Monday, January 28, 2008

Mermaids are WONDERful

As my eager roommate peered over my shoulder she exclaimed, "Mermaids!"
"No Kelly," I explained, "That doesn't say mermaids." After my reply I started to think of the wildness of a mermaid. The wildness of the creative thought that birthed the idea of the mermaid. It all started with a seaman suffering from sleepless nights and too many foggy mornings to confuse a sea cow for a mermaid. It only took a hint of confusion for his imagination to run WILD. Maybe that's what our childish fantasies of other worlds with fairies and dark lords is derived from. And, unless you are a great author, artist, or screen writer you are seen as odd to still dream of such things past the age of 10. Is it society that drives out this WILD part of our imaginations to make us see the world as more "practical" and "serious"? Only the kid who gets made fun of for "still playing with toys" understands this. The child who is forced to stop playing in an imaginary world feels the sorrow of leaving the WILD imagination. Why are we forced to leave this exciting sense of wonder in everything behind?

Saturday, January 26, 2008

Domestic is for Dog

In a pondering thought of what it really means to be wild in Thoreau's idea I thought of myself as a woman. I decided that if a woman was to truly be wild she would be nothing that she is expected to be in our society. And as I decided in the shower, that I was not going to shave my legs because I didn't feel like it, I thought of so many things that women are supposed to do and be that inhibits them from wildness. I agree that in today's world things have gotten much better, but in the past-say the 1950's-things were much worse.
Things that women in American society are typically responsible for
-shaving (Women can't have facial hair, leg hair, arm pit hair, excessive arm hair, back hair...you know what I'm saying.)
-obedience to husband(cooking, cleaning, sweeping in pearls)
-being thin
-not getting pregnant when their not supposed to
-being graceful
-being the "damsel in distress"
-being weaker than men
-being extremely polite (no farting or burping)
-bearing children
I'm not really a feminist, but I do feel that it is more work for a woman to be wild. It might be due mostly to the socially accepted hygiene standards, but still.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Wild, Whiled

In reading the letter from Lope de Aguirre, my first thought was "What an asshole." I thought it interesting his sarcasm in repeating the king's title over and over again. King King King. He is throwing it in his face that he has the power to end the suffering that Aguirre is feeling. The use of religion as a weapon really bothered me as well. Now that I've thought of that, how about this? It bothers me (as it should everyone) that there have been so many wars and so many killings done in the name of religion. Now, I don't even know what I think anymore about "God", but I know that this is ridiculous. If there is a God I don't think that he would honor taking lives in his name when people can't even be sure that is what their "God" wants. So I'm throwing out the idea that far to many-a-war have been fought in the name of religion.

Thursday, January 17, 2008

The Not-So-Practical Practicality of Henry David Thoreau

It is true that I sat openmouthed in awe of the vision of freedom and wildness Thoreau presented in "Walking", but I am also left wondering. The thought of ignoring all of the stresses of the modern day world and just living with my WILDNESS seems so freeing and also so lonely. I say lonely because it is also a natural human desire to organize. If I separate myself from my country, my womanhood, and my race it is true that I might feel free and wild, but there is also something to be said of the feeling of belonging. There is comfort in a community of people. There is comfort in organization. I am not lying astray the idea of breaking free, I just think there is a happy median-as with most everything-to what Thoreau is saying. However, being AWARE of our WILDNESS is a necessity I feel. So now I sit aware wide-eyed.

Sunday, January 6, 2008

Truth Part 2

I decided to stay because...

I love Cincinnati more than I thought
I realized saving money doesn't save happiness
I want to be an artist
I can do art therapy in grad school
It was too much work leaving
I had a nervous break down that caused me to reevaluate everything
I do love art

Tuesday, January 1, 2008

THE TRUTH HAS COME!

I am staying....I am staying at the Art Academy of Cincinnati for the time being. So I will now take all questions and comments starting now. My next blog will be based off those questions and comments. All I can say is I don't know what to say.