>Do Unto Others - 11/25/04

As per my usual nomadic lifestyle, I find myself currently living in Brooklyn, NY, and quite overwhelmed. Not by the crowds or the hustle, but by the number of things to see and experience. New York is so full of possibility that one could live there an entire lifetime, without ever leaving the city, and never run out of things to do. How will I ever have time for it all?

When I tell people I live in New York, they always say, "Isn't it expensive?" and "Aren't people mean there?" Well, yes, it's expensive, but no more so than any other large, international city. Are people mean? Some of them. Are the French rude? Sometimes. Is it practical to stereotype people based on their residence? No. No more than it's practical to stereotype people based upon their religion, race, sexual orientation or occupation.

I have found, during my many world excursions, that most people, no matter where you are, will treat you the way you treat them. Fortunately for me I am cheery and polite and therefore usually receive the same attitude in return...even in NYC.

My mother taught me that, ‘there is no excuse for rudeness,’ and I often surprise myself by how well I follow her advice. Recently, while driving, I was forced to cut someone off, to avoid an accident, when another driver decided to swerve into my lane. The person behind me shouted some choice colorful metaphors at me and I, without thinking, yelled back, "HAVE A GREAT DAY!" 'Whoa,' I thought, 'that was kind of an amazing reaction.'

I would not be presumptuous enough to say that it's always easy. However, I find that when I show kindness and generosity to others it eventually comes back full circle. It's a tried and proven method, no matter what your religion or scientific beliefs.

Of course, no matter what I do, some people "have their undies in a bunch" and are bound to be mean and nasty, but whatever return the universe has in store for them I don't need to be a part of it. I hope, in fact that eventually they find relief from their permanent wedgies and rejoin the human race in our pursuit of happiness. In the meantime, I intend to continue making the world just a little bit better- one smile at a time. :)

>Measure of Success-06/13/04
So there I was…(a phrase oft used by crazy, but fun, new friends)…flipping channels, taking a break from the constant whirlwind of activity that I like to call my life, when I stumbled upon “The Fabulous Life of Paris and Nikki Hilton.” The show’s host made it sound as if all of America was green with envy for the life of these wealthy socialites. Flying in private jets, attending every major party on the planet, wearing designer clothes and buying thousand dollar doggie sweaters…it’s what everyone wants, right? Wrong. Not me.

In America we like to measure an individual’s success by the amount of “stuff” he/she has. You know, the American dream…big house in the suburbs, two cars in the garage (a Mercedes and a BMW), 2.5 children who will naturally be attending Yale or Harvard, and a dog. However, every culture measures success by a different scale. Italians, for instance, don’t typically own much, but they have incredibly strong family bonds and they know how to enjoy themselves. In Italy there is a great appreciation for art, food, and romance…in these things they are very rich.

Though all these may be noble pursuits, I have discovered that the only true way to rate success is by one’s own scale. I do not have 2.5 kids and a house, nor do I often take sufficient time to truly enjoy a great meal. However, I have hiked to the mouth of The River Styx in Greece, I have heard the melodies of Evensong at St. Patrick’s in Dublin, I’ve been diving with sharks in the Great Barrier Reef and I have swung from the tree tops in the Costa Rican rain forest.

Even excluding my many great adventures, I have an incredible wealth of experience. I know how it feels to nap in a hammock in the sun, the taste of fresh picked strawberries, the sound of midnight snow and the smell of the ocean. I have seen many beautiful and amazing things in my short time on this earth AND, have the most brilliant, creative, often crazy, and always supportive family and friends. I am so incredibly blessed!

Having disregarded the standards and expectations of our society is quite possibly the smartest thing I’ve ever done. Yes, I have a college degree…yes, I could be working a
9-5 job and accumulating all those things that would make me ‘appear’ successful. But instead I spent my week surfing, scuba diving, sailing, swimming, salsa dancing and enjoying the company of my many fabulous friends. I walk outside every morning and say, “Holy cow, it’s warm out here! This is great. I LIVE here!” This is my dream…and I’m living it.

I often lust after new experiences with a sigh, “Oh, I wish I could do that.” Then, I think “What’s stopping me?” Usually the answer is “Nothing.” So I go for it (thank goodness for that). Sometimes it turns out well, sometimes it doesn’t…but it’s always an adventure and I think that makes me very successful.

>Detours-01/27/04
Hello…my name is Elizabeth and I am a control freak. Not that I can’t be spontaneous, but usually I plan everything meticulously and I like everything to go according to that plan. This year, however, my plans have changed significantly from month to month.

In July of 2003 my plan, after returning from Italy in December, was to obtain my work permit and move to France for several months. In November the new plan was to go to Army Reserve training so the military would pay for my graduate school. By the end of December the plan was to move to LA and get a job. Then, I went to Hawaii for a week.
By some odd twist of fate I was offered a job, a place to live, and a trade deal to earn my SCUBA instructor permit. So, I’m movin’ to Hawaii. Not a bad deal, all things considered.

