Martin Creek Walk - Feeling
Yesterday was a busy day, and I have updates and pics for the location of The Doorway. However, I want make note of my recent walk before I forget the resulting ideas and inspirations; so I will post the info from yesterday a bit later.
Today was the first day of sunshine in several, and the rain casted our hills with vibrant green grass complemented with touches of yellow wild flower. I was inspired by this natural beauty and wanted to seize the moment by returning to my reflective walks through Martin Creek.
As I was walked, I listened; I closed my eyes. I imagined Jordan, the main character for The Doorway, being close to nature. I only felt the sounds: the noise of the rocks scrubbing and crunching with each footstep, the rhythm and successions of each stride, the sound of the birds, the flowing water. I thought of what Rob said in his advice to me:
I would counsel consistent work at the tasks you set yourself. Step by step. Be an artist at least once a day. Don’t rush. Don’t think ahead. Stay in the moment.
With this in mind, I stepped off the trail before a tree, Tree of Life. The ground under the tree was very different from the trail. With each step I slightly melded into the delicate grass, and with this, a subtle crackling sound permeated. I looked down to a multitude of brown oak tree leafs intertwined with long and fresh blades of greenery. I pulled a leaf from the grasp of the greens and gently ran my fingers over the dry and bumpy texture. I stepped back and, with my eyes, followed the base of the tree, the trunk, and the bare branches before a crisp blue sky. I drifted away and started towards the path while holding and looking at the leaf. Then I stopped, looked at the grass, and pressed my palm to the earth. The grass gave way as I applied pressure. It was slightly wet and warm; I stopped, and held my hand in place, and I thought, “This is the contrast.” This is nature, and this is being close to it. I want Jordan to have a similar experience. I want him to be within the safety of his room, feeling the texture of the walls; looking and longing for something. I want to show the dynamic range between the dry and cold texture of the wall, the room, and the thriving, inviting and warm texture of the earth.
(As I wrote this, I had a second thought; I imagined him opening the door. Maybe when he opens the door, it doesn’t have to be from behind. It a can be from the side so it’s facing us.)
Phases of the Moon
Yesterday, in Astronomy I worked with Katherine and Michelle for a second time; we make a good team. We did a lab covering the phases of the moon and other planets. I forgot my printout, so I wrote my notes on binder paper. I also didn’t do the pre-lab. After the long day working on The Doorway, I missed the notes about the pre-lab when quickly looking over the print-out at home; I was tired! Fortunately, I took a 1/2 hour nap before class, and this made a world of difference. Otherwise I would have been out of it. The pre-lab was worth 5 points, and there was an extra credit for 3 points too, so I will work on the extra credit to make up some of the difference. I will work on this over the weekend or Monday, for I have a lot to do with the The Doorway over the next couple of days.
Mon.Training - High Energy
I woke up extra early to intercept a UPS package, a new lens and tripod for The Doorway project, and I was up late last night working on the project, so I had little sleep. After a very long morning and afternoon in Antioch, including test shouts and location planning, I headed to the gym. I wanted to visit the Walnut Creek 24 Hour Fitness, but I used my quarters to pay for a 3G Jamba Juice Energy drink (Walnut Creek’s gym is mostly paid parking), so I drove the extra distance to the Pleasanton gym. A combination of the change in sleep pattern and the energy drink provided me with one of my best runs this semester: 8mph 0.5 miles, 9mph 0.5 miles, 10mph 0.75 miles, and 12mph 0.25 mph. Afterwards, I did my chest, triceps, and shoulders; my body is adjusting to long distance and my ability to lift heavy weight is leveling off. If I’m to lift heavier, I will need to cut back on how fast I’m running the long distance; however, I’m not sure I want to do this. In addition, after weights, I did 20 minutes on the stair master to strengthen my legs. All in all, a very good 1.5 hour workout.
Bobby Roth - Berkeley
Several days ago, on Friday, I met Rob Nilsson at Bobby Roth’s screening of Berkeley, the same movie I announced in class. The movie theater was packed, and I negotiated with people to move around so I could sit next to Rob; he was on his way.
