The Relative Size of Things

Recently I was in an apartment that had a variety of maps as décor covering the walls. The maps were in the kitchen, the living room, the bedroom and the makeshift hallway.

We started talking about the idea of space (as in the space between countries) and the relation of people to this space, politically, socially and personally. I’ve always been fascinated by maps, and the way in which people express their external surroundings and the way in which countries position themselves on a map. 

"Old Map"

It amazes me that this map can exist, with somewhat surprising accuracy, considering there was no ‘objective’ at the time, (hey, they thought the Earth was flat). I also love the fact that N. America & Antarctica   represent such an incredibly large land mass. As if being unknown is equal to  a larger size size and significance.

Click to enlarge

Aussie "Upside down" Map- I love the fact that Australia orients themselves this way. 

And, one of my favorites, The Peter's Map: This is an area accurate representation...which really stirred up scholars back in the 70's. It used cylindric equal-area to show one  way in which the world is proportionally measured. Africa you are huge:

Africa-in proper size proportion to other countries:

It always amazes me that the size of W. Europe and N.America is so incredibly small. 

Postcolonial Trade Map-Because after seeing Africa, you realize power is not all about size...

Click to enlarge!

And, perhaps the most commonly used Map: Mercator. Just note how the map is centered around N. America. 

These are all maps representing the same thing, it just is so surprising how something so 'objective' (as in, there is only one earth to show) can take a variety of forms. 

The Holiday Cactus.

I have to say, my sense of time is severely fucked. It was 80 degrees on the first day of winter. I spent my weekend getting lost in boulders in jeans and a t-shirt.

However, nothing put me in my present place in time like a "holiday" cactus. Essentially, cactus grows here like trees, so it makes sense to decorate one accordingly. There are lights on them, some of even have ornaments  and I've even seen one dressed as a deer!

At first, I was pissed. "How dare someone decorate a cactus?" It rubbed me the wrong way. As the anger subsided, and the holiday mood took over, I realized it's kind of kitchy. There wasn't a lot here to get me in the holiday spirit. It's still hot and sunny. I recently received a sunburn. I still sit out on my balcony and read in my hammocks. It gets dark at 5:45.

 In all of it's strange decor, became one of the few things that reminded me of the upcoming holiday.

On an awesome sidenote: You can also eat cactus.  And it's quiet delicious!  Like many things,  here, they fry it and  put it in a burrito.

Folclórico, Step, Jesus and Lyle Lovett.

It's 76 degrees here, (and sunny) and the last week can be summarized by the last 24 hours. I attended the Winter Talent show for the school I work at (which, I love, love, love) and they had the following performances (back:to:back)


Ballet Folclórico-which, is NUTS.

Followed by Omega Ki-Step Team



followed by an poem about Jesus... a really, really intense poem filled with imagery and blood.



Then, while on the way to work this morning, I saw a car that painted, "Jesus is Coming!" in lime green letters in the window. I then heard the following Lyle Lovett song, as I passed the said car.



"If I had a pony, I'd put it in my boat...and ride it to the ocean"
UH...WHAT?! It might be sleep depravation but it was me, the highway, a Jesus car, and Lyle Lovett this morning. A brutal combination and symbol for all that random chaos I see on a daily basis, that has stopped allowing my life to make any sense.

Later in the day while sipping on Lone Star, I heard the following quote uttered by a Coked out hipster. "I'm sorry I'm late guys, I'm feeling really Larry David today, I've all all this coffee and I'm all sortsa neurotic"

Fake Plants, Pad Thai and Holographic Animals

Sometimes life can only be symbolically described by everyday occurrences. Ordinary, is, after all, only applicable to subjective understanding of one’s surroundings. Or, some postmodern bullshit like that, right?

The day after my return from thanksgiving, my friend and I, in a spur-of-the-moment craving wanted Thai Food. Hard. Call it estrogen cravings, call it random spontaneity for adventure, or exploration, it doesn’t matter. 