Though normally I wouldn’t make such a quick decision, it has come to my attention that perhaps my meticulous planning is not always beneficial. I was on a train to…God knows where…back to Florence from Amsterdam I think…and my new Aussie friend asked me, “Where were you ten years ago and where would you like to be in ten years?”

Holy cow! Ten years had never seemed to far away. Ten years ago I was in eighth grade! I was the captain of the cheerleading team at Illahee Jr. High (but a big nerd none-the-less); attending honors classes in year round school, a member of the Honor Society, the wrestling team manager and the percussion section leader in band. After thinking about it more, I realized that in those ten years I’ve graduated high school and college, learned three languages, seen about twenty different countries, tried dozens of new things and gained a wealth of invaluable experiences.

Ten years from now, that’s easy. I want to be standing on stage accepting my Academy Award for best director. I intend to, by that point, have graduated with an MFA, know five or six languages, have visited twenty new countries, tried even more things and perhaps have had enough experiences that I can finally begin to feel I have at least a vague understanding of the world around me.

Thinking now instead of how little time I have, but of how much I can accomplish in that time, I’ve decided that these detours are an excellent addition to even the best laid plans. I may have a tough time getting exactly where I want to go, but that doesn’t mean I won’t get there. And now, even if given the opportunity to take the shortest path, I think I’d still choose the scenic route.

“That others had gone before me and with greater style I cared not, my journey was my own and I found it to be quite spectacular.” –unknown

>Progress- 12/02/03
Many like to believe that we have progressed a great deal over time, specifically in the last thousand years. To that I would just like to say, “Ha!” On a recent trip to Pompeii I was reminded of how little we have actually accomplished. Pompeii is by far the largest, intact, archeological site I have ever explored. The vast city extends across the countryside between hills and seaside and, despite its age, is very similar to the cities of today.

Although Pompeii was destroyed by the wrath of Mt. Vesuvius in only 79 AD, the city is not at all what we would describe as “primitive.” Pompeii is built on a grid system of streets with raised sidewalks and crosswalks, in case of flooding. Within the city walls there is a theater, a forum, several temples, a sports arena, and public baths, just to name a few amenities. Evidence also exists to show that people of the time worked as accountants, lawyers, real-estate agents, actors and professional athletes. And, in the Archeological Museum in Naples there are such objects as measuring spoons, muffin pans, playing dice and oil lamps.

Besides the overwhelming evidence that many of our technologies were around prior to this millennium, there is much about ancient life and technology that we still don’t understand, the construction of the pyramids or Stonehenge for instance. What we have done is seemingly improved our way of life through the discovery and advancement of electricity, computer technology, and the items that use those systems.

The question is: have these “advancements” really improved our way of life. Here in Italy, where the population boasts the greatest number of cell phones per capita of any country in the world, it is difficult to do anything without being interrupted by someone’s irritating cell phone melody. Business people ride their bikes down the street gabbing on their cell phone. Old ladies in the grocery store answer their phones while in the check out lines. Nuns walk out of church and immediately start dialing.

Sure, cell phones, e-mail and telecommuting make it easier for us to get a hold of one another. But, they also make it possible for us to get along without having to actually interact with anyone. On a recent trip to Thailand I thought, ‘This will be great, I’ve never been to Asia, I’ll have a break from western society and learn about eastern traditions.’ No such luck. I had an incredibly difficult time communicating with the local people, not because of the language barrier, but because everyone was constantly text messaging on their cell phones!

So, have we actually progressed? In some ways, yes. However, I think we can also take some cues from these ancient and “primitive” peoples and consider what is really important in life. In my opinion, life is too short to spend staring at a computer (I say as I sit here typing), or walking around, oblivious to my surroundings, with a cell phone attached to my head. Our technology may be fantastic, but our society is not so “advanced” as we think.

> Truth - 11/13/03
Contrary to what many may believe, being an artist requires an exceptional amount of courage. It has been said that all art is in some way a reflection of the artist. Thus, being true to my work means being honest. Often, this means revealing things that I don’t want anyone else to know, and usually that I don’t even want to admit to myself. Along these lines, the series that I am developing here in Florence is devoted largely to acknowledging my fears and weaknesses (which I hate doing).

In light of this work, it is particularly fitting that I just visited La Bocca della Verita (The Mouth of Truth) in Rome. Legend has it that when a liar puts his hand into the mouth it will be bitten off. I heard an Italian man ask each of his children as they stepped up for their turn, “Hai paura? (Are you scared?)” Of course they were, so was I. And that’s exactly why the legend is famous. It is a test of courage because everyone has lied, at some point, and fears the potential consequence. (I am pleased to say that I still have both hands).

