Winter break has finally started!

MThis is officially my last college break because I'm graduating in May and I plan on spending as much of it as possible in bed or with Kev. And luckily tomorrow starts his 10 days of no school or work (except for our time at the rock gym)!! 

So far we've planned gingerbread houses, seeing Christmas lights, sushi, and pajama days! Nothing sounds better than just having a few days of solid relaxing especially when I get to spend it with Kevi.

PS: we have a coupon for a dozen free donuts from Krispy Kreme that starts December 26th and we're more excited about that than Christmas.

final project results

This project was a little more stressful than other projects because it depended wholly on the support and interaction of my peers. If no one chose to interact that at the end of the project I would have a white sheet of paper, and no evidence of the piece. 

One of the biggest challenges I feared was getting a first reaction. I believed that in the same way people do not like to cross a line that they would also be wary of "dirtying" something so clean as a blank white sheet of paper. To combat this I placed the first photo (girl in bottom left) to start a response and also give other students an image to 'work off of'. This worked very well and the following images are the results of the project, taken in increments of two hours from 5pm to 1am on Monday December 15th. 

The ending result was more than I could have hoped for, however it was also very surprising how some people choice to interact with the piece. I was surprised how many people were comfortable with breaking the frame of the piece, as this can be counter-intuitive. Additionally I was interested in how people placed the images. Many people would take a few pictures and post them together, while others would select just one image and keep it surrounded by white space. There seemed to be a large divide between people interacting with their peers work and people just placing their own images.

I would have liked to see the white of the board more covered to give it more of a 'collage' feel, but I didn't want to prompt people to participate and I also didn't want to involve myself more than I already had. By starting the project I already put the project on a certain trajectory. For example, perhaps because I didn't break the frame with my first image others felt prompted to break the frame. I really wanted this project to be a campus collage, and I felt that if I started and finished the project that I would have just molded it into the image that I wanted, instead of allowing it to be a representation of how students were feeling.

Burning the Syllabus

"The College Collage"

This project will be used to lessen the amount of stress felt by many students during finals week and, hopefully, serve as a create outlet. Collage can allow for a creative outlet that is free from a perceived "goal". A person who is tasked with making a collage is under less stress than someone who is tasked with, for example, painting a tree because the end outcome is not defined (source). This project will involve leaving a blank canvas for the campus to interact with and use as a means to de-stress. The blank poster will be placed just outside of the library (in the hall between the library and the annex) along with magazine cut outs and glue sticks. Directions for the project will also be posted.

The goal of this project is to capture the feelings of SMCM students at the start of exam week. Many times this can be the most stressful time because a full week of intensive study and exams lay ahead. While this project is meant to be an interactive way for students to de-stress, it will also give a tangible display of emotions based on colors chosen, flow of the piece, and willingness to participate.

Materials: large white poster board, easel or other way to display poster board, glue sticks, tons of cut outs from various magazines (approx. 150-200)

Plan: leave the easel and cut outs in the hall between the library and the annex with the following directions: De-stress a little during exam week by letting your creative energy flow! Please take a few of the cut outs and add them to this board as a representation of how you currently feel, how you would like to feel, things that make you happy, things that make you sad, etc. Please do not draw or write on this board.

I will display the board from 10am Monday 12/15 to 10pm 12/15. While the board is out I will check on it every two hours and document the developments through notes and photographs.

Sources:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/07/art-therapy-techniques_n_6103092.html
http://intuitivecreativity.typepad.com/expressiveartinspirations/self-expression-therapy-activities.html
http://creativityintherapy.blogspot.com/2012/07/collage-art-therapy-part-1.html
http://uvmbored.com/event/de-stress-with-soul-collage/

Review: Elkins

Firstly this paper was incredibly difficult to read, I couldn't tell if that was because of my ADD, the quality of the scan, or because Elkins thought it would be funny to put every three lines into focus and then out of focus. Regardless it should not have taken me over an hour to read this paper, but it did, and I digress.

I think this essay had a lot of interesting dialogue and I was interested in viewing the images that were discussed, because I believed that they would aid the reading. I searched for the first few images without luck, but The Sexuality of Christ had a lot more results than I would have anticipated prior to reading Elkins. This image in particular is discussed as Elkins reviews pornography:

In this image Jesus is being visited by a young boy, possibly an angel, who carries a cross. He is also visited by a large female angel. This scene is possibly depicting the 8th day after Jesus's birth, the day that he was named and circumcised. The young boy is touching Jesus and all the attention of figures in this scene is focused on that. The female angel, Mary and Joseph are turned toward and looking at the young boy and his grasp on Jesus's foot. None of the movements are very active though, the angel seems to be dropping a hand that was previously raised in protest, and Joseph's gaze seems to be turning toward Jesus. Mary also has a softened look of interest. I believe that this picture is depicting a moment when Jesus's mortality and "human-ness" were evident.

Additionally, in this image the infant Jesus uses his own hand to cover his penis. This was done for two reasons: because the sight of a penis would distract from the painting as well as put it at risk for being destroyed and because seeing Christ's penis would have been a way of defiling him or making him "too human". This is clear because Elkins cites Steinberg as saying that "He was not a half god who had sent his image to earth, while remaining in heaven, but God himself, who could achieve perfect fusion of human and devine forms" (Elkins 118). In this quote Elkins is drawing on Steinberg, who wants to claim that Jesus was so godly that his sexuality was innately tied to his godliness. I disagree with this section.