I searched  “Thai Food” on Karen, my incredibly untrustworthy GPS outside as we were parked in  an abandoned shopping center. We found a place 1.56 miles away on Manchatta. (pronounced: Man-cha-tah).

I get in my car, turn on the headlights and we drive. It’s a straight shot. On the way we listen to Beyonce’s "Ego." I feel good about my life in that moment, arranged perfectly in it's place in time. I turn up the radio. We car dance.

We walk in. The salad bar is covered in saran wrap. The ceilings and walls have a strange faded cream color. I see wood monkey statues sitting on the window in compromising positions. I already love this place. It’s like the kind of dive-bar that makes you feel right at home when you walk in. Places like this don’t have to throw around themed bullshit or pretentious demeanor with swanky posh furniture or facades. It’s simple. It’s real. They just want to give you food. Thai food.

Waiting to be seated, I hear the cry of a baby. I glance over the cash register and see a small Asian baby in a car seat. I don't really know what to do so I hope the waitress seats us soon. I wave to the crying baby in the car seat.

A petite woman walks up and leads us to our table. We sit down. There’s a playing card labeled, “10”. Table 10.

I look around and see metallic pictures on the walls, black light furry posters of tigers and holograms of waterfalls. On the television, which sits directly behind us, they are playing The Simpsons.

I order my food. It arrives seven minutes later and it is delicious.

I am surrounded by non sequitur décor, the sound of Homer Simpson, delicious food, good company, holographic animals and waterfalls and large awkwardly placed fake plants. A day earlier, I was sitting with my family at a café surrounded by a foot of snow. Life's weird and wonderful. 

Juxtaposition is beautiful and everyday, ordinary life should never be overlooked. Even if there are holographic asian posters on the wall. 

Happiness.

or here is 20 minutes worth sharing:

December 2010

It's officially the first day of December. And, it is going to be 80 Saturday! My idea of seasonal time is officially fucked.

Now, dear readers, October used to be my least favorite month, but I've now concluded since time moves differently in Texas, November is now my least favorite month here. December holds the promise of Christmas and New Years, an official close to the year as well as the promise to start a new one... November has Thanksgiving, a brief holiday and it takes away an hour of sunlight in the evening. This November, I might conclude, struck a deal with the el diablo y el infierno. I was not. a. fan and I am glad that it is the last month of '10.

My December began with the following quote:  (in regards to sex)

"If someone could get the milk for free, why would they want to buy the cow?"

"Fat Free or Skim, baby, it's all the same steak."

Life is too short to spend it unhappy. So---

Cheers to December- the month that allows me a week off to apply to graduate school & surprise 80 degree weather & home to see the friends and family.


Blogs coming up:
-The highly anticipated 'Flea Market' visit back in August (I've FINALLY figured the dynamic out)

-Classism in higher education (or why the fuck is it so expensive to apply?)
-Slam Poetry (words in motion)

Mid-Something 20's!

or hotdayyymmmmnn, 3 blogs in 3 days.

I received the following email yesterday from my good friend:

"So I think the mid-twenty somethings are a time of existential angst,  pre- mid-life crisis and a strange transient place lacking any permanence for the middle class. I mean, just for the fucking boushey kids"


(Boushey is one of my favorite slang terms I've learned, along with 'clutch' as in, "That's so fucking clutch" clutch= really awesome/exciting. Clutch is something I can't pull off saying, without getting strange looks. But Boushey, it's become one of my favorite words)






Ok, so I spend my time with mid 20 somethings, recent college graduates, who are all really intelligent and really funny.  While it leads to a chaotic work environment, it also leads to funny photo ops and intense conversations and an understanding for our place in life at the current time. Which, is really really nice. We all believe strongly in education and helping others. I am sharing the following photo  because it perfectly describes my daily environment (and also, because it was 'office floral day' and that concept  is hilarious to me for some reason)







So, to conclude, floral day+crazy slang+this awesome cee lo song= a magnificent monday





Seriously, this song is kind of mushy in a cheesy wonderful way and it hits the right chords.