crazy, sexy, and/or cool: may 2023

graduation, latest art inspirations, new music, and more

This May was a trip. Most notably, I graduated college which was exciting, overwhelming, nerve-wracking, and underwhelming at the same time.

Overall May was very kind to me, many rough patches were hit, but all in all the month ended well and I am extremely grateful for how the year is going so far!

This leads me to my first thing of the month:

having a bachelor's degree—crazy, sexy, & cool

Being educated does make you hotter. I say educated not just in the academic sense. My general life knowledge now is exponentially higher than what I came in with 4 years ago. I'm smarter because of everything I've experienced, and also hotter. Knowing and understanding things helps you see yourself and the world much differently, noticing beauty where I could not before. I see parts of myself and others now that I couldn't before, sometimes I feel like 2019(the year I came into college) was my first year on Earth. Seeing everything for the first time.

My parents are immigrants, so education has always been a serious value instilled in me from a young age. I've always understood the privilege of going to school, and going to college was something I always wanted, not just for them, but for myself too. I can remember being under 10 and feeling so eager to go to college—I wanted to attend Boston College back then, I think it was the only school I knew existed at the time. 

To hold a bachelor's degree is a blessing and the whole experience has been life-changing, but I'm learning, it doesn't necessarily make me all that more hireable—which is ironic, and a little bit confusing, but we’re working it out.

my Panasonic digital camera—cool

This was the camera my mother used to use when we were young to take photos. Last summer I took it with me to DC and have been carrying it around ever since. It's the perfect little portable camera and lets me capture small moments instead of having my DSLR with me all the time–which can be intense and hard to catch candids with.  

Documentaries— cool, crazy 

I love to watch documentaries, and this semester I actually got to take a documentary class where literally all we did was watch them and talk about them—it was amazing. Since class has been over though I watched these documentaries over the last couple of weeks:

Bama Rush: a film by Rachel Fleit about sorority culture at the University of Alabama. I was interested to watch this doc because I somehow got wrapped into bama rush TikTok last summer and was puzzled by the culture surrounding Greek life. The film was enlightening in some ways, exposing a level of what goes on during sorority rush, but I'm not sure the overall execution worked so well for me. An overall interesting watch.

I Am Not Your Negro: a film by Raoul Peck based on an unfinished manuscript from author and civil rights activist James Baldwin. This spectacular film did a great job of staying true to the words of James Baldwin and made insightful commentary about the Black liberation movement generally. 

Tina: a film by Dan Lindsay and T. J. Martin following the life and career of musician Tina Turner. I knew very little about Tina Turner besides some of her popular music I knew, and what I had heard vaguely about her abusive relationship with Ike Turner. This documentary gave so much life to her story, through her own words, it was a great way to pay homage to her life and career given her recent passing. 

being alive imagery—sexy & cool

Something I'm looking for more in music is music that either in sound or in lyric mimics what it feels like to be alive. Day-to-day joy, falling in love, heartbreak, sounds that feel like seasons, and places I've been. Music that feels familiar, intimate, and casual. I've found this feeling, particularly in highlife jazz, bossa nova, house, funk alternative r&b, and so many others. 

Some artists I've been enjoying:

Jembaa Groove

Mei Semones

Milt Jackson

Cleo Sol

Steve Lacy

K, Le Maestro

Joao Gilberto 

Playlist:

 

summer dress/skirt season: sexy & cool

I want to wear dresses and skirts all summer. That is all.

Flowers–cool & sexy

I've always loved flowers, but recently I've been feeling more drawn to them. They are so effortlessly gorgeous and so symbolic spiritually. I’ve been collecting wildflowers on my walks to press and start incorporating into my artwork.

the catholic church/religious imagery– crazy & cool

I grew up in the catholic church and went to catholic school for years, but it was not until years after that I really was able to appreciate the architecture of catholic churches, the intricate art inside of them, and the ways art is used in the religion. It's something I want to incorporate more into my artwork as well.

portrait poems—cool

I am just obsessed with this type of poem lately. Poetry and writing in general is an art, but I think the portrait is one place where the imagery of poetry can be particularly felt.

what I read: Love by Toni Morrison—crazy & cool

First novel I've read by Toni Morrison! A great commentary on how love for the same individual can manifest very differently for different people, the many roles one person can play in an ecosystem, and the function of patriarchy. 

How I’m staying sane: Prayer walks & hammocking—cool

This past month has been filled with so much joy but also so much stress. Now that I've moved back home and have some time before I start working to do absolutely nothing, I'm trying to prioritize moments of stillness and prayer which are easy to forget in a busy schedule. I started doing this in DC by going on prayer walks—long walks around the city where I would mediate and talk to God. I just got a tree hammock at home and it's already saving my life. Naps, reading, and writing laying in the sun are so healing. 

till next month.