I believe that in showing Jesus in such a human way, like the image above, it makes him seem more like a prophet or normal human, than as a radiant god. Images like this make Jesus seem much more godly:

In the first image Jesus is being touched, examined, and looked at by everyone in the scene. In the second painting Joseph and Mary are not touching Jesus, but rather Jesus is trying to touch them. Joseph is praying while Mary appears to be restraining herself from reaching out to Jesus. These actions are similar to the actions when meeting a great Lord, as Jesus is supposed to have been. In this painting Jesus is seen as much more Godly and therefore Joseph and Mary are considered much more unworthy of touching him.

Walter Mason Response artwork

My response project to Walter Mason's land art is in my own interpretation of land art. Instead of using only natural materials, I took an environmentalist perspective, and used recycled materials (the wax casings of Babybel cheeses). I placed the wax maple leaf in nature in various areas with various backgrounds to see how the leaf looked in a natural area. I really liked this series of pictures because it is similar to Mason's pieces, but I was able to incorporate a lot of my own style. I would have liked to photograph it with other, real red maple leaves, but with the snow I was unable to find any on the ground.

          

IVT Progress!

The progress I've made so far has been pretty slim. I'm just figuring out how to work with wax and sculpt, because both are very new to me.

I'm really liking the impact of my finger prints on the soft wax, and considering incorporating this into my completed project.

Dressing up as Myself: Halloween 2014

I have always loved Halloween. Dressing up and acting like something so much different than yourself has always been the most exciting thing for me. When I was young Halloween felt like I could do anything or be anything. However despite a million and one possibilities I dressed up as a witch every year for like 6 years...probably because my fam had this awesome cape that I loved to flap around in.

However, this year I didn't dress up. And I also didn't go to my college's biggest party of the semester. And it's my senior year. A lot of people seemed to think that I was a little insane for that, but I had an amazing weekend.

This Halloween was my first holiday being 21 (October 28 birthday baby!). And aside from a few spiked Apple Ciders, I didn't drink. I didn't party. I didn't go to a bar. I spent this Halloween with my amazing boyfriend and my family. I baked pumpkin pies with Kevin, and lost a little of my controlling grip when I let him measure out all the spices. (For the record this was a terrible idea as he didn't add any ginger and instead added double cinnamon - don't worry I fixed it). We stayed up until 2am waiting for them to cool so we could taste the first piece, and of course we watch tons of Modern Family.

We finished out the weekend trying out a new climbing gym that was kind of bleh, eating some narly scallops (it was horrid), watching the Patriot until 2am (or was it 1am...Daylight Savings!!) and just hanging out with my family. To be honest we didn't do anything, and it was perfect. I spent my time being exactly who I want to be: myself. This might be the first time in my life that I'm not trying to be someone else or even wanting to be someone else. It's pretty liberating. So I had a wonderfully unconventional Halloween, happily dating the love of my life and having an amazing weekend with him.

He's the bomb dot com.

xx
Molly

Lovely Lovely Autumn!

I have always loved the fall. Whether it's harvesting all the corn that grew in my backyard as I grew up, the longer nights with clearer skies (I always feel like there are more stars in the Fall), or just the general crisp feeling all around Fall has always done great things for my mood, my general outlook, and my happiness.

There's just something about this weather that keeps me happy. Maybe the crisp weather keeps me super alert and pepped up, but it's not as aggressive as winter so I don't have to worry about turning into a cuddle ball that never ventures outside. However, on the subject of cuddling, it is the best time of the year for it. There's no need to worry about overheating your partner as you smother them with affection! And studies show that you sleep better in colder temperatures.

As a kid Autumn was always about Halloween (which happens to be my favorite holiday) because I loved the chance to be something more than I was. For one night I was anything but a little girl, which is inspiring when you're 9 and have big dreams for yourself. This year I didn't dress up as anything and you can read why by clicking here.

To conclude: Where can I live where it's Autumn time, all the time?

Molly

Well it's Monday so...

First lemme just start this Monday off right... with a #mancrush:

He's quite dapper today. He ended up shaving it all off (sad I know), but the mid-shave mustache picture is too amazing to not post.

This Monday started at 1:45 this morning when I was saying goodnight to Kevin and about to hang up the phone. Realizing that this morning would be the first time I had gone to my 9:20 class in a while (sometimes I oversleep...) I checked up on what the syllabus was dictating for today and YAY an exam that I was in no way prepared for. Forgive my french and cue Michael Scott:

So I end up staying up til 3 (with my amazing Kev who stayed on the phone with me and was my constant happy cheerleader)! Waking up at 7 to continue studying was hardly fun, but I dragged myself from my slumber and rolled out the door to the library to continue studying. I show up to class, exhausted, with tons of different factoids running through my head getting all jumbled up and low and behold: it's a take home exam.

YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAY!!!!!

This is the greatest news ever. I won't fail and I won't have a massive panic attack about failing! The greatest thing about this was that Kevin, who was pretty tired y'all, stayed up until the crack of dawn (or later) just to talk to me and keep me from going insane as I studied.

You the best Kevi

Molly

Looks a little different huh?

Oh yes there is one more author on this blog now!

The boyfriend is joining me and we co-authoring the blog from here on out! We'll both still have individual posts that you can grab by looking at posts by just me or just Kev but all our posts will run on one amazing feed! We're both pretty excited to see how this lovely thing goes - super high hopes!

I pulled a couple of Kev's posts from his old blog and threw them on here (so despite them saying they were posted by me, they were 100% written by Kev). Hopefully we'll both be much much MUCH more responsible with our posts from now on (I know I tend to disappear for weeks!). 

