12 hrs in big D

(ladies room ad in Memphis)


I had a wonderful time in Memphis! Dave and Paul performed at TN Comedy... it was a Thursday night (ladies night!) and a small crowd... but considering the size of the crowd, I think they got a good response... but I'm not a comedian, and shouldn't say anything... but i thought their sets were hilarious... so, THERE!

Afterwards I went out with Paul, and a couple (both locals and both comedians).... I had a really great time... One thing I didn't realize about Memphis was how segregated it is... The bar we went to, is in the same building as another bar... the entrance doors have only a few feet or less between them.... the bar we were in, was the "hipster" (forgive me if that's the wrong term, I'm sooo not down with the lingo, and only pretend to be cool... most of the time), the bar next door would have been categorized by tobacco companies as a "menthol" account. But it was also a tranny bar.... I went to check it out with the girl I was hanging out with... i was shocked... i couldn't believe these two venues were both full... and completely different worlds! I'm not sure if I've seen anything like that before.

This morning before I left Memphis, I talked to DL for a while.... I was so nervous about returning to TX... nauseous, even... but I was grouping every hurtful memory in one lump sum, rather than just looking at each event separately... which wouldn't have been bad at all if the circumstances were different... So, I was able to re-center myself (as much as possible) and drive to Dallas....

This pic is from the same ladies room... it also sums up what my motivational book on CD has taught me NOT to say to myself:

I wasn't sure if I was going to stay the night or not... I kinda just planned on breezing through and dropping stuff off at my storage unit... but I got caught in traffic on 40... in Memphis... bad traffic... 4-miles-in-2-hours bad. I also didn't want to make a big deal of my visit... because it's not a visit... it's a layover... there are so many people I want to see... and I didn't even get a chance to let some of the most important people, on my "want to see" list, know... I just need more time... or a clone... so I can be two places at once... or, better yet... a clone of me, who LIKES to talk on the phone... yes... I need a phone-clone.

So, I called last minute and stayed last minute here in Dallas.... I got in LATE.... I'll leave early for Midland... I got to see the Slack play at Barley... At first I was overwhelmed, and it felt noisy and crowded like Vegas (I've been in the mountains for 4 months...)... but I was so glad to see my dear friends. I missed them... a lot... I've cried a lot the last few days... but these were good tears...

I really was touched by the love and support I received tonight... I really am so blessed to have those wonderful friends... thank you (you know who you are)....

I cried some more and laughed some more... I felt love instead of judgement... the majority of the "judgement" has been ryann-on-ryann crime. Not anymore... at least I'll try my best...

love.
r

Creature Comforts

This is a sign I've been driving by everyday on the most dangerous gravel road... that road is a head-on collision just waiting to happen...

So.... I didn't leave today... I felt better, but my tummy's still a little sensitive... I plan to leave tomorrow. Mike told me it was okay if I stayed longer... because (in his words), "I really li-... don't mind hanging out with you."
Ha! I teased him that he almost said that he liked hanging out with me.

We went to go eat last night in Little Switzerland... YUM! I haven't been out to eat at Penland or in the area before. On the way back, the sky was the most amazing fuchsia color.

Today, I went out side and saw another snake... this snake was alive... and on a tree brach by my head.

And then a hummingbird buzzed by and looked at me, then took off.... I thought the buzzing was a bug and ducked at first... it was really cute. I wonder how may times I've thought a big bug was buzzing me, when it was really a hummingbird.

There have been so many creatures this summer.... I survived the 17-year cicada craziness; I've seen the most beautiful moths; I've accidentally hit two luna moths with my car; I've seen plenty of suicidal deer run in the road; There have been wild turkeys, huge spiders, an endangered bog turtle and salamanders that were so pretty, they looked fake; I saw a mouse that made me scream... and then he turned to look at me with his little mouse eyes and I immediately stopped screaming and started cooing; I've seen an owl do a funky dance; red tail hawks; two skunks taking a stroll, five raccoons huddled in a tree, one raccoon who looked like he was about to open the front door for me... gosh... so many more... I also met a real witch, took pictures of the moon and it looked like hearts... I've made great friends... two (cas, and mike) I know will be life-long.... I saw Dallas peeps at the Orange Peel... not to mention all of the arts and crafts I've done, and learned. I never saw a bear (but there have been bear sightings) or an alligator... I'm kinda glad.

It's nice and cool here... I got here when it was cool in spring and survived the heat of the summer... now it's August and getting cool again... I love it.

So, tomorrow, I'm gonna drive to Nashville and see Ward... I've been drooling thinking about that awesome burger at the sushi place... Then to Memphis to see Dave Little and watch his show... then to Dallas (to drop off stuff in storage) then to Midland, to get my doggie and see my family.

