Anniversary

So it's been about a year since I've started this blog and in the past months I have been admittedly inattentive... well lazy. But in any case I am back.

I finally landed a job teaching art and am excited to explore the possibilities at my school. We're a small independent school in Hoboken, NJ. I really like Hoboken because it reminds me so much of Baltimore. There are brownstones and artsy shops and street fairs and it's right near the water. The best part is though, that it's a 15minute ride on the Path Train to get into NYC. I definitely won't complain about that. I would love to move there but a. it's way too expensive and b. I am committed to living in Piermont until we're ready to buy a house, hopefully by age 30.

The floral business is going well too. I ended up booking all three weddings for May, one for July, one for August and four so far for next year! I want this business to grow so much... but there's only so much time to dedicate between life and lesson planning.

We went to the MoMA last week and it was so inspirational, as usual, but I still find myself stuck in a funk of not making art outside of classroom prototypes. I figure if I keep convincing myself that I will make art again then it will happen in its own time. For now though I will be the weirdo who is so excited about getting a new washer delivered and making dinner at home. Send the creative mojo anyway though. Cheers.

ten again.

Send out the appreciation.

1. An exciting new haircut
2. Getting a 25% tip
3. Winning solataire (finally)
4. Movies from the 80s
5. Home grown veggies
6. The hum of my sewing machine
7. Printmaking Ink
8. Postcards
9. When a student says a sweet thing and means it
10. The chirpy sounds my kitten makes

art-ing and banking on it.

I painted for the first time in about five years. I put my hands into the paint and it exhilarating. The product may not be my best work but it's a start.

I am feeling a new and revived motivation. Making artwork, gearing up for my own summer camp!!! There is a paint your own pottery studio near by called 'Glaze'. The first day they opened I dropped off my resume and it's only been good things since then. They called just a few weeks later and asked me about creating a camp. Bonus is that they wanted it to be an art history-based thing so I get to create art problems as opposed to just projects. It's so nice to be able to start from scratch and put my stamp on everything. The ladies who run it are such wonderful people! I know it's going to be great.

Also I have quite possibly booked three weddings for May! Two in New York and one in Maryland (conveniently on Mother's day weekend). The bride's are all really sweet and easy going for the most part. Always a relief. Besides May being a really great month for flowers. This kind of jump in business can only mean good things, especially in THIS economy.

Luckily other things are going well too. The restaurant is slow but I never leave empty handed. It's also really nice to have some spending money finally. The people are pretty cool too although I always get uncomfortable when I'm the new kid in town. I just do my best and hope for the best. I've already made good with the bus boys so I get extra help whenever I need it and hopefully they will teach me some Spanish too! I really want to learn another language, especially since there are so many ESL kids in the schools now. I actually have four Japanese students, two of which speak zero English. What do I do with that?

Speaking of school.. I am the technology teacher until April. The real tech teacher is out with unexpected surgery and I am there in his stead. It's really nice to have a classroom and teach a subject that's close to art. Hopefully it will only lead to the real ticket.

Hope.hope.hope. That's what I am banking on.

inward-re-direct

1. Realizations. Realizing things that you already knew.
2. Truth.
3. The smell of summer.
4. Balancing the cynicism with the romanticism.
5. Cheese.
6. Typewriters.
7. Watercolors with no purpose.
8. When my cat lays on my chest.
9. Work ethic.
10. My mom's voice.

Resolve

So it's the new year and I'm finally re-posting. I usually make a new year's resolution, but I have been having a hard time with it. Of course I am resolving to finally finding a full time art teaching position, but that has been on-going since graduation 2007... I have really been wanting to make art, however it's been frustrating and not very fruitful. My present-making went well and all gifts were a great success, which absolutely motivated me to get going, but... So I need to get the juices flowing. I guess my resolution will be to go to more gallery shows and museums. Being in the presence of art is always inspiring and motivating!

Back in my own little DIY world I am going to make a headboard for me and manfriend. Most likely it will be simple, dark brown fabric stretched over foam and a long rectangle of wood, but I did get a silkscreen for christmas so maybe that will come into play.

I just took up a second job as well, which is going to cut into my creative time, but now I will actually have funds to work on my projects. Waiting tables may not be the most fun, but hopefully it will lead me back to bartending for the summer! I really miss it and it's kind of satisfying to walk home with cash. Not to mention it's social and I could use the extra interaction.

Short post but at least putting it out there should motivate. 'Should' being the active word.