration as a Visual Essay from SVA.
SVA is pretty much THE school when it comes to illustration; I didn't apply to it, because of their weak liberal arts curriculum in their undergrad program. Parsons had ties with Eugene Lang College, and I was ambitious enough to think I could take on both in five years. I'm just so unsure of that, as of this year. But I think one degree at a time would be enough; I'd pratice my writing/politics for now, and then when I'm mature enough to sit through stupid color theory I can just get into exactly what I wanted to do-- and that is visual narrative.
I have until December 1st to decide whether I'll stick it out one more semester to finish foundation, or jump right into my BA in the spring. With being at Lang for the spring semester, I'll have the opportunity to take some experimental, non-required classes; but if I finish foundation, then hey at least I could say I wasn't a pussy about it. But I'm pretty sure I just want to be at Lang by junior year.
My head is spinning in circles and I just wish for once somebody could tell me exactly what to do. |
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