Stay tuned !!

Molly (and Kev!)

SHOE REVIEW: La Sportiva Katana (VS)

Katana* (VS, size 42) by La Sportiva

*old version/design

Killian Fischhuber, world renown bouldering powerhouse, still competes with these guys for a reason (I'm guessing that he likes them).

Two Velcro straps, two Velcro circles, and the character for "Katana" in Japanese mark this shoe branding it with the responsibility for precision, deadly accuracy, and power of the katana.

I've had these sweet mature puppies for over a year. They got me through the dark ages of poor footwork. The features an asymmetrical toe that really helps out with concentrating those little toesies into a point. It has enough toe rubber for toe-hooking when needed. The toe box isn't too advanced, which is likely related to the fact that it isn't particularly aggressive (even though it's named after a sword! HA I JEST). I find this to be a plus. When toe-hooking in an aggressive shoe, that toe joint curling into the safe welcoming home of the toe box is above the rest of the foot, which leads to terrible pressure on a red-point on your toe joint. With the Katana, this toe-issue (a tissue) is not an issue (not a tissue). You are able to toe-hook with ease.

Sizing (the wide-footed-man's shoe)

It's wide. It's comfortable. But it leaves too much dead space for my slender high profile feet. Furthermore, its not very aggressive. High-grade boulder problems could result in many foot-caused falls with these guys. Wide low profile feet rejoice! You have a shoe that can do virtually any style of climbing with have to be squeezed into a tube of misfortune.

You can crack, sport, trad, and boulder with these hombres.

So get to it!

Rating (scale of 1 to 5):

Bouldering - 4.5

Sport Climbing - 4.5

Crack - 4
Comfort - 5

Til next time!
Kevin

The Hardships of a Graduate Student

Dear Interneters,

I have clearly abandoned my post on the blog for an extended period of time. I have missed the blogging world: the thrills, the chills, the water-on-my-keyboard spills. All of it.

But,

I have returned. I have been busy with my graduate program, my job at the wonderful gym that is Earth Treks, and my second job at the American University Counseling Center (got that sexy secretary vibe going for me... or so my girlfriend says).

BACK TO CLIMBING,

When I do have time to climb, I've been regularly hitting up some sick bouldering climbs. The Earth Treks Setter Showdown (post in the works) was a rockin good time filled with unique and creative climbs that provided me with a ton of amusement... and pain! The climbs are awesome, and putting my Muiras (that's right they are still working after 3 years!), and Futuras (Mmmm *drool) to good use.

I have been training at home with my Blank Slate trainer (review in the works), and my lulu lemon yoga mat.

Anyway,

that's where I've been,

I hope to post more soon!

Thanks,
Kevin

Rethink: Reggie

On Wednesday my Cultured Body class discussed the "invisibility of the poor" and today I experienced that full force and I really wanted to share what happened with you.

I was sitting outside of a Starbucks in DC when an older man approached me. He was slightly hunched over and very tentative when he extended his cup to me. All he asked for was the change from my coffee. As I don't carry cash I was unable to give him anything and he said that was alright and wished me a good day. I watched him walk up to the next woman who quickly started to busy herself with her toddler and then mumbled that she didn't have anything and quickly averted her eyes, flicking them up a few times to see if he was still there, as if she was embarrassed of her own response. Then he moved to the next woman, who happened to be on the phone. Without so much as even looking up she puts her finger in her open ear as if his gentle asking was as annoying as buses going by. I was immediately appalled at her audacity. To be someone with so much privilege and apparent financial stability, and still unwilling to assist others. And then I got that horrible feeling when you realize you've done something incredibly hypocritical. 

How dare I judge her, when I could have given and I did nothing? While I don't carry cash I do have resources: phone apps connected to my banking, a credit card. After catching up to the older man I told him that while I don't have cash I would be happy to buy him lunch if he wanted to go to Panera or one of the shops. He chose Subway and on the way I learned that his name was Reggie and that he was supporting his sister and daughter. His daughter is a full time student and he's very proud of her, all of the money he makes at his job on the Metro goes toward her school and he goes out to try to "pull" for his sister who's at home. He was extremely polite and careful with my safety as we crossed the road (he made sure a right turning car wasn't going to hit me). When we got to Subway Reggie ordered the cheapest thing he could and asked if it was alright order a cookie along with his sandwich. He hugged me quickly after lunch and thanked me, which really gave me something to think about: why is giving to those who are struggling such a big deal? Why isn't that the normal thing. 

Reggie didn't coerce me, guilt me, or anyway try to convince me to help him. He wasn't rude, he didn't abuse the help I was offering, and he definitely didn't take it for granted. People have so many little excuses for why they don't extend a helping hand, and that's not considered wrong. It's normal. This whole experience just really made me question why not helping is normal and accepted, and why helping makes someone a hero. Helping someone in need is an act of empathy, it's a human characteristic, why is acting like a human in specific cases such an amazing act?

Review: Kubler

I really appreciated Kubler's "The Shape of Time". I thought he went in to a lot of very interesting points, the first being his review of genius. It was really interesting to learn that adopted children of musicians and artists held a lot of their adoptive parents qualities. (Meaning that genius originated from nature, not nurture). I thought that was very interesting because my thought has always been that people were born genius, which is why they can be "discovered" later in life even if they don't get the training their talent requires at a young age (which Kubler briefly touches on). I wish he would have draw more of a line between genius and prodigy, because I think that it is possible that when Kubler says genius I see prodigy, which leads to confusion.

