Pigment Figments

Day 67 & 68

lesliemward — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 03:28:31 +0000

I am combining these days since I have not slept between the two. I would like to begin by saying I really have a million other things to be doing and thinking about other than this right now. Also, the reason for my sleeplessness has been my Intern Final. I will not deny that I have procrastinated this project, but I would like to emphasize that I have been thinking about it and coming up with ideas since my second week, check my actual journal if you doubt, there are little notes jotted at the bottoms of pages, sides of pages, etc. of different concepts, layouts, materials, and other such musings all over. I wanted it to be perfect and then it didn’t help that I slept through monday night and read that silly book on sunday, tisk tisk to me, I suppose I deserve it. For any of you that thought me to be calm and collected all through stress, might see a difference today. I always get things done and I like to think that I do my best work under pressure, I just wish I didn’t make such a habit of delaying the inevitable.

Yesterday after work I went to Artichoke and got my last slice from there for the trip, worth every penny of that $4. It filled me up so I didn’t eat a thing (minus the necessary sugar of fun size snickers and Dr. Pepper) till the rice and an apple at 6 this morning.

The hardest thing for me is getting the first part of the idea onto the screen or onto paper. Once I know how to do it, it is just time… And I was working until 9 this morning. I have to add some more to it tonight (what I need to be doing right now). I got to talk to Marisa at 5 in the morning and that was so nice! One of my very best friends, ever. I WILL SEE HER SOON!!!

Today was rough, just pushing through minus sleep. But I got what I needed done there and correctly as far as I know! I do not even want to think that tomorrow is my last day of work. I am going to miss Ariella and Mary Helen so much, they are the big sisters I have always wanted and I so admire them, but I’ll save the mushy stuff for later.

After work I went home and worked on getting packed and my desk all cleaned off. I talked to mom and I think now I am going to stay in Atlanta for the weekend with my siblings and Lorey and Brian!!!!! I still need to figure out all the logistics of that but mom is going to pretend to be me and call the airline since I am not coherent enough for that right now.

I then headed out to Brooklyn to Sarah’s for fellowship group dinner. She and Kate and even Tim made dinner. I was terrific! Chicken, herb roasted chicken, garlic mashed potatoes (almost as good as dad’s), roasted green beens, pasta with pesto, and even a homemade red velvet cake, so delicious. It was totally what I needed to be around friends and chill and eat good, good food! Especially since I have this terrible habit of living off of only Dr. Pepper, Cheetos, and tootsie rolls when I am deep in a project that involves the lack of sleep. We had so much fun laughing and talking. I hate that I am not going to be here for the rest of the summer to be around for city campus, but as cheesy as it sounds, I really think a lot of us will keep in touch and it gives me even more reasons to come back!

Aw, Lindsey just went and got me some tootsie rolls and Dr. Pepper! =)

Back to work! A little loopi but still good!!!!

Day 66

lesliemward — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 03:55:59 +0000

So Tired.

After work I went to the paper store to check on what types of papyrus they had. Then when I got home I decided to take a nap so that I could stay up late again to get my project done, but I went to sleep and slept through the night. Other than 2 calls from mom asking if I want to be woken up, I said no, I didn’t stir.

Day 65

lesliemward — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 03:48:59 +0000

Oh Sundays, I’m really going to miss Redeemer. Five of us from City Campus found each other and sat together: Sharon, Tim, Courtney, Andre and me. We all went over to the west building for cookies and coffee afterward.

I’ve found something that really bugs me at St. Mary’s is that in the kitchen people will come in to boil water and then just leave. This would be fine if they came back within a reasonable period of time but they’ll leave for like an hour or more and then have to add water to the pot and start again. It is already SO hot in there, so please, let’s just boil water for the heck of it! Ok, venting done.

I was going to work on my final project tonight but the creative juices just are not flowing. Then I found a book to read, Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist. I read the whole thing so I didn’t get to sleep till 5 am. I started it at 1. It was good, but not worth losing sleep over.

Day 64

lesliemward — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 03:08:29 +0000

Today starts my week of “lasts” for this trip. I will be happy to go home, but there are people and places and things that cannot be replaced and I will truly miss them.

I did my grocery shopping. I paid my rent (thank you Mom and Dad!). I went to the Guggenheim Museum for their pay-as-you-wish night. The only problem with the (nearly) free nights at museums here is that the influx of people is ridiculous. I have found that the older I get, the more I despise large groups of people. It was so hard to enjoy anything because there was always someone pushing in from behind or cutting me off. The museum itself is stunning. The Frank Lloyd Wright retrospective is going on there as the main exhibition. There were tons of drawings and models and one thing I noticed was the great number of buildings he design that were never built. I also saw some Kandinsky, Cezannes, Gauguin, Monet, Degas, Picasso, Manet, Van Gogh… My favorite was a piece by Picasso from his Blue period, “Woman with an Iron.” Not an abstract but still very sharp.

After the museum I made myself some dinner and watched tv while catching up on a couple of my “journal” entries for work. Still lots to do this week!

