three seasons later

How to best summarize the months I've neglected to mention?

After Sundance last winter, I ended up spending some time in Utah, then moseyed back East where I made a stop in Pittsburgh. I spent a good portion of the spring between West Virginia and Kentucky finalizing the documentary, which we screened in-- what was it, mid to late May? Somewhere before then, I got word that I'd been accepted into a Digital Art MFA graduate program at Indiana University.

And here I am. I've been living in Bloomington since June, and I'll be here for at least three years.

Summer was slow and steamy, and in August I moved out of my temporary housing situation and into Skylab, a great old house from the 1920s that I hope to stay in for the duration of my graduate career. I'm not very good at accumulating furniture, so my studio hasn't really come together yet. That said, I do have a bed and a clunky old drafting table. It's a start.

I've gotten to know this unique little town over the past few months, and I'm finally starting to settle into life here. Bloomington has a remarkably vibrant music and arts scene considering its size and geography, and its eateries are notable, too. I've also managed to connect with wonderful people. I feel like I'm starting to establish a community. It's not huge, but it doesn't need to be. I'm not in a bad place. I'm slowly getting where I need to be.

Grad school, meanwhile, has been another adventure altogether. I'm struggling, admittedly, with the steepness of the learning curve-- I'm the only new student in this program who doesn't seem to have a formal digital technology/art school background. I studied literature in college for christ's sake. That said, I'm surviving. I'm not failing, just having to work extra hard. Welcome to graduate school, as my friend Lisa says. I'm also teaching, which is often frustrating with 60+ kids in the classroom. But then again, there are nice moments, and when it's good, it's really good.

Project wise, I've been doing a lot of stop-motion animation lately (a la the style pioneered by William Kentridge, graphite on paper, charcoal/chalk on paper) and sound art through my graduate seminar coursework and in a synth class through the Center for Electronic and Computer Music. Some songwriting, some poetry here and there.

I've realized I need to make music more present in my day-to-day life. Les and I need to play together, soon. Lots of my equipment is still in limbo in West Virginia at the recording studio, so I need to orchestrate a trip there minus vehicle (was in a wreck not too long ago-- my car was totaled and I've not yet replaced it). I'm thinking of maybe taking a bus and then renting a van once I get to WV. I'll figure it out.

Anyway, back to the world of academia. I'm off to a class.