I loved his opinion on artists sharing techniques and methods. "The formal sequence thus might find its realization in several crafts simultaneously" (Kubler 1962, 44). I loved this because it reminded me of something that we discuss frequently in anthropology: the culture is borrowed and shared. This is how it is possible to have "romantics born in periods requiring classic measure" (Kubler 1962, 45). It's not that the artists were 'born at the wrong time', but actually that they were inspired from an third style from an earlier time, and this inspiration pushed the classical period into what we know as the romantic period. Artists borrow forms and styles from each other, which allows art as a study to grown and change.

I believe that this is why many artists collaborated and wanted feedback from other predominate artists of the time. Many artists value their peers and want to see how their work is received by other people in their field. However it's possible that some of the "rebels" that Kubler talks about used collaboration for a different reason (Kubler 1962, 47). If one wanted to break from the norm, they first have to identify what the norm is. By doing this they can create something new a different.

I disagree with one of Kubler's final points. He says, almost in passing, that "today the artist is neither a rebel nor an entertainer" (Kubler 1962, 47). I think this is wrong in two cases. Firstly, in the 1960s Salvador Dali was still alive and painting until the 1980s. Perhaps he wasn't new in the '60s, but he was still a predominant and influential painter, producing amazing a rebellious works. The second thing that I didn't like about this phrase was it's implication that art is would not be a rebellious force in the future. It's extremely true in today's world that art continues to be an extremely rebellious force. From the art of defacing other's art, to feminist art, to spray painted murals. There's are things that are breaking from the status quo and drawing attention from people around the world. Art, by it's nature is rebellious, and will always be entertaining.

Mid-Semester Review & Three Possible Artists

Review:

So far I am really enjoying class this semester. Art is something I did when I was younger, and then like so many adolescents, I put it on a shelf assuming I would come back to it. But as life progressed and I entered college it just wasn’t really an option. I knew I had to take an ART or TFMS requirement, so I always thought I would. But I pushed it off semester after semester. Art didn’t fit into my demanding two major and minor schedules, so I kind of ignored it. And now, in my senior year, I realized I had never taken my Art requirement, so I signed up for this class for both the requirement and a lower level requirement for my minor. I didn’t think this class would be something I enjoyed so much, but I really do.

I think my favorite part of this class is the variety of projects, as well as the fluidity within each project in terms of possibilities. We get to do so many different types of projects from advertisement redesigns to animations on the computer! And when we are working on these projects we can employ any type of technique or medium we want. I really like doing collage work, so I think that on Project 2 (comic) I’m going to use collage to build my characters. This way I don’t have to worry about my characters slowly changes shape by the end of the comic!

There really isn't a change I would like to make to the semester or the second half of it. I really like how we have a variety of things happening in class time: lecture, group work, games, and individual project work. It keeps class interesting and makes me want to go! The one part of the class that I'm struggling with is finding the time to go to the artist talks, because they are similar times and I have an obligation on Wednesday afternoons. However I wouldn't want this to change because I think it will be really fun and interesting to attend. 

Artists:

1. Claude Monet: He's famous for his amazing impressionist pieces, usually using landscapes as a subject. I have one of his paintings hanging in my room (The Water Lily Pond) and I would really like to learn more about the artist behind. In addition, because of his focus on landscapes and natural settings I would be able to stay close to my minor (Environmental Studies) and fulfill that requirement.

2. Vincent Van Gogh: Of course Van Gogh is extremely well known, but I have always loved his work, before I even knew its significance. I would really like to learn more about him, not just as an artist, but also as a man who went through so much tragedy in his life and still produced such beautiful work.

3. The Nature Artists: This is a group of conservationalist artists, who work to make political statements about the environment through their works of art. I'm not sure if this is even a possibility because it is a group of artists as opposed to just one, but I'm keeping it in the back of my mind!

Review: Scott McCloud & My Project 2 Storyboard

Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud

I really liked how this article illustrated the length of time that can be found in a single comic strip box. In my project I probably won't be able to utilize this method because my project only has one action to follow in each scene. Having other things going on in the scenes (in my case) would be a large distraction, rather than adding to the story.

Something that I definitely think I will be incorporating will be the silent captions. They will be a perfect way to tell my story. I was initially planning on having no words or dialogue in the entire project because I think it would really challenge me creatively to produce images and a storyline that spoke for itself. However having a few silent captions will definitely help bridge the gap between myself and the reader of the comic in places where my artistic ability or the story fall short.

Lastly I focused on the section about movement and movement lines. I like the idea of movement lines and maybe I can use them to display wind or other natural occurrences, but I don't think that my project really warrants a lot of character movement, so I'm not entirely sure how I will apply them.

Overall I think this was a really helpful article/comic to read going into Project 2 and I think it gave me a lot of insight into parts of comics that I would normally overlook. For example I know that many times comic writers will drop the box and let the characters frame the "shot" on their own, but I never thought of this as an actual method to employ when creating my own comic.

My Project 2 Storyboard

I don't have a lot of solid thoughts yet for this project and I have no idea how to make a storyboard, so this is mostly brainstorming. I know that I want this project to focus on the environment, because I am taking this class for my ENST requirement. I was inspired by a Pinterest post about how to grow an avocado tree from a avocado seed:

I really want to incorporate this journey through time (as a seed grows) in my project. My current plan and what I am working on is creating a little character who, as a child, find an avocado seed and helps it take root, and then the two grow up together. I know that my project will definitely be a comic as a flip book wouldn't be able to capture this story the way that I want it to.