1st day revelations

A view from my room at Penland. More photos to come...

when I arrived, a card with this quote was on my pillow:

"As  human beings, our job in life is to help people realize how rare and valuable each one of us is, that each of us has something that no one else has or ever will have - something inside of us that is unique to all time. It's our job to encourage each other to discover that uniqueness and provide ways of developing its expression."-Fred Rogers

Today I drove from Beech Mountain, NC to Penland.  It's the craft school where I'll be for the next two weeks. 

 (for anyone who doesn't know- I'm taking a glass class for the first two weeks, then I have a 2 week break, then I come back to Penland to take a nature journaling class... dorkily named "art for nature freaks".... I'm a nerd. I really wanted to take it.)

Now, I'm taking a glass class called "Portraits, Narratives, and Myths." It's called a "glass" class here but it's a multimedia class. The description is so broad.... that I really have NO clue what it's going to be like, or what we'll be doing. And after our first class tonight, I realized our instructors don't either. And I'm totally cool with that... actually I'm glad.

The school is beautiful. Tucked away in the mountains. I drove in and was nervous... Not knowing where to go, or what to do, or what to expect. I've got my OWN room (yay!) and my own bathroom (yay! yay!) in a house called "bill's house." My housemates are women in there 50's-60's who are here for pottery and basket weaving. Yes... all of the wild parties will be in this house!  

But really, they are all great and nice. Everyone I've met here has been nice. It's funny when I try to explain the class I'm taking... People will ask, "what class are you in?"  I say, "glass" (it's true, and quick one word answers are always best). But if they say, "blowing?" I have to say "no... it's hot and cold glass" and then they look confused... and I answer by looking confused and shrugging. 

Dinner was delicious. When I sat at the table, a woman who has been here the last 17 years was talking about how she first came to Penland after experiencing loss and tragedy and how healing this place is. I didn't say anything, but in my head I thought "good... that's why I'm here."

Things I learned today:

1. I have an irrational fear of bees. Today, I walked by a tree that started to buzz and I jumped and ran... People who saw me thought it was funny.... I did not. I swear... I hear buzzing constantly. I do NOT do bugs. The ants here look like they shoot steroids, and the bees are the size of my fist. There's a spider on my patio... I swear it's staring me down. 

2. My Target shoes ain't gonna fly. Nope. I wore them to walk to the studio and back.. and now, I'll never be able to walk in them again. OUCH.

3. Bears are scary. I haven't seen any. No one's said anything about them... but still, I'm terrified.

4. The GPS is not always right. I tried to go to Walmart to buy things I forgot: shampoo, conditioner, bug spray, and a flashlight. The GPS looked like it knew where to go... it had the address and everything... I followed it for 20 mins, and when it said "arriving at destination" I was on a deserted road in the middle of nowhere near logging mills and hay fields- NOT Wal-mart. I never did find a Walmart... so I came back empty handed.

5. Eggs and Motor oil in a glass bottle is art. Yes, just hang it on the wall. Tonight we all had to show examples of our work. There are only 2 of us in the class who have not worked with glass. I'm probably the only one who hasn't been to art school. Some people in my class have done these huge and insane installation projects. One girl had a wall of glass bottles of stuff in them on a wall.... weird stuff like pulverized bacon (not like the one with eggs and motor oil isn't weird)... I can't remember what she said it represented... something like a line out of the movie "Art School Confidential".... about not recognizing familiarity... .   Actually,  all of the my new classmates had really neat sculpture, and collages. One of my instructors uses fabric in her work... I really like her work.

I'm really excited about tomorrow. I'm glad I'm not the only one who had no idea what our class would be like... the instructors don't either. They are both really cool.. I really like them both and their work. I'm slightly intimidated... but I'm just going to take each day as something new. 

I just got back to my room... it's 11:30. I wanted to go to Yoga at 7am.... but now that seems a little early. I think I'll go to the 5pm class instead.

Updates from NC

Hey Everyone-

I'm here, in North Carolina. It's been a really nice trip so far. 

Let's see... I left Dallas on Tuesday and drove to Nashville. I met up with Ward and my friend Jim there... we had the best cheeseburger ever at a Sushi place. Cheeseburger at a sushi restaurant?!? I know... but Ward promised it was the best... and he was NOT even kidding. I'm actually looking forward to my drive back, stopping there, and having another!

I spent Tuesday and Weds in Nashville, then headed to NC on Thursday.

I got to Beech Mountain after dark on Thurs... I'm staying at my family's house... by myself, which is actually really nice. On Friday I was L-A-Z-Y (lot's of sleep and food and cable TV). I haven't watched TV in forever... so I had some catching up to do... HA! 

Today has been full of trying to find internet and coffee... and returning emails. The Daily Candy article on me came out on Wednesday... so I had PLENTY of emails to return today. :)

I go to Penland and start class tomorrow. I'm really excited... and a little nervous. One of the teachers emailed me (and the rest of the class) and said bring pictures of our work that we've used in our seminars.... excuse me? seminars?? yikes! 

I'm not sure how the internet access situation is going to be yet... but I will try to keep posting... to keep you updated. And hopefully I'll figure out how to upload photos on here!