In addition, the audience was very young, mostly college students. When Rob arrived, we immediately struck up a conversation on how the students may have caught word of the event. Bobby held a similar screening in Los Angeles, and despite a multitude of myspace friends, very few people showed up to the screening, so the large audience was surprising. I questioned some students around me, and they mentioned Facebook; this ended up being the key. During the Q & A I learned most of the students were brought to the screening through the UC Berkeley Facebook network, proving to be much more reliable for events then Myspace. I still prefer building and independent social network.
As for the movie, it wasn’t exactly my taste. Regardless, the audience responded very well to it. It had a modern style comedy that steadily pulled interaction from the general crowd. There was plenty of topless women nudity; so it managed to keep the young men despite the sappy love story. All in all, more or less, it was a romantic comedy. Most importantly, Bobby Roth, Rob Nilsson’s good friend, funded and produced a movie himself, and he reached his audience.
Last notes, I didn’t recognize any students from my LPC humanities class, but I’m sure the majority of them would have enjoyed the movie. I was considering doing a paper on one of the movies I’m very attracted to; but as a change of pace, I think I will do a critique on this movie instead. Last, I still have to do a review on my SFMoma trip.
Derelict From Inside
The derelict said let me see you walk
I looked to him with an ostentatious gawk
He frowned and laid upon the pavement
Then the tears began to flow from his cracks
I looked up into the night
Looking down upon this man
I asked him why he cries
And he laughed right before my eyes
By and By
I’m walking into the distance
and the hours of sin are reminiscing;
I can see the feelings,
but all the minutes are flying by
I move upon the earth before sitting still
and absorbing all the light
If there is time, my mother
give me the rythm of your plates
to allow the pattering out to shake,
to ignite and keep me awake
Perhaps this screen shall free me
and I will find in this foggy sight
a moment outside of this sweltering heat
to where the earth flows the wind blows
and I will go,
by and by
Announcement & Graffiti
I rushed to the library to make copies for a flier and back to class to make an announcement for a Screening of Berkeley, a movie by Bobby Roth. The fliers were apart of the announcement. Dr. Klaschus gave me the floor and allowed me to speak. After the announcement we finished watching the movie American Graffiti. I thought the idea behind the series events taking place through the night were intriguing; but I felt like the theatrical acting took away from this. In the end, I was turned off by the descriptions of what happened to the characters later on in life. I felt the main character seeing the white car of his potential love fling was significant enough, but then again, I’m the same person turned off by the tinsel town persona. I will write a follow-up Bobby Roth’s screening tomorrow.
Fri. Training - Improving
Today my running went even smoother: 7mph 0.5 miles, 8-9mph 0.5 miles, and a consistent and steady 10mph 1 mile. I imagined my frontal lobe deciding to make it easier. This was during the last mile; I told my self, “You want to do this. You choose to do this,” and I imagined myself doing it. This is applicable to other aspects of life, and it makes me want to review some of my psychology notes, not just mental, by psychical.
The weight training went very well too. My back is certainly becoming stronger, and I’m seeing a lot more definition in my muscles. I want to focus on the balance of the training, and I re-emphasize this to keep my self on a steady track. This weekend I will go for several runs, but they will be at relaxed steady paces.
Somber Depths
I woke today in a dry plane
nothing but heat pulled at my name
To the left of me a cactus grew
and its pricks insulted my thirst I new
If only I could make it to the spring
where I could fall into fluid silent swimming
I want to soak up the thirst, to quench the emptiness within
and drift into a world outside of those faulty men
To will to float away as the water seeps
all around and even between my knees
For as I failed with fear to be free
I would be born with a cry, to the light, with a desperate plea
And with my chest, exasperating and pulsing from depths
I will remember the spring I somber to bring
Wed. Training - Faster
I ran 7mph for the first 0.5 miles, 8-9mph for the next 0.5 miles, and 10mph for the last mile. This is the first time I ran 10mph for a mile straight in a long time. After running I did my standard leg work out, and I can feel my legs getting stronger. Though, I was very tired from running. As for a new diet supplement, I went to Safeway to pick up some unsalted almonds for a quick and healthy snack during studies. Tomorrow I will return to my Martin Creek walks; I really need it. I totaled about 1 hour of working out.