The first few slides will be the little girl first finding the avocado seed or receiving it as a gift. I think that having her receive it as a gift will allow for the ending to create a "back to the beginning" feel of my whole project.

After receiving the gift she places in it water until the seed begins to sprout, at which point she plants it and waits for it to grow. This portion should only take 7-10 comic blocks.

                    

The next 5 comic blocks will just be the timeline of the little girl and the seed growing up together, eventually leading to the little girl's harvesting of the avocado tree's fruit. After this happens the little girl (now an adult) will gift an avocado onto the next generation of growers. Hopefully this gifting will create a "back to the beginning" feel for my project.

Review: Berger and Podcast

Berger

Something that I really took from this article was the general idea that "A picture is worth a thousand words". I have always thought that this was a very true and very interesting especially because of all the different words that we have to describe all of our daily behaviors, actions and experiences fall short when we look at picture, or try to describe something that we have seen. I think this is why people stumble over words before saying the common phrase "you just had to be there" or why in the moment you'll hear people saying that they "just have to take a picture". I think this is absolutely because we lack the dialogue to fully explain things we've seen.

Then comes the issue of when we actually get to see a picture. Like the article says, learning more, in many ways, mystifies instead of clarifies. Instead of seeing a photo and feeling the force of being there, there is always something lacking. Even if one tries to place oneself in the situation, like the article stated, there is always something missing. For example: seeing a landscape and viewing oneself there, but not seeing what else is around. That is the lack of knowing. It is mystifying because while one feels that they are receiving all of the information by the photo there is always the knowledge that there is more than the photo, either in sight or experience. 

For example, in the photo about one could feel that they are truly taking in the experience of being on a dock above beautiful water, but this photo provokes more questions than it answers. How long is the dock? What is behind the dock? Is this a private location or public spot? Where is this located? Is it even real, or is it a product of photoshop? All of these questions are born from the photo, not from the explanation of the photo.

Maybe this is why cubists were so popular? Because they showed so many angles in a single portrait and allowed for the observer to make their own conclusion, while also giving the observer lot of information.

In the explanation of a photo emotional text is often used and I think that this is because using emotional text is the best way to relate to that which we don’t know. This is because most people are so familiar with emotions. To be told that a painting has blue lines that move slowly across the page and that they fade into a darker abyss doesn't capture the same response than if you say that the photo makes you feel sad. That the movement and color combine in such a way that gives the feeling of sadness and longing.

Picasso's last work

Podcast

My favorite part of this podcast was the discussion of the galloping horse and the camera's ability to expand and condense time. I thought this was really interesting and I really liked getting to see what was being discussed in the powerpoint in class. Looking at all of the slides combined one after another made the images of the galloping horse pull together a lot like the end of La Jetee. It's a section where the mind and the eye want to "connect the dots" and create a flowing movement "video" but that is truly impossible. I think that refers back to the camera's ability to expand and condense time. While it can prompt the mind to expand time and "fill in the gaps" to create a more fluid image, the camera is still controlling time and condensing it into 20 short frames.

Maggie

http://www.buzzfeed.com/jessicaprobus/this-runner-proves-that-female-athletes-are-stylish-and-stro?bffb&utm_term=4ldqphh&s=mobile

This girl is making serious fashion waves in the running world!

Help me follow my dream? Maybe? Maybe yes?

I'm trying to be the next Tara Stiles y'all. Well not really but this is something that I am crazy passionate about and I would love some support.

Cup Of Noodles

That's what I'm currently eating and what more could I possibly want? Expect maybe a less burned tongue. So the past few days have been super crazy for me, but also completely amazing. Over the weekend I was driving home (extremely hungover I might add) made a wrong turn and ended up 10 minutes from my boyfriend who I was missing so so much. I called him up and he told me that he was a climbing comp for setters, so I changed up my plan and went to spend the evening with him. The comp was so awesome! The climbs were so inventive and creative (IF YOU LIVE CLOSE TO DC YOU CAN FIND THE GYM BY CLICKING HERE!) I wish I could have climbed them, but unfortunately I left my climbing shoes at home.

I think my favorite part of the comp was meeting pro-climbers and actually getting to talk to one of them for a long time. She was super sweet and a total badass. You can visit Nina Williams's blog by clicking here! I currently have a signed poster of her in my room now, she's just amazing. It takes a special kind of climber to crush V11s and climb V12s.

So I spent the night with my amazing boyfriend doing normal couple things... eating avocados and drilling holes in doors. I had to leave the next morning and drive back home because on Monday I had a meeting with a knee specialist (oh yes, it's still bothering me..yay -_-). Sunday was full of driving and it was boring... so Monday comes around! And I go to the knee guy and he tells me that when I fell my femur and my tibia came together and crushed into my patella, which bruised the patella and femur bone, while also tearing my meniscus. THANKFULLY, most of my healing has already been done. I'm doing PT for 6 weeks and trying to stay off of my knee, but to be honest I've been running and climbing because stopping is just no fun.

Oddly enough in climbing I got my first V4 a few days ago. Maybe I thrive on pain, wouldn't that suck?

In other news, Kevin shaved his face and every time that happens I have no idea who he is.

Review: Flipovic, Batchen, Borges

Flipovic

I really liked how Flipovic went over the overlap between the past and the present and the personal thoughts each person has on determining what is the past and what is the present. Personally this made me think of my journey in Buddhism. In Buddhism one of the largest principles is that all is suffering. This phrase is not nearly as pessimistic as it sounds, what is actually meant is that the world is full of greed and other wants that can distract oneself from what is momentarily going on. An example of this is a person who is enjoying a moment and then is instantly saddened by the thought that that moment will have to come to an end. 