Since I’m on this roll of admitting my weaknesses I think I gave a curious colleague much more than he bargained for when he asked the very vague question: “ Tell me more about yourself.” I told him:
“ I want to do everything, learn everything and meet everyone. My ambition is my best and my worst quality because it heightens my drive to achieve, but causes me, inadvertently, to run over people occasionally along the way.” (It seems to work out since I play the role of the human doormat as well, giving my trust and generosity without reserve). “I love to dance, but always try to lead because I like to be in control at all times. I have no problems with anyone's race, religion, or sex, but I am extremely prejudice against prejudice people. I am happy to help anyone who works to help him/herself, but have no patience for people who choose to be lazy and/or ignorant.”

On top of that I have a hard time getting rid of things. (A subject I just explored in my recent graduate school essay to USC). I am always picking up new activities without quitting the old ones, which means I’m late- a lot, and I don’t make as much time to be social and/or relax as I probably should. I keep everything because, particularly as an artist, I never know when that broken pad lock or mate-less sock will come in handy. So, despite my compulsive habits to clean, organize, and alphabetize my DVD collection, my desk (and usually every other flat surface I can find) is frequently cluttered with a wide variety of “stuff.”

On the plus side, our weaknesses (or should I say idiosyncrasies) are what make us unique individuals in this world where everyone strives to be different (just like everybody else). I have a great deal of admiration for artists, like Madonna, who are honest about who they are, do the work they are compelled to do, and make no excuses to anyone. (The result of a personality quiz I took once listed my traits then ended with: “It’s also possible you’re Madonna).” Although I don’t necessarily like all of her work (cone bras were never my thing) I do respect her greatly for her bravery and determination.

I strive to be a courageous artist. I’m a fraud if I’m not willing to say: “This is me, this is my work, take it or leave it.” I certainly hope that you find my art appealing and enjoy browsing my site. If not, oh well. If you need a miniature Greek flag, one shoelace, or a report on genetically engineered insects, ask me, they’re all around here somewhere.

> News From Italy - 9/27/03
Usually I'm one to push forward at warp speed; always learning something new, always searching for new experience. But, recently I found myself back in a few classes that I have already taken. (Not because I failed or anything. On the contrary I did very well the first time around). I re-entered these classes partly (well mostly) because the ones I wanted to take were canceled, and resigned myself to taking them because review is always good and different professors often bring a fresh approach to a familiar concept.

On one level, I always find it frustrating having to the busy work of beginning level classes. I am a person who likes to constantly move forward- without looking back. Even when I am beginning something brand new I usually start in the middle and learn the beginning stuff along the way. However, returning to the beginning, after having conquered a subject, is sometimes a refreshing change of pace and a good reminder of fundamentals.

In taking these classes (Creative Writing, Drawing II and Figure Drawing), or any beginning class, I am reminded of necessary fundamental elements that should not be overlooked- although in my case they often are (such as: showing not telling when writing narrative fiction). Another example is music; I played percussion for 14years, when I broke my wrist I took beginning voice. Much of the curriculum was incredibly simple for me, but I also had several revelations regarding balance, pitch and tone, elements that I often ignored.

Also, whenever I take any new class or have the privilege of getting feedback from new people I am always pushed to think differently, "out of the box" as it were. It hurts, which is probably why most people don't bother to think at all (there's some social commentary for you), but the results are incredible. Everything is interconnected in some way and usually all it takes to see those connections is a little bit of unconventional, uncomfortable, thought.

It's good to be pushed to do something again, probably as beneficial as being pushed to do something new. I hate it, but the results are always good. In the end, I appreciate it as much as I resent it.



> Still Under Construction - 8/18/03
In a recent conversation with my friendly neighborhood webmaster, Ryan Anderson, it was pointed out that every time I cross something off my list of things to do and/or explore I write in something new. I was reminded of this observation yesterday.

While perusing the shelves at Borders Books I discovered that despite my amazing education, I know nothing. This, of course, is no new revelation. Some dead, smart philosopher, who I believe to have been Socrates, said something brilliant which I will now misquote: 'The truly brilliant man is the one that realizes that he knows nothing.' The gist is that the more I learn, the more I find that I know nothing about.

For every book I finish, that same day thousands (probably tens of thousands) of new books are published all around the world, in many languages I don't yet know, about subjects I've never considered! (That's not even counting all the books being written and/or conceived). There are theories being researched and created every second and I haven't even caught up with the studies of science, art, and philosophy through the end of the 3rd century A.D. in the Western Hemisphere!

The vastness of the universe and the knowledge contained therein overwhelms me sometimes. Despite the occasional feeling that I am doomed before I even begin my pursuit of knowledge, I will continue my quest. Feel free to join me, browse my website, and learn from any of the few experiences that I have managed to cross off the list.