Adventuring.

Being in London woke up the part of me that thrived on exploration. Paired with the quick after thought that having been plopped down in NYC with school around the corner, a mysterious apartment that wasn’t ready on time, and a family life to sink into; that I had completely skipped the embracing and adventuring step generally common to my big city lifestyle. I like how it takes me this long to realize it. And I wonder about if I hadn’t been in London, how I would be doing right now. So while red shoes an an LBD are nice, the best souvenir was remembering how to adventure.

There are, I might, add rules for adventuring. That’s right if you don’t have rules to play by, then having an adventure can be boring. What? Isn’t this all counter intuitive? No. If you can do anything you like and you know what you’re about to do, then where’s the satisfaction in doing it?

Rules for adventuring: having a start destination. Having a goal for the adventure. Being able to sidetrack. Realizing that completing the goal is not necessarily the mission. Keeping track of random things as you go (the other day I kept track of how many Starbucks I passed in addition to how many Battlestar signs were of stealable quality). Remembering to be where you are and be conscious. I think that’s most of the rules.

So adventuring commenced to say the least and has been progressing since I arrive back on Saturday. Here’s the debriefing of the highlights:

Saturday: Goal: rearranged my bedroom. not a full blown sort of Indiana Jones adventure but changing your physical lifestyle is a no-joke thing. it certainly reorients your sense of being in more that a physical way.

Sunday: Goal: pearl paint, canal st. frame for artwork, $10 in my pocket. without direction, without caring so much about direction, I wandered from Christopher St. down, around, etc. With great mini-trips into dog boutiques, a chocolate store, a high-end sex shop, and an Aldo where I found my red shoes at twice the price than in London. Wandering back, stopped off to make use of the NYU library. Scanning room + Tom Robbins.

Monday: Goal: Ikea, Ikea water taxi, as much of my buy list as under $9.00. Found lots of art on this part of my trip through the financial district. Theres something delightful about finding unexpected pieces of large scale public art. And taking your picture in the mirrored one. Water taxi- not enough room, I ride on top in a snow storm. More white than usual, more cold than usual and also happier than usual. Coat hooks and planter base at $6.00. Going back to Manhattan sitting inside the water taxi, you got it: priceless. Then visit to Southside Seaport and Seaport Museum. Museum no misnomer, Seaport well yes. I was expecting more fish and less tacky mall.

Tuesday: Goal: Find place to view inauguration. In NYC there were lots of places to view publicly, but at 9 am I selected my Aunt and Uncle’s place in Brooklyn. Threw some spice cake muffins (calling them muffins so I can eat more than if they were called cupcakes) and took them on the F once they popped out of the oven. Family, lunch, watching my man Obama getting sworn in. First day of class, goes smoothly. Get home in time to write up my grant and get it submitted – big weight off my shoulders.

Wednesday: Goal: Rotunda Gallery opening. First day at work. 5 mins late. Don’t have the paperwork done. Get it all set up and I’m off by 1pm. I scan images. Its not all that bad. Second class of the week. Done at 4pm, how to kill time before Rotunda’s opening begins? Lower East side: Deitch Projects and Nyland Blake. Nyland disappoints. Stephen Sprouse: Walk on Mars does not. Gallery is completely transformed into a crazy punk wonderland. For a person who could care less about his clothing, I was impressed. Add to this trip the store Evolution (advertised as the meeting of art and science) and you now know where to buy human skulls the next time you need one.

Thursday: Goal: make it through the day. I work 9-5 in the Blackroom. Around 4 pm, I start to fade. It takes all the chocolate I have to keep me going. Thats okay, tolerance is something you build and in that respect, I’m at a good starting point. Last class of the week: Exhibition Design. By the end of class around 8:30 I’m ready to head home. Get back to outside my apartment but I don’t want to stop walking. Head ove r to the waterfront and watch the lights for a while. Close eyes and wish I was in a hammock, in the middle of no where, cold enough to tingle but hands are still warm, looking up at the stars. Film of the night: Kenneth Branaugh’s As You Like It. Absolutely beautiful to say the least. And you can always depend on Shakespeare for some quick wit.

Friday: Goal: Don’t screw up. Internship at Chelsea gallery. Goes smoothly. Labeling, sending postcards through postage meter. No problems there. Find toothpaste stain on black shirt. Great! Get off work and head to the Whitney for a tour of their Calder show. First time there. Free. Calder. Have mentioned that I love Calder? Excellent show, so glad I saw it. Walk back to the Path train from 75th st. Yup, count down to street #14. Go past the Chrystler Building. See that blue lite building that I can see from the Hoboken waterfront and I keep walking. Its at 14th st. so now I have a good idea of where things are in relation when looking from the other side.

Saturday: Goal: MoMA, Buffalo Exchange. Saturday was pretty direct for an adventure. On a time schedule with meeting friend for dinner does that to you. But good all the same. MoMA was amazing, I now know I can get more than one free ticket in. Vik Muniz is my mascot of Mock Art. He’s curated the show Rubus from the MoMA’s collection. If you’re within traveling distance, make it happen. I’m in love with this man. I’m in love with his humor. The way he connects his thoughts. I will be using his exhibition as the topic of my exhibition display paper. He will get his own post. Buffalo Exchange is disappointing. Meet Chris in Chinatown. Dinner, bottle of wine and I’m getting back into the groove of Guitar Hero on his couch. Good friends are great.

Sunday: well that’s today! Goal: PS 1. More later.