Batchen

The point that Batchen makes about pictures being from our past is one that I have always loved, but I don't share his same feelings.  Batchen focuses on death as a negative thought than can enter one's head when looking at a photograph. However I have never seen it like that, I have seen the prospect of death, but never seen it in such a negative light. To me death is the ending of a beautiful life through a beautiful process. I don't see a photograph as being a reminder that as we age we rapidly approach the end, but rather as a reminder that time is passing and the we need to enjoy the moment we currently hold. Looking at a photograph and only seeing the negative future negates the need for photographs, as they are typically something used to remember a beautiful and happy moment. To me death is part of life, and when you fear or dread death you begin to fear and dread your day to day life, because you see it as a stepping stone toward what you despise. I love the connection between viewing the past and anticipating the future, but I believe that the future does not have to be interpreted as so negative, just because death is part of everyone's future. Why couldn't pictures of the past be motivation to create more positive moment in the future?

Borges

First, I love that he started with a joke.

Second, this piece is essentially Buddhist through and through and I cannot believe we are reading so much Buddhism! (Or maybe I'm just seeing it everywhere, but I digress).

Third, from the moment that Borges said each moment is the only moment that exists it was clear to me that this was a piecce heavily rooted in eastern philosophy, most likely Buddhist thought. LOW AND BEHOLD! he references Zhuangzi (he spells it Chuang Tzu) and his dream of the butterfly.

This dream is the dream the allowed Zhuangzi to create Taoist thought. Taoist philosophy greatly influences Buddhism's development in China. The butterfly dream has many interpretations, but the one that I prefers says that in the moment that Zhuangzi dreamt he was a butterfly he was that butterfly and that the moment he thought he was Zhuangzi he returned to himself. There cannot be two thoughts occuring at the same time, so Zhuangzi cannot be both himself and the butterfly at the same time. This answers the question that Borges prompted: "Is not one single repeated term sufficient to break down and confuse the series of time?" 

Review: The Whole Ball of Wax

Art is something created or captured to express a mood, emotion, event, or concept (etc). Art is not completely definable because it relies on the observer's opinion and mood. Art to one person may not be art to another, however there is a such thing as objective art.

Review: The Whole Ball of Wax by Jerry Saltz

The first thing that struck me about this article that I neglected to address in my first draft of this blog post was the quote “Art is a bridge to a new vision and the vision itself, a medium or matrix through which one sees the world, and that grants that pleasure is an important form of knowledge. Art is not optional; it is necessary.” This pulled my attention because it was a point that maybe I took for granted, or just never fully saw in day to day life. Art surrounds our culture and both influences it and is influenced by it. Artists will portray the world in the way that they see it, which is creative. They dive deeper than the superficial details that most people are satisfied with and find new meaning in everyday experiences.

Art is necessary because of the way that it pushes our culture to see new things in already existing pieces. For example, the beauty of nature is frequently overlooked, until artists put nature into museums and in their works. This creates a Gesault switch (a Gesault switch is seeing something you have seen before in a totally different, new way) where people see intrinsic beauty in a tree or field they would have otherwise walked past. The Gesault switch is how art brings a “new vision” to the everyday world.

I thought this piece was very interesting and it sparked a lot of different thoughts for me, particularly when Saltz discussed the Cartesian view that some art is "dead". As a philosophy major this resonated with me because of all of the research and studying I have done on Descartes and Cartesian thought. The phrase "I think, therefore I am" originates from Descartes "I am, I exist" and essentially is Descartes's argument against the idea of a grand deceiver (someone who makes a person believe they are alive and in control when actually acting as a puppeteer). I would like to apply this model to art and the different forms I believe art can take.

I believe that there is subjective and objective art. There are works of art that will remain whether or not some people might view it as art. This is clear in instances where archaeologists find artwork from ancient civilizations and can tell that it is art. The archaeologists might not find a piece to be art, but they can conclude that it was art, but virtue of knowing the significance it held of people of an earlier time. To me objective art is a topic that could come from Saltz's observation about art being dead. I think it syncs up beautifully with my own personal definition of art being that of the observer's opinion. If tomorrow no one regards the Sistine Chapel as an amazing piece of art than it still remains (objectively) art. 

The other form of art that I believe exists is subjective art. This art tends to be momentary and lose its significance over time. An example of this is little children may be thrilled with their 3rd grade "artwork" only to look back at it as adults as junk. In the moment they believed it to be art it was subjectively art, and when that opinion about it was lost it no longer remained art. It was simply a sketch or illustration.

I thoroughly enjoyed Saltz's piece because it sparked a lot of reflection on my part. Sometimes I struggle to read deeper into article texts and I was excited to find so many personal connections and extensions from Saltz's view.

LET'S TALK ABOUT: TheSendSpot.com

OK Homies,

In case you're into crushing some sick routes at your nearest rock gym, then I think I should let you know about nifty little guy called: thesendspot.com.

Has your gym started taping their starts with QR codes? Don't worry, the robots aren't taking over. It's the send spot! The send spot allows you to upload your climbs from a registered gym by either scanning the QR code with a compatible device (your phone!) or by finding the route on the site itself.

"So what now I can use this sorta facebook like blah blah to keep track of my climbs? So what? Who cares?" Well, guy who I'm sure would say this with a Brooklyn accent, the site keeps track of the average number of moves you make per month allowing you to monitor your training a little more closely. It keeps track of the number of climbs you've completed over time, which reveals training gaps. AND FOR FUN, it has a rating system (explained on the site), which allows you to compare yourself to other climbers on the website.

