intern diary

Sorry I'm slow at updating, but to those of you who read this and do not know already, I am now an intern at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago!

It is an amazing museum and one of the top contemporary museums out there. Getting an internship here is kinda a big deal...and I got two. I feel SO blessed every day that I am in the museum. This is the career I want and it feels good to know that and to work towards it.

My first day was kicked off with a tour of the museum - well, a tour of the offices of the museum. I got to meet department heads, curators, tech guys, and the secretaries. I filled out some paper work for the intern coordinator and got my picture taken for my I.D. and the museum "yearbook." I also got a run down of some future projects.

My second day started off with a very exciting meeting with artist Jimmy Robert. He is an emerging contemporary artist and has won quite a few awards in the past few years. He does 2D and 3D art as well as performance. His 2D art is really fascinating because he starts with a 2D image, then turns it into a 3D collage, then scans that 3D collage back into a digital 2D image. Then he prints out that image on super thick paper that is pinned to the wall in the exhibition. Over time the paper curls and it becomes 3D again. Like this: 

For Public Programming, I am in charge of submitting our monthly events to a website and radio station we partner with. I upload our images and audio recordings of events, along with some text about the events, to the website. 

I also compiled materials for the Education Advisory Committee meeting. This meeting happens three times a year, and is an opportunity for the donors and board members to meet with education department members. (Lots of very important people with lots of money!) I gathered the agenda, minutes, and information about various events, and distributed the folders to all members during the meeting. I will be in charge of the program for an artist talk/performance coming up soon, and I'll work the event that day.

The most exciting project I am doing for Public Programming right now is the audio tour mixtapes. For our 1980's exhibition coming up next week, several artists in the exhibition put together playlists of songs from the 80's that have inspired them. I figured out what songs we have the legal rights to, and I have been hunting down the tracks on iTunes and hard copies of cds of the other songs we cannot find online. I'll buy all the songs and then upload them to the iPods that are used for audio tours. The mixtapes are also being played during the exhibition opening and reception.

For Family and Youth programming, I am mostly helping to organize Family Days. I communicate with artists to find out what materials are needed for their family day stations, and work with them to create a floor plan and shopping list. I'll help get the materials and prep them (tomorrow i am painting!) and will help organize the volunteers who will help us run the event. I also put together the e-newsletter that goes out to MCA members to publicize for Family Day. 

So far there are also some pretty great perks:

• a litte blue card that gets me into every museum in the country for free. and i get 4 guests with me. I am hoping to go to NYC before the end of the year. Anyone want to come with me? 
• meetings with all sorts of famous artists and museum people
• invitations to exhibition openings, artist lectures and tours, and special events like first fridays

This is an AMAZING opportunity and I am trying to take advantage of it and attend every meeting and event I can. And hopefully some day this will turn into my job!

oh hawaii

Lately I have really been missing Hawaii - the food, family, friends, sunshine, sand, salt water, the smells, the greens, the random old uncles talking pidgin at the grocery store.

here are some photos our friend Jenna took for us before we left:

word of the year:

H E A L T H

this year my spiritual, physical, emotional, etc. health are my priority.

Healthy Spirit: daily study and meditation
Healthy Body: daily meals full of nutrients (yes, i’m talking bout fruits and veggies! i am finally eating greens. and taking vitamins.)
Healthy Mind: time management to both work and rest my mind and state of mind. creative time needed.
Healthy Career: quit my part-time job and accepted a 4 day-a-week internship that will help guide me to a fulfilling and exciting career.

this year will be a 365 day detox. 

plans

I wrote a draft post of highlights of Christmas with my family, but I've been lazy with it and sort of enjoying keeping all those good times to myself.

Today is my day off of work this week, and I am getting stuff done.

So far I've eaten a good breakfast, sent some important emails, printed off coupons for grocery shopping, and dusted/cleaned/swept/mopped. It is sunny and my mind is clear, so I figured it would be a good time to spell out some plans* for myself.

[Rather than yearly resolutions, I have a tendency to reevaluate things that I want for my life every few months...and often it changes significantly within that time and my plans either guide what I want or are guided by what I hope to see and achieve.]

1. I want to pay off my current credit card, close it, and open a new one with my bank.

2. I want to write in my journal again.

3. I want to read the Book of Mormon with my man.

4. I want to save up $$$ to take a trip to Asia...more specifically Japan, Korea, and possibly Thailand too. 

5. I want to finish school and come up with a concrete plan for what's next. (Good job in Chicago = stay in Chicago. No job in Chicago = move to Portland?)

6. I want to enjoy showering and brushing my teeth more.

7. I want to remember to take my vitamins and to stop biting my nails.

8. I want to go to Hawaii in June to visit Trav's family.

For today I would like to order that new belt for my record player and savor checking items off my list in my brand new planner.

feeling grateful

Talking with some good friends tonight has made me miss old friends dearly and feel very appreciative for the incredible love and support I have in my life.

So, my dear friends,

Thank you for the the good talks and cuddles,

for all of the absurdity and laughs

for the dancing and the music

for the love, support, good food, and adventures.

I love you, and I miss you, and I will love you and support you even from afar.

"To be surrounded by beautiful curious breathing laughing flesh is enough…" (Walt Whitman)

JEDWARD

Travis and I have this joke about him being "Jedward" - the best of both Jacob and Edward. (Yes, we've both watched all the movies, and we've seen the last two in the theatre with my mom. Well, I've seen them all in the theatre with my mom, but Travis has been with us for the last two. It's a bonding thing.)

His mother takes family photos for Christmas cards every year, and asked us to send her a photo to put in the card, so we had our friend Elena take some photos for us, and little did I know, Jedward would make an appearance:

lazy lucy and chatty cathy

Finishing the semester has had two major effects on me:

1) A burst of supreme laziness complete with hours on end of Korean dramas, Chopped reruns, and the movies I didn't want to pay for to see in the theatre. I skipped showers (more than usual) and didn't wash dishes for a couple days.

2) A burst of sociableness. I like people, I do. But I like staying at home and hanging out with Travis more sometimes. Especially if I am tired and have  homework. But now without that excuse, I spent the whole night on the phone calling my family and Trav's family, and texting a million friends at once. And I am going to three parties this week.

A side note, I bought these amazing leggings that are pretty much sweater pants. Like comfort for my legs: