state of the state:

| On
Friday, October 14, 2005
wherein I try to explicate recent obsessions in list form:

number of freelance projects unfinished and eating away at me: ONE

favorite video featuring a Trashsquatch: Cough Coughing by local Portland band Menomena. (there are some great pdx neighborhood vistas in this video. And a TRASHSQUATCH!!)

NaNoWriMo Yes or No: I think yes, since despite the fact I was certain I would never have another idea again, I came up with one I really want to work on. I will probably never do it without a draconian deadline, so hooray for nano!

place to which I must return as soon as possible: Portland Art Museums new new wing. I went yesterday with a friend, and it blew my mind. I got an art headache. (or a headache from not eating, it's not entirely clear which). The building itself is wonderful - they converted an old masonic temple and connected it underground with the existing museum - but the paintings were beyond wonderful. I need to go back again when the free admission period has ended and every middle-school and high-school art class hasn't descended like a swarm of bees. I was both grumpy and pleased at the crowds. It was the middle of the day on a THURSDAY, and it was packed. This means that pdx is full of my people - cheap people who like art. And what kind of curmudgeon would a person have to be to bitch about a MUSEUM having mall-type crowds? It's awesome! On the other hand, I could have cheerfully clotheslined the annoying 12 year old who would step in front of every painting and extend his arms and pose. I just need to go look again. I renewed my lapsed membership (they were having a sale where you get 2 free months), and will just have to go back often. The photography galleries were great too.

Tunnels which I will be exploring TONIGHT: Portland's Shanghai Tunnels. Martina did all the arranging, and we are using it to celebrate part of Bec's birthday month. I featured the tunnels in last year's nano novel, so I am looking forward to seeing how much I have to change (if I ever go back to that story).

CDs I am listening to all the time: Extraordinary Machine by Fiona Apple, The Majesty of Bob Wills by the Pine Valley Cosmonauts. PDX Pop Now! 2005 Compilationby various pdx indie bands.
I am still deciding which of the Fiona versions I like better. I am so happy that I have both to chose from! Here's the New Yorker Review by Sasha Frere-Jones, and as a special bonus (I really enjoyed it, anyway) a transcript of his interview with Fiona Apple.

Number of things I have to finish before the third wave of visiting relatives arrives on Monday: Innumerable! So, I should go get on that, I guess.
2 comments on "state of the state:"
  1. Sounds like you've been busy. I'm glad you're doing NaNo. Perhaps it will help me to stick with it. I was looking at the site and some of the activities around town. I think I might even try to go to one or two. Maybe it will motivate me. If we weren't going to the beach on Saturday, I would go to the little kick off event at the library.

    As for the art museum, I can't wait to go! I've been eagerly awaiting the start of the Hesse exhibit. From everything I've heard, it sounds like it's going to be spectacular. I think my mom has an invitation to go to some opening gathering with the Prince (or Princess' butler's neighbor's daughter's plumber or someone equally connected) the night before it opens. Did you see the picture of the coach in the paper yesterday?

    This really is shaping up to be a fun month. I'm so glad we went on the tunnel tour. I thought it was awesome and am still contemplating volunteering (though I do still need to check their organization out a bit more first). For now, I'm limiting my volunteering to being a fact checker for MoveOn. (I have yet to check any facts for them, but am now officially signed up.)

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  2. October is always insane! I can't figure out why, but it is.

    I'm glad you've decided to do nano too! This will be my third year, and I almost decided to bag it, but then I thought - 'why not?!' The start of the second week is the hardest (the initial rush wears off, and the enormity of the word count remaining is still there). But, if you know its coming it is a little easier to power through. It also helps to have a nano buddy -sometimes having a nano buddy means you have a friendly target to narrow your eyes at and say - how is she 5k words ahead of me?? she said she had no ideas! and then you scramble and make your goal. Or so I've heard... I'll have to go read my mail from the municiple liason and see about the kick off event. I didn't go to anything last year except for the reading at powells by Chris Baty (nano organizer). My laptop battery only lasts about 1/2 hour, so it is kind of useless away from reliable power.

    I am anxious to see the Hesse exhibit too - it looks pretty spectacular. I will have to look for that picture in the paper. Be sure to get over to the new wing as well - (maybe not all in one day - that would be some sort of cruel art marathon).

    The tunnel tour was awesome. Right now I am wondering what to do with my pictures. I think if I mark them friends and family only, flickr should be OK. What do you think?

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