"So how many of dem gyms are even on this site anyway?" Man, you are a curious New Yorker aren't you? There are several gyms, and the number keeps growing! If your local gyms isn't on it, then ask the manager to look into it! I even got the small rock gym at my undergraduate: St. Mary's College of Maryland registered with practically no trouble at all! So, to all the gyms out there, this is an opportunity to connect with a network of climbers. Furthermore, thesendspot provides climbers with the ability to rate the climbs at your gym and express their opinion regarding the difficulty of the climb.

So what are you waiting for!! GET SENDING! [thesendspot.com]

and find me: username: jamesbondthemesong42

Til next time!

Kevin 

Being home!

I moved out of my summer house (I was living with Kev) to go back home for a week before I'm off to my senior year of college. I honestly can't wait to start my senior year so I can end it!

I have a few super exciting things coming up!! This weekend I'm going to Myrtle Beach with my amazing best girl Mae, but before that I'm getting some much needed family time! I'm going to a MLB baseball game this Wednesday to support my Orioles and on Thursday I'll be at Mother/Daughter yoga with my mom. I'm going to have to super alter the moves considering I'm struggling to walk on my knee still, but I think it'll be a good thing!

I'm back to school in one week, but luckily only a few days after that I'll be going to a concert with my amazing boyfriend (who I haven't seen since the 20th). We're going into DC to see Bleachers and Misterwives. I couldn't be more excited!

I'll try to keep y'all updated!

xx

M

V4, V3, and a twisted knee!

To finish off the week Kevin and I took a much needed trip to the climbing gym. It was supposed to just be a burn it out sesh for me. Basically just hammer on the weak spots and go for climbs that I normally wouldn't do at all. I continued working on a V3 that'd been snagging me up and started on a V4 that has a couple places where footwork is tricky. 

The V3 has two tricky sections: a barn-door move and a double sloper move. I can go smoothly through the barn-door section and up to the first sloper, but the next move gets me. I'm heel hooking with my right and my left foot is under me, and I have to do a big reach up to the second sloper with my right hand, and every time I slip right off. I'm going to keep working at it, but progress is slow.

The V4 starts simply enough, it's a low sit leaned to the right with the first move being a reach behind with your right hand. I can get through the first 4-5 moves, but there is a pinch that right after you have to switch feet in order to finish the climb. The only time I securely got the pinch and could switch my feet I slipped off. 

Long story short: in both cases my footwork was lacking horribly.

I really love both climbs and I wish I could have worked on them more, BUT when I was goofing off on a little V0 with a reachy overhang I slipped off the wall and ended up twisting my knee. I tried one more climb after that, but it was pretty clear I was out of commission.

So right now I'm typing this from my bed as I ice my super swollen knee...

Cheers!

M

The past week: Calleva and Cubs

This week started completely normal as I started work. As most of you know I work at a summer camp in MD called Calleva (which means where the paths cross) and I work with a wide range of ages, from 3 to 15! This past week I was working with 3-5 years olds and it was possibly my favorite week so far at camp!

On Monday I noticed we were a little under staffed so I recruited Kevin to join in on the week. It was awesome! Early in the week there was a huge thunderstorm so when the lightning and thunder stopped we dressed up the kids in black trash-bags (to hopefully keep them dry) and played a round of "Darth Vader Tag"!

Despite the rough weather early in the week the kids all had a great time exploring the rivers and woods of Calleva, creating art projects, meeting farm animals, and even having several dance competitions. The little Cubs (their official Calleva title) even put on a skit! And it was great to see their hard work pay off as they performed it for their peers (I wish I had pictures!)

It was a great week and made me a lot more confident in my ability to work with young kids! Seeing all of them so excited and happy for camp made every rough moment 100% worth it.

Til next time!

xx

M

This past weekend... (aka killing the game)

Hi hi everyone!

So yesterday I went back to the rock gym, but I was definitely wayy too tired from my awesome climbing Saturday. Saturday I felt great and managed to hit a sweet spot when I was climbing and finish my first V3 ever. It was fairly short with a few careful and intricate movements, and luckily (!) with my balance and flexibility I was able to do a climb that I had watched climbers better than myself struggle on.

It was amazing to finish it and I felt on top of the world, but I think my favorite part of getting the climb was figuring out the type of climber that I am. While my boyfriend is a very technical climber with lots of height, and his cousin is a powerhouse climber, I think my type of climbing is going to be more focused on balancing my body over small movement to sneak through climbs. I'm definitely much more secure on that than any other form of climb!!

Til next time!

xx

M

Did you miss me?

CAUSE I MISSED YOU!

Okay pinky promise that I will not disappear again.

Kevin and I spent a super amazing vacation up in Acadia, Maine! Tons of amazing rock climbing and I absolutely loved every minute of it. Kevin as always was a total champ and you can see all his amazing pictures by visiting his blog! (Oh yes, I've turned him onto blogging).

He's so sassy he was made for this! I mean, come on, look at that face.

I had some great climbs up there! It was absolutely beautiful and we got to climb some cliffs on the coast! The views were insane. I worked on some of my first ever traverse problems! They were much different than anything else I had climbed before, and seeing as I haven't been climbing very much in the past year I wasn't expecting much to come from it. But there was a huge crack that made my hands pretty easy so I got to focus on my feet. 