Day 63

lesliemward — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 03:47:29 +0000

Tonight was what living in NYC is supposed to be like. Kate, Courtney, Tim, and Joe from City Campus and I went out for Thai food at Spice in Union Square. I had Black Noodle which is broad noodles with chicken, egg, broccoli and black bean sauce. It was rather sweet for an entree but still really good. After that we headed more into the East Village and got froyo at a place called 16 Handles where it is self serve out of 16 flavors and lots of toppings and then you pay by weight. From thre we walked through St. Mark’s area and “moved the cube” at Cooper Union. Then on to Washington Square Park where Joe (who has lived most of his life in France) was very disappointed to see Columbus and Washington on the Monument that looks like the Arc de Triumphe, haha. We kept walking and then back tracked a bit on Bleecker St. so Kate could get a gluten free cupcake. We kept walking on Bleecker until we got to Highline Park. The park is built on elevated train tracks. So we walked from Union Square, through the East Village, St, Mark’s, Greenwich/West Village, and into Chelsea. (Yes, I was wearing the same shoes, and it had been raining earlier so my feet are wet on top of all the other problems, oi.)

Day 62

lesliemward — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 03:04:59 +0000

Today was the coolest NYC afternoon ever — not in temperature, because it was hot, but what a day! Mary Helen, Erica and I went to a TV commercial shoot for “Fashion’s Night Out.” Leslie sent us an e-mail about this event which is actually going on Sept. 10. And we all thought it would be fun to go since the first 200 people there get a free t-shirt! We were in the commercial! I got out there earlier because I had to drop something off, so I started out right in the front and made friends with the people around. Dane is an intern with Mercedes-Benz IMG who sponsors Fashion Week. He is also a fashion student in NYC. He made me happy because he actually knew my school, without linking it to the Ai schools (I’m sure they are great, but SAIC has been around over 100 years and has no connection to those other schools, so I really appreciate when someone knows the difference). I also met Mylee who interns at Condé Nast Digital and is a graphic designer with print specialty but also knows web design. Then there waas Romy, who I didn’t learn much about there but now we’re friends on facebook. There was also another girl who was wearing this great feather covered jacket and headband with netting to cover her eyes, I didn’t get her name but we alked quite a bit.

I will admit I came for the free T-shirt, but what an experience! 200 of us yelling, jumping and waving “SHOP FOR GOOD!” Then Anna Wintour, Editor-in-Chief of Vogue, was standing 20 feet away from me behind the camera. ………And Then…… VERA WANG, she was seriously 3-5 feet away. I could touch the same clothing rack she was holding. The whole thing felt so New York to me. Love it.

I must say though, my feet have never hurt so bad as they did today. The balls of my feet were on fire, I was sure there would be blood, but no. I’m still wearing the Born clogs, but now the one piece sole and heel has torn at the arch and makes it really weird to walk.

This morning Ariella brought us little treats! My favorite was the mini black and white cookies because they were super soft. Yum!

Day 61

lesliemward — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 03:22:24 +0000

I had migraine shockwaves all day, little headaches in different places at different times. I was definitely way more sensitive to light and sound today.

Anat came by!!!! She’s a busy busy lady! I’m so glad I got to see her and give her a hug before I go. She liked the newsletter!

Mary Helen and I stayed late-ish so we could finish editing and send it off to Ariella and Leslie for final approval and proofing. Then we headed north together since my fellowship group is on the upper west side. We all decided to try to go get dinner this weekend since last weekend fell through. I wish I was going to be here longer if only for city campus ministries and The Color Association (the people and the job!).

I made myself some chicken and rice for dinner, yum.

Day 60

lesliemward — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 03:50:42 +0000

So today I got the worst migraine of my life. I started getting aura almost as soon as I got to work and I left at 12:30 so that, hopefully, I could get home before the worst of the headache struck. As soon as I got there I was OUT. I woke up 3 different times, once because the handyman in my building opened the door, but I was so far gone I couldn’t even understand what he was saying. All I recall was him saying “tomorrow?” and waving as if to say yes. The other two times I just remember pain and going back to sleep. I woke up at 9:02. Migraine dreams are so incredibly real, I am not going to write them here, but just take my word for it.

I got up and made some pasta and watched a little tv before trying to go back to sleep. Then I caught up on my journaling and finally fell asleep afer 2 sometime.

Day 59

lesliemward — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 03:43:42 +0000

Erica wasn’t in today so it was just Ariella, Mary Helen and I. I got all of the design part of the newsletter finished so now its just making sure all the text is in and proof, proof, proof!

I made steak (stir fry strips) and penne pasta with Ragu and peas and applesauce. All (well almost all) the girls on my floor and I watched the Bachelorette tonight. I said from the beginning (well the 2 weeks i’ve watched it) that Ed would be the best for her and that I thought she’d pick him, but the rest of the girls all wanted Kiptyn or even Reid. Awful, but sadly addicting.

Day 58

lesliemward — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 03:34:12 +0000

I met a really nice girl at church today named Mayshell. Just my luck she is moving to Kansas this week! She is just visiting and picking up a few last things. She gave me all her contact info if I need anything or want to meet up with her friends.

Afterward, I went grocery shopping and got some good food that will hopefully last me for the next 2 weeks since that’s all I have left! 0_0