Plus 5 for Chelsea's Photo Department

Reality Check or Reality Bites or Living on a Prayer.

Instead of writing about my interm show (translation: the show you do half way through your course), I thought this would be a good time to do an interm blog entry. It has been about 6 months since I left New York, ie I am half way through my course. Reality does bite a little bit in some ways (doesn't it always?), but other things besides school are better then they were. For instance, as much as working is not that fun, I have an income. Woohoo! Plus 5

I am appreciating London more. The weather is getting warmer, the sun is out once in a while, and the markets are amazing. Seeing and experiencing more of the city with visitors was a plus. It does have a lot to offer (Plus 10) it is just harder to find (literally- have you looked at a map of London lately? Its like someone drew some lines on paper then put it in a blender and based the streets on the result). Minus 5


I miss New York, obviously, but less often and less badly than I did. Plus just 1 because New York is the best. I don't miss people any less though, that hasn't changed, I am just more used to it.

I have friends here now that I would miss as well, which is a nice feeling. Plus 25
I do spend more time alone here than I did at home and have gotten better at it. Everyone in London is more spread out, so even when you have friends, they may be far away (you think Brooklyn to Manhattan is far, try Hackney to Brixton on a weekend evening. 2 hours). Minus 10

As for school, that is the downer. While after the break things were busier, my program still proves to be pretty lacking in many respects. There is not enough support and no one ever has much of a clue what is going on. I have a draft of my thesis due in a couple of weeks that I have basically spoken to no one about because there is no one to talk to. I could go on and on but I won't. At a recent meeting with external examiners of our course it came out that we all feel the same way, so 1. I am not crazy and 2. We are more motivated to help each other. Plus 5 for now because we have to follow through on using each other more.

I am also still pretty blocked with my work, though am back to painting, which still feels like the right move (medium: CHECK, content: working on it). I just started seeing a counselor to discuss the emotional block who said "I feel like if your course was better you wouldn't need me." Um yeah. Plus 10 for Jane!

Here is the first painting I did here, being coupled with my sofa. It was the most literal interpretation of trauma I could think of- see blog entry art update.


My current assignment is to make one masterpiece. Wish me luck.

With interm show over and visitors gone it is time to get focused. Onward and upward!

For shits and giggles

me: is there a UK version of zappos?
Lee: yes
in your dreams

After 5 markets, 4 visitors, 3 high teas, 2 fish and chips, and 1 Sunday Roast..

My butt has seen better days.

BUT, it has been a great 2 and a half weeks! We went to see a play (War Horse), movie (Alice in Wonderland), to museums (Tate) and galleries (Saatchi and Gagosian), had French, Spanish, English, Indian, and Thai food, went to Hyde Park, and to Borough, broadway, Spitalfields, Brick lane, and Portobello road markets, to name a few things. It was great to have old friends here and show them my life and introduce them to new friends. Plus they brought goodies from home like rice crackers (Jason, save it), Luna bars, blue painters tape, and stila eye liner!

Did I mention we also had our Interm show at school? I am not sure if I have to energy to write about it yet, but I will.

Highlights:
We were sober.
I think I was trying to show that by pointing out that my eyes were open.

Day trip to Canturbery with Crispy Creme:


Christie and I at Portobello on a sunny day (the past two weeks have been horrible weather-wise: surprise!)


Jaime, Camilla, and I went to Borough Market and the Tate Modern:


Abby and I gearing up for Alice in Wonderland in 3D with popcorn for dinner. You can, um, see the reflection in my glasses!

Brunch is not big here.

But Sunday Roasts are. Sunday Roast has some similarities to brunch: it is a long Sunday meal, often including alcohol. However, it is usually later in the day (you wouldn't want beef and potatoes cooked in duck fat first thing would you?) and clearly the food choices are different. It is all savory and no eggs. There are variations (pork roast, nut roast for veggies) and also other things on the menu like risotto. Another big difference is that Sunday roast is more family oriented than brunch. You go to the pub with the kids, and they relax along with the adults and their pints. Its quite nice.

The traditional roast, featured above, is beef, potatoes cooked in fat, yorkshire pudding (a popover like bread), and gravy as far as I am concerned. Bacchus, where Abby, Sean, and I went right around the corner, also added broccoli and a roasted vegetable mash. It was delicious.

You say stove top, we say Hob.

Lee is writing a blog about learning how to speak British English:
http://howtomovetolondonandhateit.blogspot.com/

I may have peer pressured her a little.