Then I started working on a V2 that definitely had a reaching section. I ended up having to half reach half dyno to a jug that ended up tearing my pinky one sweet flapper. But I was super dedicated once I got that jug and topped out a few moves later! Don't worry, I left my blood on top of the boulder!

From then on it was cake! And I got a few more good climbs before we went home!

We also did some regular mountain climbing!! And from us to all of you: GO TO ACADIA! Or honestly any national park. Climbing, hiking, swimming, bird watching, WHATEVER YOU WANT!! Just get out there and enjoy nature's beauty and your nation's gift.

xx

M

(and K)!

Personal Update!

Let's Get Personal! Acadia Trip

I am pleased to write that I have officially bouldered outside, and will be writing a review of my crash pad soon!

For those interested in the adventure:

My wonderful girlfriend Molly (who is responsible for the photos, link to her blog here) and I went to Acadia National Park in Maine staying in Bar Harbor. Hiking, eating, touring were all as fantastic as the East coast can offer. Before the trip, we planned it out with the help of rockclimbing.com and the mountainproject.com. It took some effort, and not all searching was fruitful, but we found some magnificent boulder spots: (Monument Cove, and Gorham). Truthfully, it was a fantastic trip for climbing in a place where bouldering is present, but not the most popular form of climbing. Not to worry though! As I walked with Molly, crash pad strapped to my back, climbers of all varieties would ask "You're bouldering? Where?". Plenty of friendly faces and rock lovers to go around.

Acadia is full of some pretty neato-burrito boulder problems along hiking trails with fantastic views. It also happens to be the only coast climbing on the East coast. The difficulties of the respective problems vary from good warm-ups (V0) to the extreme (V13). You could live a good life full of climbing in the town of Bar Harbor: full of beer from the craft ales of the Atlantic Brewing Company and good food of the Mainely Meat BBQ (located next to the brewery, which by the way offers amazing free tours!).

But seriously... That was some awesome beer and BBQ.

It was a fantastic trip! All of which I owe to my gal and her family. Thanks Molly!

Til next time!

Kevin 

SHOE REVIEW: Muira (lace-ups) by La Sportiva

The Muira (lace-ups, size 41.5):

A sleek design. A minimalistic feel. The Muira provides comfort and performance in force with this tremendous success by La Sportiva. There is a reason why these shoes were awarded "shoe of the decade" (that's right folks, "decade").

I've climbed in the Muiras for about a year and a half now. I've bouldered, top-roped, and lead in these workhorses and found myself pushing my limits in comfort. They are worn down and in need of a good resole. Even with absent toe and smoothed-away rubber, I can still go big and rock the rocks with little loss of my performance. Well done La Sportiva, well done.

Highlights:

Comfort - How La Sportiva managed to squeeze my toes into an asymmetric point without reshaping my metatarsal bones is beyond my comprehension.

The heel - La Sportiva's new release: the Futura has the body of the Solution with the heel of the Muira for a reason. It's a simple piece, but it runs narrow while tapering to the heel for a snug, sensitive heel.

Narrow - I have narrow feet. I have struggled with getting rid of the dead-space that narrow feet fail to occupy. Wider-footed ladies and gentlemen (particularly gentlemen) may find that the Muira is too tight. However, for those with narrower feel will likely find (as I have) a good form fitting shoe.

Rating (scale of 1 to 5):

Bouldering - 4.5

Sport Climbing - 5

Crack - 4.5
Comfort - 4.5

Til next time
Kevin

ACADIA!

Current cupcake obsession

Hey all! I've been doing a lot of cupcaking lately. It's not my fault! Everyone just blame Kev. 

He's the one that took me to Georgetown Cupcake on Tuesday AND Wednesday! I got the classic red velvet first and yesterday I went with carrot cake. I'm obsessed with cream cheese frosting. My bad...

And now tonight we went and bought a muffin pan so I could make cupcakes JUST SO I COULD FROST THEM. How ridiculous is that? I have the best boyfriend ever. I can't believe he would do all the for me.

Especially since right now we're watching our hundredth episode of DC Cupcakes...

First Post!

Hello WORLD!

This is the beginning of something that has the potential to be pretty fun: a no-nonsense review site based on my personal use of shoes, harnesses, chalk bags/buckets, climbing salves, and whatnot; a some nonsense account of my personal climbing endeavors as I progress in my journey to climb things and compete in the climbing world.

A little about me:

I'm 23! (Screw Blink-182 and their song "What's My Age Again")

I've been climbing since 2011 starting at my undergrad St. Mary's College of Maryland (SMCM).

I am employed at Earth Treks (ROCKVILLE) while I pursue an MA in psych at American University.

I mainly boulder. Admittedly, I should top-rope and lead more, but I really am a boulder at heart.

I project V7s at Earth Treks, and my highest route difficulty is 5.11c.

My love for climbing started late (it seems that climbers are younger and younger each season), but I plan on doing my best to make up for lost time. I hope you'll join me regardless of whether you are just curious about climbing or send Half-Dome at Yosemite for a warm up; whether or 5 years old with proficient computer skills or 80 years old with a desire for adventure.

My measurements and body type (for your consideration when reading my reviews)

6'2" and proud of it

Medium Shirt Size, 31W 32L Pants

170 lbs of hopefully muscle

Shoe size (let's get complicated): 

La Sportiva - 40.5 Men's  based on Futura

Climb X  - 9.5 US Men's based on Sky-Rock it 

5.10 - 10 US Men's based on Coyote

Regular shoe size 10.5 US Men's 

Til next time!
Kevin